Term 4 - Week 6, 2021

Acting Principal's Message

For me, November is always a month of reflection. Teachers spend time in their classrooms discussing Remembrance Day and helping our students understand the great sacrifices our veterans made in the past and our current peacekeepers make today. We also spend hours reflecting on our students as we draw all the pieces of information we have gathered throughout the year to write their end of semester reports. As our term draws to a conclusion, now is a good time to be contacting your child's teacher to discuss any questions you may have about their progress or strategies to support their learning. The wonderful teachers here at MSJ are here to work with you in partnership to support your children to, as the Scripture says in John 10:10,'live life to the fullest'.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Craig Warnes

Acting Principal

Weekly Awards

Abby M - for excellent reading and addition in Mathematics.

Ryan B - for cleaning up a big mess without being asked.

Mia Mac - for being focused on your work all week. Keep it up.

Ruby M - for your detailed labelling of a body to show what happens when you feel sick.

Rosie W - for wonderful work and effort in Sport.

Stage 2 - for a great prayer assembly and all your hard work.

Willa M - for developing self-confidence and being able to present her written work in front of an audience

Kinder & Stage 2 Assembly - Monday 15 November

This Monday the Kindergarten & Stage 2 classes are leading our school assembly. We will be streaming the assembly and sharing the link through Facebook with our school community.

Mini Mounties 'Big School' Experience

We have really enjoying having our Kindergarten Orientation sessions in the past weeks. Our final one will be held this Wednesday from 9:30am to 11am.

All children who will be starting Kindergarten in 2022 are welcome to attend. Please call the school on 6657 2552 to confirm your child's attendance.

Garden Club Report

Our school vegie garden is chugging along very nicely indeed. The worms we found when we were digging sure proved how happy the garden is!

The orange tree produced some delicious oranges which we all juiced and drank and enjoyed.

There are lots of seedlings going into the garden. We have planted beans, snow peas, tomatoes, corn, lettuce, cabbage, zucchinis, edible calendulas, strawberries, spring onions and some pretty little marigolds.

We have made a spot between the citrus trees for a pumpkin plant which we will plant inside an old tyre to try to contain it a little. This required lots of digging and moving turf.

The watering system is up and running again, after quite a few little repairs, so that has made the plants happy. Although it has been raining ever since we fixed it!

Thanks to Chloe's family for some of the lovely seedlings.

School Photos

Our school photos will be taken in Week 8 on Friday 26^th November 2021.

The order forms which have already been returned will be kept safely at school until this date. A reminder that all order forms MUST be returned before photo day. If you would like a sibling order form, please let us know at school and one will be sent home.

Seasonal Activities for Families

With Summer and the Advent season fast approaching, Parent Assembly is offering free kits to assist families to get into the seasonal spirit - see flyer below. Families can register for all or one of the kits and they will be posted out.

Clarence Zone Sports Nominations - Tennis & Basketball

Clarence Zone is taking nominations for the 2021 Zone Summer Sports in Basketball and Tennis involving students from Year 4 and Year 5. Nominations for Cricket, Softball and Touch Football will be called for in Term 1, 2022.

Please note that due to Covid-19 restrictions, there will be no physical competition at Zone level. Nominations will be assessed on representative history and involvement in regular, strong competition. 

Students who are successful in gaining selection for the Diocesan trial will receive information about the Diocesan trials from their school sports coordinator.

At this stage Diocesan trials will be held in Lismore on; 

-Wednesday 1 December (Tennis) 

-Thursday 2 December (Basketball)

*Please be aware that these trial dates are dependent on Covid restrictions easing and as such may need to be altered or changed at short notice.

If your child would like to nominate, please see Kim for a note.

2022 Enrolments Now Open

We are taking enrolments for all classes in 2022. Children are eligible for Kindergarten if they turn 5 by July 31 of that year. All children must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday. To enrol at Mt St John’s, follow these three steps:

1. Collect an enrolment form from the school office.
2. Return the completed enrolment form to school office.
3. Attend an enrolment interview with your child.

Term 4 School Fees

Term 4 school fees are payable today, unless you are paying regular direct deposit payments. 
If you feel you will be unable to finalise your 2021 school fees by this date, some financial assistance may be available from St Vincent de Paul - to make an appointment with them, call 0472 718862. You will need to take your school fee statement with you to your appointment.

Several payment methods are available; 

• Regular direct deposit payments (see suggested amounts below).
• Lump sum direct deposit
• Cash
• Cheque

1 student - Term 4 - $276.00

       $46.16 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $23.08 per week (x 50 weeks)

2 students - Term 4 - $483.00

       $81.28 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $40.64 per week (x 50 weeks)

3 or more students  - Term 4 – $621.00

       $105.36 per fortnight (x 25 fortnights)

       $52.68 per week (x 50 weeks)

If you would like to arrange a regular direct debit payment from your Bananacoast Credit Union account into the school’s account, the BCU Credit Union in Dorrigo will organize this for you.

When using Internet banking, please use your child’s surname as a reference.

Bananacoast Community Credit Union   BSB no. 533-000

Account no. 3282 0430                 Name: Mt St John’s Primary School

Mathematics Games Video Tutorials

Each week, students are encouraged to play some mathematics games at home to help support their learning at school. Our classroom teachers take students through the homework tasks and to assist families to play at home, we are including a video tutorial in the newsletter. 

Kindergarten - Mathematics Games (see video below)

Number Bust

This game tests how many solutions you can find to a given number in a set time limit. Children choose a number. You set the timer and say go, then they try to find as many ways to make that number by adding, subtracting, sharing and any combinations of those operations as they can. This is a personal challenge so enjoy!

Stage 1 - Mathematics Games (see video below)

Calculator Counting

Use the constant function on a calculator to generate twos, fives and tens number sequences. Students write the number sequence on a number line. Imagine the next number that would be displayed on the calculator. Say the number. Prove it. Imagine the next three numbers. What would they be? Prove it.

Stage 2 - Mathematics Games (see video below)

Grow the Rows

You will need:

• A 6-sided die

• Counters 

Each player rolls a 6-sided die and makes a row with this many items (e.g. 4). Next they each roll their die again and imagine making an array with this new number of rows (e.g. 6 rows of 4). Next each player predicts the total number of items needed to make the array and proves the solution to their partner. If they get it right, the player gets a point. First to 5 points wins!

Stage 3 - Mathematics Games (see video below)

Coin Line Challenge

Line up 6 random coins in a row. Roll a dice. Select how many coins from the row and count the amount. Your partner then has a turn. If there are no coins left in the line, you then take some from your partner. You need to keep adding and subtracting your amount when coins have been added or taken away from your pile. The winner wins all the coins. To make the game harder, use more coins and even lessen the number of dollar coins and add  more silver coins to your line.

School Facebook Page

Check out our school Facebook page! It is wonderful to be able to share the good news of our school with our families and community. 

Library Day - Wednesday

Library day for all students is Wednesday - please make sure your child brings in his or her cloth library bag on this day. Each student may borrow four books per week. 

Canteen

We are able to re-open the canteen for the next few weeks! There will be a slightly limited menu as we need to use up the stock which was ordered prior to the COVID lockdowns. If you are available to help out in the canteen one or more Fridays, please call Alicia on 0488 280683. Thank you to today's volunteers, Alicia Miller & Amii Francis.

A reminder to place your canteen order before Thursday night each week.

Please note - if you top up your canteen account via bank transfer, the funds will take a week to clear so you will not be able to order canteen immediately. 

Please send your lunch wallets into school and we will keep them here.

Soccer Season Wrap Up

The Dorrigo Highlanders Football Club is pleased to announce that plans for the wrap up of our season have now been made. 

A Junior Presentation for Under 11, Under 9 and Miniroos players will be held Wednesday 24 November from 3.30pm at Dangar Falls.  Individual catering packs will be provided for all registered players.  BYO snack foods for other family members.  Please RSVP to your team coach by Friday 19 November so we can manage catering and Covid guidelines. 

Our AGM will be held on Tuesday 30 November from 6pm at the Dorrigo Hotel.  All families, new or returning, are encouraged to attend to help our small Club keep soccer in Dorrigo.

Little Athletics Information Session

Bellingen Drive Thru Testing Clinic

The Bellingen ‘Drive Thru’ COVID testing clinic is now operated by Sullivan Nicolaides pathology. They will provide COVID testing from 12:30-1:30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). No booking is required – just turn up with medicare card or photo equivalent.

School Bus Travel

Applications for student travel can now be made online. Apply here 

School Drive Subsidy

The School Drive Subsidy is available for eligible school students where there is no public transport available for all or part of the journey. If you have to drive your child more than 1.6km to a school bus stop, you may be eligible for this subsidy – go to the link below to apply. 

Instrumental Music With Hazel

We have a music tutor available to teach instrumental music through private tuition. Hazel Buchanan is interested in working with our students. Hazel can teach flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, percussion and bass guitar.

The school owns a flute and a clarinet, which are available for families to borrow long-term at no cost. The payments for lessons are billed each term and paid directly to Hazel. An Essential Element Band Book will be supplied by the school too.

Students wishing to learn these instruments can do so in individual lessons or in small groups depending on the instrument chosen. It is hoped that one day, we can start a small ensemble or band for instrumental students to play together. 

If you are interested in taking up this opportunity, please contact Hazel directly on 0458 572 525.

Lessons will take place on Fridays. 

GLUE

GLUE: "God Loves Us Eternally" (formerly GFS) is held each Wednesday from 3-5pm at the Anglican Hall. Afternoon tea, games, fun worship and craft. All primary kids welcome, as are newcomers. For more info, ring Gwenneth on 6657 2135. COVID-safe practices will apply.

Lego Legends back for Term 4 at Dorrigo Library

Healthy Lunchbox Website

Cancer Council’s Healthy Lunch Box website is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about packing a healthy lunch box.  For recipes, information and health tips please visit the website below.

Nutrition Snippet