Around The Primary

Dear Families

As we come to the end of an enriching term of teaching and learning, I want to thank the students for their hard work. We are so proud of all the students’ achievements.

I would like to congratulate and thank every staff member for their dedication and commitment. They provide our students with a variety of learning opportunities and wonderful experiences.

My gratitude is extended to all families for their unwavering support. Through attending school events, such as the Primary Picnic and Parents’ Association meetings, or volunteering at sports events or excursions, your presence and participation have greatly assisted to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

As we will soon be approaching the most important time in the Church’s calendar, Holy Week and Easter, it is important to take a moment to reflect on the significance of this season.

This week our Year 5 White and Year 5 Gold students shared the Stations of the Cross with our Primary community. Special thanks to Ms Allen for coordinating this very moving and prayerful retelling of Jesus’ Passion and to Mrs Fontaine and Miss Murray for preparing the students for this Easter reflection. 

Easter is a time of renewal, rebirth, and hope. It reminds us of the power of resilience, the beauty of new beginnings, and the importance of faith.  At the special request of Monsignor Kevin Long, Wanju Voices have been invited to sing at the 9:00am Palm Sunday Mass at St Joseph’s Church, Subiaco on Palm Sunday, 13 April. All families are welcome to join us for this Mass. 

I hope this holiday season provides an opportunity for rest, reflection, and rejuvenation. 

Next term, let us come back to school with renewed energy and enthusiasm, to make our school an even better place to learn and grow.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter holiday and a joyful break.

Kind regards,

Antoinette De Pinto

Head of Primary 

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. 

Save the Date

We are delighted to host a Mass and morning tea dedicated to Mothers and mother figures on Friday, 9 May.

As part of this celebration, we will have a photo display and slideshow.  Families are kindly requested to email one photo of mothers with their children (or a family photo) to nancy.petsos@johnxxiii.edu.au

It is important to email the photos in JPEG format.  All photos need to be received by Friday, 2 May. 

Please note, photos received after this date will not be able to be included on the display or slideshow. 

Please also remember to RSVP for adults attending (not students)  to the Mothers’ Day Mass by Wednesday, 7 May via trybooking link www.trybooking.com/1377327 

Muffin Monday

The air was full of the delicious aroma of fresh muffins on Muffin Monday. Over the weekend, our Years 1 and 2 students and their families baked muffins at home, ready to be donated to Shopfront – a Catholic support agency that assists those in need with meals, clothing, and emergency relief. We are incredibly proud of our students’ efforts and their commitment to serve others in the community. Special thanks to all our bakers! 

Cahoots Camp Reports

We hope you enjoy reading these student book reports from Sally Cooper and Sophia McShane in year 5W from the Cahoots Adventure Camp last week!

Chess Tournament Years 5 & 6 Students

The College Chess Tournament is open to students in Years 5 through to Year 12. 

Students in Years 5 and 6 can either speak with their class teacher or see Mrs Petsos in Primary Reception to express their interest in joining the tournament. Entries close on Friday, 9 May. 

Mary Ward Gardening Club

The Mary Ward Primary Gardening Club are very excited to share that they have a new movable wheelchair accessible garden bed. The President of the Gardening Club, Taj Deluca, was filled with joy planting the herbs. We now have a beautiful sensory garden and herbs to use in our recipes for cooking lessons each week.

Karin Ilich 

Mary Ward Primary Teacher

Sports Update

Term 2 Extra Curricular Sport

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 Update

Primary Ensembles 

Please see below for rehearsal times for ensembles in Week 1 of Term Two:

Catholic Performing Arts Festival 

Entries are now open for the 2025 Catholic Performing Arts Festival! Students learning through the College can enter via their tutors, while students learning from external tutors can lodge their entries through the Music Office.  The online form is available via SEQTA documents. Please note that scans/copies of sheet music are required. 

Entries into the Catholic Performing Arts Festival close on Thursday, 8 May.

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

Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Teacher

Men of John XXIII Breakfast Event 

From Playground to Prom - Wednesday 7 May

All are invited to attend the next Men of John XXIII Fathering Project event on Wednesday, 7 May at the University Club of Western Australia. Facilitated by Glenn Mitchell, there will be a guest panel discussion to explore the changes and challenges of fatherhood, from early childhood to adolescence. Tickets can be purchased here.

Important Notice: Gas Pipeline Maintenance at the College

This weekend, the College will be conducting essential maintenance works on our gas pipeline. The works are scheduled to begin on Saturday, 12 April, at 8:00 AM, and may extend into early next week.

To ensure safety, we kindly ask everyone to avoid attending the campus during this period. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we carry out this necessary maintenance.