Week 4 Term 4

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
School Manager/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.

WEEK 4
Monday 4th November - All Souls Liturgy 1.00pm  School Hall
Thursday 7th November - ICY CUP THURSDAY
Friday 8th November - SOCKTOBER - Sunnies and Socks with sport uniform (gold coin donation)

WEEK 5                                                                                                                            Monday 11th November -Remembrance Day Liturgy  10.30am
Monday 11th - Wednesday 13th November - Year 5 Sydney Excursion
Tuesday 12th November - Year 3 Excursion - Wellington Caves
Thursday 14th November - Kindy 2025 Parent Information Evening 6.00pm School Hall
Thursday 14th November - Icy Cup Day $1.00

Welcome to Week 4
The term is certainly moving along at a pace and all of the classrooms are working very well and the enthusiasm for learning is obvious. This time of year is a very busy one for Term 4 assessments so it is very important for the students to be at school everyday that they are well. Attendance is vital for success at school. Every day matters!

All Souls’ Day Liturgy - A Time to Remember and Pray

All Souls' Day is a meaningful time in the Catholic Church to honour and pray for the souls of loved ones who have passed. During our liturgy, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the lives of those we remember, find comfort in the prayers of our faith, and be reminded of the hope we have in God’s promise of eternal life.

Prayer for All Souls’ Day

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Year 5 excursion
In Week 5, our Year 5 students will be embarking on an exciting excursion to Sydney! This adventure, filled with enriching experiences and hands-on learning, will take place on Monday, 11 November, as students head off bright and early for a memorable day of exploration and discovery.

A huge thank you to Mrs. Lees and Miss McIntosh for their incredible efforts in organizing this excursion. Their careful planning has ensured an engaging program that will provide lasting memories and meaningful learning for our Year 5 students.

Excursion Highlights:

• Bush to the Beach Program: Students will experience the natural diversity of Sydney, discovering the unique connections between bush-land and coastal ecosystems.
• Visit to Mary MacKillop Place: In the spirit of our Catholic faith, students will visit Mary MacKillop Place, where they’ll learn about Australia’s first saint and her remarkable legacy of service, education, and compassion.

This excursion promises to be an excellent opportunity for students to connect their learning to real-life contexts and deepen their understanding of faith, environment, and Australian history. We look forward to seeing them return with wonderful stories and valuable insights!

Have a wonderful week                                                                                                                                    Anthony O’Leary

Get ready to kick off your shoes, pull up your craziest socks, and put on your sunnies for a fun and meaningful day at school! This Friday, November 8, we’ll be celebrating Socktober - Sunnies and Socks Day as part of our commitment to making a positive impact through Catholic Mission’s "Socktober" initiative.

What’s Socktober?

Socktober is all about raising awareness and funds to support vulnerable children around the world. This year, our school is focusing on helping those in need, with a special focus on education, health, and creating brighter futures for children who lack access to these basic rights. By wearing our bright socks and sunnies, we stand together in solidarity and take a small step toward making a big difference!

How Can Students Participate?

• Wear Crazy Socks & Sunnies: Students are encouraged to come to school with their wildest, brightest socks and their coolest sunglasses.

Gold Coin Donation
Please bring a gold coin as a donation to support the important work of Catholic Missions. Every little bit helps to create change!

All Souls Day
Today our school gathered together at our All Souls Liturgy to reflect on the lives of those who have passed away. We remembered and prayed for those family members and friends we have been close to. It was a time for us to realise how important they were in our lives and how they have eternal life now with Jesus in heaven.

Year 4 Retreat Day
This Friday our Year 4 students will enjoy their first student retreat day at St. Brigid’s Parish Hall. The theme for the day will be ‘Identity and Acceptance’. Throughout the day the students will focus on activities, games and songs that will build within them a greater understanding of who they are, what they have to offer the world and God’s unconditional love. We trust Year 4 will enjoy this time spent together.

Enrolment for the Sacrament of Reconciliation
This week will be the final week of preparation sessions for this sacrament. Well done to all of the families who have attended the sessions so far, and encouraged your child to learn more deeply about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

The celebration of the sacrament itself will be offered at the following times. Please ensure you have followed the links to the ‘sobs’ booking site which was outlined in the information emailed to you by Sacramental Coordinator Rosie Hosking.

Monday 11th November  4.45 and 5.30 pm

Wednesday 13th November @ 4.45 and 5.30pm

Saturday  16th November @ 10.30am and 11.15am

Socktober in November
This Friday all students will be encouraged to wear crazy socks and sunnies OR ‘silly socks and sunnies’ WITH THEIR SPORTS UNIFORM, to support our annual Socktober Fundraiser. Students are asked to please donate $1 to Catholic Mission on this day. Please see the poster that follows for more details.

Remembrance Day
Next Monday SJP will gather together to remember all of those who have fought and died in wars at our annual Remembrance Day Service. We will commemorate and reflect, and observe a minutes silence to remember and honour those who have served our country throughout the many wars our nation has been involved in. Parents are more than welcome to attend this short service which will be held in our school hall at 10:30am.

At this time, our School Captains will also attend the Dubbo Remembrance Day Service. We know they will represent our school with great pride.

Mass at St. Brigid’s Church
Saturday - 6:00pm, Sunday - 9:00am and Sunday - 6:00pm

Enjoy your week!                                                                                                                                                Paula Clifford                                                                                                                                                 Religious Education Coordinator

SPB4L

Our SPB4L focus was introduced at our fortnightly assembly and the focus is ‘listening carefully to the teacher using the microphone in Area 1’. We discussed ways that we can show we are listening and why it is important to listen to the teacher using the microphone in Area 1. 

We are also reviewing a previous SPB4L focus of ‘wearing our school uniform correctly’ with a particular focus on the correct school socks. Students were reminded today of the expectation of wearing the correct navy ankle socks. Over the coming weeks teachers will be checking students socks to make sure they are wearing the correct ones.

Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club is now available at school between 8.20 - 8.40am Monday - Friday. Breakfast club will offer the following

• A slice of toast with either Vegemite or jam and a hot Milo for $1
• Extra slice of toast is 50c

As this is a wellbeing initiative there is no provision for the use of Flexischools to order. This is a cash only purchase. 

ICAS Writing 

Well done to the following students on their great results in the recent ICAS Writing Assessment.

Distinction - Ranumi Yr 3                     Distinction - Vinuli Yr 3 

Thank you to all our families who have returned books to the library. If you are unsure which book you are looking for, numerous reminders have been sent home.

There are still 350  books that are overdue. As we approach the end of the school year, could parents and carers please check cars, bookshelves, under beds etc.

The Library has undergone a massive refurbishment. We have streamlined our resources, so that they are relevant and also allowed for more open spaces.