*11th December– SJP Volunteers

thank you morning tea.

*12th December-End of Year Mass

11am.

*12th December-Year 6

Graduation Dinner.

*13th December-Year 6 Pool Party.

*16th December-2014 Year 7

Orientation Day at SJC. Time:9.30-

11.30.

*17th December-P&F End of Year

Dinner.

*18th December-Last Day of School

for 2013.

www.stjohnspprimarydubbo.catholic.edu.au

ST JOHNS PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

S c h o o l M a n a g e r F a t h e r M a r k M c G u i g a n S c h o o l C h a p l a i n F a t h e r G r e g B e l l a m y P r i n c i p a l - M r . O ’ L e a r y A s s i s t a n t P r i n c i p a l – M r . F o l e y R E C – M r . S c h w a g e r

Conta ct D eta i l s:

138 Sh erato n Roa d DUBB O NS W 2830

Ph.: 0268822677

stjohnsprimarydubbo@bth.catholic.edu.au

9th December 2013

An Advent message from Father GregAn Advent message from Father Greg

Time to give Hope a chance.

I often think that Advent is the season of the Church’s year that

suffers from an identity crisis. It is crowded-out with end of year

events and the prolonged commercial focus on Christmas. In the

Church Christmas starts the night of 24th December and runs

through to the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism on 12th January. At the moment we are in

Advent: the time of expectant hope.

In the Church, and perhaps in your family home, we mark the progress of Advent

by lighting a new candle each week on our ‘Advent Wreath’. This is a beautiful

custom that helps us appreciate Christ’s coming at Christmas as something to

which we look forward in hope. It helps us appreciate that Christmas is something

special: a time that is joyful because God has become one of us in Jesus Christ.

Advent is meant to remind us of how deeply we all thirst for this divine closeness,

how deeply each of us desires God’s nearness.

To help make this Advent really a time of hope – and so prepare well for the joy

of Christmas – I encourage all our families to do three things. First, to pray

together each day as a family, asking God to bless and protect each member.

Secondly, to commit to helping others in need, perhaps by supporting the

Vinnies’ Hamper Appeal. And thirdly, to rediscover the gift of God’s

healing-forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance, which will be available at

special services on Tuesday 17th

December: midday at St Laurence’s and

7.30pm at St Brigid’s.

Pope Francis recently said: “The time of

Advent … returns us to the horizon of

hope, a hope that does not disappoint

because it is founded on the Word of

God. A hope that does not disappoint,

simply because the Lord never

disappoints! He is faithful!” Together,

let’s really make Advent a time of hope.

Fr Greg Bellamy

School Chaplain

A message from Anthony Welcome to Week 10.

As we enter the final full week of 2013 it comes to that time of year when reflection and thanksgiving occur. I feel very honoured and privileged to work with the St Johns Primary School community – I think I have the best job in the world. I am so fortunate to work among dedicated colleagues, enthusiastic students and a community that is very giving. I sincerely appreciate all that you do.

This week we will be hosting our Helpers Thank you morning tea on Wednesday 11th. In this busy world of ours I know that pressures of time can reduce the amount of time available to help at school during the day. Please feel very welcome to come to the morning tea.

The End of year Mass and Presentation day will be held on Thursday, 12th with Mass commencing at 11:00am. Please join us for this celebration of the Eucharist and the following Awards presentation. These awards recognise our Year 6 students in a number of areas, academic, cultural and sporting.

The Year 6 Graduation will take place Thursday evening. I am sure they will enjoy this evening with their friends, teachers and families. I would like to thank Mr Quade and Miss Veech for their work and the Graduation committee for their work in planning the graduation.

Farewell Year 6

To our Year 6 students. You all should be very proud of how you have conducted yourselves in your final year of Primary School, and indeed during your entire time at St Johns Primary School.

Two main reasons:

1. The people that you are and the relationships you formed. Repeatedly, your actions towards each other and other people have reflected important values. You have been an inclusive group who has warmly welcomed newcomers.

You have accepted differences.

You have been honest. You have been thoughtful. You have been trustworthy. In life, it does not matter how highly you are paid…..but you can earn great respect from others if you can be deeply trusted. You have earned great respect from your teachers because you have been deeply trusted.

You have come across to us as a beautiful group of people.

2. The learning. You are interested learners. What characterizes your cohort is that you have been resilient learners. You continually give your best efforts to your learning. Non-resilient learners give up too easily. You don’t. That is a great characteristic to continue to develop as you move through high school.

Farewell Year 6. You have been a major part of why we have a great school. Thank you and God bless.

The End of year reports and work sample folders will be going home on Thursday. Your child’s teacher allocation will also be sent home on this day.

The 2014 class teachers will be:

Kindergarten – Mrs Isbester and Mrs King

Year 1 – Mrs English and Mrs Lindsay

Year 2 – Mr Quade and Mrs Noonan

Year 3 – Mrs Jones and Mrs Benton. Mrs Jones will be job sharing this position. This will be announced as soon as possible.

Year 4 – Ms Reidy and Mrs Gain

Year 5 – Mrs Crosby and Miss Bolton / Mrs Carney

Year 6 – Mrs Judy Gibson and Miss Veech.

The final day for Students will be Wednesday, 18th of December.

Have a wonderful week and God Bless

Anthony O’Leary

For your Diary:

End of Year Whole School Mass: Thursday 12th December 11am at St Brigid’s Church

End of Year Mass/ Yr 6 Graduation Ceremony

Our final school mass for the year will be held this Thursday 12th December, 11am, at St Brigid’s

Church. The theme of the mass is our school motto: ‘Çhrist is my Light’, and each class has made a

poster for display representing this simple but important message.

This is also our farewell and thank you mass to our Year 6 students and those families departing our

school. Following the mass, we will be holding our annual Graduation/Awards Ceremony. Families

are very welcome to attend.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers

Christmas Hampers need to be completed this week please. Thank you for your support of

this important community appeal.

Christmas Art Exhibition

From all accounts, James Debus and Ben Hile had an excellent time as invited guests and exhibitors

at the Christmas Art Exhibition in Sydney recently. Congratulations to James who received a Highly

Commended Award at the event. The published book of finalists is well worth looking at for those

who are interested. We have a copy at the school for your perusal.

A Christmas Poem:

More Than A Story

Love came, held safely within a gentle womb All the truth, majesty, and creativity of a living God

Poured into a tiny heart Making a quiet entrance in a dark and uninviting shack

Just one star shone anew as a handful of people were brought Led by angelic voices, and open hearts

A young mother A faith-filled father

Men of wisdom who searched for truth And a group of humble herdsmen

They came to bow before a new life And acknowledge that the rescuer had arrived

That the Word of God had come alive And that the extraordinary transformation of heaven and earth

Had begun.

(by Julie Palmer, c2011)

Wishing you all a good week,

David Schwager (REC)

Calling all Year 5 parents!!! Calling all Year 5 parents!!! The Year 6 graduation is this Thursday 12th December at 6pm. We are looking for Year 5

parents to assist with the serving and clearing of tables on the night. This has been the

tradition of the school for quite a few years and it is an excellent opportunity to see what

happens at the graduation and what needs to be organised for the evening. This is

invaluable knowledge as it will enable you to make suggestions regarding the graduation

when your children come to the conclusion of Year 6 next year. If you are available on

our graduation night, we would very much appreciate your assistance. Please contact

Catherine Smith on 0419 854006 if you are able to help.

Kind Regards

Year 6 teachers and parents.

St Johns College Year 7 2014 Orientation Morning

The Year 7 2014 Orientation Morning is on

16 December (9.30-11.30 am). Parents are

welcome to come for morning tea and join a

school tour from 11-11.30am. Morning tea

will be provided for both students and

parents. Students are asked to bring a hat,

water and wear comfortable clothing and

footwear. Students are to meet at the

College office at 9.30am.

SJP: Clothing Pool OPEN AGAIN FIRST WEEK OF TERM 1.

The clothing pool welcomes

quality donations.

Donations can be dropped to the office anytime.

The Clothing pool is located inside the library; it is a volunteer service of the P&F.

Prices vary: $2 for boys shirts, $3 for boys shorts, $2 for girls summer dresses.

All enquiries can be made to:

Cath Osborne 0407386789.

THE COLLEGE SHOPPE Phone 6841 5124

The Shoppe opens 8.15am until 3.30pm Monday to Friday

The Shoppe is closed daily from 11.30am until 1pm

Year 7 book packs containing exercise books, scientific calculator, recorder and geometry set are priced at $89 per pack. I

welcome early shoppers –the Shoppe is packed with uniforms ready to go.

For all the forward planners out there - last day of trade in the Shoppe for 2013 will be Thursday 19 December.

Monday 20 January to Friday 24 January 2014 the College Shoppe will open from 9am until 3pm

Tuesday 28 January College staff will attend our Opening Mass at St Brigids. The College Shoppe will open at

11am until 3.30pm on this day.

Wednesday 29 January 2014 normal hours resume : open 8.15am until 11.35am – open 1pm until 3.30pm

It will be very much appreciated if your son or daughter is able to try our uniform on here in the Shoppe at the time of

purchase. Thank you in anticipation.

Countdown to Christmas …Enjoy the week ahead Mrs Helen Hughes

TiTidbdbiitsts ofof ininffoorrmmaattiionon fforor

PPaarrenenttss!!

1.Please remember that if you are

going to be away on holidays for 4 or more

school days you are required to pick up a:

“Certi f i cate for Exemption from

Attendance at School” form from the SJP front

office.

2. Please remember to sign your children out if

you are taking them home early from school.

Thank you.

3. On the 17th December the P&F are meeting

at the Pastoral Hotel for an End of Year Din-

ner. We would love to see lots of parents

there. If you have not been to a meeting

through the year then this would be a great

time to catch up and get to know other par-

ents. If you are able to make it please contact

Tracey Duncan on 0428457500. Thank you.

4. A reminder that the children being picked

up from inside the school grounds need to

enter cars from the green please stop here

signs. Thank you for your cooperation with

this, it is important for our children’s safety.

ABLAZE Christmas PartyABLAZE Christmas PartyABLAZE Christmas Party

The final action-packed ABLAZE for 2013 will be

Wednesday 11th December in the old Church at

St Brigids from 6.00pm-7.30pm. Lots of games, music

and food to finish off the year. We will farewell

Sr Janet who is leaving next week to return to the

Philippines. All year 5 and 6 welcome to come along.

A special invitation is extended to year 4 to come and

join the fun this evening. Rego 5.45-6pm, cost $5.

Parents please sign-in beforehand and sign your child out at the end.

CHRISTMAS TIMETABLE -

ST BRIGID’S PARISH DUBBO

Advent Penance - 2nd Rite -

Tuesday 17th December at 12.00 pm St Laurence’s church

Tuesday 17th December at 7.30 pm St Brigid’s church

24th December - Christmas Eve - Tuesday

6.00 pm Mass - St Brigid’s Church

7.00 pm Mass - St Laurence’s Church, Tamworth St.

8.30 pm Mass - St Brigid’s Church

9.00 pm Mass - St Laurence’s Church

Midnight Mass - St Brigid’s Church 25th December - Christmas Day – Wednesday

8.00 am Mass - St Brigid’s Church

10.00 am Mass - St Brigid’s Church 26th December Feast of St Stephen - Thursday

9.00 am Mass St Brigid’s Church

Come join

us for:

1. Mass

2. Morning

Tea

3. Dinner

On Friday 13th of December the school

grounds will be transformed into a

magical dining experience.

With entertainment by local band

Green River & Fundraiser Auctions.

Time: 6.30pm for Canapes for a sit down diner.

Dress: Cocktail Tickets: $65 per person. Group and single bookings available.

To purchase tickets please call: Miranda-0438792577 Erin-0409454797 Denise-0437990882

Canteen News Hi Everyone, , canteen is slowly running down

stock for the end of year, please continue to

list 2 choices on lunch orders. Thank you to

everyone that takes the time to write

messages of ‘thanks’ and ‘Merry Christmas’ on

lunch orders it is noticed and

appreciated.

Thanks Cathy 0458550747

This week’s wonderful and very

committed Friday helpers are:

Quiet time Quiet time Quiet time --- getting the balance rightgetting the balance rightgetting the balance right

All children need down time, but the more time children spend too much time sitting still, the fewer opportunities they have to grow, learn and develop through play, real world interaction and relationships with others.

Time spent sitting still doing productive activities like drawing, puzzles and reading is necessary for your child’s health and development, but there are other activities that are not. Activities like watching TV, playing computer or electronic games, and long periods of time spent in a stroller or high chair - are not essential for young children.

Balancing the time spent sitting still with active time ensures that your child has the opportunity to develop in a range of ways. Limiting activities that involve sitting still and replacing with more active options is an easy way to make sure your child is getting enough active time.

It is recommended that the time children spend sitting still is limited to no longer than 1 hour, unless they are sleeping or eating.

* The recommendations are draft and subject to endorsement by the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference

Join the reading Club in December 2013 / January 2014 and start collecting cards.

The theme for 2013 is INVESTIGATION.

Catching culprits, solving crimes, searching for clues, identifying suspects, rational thought and deductive reasoning,

cliff hangers and unexpected twists are elements that make mystery, sleuth and detective and crime fiction so

exciting.

There are 30 limited edition Mystery Ripley's Believe It Or Not cards for you to collect and trade with friends. Just register to get a starter pack and then start reading to add to your collection.

There will also be lucky dip prizes and other incentives for you along the way. Step 1. Register at your branch of the library to receive your reading pack and collector cards.

Step 2. Read or listen to books from the library and record them in your Reading Log.

Step 3. Take your log back to the library and collect your reward.

Easy! So join the program now.Easy! So join the program now.

Talk Less Listen More A New Parent Education Course - Online. Anywhere, Anytime.