Principals Update

Key Events - Term 1

Term 1, Week 3 

• Friday 14th of February - Swimming Training (Interschool swimming squad) - 7.15am-8am (Waves Leisure Centre). Year 4, 5/6 Interschool sports - St John Vianney's v St Brigid's @ SJV HOME GAME.  

Term 1, Week 4 

• Wednesday 19th of February - Prep Testing.  Canberra Camp Information Session (Year 5/6 parents) in the MPR @ 3.45pm.
• Thursday 20th of February - Swimming Training (Interschool swimming squad) - 7.15am-8am (Waves Leisure Centre). 

• Friday 21st of February - Swimming Training (Interschool swimming squad) - 7.15am-8am (Waves Leisure Centre). Year 4, 5/6 Interschool sports - St John Vianney's v Kingswood Primary, AWAY GAME.  Assembly @ 3pm in the MPR.

Term 1, Week 5 

• Monday 24th of February - District Swimming Carnival (selected students from Year 3- 6) @ Noble Park Aquatic Centre, 9.30am - 1pm.
• Tuesday 25th of February - SEDA Cricket Inflatables Day (Students are to wear sports uniform)
• Wednesday 26th of February - Prep Testing
• Thursday 27th February - Open Day / School Tours @ 9.15am. DRI - Selected students from Year 6
• Friday 28th of February - Story Dogs / Casual Clothes Day. Year 4, 5/6 Interschool sports - St John Vianney's v Mentone Park, AWAY GAME.  Clean Up Australia Day @ 2.30pm

Dear SJV Families,

Thank you for ensuring the smooth start for the students to the school year. The staff have been amazed at how confident our new Prep students have been saying good-bye to their parents from the line up areas and walking with a staff member or on their own to their classroom. This is a real credit to the way families have prepared their children.

Please mark in your calendars Thursday the 20th of February as the PFA will be hosting a welcome BBQ for all families. It begins at 5pm and concludes at 7pm. Please see flyer below for further details. A hard copy has been sent home. We would love to see all our families attend.

Whole School - Start of the Year Mass

Last Thursday we celebrated our opening year school Mass in the Church. It was a beautiful Mass where the Year 6 student leaders were presented with their leadership badges and staff were presented to the school community. Congratulations must go to all the students, especially the Preps who participated so respectfully during the Mass. A special thanks must go to Kerry Slater for all her hard work in organising the Mass and to Fr Joseph for celebrating such a special occasion.

Lunch Fox

This year lunch orders are available on a Monday and a Friday. Monday's suppliers are Zagu who will be providing Sushi and Fridays suppliers are Station Stop Cafe, who provide a variety of bakery items. To order you need to down load the Lunch Fox App, select our school and set up your profile. Please note that orders need to be placed 48 hours ahead.

School Photos

School photos will be taken on Tuesday 11th March. Envelopes have been sent home today. Orders need to be placed online. More details to follow.

Parents & Friends Association

On Tuesday  the PFA hosted their first Annual General Meeting for the year with wine and cheese in the multi purpose room. It was a fantastic turnout with a number of new parents from Prep attending.

I would like to thank Jess Viviani for taking on the role as President, Matt Spencer - Vice President, Matt Johnson as Secretary and Ben Radford as Working Bee Coordinator. 

The next PFA Meeting is on Tuesday the 25th of February at 7pm in the staff room (office area). All are welcome to attend.

SEDA Inflatables

On Tuesday the 25th of February, the students are to wear their sports uniform to school as they will be participating in the cricket inflatables activities. The students are really excited and are looking forward to these activities.

Parent Information Evening

Thank you to the many parents who attended the parent information sessions this week. These meetings are an important opportunity to build a positive working relationship between home and school to ensure we can provide rich learning opportunities for all students. Thank you to the teachers for their preparation for the sessions. We hope you found them very informative. All information that was presented on the slides will be shared with parents early next week by Miss Heiberg.

Communication

Emails/Communication are always welcome, however, we find a brief exchange at drop-off or pick-up can often address any matters promptly. The priority for staff members at SJV is the welfare and education of all students at our school. Staff  are unable to respond to emails and telephone calls instantaneously. They will, however, ensure that they attend to all correspondence within a reasonable timeframe (between 8.30am - 5pm on a weekday or within a 24 hour turnaround). Parents are also reminded that a response to communication should not be expected outside normal working hours, or during school holidays, unless it is an emergency. 

If you have a concern regarding your child and wish to discuss it further, please follow the process outlined below:

1. Contact the classroom teacher/s first and foremost.
2. If it is a Well-being issue contact the classroom teacher and the Wellbeing Leader, Catherine Osadnik. Contact the Deputy Principal or Principal if the concern is more serious.

Thank you for your support and understanding with these expectations

2026 Prep Enrolments 

Our Requests for School Tours have begun already! Enrolments for Prep 2026 are now open and we encourage all families to submit their applications as soon as possible.  If you have a child or you know someone wanting to tour schools for their child, please encourage them to book a school tour by contacting Nicole in our front office.  If you are not able to make these tours please note that you are also welcome to call to make a time that does work for you. 

SJV School Tour Dates

Thursday 27th February @ 9.15am

Wednesday 5th March @ 9.15am

Tuesday 11th March @ 7pm

Friday 14th March @ 1pm

Thursday 3rd April @ 9.15am

NAPLAN 2025

All Year 3 and 5 students will complete the NAPLAN tests  between the 12th of March and the 24th of March. If any families in Year 3 or Year 5 have holidays booked during this time, could they please let the school office know, so we can factor this into our planning.  We use NAPLAN to provide us with feedback about how we can improve our teaching, whilst parents are provided with a snapshot of how their child is progressing. For us, it is one assessment that makes up a thorough Assessment Schedule and should not present any stress for students, as they are well versed at completing online assessments.

What can I do to support my child?

Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. Some explanation of NAPLAN is useful to help students understand and be comfortable with the format of the tests; however, it is not necessary for parents/carers to do this. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance. ACARA does not recommend excessive preparation for NAPLAN or the use of services by coaching providers. 

See the types of questions and tools available in the online NAPLAN assessments at the public demonstration site.

Public demonstration site

The public demonstration tests show the types of questions students will answer and the functionalities that are available in NAPLAN tests. 

Students can do the standard tests or they can do a test with accessible alternative items:

• The visual alternative tests include some items with simplified images (numeracy and reading).
• The tests with audio alternative items have text-based items instead of audio dictation items (conventions of language).
• The colour theme tests have different coloured fonts and backgrounds (all domains).

To try the demonstration tests, click on this link and use the buttons below to choose a year level and then a NAPLAN domain: writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) or numeracy. Please note that answers are not provided. As all Year 3 students complete the writing test on paper, there is no Year 3 writing demonstration test.

For all online tests, once ‘finish’ is selected or time has run out, the student’s responses will be submitted and will no longer be able to be viewed. 

What’s new in the demonstration tests?

There is now a narrative task and a persuasive task for students to practise. Only one of these tasks will be tested each year, and this will be revealed on the day of the assessment. Students will now start the conventions of language test with the spelling items and finish with the grammar and punctuation items.  There are now different narrator voices for the audio items. Some students may benefit from listening to the voice change from one item to another. They can do so by listening to the numeracy items or the audio dictation items in the conventions of language tests. 

nForma App for Parents

All parents are registered on nForma. If you haven't downloaded the app or you are new to the school this year, please do so now. This is what we use to communicate with you, to give permission for excursions and how we send SMS messages and emails about First Aid incidents. Use your email address that you have registered with the school and then set up a password. Any difficulties, please see Nicole in the office. Please make sure student medical details are up to date on this system. 

School Fees and Direct Debit Forms

 At the end of last year we sent home Direct Debit forms for School fees. This is a great way to stay on top of your fees for 2025. Please fill this form in if you would like to take up this payment method and drop it into the office. If you have misplaced it, please call in to collect a new one. Accounts will be issued next week. New families, please feel free to call in and collect a direct debit form. 

Asthma and Anaphylaxis plans

If your child requires Asthma medication, an Epipen or medication for allergies including Hay Fever, this must be supplied to the school. All medications are kept in the First Aid Room. Management plans for Asthma and anaphylactic reactions need to be signed by a doctor and supplied to the school.

SJV Facebook Page

Year 5 / 6 Upcoming Canberra Camp

The Year 5/6 Canberra Camp is scheduled for Week 8 of this term on Monday 17th March to Friday 21st March. Information will be shared with Year 5/6 families early next week. My sincere thanks to the school staff who are attending this camp as it enables our students to access this amazing opportunity.

Reminders

• School Closure Term 1 - The school will be closed on Friday the 7th of March as there will be a professional development day for all staff focusing on Numeracy. This is the Friday of the Labour day long weekend. Theircare (OSHC) will be operating on that day.

• Dogs - Please note that for the safety and wellbeing of all members of our community, no dogs are permitted inside the school grounds and they must not be left unattended tied up at the gates. Adult supervision and holding of the leash is so important around vulnerable places such as schools.  We love dogs but we do have to take care of all members of our community.

• Bikes and Scooters - Please walk bikes and scooters when moving through the school grounds.

• Punctuality - It is expected that all students are to be at school by no later than 8.45am and not any time up to 9am. From 8.45am to 9am is crucial for students to get themselves organised, start the day with Meditation, prayer, take the roll and ready to commence their day promptly. Formal lessons begin at 9am. Any child who arrives at or after 9am is to be signed in at the office by a parent/guardian. I ask all parents to make sure that you adhere to these times.

• The next Newsletter will be shared on Thursday 27th of February.

• The next school assembly will be on Friday 21st of February @ 3pm in the MPR

Regards

Mick Schinck

Principal