General Information

FAREWELL & RETIREMENT

After over 40 years of dedicated service in Catholic Education, we bid a heartfelt farewell to our wonderful art teacher, Ms Anne Cook.  Anne began her teaching career in 1980 at one of our Parish schools, St Andrew’s Primary School in Werribee and has come full circle to finish her teaching life at St John’s.  Her passion for creativity and commitment to nurturing all those she has taught, have left an indelible mark on generations of students.  Anne’s art lessons have inspired the students to see beauty in the world and in themselves. As she begins her well-earned retirement, we thank her for the joy, wisdom and grace she has brought to not only St John’s but to all the schools she has been part of over her long career. May her next chapter be as ‘colourful’ and fulfilling as her teaching career.

BIZARRE BAZAAR DAY

Students are reminded to bring in some gold coins tomorrow to buy products made by our Year 6 Students.  The seniors have spent the term developing, costing and creating a range of products and interactive games for students to play or buy.  All profits from these sales will be given to a Catholic Aid Agency.  

The seniors’ Bizarre Bazaar Stall is tomorrow, Wednesday 17th September.  Each class will visit the stalls and have an opportunity to purchase some unique homemade products.  Scroll through the pictures below to see some of the items that will be for sale.  

CONGRATULATIONS MACKENZIE

Congratulations to Mackenzie from Year 6 who will be performing at the Wyndham Cultural Centre on October 11th and 12th.  Mackenzie is a main part of the cast performing a stage adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Click on the QR Code on the flyer below for ticket details.

IMPORTANT CAMP INFORMATION 

Last week Year 5 & 6 families received a note with important information about next term’s camp.  A summary of this information is below:

Camp Details

When: Wednesday 8th of October - Thursday 9th of October

Where: CYC City Camp (538 Collins Street, Melbourne)

Drop off information

Arrive at the Tarneit Train Station by 9:40am on Wednesday 8th October.  Teachers will meet students on the north side of the station (side furthest away from the shopping centre), they will be wearing  fluro vests.  No myki cards are required.

Pick up information 

Students will arrive home on Thursday 9th October at 2:17pm.   Pick Up will be on the same side of the station as drop off.

Medications

If your child takes daily prescribed medication, please drop the medication off at the front office prior to camp, on Monday, 6th October  or Tuesday 7th October.

Packing Guide

You DO NOT need any bedding, towels, pillows - these are supplied by CYC

Clearly label all personal belongings and please note NO phones, electronic devices or money is required.

SMALL OVERNIGHT BAG such as a small carry-on size suitcase or duffle bag should include: 

• Rain coat & comfortable shoes for city walking 
• Change of clothing for Day 2
• Sleepwear such as PJs 
• Toiletries – please do not bring aerosols (deodorants, hairsprays, etc) as they can trigger the smoke detectors and evacuation alarm system  
• Can pack extra snacks including candy/lollies in moderation

BACKPACK A small backpack is needed to carry things around during the day. This can be the St John school bag or another small backpack and should include:

• Packed Lunch and snacks for Day One
• Water Bottle 

2026 CLASS GROUPING REQUESTS

Early in Term 4 staff will begin the process of allocating students to a class for 2026.  This is always complex with many factors coming into play and decisions are never made lightly.  If you feel you have information which would assist us when planning class groupings for next year, please note that all requests must be in writing to the Principal by Friday 17th October.  Parents are reminded that they are unable to request a specific teacher for their child.  While all submissions will be considered, families need to be aware we cannot guarantee we will be able to accommodate your request. 

2026 ENROLMENT INTENTIONS

Planning for the 2026 school year has begun and this process is quite complex and reliant on accurate and up to date information.  Families will have received an Operoo Notification during August regarding your child’s re enrolment for next year.  Please ensure you have completed the attached survey by Friday 19th September.  We ask any families who are considering moving house or changing their child’s school in 2026, to contact the office.  Please be assured that should your plans change, it will in no way affect your child’s placement for next year.   

FREE CRICKET CLINICS PREP-YEAR 2 STUDENTS

During Term 4 we will be running the “Woolworths Cricket Blast Program” from 3:20-4:20pm, on the St John the Apostle School Grounds.    The program is free to all participants.  These 1hour sessions will run over 4 Tuesdays and parents must collect their child at 4:20pm.  The dates of the sessions are:  

• Tuesday 11th November 
• Tuesday 18th November 
• Tuesday 25th November 
• Tuesday 2nd December 

The program will be delivered by our experienced staff at Cricket Victoria and supported by a local cricket club to provide the opportunity for the participants to continue playing cricket.   Each participant receives a Woolworths Cricket Blast pack that contains a shirt and a hat.  

Families will need to register using the QR code located on the image below:

SWIMMING PROGRAM

Our Year 3s & 4s attended their Water Safety and Swimming Program last week. This program is an important aspect of the students being able to develop an awareness of water safety and an ability to manage themselves in a variety of aqua environments.   All groups had a very successful but tiring week at the pool.

LITTLE ATHLETICS TRIAL DAY

Please see the flyer below for information on the Werribee Little Athletics upcoming 'Trial Day':

FATHER’S DAY STALL

The St John’s Father’s Day Stall was held on Friday 5th September.  A big thanks to our Parents and Friends who purchased and packed all the gifts for the stall and thanks also to our Year 6s who helped out on the day.  The students had a great deal of joy selecting a special gift for their dad.

CHILD SAFETY 

As part of our commitment to online safety, St John’s works in partnership with Linewize. This platform helps students and families to develop better digital habits, while also monitoring and tracking digital usages.  Families have access to free parental control tools to help keep children safe while using their personal devices.  We also have our own Online Safety Parent Hub.  The Parent Hub provides a wealth of online safety resources; such as digital parenting guides, app reviews and articles, developed by a team of leading digital safety and wellbeing experts.  Below are some safety tips for the upcoming school holidays:

Seat Belts

Seat belts significantly reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury in a crash.  In Victoria drivers are legally responsible for all passengers and can be fined if restraints are not used. Seat belts save lives and ensure occupants of the car are in the correct position if the airbags are deployed. 

Pedestrian Safety 

Young children need adult help in the road environment and regular opportunities to develop and practise skills together with adults.  Children learn road safety habits by watching and copying others, so set a good example.  Talk with your child about roads, signs, traffic, and how and where to cross the road safely. 

Bike Safety

In Victoria, it is compulsory for adults and children to wear an approved Australian Standards helmet while riding a bicycle.  Make sure you choose the right helmet for your child and that it is fitted correctly.  Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 60 to 90%.

ASSEMBLY LIVE STREAM  

Each Friday the students gather for a whole school assembly in the Hall.  This event is usually streamed to our Vimeo channel.  Families can view the assembly by clicking on the link which is emailed via email using your Operoo profile. The email only goes to those parents who have “receive correspondence” checked in their settings.