Around The Primary

Dear Parents,

Congratulations to Wanju Voices and Primary Singers who presented fantastic performances at the Primary Assembly today. The students' work throughout the term was evident in their wonderful singing and choral etiquette. Special thanks to Mrs Haydon for her commitment and enthusiasm. 

The final week of term is going to be busy! Please read the notes below to help you navigate the week ahead.

Comfy Day 

Next Friday (2 July) is our annual ‘Comfy Day’ and the whole Primary community is invited to come to school dressed in warm comfy clothes or pyjamas. 

On this day we hope to raise the students’ awareness of how fortunate we are to have access to everyday privileges. All students are asked to bring along a gold coin donation for LifeLink. 

In addition, if you have a spare packet of tea bags, an extra supply of coffee/Milo or soup in your pantry, please send them to school on the day.  Also, we have had a special request for new warm socks, beanies, scarves and blankets too.

These donations will be greatly appreciated by The Shopfront and St Vinnies during the winter months.

Thank you in anticipation of your generous support.

2021 Semester One Reports

Semester One Reports for Pre-Primary to Year 6 students will be available through the College’s online communication platform ‘SEQTA ENGAGE’ from 3:30pm on Friday 2 July.

Instructions

1. Please log in to your SEQTA Engage account at: https://parent.johnxxiii.edu.au
2. Click on the REPORTS link located on the menu at the left side of screen
3. Select Student
4. Select 2021P, Semester One

Mobile Devices

• It is also possible to download the SEQTA Engage App from your provider (e.g. Google Play Store; Apple App Store) if you wish to do this.

We encourage all parents to have a conversation with their child/children about their report. Help your child celebrate the positives and encourage them to keep working hard on those aspects of their learning that are challenging. 

If you have any questions or concerns related to your child’s progress, please book an appointment with your child’s teacher on the Pupil Free Day, Wednesday 21 July.  These meetings will be 10 minutes in duration. Booking details will follow shortly.

We kindly request that parents that have recently met with the class teacher, schedule a meeting (if required) later in Term 3.

If you experience any technical difficulties accessing your child’s report, please email ithelpdesk@johnxxiii.edu.au

Smart Watches

From next week (Monday 28 June), Primary students are not permitted to bring or wear any sort of Smart watch, Apple watch, Garmin, Fitbit or similar personal device to school. Our priority is for the students to maintain focus on learning throughout the day and not be distracted by these items.

Please note that students who do wear these devices to school will be required to leave the device at Front Administration and then collect it at the end of the school day.

Your support is appreciated to ensure that all students can engage effectively with learning each day.

Kind regards,

Antoinette De Pinto

Head of Primary

Staff News 

Congratulations to Talea Graves (Assistant Principal) on the wonderful news of her engagement to Kyle.  We wish them both a lifetime of love and happiness.

Super Stars

Well done to all the students who received a certificate for their fantastic achievements.

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

Reduce, Recycle & Reuse

As a sustainability measure in the Primary school we are encouraging children and families to pack nude food lunchboxes. These are lunchboxes that are packed with very little single use plastic. Many lunchboxes that can be purchased today are designed to store fresh food without the need for wrapping.

To find out how much plastic is used in lunchboxes in the Primary school, each class conducted a lunchbox audit to count and tally what sort of plastic, and how much was being used. The students in Years 3, 4 and 5 were then treated to an Ecofaerie incursion on Nude Food. Ecofaerie Cara talked to the students about making healthy and wise choices for themselves and the environment. They also talked about which items are compostable or not and how long rubbish takes to break down in the soil. The children then had the experience of packing a lunchbox and then analysing the overall choices with each other. 

Next week each class will conduct another lunchbox audit to see if there is a difference in our choices, mindful that we now know about making good choices for the environment. 

As a further push to Reduce Recycle and Reuse we encourage all Primary students to bring in recyclable items in the last week of school that are suitable for the ‘Cash for Cans’ bin. Any money raised from the Cash for Cans will be put towards further Sustainable activities at the school, as well as, towards the Secondary Pilgrimage program. 

Mrs Liz Gardner

Sustainability Coordinator – Primary 

Sports Update

To finish off a term of soccer and AFL our Year 5 & 6 students have been learning Gaelic Football. Thanks to Mr Gallagher (Secondary teacher) for providing a specialist coach to teach the specific Gaelic football skills.  Next week will be going ‘all out Irish’ when we play Cork v Dublin in our Gaelic Football showdown!

Basketball

Shawn Redhage (former Olympian and Perth Wildcat) is coming to John XXIII College to run his basketball program for Year 3-6 on Wednesdays from 3:20pm to 4:20pm in the Gym.  Please refer to the attached flyer for all the details. 

J&J Soccer

Coach Adi and his team are back in Term 3 to run their soccer clinics for PP to Year 6 students on Tuesdays from 3:30pm to 4:30pm on the Junior Primary oval. Please refer to the attached flyer for all the details. 

Mr Steve Williams

Primary Sport Coordinator

Music

Special Congratulations to the Outstanding Performers and Special Mention recipients from the 2021 Music Eisteddfod. 

Final choir rehearsals for the term are 7:30am on Monday 28 June (Wanju Voices) and 8am on Thursday 1 July (Primary Singers) in the Osborne Room.

If you have any queries regarding Primary music, please contact me via email catherine.haydon@cewa.edu.au

Mrs Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Teacher