2025: Week 4, Term 1

Principal's Message

Dear JB Parents & Carers

As we prepare for the season of Lent, we remind ourselves of the importance of our shared faith, and the opportunity to demonstrate that faith in action to our children and to each other. On Ash Wednesday, Mass will be celebrated for our Primary students who will join with parishioners at 9am. Following this, the blessed ashes will be distributed to Infants classes who will engage in a special liturgy with their classmates. 

It was a wonderful celebration of faith on Sunday as our Kinder students and families celebrated in a Welcome to the School Year Mass. The joy and energy throughout the mass, and afterwards, reminded me how lucky we are to be part of a very special community. Thanks to all who helped prepare the celebration, particularly Fr Dominic, who always leads the spiritual growth of us all. 

ENROLMENTS 2026

Enrolments are now open for Kinder placements for 2026. Last night was our first Open Day for the community, and it was very well attended with eager and excited families. If you have a child who is ready for Kinder next year, don't hesitate to submit your application so we can begin the process of interviews, etc. Thank you in advance. 

BOOM GATES

In the coming the days, the carpark boom gates will be fully operational. We thank you for your support and know there will be some issues in transition. Please be patient and undertstand that the gates were installed for the safety of all. 

CONGRATULATIONS MRS KAWA!

We congratulate Ms Rostankovska who was married over the weekend. Miss will now be Mrs Kawa upon her return to school. Our prayers and kind thoughts to the happily married couple!

CANTEEN LENTEN MENU

A revised menu during Lent will be offered to familes from the canteen. Full details will be made availbale to all shortly. Thanks to the canteen for your support of the school. 

With my best wishes for the week ahead. 

Brendan O'Connor  Principal

Assistant Principal News

Dear Parents,

It has been a wonderful start to the school year, our students have settled so comfortably back into routine and the learning that is taking place is so pleasing to see. A few reminders for parents and students as we progress throughout the term. 

Entering Absences on Compass

It is important that parents are entering valid reasons for student absence as soon as possible after the absence date. 

If you require assistance in entering absences via compass, please read the attached instructions. 

If your child brings home an unexplained absence notice from the school you can either:

1. enter the absence details via compass and discard the notice
2. complete the notice, providing reason for absence and return this to your child's classroom teacher

 Uniform Expectations

• Hair should be neat and tidy. Extreme hair styles (mullets, skin fades, hair streaks, lines or shapes and extremely untidy hair) or colours are not permitted. Boys' hair should be above the collar. 
• Visible coloured nail polish or acrylic nails are not permitted on students 
• Children are not to wear jewellery to school except for a wrist watch and stud or sleeper earrings. One simple cross/ religious symbol necklace is permitted. Bracelets, bangles, rings and other necklaces are not permitted. 
• Sports Uniform is to be worn with white ankle/ crew socks that are plain - no logo or company branding should be visible. Socks must be able to be seen above sports joggers. 

The Resilience Project

As you are aware, we have engaged with ‘The Resilience Project’ as a school community. Part of the program involves framing conversations with your children in a positive way. Perhaps you could try one of the ‘GEM’ chats with your own children at home. Some suggested topics are:

• What are 3 things that went well for you today?
• What made you feel proud this week?
• What kind acts did you notice today?
• Name 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can see and 1 thing you can feel. 

Natali Tomic  Assistant Principal

Religion News

Religious Education Week 4

Preparing for Ash Wednesday 

Next Wednesday, we begin the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday, a day of prayer, fasting, and reflection. On this day, we receive ashes on our foreheads as a sign of repentance and a reminder of our journey towards God. The ashes, made from the palms of last year’s Palm Sunday, symbolise our commitment to turning away from sin and growing in faith. As we prepare for Lent, we encourage families to take time for self-reflection and renewal by embracing the Lenten practices of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer.

Sacrament of Reconciliation 

Reconciliation Lessons: 

Lesson 1: Week of 24 February

Lesson 2: Week of 3 March 

Lesson 3: Week of 10 March

Lesson 4: Week of 17 March

Sacrament of Reconciliation Night

Tuesday 25th March Reconciliation Liturgy 

God Bless,

Michael Hobson  Religious Education Coordinator 

Family Educator News

Family Educator  Term 1  Week 4

Lenten Group begins on Monday 3rd March- Cuppa and Chat too!

We will meet on Monday mornings and begin following the beautiful Lenten programme put together by the Archdiocese of Sydney- “Let Your will be Done, not mine”

This is a great way to start your week (after a hectic weekend) to share with other parents and build connections with your community and your faith. 

Come along to the demountable classroom on the top playground when the bell rings.

Note: NO GROUP on MONDAY 10th MARCH due to An Archdiocesan Meeting

March 17th: Weeks 2 and 3

March 24rd: Week 4

March 31st: Week 5

April 7th: Week 6 Palm Sunday

PLEASE REGISTER your Interest now -

Open to all children 0-5 years old, we meet in the demountable classroom on the top playground on Wednesday Mornings 8.45am-10am

We pray, sing and share a story together before a craft activity. All are welcome to attend and this is a great opportunity for parents to meet each other and the children to make friends before starting school, building friendships and connections with each other in a faith filled space. 

Note- NO PLAYGROUP ON ASH WEDNESDAY MARCH 6th

Wednesday March 12th- Noah’s Ark Storytime

ASH WEDNESDAY MASSES-

Next week we celebrate the beginning of LENT with our Ash Wednesday Mass. Students in Years 3-6 will attend Mass at 9am, with students in younger grades receiving in their classrooms and sharing a liturgy later in the morning.

Parents and Parishioners are welcome to attend the 9am Mass, and there is also another parish mass at 7pm in the evening.

KEEP THE DATE-

Working BEE to prepare church and grounds for Easter

Saturday 12th April (and decorate with palms for PALM SUNDAY)

Details TBC

40th Anniversary!

DID you KNOW - Our parish and church is celebrating 40 years this year?There will be some exciting events coming up throughout 2025.

Keep the date : May 4th Special Anniversary Mass and Family Picnic

More to follow as details, dates and venues are confirmed.

Have you got a special memory of your time here at the parish? Look out for links to share your stories soon. Or send photos and stories to Father at the parish-

info@johnthebaptist.org.au

Parish Matters:

Youth Group- a monthly gathering open to Years 5 and 6 will resume on a Saturday afternoon once a month. Look out for dates as they are confirmed.

This is a great chance to have some fun, for younger people to explore their faith in an informal setting and build connections within their parish. 

CATECHIST NEWS - We need FOUR more Catechists please!

 Would you like to share your faith with young people? Half an hour a week.

The first Catechist meeting on Wednesday starting with Mass was attended by 40 catechists and helpers and I thank them for renewing their commitment to continue our parish mission to support our families in state schools and share the hope and joy that Jesus brings them. Most schools will be starting next week but we have 4 classes with no scripture teacher. Tuesday GPK 9.00 am - Kindy and Year 2 Wednesday Edensor Park 9.00 –Year 6 Wednesday Green Valley Kindy at 2pm. Please consider becoming a Catechist or Helper in 2025 It is a commitment to teaching to half an hour teaching every week. We invite you to join this ministry and our wonderful JB Catechist Team . Any enquiries contact: Nina Laureti 0408 465 149

Wellbeing News

Smooth Transitions, Happy Days! 

Building a Strong Start with Schoolwide Positive Behaviour for Learning.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to a fantastic new school year! We've been thrilled to see our students enthusiastically returning and ready to learn. As we settle into routines, we'd like to highlight the importance of smooth transitions, particularly for students moving between the classroom and the playground.

At John the Baptist, we use Schoolwide Positive Behaviour for Learning (SPBL) to create a positive and supportive learning environment. Our expectations  We are Safe, Responsible, and Respectful guide everything we do, and transitions are a key time for students to demonstrate these expectations.

Why are transitions so important?

• Setting the Tone for Learning: A calm and organised transition from the playground to the classroom helps students shift their focus from play to learning. It allows them to settle and be ready to engage in lessons.

• Ensuring Safety: Moving safely between areas, whether walking calmly in lines or using designated pathways, helps prevent accidents and keeps everyone safe.

• Building Responsibility: Students demonstrate responsibility during transitions by listening to instructions, following routines, and being mindful of others.

• Showing Respect: Respectful transitions involve respecting others, avoiding disruptions, and following teacher directions. This creates a positive and inclusive atmosphere for everyone.

• Reducing Anxiety: For some children, transitions can be a source of anxiety. Having clear routines and expectations helps provide structure and predictability, reducing stress.

• Maximising Learning Time: By having quick and efficient transitions, we maximise the time available for teaching and learning.

How can you help at home?

• Reinforce our PBL Expectations: Talk to your child about being safe, responsible, and respectful during transitions.

• Encourage active listening: Remind your child to listen carefully to teacher instructions during transitions.

• Practice routines: If your child struggles with transitions, you can practice simple routines at home, such as moving from one activity to another calmly and orderly.

• Positive reinforcement: Praise your child when they demonstrate good transition habits.

• Open communication: If you have concerns about your child's transitions, please don't hesitate to speak to their teacher.

We appreciate your support in helping our students develop these essential skills. By working together, we can ensure everyone a smooth and successful start to the school year.

Thank you for your partnership!

Peace and Blessings,

Frank Wassef  Wellbeing coordinator

Sports News

Swimming News

On Wednesday 19th February, our JB Swimming team competed in the Conference 4 Swimming Trials.

We congratulate Yolanda Butrus, Emilia Cavicchia, Maria Faga, Alena-Christina Gauci, Giorgio Gauci, Giuseppe Gauci, Lucas Gorgis, Kate Mounes, Grace Nguyen, Alexander Portelli, Melanie Romero, Savannah Sabbouh, Zara Sabbouh, Joseph Shaba, Raphael Shaba, Ana Srdanovic, Cove Trajcevski, Kosta Triantafillou and Elvis Zhang.

A special congratulations to the following students who will attend the Sydney Swimming Trials. Well done team!!

Here are our results:

Emilia Cavicchia

• 6th 50m Breastroke
• 6th Junior Girls Relay

Alena-Christina Gauci

• 6th Junior Girls Relay

Kate Mounes

• 2nd Snr Girls Relay
• 6th 50m Freestyle

Grace Nguyen

• 6th Junior Girls Relay

Savannah Sabbouh

• 2nd Snr Girls Relay

Zara Sabbouh

• 6th Junior Girls Relay

Ana Srdanovic

• 2nd Snr Girls Relay

Cove Trajcevski

• 6th 50m Freestyle
• 4th 50m Breastroke
• 4th 50m Butterfly

Kosta Triantafillou

• 6th 50m Backstroke

Our most successful JB swimmer of all time was Melanie Romero.  She definitely has a future in swimming.  Remember her name! Here are her sensational results.

Melanie Romero

• 1st 100m Freestyle
• 1st 50m Freestyle- Melanie broke the 50m Conference 4 record.
• 1st 50m Backstroke
• 1st 50m Breastroke-Melanie broke the 50m Conference 4 record.
• 1st 50m Butterfly-Melanie broke the 50m Conference 4 record.
• 2nd Snr Girls Relay

Cross Country News

Our school Cross Country Trials have taken place over the last couple of weeks.  We congratulate all of the students who participated in these trials.

A special congratulations to the following students who will participate in the Cross Country Championships on Tuesday 6th May. Well done, Mariana Adam, Benyamin Audisho, Jonah Borg, Emilia Bruzzese, Eliana Canturi, Andrea Carnovale, Luca Corvelo, Chloe Davino, James Deakin, Alena Gauci, Oliver Komadina, Bronte Lim, Jack Mazurkiewicz, Sophia Milczarek, Noah Naamo, Isla Ngo, Mateo Odak, Pia Ojeda, Rosario Patronaggio, Vincenzo Pelle, Sebastian Rofael, Imogen Siciliano, Noah Soro, Isabel Tantiyasawatdikun, Andrew Tomic, Alessandro Vaccari, Christian Vaccari and Gianluigi Vaccari. 

Train hard!

Frances Oliverio  Sports Coordinator

Enrolment Information

Applications are now open in Compass for Kindergarten 2026 and Year 7 2027 enrolments (for current Year 5 students).

To apply, click the cog wheel on the top right-hand side of your existing parent Compass account and then “Family and Enrolments” in the drop-down. If you are applying for your currently enrolled child please click on their name in Student Profile, complete the profile to get to 100% and you will then be able to create an application. For new students (e.g. Kindergarten), please create a new student profile before submitting an application. You must select at least two school preferences to submit. Upon submission, you'll receive a confirmation email, and your Compass account will display the status as “submitted.” Please see below step-by-step guide if you need assistance.

Open days will be held in early Term 1 2025 (Monday 3 March 2025 at 6pm and Thursday 6 March 2025 at 9.15am), and final enrolment applications close on Friday 4 April 2025.  Feel free to share this information with friends, family, and community members who may be interested in enrolment.

Notes from the Office

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Parents, a gentle reminder regarding the importance of informing our school of any changes that may  occurr during the year to your family’s personal details such as an address, mobile numbers, emails, emergency contacts, etc. For your convenience, these details may be updated via the Personal Details Form available on your Compass Favourites links.

Of equal importance and in the best interests of your child/ren, we ask if there has been a new event or update in relation to your child’s health, once again, we ask this information be provided at the earliest. A Student Health Information Form is also available on your Compass Favourites link, to assist you in this process.

SCHOOL FEES

Your 2025 school fee statements have been emailed to you. It would be appreciated if your payments are made by the scheduled dates as listed on your statement.

Payments can be made by CompassPay, BPay, Cash, Eftpos or Centrepay.

Your co-operation is greatly appreciated!

CANTEEN

Please contact the school office 9823 5042 for any communication with the Canteen. 

LOST PROPERTY

We have numerous items of clothing collected every day, they are placed in our lost property basket in the office.  All labelled items are returned to the child's classroom and items which  which are unlabelled go to the clothing pool.  

Please ensure you re-label any clothing your child is able to remove at school as markings can fade over time.

Please ensure ALL of your children's items are labelled including drink bottles, lunch boxes and containers as we have numerous lost property items collected every day which remain unclaimed and ultimately have to be thrown away. 

CLOTHING POOL  

Parents, should you wish to make a purchase of good quality second-hand clothing at any time, a reminder you may do so via your Compass Favourites link via the Clothing Pool Order Form.

Alternatively, you can call the office and place an order via telephone, email info@jbbonnyrigg.catholic.edu.au or complete the form below and return it to the office with your child. 

The clothing pool welcomes donations of school uniforms. Please ensure that all items are clean and in good condition (no rips or stains as we have no washing facilities). Only official school uniform items are accepted and please note we cannot accept socks or stockings.

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL CARE PROVIDERS

Parents will need to arrange before and after school care providers directly with the provider.  Camp Australia can be contacted on 1300 105 343 to arrange your child's enrolment with this service.  

Good Samaritan Catholic College Open Day

Lowes 20% School Uniform Sale

Dates to Remember