Around The Primary

Dear Families

Over the past week there has been a whirlwind of activity across the primary.  Students have had the opportunity to participate in the Academy Plate Tennis Tournament and the Interschool Swimming Carnival. The Year 3 and Year 5 students have been busy preparing for NAPLAN and our Year 6 leaders have been training to be our tour guides on Open Day.

It has been wonderful to see the students taking on their own responsibilities – carrying their own school bag, using the ‘loop’ pick-up after school, wearing their hat at break times … Anything children can do for themselves is so very empowering and promotes positive self-belief.

Most of the students are in correct school uniform and they look fantastic – thank you! The students understand they need to wear the correct uniform each day, including school shoes.  We do require students to be wearing black lace-up school shoes (not black sneakers) or they can wear navy school sandals in summer.   Uniform requirements can be found here:

It is most important that all students have neat and tidy hairstyles and are looking their best for our school photos next week. The photo schedule can be found here:

Kind regards

Antoinette De Pinto

Head of 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 and subscribe to the Primary Calendar.

NAPLAN

Next week the students in Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 will take part in The National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy. The four areas being assessed include Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. 

Our students and staff are well prepared for NAPLAN and have been spending time learning how to navigate the screen when using the Online assessment platform. Let’s all encourage the students to approach the assessments with a positive mindset and to try their best.

Seasons for Growth 

Next term I will be running the Seasons for Growth program. This program is for children who have experienced or are experiencing a significant change or loss in their life for example: the death of a loved one, family breakdown, illness or disability in their family, family relocation and in some circumstances fly in/fly out arrangements.

The Seasons program uses the metaphor of the seasons to give children an opportunity to work through change and grief. It aims to help them sort through confusion, deal with feelings, regain self-esteem and get on with being a child. It is positive, peer driven and facilitated by me as group leader. Attached is a flyer with more information and this is a link to a short video: https://www.goodgrief.org.au/seasons-for-growth

The Seasons program will be conducted with small groups of children of similar ages and consists of eight weekly sessions. Sessions last for about 40 minutes and are conducted during school hours. 

If you are interested in your child being part of the Seasons program, please email me stating your permission for your child to participate. 

If you would like more information about the program, please contact me at school Monday to Thursday or by email:  anne.murphy@cewa.edu.au

Mrs Anne Murphy

Primary Counsellor 

Kindy 2025 Interviews

Kindy 2025 Interviews are commencing in Term 2.  If you have not submitted an Application Enrolment Form, please do so by the end of Term 1.  For your convenience, please use this link:  New Submission (johnxxiii.edu.au)

Specialist Spotlight 

As the Numeracy Specialist, I will be working with students from Pre-Primary to Year Four and Mrs Standing will run the sessions with the Upper Primary students. 

The students will be engaged in lots of hand-on tasks, games and open-ended investigations designed to develop numeracy skills, build self-confidence, and nurture positive attitudes about mathematics. 

Next week we will be celebrating International Mathematics Week, starting on 14 March. Since 2020, people around the world have used this date, which can be written as 3.14, (the mathematical constant Pi, to two decimal places), to draw attention to the many ways in which mathematics can empower us in everyday life. Mrs Standing and I have organised some fun math games for the students to enjoy with their friends over the week.

Meghann Gilmour

Primary Numeracy Specialist 

Sports Update

It has been a big week in sport around the Primary!  On Tuesday and Wednesday, students competed in the Tennis West Academy Plate Tournament. Two great days of tennis and our players did amazingly well, our top girls' and boys' teams finished second and third respectively! 

On Thursday, our interschool swim team competed against other IPSHA schools at Newman College.  Spirits were high and the swimming was incredible.  It was ribbons galore and the highlight was winning the ‘grand relay’ which involved the fastest boy and girl from each year group!  

Well done to all our athletes!

If you have any queries about anything sport related, please contact me via email steve.williams@cewa.edu.au. 

Steve Williams

Primary Sport Coordinator

Music Update

Photo Day

Thank you to everyone involved in the music group photos today. We look forward to hearing these groups perform throughout the year.

Practice Incentive Program

Primary instrumental students have commenced their practice incentive programs under the direction of their tutors. We have already received positive feedback from parents that their children are finding this a helpful program to support their practice routine. Parents can assist by reminding students to play a song each day to ‘tick off’ this goal on their practice chart. Each goal checked off on the chart earns the student a raffle ticket for the draw at the end of term. Please contact your child’s tutor or myself if you have any queries.

Catholic Performing Arts Festival

Entries for the Catholic Performing Arts Festival are now available. With over 20 000 students involved from 163 Catholic schools across Western Australia, this festival is a wonderful opportunity for students to gain performance experience and feedback from professional adjudicators, as well as viewing performances by students from other schools. This festival takes place in Term Three. Primary students from Years 4-6 may wish to enter a solo performance item. Please contact your child’s instrumental tutor for more information. Students who learn an instrument outside of school, may contact Mrs Georgia Bouhlas at the Music Office for more information. 

Primary Music Calendar:

Please note the following dates in your diaries:

Friday 24 March – Primary Choral Assembly

Wanju Voices and Primary Singers will be performing at the Primary assembly on  Friday 24 March.   This will take place in Roncalli Hall at 9am. All parents are welcome to attend.

Sunday 2 April – Palm Sunday Mass at St Joseph’s Church, Subiaco

Primary choristers will be invited to represent the College to sing at the 9am Palm Sunday Mass at St Joseph’s Church in Subiaco. More information regarding this special occasion will be sent out during the term.

Chapel Choir:

Chapel Choir is open to all Year 2 - 12 students who love singing, with a focus on liturgical music. Rehearsals commence at 7:30am in the Chapel with Mrs Haydon and Mr Johnston. Chapel Choir then sings at Community Mass at 8am. The next Chapel Choir rehearsal and Community Mass is Friday 17 March. Please contact Mrs Haydon for more information. 

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

Mrs Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Teacher