News From St John’s Head – Wk4

Ms Shannon Rosewood

Staffing 2017

It was great sadness that I announce that Mrs Oehlers will not be returning to St John’s next year.  John, Valentina and Jess have relocated to Sydney to pursue business opportunities and to experience the Sydney lifestyle.  We wish them all the best and hope they come back soon.

Ms Pracy is congratulated on her permanency to the teaching team and also Mrs Ford and Mrs Vanzella will continue to cover leave positions as they arise.

Kindergarten – Mrs Nixon

Year 1/2 – Mrs Vanzella (Term 1) and Mrs Packer (Terms 2 to 4)

Year 3 – Mrs Ward (Term 1 and LSL) and Mrs Dent (Terms 2 to 4)

Year 4 – Mrs Ford

Year 5/6 – Ms Pracy

2017 will bring some changes for our staff as Mrs Nixon works with our young learners and Mrs Ward has a well-deserved period of Long Service Leave. We will miss her! We will be welcoming back our new mums Tori and Heidi from maternity leave in Term 2. Mrs Fox and Mrs Bell will continue their excellent work in Reception and Learning Support. Drama and French will be combined to offer an exciting Infants enrichment program and Years 3 to 6 will continue with the Aim French program.

Thanks to all families who have contributed to our Reverse Advent Calendar. All donations are appreciated and will be donated to the Armidale CareVan.

Celebration of Learning prizes

Accomplishment is about pursuing goals and working beyond capacity for the sake of intrinsic reward. Learning isn’t about winning at all costs or about being first; but rather building competence, confidence, skills and the ability to perform at a higher standard.  This takes GRIT. Does innate ability automatically lead to persistence, determination and a strong work ethic? No.

It is with this in mind that I have asked teachers to consider the progress of their students and its relationship to academic achievement. All students will receive a special class prize at our Celebration of Learning to recognise their efforts. Additionally one student per class will receive a Progress Award for demonstrated GRIT. Resilience within learning can look like a high achieving student who continues to try their hardest, setting their own benchmarks. Progress can also look like a student who struggles with reading but perseveres on a daily basis to make connections and sense of their learning. The role of the St John’s Celebration of Learning is to reinforce the belief that lifelong achievement is about effort and attitude.  Progress measures gains between two points in time. It compares students’ improvement to their own prior performance. Progress is critical to ensuring a student’s future academic success.

Prizes will be announced prior to the evening to ensure that families have ample time to attend and also that a student’s disappointment does not cloud their enjoyment of the celebration.   

ICAS English

Congratulations to all of the students that entered this year. Well done to our Award winners;

Merit – Delilah Layton, Eloise Gooch, Sophia Rutledge

Credits – Eva Dabovich, Archibald O’Neil, Owen Rice, Jade Watkins and Solomon Layton

Distinction – Constanza Dugdale, Sophie Mason

Term 4 events to add to your calendar

31 October Infants Swimming Week

5 November Year 2 Sleepout!

3 November Transition and Kindergarten Orientation #3 – new date!

11 November  Year 7 Orientation

11 November  Year 5 lead Assembly, will be held in Year 6 classroom

24 November  Transition and Kindergarten Orientation #4

29 November  K – 12 Assembly – K – 2 presenting

29 November Transition Celebration of Learning

1 December K – 6 Celebration of Learning and Carols

2 December St John’s Xmas Family Pool Party (after school)

5 December St John’s Activities Day

6 December End of Term 4

Transition students will celebrate their year at a Transition Graduation Ceremony. This will be held on 29 November at St John’s.

A Celebration of Learning will be held for Kindergarten to Year 6 on 1 December at 6pm.  This will be a wonderful way to congratulate our young learners and afterwards share in a St John’s Carols Evening in the NEGS chapel.  All students are expected to attend this formal school event. Parents are asked to bring a plate of finger food to share at the intermission.

A St John’s Xmas Pool Party will be held on the 5 December at the NEGS Pool. We hope to see families there for the afternoon. BYO Floaties, drinks and snacks. No alcohol please.

All St John’s students will be excited to hear that plans are afoot for the Activities Day at the end of the year.  This will take place on Monday, 5  December. It will be a fun and exciting way to end the year.