Principal's Page

A Message from the Principal

Excitement filled the air on Saturday as we launched our 70th Fete at St John's Mitcham. Huge crowds swelled across the school grounds enjoying the delights of our many and varied stalls. It was wonderful to see many past students, families, and parishioners, and to also welcome our new preps for 2025. The rides were very popular with all of the students, while parents milled around the bric-a-brac, plants stall and the main stage. The snow cones and ice cold drinks were best sellers, and the lob a choc, as always, was a crowd favourite. I would like to thank all of our school families for donating so many goods and products for the various stalls and to everyone who was able to volunteer on the day of the fete or the days prior to and after, to help set up and clean up. The Fete is a huge undertaking and we are blessed with such a dynamic community who help make this such a well loved and renowned event.

School Advisory Council AGM

On Tuesday, 19 November, you are all invited to attend our School Advisory Council Annual General Meeting. We will present the Chairperson's report and Principal's reports, while enjoying a drink and nibblies together. It will commence at 7pm in the Staffroom.

If you are interested in finding out more about the SAC and would be interested in joining for 2025, then please send in an expression of interest to me at principal@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au

Swimming Program

Over the past two weeks our Year 3 and 4 students have enjoyed their water safety and swimming program at Nunawading Aqualink. This is an important part of the curriculum to ensure that all students understand safety issues that they may encounter in their daily lives, to develop knowledge, understandings and skills to make safe decisions and behave in ways that protect their own safety and that of others, including safe practices when in and around water. The swimming program also focuses on how participation can enhance health-related fitness and wellbeing across their lifetime. Swimming has been identified as a lifelong physical activity.

Tomorrow our Year 5 and 6 students will head to Aspendale Beach to take part in a Lifesaving Education Program, which will include activities such as, Be Aware and Be Prepared, Rescue Strategies, Safe Body Boarding and Survival Strategies. This is also a very important part of their Health and Physical Education program.

Tomorrow our Prep, Year 1 and 2 students also begin their Swimming program at Aqualink. We look forward to hearing how they all go.

Long Service Leave

On Saturday, 23 November, I will be heading to Middleton in South Australia to celebrate the wedding of my son Hayden. I will be away for the week and Melinda Buscema will be Acting Principal during this time. I look forward to sharing this special celebration and some photos with you all.

This week Ange Crowe is commencing her long service leave and will be travelling to the United Kingdom with her family. We are grateful to Ange for all of her leadership in Learning Diversity and Literacy and look forward to hearing all about her holiday adventures when she returns in the new year.

Prep Transition Sessions

It has been lovely seeing how settled our new prep students are in their transition sessions. Last week they met their Year 5 buddies and found out that their prep teacher will be Miss Cara Woolley and their learning support officers, Melissa and Lipo. They are a large group and are certainly enjoying the fantastic double prep classroom.

Future Leaders

Today our Future Leaders met to discuss the Child Safety Standards and how they can be adapted into child friendly text and talk. They will begin to plan new posters and videos to share with the rest of the school community.

Joke of the Week

May you have a fabulous week and please let me know if I can assist you and your family in any way.

With Faith and Love,

Verona Gridley

St John's Primary School Principal