John Paul II Catholic School in Hobart, Tasmania | Religious school

John Paul II Catholic School

Locality: Hobart, Tasmania

Phone: +61 3 6247 7104

Address: 161 Mockridge Road, Rokeby 7019 Hobart, TAS, Australia

Website: http://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/

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• Childcare service
• Primary School
• Religious school

25.01.2022 GETTING TO KNOW........ Name: Kelly Collinson Position held... Grade 5/6 Sassafras Teacher, Library Coordinator and Learning Technologies Key Teacher How long have you worked at JPII? 20 years Favourite part of working at JPII? Our school is a real community. As we are a relatively small school, all the students know one another. We also have a wonderful, supportive staff who are great to work with. Best moment at JP (so far!) There are so many to choose from. Probably one of my best moments was when I had a girl in my class who really struggled with reading and was very reluctant to read out aloud in front of others. I was fortunate to teach her for 2 years and in Grades 5 and 6 we run a School Parliament. She would practise her speeches before each sitting and, with encouragement and support, she would deliver her speeches. Her self confidence slowly grew and in Grade 6 she was voted in as School Captain and she became one of the best public speakers I’ve ever taught. It just shows with some practise, support and determination you can achieve anything. What is your unique experience/skill that makes you such a valued part of the JPII team? I embrace new challenges and encourage my students to do the same. I am always keen to learn new things and enjoy learning alongside my students. This has been highlighted when working with students in Digital Technologies where the students often become the teacher! Any last word before the school bell goes............? You can do whatever you set your mind to if you have a growth mindset and are willing to persevere.

25.01.2022 Historically Saturday mornings means sports day for many families so we thought today would be the perfect day to introduce you to our new P.E. teacher Matt! 1. Name: Matt Desmarchelier (Mr Des) 2. Position: Physical Education Teacher... 3. How long have you worked at JPII? I am new to JPII so only Term 1 of this year! 4. Where did you teach before coming to JPII? Lindisfarne Primary and Mount Carmel 5. Do you have a favourite sport? My favourite sport has always been soccer, although, I also enjoy playing basketball and golf. 6. What is your go to ‘healthy snack’ I’m a big fan of Greek yoghurt and blueberries. Easy to make and a healthy quick fix. 7. What drew you to teach at JPII? I was drawn to teaching within a smaller local school with a community focus. 8. Any last word before the school bell goes............? I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone that is involved within the school and seeing what we can achieve together in 2021. P.E. is a dynamic subject that can be shaped to best suit student interests and needs. It is going to be a great year! Click here to see more articles like this in our latest newsletter Cooee. https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//jpii_newsletter_1

25.01.2022 Never too young to do science experiments! Our Kinder and Prep students today explored the reaction of mixing lemon and bicarb soda together in our miniature volcanoes this morning. There were lots of eruptions of laughter (pardon the pun!), excitement and curiosity all round. A wonderful morning.

25.01.2022 Please click on the link below to access our latest newsletter. https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

25.01.2022 LUDO ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN. A game changing program for families of pre-kinder children! We are excited to announce that Ludo Enrolments for 2021 are now open!... What is Ludo? Ludo is a new program operating at John Paul II, provided by CatholicCare Tasmania which will operate from our new Early Learning Centre Building commencing in 2021. Ludo cares for children aged 3-5 years. Open times are 7am - 6pm, 50 weeks a year, including school terms and holidays. Children attending Kindergarten can also attend on the other two days a week which may assist parents who require care over a five day working week. A wonderful way for pre-kinder children to familiarise and transition to our school environment and community before commencing kindergarten. All children and families can access the Child Care Subsidy. All parents that have expressed an interest in Ludo will now be contacted. Please spread the word to families whom might be interested, as we have limited spaces for our first year of operation. Enquiries can be directed to our office. Enrol for Ludo today at this link: https://bit.ly/3fQnNzb

24.01.2022 GETTING TO KNOW....... Name: Haidee Green (Miss Green) Position: Grade 3 teacher... How long have you worked at JPII? Only 1 week! 4. Have you taught at another school in the past? I have taught relief at many different schools around Hobart, but this is my first time as a class teacher... I feel so lucky to be starting out at such a great school! 5. Best moment at JP (so far!) My favourite moment at JPII has been getting to know all the friendly staff and students, especially during recess and lunch duties when students introduce themselves to me. 6. What is your unique experience/skill that you bring to the JPII team? As someone who is new to the teaching profession, I am learning as much from my students as they are from me. I enjoy sharing ideas and collaborating with other educators to find new and effective ways to support students’ learning. 7. Favourite hobbies/ past times? I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, going bushwalking and going to the cinema. 8. Any last word before the school bell goes............? Thank you to everyone who has made me feel so welcome at JPII already. I’m looking forward to being part of this great community for the remainder of 2021. For all the latest news, new initiatives and great stories like this at our school we welcome you to view our latest newsletter 'Cooee" at this link: https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//170/jpii_march_25

24.01.2022 Today we celebrated the beginning of Holy Week with a Palm Sunday Liturgy in the Church and reflected on Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

22.01.2022 Wasting no time making new friends at our second Pre-Kinder session this morning. A wonderful turnout again from all of our new families. See you again next week.

22.01.2022 NEW DISCOVERIES AT BONORONG On Friday 19 March Prep and Grade 1 combined for an excursion to Bonorong Park. Both classes had been studying features of animals along with natural managed and constructed environments. We mixed the classes to make up 2 tour groups and headed off with a keeper to meet the animals. Some of our favourites included Randell the echidna who was getting on with life after a dog attack that left him with 3 legs. Frank the blue tongue lizard and Phoeni...x and Marly who are brother and sister Tasmanian Devils who came to Bonorong after mum was sadly killed by a car. The children came home with many new facts! Did you know wombat poo was cubed? Did you know the Tasmanian Devils are the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world? ‘My favourite animal was the Tiger Snakes, I learned that Wombats have hard bottoms. Lucie Kelly ‘My favourite animal was the Tasmanian Devil, I learned that Tassie Devils run slower than Wombats. Liam Brennan After a great day out our very own school bus brought us home safely and comfortably. A few little people may have fallen asleep too. For all the latest news, new initiatives and great stories at our school we welcome you to view our latest newsletter 'Cooee" at this link: https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//170/jpii_march_25

22.01.2022 FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH INITIAL-LIT Prep to Grade 3 teachers have been working extremely hard to implement the fantastic new InitiaLit program in our classrooms. InitiaLit is an evidence-based whole-class literacy program which will provide all children with the essential core knowledge and strong foundations to become successful readers and writers.... Click here to access our latest newsletter Cooee for more great stories like this : https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//jpii_newsletter_1

22.01.2022 A GREAT NEW PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES WITH EARLY LEARNERS - ENROLMENTS ABOUT TO OPEN AT JPII! What is Ludo? Ludo is a new program operating at John Paul II, provided by CatholicCare Tasmania.Ludo cares for children aged 3-5 years.Open times are 7.00am-6.00pm, 50 weeks a year, including school terms and holidays.All children and families can access the Child Care Subsidy.Children in Kinder can access two days care and have five days a week in the John Paul II Early Learning Centre.... All parents that expressed an interest in Ludo will be contacted when enrolments officially open. Please spread the word to families whom might be interested, as we have limited spaces for our first year of operation. Enquiries can be directed to our office. We look forward to welcoming families to Ludo in 2021. For more latest news from around the school click here for our latest newsletter Cooee: https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

22.01.2022 Nurturing, supportive, caring and progressive - everything you want from a school is right here at JPII. Kinder enrolments for 2022 are open now. Enrolments for all grades always welcome.... https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/general-enrolment-enquiry-f

21.01.2022 Our students and staff are looking forward to our Cross Country Carnival being held at school today. This carnival is all about participation, enjoyment, challenging yourself, cheering on your fellow house team runners and having a great day together! Here is a great flashback photo of a previous Cross Country carnival we held where an older student in the same House colour encourages a younger student during his race. Enjoy the day!

20.01.2022 PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE It is very exciting that enrolments for Ludo are about to open at John Paul II Catholic School. A lot of hard work has occurred during 2020 to put us in this position. We have really positive interest within the community. There are many benefits for this increased educational access. ... On a practical level, it is very convenient for parents with multiple children and the capacity for us to offer five days in the Kindergarten year is proving popular. The most fundamental reason for this approach is that the evidence tells us that this increased access will lead to better outcomes for our students in the long term. Please let people in your networks know about our new offering, as we are very excited about the possibilities. Brendan Gill | Principal Catch up on the latest news in this fortnight's newsletter here:. https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

19.01.2022 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LITERACY TRAINING During November, teachers who teach Prep to Grade 3 and the leadership team participated in training for Initialit. InitiaLit is an evidence-based whole class literacy program providing all children with the essential core knowledge and strong foundations to become successful readers and writers. It is based on the Science of Reading approach and builds on other programs and professional development we have been completing in 2021. ...Initialit will commence in 2021. For more stories check out our latest newsletter Cooee: https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

19.01.2022 BUDDYING UP WITH MACKILLOP COLLEGE Our Grade 2 class has thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to buddy up with a MacKillop class this term. On Monday, they had the opportunity to go on an excursion to MacKillop (including a trip to the local playground of course). ... These opportunities provide our children with excellent role models, and positive social interactions as well as helping our students with aspects of the curriculum. We asked our students 'what is good about having MacKillop Buddies'? and this is what they said, ‘We get to have lots of fun’ Brock ‘They help us, they are very helpful’ Layla H ‘They are kind and they are really nice’ Addison ‘They come up with good ideas’ Charli ‘They play with you’ Ava ‘We play lots of games and your buddy can help you if you need it’ Adnan ‘They’re fun’ Layla W For more great photos and stories like this head to our newsletter https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//jpii_newsletter_1

19.01.2022 Breakfast Club for our students is back every school morning from 8:30am till 8:55am. Enjoy a slice or two of fresh wholegrain toast to get your day started the healthy way ready to start the school day!

19.01.2022 PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE from our this fortnight's newsletter "Cooee" It has been lovely to show prospective 2022 Kindergarten students and their families around John Paul II in recent weeks. ... The new Early Learning Centre (ELC) is being received with overwhelming positivity and enthusiasm. We are lucky to have a school with dedicated staff, happy children and supportive parents. Minimal places remain for Kindergarten 2022. Enrolment information can be found on our website or by contacting our office. Thank you to Tish Hallsworth and the other parents who helped out with the Parents and Friend’s Fundraiser last week. $500 was raised for the school. God bless all our community this Easter. Brendan Gill | Principal For all the latest news, new initiatives and great stories at our school we welcome you to view our latest newsletter 'Cooee" at this link: https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//170/jpii_march_25

19.01.2022 SHOOTING GOALS WITH NEW TIMETABLE Morning Fitness now happens every day at John Paul II from 8.30-9.00am. This leaves our literacy blocks free of interruption and allows an energetic start to every day. ... Staff member and top soccer player Mrs Fitzgerald aka ‘Coach Fitz’ plans each day of activities and students can choose which activity to participate in. It has been very popular with our students so far. It also allows our teachers an extra planning session each week. Lots of goals are being kicked with this timetable change literally and figuratively! Click this link to access our latest newsletter Cooee! https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//jpii_newsletter_1

19.01.2022 NEW LITERATURE LESSONS Weekly literature lessons are now part of our specialist timetable alongside Music, Art, Chinese and PE. These lessons will provide students with opportunities to engage with literature that supports oral language development. Each class will follow an engaging text such as a popular picture book and will complete a range of short oral language tasks. ... Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 classes will be working to improve their understanding of the language used in stories. Grades 3-6 classes will be working to improve their word knowledge and vocabulary. Click on this link to check out our latest newsletter for more great school initiatives and happenings. https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//jpii_newsletter_1

18.01.2022 PRIORITISING WATER AWARENESS SKILLS Students have recently participated in Water Awareness sessions at Oceana. We have been very pleased with the high level of participation and thank parents for their support. We prioritise the lessons every year as swimming is such a vital skill when you live in a country with 10685 beaches! ... We welcome any feedback from parents about the swimming program. Check out our latest newsletter 'Cooee' to find out what else we have been up to this fortnight! https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

18.01.2022 GRADE 1 GOES TO BONORONG! We arrived at Bonorong nice and early and EXCITEMENT is a word I would use to express the Grade 1 students collective emotion... First up we had our wombat encounter, met with the koalas and noticed the echidnas had been injured and were recovering very well in their new environment.... The real fun began when we received a bag of food and headed toward the kangaroos.we got to pat them, feed them and even met with some of their baby joeys! We finished up by taking a stroll around the park, checking out the animal hospital and snake enclosure where we saw not 1 but 2 snakes! The cockatoos greeted us with hello, and we were also delighted by the the emus and possums. We finished up with checking out the blue tongues who were basking in the sun. What an amazing and fun experience we all had. The whole of Grade 1 showed impeccable manners and respect towards both carers and animals. ‘The best thing was the kangaroos because they hopped all over the place.’ Lily Hall 'Seeing the massive kangaroo!’ Flynn ‘Hopping on the bus.’ Ella 'Seeing the Tassie devils and the snakes.’ Tommie By Jess | Teacher Assistant Grade 1

17.01.2022 Did you catch the latest update on the build of the new Early Learning Centre at JPII? Check out this story and others in our newsletter 'Cooee' https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

16.01.2022 WORK STARTS ON OUR NEW EARLY LEARNING CENTRE This week, builders have commenced work on our new Early Learning Centre (ELC). We have attached the plan for you to peruse. Our Prep and Kinder students are currently utilising the same learning space. Teachers, staff and parents have been positive and flexible, and it is a great opportunity for our Kinder students to start to transition.... In 2021 there will be a brand-new early learning space, a new Kinder classroom, a new foyer/welcome space, an expanded playground area and new toilets. The current Kinder classroom will become Prep and our current Grade One will remain as is. There will be a dedicated ELC entry and importantly, internal access to all classrooms (which is currently not the case). Click here to access our latest school newsletter 'Cooee' https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

16.01.2022 Families near and far from across the Eastern Shore, value and love the JPII school experience as we do. We welcome your family to enrol for Kinder 2022.

16.01.2022 FINDING OUR 60! You may have seen or heard of Sport Australia’s ‘Find Your 30’ program which refers to how much recommended daily physical exercise an adult should engage in. But did you know that it is recommended children should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intense physical activity every day to stay healthy, fit and well! Whilst 60 minutes may seem a lot each day, at school we are assisting our students to achieve this by incorporating healthy do...ses of daily movement and activities into every school day. Currently we have students participating in Touch Football and Baseball through a grant received from Sport Australia, in addition to their weekly 45 minute P.E. (Physical Education) class and 20 minute morning Daily P.E. class. Our spacious and engaging playground also promotes physical activity at recess and lunch times with students maximising their time out of the classroom enjoying our fantastic bicycle track, football goals, open grassy areas and multi- purpose basketball courts. To achieve the daily 60 minutes as recommended you too can play your part at home by encouraging outside play time, and living an active healthy lifestyle. Enjoy your weekend and find your 60!

15.01.2022 FAMILY TIME We enjoy getting to know our families that attend our school. it is an important part of creating a connected community. Family: Smithies-Sharples ... Lives in: Lauderdale Number of students attending JPII and their grade: Just Arche, who is in Grade 1 Have you had any other children attend JPII in the past? Yes we have had both Jonah and Bella What made JPII your school of choice for your children and family? We love the spacious classrooms and clear sense of community that the school has built. JPII isn’t just about bricks but about buildings young lives who are caring, well educated and confident. We also love the easy and accessible way Jesus is talked about and how faith is made a part of everyday conversations and activities. What is your child’s favourite thing about JPII? Archer loves every part of school life, but Book Club, excursions, Wheels Day, and his friends certainly make for lots of excited conversations at home. Lastly, would you recommend JPII to other families and why? Yes we have no trouble in telling friends and family how wonderful we feel the school is again because it is a safe place for our children to grow in knowledge, leadership confidence and the love of Jesus. We feel very well supported by all the staff and admin teams the communication that we receive from the school is excellent. We have every confidence that all of our children’s best interests have been at the forefront of the school.

15.01.2022 MACKILLOP CATHOLIC SCHOOL EXPANDING TO YEAR 11 AND 12 FROM 2023 In recent news, it has been confirmed that Mackillop College will include Grades 11 and 12 from 2023. This means that families can now choose a K-12 Catholic Education on the Eastern Shore of Tasmania.... This is really exciting for the John Paul II school community, as it will allow us to continue to build on our relationship with Mackillop College and help our students receive a strong, contemporary, Catholic, coeducation K-12 on the Eastern Shore of Hobart. Grade 7 enrolments for 2022 are due to MacKillop College today Friday, September 11, 2020. Please note that MacKillop College is very popular, and it is important that applications are submitted on time. We are very happy to help with the online/hardcopy form or provide any other assistance that parents may require.

14.01.2022 EXPLORING OUR CONVICT HISTORY On Friday 13 November, Grade 4 travelled to Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula. The purpose of our trip was to visit the Port Arthur Historic Site as part of our HaSS unit on the First Fleet and convict life in Tasmania. It was a long day, starting at 8:30am and finishing at 4:30pm, but we had a great time, learnt lots of interesting things and had heaps of fun as well!... This is what our students thought about their visit: ‘Making the convict bricks was fun’. - Caleb and Tom ‘Going on the Harbour Cruise was fun’. - Connor ‘Going around the Isle of the Dead was awesome’. - Lilly ‘The walking tour was interesting’.- Zoe ‘The quick trip around the other buildings after the cruise was great’. - Nevisha ‘Finding out about what happened in the Penitentiary was very interesting’. - Hamish ‘I loved looking at the Commandant’s House’ - Robbiel ‘I really liked the church because it was so echoey’. - Nyla Explore what our students and school is up to every fortnight by checking out our newsletter 'Cooee'. https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

14.01.2022 Looking for a local Catholic Primary School close to home for your family? We welcome your family to take a tour at your convenience.

13.01.2022 OUR SCHOOL BUS MAKES LIFE EASIER! The wheels on our very own school bus certainly go ‘round and round’ both mornings and afternoons, picking up students and returning them to their homes at the end of a school day. Our school bus services areas from Sorell, Midway Point, Seven Mile Beach, Lauderdale, Seven Mile Beach, Rokeby and Clarendon Vale. ... Tickets can be purchased from as little as $1 for one way from our school office. If you are looking for an easy and stress free way for your children to travel to and from school just catch the JPII bus! The students love it! Check out Cooee our school newsletter for more great stories like this. https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

12.01.2022 GETTING CREATIVE AT SCHOOL ‘Creativity is contagious. Pass it on’. Albert Einstein.... > Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Colours. > Repeated lines to form patterns. > 2D shapes and 3D forms. > Mondrian. Matisse. Klee. If you’ve heard any of these terms at home, I’m a very proud teacher! Weekly Visual Art classes have begun at JPII this term, and the students have shown extraordinary talent. From pushing themselves to try new techniques, embracing mistakes to create new artworks, and learning to appreciate the work of their friends, students at JPII have enthusiastically attended lessons and continue to work hard to produce wonderful work. So how can you help encourage your child to CREATE and continue to grow as an artist? Ask your child to show you how to do a gallery walk. Discuss artworks you see and reflect on how they make you feel. Create your own colour wheel from objects found at home, discussing complementary, harmonious, warm and cool colours Search for different shapes and textures when out and about. Work together to produce an artwork! In the words of Maya Angelou, You can’t use up CREATIVITY. The more you use, the more you have Written by Mrs Judd | JPII Art Teacher

12.01.2022 BUDDYING UP WITH MACKILLOP STUDENTS Our strong relationship with MacKillop continues this year with two child studies classes visiting two of our classes. The contact is regular, allowing students to build positive relationships with the older role models. K-12 Catholic Education at its finest!... _________________________ Our next newsletter is out tomorrow. Watch this space!

12.01.2022 STUDENTS DRESSED FOR SUCCESS John Paul II has become the first Catholic school in Hobart to move to a ‘Smart Play’ uniform. There is no longer a formal uniform and sports uniform, rather one uniform ‘to rule them all’. The uniform has been designed for active students, maximising both comfort and presentation. ... The community has embraced this change with parents and students very enthusiastic about this new chapter. The uniform celebrates the primary school stage of life and is comfortable and ready for action. It provides choice and equity for all of our students. This is a progressive step but one that was done with strong consultation with community. For more great stories and happenings like this we welcome you to check out our latest newsletter Cooee! https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//jpii_newsletter_1

12.01.2022 MORE ROOM TO PLAY In recent weeks, we have engaged with Playstreet to work on the design for the extension of our Early Learning Centre (ELC) playground. The playground will provide wonderful play opportunities for our ELC students and will incorporate our existing Kinder area into the space. ... Builders continue the demolition of existing internal structures, in preparation for construction of our Early Learning Centre (ELC). Students have been excitedly peering through windows and trying to chat with our builders to get a sense of the work occurring. Did you catch our latest newsletter Cooee? For more great stories and initiatives at our school click this link! https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com/latest-newsletter

11.01.2022 PARENTS AND KIDS TOGETHER AT SCHOOL During Term 3, 5 families at John Paul II participated in the Parents and Kids Together program, also known as PaKT. In the PaKT program, parents and carers come into the school to work with their child to create something special together and to have some fun one-on-one time. The families that came along in term 3 have each created their own version of a ‘ superhero hideout.’ ... Well done PAKT families, your projects are awesome and so are you! PaKT will be back in Term 4 to work with another group of families on some Christmas craft (all grades will be invited), so keep your eyes peeled for invitations going home. Check out our newsletter 'Cooee' for more great stories like this. https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//jpii_newsletter_1

11.01.2022 School Holidays are nearly here! Some fun activities close to home is what you need to keep them busy!

10.01.2022 This lovely lady and team member requires little introduction! She lights up the reception with her positive and helpful ways and happily wears many hats to help get many jobs done here at JPII! Without further ado.....INTRODUCING JODY RYE... POSITION Administration Officer HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT JPII? 10 years. FAVOURITE PART OF WORKING AT JPII? Building those special bonds with staff, families and students over the years has been so rewarding. It’s been fantastic to see children begin as teeny tiny Kinders and grow to graduate as bright, confident and talented individuals. It has been amazing to be a part of their academic journey. We have a real sense of community here at JPII and visitors and families have often commented on the positive vibe they get when walking through the doors. I love the fact that staff feel like one big, happy family. BEST MOMENT AT JP (SO FAR!)? A high point for me would have to be when I was working as a Teachers Assistant and had the privilege of working 1:1 with a very special student and her family. Our connection began in Kinder and went through to year 4 when she transferred to Southern Support. There is just something special about the bond you develop working with children with special needs that continues throughout your life. I learnt so much and I feel blessed to have been a part of her educational journey, her goals and her achievements. WHAT IS YOUR UNIQUE EXPERIENCE/SKILL THAT MAKES YOU SUCH A VALUED PART OF THE JPII TEAM? I’m always learning new things and taking on new challenges. I think this is why I wear a number of different hats at JPII. ANY LAST WORD BEFORE THE SCHOOL BELL GOES......? Being employed at John Paul II has definitely been the highlight of my working career. I’m so pleased I have the opportunity to be a part of the exciting changes happening now and into the future.

10.01.2022 It has been a pleasure getting to know our pre-kinder families and children over the last 3 weeks at our Pre-Kinder Sessions. The children have had the chance to familiarise themselves with the classroom, their new classmates, Teacher and staff. We have enjoyed some wonderful play time and talked about how we can best prepare for the smooth transition into school.... We are confident Kinder class of 2021 is now ready for school! See you in the new year!

09.01.2022 Bringing in the weekend..........drum roll please......

08.01.2022 It was wonderful to see so many new and enrolled families last week attending their first of 3 pre-kinder session at JPII in preparation for 2021. The room was a hive of excitement and wonder as the little ones explored every activity on offer! Our School Captains, Millie, Maddie and Tyler (as pictured below) together with our Principal proudly welcomed our new families to the the school and personally showed them to the Kindergarten space. We would like to warmly WELCOME all of our new families to our beautiful school community and look forward to seeing you again this week for session #2.

07.01.2022 LANGUAGE ESSENTIALS FOR TEACHERS OF READING AND SPELLING (LETRS) This year all JPII teaching staff are enrolled in the LETRS course. The course is designed by Dr Louisa Moats, a world leader in evidence-based literacy instruction: LETRS provides in-depth professional development on the foundations of scientifically-based reading, spelling, writing, and language instruction. LETRS participants learn why certain practices are necessary and effective; what is likely to be need...ed for whom; and how to implement assessment and instruction. LETRS assumes that good programs must be implemented by knowledgeable teachers in order to be effective. The course is approximately two years in length. We are excited about the difference that this will make to student literacy outcomes in the long term. 'Cooee' our latest school newsletter has more updates like this. https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

05.01.2022 PREPARING FOR KINDERGARTEN Last week we held the first of our 3 Pre-Kinder session for families enrolled in 2021. Our School Captains Tyler, Milly and Maddie (pictured) proudly welcomed the families to the Kindergarten area together with Principal Brendan Gill adding a lovely personal touch. One of the School Captains said ‘this was their favourite leadership activity at school they had ever done’!... The room was a hive of excitement and wonder all morning with the students exploring all the activities on offer, getting familiar with the school environment, each other and their future Teacher (pictured) and staff. It was wonderful to meet so many new families and existing families. Kindergarten can be both a very exciting and/or overwhelming experience for families and their young children and these informative and fun pre-kinder sessions serve to minimise any anxiety that may exist around commencing school (for both children and parents!). These sessions also offer a fantastic opportunity for parents to have informal chats to staff. We highly recommend enrolled families attend these free sessions. Next week we will be distributing our new Pre-Kinder Information Booklet to Kinder 2021 parents which is a fantastic resource covering everything a new family would need to know about our school and informative tips on helping their family transition to Kindergarten smoothly. We have a few places available for Kindergarten enrolment in 2021, and a reminder that Kindergarten enrolments for 2022 are now open. We invite you to enquire about enrolments at our Office. For more great stories like this around our school check out our latest newsletter Cooee here: https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

04.01.2022 GETTING TO KNOW OUR TEAM 1. Name: Emmalise Kelly 2. Position: Year 3 teacher... 3. How long have you worked at JPII? I started at the beginning of this year January 2020 4. Favourite part of working at JPII? Working in a community where everyone makes you welcome and the fact that everyone wants our school to be the very best. 5. Best moment at JP (so far!) Meeting my year 3 class and all our great community members. 6. What is your unique experience/skill that makes you such a valued part of the JPII team? I really love learning and there is not a day that I do not learn something new. I really enjoy seeing young people suddenly realise that they have learnt something that they did not know before.. 7. Any last word before the school bell goes............? The year is going SO quickly and there is SO much to do. Keep up the great work everyone. Congratulations to Emmalise who was married in September, from all of your colleagues and THE JPII community.

02.01.2022 WE LIKE TO MOVE IT! You may have seen or heard of Sport Australia’s ‘Find Your 30’ program which refers to how much recommended daily physical exercise an adult should engage in. But did you know that it is recommended children should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intense physical activity every day to stay healthy, fit and well! Whilst 60 minutes may seem a lot each day, at school we are assisting our students to achieve this by incorporating healthy... doses of daily movement and activities into every school day. Currently we have students participating in Touch Football and Baseball through a grant received from Sport Australia, in addition to their weekly 45 minute P.E. (Physical Education) class and 20 minute morning Daily P.E. class. Our spacious and engaging playground also promotes physical activity at recess and lunch times with students maximising their time out of the classroom enjoying our fantastic bicycle track, football goals, open grassy areas and multi- purpose basketball courts. To achieve the daily 60 minutes as recommended you too can play your part at home by encouraging outside play time, and living an active healthy lifestyle together. JPII is proud to be an accredited Eat Well, Move School For our latest newsletter 'Cooee' hit this link. https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter

02.01.2022 To all of our special dads out there.........

02.01.2022 STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNICATIONS Since the beginning of the school year, we have been planning for our new school website. As part of our improvements in communication, we set a new website as a goal for 2021. Websites are a very important component of a school’s communication particularly for prospective parents. Our recent professional photography will really help bring our new website and future communications to life example below!... For all the news, initiatives and great stories at our school we welcome you to view our latest newsletter 'Cooee" at this link: https://johnpauliics.schoolzineplus.com//170/jpii_march_25

02.01.2022 ALL WELCOME AT GUMNUTS SETUP FOR SUCCESS PROGRAM Come play, create and explore together with your child at Gumnuts Setup for Success program. Held in our Kindergarten classroom and playground on a Wednesday morning by our teachers and trained staff, these sessions are perfect for children preparing for their first year at school, as well as being an engaging activity for all children birth to 5 years to participate in weekly. ... Time: 9am - 10:30am Cost: FREE So pop it in your calendar as we would love to see you on a Wednesday morning!

02.01.2022 School photos in full swing today . Great day for it - sun and smiles are all out!

01.01.2022 EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY TOGETHER As part of the Digital Technologies curriculum Grade 2 have been using Edison Robots to look deeper into coding and robotics education. Using the robots not only empowers the students in coding but also helps them become problem solvers and creative thinkers. ... The Grade 5/6 classes welcomed the Grade 2s into their class to show them more advanced skills and to act as role models and teachers. To find out what other fantastic work our students are doing check out our newsletter 'Cooee'. https://www.johnpaul.tas.edu.au/latest-newsletter