Term 2, Week 1

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 2 Dates
Tuesday 29th April - Students return
Tuesday 29th April - ANZAC Day Liturgy - 10.30am
Thursday 1st May - Special School mass to Honour Pope Francis - 12.30pm School Hall                      Friday 2nd May - Polding winter Sport trials - Bathurst
Tuesday 6th May - Diocesan Cross Country - Coolah
Tuesday 6th May - P&F Meeting  6.30
Wednesday 7th May - P&F Mothers Day Stall - 11.30am-1.00pm
Friday 9th May - Mothers Day Liturgy - 1.00pm - St John's College Hall
Wednesday 14th May - Catholic Schools Week Liturgy - 10.00am
Thursday 15th May - Regional Final AFL Paul Kelly Cup - Girls team - Orange
Tuesday 20th May - School Photos Booked - Full Formal Winter Uniform
Sunday 25th May - Meeting for Mass
Monday 26th May - Kindergarten 2026 Sibling Interviews Commence
Tuesday 3rd June - Eisteddfod Choir
Monday 9th June - King's Birthday Long Weekend 
Wednesday 11th June - Polding Cross Country
Monday 16th June - Eisteddfod (Speech and Drama)
Tuesday 17th June - Eisteddfod (Speech and Drama)
Wednesday 18th June - Eisteddfod (Verse Speaking)
Thursday 19th June - Eisteddfod (Speech and Drama)
Wednesday 2nd July - Semester 1 Student Reports - Live on Compass
Tuesday 1st July - SJP Athletics Carnival
Friday 4th July - Final Day of Term 2

Welcome to Week 1 of Term 2                                                                                              We hope you had a restful and refreshing break with your families. Term 2 is always a wonderful time for growth, learning, and coming together as a community, and we are excited for all that lies ahead in the coming weeks.

We would like to sincerely thank all of our parents for your support of our Staff Development Day yesterday (Monday).

Our staff had a valuable day of professional learning working with Kristi Ryan, K–12 English Consultant, with a focus on understanding textual concepts in the new English syllabus.

Professional learning days such as this are so important to ensuring our staff are well-prepared to deliver high-quality learning experiences for your children, and we truly appreciate your ongoing support.

Celebrating the Life and Leadership of Pope Francis            This week, we pause to honour and give thanks for the remarkable life and leadership of Pope Francis.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis became the first Pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit Pope. Throughout his papacy, he was known for his humility, compassion, and tireless commitment to social justice. His leadership brought the Church closer to the people, especially to those who are poor, vulnerable, and often forgotten.

Pope Francis and the Gift of Education
Pope Francis deeply valued education as a path to peace, understanding, and hope. He often spoke about the importance of schools and teachers in helping young people to develop not just intellectually, but morally and spiritually. He encouraged students everywhere to become lifelong learners, to think critically, and to always use their gifts to build a better world. His belief in the role of teachers as “builders of bridges” continues to inspire Catholic education today.

Laudato Si’ – Caring for Our Common Home
One of Pope Francis’ most important contributions to the world was his call to care for creation through his letter Laudato Si’ ("Praise Be to You").
In it, he reminded us that the Earth is a precious gift from God that we must protect for future generations. His message brought people of all faiths and backgrounds together, calling for action on climate change and encouraging all of us to live more simply, sustainably, and responsibly.

Pope Francis taught that caring for the environment is not just about nature – it’s about loving and respecting all people, especially the poor and those most affected by environmental changes.

Prayer of Thanks for Pope Francis

Loving God,
Thank you for the life of Pope Francis.
Thank you for his kindness, his love for the Earth,
and his care for all people, especially the poor and those who needed help.
Help us to follow his example:
to be gentle, brave, kind, and full of hope.
Bless Pope Francis in Heaven, and bless us too,
as we try to live as he taught us.
Amen.

To honour Pope Francis, we will be celebrating a special School Mass on Thursday, May 1 at 12:30 PM in the School Hall. We warmly invite all parents, carers, and family members to join us as we give thanks for Pope Francis' extraordinary leadership and lasting legacy.

ANZAC Day Reflection
Today (Tuesday), we came together as a school community for a beautiful ANZAC Day Liturgy, honouring the courage, service, and sacrifice of the many men and women who have served our nation.
It was also wonderful to see so many of our students join staff members at the Dubbo ANZAC Day Service and March last Friday.
We are very proud of the respect and school spirit shown by all our students.
Thank you to all the families who made it possible for their children to participate and represent our school so proudly.

Good Luck to Our Sporting Teams!
It’s a big week of sport! On Thursday, some of our Year 3 and 4 students will represent the school at the Rugby League Gala Day.
On Friday, students will travel to Bathurst for the Polding Winter Sports Trials in a range of sports.
We wish all our students the very best of luck as they compete and represent our school with pride, teamwork, and great sportsmanship.

Attendance – Working Together to Achieve 95% Attendance
This year, our school goal is to achieve 95% full attendance across all grades.
Research shows that consistent attendance is vital for students' academic success, social development, and overall well-being. Every day of learning counts!
We ask for your continued partnership in supporting excellent attendance. If your child is away, it is a legal requirement that a detailed explanation is provided.
Please note that simply writing "sick" or "travel" without further clarification will result in the absence being recorded as unjustified. For illnesses, it helps if you specify the nature of the illness (e.g., "fever and cough," "migraine," "stomach virus," etc.). For travel or other events, an Application for Exemption may be required ahead of time.
Maintaining high attendance is essential for achieving high academic outcomes, and we greatly appreciate your role in helping us reach this important goal.
Together, we can make a real difference in your child’s learning journey.
If you have any questions about attendance requirements, please don't hesitate to contact the school office.

P&F Meeting Next Tuesday
A reminder that our next Parents and Friends (P&F) Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 6th May at South Dubbo Tavern 6.30pm.
We warmly encourage all parents and carers to attend and be part of the ongoing life of our school community.
We look forward to seeing you there!

God Bless and have a wonderful week
Anthony O’Leary

Welcome to Term 2!
I trust all of our families enjoyed the slower pace that comes with the term break and hopefully everyone has recharged for another busy term. 
Many religious based events will occur throughout term 2, including Mother’s Day Liturgy, Masonic Village visits, Confirmation preparation for Year 6, Christmas Art for Year 5, grade Masses on Pope Francis’ theme this year: ‘Jubilee Year of Hope’ and towards the end of the term, enrolment for First Holy Communion for Year 3. 
In week 3 we will also celebrate Catholic Schools Week. Once again, our school term is off to a busy start! Please stay up to date with our Dates to Remember which are published in each school newsletter.

ANZAC Services
Thank you to the families who supported SJP’s participation in Dubbo’s annual ANZAC March. It was lovely to see so many of our students represent our school with such pride and respect.
As students return, we will also come together as a school community to commemorate and remember our war heroes and reflect on the cost of war. Anzac Day is deeply felt by the Australian and New Zealand people and can be viewed in many ways:

• It is a commemoration of those fallen in war and gives honour to all those who gave their lives so that we may live in freedom.
• It is a day of national identity for both Australia and New Zealand.
• It is a story of victory in defeat, survival in the face of overwhelming odds.
• It is also a prayer for peace because all war is terrible no matter what heroism it reveals. 

As we pray together as a school community, we will reflect and pray for peace: peace in our world, peace among people in our own country, peace in our families, and peace in our own hearts. 

Mother’s Day Liturgy
Once again this year, our Kindergarten students will melt all of our hearts as they lead us in the Mother’s Day Liturgy next Friday 9th May. Parents, please save the date for this event. All members of our school community are invited, however a particular invitation is extended to all mums, nans, grandmas, grannies, mas etc. Please be aware that as we have outgrown our own school hall on days such as these, we will celebrate the Liturgy in St John’s College Hall.
All parents will be invited to then return to SJP for an afternoon hosted by the P&F. We look forward to seeing many of you there.

Catholic Schools Week
In Week 3 this term, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week, with our theme this year being: Guided by Faith, Inspired by Hope, Committed to Learning.
Parents, we ask you to save the date of Wednesday 14th May, as we will hold our Catholic Schools Week Liturgy at 10:00am, followed by Open Classrooms between 10:30-10:50.
This is a great opportunity to see your child in action in their classroom and have a look at some of the work they have around the room. More details will be confirmed in next week’s school newsletter on how we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week.

2025 Dubbo City Eisteddfod SAVE THE DATE!!
We are thrilled to announce that St John’s Primary will once again be participating in the 2025 Dubbo City Eisteddfod! This prestigious event provides our students with an incredible opportunity to showcase their talents, build confidence and engage with the wider performing arts community.
We are pleased to confirm the scheduled weeks for our performances:

🎶 3-6 Primary Choir – Term 2, Week 6
🎭 Speech & Drama – Term 2, Week 8 (This includes all grades)
🎶 String Ensemble – Term 2, Week 8

We eagerly await the official program release and will share specific dates, times, venue details, and ticket information as soon as they become available.
A special thank you to the Dubbo City Eisteddfod Committee for their ongoing support and for partnering with us to host several performances in our very own SJP Hall. Their dedication helps make this invaluable performance experience possible for our students.
Stay tuned for further updates and thank you for your continued support!

Canteen Volunteers
Canteen requires assistance on Fridays and is seeking volunteers who can assist for 3 hours. If you’re a parent, carer or grandparent who is interested in volunteering, please contact the school office on 6882 2677 to express your interest.

As part of volunteering, you’ll be supported in completing the free Food Handler Basic Training course through NSW Food Authority and will need to complete a Working with Children’s Declaration Exemption form which can be obtained from the Office.

Thank you for assisting with this request to help our school community.

Punya Madapatha
Canteen Manager