Dear St John's Community,

Did someone say it's the end of Week 7? I'm not quite sure where week 6 went! We are literally steamrolling into the end of the year and there's still so much to do!

First things first, as teachers are working towards finalising end-of-year reports we start looking at classes for next year. I do prefer to try and have straight grades where we can but the way numbers are next year we will be having composites to keep class sizes balanced across the school.

While we have not finalised teachers for next year apart from prep, I can let you know the finalised class structures for 2024.

2x Prep - Ms Lyn Hoysted, Miss Katie Salmon

3x Grade 1/2

3x Grade 3/4

4x Grade 5/6

It is wonderful to note that we have a bumper crop of new preps coming next year. This is great to see because we are in a school zone that has not seen a lot of new families moving into the area until the last twelve months with the growth of the hospital in Frankston. We look forward to welcoming those new families and fresh faces over the next few weeks of transitions.

Friday week - 24th November. The cost is $5 which includes: entry, a glow stick and an icy pole on departure.

Session 1: 4.30pm - 5.45pm - Toddlers, Pre-preps & Preps - 2

(Parents are asked to remain in the hall to supervise any toddlers or pre-preps)

Session 2: 6.00pm - 7.15pm - Grades 3-6

Please purchase your tickets with Trybooking and put your child's or children's First Names and Last Name into the booking form window (not your own name). Trybooking Link

EMS Drill

Just want to let parents know that on this coming Monday, we will be running another Emergency Management Systems drill at the school. We are obligated to run at least one emergency drill each term.

Bush Christmas 2024

Monday 11th December - 5.30-7.30pm

This year our end-of-year carols night will have a Bush Christmas theme. The dance floor will be set and the foot-stomping ready to go.

There will be several food vans available, children's art on display throughout the school, a Christmas Photo Booth and of course carols and bush dances! Maybe a raffle or two as well!

Peace in the Middle East

In all the excitement of the final stages of the school year, it is easy to forget that there are people in parts of the world who cannot look forward to anything beyond surviving the next 24 hours. Nor that there are people in our own country who are hurting.

Melbourne Archbishop Comensoli has been greatly worried about the situation in the Middle East and particularly the antisemitism that has arisen from it. We have been asked to pass his letter out to everyone in our community.

Together we can pray:

Lord Jesus Christ,

The Holy Land is once again struck by violence, hatred, and death.

Lord, look with mercy upon the land that was your earthly home.

Receive the deceased into your presence. Comfort those who mourn, are wounded, or forced to flee.

Be close to all who are full of fear and despair.

You are our peace and the light of the nations.

Help us put an end to the spiral of terror and suffering in the Holy Land and in the whole Middle East!

Let peace and justice flourish at the holy sites. You are our refuge. Let the people be safe in your Love.

Have mercy on us and on our time.

Amen.

Q. What's black and white and eats like a horse?

A. A zebra

Q. What's a horse's favourite TV show?

A. Neighbours of course

Q. Some racehorses are in the stables waiting for the Melbourne Cup race to start and one of them starts to boast about his records. “In the last 15 races, I’ve won eight of them!”

Another horse says: “Well in the last 27 races, I’ve won 19!”

“Oh that’s good, but in the last 36 races, I’ve won 28!” says another.

At this point, the horses notice a greyhound, who has been sitting there listening. “I don’t mean to boast,” says the greyhound, “but in my last 90 races, I’ve won 88 of them!”

The horses are clearly amazed.

“Wow!” says one, after a hushed silence. “A talking dog!”

Keep on keeping on and... 'ave a great weekend!

Kind regards,

Derek Bruitzman

Principal

School Website

Uniform changes 2024

For those who missed it last time!

Agreement has been reached in adding an option for a St John's Beanie, a spray jacket (lightweight raincoat) and a heavier softshell jacket. These will not replace anything, they will just be available for those people who want them.

We've also agreed to remove the idea of a summer/winter uniform/sports uniform and simplified it to School Uniform / Sports Uniform. There are no 'changes' to the uniform beyond making the items above available to purchase.

Sunsmart school hats are still required for playtimes in Term 1 and 4 but beanies can be worn anytime outside those times.

This is what the structure will look like for 2024:

Cybersafety

St John's Online Safety Hub

Marty's Cybersafety: Parent Toolkit

Chromebooks