Around The Primary

Dear Families

We have experienced a busy week at school. Our students have been diligently engaged in their classes and have participated in a variety of activities. The staff have been finalising assessments and preparing reports, while our Kindergarten and Pre-Primary teams are organising their Parent Information Sessions scheduled for next Wednesday evening. 

On Tuesday, our Year 6 students participated in the 2025 Year 7 Orientation Day alongside many students from other schools. This event was highly anticipated and offered them a valuable glimpse into the life of a secondary student. It was wonderful to see our students interacting and networking with peers from different schools. Looking ahead to next Monday, our current Year 4 students will have the opportunity to participate in fun fitness activities with the new students who will join the Year 5 third stream cohort next year. These experiences will help them to build new friendships and foster a sense of community among the students.

We are once again collaborating with St Vincent de Paul this year to positively impact the lives of those in our local community. We encourage all families to contribute non-perishable food items or gift vouchers to the collection baskets in each classroom, which will be assembled into Christmas hampers for those facing difficulties this holiday season.

Kind regards

Antoinette De Pinto

Head of Primary

Vinnies Christmas Appeal  

Every year the Society of St Vincent de Paul organises hampers for families in need of assistance.

Families are invited to select from the following list and bring items to school by Friday 29 November.  There will be collection baskets in all the classrooms. 

Suggestions for donation items:

Thank you for your support. 

Dates to Remember

Please check the College website to note all the important Primary school events for your family calendar. http://www.johnxxiii.edu.au/view/for-parents/calendars

By subscribing to the College calendar, you are automatically alerted when details of an existing event are changed. 

2025 Term Dates

The term dates for 2025 have now been published on the College Website and can be accessed using this link Parent Information | Term Dates | John XXIII College

Inspire Workshop

The Parents' Association is committed to providing valuable educational experiences through our 'INSPIRE' program, which focuses on parent education through presentations, forums, and interactive sessions. Our program funds a range of speakers and educators who address health and wellbeing issues affecting young people and their families. In this interactive workshop, we invite parents and guardians to come together and brainstorm potential topics for our 'INSPIRE' events in 2025 and beyond. Your input will be important in helping us identify the most relevant subjects that will benefit our community. By attending this workshop, you will be part of a proactive community that is dedicated to the educational and emotional wellbeing of our children. Together, we can create a robust and relevant program for 'INSPIRE' into the future. 

We look forward to your participation and contributions.

• Date: Tuesday 12 November 2024 
• Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
• Location: Thomas More Exhibition Centre

Parents as Partners

Special thanks to Caroline Di Costa (Primary Convenor) and all the parent coordinators for their fantastic contributions throughout the year. They have done a wonderful job of organising family and parent events throughout the year, as well as, coordinating volunteers for various events. 

Library News

Important – Whitelist Library Emails

We have noticed that some emails from the Ignatius Centre Library are being sent to junk folders, especially for parents using Hotmail accounts. To ensure you do not miss important updates and information, please add our library email addresses to your trusted senders list.

Library Email Addresses: library@johnxxiii.edu.au and jean.redfern@johnxxiii.edu.au 

Here is how to add us to your trusted list:

1. Open the email from the library in your inbox or junk folder.
2. Click on the three dots (more options) and select "Mark as Safe" or "Add to Safe Senders."

Thank you for helping us keep you informed.

Book Return Adventure!

It's time for a little book rescue mission! Our beloved stories have been off on their adventures throughout the year, and soon we will need your help to bring them back home to our library shelves.

Mark Your Calendars: Students will be able to continue borrowing until 15 November. Please return all library books the following week - 18 to 22 November.

Until then, happy reading!

Jean Redfern 

Library and Learning Services Educator

Sports News       

IPSHA Touch Rugby

On Thursday, 46 of our Year 6 students took part in the IPSHA Touch Rugby Carnival that saw 7 schools competing in a round robin format.  Our students have been learning touch rugby this term and it was so pleasing to see them putting their skills and strategies to the test against other schools.  The conduct and sportsmanship displayed by the Year 6’s was exemplary.  Well done to all!

Pre-Primary to Year 4 Tennis 

Students have been enjoying learning tennis in their PE lessons and have been fortunate to have Nick Kirkbride and his coaches from City Beach Tennis Club leading the lessons. We have just one more week of tennis to go before swimming lessons begin for students in Pre-Primary to Year 3. 

Pre-Primary to Year 3 Swimming Lessons

Please ensure the 2 forms are completed in preparation for the upcoming swimming lessons by Monday 11 November. 

• Enrolment and waiver form for swimming lessons to be completed and returned to classroom teachers.
• Submit e-form sent via email this week. 

Year 6 - Swimming Club 

Year 6 students are invited to join Secondary students for Swim Club training on Wednesday mornings from 7:00am to 8:00am in the College Pool until the remainder of the term.  

This is a great opportunity to get training in early in time for next year’s Interhouse Carnival.  All abilities and experience levels are welcome there will be something for everyone and it is a great way to start the day, especially with the weather warming up! 

For any queries about the Swimming Club, please contact Jessica Pillera, Secondary Head of Sport via email: jessica.pillera@johnxxiii.edu.au

If you have any queries about anything sport-related, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email: steve.williams@johnxxiii.edu.au

Steve Williams

Primary Sport Coordinator

Music News

Primary Choir and Instrumental Ensemble Rehearsals

A friendly reminder that attendance at ensemble rehearsals are compulsory as students are preparing for upcoming performances. Please email the ensemble’s director if your child is sick and unable to attend. Appointments should, where possible, be scheduled for times that do not coincide with rehearsals.

Save The Date

Please note the following music performance dates for this term:

Primary Instrumental Recitals

The Primary Instrumental Recitals held on Monday, 25 November, are an exciting opportunity for students to show off their hard work from throughout the year. 

This performance opportunity is open to students who learn an instrument at school or privately. Students are invited to play one piece in the appropriate recital category (either a solo or group piece). Students may perform in multiple categories (for example, piano and strings) if they learn more than one instrument. These recitals will be divided into groups based on student year groups and the number of entries with family members invited to watch the performances. Timetables will be emailed in the week commencing 18 November.   

Students who learn an instrument at school do not need to complete an entry form as they will be entered by their tutor. Students who wish to perform but have external lessons are required to use this link:   Primary Recital Entry Form. Entries are due by Wednesday, 13 November. 

2025 Music Lesson Enrolments

Enrolments for music lessons in 2025 are now open, please see below for options available to students. Enrolment forms are available online Music Lesson Enrolment Form 

**Students in Years Two and Four will receive a separate communication and enrolment information regarding the Strings and Band programs later this term.

If you have any queries regarding Primary Music, please contact me via email: catherine.haydon@johnxxiii.edu.au

Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Teacher

2025 Booklists

Booklist orders for Pre-Primary to Year 4 will continue to follow the ‘bulk order’ system in 2025. This ordering system enables students to have everything they need for the first day of school and ensures all students have the same equipment as their classmates.

Our booklist provider is Campion Education.

How does the bulk order system work for Pre-Primary to Year 4?

Teachers complete a bulk order list for their year level that will provide all the equipment each student will need for the year.  For instance, if a student fills an exercise book then a new book will be provided. Families will not need to purchase any extra stationery.  The only time families will be required to buy supplies will be if their child intentionally damages any equipment or regularly misplaces supplies. 

How does this help students and teachers?

Firstly, every student will have exactly the same materials.  Students will not feel left out if they do not have the correct materials or the latest trendy pencil case etc.  Teachers are guaranteed that every book and stationery item is correct and it will be available in class for the first day of school. 

This bulk order option will also be a more cost-effective option for families, as well as, offering an easier method for teachers to organise resources ahead of time.

It is important to note that this bulk order cost will be added to the 2025 School Fees.

Booklists in Years 5 and 6

Our Year 5 and 6 students will require booklist orders to be completed with the payment being made directly to Campion Education.

The Year 5 and 6 Booklist Requirements for 2025 form will be sent home with students this week.  The College Website has also been updated and an electronic version of the forms is available using the following linkParent Information | Booklists 2025 | John XXIII College 

All orders must be completed online at www.campion.com.au by Sunday 29 December 2024. 

If you have any queries, please contact Nancy Petsos nancy.petsos@johnxxiii.edu.au in Primary Reception.

Parking reminder

Recently, there has been an increase in cars parked along Grainger Drive, adjacent to the Grainger Reserve, during school pickup times. This area is not school property and poses safety risks, especially with large vehicles blocking the road on both sides.

To prevent potential accidents, particularly involving small children, it is crucial that we park safely and respectfully.

Please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Park in designated areas: Use the College’s designated parking areas.
• Avoid parking on verges: Refrain from parking on the verges along Grainger Drive.
• Be mindful of road safety: Ensure you are not blocking pedestrian paths or other vehicles.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Together, we can maintain a safe and respectful environment for our children and community.

SchoolTV

In support of our strategic approach to Cura Personalis: care for the whole person, we are pleased to announce the launch of a parent wellbeing resource, SchoolTV. Designed to support parents, caregivers and educators, SchoolTV delivers credible and current information from wellbeing experts via the College’s website. Browse through the resource library and find practical strategies on a variety of topics to help navigate the challenges of modern-day parenting. Each topic is accompanied by factsheets, podcasts, books, articles, apps and videos. This award-winning resource helps families build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. 

SchoolTV can be accessed via the newsletter each week and the College website School TV | John XXIII College

https://www.johnxxiii.edu.au/view/for-families/school-tv

Metro Pipe Renewals near John XXIII College - Dates and Details

Work on the metro water pipe renewals in Pine Tree Lane, close to John XXIII College, is scheduled to commence on Monday, 11 November 2024. The project is expected to be completed by mid-December 2024, taking approximately 6-8 weeks.

The works will take place from 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays as required.

The exact location of the work is Pine Tree Lane, as indicated on the provided map.

While no roads are expected to be closed, there may be extra traffic management in the area, potentially causing minimal traffic delays for parents.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this necessary work. 

For more information, please visit their website.