A message from Emily

Welcome back! 

It brings us immense joy to see our community buzzing with the energy of our returning children and the excitement of new faces joining our vibrant community. As we kick off another fantastic year, I want to take a moment to extend a heartfelt welcome to each and every one of you.

To our returning families, welcome back! Your continued support and dedication to our school community is truly appreciated. We're excited to continue this journey with you and witness the incredible progress and achievements of your children.

To our new families, a special warm welcome! We're delighted to have you join us on this educational journey and we can't wait to get to know each and every one of you. Your presence enriches our community, and we're thrilled to see the positive impact you'll undoubtedly make.

But most importantly, we're thrilled to see the excitement bubbling in the children. Their energy and curiosity is infectious, reminding us of the joy of learning.

As we begin this term, let's embrace each day with open hearts and minds, celebrating the uniqueness of every child and fostering an environment where they can thrive.

We're here for you every step of the way, so please reach out if you need anything. Let's make this year one to remember, filled with laughter, learning, and endless possibilities!

Warm wishes

Emily

Congratulations to our 2024 Year 6 Leaders

School Captains: Pearl, Oliver and Liam

Sports Captains: Sienna, Baydah and Maliko

Social Justice Leaders: Winson, Ruby, Wren (absent) and Audrey

We look forward to seeing the impact you have on our community through these leadership roles. Congratulations to all the children who applied and presented to their peers as part of the selection process. 

Important Notices:

• This Monday 12th February the school is closed to allow for Family Chats. OSHClub is operating for families requiring care on this day. Please make sure you have booked a time with your child's educator. For families who have received plans for their child's management of anaphylaxis, asthma or other health needs, please bring these to the Family Chat to discuss and confirm details of their plan.
   
• Shrove Tuesday 13th February: We will provide the children with a pancake snack Tuesday morning but wouldlove parent volunteers to help our Social Justice Leaders with this. If you are able to help please email Jordan jfry@sjfootscray.catholic.edu.au . We will also do our best to meet the dietary needs of all children with gluten free and vegan options. If you would prefer your child to have a particular type of pancake, we invite you to send this along with your child and they can enjoy it at the same time as their hubs.
   
• School Photos Monday 19th February: Children need to be in their summer uniform. If your child wears only our sports uniform then this needs to be the summer sports uniform (polo t-shirt and shorts/skort).
   
• Welcome Picnic Tuesday 20th February: Families wishing to participate in the smoking ceremony are invited to join us at the Farm just before 5pm. We remind everyone that this is a sacred ceremony. Smoking ceremonies are deeply rooted in Indigenous cultures and traditions. They are performed for various purposes, including welcoming guests, cleansing a space of negative energy, healing and marking significant events. Respect for these traditions acknowledges and honours the cultural heritage and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous peoples who practice them. On our school site, families are invited to set up a rug to enjoy a picnic. We have football clinics happening in the backyard for children to have a go at honing their skills with staff from the Bulldogs. See Family Engagement page for more.
   
• Prep 2025 School Tours begin 4th March. If you have a child due to begin school next year please make sure you complete an Application Form. Please see our school website for more information and links - https://www.sjfootscray.catholic.edu.au/enrolments
   
• Inform and Empower Parent Webinar - 21 March: Raising Kids in a Digital World 2024: Parents are invited to register for to below webinar. I encourage every parent or at least one parent from every familiy to register for this webinar. It will provide you with some fantastic advice on how to navigate the digital world with your child. Here is the link for your parents to register for the webinar: bit.ly/21march2024 See Family Engagement page for more.
   
• School Wellbeing Dog: Luna will be returning to St John's this year. Depending on what's happening on the day, Luna may be at school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Luna will mostly be in the office with me (Emily) and only work with children at planned times. For new families I have linked some information about Luna below that was shared with the community last year. Please contact me via email econroy@sjfootscray.catholic.edu.au if your child has a fear of dogs or you'd prefer that they don't interact with Luna.