Principal's News

Dear Families

Welcome back to Term 4!

This term is all about strengthening skills, working together, and taking learning to the next level as students revise, extend, and prepare for what’s ahead. It is also a time of celebration as we welcome our new Prep students who will begin their journey at St John’s in 2026, and we recognise the many achievements of all students — especially our graduating Year 6 students.

Some of the special events taking place this term include:

• Parents’ Night Out- this Saturday
• The St John’s Colour Fun Run
• Steps2Prep program
• Student Learning Conferences
• Year 6 Graduation
• Year 5 Leadership program
• Carols Night

During the month of October, we take time to think about and pray to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. October is traditionally known as the Month of the Rosary, a special time in the Church when we reflect on Mary’s faith, love, and devotion to God.

Throughout the month, students will be invited to pray the Rosary and learn more about Mary’s important role in Jesus’ life and in the life of the Church. We encourage families to join us in this tradition by taking time at home to pray together and reflect on how Mary’s example of kindness, courage, and faithfulness can inspire us in our daily lives.

This week, we celebrated International Teachers’ Day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and thank the teachers who make a difference in the lives of our students every day. At St John’s, we are fortunate to have a dedicated team of teachers who inspire, guide, and support our children with passion and care.

Whether it’s in the classroom, on the playground, or through extra-curricular activities, our teachers play a vital role in shaping the minds and hearts of our students. On this day, we say a heartfelt “thank you” to all the teachers at St John’s for their commitment, hard work, and unwavering dedication to our school community. 

Thank you to everyone who has bought a Raflle ticket for our Jackpot Raffle, with a Grand Prize of $1,500. If you haven't got yours yet, you can buy tickets at https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1443804. 

ST JOHN’S JACKPOT RAFFLE!

1st Prize – $1,500 Gift Voucher

2nd Prize – $150 Gift Voucher

3rd Prize – $50 Gift Voucher

Winners can choose their preferred retailer for the gift voucher. All prizes are store-specific and not redeemable for cash, in accordance with Victorian raffle regulations.

TICKET OPTIONS:

$20 for 1 ticket

$50 for 3 tickets

$100 for 6 + 2 BONUS tickets (8 total!)

RAFFLE DRAWN: Saturday 11 October, 9:00pm

Welcome to St John’s

A warm welcome to our new students, Micah (2JC) and Leah (2O)!

We’re excited to have them join the St John’s community and look forward to getting to know them and their families as they settle in, embrace new learning experiences, and make new friends.

We’re delighted to share the wonderful news of another new addition to our St John’s community! Over the holidays, our PE teacher, Ben Friggi, and his wife, Jess, welcomed their beautiful daughter, Edie Reeve Friggi.

We’re thrilled to hear that Mum, Dad, and Edie’s two big sisters are all doing well and enjoying lots of special family cuddles.

Congratulation Lauren

Congratulations to our Year 2O teacher, Lauren, who celebrated her marriage over the holidays! We are thrilled for her and wish her and her husband, James, a lifetime of happiness together. Lauren is now officially Mrs Wilkinson—what an exciting new chapter in her life!

Thank you to PIC

The last day of Term 3 was celebrated with Footy Day, bringing fun and excitement for all our students. It was wonderful to see the Marcellin and OLMC students joining us and supporting our children throughout the day—even Fr Geo had a chance to show off his new AFL skills! 

We deeply value our partnership with Marcellin and OLMC, as these connections enrich our students’ experiences and strengthen the sense of community across our schools.

We would also like to extend a huge thank you to Megan,Cameron, and all the other volunteers who helped cook over 350 sausages for the day. Your time, energy, and generosity made Footy Day even more special for our students and families. Events like these truly showcase the spirit of community at St John’s and the benefits of connecting with the nearby secondary schools.

A heartfelt thank you to Mary and Danni for organising the Dad’s Pub Night  at the Sir Henry Barkly Hotel. Approximately 30 dads and carers came together to enjoy a Parma and Pot while connecting with other members of our school community. It was wonderful to see friendships being made. We would like to thank the following supporters of St John's...

Old England Hotel - Thank you to Ricardo & Orlando for their hospitality 

Chester’s Gourmet Meat & Poultry (Inside Warringal)- Donated a large meat platter for a door prize.

Scintilla Cafe (Burgundy Street) - $80 Breakfast Voucher as the second door prize

We’re all looking forward to a great evening this Saturday for the St John’s Parents’ Night Out!

A big thank you to our PIC members for their hard work in organising this event, especially Melissa, and to everyone attending. It’s sure to be a fantastic night of fun and dancing! If you’d like to purchase last-minute tickets, please see the office.

St John's Colour Fun Run- Friday 7 November

This week your child would have come home with some information about  our major fundraiser – the St John’s Colour Fun Run held on 7 November! This will be a vibrant and exciting community event that not only raises important funds for our school but also brings our students, staff, and families together in a fun and active way.  The money raised will go towards much needed new furniture for the students. Don't forget to register!

We are really looking forward to the Colour Fun Run being a highlight of Term 4.

We are delighted to be welcoming our newest families to St John’s at the Prep 2026 Information Night on Wednesday, 15 October at 6:45pm. This evening will provide an opportunity for parents and carers of our future Preps to meet the leadership team and Prep teachers, learn more about our vision for learning and wellbeing, and gain practical insights into starting school. It is also a wonderful chance for new families to begin connecting with our vibrant school community. Please join us in keeping these families in our thoughts and prayers as they take their first steps into the St John’s journey.

Steps 2 Prep program

Session 1 - 23 October  9-10:30am

Session 2 - 30  October  9-10:30am

Session 3 - 6 November  9-10:30am

Session 4 - 13 November  9-10:30am

Session 5 - 27 November  9-11:00am

Year 5 Leadership Program

In support of developing leadership skills, all senior school students have the opportunity to learn about leadership through the Year 5 Leadership Program, which will be commencing soon. As part of this learning, Year 5 students will participate in a Leadership Day on Monday 20 October. This day will help students explore the qualities of effective leaders and prepare them for the formal leadership roles available to them in Year 6. A letter to inform families will be sent out shortly.

Positive Parenting Group Program

I have attached a flyer for an upcoming Positive Parenting Group program, which is available free to parents of children 5-10 years old living in the cities of Yarra, Darebin, Banyule, Nillumbik and Whittlesea.

This group supports parents to build strategies to help their children:

• Manage their emotions,
• Build emotional resilience,
• Build self-esteem and independence,
• Develop problem solving skills,
• Develop life and communication skills, and
• Build healthy relationships.

This wonderful program is run by Berry Street and I highly recommend it.

Student-Led Conferences 

As part of our reporting schedule and commitment to keeping families informed about their child’s learning, teachers will facilitate Student-Led Conferences this term.

For Years 1–6, conferences will be held in Week 6, on Wednesday 12 November 2025, from 3:45pm – 5:45pm. During this time, students will share their learning journey with their families, supported by their teacher. There will be four students presenting in each 15-minute block.

Prep students will hold their Student-Led Conferences in Week 8, on Thursday 27 November, from 3:40pm onwards. These sessions will follow the same format, with two students presenting in each 10-minute block, sharing their learning with their families and teacher.

Confirmation 2026- Current Year 5 Students

The Archdiocese has informed us that the Cathedral will not be available for Confirmations in 2026 due to ongoing renovations. While we are naturally disappointed, we know that the Sacrament of Confirmation is sacred and meaningful no matter where it is celebrated. 

We are currently exploring nearby churches that will allow our whole school community to gather together for this special occasion as we will not be able to safely fit 60 families into our church. We are pleased to share that Bishop Thinh has confirmed the date of Confirmation for Friday, 28 August 2026.

Class Placement 2026

We will begin preparing the 2026 class lists in Term 4. This is a thorough and collaborative process, with staff carefully considering the best balance of students in each class to support their academic, social, and wellbeing needs.

As part of this process, students are invited to nominate peers with whom they feel they work positively. While we make every effort to include at least one of their choices, we also recognise the importance of building resilience. Primary school is a time for students to grow through a variety of experiences, including working with different teachers and classmates.

Class lists are finalised using the professional judgement and deep knowledge staff have of each student, ensuring a thoughtful and rigorous outcome.

Parents are welcome to visit the office to collect a copy of the Class Placement Policy and/or the Class Placement Request Form. Please note that this does not include friendship or teacher requests. 

It is imperative that this form is returned by this Monday, 20 October, either in an envelope addressed to Principal Confidential Class Placement 2026 or via email principal@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

School Advisory Council (SAC) Feedback Form 2025

The SAC provides a forum for discussion and discernment, where the parent / guardian voice and perspective inform and support the decisions made by the principal and parish priest for the good of school and parish where the wellbeing and outcomes for students is paramount. The St John's SAC invites parent feedback, suggestions and constructive comments enabling a wide range of perspectives to be shared. Please see below for the link to your level Feedback email. 

I look forward to a joyful and productive Term 4 together.

Alison Dean