Term 4 - Week 10, 2021

Acting Principal's Message

Dear Parents,

As the year comes to an end, we say farewell to Mrs Michelle McIntosh, who has been teaching with us this year. Mrs McIntosh has to be one of the most kind-hearted, loving teachers that a school could have and her caring demeanour will be treasured well into the future. In 2022, we welcome Mrs Louise Sprowles to the MSJ community. Louise comes to us with a wealth of teaching experience and has worked at many schools in the Coffs community.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the MSJ community. Although I have only been here a short time, it has been truly wonderful to share this term with the students and get to know many of the parents in our community (albeit many via the phone). Like many of you, I am very much looking forward to getting back to a time when we can once again have parents back, sharing in the many wonderful things that the school has to offer.

I would like to extend my thanks to Alicia Miller and Amii Francis for keeping the canteen going under very uncertain circumstances. Friday lunchtimes have been a highlight amongst the students (and staff).

On behalf of the staff, I wish everyone in our school community the joy of Christmas as we remember the coming of Jesus into the world. 

We can’t wait to see you in 2022!

Warm regards,

Craig Warnes, Acting Principal

Class Teachers 2022

We've finalised our teaching staff for 2022 and I'm pleased to share the following:

Kindergarten- Miss Zoe Griffiths

Stage One- Mrs Nancye Spiteri

Stage Two- Mrs Louise Sprowles

Stage Three- Mrs Carmel Beaumont

Intervention and Instructional Leader- Mrs Sue Darby

Intervention- Mr Paul Lee

2022 Best Start & MAI Assessments

Thank you to everyone who has returned their notes for the MAI and Best Start testing. 

A reminder to return your MAI and Best Start booking forms ASAP.

Tuesday 1st February and Wednesday 2nd February 2022 - Kindergarten Best Start Assessments (approx 1 hour) and Years 1-6 MAI Testing (approx 30 minutes).

Thursday 3rd February 2022 - All students commence regular classes.

Please feel free to contact the school if you have any questions.

End of Year Fun Day

This coming Tuesday the students will be participating in a fun day at school and at the Dorrigo swimming pool. There will also be a sausage sizzle lunch provided by the school. This is a mufti day - students do not need to wear school uniform on this day.

We have planned some VERY fun and exciting activities to be set up in the school playground for the alternate sessions at school. Don’t miss this day!

Students will need to bring some recess, a water bottle, swimmers and a towel for this day. Please remember to apply sunblock in the morning - we will re-apply it during the day.

Non-A-E School Reports

In line with the Catholic Schools of NSW directive, this semester, school reports are non-A-E. The report for Semester 2 is an adjusted report based on the teaching and learning undertaken over this disrupted period of schooling due to Covid-19. The report focuses on the fundamental knowledge, skills and understanding in English and Mathematics. 

School reports will be handed out on Monday at our Awards Assembly. 

Step-Up Transition Day

On Monday morning students will have a ‘step-up’ transition with their 2022 class teacher. This is a short informal time for the teachers to chat with their students about what the new school year will look like and all things new things that they will experience.

Year 6 Graduation

Our Year 6 Graduation celebration was held yesterday afternoon. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this afternoon such a success. From the admin and phone calls to the baking, hall preparation and decoration, partners helping, serving, clean up and the list goes on, it was a real privilege to see how people come together to make such a special event for the children.
A special thanks to Mrs Beaumont for orchestrating everything.

Christmas Giving Tree

Mt St Johns are doing their giving tree again this year. There are 20 gift tags on the Christmas tree in the school foyer. 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 in by Friday 10th December. Please sticky tape your tag to the gift. Thank you! We are also collecting toiletries for the homeless. All donations are gratefully accepted.

Awards Presentation Assembly

Our end-of-year awards presentation assembly and liturgy will be held this Monday 13^th December. Unfortunately, we are not permitted to invite parents and community members to this event, but we will be streaming it and sharing the link through Facebook.

Merry Christmas from Stage 1

Road Safety in the Christmas Holidays

2022 Enrolments

We are taking enrolments for all classes in 2022. Children are eligible for Kindergarten if they turn 5 by July 31 of that year. All children must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday. To enrol at Mt St John’s, follow these three steps:

1. Collect an enrolment form from the school office.
2. Return the completed enrolment form to school office.
3. Attend an enrolment interview with your child.

Term 4 School Fees

Term 4 school fees are now due, unless you are paying regular direct deposit payments. 
If you feel you will be unable to finalise your 2021 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.

Several payment methods are available; 

• Regular direct deposit payments (see suggested amounts below).
• Lump sum direct deposit
• Cash
• Cheque

1 student - Term 4 - $276.00

       $46.16 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $23.08 per week (x 50 weeks)

2 students - Term 4 - $483.00

       $81.28 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $40.64 per week (x 50 weeks)

3 or more students  - Term 4 – $621.00

       $105.36 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $52.68 per week (x 50 weeks)

If you would like to arrange a regular direct debit payment from your Bananacoast Credit Union account into the school’s account, the BCU Credit Union in Dorrigo will organize this for you.

When using Internet banking, please use your child’s surname as a reference.

Bananacoast Community Credit Union   BSB no. 533-000

Account no. 3282 0430                 Name: Mt St John’s Primary School

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 Day - Wednesday

Please return all library books and class readers before the Christmas holidays. Please check under beds, in bookcases and in the car for any library or school books you may have. Remember – the Dorrigo local library will be open during the holidays, so avail yourselves of their great selection of books!

Canteen

Community Christmas Carols

The 2021 Community Christmas Carols will be held at the Dorrigo Seventh Day Adventist hall this Sunday 12th December at 6pm. There will be a barbecue for dinner (vegetarian options available also).

Dorrigo Show Christmas Cupcake Competition

Bellingen Drive Thru Testing Clinic CLOSED

The Bellingen Drive Thru Covid testing clinic recently operated by Sullivan Nicolaides pathology has now closed permanently.  Staffing the clinic has become an increasing problem.

 The Coffs Harbour Drive Thru testing clinic is open 7 days a week – 8am – 4:30pm M-F and 8am to 2pm Sat & Sun. (Coffs International Stadium, Stadium Drive, South Coffs Harbour).  Additional testing clinics are located in Nambucca – Nambucca Respiratory Clinic (booked appointments) & Sullivan Nicolaides walk in.  Sullivan Nicolaides also offers walk in clinic in Coffs Harbour. Service NSW website has details. Look on ServiceNSW website to look for latest times & services in our region.

School Bus Travel

Applications for student travel can now be made online. Apply here 

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. 

Instrumental Music With Hazel

We have a music tutor available to teach instrumental music through private tuition. Hazel Buchanan is interested in working with our students. Hazel can teach flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, percussion and bass guitar.

The school owns a flute and a clarinet, which are available for families to borrow long-term at no cost. The payments for lessons are billed each term and paid directly to Hazel. An Essential Element Band Book will be supplied by the school too.

Students wishing to learn these instruments can do so in individual lessons or in small groups depending on the instrument chosen. It is hoped that one day, we can start a small ensemble or band for instrumental students to play together. 

If you are interested in taking up this opportunity, please contact Hazel directly on 0458 572 525.

Lessons will take place on Fridays. 

Summer Reading Club at Dorrigo Library

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.