Around The Primary

Dear Parents

We have had a busy schedule at school over the past week. Staff have been finalising assessments, writing reports, and our Kindy and Pre-Primary teams conducted their Parent Information Sessions for 2023. Our students have been working hard in class and enjoying various incursions and excursions. 

We are partnering with St Vincent de Paul again this year to really make a difference in the lives of those in our local community. It is hoped all families will be able to donate non-perishable food items (or gift vouchers) to the baskets in each classroom, which will be used to make up Christmas hampers for those who will be doing it touch this Christmas.

All donations will need to be brought to school by Monday 21 November to ensure hampers can be prepared and delivered before Christmas.

As we start the countdown towards the final few weeks of school, I would like to inform the primary community that Miss Hubbard, Miss Howard and Miss Ricciardi have accepted positions at new schools. We thank them for all their wonderful work and wish them all the best in their next teaching adventures.  Mrs Volikov will be completing her short-term teaching contract and is looking forward to enjoying some special family time and doing relief work next year.

Our Pre-Primary to Year 3 students are going to making a big splash at Claremont Pools next week as they commence their swimming lessons.

Enjoy the weekend ahead!

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.

Famous Australians

This semester, the Year 6 GATE students undertook in-depth research of a famous Australian, facilitating skills of independent learning as well as higher order thinking.

The students presented their research to parents by dressing in character as their famous Australian, giving a brief talk and displaying information in the Library. They shared their knowledge by answering questions as their chosen character.

Congratulations to:

Grace Czajko, Matteo Desiati, Kiran Finn, Octavia Gnech, Nicholas Maroni, Isaac McCready, Felix McGinty, Isaac Nikoloski, Charles O’Toole, Alessio Torre and Layla Travis, 

Tara Purcell

Primary GATE Teacher 

Game Changers

 On Saturday November 12, the Year 5 GATE students participated in ‘The Game Changers’ competition against other schools at Curtin University. 

We had to find a solution for a problem in the categories of either: people, place, prosperity or space. We set up tables for each of the five groups with our posters on a pin up board and presented our ideas to two sets of judges. My group of Alexis Tonkin and I chose the problem of ‘homelessness’ and came up with the solution of making a village of homes built using shipping containers. As well as the competition, there were many fun activities for us to do, including a bucking bull, VR goggles, constructing balloon towers, newspaper bridges and more. It was a great day, one that we will look back on for years to come.

Written by: Charlotte Blaxell (5B)

We were in groups of 2 or 3, and we presented our ‘game changing ideas’ to judges. We researched our topic and made prototypes of the device that would help improve the world. I was in a group with Tilly Finucane and Vivienne Barley. Our idea was to make a device called the ‘parabolator’ which collects solar energy and transfers it to electricity using a solar inverter. The parabolator uses parabolic light reflectors to reflect light and heat from the sun to a solar panel. The parabolator collects more electricity, and costs less than solar panels. It can be installed on the roof of your house. The electricity not being used, is stored in a battery box, so you can still use power from the parabolator on days without much sunlight.

There were lots of great ideas form different schools and many fun activities to participate in, including VR goggles, Lego, building newspaper bridge, a bucking bull and robotics. The Game Changers competition was a great experience.

Written by: Jacob Chan (5G)

Parents as Partners

Special thanks to Emma Smith (Primary Convener), Caroline Di Costa (Secretary) and all the parent coordinators for their fantastic contributions throughout the year. They have done a wonderful job of organising family and parent events throughout the year, as well as, coordinating volunteers for various events. 

Sports Update

Our Junior Primary tennis program has come to an end this week.  Our students have enjoyed having Nick Kirkbride and his coaches from City Beach Tennis Club teaching and progressing their tennis skills.  

The Year 3 and 4 students have been participating in games mini tennis with the Year 4’s putting their skills to the test on Friday 2 December in an Interhouse Mixed Doubles Tennis tournament!

Nick Kirkbride is also running holiday tennis clinics at City Beach Tennis Club on the following dates:

• 12 to 16 December 
• 19 to 23 December 
• 23 to 27 January 

All ages welcome, registration on the Coastal Tennis website www.coastaltennis.com.au/kids-coaching, Nick is offering 15% discount to all John XXIII College students!

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

Steve Williams

Primary Sport Coordinator

Primary Music

Enrolment in Music Lessons – 2023

Applications are invited for individual music lessons on instruments and voice for 2023. Please click here to apply. Please note that current enrolments automatically roll over into 2023.

Discontinuation of Lessons - 2023

For students who will not be continuing individual music lessons in 2023, please click here and complete the online form before the closure of the Music Office on Thursday 8 December at 4pm. Enrolments in lessons will automatically roll over into 2023, unless a withdrawal notice is received.

Save the Date

Please ensure the following performance dates are in your family calendars for Term 4:

Christmas Carols Concert

The combined primary and secondary Christmas Concert will be held on Friday 25 November commencing at 5pm in the Library Courtyard. Students performing in this event have been emailed with details regarding uniform, arrival time and other details. Please see the Music section of this Newsletter for further information. 

Everyone is welcome to attend this Concert. While this event is not ticketed, families are asked to indicate their attendance using this link - TryBooking so that we can accommodate for audience capacity. 

Primary Instrumental Recitals

Entries have now closed for the Primary Instrumental Recitals. Timetables will be organised next week and emailed to parents of students involved. Students requiring an accompanist will be notified of the rehearsal time. A copy of the accompaniment music with the performer’s full name, class and instrument written clearly must be handed to the Music Department by Monday 19 November.  Please contact Georgia Bouhlas, Music Secretary on 9383 0440 or email music.secretry@johnxxiii.edu.au with any queries.

We look forward to celebrating the dedication and talents of the primary students at these special performances.

Year 3 Strings Program – End of Year Information

Families of students in the Year 3 Strings Program are asked to refer to the communication sent regarding continuation of lessons in 2023. Please contact the Music Department with any queries.

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

Catherine Haydon

Primary Music Teacher

Bricks 4 Kidz

We are delighted to announce that Bricks 4 Kidz will be offering the after-school classes in Term 1, 2023.  Lessons will take place on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30pm to 4:50pm for 8 weeks commencing in Week 2 and concluding in Week 9.  Please refer to the attached flyer for further information. 

Please note that there will be a Junior Robotics session for Years 2 & 3 and an Advanced Robotics session for Years 4 to 6.  Year 1 students will be offered the opportunity to participate in Term 2. 

Please note Year 3-6 Swimming Training will also take place on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30pm to 4:30pm during Term 1, 2023.