Principal's News

Dear Families

We are coming to the end of another busy term and we have achieved so much and have a great deal to be thankful for. The growth in our student learning is remarkable as evidenced by our NAPLAN results in Year 3 and 5, Maths extension results, as well as the many ongoing assessments that we complete every week at school. Congratulations to all of our students!

Other highlights this Term have included:

• Sacrament of Confirmation
• Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Gardent - Year 4's
• Excursions/Incursions
• Global ledership student conference
• School Perfromance
• Better Buddy Day 
• Grandparent's day  and morning tea
• Book week Parade and celebrations
• Father's Day stall and evening
• Learning expos
• Personal development - Puberty Child and Parent evenings
• Parent/Teacher/Student led  Conferences
• Interschool sports
• Footy colours day
• Toastie Day
• 100 Days of Prep
• and the list goes on........

It is fantastic that we are able to offer all of these events and opportunities again for our students and families. I am so blessed to be part of such a supportive and proactive community. Our teachers and staff continue to go above and beyond with all that they do at St John's. Thanks to everyone for helping to make this such an exciting and engaging term. Thank you to our PIC for all of their fundraising, social and outreach for this term. Your contributions to our Community are enormous. Thank you also to the School Advisory Council for your ongoing time and support this term.

Walking the Camino – A Journey of Faith Formation

During the upcoming holidays and the first week of Term 4, I along with other selected Principals in the Eastern Zone will be embarking on a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago. This ancient and spiritual journey, often referred to as "The Way of St. James," is an opportunity for deep personal reflection, growth in faith, and spiritual renewal.

The Camino holds a special place in Christian tradition, and I look forward to embracing its challenges and blessings. Walking this path, surrounded by the beauty of nature and history, offers a unique chance to deepen my connection to God and strengthen my faith. It is a journey not just of miles, but of the heart and spirit.

I look forward to sharing my experiences with the school community upon my return.

Father's Day Get Together

Fun was had by all who attended the Father’s Day get-together. What more could they ask for—parmas, footy, and great company! A big thank you to Mary, Danielle, and their girls for organising the door prizes and the event.

MACSIS Survey:

By now parents should have received an email labelled Family School Improvement Survey.  We urge you to make filling out this survey a top priority as it helps us with making decisions about how we do things at St John's. We use your feedback in all sorts of different ways from the day-to-day running of the school to policy making. The children from Years 4-6 are also taking part as are the staff.  This collective data helps us make informed decisions going forward. 

St John’s Staff Car Park 

Parents / Carers are reminded that the staff car park is not available to parents and carers during drop off and pick up times in light of a safe arrival and departure of students and families. I thank you for placing the safety of our students and families at the centre as you commute around the school grounds.

Class Placement in 2025

Next term is a busy time when staffing, teacher /class allocations and structures / student placements are organised. Class teachers, in consultation with myself, have the responsibility to place students in groupings that best meet their academic, social and emotional needs. The class placement process undertaken by teachers and leadership involves many hours of consideration, keeping in mind our goal of creating classroom environments that are conducive to learning, for all our students. To ensure effective class placements, a number of important factors are considered in grouping the students. These include:

· Students’ learning needs

· Friendship and peer relationships

· Learning/Working relationships

· Behaviour

· Balance of abilities, academic performance and social-emotional capabilities

· Consecutive years with one teacher

· Strengths of one particular teacher in supporting particular needs of students

· Leadership qualities

· Family relationships

· Gender balance

· Information from parents

We respect that you know your children in ways we could not possibly know them. We in turn ask that you trust that your child’s teacher/s also has knowledge about your child’s academic, social, emotional and behavioural needs, which may vary significantly from what you may see in the home setting.

If you would like us to consider additional learning needs for your child (other than the ones listed above), when we group students, please complete the Class Placement Form (available from the school office). Please do not request specific teachers.

It is imperative that this form is returned by this Monday, 14 October, either in an envelope addressed to Principal - Confidential Class Placement 2025 or via email principal@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

Please read our Class Placement Policy. 

New families in Term 4

We are thrilled to welcome six new students to our school for the upcoming term: Alessandra and Ellie in Year 2, Ivy and Nicholas in Year 3, Anika in Year 4, and Astrid in Year 1. We are confident they will be warmly welcomed and will thrive as part of our vibrant learning community.

As our student numbers continue to grow, we are exploring the best ways to support their learning needs. One option we are considering is adding an additional class at the Year 5 level in 2025. This would help us maintain smaller class sizes and ensure each student receives the personalized attention they deserve. This consideration has been discussed with SAC and I will now go to MACS for their recommendations.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Whiting 

We are thrilled to announce that Elizabeth has been accepted into the prestigious Inspired to Lead Formation Program, an enriching 12-day international pilgrimage to Rome, Siena, and Assisi, taking place during the Term 3 school break.

This program, coordinated by the Catholic Mission and Identity team, is designed to support participants in deepening their faith, finding inspiration, and confidently aligning their actions at work with their faith, mission, and Catholic identity. With a focus on both personal and professional development, the journey promises to be an important step in Elizabeth’s ongoing formation.

Please keep Elizabeth in your prayers as she embarks on this remarkable pilgrimage. We look forward to hearing about the experiences and insights she will bring back to our community!

Year 5 Applications for Secondary Schools

All families with children in Year 5 in 2025 should take note of the following timetable for enrolling their child for a catholic secondary school for 2027. It is important that these timelines are followed as you will possibly miss out on a place at your preferred school.

The timeline of events and dates for a Catholic Secondary school enrolments is as follows:

Tuesday 28 January 2025 - Applications for students starting Year 7 in 2027 open

Friday 15 August 2025 - Applications for students close

Friday 29 August 2025 − secondary school principals must exchange their full list of applications, including parish of residence, with neighbouring colleges

Friday 17 October 2025 − offers will be posted to prospective Year 7 applicants

Friday 7 November 2025− parents/carers will be required to accept an offer from a school 

Enjoy the Term break commencing Friday 20 September 1:00pm.

Warm regards

Alison