Around The Primary
Dear Parents
This week we began the season of Lent commencing with Ash Wednesday.
As a community, we marked the occasion of Ash Wednesday by attending Mass (Years 3-6) or participating in a class prayer reflection (K-Year 2).
During these liturgies, ashes were placed on our foreheads made with the sign of the cross as a symbol of our Christianity. Ashes are referred to often as a gesture of penance and mourning. These ashes come from the palms used during last year’s Palm Sunday celebrations.
There is a similarity between Baptism and Ash Wednesday in that the ashes are placed on our foreheads in the sign of a cross during Ash Wednesday while in Baptism oil was placed on our foreheads with the sign of the cross.
Ash Wednesday is a time for us to stop and repent. The words used as the ashes are placed on the forehead “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel” remind us to reflect upon our sinfulness and call for us to turn back to God during the days leading up to Easter.
Please take some time over the next forty days of Lent to pray as a family or maybe join us at our Community Mass on Friday morning at 8am.
Special thanks to Miss Dernie, Ms Allen, Mrs Haydon and Year 4G for preparing our lovely Ash Wednesday Mass.
Next Thursday 5 March, our Interhouse Swimming Carnival (Years 4-6) will be held at Bold Park Aquatic. The students have worked very hard during their recent swimming lessons and many have been training after-school too in preparation for this event. It is hoped many parents will come along to the Carnival and support all of our students while they compete.
Enjoy the long weekend!
Kind regards,
Antoinette De Pinto
Head of Primary
From little things, big things grow!
Thank you to Rachel Bradock (1G) for sharing this photo. Rachel received her olive tree sapling in Kindy 2018.
Dates to Remember
| Monday 2 March | Labour Day Public Holiday |
| Tuesday 3 March | Y3-Y6 Swimming Training ends Zoo Camp Forms Due |
| Wednesday 4 March | Pre-Primary Coffee & Conversation with Anne Murphy in MacKillop Room |
| Thursday 5 March | Y4-Y6 Interhouse Swimming Carnival 12pm to 2:45pm at Bold Park Aquatic |
| Saturday 7 March | Open Day 9am to 12 noon |
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
Caritas 2020 - Go Further Together
Over 50% of the children currently in hospital around the world are there because they do not have access to clean water. Many houses and villages do not have taps and children have to walk up to 7 km each day just to find clean water.
This year our Project Compassion focus is to raise money to help improve access to clean water for children all around the world.
During the 6 weeks of Lent each class will be asked to collect coins. These coins will be used to help fill our ‘well’. A small bucket will be kept in each classroom ready to be filled with coins. Every Friday each class will count the coins and write the amount they have raised on a water droplet. Students will deliver the collected money to our large bucket in the front office, then take their empty bucket back to the classroom and add a water droplet to our collection well. It will be great fun to see the well filling with water droplets and to calculate the money raised from each class.
To achieve our goal, we need your help! Any loose change can be added to the students’ coin bag. It is hoped all family members will get involved and contribute to the filling of our well.
Thank you for supporting our clean water project during Lent.
Ms Kylie Allen
Assistant Principal – Primary
Sports Update
Years 4-6 Interhouse Swimming Carnival
The day is almost upon us! On Thursday 5 March, Bold Park Aquatic Centre will come alive with the colours and spirit of the John XXIII Primary students. We would love to see you there cheering our swimmers on!
Please remember:
- House t-shirts and swimming caps
- Hats and sunscreen
- Cheering voice
- School spirit!
- Once-piece bathers for girls please – no two-piece bathers are permitted
The schedule of events is attached. The times listed are an approximation and may vary on the day. A copy has also been uploaded on the SEQTA Engage under the Primary Sport TAB for reference.
Please note - there will be no swimming training on Thursday 5 March.
Futsal
On Tuesday morning more than 35 Year 5 and 6 students came to the gym for trials and made my selection for the two teams very difficult!
The teams will be announced next week and will practice and learn some of the particular futsal skills and rules on Tuesday 3 and 10 March. The Interschool tournament will take place on Friday 13 March at Lords Recreation Centre.
Open Day
There will be a range of sporting activities taking place in the College Gymnasium on Saturday 7 March for the College Open Day. Students are welcome to come and play some sports in the gym to showcase Primary school sport. Please email me if you are interested so I can estimate numbers attending steve.williams@cewa.edu.au
- Year 2 & 3 students 9am to 10:30am
- Year 4 & 5 students 10:30am to 12 noon
Students will be required to wear their sports uniform on the day.
Mr Steve Williams
Primary Sport Coordinator
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the mental skill of attention. To be mindful means to pay attention, to focus, or to hold something in mind. Being mindful creates a shift from automatic, reactive thought to conscious, direct thought. (Mindful Meditation Australia)
This year we are bringing Mindfulness into classrooms. In Term One our focus will be to teach the students about body breathing to calm our bodies and minds.
When engaging in body breathing, the students will learn to use their breath to help bring their minds back to the present moment. In turn, this helps to tune them into their body and not worry about what has happened earlier in the day or what might happen later in the day. It is slow purposeful breathing and can also be used before sleeping or if emotions such as anger, fear, frustration or anxiety are felt. Body Breathing helps to calm the mind and think more clearly and calmly again.
Counsellor's Corner
| UPCOMING WEBINAR FOR PARENTSFuture-proofing your child |
| Wednesday 18 March 20208:00pm - 9:00pm AEDT |
| Presented by Nikki BushAward-winning speaker and bestselling author |
| Attend a webinar for parents at no charge |
Our school has a membership with Parenting Ideas, one of Australia’s most trusted sources of parenting education and support. As part of this membership, all the parents in this school community can attend some fantastic webinars in 2020 at no cost. We’re pleased to let you know about an upcoming webinar.
Future-proofing your childThis century is characterised by disruptive change that is turning our world upside down. Jobs aren’t just changing, whole industries are ceasing to exist. The scripts for success are being rewritten on a daily basis in our families, at work and in life. In this webinar Nikki Bush teaches parents what to expect and how to support their kids to thrive in a future world of work. Key learning and discussion points include:
Presented byNikki BushAward-winning speaker and bestselling author
Video overviewClick this link to view the video overview: https://vimeo.com/376706791 |
When
Wednesday 18 March 2020 at 8:00 PM AEDT
Redeem your webinar now - it's easy
- Click this link:
- Click ‘Add to cart’
- Click ‘View cart’
- Enter the voucher code FUTURE and click ‘Apply’
- Enter our school’s name to verify your eligibility. The $37 discount will then be applied.
- Click ‘Proceed to checkout’
- Fill in your account details. These are the details you will use to login to your account and access your webinar and resources
- Click ‘Place Order’
Mrs Anne Murphy
Primary Counsellor
Direct: 9383 0469; Email anne.murphy@cewa.edu.au