Dear St John's Community,

Over the weekend I caught up with an old friend who came just in time to help me clear a fallen tree, as it turned out! Not sure they were too excited by that, but I certainly was! It made me realise that sometimes we go into situations expecting a certain outcome and when it doesn't happen the way we expected it to happen it can leave us feeling less than satisfied or annoyed at the result. Sometimes the changed circumstance might be positive but our brains are typically wired to see those situations as a negative thing. It actually takes effort and a positive mindset to see these things as opportunities for 'different' or 'unique' experiences and thus are positive.

I am happy to say that despite being less than excited about helping me with the tree my friend was very happy afterwards sharing a few yarns over a cold beer in the cooler afternoon after some hard work.

Every day we go into dozens of situations with our own sets of expectations. We often forget that others go into the same encounters with their expectations as well and that can cause conflict. We see a lot of children struggling these days in navigating these situations and working out that they do not have to end in conflict but can be accepted and worked with to create positive and sometimes surprisingly exciting new opportunities. The art of listening and responding positively in conversations seems to have become overshadowed by an anxiety derived from wanting to be heard, having our own way or getting what we want with little or no consideration of others around us.

This is being caused predominantly by our fast-paced world. We are seeing a growing tendency for people in general to prioritise being heard over listening to others. Encouraging active listening and empathy can help overcome these issues.

Active listening is essential in building empathy and understanding in conversations. It involves fully focusing on the speaker, avoiding interruptions, and responding thoughtfully. This practice fosters better communication which reduces anxiety and promotes mindful thinking.

As parents, we need to remember that we are there to help children build these skills and the best way to do that is not by doing it for them but by modelling it ourselves and having conversations with them to help them practice these skills. Maybe some of the politicians in the world at the moment could do with the same sorts of lessons...

Family Movie Night

On the evening of March 15th on the school oval we are having our Family movie Night. Tickets will go on sale this week and the movie will be announced at the same time. Some food and refreshments will be available for purchase on the night.

SAM4SCHOOLS

Those of you with Working with Children Checks may receive emails from SAM4SCHOOLS in the next few weeks as we transfer your details to the new checking system.

Assembly/Science & Tech Arvos:

We had our first Science and Tech arvo and the feedback from the children I've spoken with has been nothing but positive. That's what we want to hear kids saying about their learning! Thanks to the many parents/carers who came in to participate, the children also thought it was awesome to see you in the school.

Our next Science & Tech Arvo is this Friday!

End of School Day Supervision

As noted we have added a new supervision duty to the front playground at the end of the school day, 3.15pm-3.30pm. This is to ensure children being collected from the kiss-n-go are ready and waiting and not playing elsewhere.

We cannot allow any games or sporting activities in the front playground until after the supervision duty ends at 3.30pm. Any students engaging in such activities will be asked to stop and moved on to where they need to be.

Students waiting for siblings at basketball training must stay in the foyer of the hall until after 3.30pm. They should only be outside with supervision by a parent or carer or responsible adult after that time as there is no longer any teacher supervision provided.

Operoo Account & nForma App

Please make sure you set up your child's account on Operoo so all our correspondence and permission forms, etc, can get to you.

Please make sure you have downloaded the nForma App and set up your account. You need to use the same email address you used for the school to set up the account so you can access your child's information. All parent-teacher meetings will be managed and booked through the nForma App.

Production 2024

If you missed out on purchasing a copy of our awesome Production USB at the end of last year, please contact the office. There are still some available for $15 each.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

As our students begin a new school year,

we pray that you will keep them in your care.

Send your Spirit to open their minds to all that is true and beautiful and good. Help them to see the gifts and talents you have given them and to use them well.

Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Help them to be kind to others and lead others to be kind to them. Give their teachers patience and understanding and help them teach what is just and true.

Send your angels to guide and guard our children and to keep them from all harm. Open their young hearts to your presence and enfold them in your peace and protection.

Hold them in the palm of your hand and bring them home safely every day of their lives.

Amen

Time to knuckle down and do some work! Have a great weekend!

Kind regards,

Derek Bruitzman

Principal

Jokes of the week:

What did one pencil say to the other on the first day of school?

A. Looking sharp!

Q: Where do people go to learn how to make ice-cream?

A: Sundae school!

Q: Why did Mrs Clarke have to wear sunglasses in the classroom?

A: Because her students were so bright!

Fun facts of the week:

Shhh...don't tell anyone but the Earth is not really round! Because it rotates, it bulges out in the middle (equator) and flattens out at the top and bottom (poles).

Every year the moon moves 4cm further away from the earth. One day, in a few billion years, it might leave us forever and drift into space!

Australia is wider than the moon! The moon's diameter is 3400km while Australia's is 4000km.

Fidget Toys in The Classroom

Fidget Toys in
The Classroom