Around The Primary

Dear Families 

Welcome back to the 2026 school year! A special welcome to all our new families.

We hope you enjoyed a restful holiday break filled with quality time with family and friends.

We appreciate that the beginning of a new school year can bring a mix of excitement and emotions, for both children and parents. Your calm and positive encouragement will play an important role in supporting your child during this transition period. In the early weeks of the term, all classes will place a strong focus on building positive relationships and supporting students to develop respectful and supportive connections with one another.

We value the partnership we share with you and look forward to working closely with all families throughout the year. Thank you for the trust you place in us each day.

Next week we will be hosting our Parent Information Sessions for Years 1 to 6.  All parents/caregivers are encouraged to come along to meet your child’s teacher, receive important College updates, key dates, and other relevant information for the year ahead. These sessions also help strengthen the partnership between home and school, ensuring the best outcomes for our students. We understand that some parents with students in multiple classes will not be able to attend all sessions and information will be available through SEQTA after the sessions.

The Primary Picnic is a fantastic way to start the school year and is a great opportunity to experience our school spirit, meet new people and catch-up with those you already know and connect with our school community. It is hoped many families will join us at the Primary Picnic next Saturday 14 February. 

Kind regards

Antoinette De Pinto

Head of Primary

Primary Picnic

Tickets can be purchased using the link - https://www.trybooking.com/DIHRM Ticket sales including pre-ordering for Delisio Pizza closes on Sunday 8 February.  Please note there will be no ticket sales at the gate.

Important Information

Staff Update

This year we welcome back – 

Jodi Joyce (Numeracy Teacher) 

A welcome to new staff – 

Suzie Thomas (3 Gold Teacher), Breanna Chapman (5 Blue Teacher), Lori Coenen (Year 6 White Teacher), Stacey Williamson (Years 3-6 Literacy Support Teacher), Meegan Seaborn (Year 1 Education Assistant), Sophie Dipane, Seamus Frawley and Nicole Omodei (Education Assistants in Mary Ward)

Please log in to SEQTA Engage under the General Primary TAB to view the email addresses for Class and Specialist Teachers.

Staff will respond to emails within a 48-hour period.  For urgent matters families will need to phone the College on 9383 0401.

Student Absences 

Absentee Notification

The College is to be advised of absentees by 8:30am through the SEQTA Engage App. An SMS will be sent to parents by 10:30am should no notification be received.

Planned Absences

Where students are absent from school for a planned period (exceeding 2 days), written notification must be given to Head of Primary via email antoinette.depinto@johnxxiii.edu.au and Primary Administration nancy.petsos@johnxxiii.edu.au The notification must include: date; child’s name; child’s class; parent’s name and the reason for the absence.

Online Calendar

Please check the College Website for all important Primary school events - https://www.johnxxiii.edu.au/view/for-families/calendars  By subscribing to the College calendar you are automatically alerted when details of an existing event are changed. 

Parking 

All Primary parents are welcome to park in the following areas:

1. Loop carpark located off Mooro Drive 
2. Early Years Carpark located off John XXIII Avenue 
3. Carpark located off John XXIII Avenue (near the new Administration building)

Please note: The Early Years Carpark is only for families of children in Pre-Kindy, Kindy and Pre-Primary.   

It is hoped all Years 1-6 students will use the ‘loop drive thru’ as soon as they have settled into new school routines.  Please have your ‘drive thru car label’ ready on display.  Please email nancy.petsos@johnxxiii.edu.au if you require a new drive thru label or extra labels. 

ACROD Permit Parking Reminder 

A friendly reminder that these parking bays are only available to families that the approved ACROD Parking Permit which must be displayed.   

Parent Information Sessions 

Please save the date for these important information sessions:

Before the start of these meetings, College Principal, Daniel Mahon will be hosting a session to share the College’s strategic goals.  This session will commence in the Lecture Theatre at 5:30pm and conclude by 5:55pm.  This will allow plenty of time for parents/caregivers to return to classrooms/venues.  Everyone is encouraged to attend. 

Smart Watches

Primary students are not permitted to bring or wear any sort of Smart watch, Apple watch, Garmin, Fitbit or similar personal device to school.  Our priority is for the students to maintain focus on learning throughout the day and not be distracted by these items.

Students who do wear these items to school will have them collected by their class teacher to be stored safely until the end of the school day. 

Badges

Please wear your parent name badge when visiting the College. 

2026 Term Dates

The 2026 Term Dates have now been published and are available to view on the College Website - Parent Information | Term Dates | John XXIII College 

Dates to Remember

Please check the College Website to note all the important Primary school events for your family calendar. https://www.johnxxiii.edu.au/view/for-families/calendars By subscribing to the College calendar you are automatically alerted when details of an existing event are changed. 

Parent Resources and Updates

Find out about our new canteen offerings and how to order, explore details of the College charter bus service, and read the latest from our Parents’ Association, including their objectives, funding proposals and upcoming PAL social events for families. Click the links below to learn more:

• Canteen Information
• Charter Bus Service
• Parents’ Association Updates

Primary Sport

Swimming Years 4-6

Students were straight into their swimming program this week.  They had two lessons in the College pool in preparation for their lessons at Cottesloe Beach next week where they will be improving their swimming whilst learning vital beach safety lessons.  

Remember: 

• Sports uniform for the week
• Bathers
• Towel
• College rashie
• Thongs or slides (optional)
• Sunscreen

On Friday 13 February, Years 4-6 students will take part in swimming time trials in preparation for the upcoming Interhouse Swimming Carnival, 25 February.  Students choose either 25m or 50m for breaststroke and freestyle and have the option of swimming 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly (for Years 5 and 6 only).  Like all of our Interhouse Carnivals the swimming carnival has opportunities for all students, and we celebrate everyone taking part and doing their best. 

Extra-Curricular Sport

All before and after school sport begins Week 2, Monday 9 February.

Tennis

These sessions will take part in the school gymnasium for the first 4 weeks (not on the tennis courts).  See the flyer for details. 

Soccer 

Tuesday soccer with J and J starts on Tuesday on the Junior Primary oval.  See the flyer for details. 

Basketball 

Redhage basketball is back on Thursdays in the school gym.  Register via Redhage Basketball - Shawn Redhage Perth Wildcats NBL

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 

Primary Music 

Ensemble Rehearsals

Rehearsal times are provided below for next week - 

* Changed day 

Save the Date

Please note the following music performance dates for this term:

Wanju Voices

Wanju Voices is open to all Years 4 to 6 students who delight in singing. Sign-ups are at 7:30am on Monday 9 February in the MacKillop Room with Mrs Haydon and Mr Johnston. All Years 4, 5 and 6 students are welcome!

Primary Singers

Primary Singers is open to all Years 2 to 3 students who love singing. Rehearsals are normally on Thursday mornings at 8:00am in the MacKillop Room with Mrs Haydon and Mr Johnston. 

Due to the Community Mass change next week, the first rehearsal is at 8:00am on Friday 13 February in the Osborne Room

All Years 2 and 3 students are welcome!

Chapel Choir

Chapel Choir is open to all Years 1 to 12 students who love singing, with a focus on liturgical music. Rehearsals commence at 7:30am in the Chapel with Mrs Haydon and Mr Johnston. Chapel Choir then sings at Community Mass (commencing at 8:00am). Due to the Secondary Swimming Carnival next week, the next Chapel Choir rehearsal and Community Mass in Week 2 is on Thursday 12 February (instead of Friday).

Primary Instrumental Lessons and Ensembles 

Students involved in instrumental lessons and ensembles will be contacted individually by their ensemble director or tutor regarding the commencement of lessons and rehearsals. Mini Minors and Year 5 Band rehearsals commence in Term 2. 

Enrolments are open for Instrumental Lessons in 2026. Please follow this link to Enrol: New Submission

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

Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Teacher

Extend After School Care 

Please click on the following link to find out about After School Care offered by Extend including hours of operation, fees and how to book - John XXIII College - Extend

The team at Extend can be contacted via email: support@extend.com.au or call 1300 366 437.

The Term 1 Extend Newsletter is provided below.