Dear Parents and Caregivers,

A warm welcome back to school for Term 2! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday break and were able to soak up the glorious weather and get ‘out and about’. Hopefully you found time filled with whatever you needed it to be filled with – rest, adventure, relaxation, family, blessings, chocolate etc. As we commence Term 2, it is great to see students return to school full of energy and excitement about catching up with their friends and ready to participate in a myriad of learning experiences

Easing of Restrictions – COVID 19
Earlier this week, I shared with the school community the newly implemented guidelines around COVID-19. With the easing of restrictions, we warmly welcome our parents and community members back on school grounds, besides parents being allowed on school grounds, listed below are other restrictions that have now been eased around schools:

• Mixed year level activities can resume (buddy classes will resume in the coming weeks)
• Parents are now permitted to support in the classrooms
• All parents may now attend school events without restrictions
• Parent/teacher meetings may now proceed in the classrooms
• Spectators are now permitted to attend all sporting events

School attendance
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) encourages all students who are well to attend school, including those with health conditions, unless COVID-19 positive.

Educational continuity
Schools provide work for students who need to stay home due to isolation requirements (COVID-19 positive students and symptomatic household contacts only). Schools are not required to provide work to students who are being kept at home by a parent when there is no COVID-19 positive case.

Wearing of Masks
The mask mandate no longer applies to staff and students in schools. However, masks are required on public transport, including public transport taken during the course of school activities, as well as in vehicles provided by schools.

People in our community will no doubt have different responses to the news of the mask mandate having been lifted. For some, wearing masks would have provided comfort or a sense of safety, and for others it has been an inconvenience. Wearing a mask will largely be a personal choice, and it is important we respect the importance of others, adults and students alike.

The next few weeks will be a transition period of sorts as we become more comfortable with not always wearing a mask. It is totally acceptable for students and staff, to continue to wear masks if that is their wish, just as it is fine for people to choose not to wear a mask.

ANZAC Day Service
Last Wednesday morning our Year 5 students lead a very reverent Anzac Day Service. The origins of this day of recognition are very important as we commemorate 107 years of ANZAC spirit. The history and tradition of this day is appropriate for all families to reinforce the learning and understandings of this commemorative day with children so that they grow up appreciating not only the sacrifices made by our soldiers, BUT……also appreciating the wonderful sacrifices made by our grandparents and great grandparents which enabled us to live in such a wonderful, prosperous land filled with opportunity. God Bless all our ancestors as well as all who work today to ensure the continuation of peace for the world.

We warmly welcomed Mr Des Cummings, President of the Scarborough RSL and Mr Malcolm Till, Life Member of RSL WA to our service. My gratitude is extended to Mr Vlad Alonzo for all the work he undertook in organising and preparing the students for the very reflective ANZAC DAY Service.  Please take the time to read Mr Cummings very moving and passionate speech further on in our newsletter.

Mother’s Day
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. I would like to wish all the Mums, Nannas, Aunts and special ladies in our School Community a very Happy Mother’s Day. When we think about the mammoth role mothers have, every day should be Mother’s Day! I hope that your day begins with breakfast in bed, a bright and cheery good morning, an opportunity to be pampered in some small way and hopefully no need to settle any sibling disagreements. Thank you to all the ladies who take on the role of Mum. We thank you for your unconditional love and care. Happy Mother’s Day.

We also take this opportunity remember those who have passed and are celebrating in Heaven. Our mother Mary is an example for every mother and is also an example for all of us who seek to love others with a pure and holy heart.

Good News Story
A shout out good news story for this week goes to the St John’s School staff who worked tirelessly to organise and prepare for yesterday’s Mothers’ Day Breakfast. Lots of work took place on early Wednesday morning and I am very appreciative for their time and efforts along the way with a few laughs thrown in. Thank you!  (There are lots of photos of our beautiful mums further on in the newsletter.)

And another shout out goes to our St John’s P&F Year One representatives for running the Mothers’ Day stall on Wednesday. The selection of gifts was great, we hope that all Mums love the gifts selected by their children!

NAPLAN 2022
NAPLAN commences next week for our students in Years Three and Five. My message to the students, staff, parents and carers is that I request all students do their very best. If the students can tell me that they did their best, then I will be one very happy principal. NAPLAN results provide information on how the students did on one day of the school year and that this information is used to make sure the students are receiving the education they need.

The proposed timetable for each of the assessments is below. If students are absent for their scheduled assessment, the school will provide them with an opportunity to complete the missed assessment during Week 4. Teachers will continue to prepare students and familiarise them with the online site in the lead up to NAPLAN. If parents wish to, they are also able to access this practice site at https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site.

In conclusion, may God’s richest blessings be bestowed upon all mothers, grandmothers and special mother caregivers this Sunday. I hope every mother enjoys being spoilt by their loved ones.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

God Bless

Vel Erskine
Principal

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrate their birthdays during the month of May

Canteen News

Our canteen is be open for both recess and lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays. ONLINE ORDERS ONLY

On Wednesdays we will be serving food from the usual Snack Shack Menu. On Fridays, the canteen will have a special Meal Deal (Fish and Potato Gems and a drink) and/or Sushi available.

Please note that the cut off for Wednesday orders is at midday on Tuesday and the cut off for Friday orders is midday on Wednesday.

Please refer to our website for the ‘Snack Shack’ menu to place online orders CANTEEN ORDERS

Do you have the Relief List app? If not, go to: https://www.relieflist.com.au/index-canteen-main.html and click on the link to the relevant app to make ordering easier!

All orders must have a school insulated lunch bag labelled with your child’s name and year level.
Insulated lunch bags are available to purchase from the canteen for $10 per bag.

If your child is sick and they have placed a lunch order please email Anne and the order will be held over until the following week.

Many thanks
Anne Brown
Canteen Manager

Contact: anne.brown@cewa.edu.au

Wanted Ice cream containers!

Mrs Brown in the canteen would like your empty 2L ice cream containers!  Please bring them into the canteen on Wednesdays.