Principal's News

Dear Father, 

Be with us today

Fill our hearts with joy 

Fill our minds with learning 

Fill our classrooms with peace 

Fill our lessons with fun 

Fill our friendships with kindness

 Fill our school with love 

Help us to be like Jesus and to do what He tells us to do

We ask this in your name

AMEN

Catholic Schools Leading the Way in Learning

At St John’s, we have high expectations for learning and teaching, ensuring every student receives the best possible education. Catholic schools are at the forefront of implementing the Science of Learning, and St John’s is a shining example of how explicit teaching is driving student growth in maths, phonics, reading, spelling and writing.

An article in The Age last week highlighted the success of the "back to basics" approach in Victoria’s Catholic schools, showing a 20% improvement in numeracy skills within just 12 months. Since introducing explicit instruction at St John's, students have benefited from a structured, step-by-step approach to learning, with clear explanations and demonstrations. This shift has had a positive impact on student learning outcomes, reinforcing the importance of research-based teaching practices.

It has been terrific to visit classrooms over the past week and see learning routines being embedded. All classes have implemented Daily Reviews, and teachers are using Active Participation Strategies, such as Safe Cold Calling and Mini Whiteboards, to engage students and enhance learning. St John’s remains committed to providing a strong foundation in learning, ensuring that all students are supported to reach their full potential.

To learn more about this we invite you all to attend the Family Engagement for Learning sessions on ...

Wednesday 12 March 

Prep Engagement in Learning Night - 6:00pm at St John's - onsite

Year 5/6 Wedensday 12 March  7:00pm-8pm - online

Wednesday 19 March

Engagement in Learning Night - Year 1 & 2 - 6:00pm and 7:00pm online

Engagement in Learning Night - Year 3 & 6 - 7:00pm and 8:00pm online

SRC and Student Action Teams

On Monday, we held our first whole-school assembly, introducing our Year 6 Action Team Leaders and SRC Class Representatives. Our Action Teams and SRC members have already demonstrated fantastic leadership, both in the playground and at school events. They also have some great ideas to improve St John’s—I can’t wait to hear more!

Congratulations to all our Class SRC Representatives for being selected by their peers.

This role is a privilege and responsibility, and we know they will do a great job. The SRC and Action Teams give students a voice, develop leadership skills, and strengthen their sense of community.

Thank you to all the parents who attended our assembly! A reminder that whole-school assemblies will be held at 2:40 PM on Weeks 5, 7, and 9. All are welcome.

Prep Students – Full-Time from Next Week!

Exciting news for our Prep families—starting next week, Preps will attend school full-time, with no more Wednesday rest days! Congratulations to our Preps on a fantastic start to the year. Their buddies and teachers are excited to have them here every day.

It was wonderful to see the Preps introduced to our school Community at the Beginning of the Year Mass. Thank you to the familes who were able to attend.

Ash Wednesday Mass and Shrove Tuesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for Easter. It is a time for reflection and renewal, reminding us to turn our hearts toward God. During Ash Wednesday Mass, on Wednesday at 12pm, Year 1- Year 6 students will receive Ashes on our foreheads as a symbol of repentance and a commitment to live with faith and humility.  All families are welcome to attend.

Prep students will hold a paraliturgy  in theor classroom, where they too will recieve the Ashes.

A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers and the PIC team for organising this year’s Shrove Tuesday celebrations. The children will enjoy the tradition of sharing delicious pancakes with their classmates, making it a much-anticipated event each year. This special day brings our community together, and it simply wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and support of our parents. Thank you!

Enrolments & School Tours

Thank you to all parents for advocating for our school in the local community. We’ve had strong interest for Prep 2026, which is great to see!

If your child turns five before April 30, 2026, they are eligible to start Prep in 2026. If you haven’t completed an enrolment form yet, please go to our Website and click on the "Enrol Now" tab as soon as possible. Please note all enrolments are now done online.

Know someone interested in St John’s? Encourage them to book a school tour by calling 9459 2963 or booking on our website. We would love to show them around.

A special thanks to Connie and Jason Mantello for supporting enrolments with a new billboard in the Parish gardens!

First Eucharist  

We invite our school and parish community to join us in prayer and support for our students preparing to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Commitment Masses will be held during the Parish weekend Masses on Saturday, 15 March at 6:00pm and Sunday, 16 March at 8:30am or 10:30am. During these special celebrations, our candidates will make their commitment to deepening their faith journey as they prepare to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time. 

Pope Francis

Please keep Pope Francis in your prayers as he faces illness. As a global leader of faith, he continues to inspire us with his unwavering dedication to love, compassion, and justice. Let us come together as a community to pray for his strength, healing, and well-being. May God grant him comfort and restore his health so he can continue his mission of spreading peace and unity to the world.

Class WhatsApp Protocols

A huge thank you to the Class Parent Reps for putting their hand up to support their child's class. Part of the role as Class Rep is to establish a Class WhatsApp.

The purpose of the class WhatsApp is to send messages to the entire group, which are relevant to the school. The Class WhatsApp is run by the class rep and not by school staff. It is not intended as a chat forum, but for information sharing that might be helpful to parents from parents.

By joining the Class WhatsApp group, parents agree to follow the agreed etiquette. There is no obligation for parents to join a Class Whatsapp group as all information is sent directly to parents via N Forma or Seesaw but it is very helpful. 

If parents choose to join a Class WhatsApp group they agree to follow the etiquette below... 

• Always keep to the purpose of the group by only sending messages relevant for the whole group.
• Please don’t use the group to share or discuss non-school related issues.
• Never use a group to berate someone else or air grievances.  If you have an issue please address it one-on-one with Alison Dean
• Switch to private messages if you want to have a one-one-one conversation.
• Be mindful of the time you are sending messages.
• Always use positive, respectful language
• Check the School Newsletter before asking questions
• Check previous posts to see if your question has already been mentioned

Drop off Zones

Whilst we appreciate 85% of our parents do the right thing, follow road rules and are respectful of safety rules put in place, we unfortunately have at least 15% of parents currently putting their needs above the safety of students, other parents and staff. A strong reminder of the following expectations when dropping off your children and using Kiss & Drop/Parking area:

• Use Designated Crossings – Always encourage children to cross at the correct locations, not between cars.
• Stay in Your Vehicle at Kiss & Drop – This area is for quick drop-offs only; if you need to exit your car, use a designated parking space. DO NOT Leave your car unattended.
• Drop off Zone rules - You can only sit there for two minutes.  Parking inspectors may book you if you stay longer.
• Be Patient and Courteous – Avoid cutting in, blocking traffic, or engaging in unsafe driving behaviors. Drive down to the end of the zone so cars are not overtaking.
• Respect Staff and Volunteers – Follow instructions given by school staff assisting with traffic management.
• No Stopping in No Standing Zones – These areas are designed to maintain a smooth flow of traffic and must remain clear.

We acknolwedge that the traffic has been particularly busy recently with the train outage and nearby accidents but please do not risk the safety of your children or others.

New Feature on nForma Parent Portal – Record Absences & Late Arrivals

We are pleased to inform you that the nForma Parent Portal now has the ability for parents to record student absences and late arrivals directly.

To ensure accurate attendance records, we kindly ask all parents to log any absences or late arrivals before 9:00 AM each day via the portal.

This update provides a quick and convenient way to notify the school, helping us streamline our processes and keep student records up to date. Please read the instuctions in the eLearning part of the newsletter.

Thank you for your cooperation in using this new feature.

School Closure Days - Thursday 6 March and Friday 7 March- OSH Club

A reminder that the staff will be participationg in our school Review preparation and professioanl Development next week- Thursday 6 March and Friday 7 March. Students will not be attending school on these days. After recieving feedback we have tried to ensure working familes have care for their children.

• OSH club will be available at  St John's on Thursday.
• OSH Club will be available at Ivanhoe East on Friday.

Please book in this week via OSH club.

Public Holiday Monday 10 March

2025 Camp - Phillip Island- Year 5/6

Thank you to the families who have confirmed their Year 5/6 children's attendance at camp this year. Please note that any cancellations from February 27, 2025, onward will incur the full cost.

If you have decided not to send your child, please talk to them about this as soon as possible, as we will be preparing for and discussing camp during lessons.

We look foward to sharing more information about Phillip Island Adventure camp at our Camp Information Session will be held on March 26th.

Swimming Update

Thank you to Ben Friggi, our PE teacher, Elise Mears, Shane Thompson, Charlie Gravell, and our dedicated families for supporting our Year 3-6 students in competing at the District Swimming Carnival at Northcote Leisure Centre this week. It was a fantastic event, with perfect weather, outstanding sportsmanship, and excellent organisation—well done to all involved!