Around The Primary

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to Term 4! 

I hope you and your family managed to spend some quality time together over the holidays. 

The children have had a wonderful start to the school term and lots of fun catching up with one another and their teachers.

The next nine weeks will go very quickly, so our message to the students is to make the most of the learning time we have left together and to keep on working hard towards achieving their personal best. 

This term is a busy one with Masses and Assemblies, Book Week including the Book Week Parade and Book Fair, Junior Sports Carnival, Swimming Lessons (Pre-Primary to Year 3), Year 6 Farewell Celebrations and many Christmas Festivities! 

The staff are feeling energized, our students are focused and with your positive support, we can anticipate a productive, positive and rewarding term ahead!

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

I look forward to sharing the term with you.

Kind regards,

Antoinette De Pinto

Head of Primary 

New Beginnings 

Each new school year brings the excitement and change of classes, teachers and classmates. It is normal for children to have some apprehension about this.  It is also inevitable that changes to friendship groups occur as children move through the grades. Meeting new and different people is a part of life and it is our role as parents and educators to support children through change rather than protect them from it. 

We need parents to trust that the class your child is going into next year is one in which they will thrive. It is important to note that parental requests can only be met in exceptional circumstances and emails requesting a particular teacher or placement with a best friend does not constitute an exceptional circumstance. Early notification of class lists will not be provided. Parents can feel confident that their children will always be in good hands and receive an excellent education at John XXIII College.

Amazing Art

Our College Visual Art Exhibition runs from Monday 19 October (Opening Night) to Saturday 24 October. The Exhibition features artwork from secondary and primary students.

All our Year 3-6 students participate in specialist Visual Art lessons and have a piece of artwork exhibited.  A small selection of artwork from the junior years will also be displayed. 

This annual Exhibition is a great opportunity for parents and the community to view artwork across all years and for students to showcase their artwork.

Everyone is invited to come and celebrate the students design and creativity through their amazing range of 2D and 3D work.

I look forward to seeing many of you throughout the week. 

Ms Fiona Blaauw

Primary Visual Art Teacher

Dates to Remember

Book Week Parade

Next Monday 19 October, all students are invited to come to school dressed up as one of their favourite story book characters. The 2020 Parade will be a little different than what we are used to and will take place on the Junior Primary oval. Pre-Primary to Year 3 students will parade in their character costumes at 9:00am.  This will be followed by Year 4 to 6 character parade at 10:00am. Parents are welcome to come along and watch the parade on the oval, however, due to social distancing requirements, are required to stay on the ‘hill’ near the fence line of the oval.  Don’t forget to wear your badge.

Extra parking will be available on the basketball courts, please follow the signs - entry is off John XXIII Avenue.

Book Fair

We are also excited to be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair in the Library.  Once again, this will look a little different than what we have experienced in the past! The students will tour through the display during class time on Tuesday 20 October and they will have the opportunity to create a “wish list”. Should students wish to purchase books they will be given a set time in which they can do so. Pre-Primary to Year 2 parents (one parent per family) are welcome to visit the Book Fair with their children (see below). Students from Year 3 to Year 6 are asked to bring cash in an envelope as they will purchase their books with the support of the library staff. If possible, the correct amount of money would be appreciated. EFTPOS facilities are available for parents.  The Book Fair times are detailed below:

Ms Sasha Cattapan

Primary Library Teacher

Music Update

To celebrate 250 years since the birth of Beethoven, students in Years 3-6 are invited to participate in the Beethoven Poster Competition. Entries must be hand-drawn (ie not printed) and students may enter a solo or group entry. Students are encouraged to use their imagination and create a poster that either celebrates this important musician or share information about his life and achievements. Posters need to be handed in to Mrs Haydon in the Primary Music Room (clearly labelled on the back with name and class) by lunchtime on Thursday 29 October (Week 3). We look forward to seeing the students’ creative and beautiful work.

Mrs Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Specialist

Sacramental Certificates

Parents are requested to email a copy of their child’s Sacramental Certificate (Reconciliation, Eucharist or Confirmation) to Mrs Petsos in Main Administration nancy.petsos@cewa.edu.au for our College records.

Counsellor's Corner

The Rotary Club of Cambridge invite parents and carers to attend the ‘Riding the COVID Coaster’ talk about helping students cope with COVID-related anxiety.  Please refer to the attached flyer for further information.

Mrs Anne Murphy

Primary Counsellor 

Sports Update

I hope everyone has been active over the holidays and energized for a big term in sport coming up!  

Our Kindy to Year 2 students will continue their preparations for the Junior Primary Athletics Carnival which takes place on Thursday 29 October on the Junior Primary Oval.

For our Pre-Primary to Year 4 students, we have tennis coaching with Nick Kirkbride and the Year 5 & 6 students will participate in cricket sessions with WACA coaches. 

IPSHA Carnivals for Touch Rugby and Cricket takes place this term for our Year 6 students and swimming lessons at Claremont Pools for our Pre-Primary to Year 3 students.    

Mr Steve Williams 

Primary Sport Coordinator