Term 3 Week 6

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
Parish 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                                                                                                                                                    Monday 25th August - Debating St John's V St Mary's
Wednesday 27th August - Year 2 Wellington Caves Excursion
Week 7
Thursday 4th September - Father's Day Stall 11:30am to 1:30pm
Friday 5th September - Father's Day Liturgy at 1pm
Week 8
Thursday 11th September - R U OK? Day
Week 10
Thursday 25th September - Year 4 Lake Burrendong Excursion
Thursday 25th September - Last Day of Term 3

Welcome to Week 6
Dear Families,

I would like to begin this week with a heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for Meet for Mass yesterday. A very special congratulations goes to our Year 3 students who celebrated their First Holy Communion. It was a truly joyful occasion, and I hope that each of our Year 3 students and their families found it to be a memorable and faith-filled day.

Celebrating Student Achievements

• Athletics & Sport: Congratulations to all of our students who represented the school at the Diocesan Athletics Carnival last Friday. You displayed wonderful determination and sportsmanship. We also celebrate Ryder Emery, who competed at the PSSA Touch Football Carnival—what an outstanding effort! Congratu
  
• Book Week: Last week we also celebrated our love of reading with Book Week. Area 1 was transformed into a sea of creativity during our Book Character Parade, with students and staff bringing their favourite characters to life. A special thank you to Mrs Whale for her enthusiasm and energy in making the week such a success.

Looking Ahead This Week

• Debating: Today our debating team commenced their first round against St Mary’s Primary. We wish them every success as they continue to develop their skills.
  
• Year 2 Excursion: Excitement is building as Year 2 prepare for their trip to the Wellington Caves this Wednesday. We hope they enjoy this rich learning experience.

Important Dates

• Uniform Transition: From Monday, 1st September, students may begin wearing their sports uniform five days a week as we “spring” out of our winter formal uniform.
  
• Father’s Day Celebration: On Friday, 5th September, we will honour our fathers and father-figures with a Liturgy at 1:00pm, followed by Pizza and Poppers. Please mark this in your diaries—we look forward to sharing this special afternoon together.
  

Staff Development Day: On Friday, 26th September, staff will be engaged in a spirituality day with Brother Damien Price. This means that students will finish Term 3 on Thursday, 25th September.

Focus on Attendance
Well done, SJP! Despite the cooler weather and flu season, our attendance continues to improve. Last week we reached an impressive 93.4%. Thank you for the ongoing commitment to learning—let’s keep aiming high together!

Gospel Connection – Luke 13:22–30

“People will come from north and south, east and west, and take their place in the Kingdom of God.”

Family Reflection
Families often set aside special days—birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day—to show love and appreciation. Yet, as Jesus reminds us in this Sunday’s Gospel, we must not take these opportunities for granted. Some of those in the story assumed they could enter whenever they pleased, but the master closed the door.

This week, as a family:

• Recall the times you have celebrated one another over the past year.
  
• Reflect on the gifts—both given and received—and the love they represent.
  
• Commit to showing appreciation daily, not just on special occasions.
  
  

May this Gospel inspire us all to live with gratitude and attentiveness in our families and communities.

Wishing you a blessed week ahead.

God bless,
Mr O’Leary

Instalment 3 was DUE on Friday, 15th August 2025.
For families making regular, weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments please ensure your payment plan is on track to have your school fees account finalised by 30 November 2025.

If you wish to discuss your account please contact the Fees Office on 6884 8504 or email m.lew@bth.catholic.edu.au.

Save the Date for Father’s Day Liturgy and Lunch
On Friday 5th September, our Year 3 grade will help us celebrate our all important fathers, dads, pops, and grandpa’s with a Liturgy in our school hall at 1pm. Parents and grandparents are more than welcome to stay afterwards for lunch with their children at 1:30 for pizzas and poppers! We look forward to celebrating with the father’s and grandfather’s within our school community.

Christmas Art
As mentioned in last week’s school newsletter, the following students from Year 5 have been chosen to represent St. John’s Primary at the CEDB Christmas Story Art Competition and Exhibition. Please see their artworks and explanations below. I’m sure you would agree that our Year 5 students have tried very hard to portray part of the Christmas story through art and scripts.

Skyli Perera: The Shadow of the King
The scripture passage I chose is Journey to Bethlehem (Luke 2:3–5). My artwork depicts Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem, reminding me that being faithful means trusting God and following His plan—just as Mary and Joseph did. This inspires me to place my trust in God as well. In my artwork, Mary is riding a donkey while Joseph walks beside her, leading the way. The shadow in the scene represents God’s promise and vision for them as they prepare for the birth of Jesus.

I wanted my artwork to demonstrate that, like Mary and Joseph, we should trust God and follow Him faithfully. I used dull background colours so that the bright tones within the shadow of Jesus’ birth would stand out. This further symbolises how He brings light into the world. My hope is that when people see my artwork, they will be reminded to trust in God and let Him guide their lives.

Paige Taylor: Time to Celebrate!
I chose Matthew 2:9–12. This passage tells of the journey of the Three Wise Men, who trusted God and came to worship Jesus. They followed the bright Star of Bethlehem, knowing it would lead them to the King. This story teaches us to trust in God, no matter where His path takes us.

My artwork shows the Three Wise Men crossing the vast desert, each carrying their special gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gifts are coloured gold to symbolise that they are precious and worthy of a great King. The wide, empty desert reflects the long and difficult journey they made. Above them, the star shines brightly, guiding their way. When they stop beneath the star, their faces glow with joy, for they know they have found Jesus.

Both this passage and my artwork remind us to trust in God, follow His guidance and give our very best to Him—just as the Three Wise Men did.

Molly Rohr: A Father’s Love
I chose Matthew 1:18–25 – The Birth of Christ. This scripture tells the story of how Joseph had a dream in which an angel appeared to him and said, “Mary will have a baby and you will name Him Jesus.” Joseph trusted both the angel and God and he did exactly as he was told. This shows the depth of Joseph’s faith and trust in God.

In my artwork, Joseph’s hands form the shape of a heart, with the tiny feet of baby Jesus resting in the middle. The heart symbolises Joseph’s deep love for Jesus, while the baby feet represent the care and protection Joseph gave Him. My artwork is a reminder that we should love as Joseph, Jesus and God loves us.

The colours in my work each carry meaning - pink for love, purple for compassion and blue for kindness. The flowers symbolise new life, love and trust. Altogether, my piece reflects how Joseph cared for Jesus, just as we should care for one another. Always love and care for others.

Cali Hodder: The Gift
I chose Matthew 1:18–25, which tells the story of Joseph trusting God and listening to the angel’s message. Just like Joseph, I should trust God and follow His guidance, even when the path is uncertain.

In my artwork, I chose to represent the moment of Jesus’ birth in the stable, with Joseph by Mary’s side. The background is made up of deep, dark colours to show that it was late at night when this holy event took place. This darkness creates a feeling of quietness and stillness, as though the world is pausing to witness this special moment. The stars add a sense of wonder and guide the viewer’s eyes towards the centre of the scene.

For Mary’s clothing, I chose a soft blue colour palette. Blue represents purity, peace and love. This is reflected in her role as the mother of Jesus. For Joseph’s clothing, I used shades of brown. Brown is a colour that symbolises warmth, stability and reliability. Such qualities that Joseph displayed through his faithfulness to God’s plan and his care for Mary and Jesus.

The colours in my artwork help express the values and lessons in this passage. This reminds me to care for and love my family with the same dedication that Joseph showed to his own.

Joaquin Jalimao: The Star Leads the Way
In my artwork, I chose to illustrate the Birth of Jesus Christ as encountered in Matthew 1:18-25.

My artwork demonstrates what the surrounding landscape may have looked like when He was born. The small barn where Jesus entered the world is set among hills, creating a cold and quiet atmosphere. The crucifixes on the right hand side symbolise His future death and resurrection. This was designed to remind the audience of the sacrifice He would later make. Above the barn, eleven shining stars and a glowing moon provide light to guide the way, welcoming Jesus into the world.

In my artwork, the use of black and white carries deeper meaning. Black represents darkness and mourning while the white symbolises purity and joy. Together, these colours reflect the contrast between life and death.

MASS TIMES
St. Brigid’s Church: Saturday - 5:00pm, Sunday - 9:00am and Sunday- 5:00pm.
St. Laurence’s Church: Sunday -7:30am and Wednesday 9.30am

Enjoy your week.
Paula Clifford
Religious Education Coordinator 

SPB4L Focus 
Our SPB4L focus for the next two weeks is lining up calmly at the end of breaks.

By practising calm and orderly line-ups, we ensure that everyone can return to class smoothly and be ready to learn. This simple routine helps create a respectful and safe environment, where students can settle quickly and teachers can begin lessons on time.

We encourage all students to:

• Move promptly to their class line when the bell goes.
  
• Stand quietly and respectfully while waiting.
  
• Be ready to enter the classroom with a positive attitude for learning.

Together, these small actions make a big difference in supporting our whole school community.

Kindness Challenge – Week 6
We are delighted to continue our Kindness Challenge journey together! The challenge is a wonderful way for our school community to practise care, respect, and inclusion each day. Even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference, helping us to build a safe, positive, and welcoming environment for everyone.

This week’s Kindness Challenges:

• Invite someone to join in your game.
• Give a compliment to a classmate.
• Say ‘thank you’ to your teacher or a friend.
• Help someone with a task.
• Smile at three different people today.

R U OK? Day – Thursday 11 September
On Thursday 11 September, our school will recognise R U OK? Day, a national day of action that reminds us to check in with those around us and ask, “Are you OK?”. It’s an important opportunity to promote kindness, connection, and looking out for one another.

To show our support, students are invited to wear yellow accessories with their school uniform. Some ideas include:

• Yellow ribbons or headbands
• Sweat bands
• Socks or shoelaces
• Necklaces or bracelets

We encourage all students to take part and add a splash of yellow to their uniform while still following our regular dress code.

Together, let’s brighten our school in yellow and spread the message that every day is a good day to ask, “Are you OK?”.

Diocesan Athletics Carnival
Last Friday, 21 of our students proudly represented our school at the Diocesan Athletics Carnival. Each student showed determination and gave their best effort.

We are very proud to announce that several students achieved outstanding results, qualifying for the Diocese of Bathurst Athletics Team by placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in their events. Congratulations to Ava S, Oliver S, Harvey E, Sam N, Malakai, Savi on their fantastic performances!

A special mention goes to our Junior Boys and Junior Girls Relay Teams, who both achieved 1st place in their events – an amazing team effort and a fantastic result! This result really shows that training and dedication really pays off! A big thank you goes to Miss Anderson for coaching the team.

Junior Girls Relay Team - Hadley H, Iylah, Bella M and Ava S

Junior Boys Relay Team - Malakai, Will N, Sam N and Savi

These students will now have the opportunity to compete at the Polding Athletics Carnival on Friday, 12th September 2025 at Glendale, Newcastle.

We wish these students the very best of luck as they represent both our school and the Diocese of Bathurst at this next level of competition.

A special congratulations to 6B, our winners, who impressed with their display, The Adventures We Have Been On. Their board featured images and ideas from the many books they have read this year – a wonderful celebration of their reading journey.