Term 3 Week 8

From the Principal

On Sunday evening, Pope Leo XIV canonised Carlo Acutis, alongside Pier Giorgio Frassati, in a moving ceremony at St Peter’s Square. Carlo, a teenager known for his deep love of the Eucharist and his creative use of technology to share the faith, has become the first millennial saint of the Catholic Church. His life reminds us that holiness is not reserved for the past—it is possible here and now, even in the lives of young people. As a school community, we celebrate this moment with joy and reflect on the ways our own students can be inspired by Carlo’s example of faith, kindness, and courage.

Oval Refurbishment Update

I’m pleased to provide an update regarding the upgrades to our sports fields at St John the Baptist Primary School.

I have been working with the Catholic Schools team and Diocesan Property Services to address the difficulties in maintaining adequate grass coverage all year round. To ensure quality coverage and useability of grassed fields for the long term, we have determined a project plan that will see some changes and temporary inconvenience during Term 4, but provide renewed fields and a long-term solution for our students.

What’s happening?

The proposed works will take place in the areas indicated on the image and include:

• Extensive drainage improvements,
• Installation of new irrigation system,
• Relaying of new turf,
• Retaining and additional seating installed,
• Relocatable goalposts provided, and
• Removal of Camphor Laurel tree, with offset plantings and vegetation.
• Property Services has obtained an arborist report from Assurance Trees regarding the condition of the Camphor Laurel. See highlights within the report justifying its removal.
• Our Town Planner has undertaken an assessment and has advised that, due to the condition of the tree, it falls under ‘exempt development’ and is permissible to be removed.
• Property Services will liaise with the contractor and salvage part of the tree and leave it on site. The school will investigate engaging with local men's shed and utilise the material to craete something that the school can use

The works area will be fenced off as indicated by the red line below, to allow for full separation to the active school areas and ensure the safety of our students

When are the proposed works happening?

• The fields will be fenced off during the September school holidays.
• To achieve this significant upgrade, the fields will be closed for Term 4 2025 and it is anticipated works will progress into the January school holidays and be ready early 2026.

Of course, building work timeframes are subject to change due to the reliance on various approvals as well as timeframes associated with materials, weather and broader construction impacts.

What this means for students?

The school will continue to operate as usual, with adjustments to playground availability occurring. We look forward to utilising a number of play spaces and I will provide information about these arrangements as they are confirmed in the coming weeks.

Thank you

I want to take this opportunity to thank our students and their families for their ongoing patience and flexibility as we have navigated various changes and limitations in our playgrounds in recent years.

After-School Procedures and Student Safety

To support the safety and wellbeing of all students, we ask families to please be aware of our after-school procedures which can be found on Compass in School Documents.

Walkers

Students who walk home from school are expected to sign out with the supervising teacher before leaving the school grounds.

Once a student has signed out, they are not permitted to return to school unless they are signed back in by a parent or guardian. For example, students may not leave the school grounds to visit a local establishment and then return to school to catch their bus. This will be considered absconding from school and will be treated as such in line with our Positive Behaviour for Learning procedures. 

We understand that unexpected situations can arise, and we want to reassure families that St John the Baptist will always be a safe place for any student who is lost, unsure, or requires support after school. Our staff are here to help, and we encourage students to seek assistance if needed.

Assistant Principal News

Uniform Reminders

As we transition into our summer uniform, we kindly remind families and students to ensure uniform compliance in line with our school’s guidelines. Below are a few general reminders.

• Sport socks must be plain white, ankle-length, and free from logos or emblems.
• Sport shoes should be predominantly white in colour.
• Hair accessories must be in school colours of navy or white
  

We understand that sometimes students may not be able to wear their full uniform. Please see the information below if this occurs.

• If students are not wearing the correct uniform, they will be verbally reminded about expectations of uniform. Students will be given a week to ensure that they are able to access the correct uniform.
• If students continue to wear incorrect uniform, an email through Compass will be sent home to parents by the class teacher identifying the uniform needing to be corrected.
• Once this email is sent home and time has been given for the correct uniform to be sought (one week), if the incorrect uniform is still being worn, parents and students will be asked to meet with a member of the Leadership team to discuss school uniform expectations.

If you require any support in providing the school uniform for your students, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

We also encourage families to check our lost property box, which currently contains several unlabelled jackets and jumpers. Many appear to have belonged to past students, possibly due to second-hand purchases. Items not collected by the end of term will be donated to our uniform pool. Thank you for your continued support in maintaining our school standards and ensuring all students are appropriately dressed for learning.

For a full overview of our uniform requirements, please refer to the guidelines available via the link below.

BYOD

Student BYOD Devices important message: Windows 10 is reaching end of life

Action is required for students with BYOD Windows 10 devices as Windows 10 will soon no longer be supported by Microsoft.

To ensure your student device security you should upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible.

Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will end on 14 October 2025, meaning it will no longer receive critical security updates.

To stay protected and ensure optimal performance, it is strongly recommended that all students with BYOD Windows 10 devices follow Microsoft’s instructions and upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible. There is no charge for this upgrade.

Why this matters:

• Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 from 15 October 2025.
• Upgrading to Windows 11 helps reduce security risks.
• Student Work Protection: Staying current helps safeguard assignments, projects, and personal data.

Ways to install Windows 11 - Microsoft Support

Upgrade to Windows 11: FAQ - Microsoft Support

Read our FAQs for more support:

How do I check what version of Windows am I running?

Select Start > Settings > System, then select About. You then see Edition, Version, and OS Build information.

We encourage all families with Student Windows 10 computers to begin the upgrade process now to avoid last-minute disruptions. If you need assistance or have questions about upgrading, please reach out to the IT support team in our school.

What if my device can’t upgrade?

If a Student’s BYOD laptop is running Windows 10 and can’t be upgraded to Windows 11 (usually due to older hardware), Microsoft is offering a free security update program to help keep the device safe for one more year.

The Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program is designed to keep your current Windows 10 PC protected after support ends, helping you stay secure during the transition.

How to Join Microsoft’s ESU Program

Microsoft has made it easy to enrol directly from the laptop:

• On eligible computers, a setup wizard will appear in Settings > Windows Update.
• There are three ways to enrol:

1. Free – Sync your settings to the cloud using Windows Backup. You must be logged in as administrator and with a Microsoft account.
2. Free – Use 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.
3. Paid – Buy a one-year license for $30 USD (families cover this cost).

SJB Public speaking Finals

Our students blew us away with their public speaking skills on Wednesday 3^rd September. We wish our Stage 1, Stage 2 and 3 winners all the best for the Regional Public Speaking Competition at St Aloysius on Monday 15^th September.

Early Stage 1 Finalists – Alex Le, Darcy Reynolds, Ivy Rooke, Georgia White

Early Stage 1 Winner – Ivy Rooke

Prepared speech topic – Something I love to do with my family.

Stage 1 Finalists –Dottie Betteridge, Mackenzie Jackson, Everly Jones Mashman, Aluna Walsh

Stage 1 Winner – Mackenzie Jackson

Prepared speech topic – Dreams

Stage 2 Finalists – Charlotte Banister, Cooper Clissold, Reuben Rampling, Meeka Smedley

Stage 2 Winner – Meeka Smedley

Prepared speech topic – Imagination

Impromptu speech topic – Adventure

Stage 3 Finalists – Lucille Frize, Isabelle Haley, Violet Kapeller, Patrick Rampling

Stage 3 Winner – Isabelle Haley

Prepared speech topic – Technology

Impromptu speech topic – Leadership

Religious Education News

Kindergarten Religious Education

This term, Kindergarten students are learning about encountering the Holy Spirit. Through hands-on activities, stories, and reflections, they are beginning to explore how the Holy Spirit is present in our world and in their own lives. The children have enjoyed engaging in practical, creative experiences that help them to understand God’s love and presence in a meaningful way.

· This is the dove who gave the Holy Spirit to Jesus who was blessed in the Jordan River. - Levi

· I drew the mighty wind storm surrounding the dove. - Addy

· I drew the symbols of the Holy Spirit: the wind; the water. I also drew the Holy Spirit. - Lucy

· I created the Holy Spirit coming down as a Dove. – Odette

Celebrating New Saints

Recently, Pope Leo canonised two new Saints, Saint Carlo Acutis & Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati. These two modern day Saints were lay people, meaning they did not belong to any religious orders. This serves as a reminder to us that living Gospel values is not just for the clergy, that every day people do it too! During the service Pope Leo said, “The greatest risk in life is to waste it by not seeking to follow God’s plan.”

Season of Creation

The Season of Creation began on 1st September and concludes on 4th October, The Feast Day of St Francis of Assissi. During this special time, we celebrate the beauty and wonder of God’s creation. During this season we celebrate the joy of creation as well as encourage awareness-raising initiatives to help us to heal & protect Our Common Home.

Loving God, You created our beautiful world and called us to care for it. Help us to live in peace with all creation. Open our hearts to see the wonders of nature, and guide our actions to protect our common home. May we follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi, living simply and loving deeply. Amen.

Stage 2 Rugby Training

Stage 2 students have commenced training for the upcoming Digby Rayward Shield Rugby Union Gala Day, set to take place on 19 September 2025 at Hunter Valley Grammar School. There was plenty of energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork on display as the team got their first taste of what’s to come.

A very big thank you to both Nick O'Toole and Tim Bryant for generously volunteering their time and expertise as the coaching team for the Stage 2.

Class Awards

Congratulations to our class award winners for Week 7 & 8!

Kindergarten: Daisy L, Dottie P, Harry S, Isaac R, Georgia W, Ivy R

Year 1: Niall M, Harlow R, Jude S

Year 2:  Dottie B, Theo P, Ariana J

Year 3: Tenley D, Lukah G, Hunter T, Ruby Maddie, India

Year 4: Max L, Nate V, Nancy S, Marlowe D, Harper A, Winton P, 

Year 5: Elle A, Chloe M, Aurelia C, Beau H, Thomas W, Avielle C

Year 6: Billy D, Siobhan M, Will H, Zali D, Ruby A, Caleb C

Canteen

We are always happy to have more parent volunteers in the Canteen especially on Fridays!

If you’d like to help out fortnightly, monthly, by the term or even just for one shift, please email the office with the days you’re available, admin@maitlandsj.catholic.edu.au

The canteen operates from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, but we appreciate any time you can offer!

Important: Catholic Schools require all volunteers to be cleared before participating. If you are not sure if you are cleared please contact our office.

To get started, please complete the volunteer clearance form at the link below:

https://mn.catholic.org.au/about/working-in-the-diocese/volunteer/

Thank-you for your support!