Week 6 Term 1 2025

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 6
Tuesday 11th March - Bathurst Dio Swimming Carnival - Dubbo Aquatic Centre
Wednesday 12th March - NAPLAN WRITING

Week 7                                                                                                                                                             Monday 17th March - St Patricks Day Liturgy 1.00pm - Children can wear green clothes today            Tuesday 18th March - NAPLAN READING                                                                                                        Tuesday 18th March - P & F Meeting 6.30pm School Staffroom.                                                                      Wednesday 19th March - NAPLAN CONVENTIONS OF LANGUAGE                                                              Thursday 20th March - NAPLAN MATHS                                                                                                          Friday 21st March - Multicultural/Harmony Day liturgy 10.00am Children can wear orange or a national costume.

Welcome to Week 6!                                                                                                                A heartfelt thank you to all the parents and community members who joined us for Meet for Mass on Sunday, 9th March. It was truly wonderful to see so many families come together in faith.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, 11th March, we wish our swim team all the best as they compete in the Bathurst Diocesan Swimming Carnival at the Dubbo Aquatic Centre. We are proud of their dedication and know they will represent our school with determination and great sportsmanship.

NAPLAN begins this week, with the Writing assessment scheduled for Wednesday, 12th March. Our Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in a range of literacy and numeracy assessments over the coming weeks. We encourage them to do their best, stay calm, and approach the assessments with confidence. Parents, your support at home—through encouragement, rest, and a positive mindset—will make a big difference.

                                                                                                                                                                          Ash Wednesday Reflection & The Season of Lent                                                              Last Wednesday, we gathered with St Pius X Primary to celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass. I was incredibly proud of our students, who showed great reverence and respect during this special time. The singing in the church was truly moving, setting the tone for our Lenten journey together.

All of us at St John’s had the opportunity to receive the ashes on our foreheads, a powerful reminder that we are part of God's creation and that Lent is a time for reflection, renewal, and spiritual growth.

During Lent, we are called to:
✨ Pray – Strengthen our connection with God through prayer.
✨ Fast – Let go of distractions and focus on what truly matters.
✨ Give – Help those in need and spread kindness in our communities.

I encourage all families to use this Lenten season as a time to pause, reflect, and renew their hearts in preparation for Easter.

Afternoon Traffic & Safety Reminder                                                                                 We kindly ask for everyone’s cooperation to keep our school community safe during drop-off and pick-up times. Recently, we have received concerns from Dubbo Police regarding double parking along Sheraton Road, which poses serious safety risks for pedestrians and disrupts the flow of traffic.

🚗 Please remember:
✔️ Do not double park under any circumstances.
✔️ Turn left when exiting the school grounds during peak times.
✔️ If the car park is full, consider parking nearby or arriving after 3:00 PM when more spaces become available.

Your cooperation and support ensure the safety of all students and families.

We Still Need You – Join the P&F!                                                                                          Our P&F Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 18th March, and we are still seeking more parents to form the 2025 executive and committee. This is an incredible opportunity to contribute to our school and make a meaningful difference.

The P&F plays a key role in supporting our students and staff by:
🎁 Organising the Mother’s Day & Father’s Day stalls
🎨 Assisting with school planning and community engagement
📢 Providing input on employment panels and school development
🍰 Supporting hospitality at school events
🌈 Running the amazing Colour Explosion Fun Water Day

We need at least 10 parents to join and help continue these fantastic initiatives. Could you be one of them? Your support, no matter how big or small, is so valuable to our school community!

Please consider attending next Tuesday, 18th March, and sharing your time and talents with us.

Sunday Gospel Reflection – 9th March                                                                            📖 John 3:14-21
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life."

In this powerful passage, Jesus reminds us of the depth of God’s love for us. He was sent not to condemn the world but to save it. The invitation is open to all—to step into the light and embrace faith, hope, and love.

Reflection:                                                                                                                           We are called to be bearers of light in our homes, our school, and our community. Just as Jesus brought hope and salvation, we too can bring kindness, compassion, and understanding to those around us.

🌟 As a family, consider these questions:

• How can we share God's love with others this week?
• Are there areas in our lives where we need to choose light over darkness?
• What small act of kindness can we do each day to reflect God’s love?

🙏 A Prayer for This Week:
"Loving Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. Help us to walk in His light, choosing love and kindness in all that we do. Guide us through this Lenten season, strengthening our faith and drawing us closer to You. Amen."

A Prayer for Pope Francis                                                                                                     We continue to pray for Pope Francis as he faces health challenges. As the spiritual leader of our Church, he has inspired millions with his humility, wisdom, and devotion to service.

🙏 Heavenly Father,
We lift up Pope Francis to You, asking for Your healing hand to be upon him. Grant him strength, courage, and peace as he continues his mission of faith and leadership. May he be surrounded by love, care, and the grace of the Holy Spirit. Bless his health and guide him in wisdom as he leads Your Church.
Amen.

Thank you for your continued support of St John’s Primary School—we are blessed to have such a wonderful school community.

Wishing you all a great week ahead!                                                                                                              Anthony O'Leary

Meeting 4 Mass:                                                                                                                                          It was lovely to see so many families from SJP attend Mass yesterday with staff. We are very appreciate to the students who put their hands up to be involved through reading or being part of the Offertory procession. Celebrating Mass together is all about community, so thankyou to the families who took up the invitation to celebrate the Eucharist with our St. Brigid's community, while also supporting the Catholic values and philosophy of our school. 

Please save the date:                                                                                                                        Parents please be aware that we have two special Liturgies coming up at SJP. On Monday 17th March we will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Liturgy at 1pm (please note the change of time).

On Friday 21st March we will celebrate Multicultural Day, which coincides with Harmony Day this year. Our Liturgy will be held at 10:30 and will be led by Year 4 students. Parents are warmly welcome to attend both Liturgies.

The Lenten Season:                                                                                                            Lent is a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter. 

As we begin the journey of Lent, all of us at SJP are called to extend our compassion and support to those in need. This year, Project Compassion continues to offer the opportunity to raise awareness and much needed funds through acts of kindness and generosity to those stricken by poverty within our world. At school we will be learning about the many ways in which the money raised from Project Compassion can help and support people around the world who are less fortunate than ourselves. One child from every family will take home a Project Compassion box within the next week, and we ask that you encourage all members of your family to use the Project Compassion box as a way of giving and therefore following in the footsteps of Jesus. The Project Compassion boxes will be collected in Week 9 of this term. Every time we fundraise at SJP, we are witness to so many gestures of kindness and giving, and we know that 2025 will be no different. Your support of this program is very much appreciated.

Macquarie Conservatorium Lessons:                                                                                For students in years 2-6, music lessons offered by the Macquarie Conservatorium can be learnt during school time. Next Monday 17th March, Conservatorium staff will attend SJP for a demonstration of instruments. If your child is interested in learning any of the following: keyboard, vocal, violin, viola, cello, trumpet, trombone, flute, clarinet, saxophone, tuba, euphonium, baritone, French horn, he/she will have the opportunity to try the instrument at the demonstration session. Please discuss this with your child and encourage tryouts if they are interested.

SPB4L

The focus for this fortnight's SPB4L is "Listening attentively to the teacher when using the microphone, by pausing our activities and giving our full attention." We have discussed the importance of listening to the teacher, as they provide essential information, such as the supervisors for different play areas, details about closed play areas, and important reminders about playground safety, such as walking on the pavers.

As a reminder, the meeting to vote on committee members will take place in Week 7, on Tuesday evening at school at 6.30pm. To ensure we have not only enough attendees but also committed individuals to fill the necessary positions, we kindly ask you to confirm your attendance once again.

Additionally, please let us know if you would like to nominate yourself for one of the following roles:

• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Social Media Specialist
• Clothing pool coordinator

Your involvement is vital in keeping the P&F Committee running successfully, and we greatly appreciate your time and effort. Please reply by Thursday 13th March  to confirm your attendance and, if applicable, the position you wish to nominate for.