Around The Primary

Dear Families

We are looking forward to the return of our Year 6 students and wonderful staff who have been away this week touring our National Capital. 

The Year 6 camp has students engage in numerous educational and recreational activities while navigating being away from home and mixing with peers and staff in a different environment. 

Staff have been very proud of all students for the efforts they have made to engage in activities which have provided the opportunities to take calculated risks and build cooperation and collaboration skills. The students have learned about and challenged themselves, whilst managing their emotions and expressing gratitude.

A special thank you to our amazing staff who have spent the week away from their own families to provide this fabulous experience for our Year 6 students. Thank you, Mr Edwards, Ms O’Connor, Miss Driscoll, Ms Hooper, Mrs Taylor, Mrs Burke, Mrs King, Ms Kidd and Miss De Pinto.  We are very grateful for your commitment to both the students and College. 

Sacrament Retreats

This term students in Years 3, 4 and 6 have engaged in learning to prepare for receiving the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation. At the end of the unit of work, each year group participates in a retreat day with a team from 24:7 School Ministry who develop programs based on the religious education program taught in Western Australia. They aim to maximise impact using fun and engaging methods without compromising the integrity of sharing the gift of our Catholic faith. 

LifeLink

On Wednesday, 4 student leaders joined Mrs Gilmour and Mrs Bradshaw at the Archbishop’s Official Launch of LifeLink Day held at Newman College. They proudly represented John XXIII College while carefully listening to Rev Fr Vincent Glynn and representatives from CEWA address the audience.  

The school received a plaque from the Archbishop in recognition of the $3 million raised by Catholic schools over the last 25 years.  By attending such an event, the students learnt more about the agencies that benefit from College fundraising efforts. 

Next Friday, 14 June we are looking forward to coming together in Roncalli Hall for the Year 2 Assembly. 

Kind regards

Kylie Allen

Assistant Principal, 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.  

Reflection Day

Last Thursday the Year 3 students participated in activities with 24:7 Youth Ministry reflecting on the sacrament of Reconciliation in the morning and engaged in a liturgy in the afternoon. 

I feel calmer about when I am going to do my Reconciliation because now I know more about it. I am ready. Aston 3G

My favourite part was completing the footprints which became a stepping stone path to Jesus.  Zari (3B)

I learnt that when somebody does a bad thing to me, I can forgive them. I know that God is watching and listening to what I do and say.  Joshua 3G

My favourite part was learning and singing the Reconciliation song with my peers. Aurelie 3B

I enjoyed creating the prayer table which was a space filled with the symbols of Reconciliation. Harlow 3B

Notification of Absences

We are pleased to introduce a new feature that allows you to notify the school of your child's absence directly through the SEQTA Engage App or SEQTA Engage Portal. This feature provides an additional, convenient method for submitting absence notifications.

Please refer to the attached PDF for further instructions.  This information can also be found on SEQTA Engage under the Primary General tab. 

Sports News

Our Years 5 and 6 students have been practicing their skills, strategies, and teamwork for their chosen winter sport.  This will put them in great shape for the upcoming Winter Carnival on Thursday 20 June. 

To help prepare our runners for upcoming SSWA Cross-Country Carnival, Cross-Country training will begin again next term on Thursday 18 July at 7:30am outside the St Louis Sports Centre.  Training open to all - I would especially like to see the top 4 boys and girls in each year group attending as the SSWA race is 500m longer than our normal distances! 

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 News

Rehearsals

Choir and instrumental ensemble rehearsals for next week are as follows:

Australian Guild of Music and Speech (AGMS) Virtual Festival

Students who undertake instrumental lessons are invited to enter the AGMS Virtual Festival.   To participate, students are required to upload a video of their performance to the appropriate category. All participants receive feedback on their entry and awarded bronze, silver, gold, or platinum level for their performance. Entries close on 25 June. 

Please use the link below for more information or to place an entry. 

Enter the 2024 Virtual Festival | AGMS

Congratulations to Oliver Woods (Year 3B) who received two gold awards for his original compositions in the Australia Guild of Music and Speech Virtual Festival.

Instrumental Lessons – Withdrawals and Enrolments (Semester Two)

Families wishing to withdraw students from Music Instrumental Lessons for Semester 2 must notify the College three weeks prior to the end of the Semester (Friday 7 June).  Please click here to complete the form to withdraw. 

For families wishing to enrol students in Music Instrumental lessons for Semester 2, please complete the following online enrolment form Instrumental Lesson Enrolment Form. 

Please refer to the Music Handbook 2024 for more information.

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

Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Teacher

A Synodal Church: Responding to the Signs of the Times

An evening with Fr Frank Brennan SJ

John XXIII College is delighted to invite you to an insightful community event.

In an engaging evening, Fr Frank Brennan SJ will explore the concept of a synodal church: a church that listens, dialogues, and journeys together.

• Date: Tuesday 16 July 2024
• Time: 6:00pm to 7:30pm
• Location: Thomas More Exhibition Centre, John XXIII College, John XXIII Avenue, Mount Claremont
• This a free event but registration is essential at: www.trybooking.com/1229490 

Key discussion points will include:

Responding to modern challenges: How the principles of synodality can help the church navigate and respond to current social, cultural, and political issues.

Inclusivity and participation: The importance of involving all members of the church, including those who are often marginalised, in decision-making processes.

About Fr Frank Brennan SJ

Fr Frank Brennan SJ is a Jesuit priest renowned for his work in human rights and social justice.

He chaired the National Human Rights Consultation and served on the Religious Freedom Review panel.

He has been appointed to a number of government advisory groups, including the Voice Co-Design Senior Advisory Group for Indigenous representation.

Fr Brennan’s accolades include the Order of Australia (AO) for his services to Aboriginal Australians. He has also authored several influential books on law, social justice, and religious freedom.

Containers for Change 

Thank you to all the families that have been donating their recyclable containers to the College fund. The member ID number has changed recently for the College to C11452850.

If you are donating your 10c Containers under the College account, you will have to start using this number. 

All of the money raised from your donations goes to Caritas or Lifelink.

Parking Update

As part of our continuous efforts to prioritise the safety and convenience of everyone within our community, please find below some important updates regarding car parking rules on campus and changes to the Heritage Lane parking. 

Heritage Lane Parking

Moving forward, the Heritage Lane car park will be exclusively reserved for staff parking. This adjustment aims to enhance safety measures throughout our College. Below is an outline of parking and pick-up options for families based on the year level of children. Your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines is greatly appreciated: 

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Pre-Primary Parent Parking Options

Families with children in Pre-Kindy, Kindergarten, and Pre-Primary can utilise the Early Years Carpark off John XXIII Avenue for drop-off and collection. Overflow parking is available in the main car park off John XXIII Avenue and the Loop car park off Mooro Drive. 

Years 1 to 6 

For students in Years 1 to 6, pick-up arrangements can be made at The Loop off Mooro Drive which is staffed to help for an effective flow of traffic. Please follow these instructions: 

• Have your surname sign displayed on your dashboard.
• Drive all the way to the bottom of the loop.
• Have your child exit from the passenger (left) side of the vehicle. At pick-up, please stay in your vehicle and staff will guide your child to get into your car safely from the passenger side.

Alternatively, students from Years 1 to 6 may also be collected from the Kiss ‘n’ Drive Loop off John XXIII Avenue if accompanied by a sibling in the Secondary School.

Families who prefer to park and drop-off or pick-up their children can utilise the main car park off John XXIII Avenue or the Loop car park off Mooro Drive. 

To ensure the safety of students and pedestrians, we kindly request all families to observe the following guidelines: 

• Utilise designated College car parks.
• Drop off and pick up your child only in designated areas.
• Adhere to the 40km/h speed limit in school zones.
• Follow all traffic and parking signs.
• Refrain from double parking and illegal parking.
• Yield to pedestrians, especially near driveways.
• Park only in marked bays on the College campus.

By working together, we can uphold the safety and wellbeing of our entire community.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sacramental Certificates

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

College Staff Email Change

A reminder that the @cewa email domain is no longer active. 

All staff have designated email addresses with the email addresses generally following a pattern – the first name followed by the surname and then @johnxxiii.edu.au eg: firstname.surname@johnxxiii.edu.au  

Calling All Artists! 

Students of John XXIII College are invited to create an original artwork on the theme of ‘Christmas’. 

The winning entry will appear on the Principal’s 2024 Christmas card. 

For information on how to enter, terms and conditions, please refer to the attached flyer.

Upcoming Inspire Events

Creating a healthy relationship with food for the family 

Food and mealtimes can be tough. From starting solids to fussy eating, it’s a lot to handle. Dr Kyla Smith, a Perth-based paediatric dietitian with 18 years of experience, will share evidence-based tips to help your children love their food and feel good about eating. 

Tuesday, 11 June 2024

7:30am - 9:00am

Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre

Light breakfast provided

RSVP by Friday, 7 June: https://www.trybooking.com/1225400

Hosted by INSPIRE Parent Association.

Building Courage and Resilience in Children and Adolescents

Join Karen Young, founder of 'Hey Sigmund' and author of best-selling books, for an informative session on helping children build courage and resilience. Learn practical tools and strategies to support your children in overcoming adversity and fostering a brave mindset.

Monday, 22 July 2024

6:00pm - 7:30pm

Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre

RSVP and details: https://www.trybooking.com/1225467

Hosted by INSPIRE Parent Association.