'A Welcoming Community Leading the Future of Learning with Faith and Love'

A Message from the Principal

Excitement is building this week for the St John's Mitcham Community Fete. This Saturday is set to be the biggest community event for the year. With the support of many parishioners and the wider community we will all be a part of a very memorable day, full of fun, laughter, entertainment, a variety of stalls, rides and food. It is a good time to make new friends as you volunteer on stalls together and a time to catch up with old friends too.

Thank-you to the many families who have signed up to volunteer on the stalls or who have been working behind the scenes to prepare items to sell or to coordinate stalls and other activities.

Our Prep Transitions commenced last week. It was so lovely to see the enthusiasm and confidence that they all have. I have also been visiting the new Preps at their various Kindergartens. It is such a delight to see their smiling faces as I enter and how much they enjoy sharing their favourite activities with me. This Wednesday will be the second transition session when they will all meet their Year 5 Buddies.

Last week, our Maths Leader, Rhett Masters and I attended a MACS briefing explaining a new Maths initiative for 2024 called TIMS: Teaching for Impact in Mathematics Series for which we have registered. This initiative commences with a focus on Prep - Year Two maths learning and then will extend across all levels within the school. It is based on a new Maths resource - Ochre. We look forward to sharing our new professional maths learning with you next year.

Child Safety

We have observed some parents parking unsafely at the front of the school in the Kiss and Drop area.

Please do not leave your car unattended in this area.

It is designed to drop off your child and then move on, to avoid congestion at the front of the school.

If you want to walk your child in to school please park in the school grounds, driving in via Elizabeth Street.

Thank-you for your cooperation with this and for helping to keep all of our families and children safe.

Fete Updates

Raffle Tickets

All Raffle Tickets are due back at school by this Thursday. Thank-you to all of the Families who have already returned their tickets. You were all entered into our second incentive prize draw and the Vo family were the lucky winners of the $50 Nero's Voucher.

All Raffle Tickets must be returned either sold or unsold. Thank-you for your support with selling your tickets to family and friends and returning them to school. Remember the school gets 50% of all ticket sales from St John's School families.

Tickets can also be returned on the day of the fete.

Wrist Bands for Rides

Pre-purchasing your wrist bands for the rides at the Fete is a great way to save money and keep the children entertained all day. Wrist bands need to be purchased online. They are $40- each and will give children access to all rides, including the Animal farm and a free sausage in bread plus a free drink.

See further details on the Fete page of this newsletter regarding the Early Bird Sale of the wrist bands. Students will be able to collect their wrist bands later this week from the school office.

Chocolate Block Donations

Thank-you to all of the families for your generosity in donating many blocks of chocolate for our stall at the fete. There is still time to send in more chocolate this week if you haven't already done so.

School Closure Day This Friday - Reminder

There will be a school closure day this Friday, 17 November. It will be the day before the Fete, as we need to be off site while the Fete is being set-up. The staff will be working off-site and will be participating in Professional Learning in Wellbeing and Positive Behaviours.

Science Joke of the Week

Q. How much room does a fungus need to grow?

A. As mushroom as possible.

Have a great week and I look forward to seeing you all at the FETE this Saturday.

Verona Gridley

Principal

vgridley@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au

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