Term 4 - Week 8, 2023

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

Yesterday Mt St John’s hosted all the regional Catholic Principals from Yamba to Bowraville. They were very impressed by the school and the students’ behaviour and attitude and all fell in love with the rolling green hills of the plateau.  

On Friday next week (8th December) the students and staff will travel down the mountain by bus to listen and watch the Bellingen Youth Orchestra in action. It promises to be a bit of fun and hopefully inspire our children to enjoy live music and perhaps play an instrument.  

Also on Friday, the Semester 2 student reports will be published via COMPASS. It’s quite tricky summarising a whole year’s progress into a few lines so if you need more information, contact your child’s teacher at school. The format will be a little different from last Semester's report and will include some learning goals for next year as well. 

Save the date! We will hold our Annual Awards morning at 9am Tuesday 12th Dec. It’s an early start this year and there will be morning tea provided straight after proceedings. All are welcome. 

Peter Watts,

Principal

Christmas Giving Tree

Mt St Johns are doing their Giving Tree again this year. There is a Christmas tree in the foyer with some gift tags on it. Each tag has the age and gender of a child written on it. If you are able to help a family in need, please ask your child to choose a tag from the tree and buy a gift for a child that age. Gifts must be returned to school by Wednesday 13th December. Please sticky tape your tag to the gift and the gifts will be distributed by St Vincent de Paul. Thank you!

We are also collecting toiletries for the homeless. All donations are gratefully accepted.

Weekly Awards

Congratulations to the following students, who received learning awards this week:

Matilda M - For application and effort in all writing tasks. You always listen to and act on feedback to improve your writing. Well done!

GEM (Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness) awards went to:

Finlay M - For being friendly and welcoming visitors to our school.

Dorrigo Handmade Markets

We are holding a stall at the Dorrigo Christmas Market on Saturday 9th of December. The students have been busy making sleighs and baskets to hold homemade Christmas treats/baking to sell. We would greatly appreciate any donations of Christmas treats and baking for this. If you are able to bake something for the stall, please send in your items to school by Friday the 9th December, making sure to attach a list of the ingredients used.

Bellingen Youth Orchestra Schools Concert

We have been invited to attend a concert by Bellingen Youth Orchestra 2023 Schools Concert on Friday 8th December at Bellingen High School. Bellingen Youth Orchestra have organised an entertaining concert for students which will provide students with the opportunity to meet all the sections of the orchestra and the talented teenagers who play these instruments. This is a wonderful opportunity for young students to be introduced to all instruments found in a full orchestra.  

When: Friday 8th December
Where: Bellingen High School

Students should pack their recess, lunch and a drink.

The bus will leave MSJ School at around 10am and return by around 1:30pm. There is no cost for this event.

Please complete the permission consent in the Compass app by Thursday 7th December.

Beach Day - Thursday 14th December

To round out the school year, we are taking MSJ students to Morgo Street Reserve in Urunga on Thursday 14th December. 

Students will travel by bus to Urunga. We will allow students to swim in the lido under the close supervision of staff. Students will also be able to play games on the beach and use the play equipment. Information for students is listed below:

Wear: free dress
Bring: swimmers, rash shirt, towel, hat, sunscreen, water bottle, recess and lunch
Bus departs school: 9.10am
Bus returns to school: 3.05pm

There is no cost for this excursion. 

There is no canteen at the Reserve, so no money is required. We usually have treats for the students such as iceblocks, cake and watermelon. 

Please complete the permission consent in the Compass app by Monday 11th December.

If your child is NOT going to be at school on that day, please inform the school with a reason for the absence in the questions section. 

Term 4 School Fees

Term 4 school fees have been billed to each family. These fees are now due, unless you are paying by regular direct debit amounts.
 
1 student - $290
2 students - $507.50
3 or more students - $652.50
 
Payment options are:  

1. using the Compass app - You can check your school fee balance and pay fees through the Compass app. Select more - school fees - next - and enter your credit card details. You have the option to pay in full or pay a portion of your fees. 
2. cash or cheque at school 
3. direct deposit to the school's bank account (see instructions below)

When using internet banking, please use your child’s surname as a reference.
Banancoast Community Credit Union   
BSB no. 533-000
Account no. 3282 0430                 
Name: Mt St John’s Primary School
 
Remember, if you feel you will be unable to finalise your Term 4 school fees by this date, some financial assistance may be available from St Vincent de Paul - to make an appointment with them, call 0472 718862. You will need to take your school fee statement with you to your appointment.

RFW's Child and Family Unit

Royal Far West's Child and Family Unit currently has vacancies and is seeking expressions of interest for our NDIS services. There are positions available for eligible children to attend an immersive therapy week on-site in Manly and a small number of telecare spots.

For more information, see link to the brochure below.

ASD Camp Experience

The Autism Australia camp experience is for any families with children aged 7-14 with autism and NDIS funding. While it is located near Tweed Heads it could still be a nice holiday location for any families in our diocese.  It has come highly recommended by familes who have attended the camp - please click on the link below for more information.

Canteen - Week 9

Our canteen coordinator Kerry is generously donating lunch for all students and staff next week. The menu will be:

Recess - GF double choc brownie & fruit cordial

Lunch - sausage sandwich (GF available) & fruit cordial.

Please note it's not necessary to order lunch via Compass next week.

Water Safety - Yrs 4/5/6

The Year 4/5/6 students will be doing water safety for their last week of swimming on Thursday. All students in this class, please bring some heavy clothes (jumpers, jeans, shoes etc.) on Thursday and a plastic bag to put wet clothes in afterwards.

Term 4 Swimming Lessons each Thursday

Students will need to bring swimmers, a towel, goggles, caps (the school can provide swimming caps for those students who don't own one, but if you do own one you are encouraged to bring it), and sun shirts to school each Thursday for their lesson. There is no extra cost for swimming lessons, as the school covers the pool entry fees and payments to the swim teachers. 

Students will walk to and from the pool. Please note, K - 1 students are to be collected from the pool at the end of the day each Thursday as their lesson will finish at 3:05pm. Kinder & Year 1 students catching buses will do so from Dorrigo Public School, supervised by our staff. 

Swimming lessons will take place each Thursday in Term 4 (weather permitting) at the following times:
Years 4/5/6 at 1pm
Years 2/3 at 1.40pm
K/1 at 2.20pm

Project Compassion

We are continuing to collect toiletries such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, brushes, combs, sanitary items, shampoo, deodorant, washing powder and warm items like socks and beanies, all of which will be donated to Pete's Place in Coffs Harbour to help homeless people in our local area.

St Vincent de Paul are also looking for any 2nd-hand drink bottles such as kids' drink bottles (not plastic PET water bottles). 

Please help if you can - there is a basket at the front office in which to place your donations.

Thank you!

Louise Sprowles - LOSEC

Leaving Students Access to Compass Portal

Parents of students who are leaving school at the end of year and not continuing their education within the Diocese of Lismore, will lose access to their Compass portal on the 31st December 2022. Therefore parents should download their child’s reports in Compass prior to the 31st December.

Parents of students who are continuing their education within the Diocese of Lismore will still be
able to access their child’s reports through their Compass portal.

How to Cancel a Canteen Order

If you need to, you can cancel canteen orders before 9am on Friday mornings. If you know your child is going to be away you can go into Compass Canteen and select "cancel order".

The refunded money goes back into your Compass "wallet" so you can use it next time you order - when you get to the Confirm & pay screen, click on the down arrow and select Compass Credit. 

School Facebook Page

Check out our school Facebook page! It is wonderful to be able to share the good news of our school with our families and community. 

Library Now Closed for Holidays

The library is now closed for the year. Please make sure all library books and class readers are returned to school before the holidays.

School Bus Travel

2024 school travel applications are now open                      

Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2024 can apply here. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for the first time, or if they are requesting additional travel entitlement because of new shared parental arrangement (e.g. joint custody).

Students who change address, school, campus location, have repeated a year or received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of Term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications, and entitlements remain valid for the start of the 2024 school year. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their existing card.

If a student’s distance eligibility has changed based on their grade (i.e. grade two to grade three), the system will automatically update their entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not meet the new eligibility criteria, an expiry notification will be sent via email.

Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.

Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.

Students living in rural and regional (R&R) areas should receive their travel pass at the start of the new school year from their nominated transport operator. It may come via the school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some R&R operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

School Drive Subsidy

The School Drive Subsidy is available for eligible school students where there is no public transport available for all or part of the journey. If you have to drive your child more than 1.6km to a school bus stop, you may be eligible for this subsidy – go to the link below to apply. 

"Kids on Stage" Performances

The Dorrigo Dramatic Club's “Kids on Stage” end of year production features 27 kids aged from 5 to 15 years from all the schools of the Dorrigo township, including our own students Aurora, Ivy, Xavier, Samo, Elle, Darcy, Charlotte W, Sophie, Ruby, Jordan and Finn. 

Two plays are being performed - grab your tickets now!

Alice in Downunder Land by Judith Prior

A delightfully unique Australian story combining the timeless tales of Alice in Wonderland, Mary had a Little Lamb, and Waltzing Matilda. Set in the Australian bush and performed entirely by children; the story is designed to appeal to audiences young and old.

Music, and lots of energy, maybe some sing-a-longs and audience participation, comedy and suspense combine as we follow the story of Alice who has lost her pet lamb, Jumbuck.

AND 

The Sword in the Stone is the first part of the story about how Arthur became king…. 

A battle, some magic from Merlin the magician, a pike named Spike, and who will marry Guinevere ?   Did someone mention Wedding dresses??

 All dates, performance times, and ticket prices are on the poster below - 6 performances only

GLUE KidsClub

GLUE God Loves Us Eternally KidsClub is held each Wednesday during school term time from 3-5pm at the Anglican Hall. Afternoon tea, games, fun worship and craft. All primary kids in Years 1-6 are welcome, as are newcomers. For more info, ring Gwenneth on 6657 2135.

Sensory Awareness Workshop

Bellingen Shire Council is hosting a free Sensory Awareness Workshop combined with a visit from a Trained Therapy Dog at Bellingen Library on Wednesday 6 December from 3:30-5pm.

Community Carols - 10 December

Healthy Lunchbox Website

Cancer Council’s Healthy Lunch Box website is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about packing a healthy lunch box.  For recipes, information and health tips please visit the website below.