Around the Primary

Dear Parents

Book week is a celebration of the joy of stories and highlights the importance of reading! Our Book Week parade was a great success with the gym being filled with numerous book characters and many other notable identities.

A highlight of the parade was when our 'staff Dalmatians' took centre stage and displayed some amazing dance moves with great skill and gusto - it was fabulous!

A very special thank you to all the parents for going to so much effort to help your children dress for the parade - a really wonderful job!

The Book Week theme for 2014 is about 'connecting' to reading. Below are some ideas to help children get into the spirit of reading at home.

Challenge One: Connect with your Family

Encourage your child to read a book to a family member, parents, grandparents, sibling or perhaps even your pet!

Challenge Two: Connect to Reading and CREATE

Cooking or crafting is a great way to engage with some purposeful reading. Encourage your child to choose a recipe book from home or the library and cook a recipe from this book or choose a craft book, read and follow the instructions and CREATE!

Challenge Three: Connect with a Text

Encourage your child to read a text they don't normally read - perhaps a graphic novel, a newspaper, a magazine, comic strip, instruction manual for your microwave, anything at all!

Challenge Four: Connect with History

Encourage your child to read a historical fiction book or a non-fiction book about a particular time in history which they are interested in.

Challenge Five: Connect with Friends

Encourage your child to lend a book you love to a friend and tell them why they enjoyed this book.

Safety is one of the most common concerns parents have when dealing with technology and their children's interaction with it. There is a new system call curbi which allows parents to set various restrictions on their children's iPhones and I Pads. These restrictions apply at home or anywhere a device is connected to WiFi or 3G. It was developed in consultation with the ICT staff here at John XXIII College so that it does not interfere with our Meraki MDM to find out more information, please click on the link.

As you are aware, all fathers or father figures are invited to come along to a special Mass dedicated to Fathers on Friday 5th September at 7.30 am in the gym. The Dads will also be most welcome to visit the Primary Classrooms between 8.30-9.00am. Muffins/scones with tea/coffee will be served after Mass. It is hoped all Dads will be able to join us at this celebration. To assist with catering, it would be appreciated if you could register your attendance by email ASAP to philpot.catherine@johnxxiii.edu.au

Our next assembly is on Friday 29th August at 9 am and is kindly being prepared by Year 6B. During this assembly we will farewell Mr Daniel Moylan who has been the Primary Counsellor at the College for 16 years. Mr Moylan has accepted a position as Director of Mission at St John of God Pathology. We will miss Daniel around the Primary school but wish him every success and blessing on his new career journey.

Kind Regards,

Antoinette De Pinto
Head of Primary

NEXT WEEK'S DATE REMINDERS

Wednesday 27 August

  • Year 3's to visit Hyogo Cultural Centre
  • Year 4 Musical Rehearsal from 3.30pm

Friday 29 August

  • Year 6B Assembly (9am) in Roncalli Hall