Welcome
As we begin Semester 2, I would like to welcome our Mid –Year intake Reception students, Jack, Tanner & Tehlia and their families to our school community. I trust their time with us is full of rich and rewarding experiences.
I ask that you make our new families feel welcome and if you have an opportunity, please introduce yourself to them.
Community News
A special thank you to everyone that was involved and supported the St Johns fundraiser at Wallis Cinemas last Sunday afternoon. I’ve heard so many fantastic comments this week about what a lovely community spirit there is amongst our families at St. Johns. Over $338 was raised. A special thank you to Amy Russell and Cass Martin, Cobi Semple and the P&F Team for organising this event.
The always popular school disco was held on the 21st June. Again, these school events are well attended and a great time is had by all. $892.00 was raised and special thanks go to Jaime Maiden, Leanne McKinnon, Cass Martin, Cobi Semple, Amy Russell & Larrisa Glass for organising and running the canteen & glowsticks stall.
Money raised at these events goes towards upgrading resources for the students at school. We really appreciate the community spirit that is built as much as the funds raised.
I look forward to more of these events happening in the future.
Transition to School
Last Friday we welcomed the children who are enrolled to start Reception at St. Johns in 2020 to their first transition to school session. Everyone was excited and enjoyed a “treasure hunt” around the school. Thank you to Simone Mashford and Kate Darlington for creating such a calm and welcoming space for the new families to our school.
Caitlin Button will take the RSM class each Friday for the rest of this year while Simone takes the transition classes. Naoimh Lewis will be the ESO assisting in the Transition program from this week.
Enrolments: 2020 and Beyond..
Thank you to all the families who returned their Intention to Return in 2020 form last term as requested. If you have not returned this information yet, I ask that you contact Lee-Anne Barnard in the front office before Monday 5th August and inform her of your intent.
We are in the process of finalising class structures and staffing for next year and this information is vital in this process. We currently have a waitlist for most year levels for 2020 and we are accepting enrolments for Reception in 2020 and beyond. So if you or your friends are planning to enrol a child at St. Johns in the future, I suggest you arrange a time to meet with me soon. It’s never too early to lodge an enrolment with us.
A reminder that Mid Year Reception Intake is available for children who turn 5 before October 31 in that year and all children must be enrolled to start school by their 6th birthday.
Student placement for 2020 will be organised in Term 4 once class structures are finalised. Now that the majority of our learning spaces are flexible learning spaces shared by 2 classes and the children work across the space throughout the day, the traditional ‘class list’ is really used as a touch stone for teacher/ parent communication. The children work with more than one teacher and a variety of children every day.
Staff Professional Learning
Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project
Last week a letter to the community was posted on school stream announcing that Justin Marsh has been appointed Acting Principal for weeks 8, 9 & 10 this term as I have been granted leave.
I have been given the opportunity to participate in an intensive study program at the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium (KULeuven). I will be joining other Catholic Education South Australia staff as well as colleagues from Sydney and Perth. We will be learning more about the Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project (ECSIP). In 2018, our school community was invited to complete a survey about the Catholic identity of our school.
The research will focus on the religious identity of our school and how we face the challenges today of recontextualising our Catholic identity in a de-traditionalising culture.
This is a very exciting opportunity for me and I can’t wait to share my learning with the whole school community. I’m currently finalising the best social media platform to share my adventures with you. I’ll send you details as soon as the CESA IT team give me approval!
Engage in Asia Immersion
In the September/ October term break, Bu Donna, Justin Marsh and Simone Mashford are participating in an Asian Engagement program and visiting schools in Jakarta.
As stated in the Australian Curriculum:
‘Australia is increasingly looking to Asia strategically, politically and culturally as well as economically. Correspondingly, Asia literacy is going to be a key requirement of our young people, as Australia seeks to strengthen its ties in the Asia region and be an effective contributor to the wellbeing of the region as a whole.
For this, young people will need broad insight into the histories of the countries of the Asia region, including their shared history with Australia, its complex and diverse cultures and an understanding of the contemporary challenges and opportunities that exist for the region.
By knowing something of Asian societies, cultures, beliefs and environments, they will deepen their intercultural understanding, enrich their own lives and increase the likelihood of successful participation in the ‘Asian century’, for themselves and Australia as a whole.’
More information about the importance of learning Indonesian can be found at:
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/asia-and-australia-s-engagement-with-asia/
Bu Donna, Mr Marsh and Simone Mashford will be visiting the school in Jakarta and getting to know the children and learn more about the Indonesian culture. In term 4 this year, we will be hosting 2 teachers and 6 children from Indonesia here in Adelaide. Bu Donna has been working closely with the teachers and we can’t wait to welcome them here. Thank you to Bu Donna for providing this fantastic learning opportunity for St. Johns school.
Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) Professional Learning
During the last 2 days of Term 2, our staff joined with our colleagues from Catholic schools in the southern region to learn about the Berry Street Educational Model. This model aims to strengthen education outcomes for all students.
We know students flourish when the school community is held to high expectations and when children receive support that best meets their individual goals. We also know that teachers flourish when they are supported in their own learning, growth and wellbeing.
The Berry Street Curriculum is designed to respond to and support the sequential development of students’ physical, psychological, social and emotional capacities.
Ultimately, this training will provide our staff with strategies to increase engagement with all students and successfully improve self-regulation, growth and academic achievement. I trust you’ll notice changes in classroom practices where needed and we see all our children thriving in their learning.
Attendance For Learning Success And Wellbeing
Educational research confirms that the teacher is the single most important driver of student achievement, after family background. Student absence compromises even the best teacher’s ability to provide learning opportunities.
Non-attendance or arriving late for school not only has serious adverse consequences on the lives of individual young people, but it can also minimise learning time for others in the classroom.
International research has identified that chronic absence is a vital early warning sign of significantly lower outcomes for students. The following definitions are consistent with international best practice to identify students at risk through non-attendance:
Habitual non-attendance: where a student has 5 or more absences for any reason in a term (average of 1 day per fortnight)
Chronic non-attendance: where a student is absent for 10 days or more in a term for any reason (average of 1 day per week).
The good news is that chronic absence can be turned around. Positive, engaging support is available at St. Johns school and we know that this helps motivate children to attend school and address challenging barriers.
I ask that all families consider what the attendance rate/ late arrival/ early pick up is for their child is and how it impacts on their learning.
Timely communication between families and school is critical. Please don’t hesitate to make a time to meet with your child’s class teacher, Justin Marsh or myself if you require support with your child attending school.
Save The Dates
There are many opportunities for families to be involved in their child’s learning at St. Johns school. The Term 3 and 4 calendar dates are now available on the website. Some events include:
Term 3
First Communion Family Mass, Cross Country Carnival, Science Open Morning, Nature Play Day, Book week Parade, Catholic Schools Music Festival Choir
Term 4
Grandparents Day, School Photos, Twilight Sports Day, Cardijn and Regional Primary schools Music Night, Beach Road Pageant, Year 5/6 Youth Mass @ St Luke’s, Year 6 Pantomime and Dinner, Premier’s Reading Challenge Assembly, Carols Night @ St John the Apostle, Program Achieve Assembly, End of Year Thanksgiving Mass and Graduation.
As you will see, there is a lot happening!
I ask you to take the time to make note in your diary any events that are relevant to your children as there are many different activities occurring across the whole semester. Your support in planning for these events and helping your child prepare for them will make the events even more special.
I look forward to meeting with you over the coming weeks at one of our many exciting school events!
Reminder of Staff Formation Days (Pupil Free Days)
Friday 30th August 2019- Staff Religious and Spiritual Formation Day. OSHC available- bookings required.
Friday 13th December 2019- Staff Formation Day. No OSHC available today.
God Bless,
Dee-anne