Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been an amazing Catholic Schools Week, not only to celebrate Catholic Education, but also to showcase our school.

The week started with our whole school Cross Country on Tuesday morning. The energy, compassion, respect and commitment was so evident throughout the whole morning. Students were trying their hardest, they were being cheered on by staff and students on the sidelines, and students were helping one another get through the races, especially if their mate was upset. Thank you to the families that came along and supported this event and to Mr Pratt and Mrs Salmon for their organisation of the event, along with the supervising teachers. As I was saying to the students on the day “you are all winners for being here and going in the race!” We wish all the students who have made it to Diocesan Cross Country in Griffith all the very best.

It was so lovely to have so many families support our Catholic Schools Week/ Annunciation Whole School Mass followed by Open Classrooms and Morning Tea on Wednesday. The students love to share in their learning with families and we appreciate all the food that was sent in for the shared morning tea. This evening I will be attending a CEDWW Catholic Schools Mass at the Cathedral followed by an awards ceremony and dinner. Someone very special from our school community will be receiving an award and we will publish this tomorrow on Facebook.

Well done to our Stage 3 students who have been at the Netball Gala Day in Wagga. They have had a fantastic day and we would like to thank Mr Pratt and Mrs Gardiner for preparing the students and supervising them today along with Mrs Cristy Vergano. We appreciate the families who have helped transport the children to and from this event as well.

Lent/Project Compassion

As we approach the fourth week in Lent, we are continually reminded to reach out to those in need. As a Catholic school we are committed to three Catholic Charities throughout the year. They are Project Compassion through Caritas, St Vincent De Paul

(Winter and Christmas Appeals) and Catholic Missions (Socktober). This term Project Compassion is our charity we are committing to during the season of Lent. Mrs Salmon is keeping a tally of the money raised from the Project Compassion boxes and it has been heartwarming to listen to students who have given up their canteen money or pocket money to give to those in need.

Teapots, Cups and Saucers

Our Kinder families have started preparing for our very special Mother’s Day High Tea on 9th May. Over the years we have collected some lovely tea cups, saucers and teapots. If you have any that you are no longer using and are willing to donate to the school we would welcome them, particularly teapots. For those mums who have not experienced our Mother’s Day High Tea, you are in for a real treat!

School Pick Up Feedback

Our new school pick changes involving the hall car park and entry from side gate of hall are working very well. We are really grateful for the way our families are supporting this change to keep everyone safe. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further feedback or concerns.

SJJU Social and Fundraising Committee Meeting

On Monday evening we held our last SJJU Social and Fundraising Committee Meeting for Term 1. Thank you to all the parents who have supported and attended these meetings. We have successfully planned the social and fundraising events for this year. The calendar of these events are below and has what events each class is responsible for. The Committee has decided to host the Joey’s Cup and the Colour Run on alternate years. This year will be the Joey’s Cup and Luncheon. We have a Trivia night which will be held in Term 2 at a date to be confirmed. This will be a night out for adults to socialise and have fun.

Each class is responsible for an event or fundraiser and we are very grateful to the parents who have volunteered to be the class parent contacts this year with some doubling up for classes. These parents will communicate to families via the class messenger groups around the designated event each class is responsible for and send reminders through to the class group families.

The class parent contacts are:

Kinder - Melissa Skewes and Danielle Wood

Year 1 - Becci Brabin and Felicity Moloney

Year 2 - Felicity Moloney and Hannah Baldry

Year 3 - Becci Brabin

Year 4 & 5 - Sheree Ballard

Year 6 - Lowana Sweeney

Next Monday there will be a canteen operating for our Athletics Carnival. A big thank you to Mrs Lisa Oliver for organising the food. Each class will have responsibility of being rostered on the canteen throughout the day to assist in the canteen as we did last year. This allows all parents to be able to see their children participate in the carnival.

The time slots are:

Kinder: 8.30-9.30

Year 1: 9.30-10.30

Year 2: 10.30-11.30

Year 4: 11.30-12.30

Year 5: 12.30-1.30

Year 6: 1.30-2.30

SOCIAL AND FUNDRAISING CALENDAR 2025

Term

Event

Date

Class Responsible/

Contact People

1

School Welcome BBQ

Social event for all families. Staff hospitality. No cost to families

School Athletics Carnival Canteen

Bulb Drive

Easter Raffle

4th March

31st March

Ends 11 April

Drawn 11 April

School Staff

All parents welcome

Felicity Harris

Donations from school community

2

Mother’s Day High Tea

Trent Barrett/Mortimer Shield

Legends of League Day Canteen

Trivia Night for Parents/Adults

9th May

8th May

TBD

Kinder Parents

All Parents

Year 5 Parents

3

Father’s Day Breakfast

Helicopter Ball Drop

Deb Ball

Friday 5th Sept

Date TBC

Sat 27th Sept

Year 6 Parents

Year 2 Parents

Year 3 & 4 Parents

4

Joey’s Cup

Christmas Raffle

4th November

Dec

Year 1 parents

School

Easter Raffle/Egg Decorating

Our staff room is starting to fill up with the Easter Egg donations for our annual Easter Raffle which will be drawn on the last day of school this term after the Easter Paraliturgy. Thank you to those families who have already donated. Students are invited to enter the Egg Decorating Competition. Please see details in this newsletter for what is required. This will be judged on the last day of school this term as well.

Paraliturgy

The staff and students are busy beginning their reenactments of the Easter story which will be presented at our Easter Paraliturgy on Friday 11th April. This prayerful celebration is retold by our students and we welcome families to come and share in this Christian story.

Compass Attendance

A reminder that all students who arrive at school after the morning bell at 9.00am must be accompanied by an adult into our school office to sign in on our Compass Kiosk. This is a legal requirement and students are not permitted to sign themselves in.

If you are picking your child up during the school day for any reason, please let the front office know before you arrive so they can notify the teacher. If you arrive at school to collect a child without prior notification, please understand that we may require extra time to locate your child if they are not in their classroom but elsewhere in the school.

Parents/carers are required to submit an attendance note in Compass for any full day absences of their child/ren from school within 7 days of the date of absence. This can be done in the Compass App. Please ensure you provide all the relevant details for why your child/ren are not at school as any notes added without comment or detail become an unjustified absence.

God Bless,

Angela Scott

Easter Egg Decorating Competition

New group - Parents & Teachers!

Our 2024 creations....