Term 3, Week 2

School Vision Statement: To change the world through our faith in Jesus who is our light.
Phone: 6882 2677 or 6882 2653
Email: stjohnsprimarydubbo@bth.catholic.edu.au                    
Principal: Mr. Anthony O’Leary
Parish Priest: Father Greg Kennedy           
P&F Meetings: 2nd & 7th Tuesday each term

Parents/guardians-Please note that photographs of students may be used in publication. Please advise the School Office if you do not approve of your child’s photo being used.

Term 3 Dates
Week 2
Monday 28th July - Musical Matinee & Evening Show, Gold Class Focus
Tuesday 29th July - Musical Matinee & Evening Show, Blue Class Focus
Wednesday 30th July - CANTEEN CLOSED TODAY
Wednesday 30th July - Northern Region Athletics Barden Park Dubbo
Wednesday 30th July - AFL Girls, NSW State Finals in Sydney
Thursday 31st July - NAIDOC Liturgy at 1pm
Friday 1st August - NAIDOC Day
Week 3
Monday 4th August - Year 6 Excursion to Canberra
Tuesday 5th August - Year 6 Excursion to Canberra
Wednesday 6th August - Year 6 Excursion to Canberra
Wednesday 6th August - Masonic Village Visit for 4Gold
Week 4
Monday 11th August - Book Week 2025 competitions launch! 
Monday 11th August - Bulling No Way Week!
Friday 15th August - Feast of the Assumption Mass, 10am at St Brigid's
Week 5
Monday 18th August - Book Week, Book an Adventure
Thursday 21st August - Book Week Parade - time to be confirmed.
Friday 22nd August - Bathurst Primary Diocese Athletics Carnival

Change of Details, have any of your details changed??
Please inform the school office if you have changed address, have a new email or phone contact number, changed jobs, or have different emergency contacts for your child/children.

NAPLAN Results
Years 3 and 5 NAPLAN results will be sent home on Thursday, 31st July 2025 with your child. 

PACER Rebate
Year 6 students from our school will soon be undertaking, an education tour of the national capital. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $45 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Compass Announcements - Upcoming Events
Permission notes for the events below have been sent out via Compass. Please ensure you confirm your child's attendance to avoid missing out. 

• Wednesday, 30th July - Northern Region Athletics Carnival
  
• Friday, 8th August - St Laurence's Soccer Gala Day
  

Welcome to Week 2

🎭 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical
A Triumph of Talent, Teamwork and Joy
A heartfelt thank you to our entire community for the overwhelming support of our school musical. The energy, applause, and kind words from families and friends have filled our hall and hearts with joy.

🎟️ Final Tickets: There are only a handful of tickets remaining for Monday night's performance. Please visit www.123tix.com.au to secure your seat!

📣 Important Note: A final Compass message will be sent at 5:00pm today (Monday) regarding drop-off arrangements for our talented class performers. This will outline whether students go to their classrooms or straight to the SJC Hall for upper-deck seating, depending on the weather.

💐 With Gratitude – Our Creative Team
This production could not have happened without the passionate dedication of so many:

• Mrs King, Mrs Lees, and Mrs Emery – our amazing co-directors who have given countless hours to guide, shape, and elevate this production from rehearsals to curtain call.
  
• Mrs Christianson – for sharing her musical theatre expertise and helping fine-tune every performance detail.
  
• Mrs Green – for her artistic vision in creating vibrant props and designing our beautiful program.
• Mrs Jones and her amazing daughter Nikita for their expertise and skills in the sound booth.
• Mr Bradford – for building and crafting the stunning set pieces with skill and creativity.
  
• And to every staff member, parent helper, and friend of the school who contributed behind the scenes — thank you.
  

And of course… to our incredible cast – your talent, courage, and energy on stage has blown us away.
To each class – your singing, dancing, and joy added so much magic to this show. You are all stars! 🌟

✝️ Confirmation Blessings
We offer our warmest congratulations to our Year 6 students who made their Sacrament of Confirmation this past weekend. Your commitment to deepening your relationship with God is a beautiful witness of faith.

A Prayer for Confirmation
Come, Holy Spirit,
Fill the hearts of Your faithful
And kindle in them the fire of Your love.
Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created,
And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Amen.

🏉 AFL State Finals – Good Luck Girls!
We send our very best wishes to our amazing AFL girls team who head to Sydney this Wednesday to compete in the State Finals. A huge thank you to Mrs Lees, who will be swapping her director’s clipboard for a coaching whistle as she leads the team as Super Coach.

Go girls — we are all behind you! 💪💙

🏃 Northern Region Athletics – Barden Park
Also this Wednesday, we wish the very best of luck to our students representing St John’s at the Northern Region Athletics Carnival at Barden Park, Dubbo. Run fast, jump high, and give it your best!

We’re proud of each one of you!

🖤❤️💛 NAIDOC Week 2025 – Celebrating Strength, Vision & Legacy
Our week concludes with one of the most meaningful events of the year — our NAIDOC Day Celebration this Friday.

The 2025 NAIDOC theme is:

“The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”

This year marks 50 years of NAIDOC Week — five decades of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience. The theme recognises the strength of our Elders, the vision of our communities, and the legacy that continues to shape our future.

NAIDOC began as a movement for recognition and rights and has grown into a powerful national celebration. In 2025, we celebrate the achievements of the past while looking to the future — one empowered by young Indigenous leaders and grounded in self-determination, community vision, and cultural pride.

At St John’s, Mrs Green and Mr Fernando have prepared a full day of rich learning and celebration. Students will take part in activities that explore storytelling, art, culture, connection to Country, and the deep wisdom of First Nations peoples. It is a day of respect, reflection, and growth.

Together, we honour where we’ve come from — and walk proudly forward with the next generation.

📚 School Attendance
Every day at school offers valuable opportunities for growth, learning, and connection, and consistent attendance plays a crucial role in your child’s overall success and well-being.

When your child attends school regularly, they not only keep pace with their learning but also develop vital social skills. They participate in classroom discussions, collaborate with peers on projects, and build strong relationships with their teachers and friends. These interactions are just as important as the lessons themselves, fostering a sense of belonging and confidence.

Missing even a few days can mean falling behind, missing key concepts, and feeling disconnected from their classmates.

We understand that illness or unforeseen circumstances can sometimes prevent attendance, and in those cases, we ask that you notify the school. However, we encourage families to prioritise school attendance as much as possible, planning appointments outside of school hours where feasible. Your support in ensuring your child is at school, on time, and ready to learn each day makes a significant difference.

🏫 What an Amazing Week!
From sacraments to sport, from the stage to deep cultural learning — St John’s continues to offer a rich, inclusive and joyful learning experience.
Thank you for being part of our extraordinary school community.

With gratitude,
Anthony

Sacrament of First Holy Communion/Eucharist
Just a reminder for our Year 3 students (and older students who missed the opportunity to receive this sacrament in earlier years), preparation sessions for this sacrament begin this week. Students must attend all 3 sessions with a parent/guardian, which will be held at St. Brigid’s Hall. 

Session 1: Tuesday 29th July, Wednesday 30th July, Sunday 3rd August
Session 2: Tuesday 5th August, Wednesday 6th August, Sunday 10th August
Session 3: Tuesday 12th August, Wednesday 13th August, Sunday 17th August

Tuesday sessions are held at 6:15pm, Wednesday 4:30 pm and Sunday 10am 

Parents, if you are yet to receive an email from Sacramental Coordinator Rosalie Hosking, please contact her asap on sacraments.dubbo@cdob.org.au

Save the Date
On the 8th August every year, we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Mary MacKillop. Due to clashes on our school events calendar however, SJP will celebrate Saint Mary MacKillop with a Liturgy on Monday 11th August. The Liturgy will be hosted by Year 5 and will be held in our school hall at 10:30am.

At the end of that week, on Friday 15th August, we will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary at St. Brigid’s Church at 10am. SJP will travel to the Church and combine with St. Pius X to celebrate this special Mass.

All of our community are warmly welcome to attend these Week 4 events.

MASS TIMES
St. Brigid’s Church: Saturday - 5:00pm, Sunday - 9:00am and Sunday- 5:00pm.
St. Laurence’s Church: Sunday -7:30am and Wednesday 9.30am

Enjoy your week.

Paula Clifford
Religious Education Coordinator 

Polding Touch Football Representative
Congratulations to Ryder on his outstanding achievement in being selected for the Polding Touch Football Team! He will represent Polding at the upcoming NSW PSSA Touch Football Carnival, which will be held in Dubbo from the 19th to the 21st of August 2025.

This is a fantastic accomplishment that reflects Ryder’s dedication, teamwork, and sporting skill. We wish him all the best at the carnival.

Primary Touch Football Gala Day
Last Wednesday, students from years 3 - 6 represented our school at the NSW Touch Football Gala Day in Dubbo. It was a fantastic day filled with fun, energy, and great sportsmanship!

Students showed wonderful teamwork, supported one another on and off the field, and demonstrated inclusiveness by making sure everyone was involved and encouraged. Their growing skills in passing, running, and working together really shone throughout the day.

Well done to all players for representing our school with pride and a positive attitude!

We would like to thank the parents and caregivers for their help and support throughout the day.

Jump Rope for Heart
This year, our school is participating in Jump Rope for Heart – a fantastic physical activity and fundraising program by the Heart Foundation that has been running for over 40 years. Students will be skipping throughout Term 3.

Jump Rope for Heart is a great way for your child to keep fit and learn new skills, but it also helps raise funds for vital heart research and education programs.

Information regarding fundraising was sent home last Friday. 

To keep the momentum going I will be posting some skipping activities in the newsletter for students and their families to do at home.

** For younger kids, enjoy some game time practicing various animal jumps. You can hop like frogs, bounce like bunnies, or jump like kangaroos! 

Kindergarten Celebrates 100 Days of School! 💯🎉
Last Friday, our kindergarteners celebrated a very special milestone — 100 days of school! Students had a blast dressing up as 100-year-olds and participating in a variety of fun, themed activities to mark the occasion. The day was filled with excitement, creativity, and lots of smiles.

We are so proud of how far our young learners have come in just 100 days and can’t wait to see all they’ll accomplish in the rest of the school year.

Here’s to 100 days smarter! 💯🎓

SPB4L Focus: Listening
For the next fortnight, our SPB4L focus is on Listening. We are encouraging all students to practise good listening skills in every setting — whether it’s in the classroom, in Area 1, at pick-up or the bus bay, when speaking with the playground teacher, or while interacting with their friends.

Listening is a key part of respectful communication and helps us build positive relationships. When we truly listen, we show others that we value what they’re saying and that we care about their thoughts and feelings.

So, what makes a good listener?

• Looking at the speaker
  
• Staying quiet while others are talking
  
• Using kind and respectful body language
  
• Thinking about what’s being said before responding
  

We look forward to seeing our students grow as thoughtful, respectful listeners across all areas of school life!