Community, Culture and Faith

Ambulance Victoria Visit

Students were delighted when members of Ambulance Victoria arrived to teach them about the importance of calling an ambulance in the event of an emergency.  Students identified emergencies such as seizures, broken bones, vehicle accidents, burns, lots and lots of blood.  Small cuts, bruised or twisted knee and colds are not emergencies.  Students learned the Call. Push. Shock system of treating someone who was not conscious and not breathing in a regular way.  They soon worked out that this is infact hard work to keep pushing on someones chest to give the best chance of survival.

"My favourite thing was actually practising CPR on pillows and flipping people on their side to the recovery position so they don't choke on their vomit" - Raiden

"When we had to do CPR on the dummy we learned to do it and it was quite hard. If you are working on a baby two fingers, 10 year old - one hand and an adult you would use two hands" - Isaac

"I liked that they explained in context and that we got to use CPR on the heart squishies to know how it could feel.  I know that it is important to know my address and any features of my house that wuld help the ambulance get there quickly.  If I had an animal I would put it outside or in a bedroom and also make sure that the front door was open" - Emily

FIRE commissioning ceremony

Our annual FIRE commissioning Ceremony was held last month with our cluster schools at John Paul College.  Once again we commissioned many students into the program which is a testament to the strength of the program within our school.  Our program is so strong that this year we have had to create leaders, Celine and Harry, to help organise the structure of the group.

"On the day we got to sit with other schools for the Smoking Ceremony where the Bunurong men explained the leaves that are used in the smoking ceremony.  The leaves were for healing and cleansing.  He also played the yidaki (didgeridoo). The new FIRE carriers were commissioned with the words Spirit of the Fire to remind us to be strong.  We put our badges on and then created a cross to decorate with aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colours.  I wrote that F=Fire, I=Igniting R=reconciliation through E=Education and put a flame on it.  We then went on a bush walk learning about the bushes while Ms Patton told us about the way aboriginal people used them.  We made a native bracelet which was cool." - Noah S

WALK for WATER

This Lent we are taking action to support people in the Pacific region without clean water.  Each recess students and staff are invited to meander around the school boundary contemplating the needs of others and the small part we play in helping out.  As we move around the school paths we stop to pray a 'Hail Mary' and then walk to the Church grotto. There, we think about all those who have gone to heaven and walk and say a silent 'Our Father'.  On some days we will walk with buckets of water to remind us how fortunate we are to simply turn a tap on to get our clean and sanitised water.

Our Project Compassion boxes in the classroom provide an opportunity for students to bring in money to financially support those in need.

St John's has also signed up for 'online' donations - our goal is $200.  The QR code is on the posters around the school and this is the link.  

https://fundraise.projectcompassion.org.au/st-johns-east-frankston

Thank you to our stewardship leaders, Eddie and Joy, who have helped organise these activities.

Andrew Chinn

We are so excited to welcome Andrew Chinn back to St John's on Monday 17th March (St Patrick's Day! He brings joy and laughter whilst students sing and dance to his beautifully crafted liturgical songs. This year all students will attend workshops with Andrew in the hall.  Our choir students will also attend a special workshop with him as they prepare to lead the culmination of the days work in the church at 2:15pm.

We will be celebrating St Patrick's Day and Harmony day on this day too. Students are invited to wear green (St Patrick), or orange (Harmony Day colours) or wear traditional/cultural dress.

Everyone is invited to experience the crescendo and buzz of the day at the full school concert.  This will be followed by short 15 minute prayer service on the peace garden where we will celebrate St Patrick's Day and Harmony day led by our MacLellan house leaders - Zach and Marni.