From the Principal

St Justin’s Primary School acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia's First People and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which our school stands.

We pay our respects to the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, and their elders past and present, and emerging as we continue to proudly live and learn on their land.

St Justin's Primary School - Celebrating over 40 years of Catholic Education

Dear Families and Friends,

Ash Wednesday - 18th February

Next Wednesday we celebrate Ash Wednesday. Year 4 and Year 5 students will attend our

9:15 am Parish Mass and Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 students will participate in a liturgy in their classrooms on this day. Our Year 6 students are away on camp and will participate in a liturgy whilst on camp. Due to our Prep students being away Wednesday, they will have their Liturgy for Ash Wednesday on Thursday.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which lasts for six weeks. We call it Ash Wednesday because many, many Christians around the world receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads. Ashes are a sign of sorrow and repentance and Christians have used this sign for hundreds of years. This cross of ashes tells our friends and neighboursthat we are not perfect, and that we know we are not perfect.

It also reminds us that we are followers of Jesus and that we believe God is always with us. We can be hope-filled people who encourage, inspire and support others by being optimistic and cheerful whilst acknowledging that life is difficult for so many people in our country and in our world. May we shine out our hope for all to see.

At St Justin’s, during Lent, the teachers will refer to the Caritas Australia website. Information from the site will help the children gain a greater insight into how the Catholic Church is living out its Lenten season through the many charitable works that strive to bring about change for those living in unjust and impoverished situations.

Children are also encouraged to give up some of their pocket money or do jobs around the house for a small payment and put it in the Project Compassion boxes in each of the classrooms. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful gesture, if by the end of Lent, we had a healthy amount of money to donate to Caritas Australia? Please encourage your children to be generous and think of others less fortunate than themselves. Part of the nightly prayer before the family meal during Lent could be a quiet moment of reflection on this theme.

Ash Wednesday Prayer - Education in Faith page

Shrove Tuesday - 17th February

Shrove Tuesday is part of the Christian liturgical calendar, always falling 47 days before Easter Sunday. Historically, it was the final day for Christians to receive absolution for their sins through confession (being "shriven") before Lent. The tradition of eating pancakes arose as a way to use up dairy products, fats, and eggs, which were traditionally forbidden during the 40-day Lenten fast. Pancakes served as a convenient, quick meal to clear the pantry.

To celebrate this day, the P&F will be providing a pancake snack to all children at the school. There will be no cost to you however please ensure you look out for the notice in nForma with regards to ingredients for items offered. Consent will be needed (via nForma) so the pancakes can be enjoyed on the day.

Thanks to the P&F, including all our volunteers.

Important Dates

Whilst we have most dates in the calendar, some dates include:

Monday 16th February - Year 4 Assembly 2:40pm
Mon 16th – Wed 18th February - Year 6 Portsea Camp
Tuesday 17th February - Shrove Tuesday - P&F Pancake Snack
Wednesday 18th February - Ash Wednesday Mass (Yrs 3-5) - Liturgy (Yrs 1, 2 & 3)
Wednesday 18th February - No School For Foundation Students
Thursday 19th February - Year 6 Students No School - Inform & Empower Webinar Parent Night - 7:30 – 9:00pm
Friday 20th February - Year 5/6 Guest Speaker: Carina Garland MP
Friday 20th February - Year 5/6 Summer Sport Training 2:30 – 3:30pm

Please refer to Dates Ahead for a full list of important dates in Term 1

Existing Families - Enrolment for 2027

We are in the process of preparing our enrolments for 2027

Application are nowonline. If any current school families require an enrolment application for 2027 click on the link below:

https://www.sjwheelershill.catholic.edu.au/enrolments

Click on "Apply Now"

We would like these applications completed by Friday, March 20th 2026 so we have an idea of our numbers for 2027 before we offer places to new families.

Celebrating Love and Kindness on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is often thought of as a day for couples, but its true meaning goes far beyond that. At St Justin's, we see Valentine’s Day as a wonderful opportunity to celebrate love in all its forms – love for our family, friends, classmates, teachers, and even the wider community.

St. Valentine, for whom the day is named, was known for his kindness, compassion, and care for others. His legacy reminds us that love is not just about romance but about showing kindness, respect, and gratitude to those around us. In our Catholic faith, we are called to love one another as Jesus loves us, treating everyone with kindness and generosity.

This Valentine’s Day, we are all encouraged to think about the different ways we can share love and kindness. A simple smile, a kind word, a helping hand, or a thoughtful note can brighten someone’s day. Whether it’s thanking someone, talking someone new, or helping a friend, small acts of love can make a big difference.

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, let us remember that love is a gift meant to be shared with everyone. May our school community continue to be a place of kindness, friendship, and faith, where love is expressed in the way we treat one another every day.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Volunteering

Last week at our Parent Information Night, we talked about the importance of volunteering. At St Justin's, we love volunteers, but it’s not just about helping us and been a good role model for your child / children. Volunteering significantly boosts mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression while increasing life satisfaction, self-esteem, and happiness. It fosters social connections that combat loneliness and provides a sense of purpose. The "helper's high" effect releases feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine and endorphins.

At enrolment, everyone is informed that there is an expectation to “be involved” - that this is not a school where you can drop off in the morning and pick in the afternoon, leaving all duties and responsibility with the school. Families are informed that there is an expectation that parents have their working with children checks and apply to be a volunteer at St Justin's (you never know when an opportunity comes along for you to help out).

At this stage, we are pleased to announce that we have over 200 registered volunteers for our school, which means we are almost half way there

Year 6 Camp

Next week our Year 6 students will attend camp at Portsea. The camp provides our students with the opportunity to further their learning and social skills development in a non-school setting. We wish them all the best and trust that our Year 5 students will confidently lead our school in their absence. As Mr T will be attending the camp, Mrs Snell, as always, will keep a loving eye on the place.

Inform & Empower Webinar

We warmly invite you to join our upcoming parent webinar, Raising Kids in a Digital World, on Thursday 19th February at 7:30pm.

Many parents describe raising children in today’s digital environment as challenging, overwhelming, confusing and even frightening. The rapid pace of technological change can leave families unsure of how best to support their children online. As technology continues to shape our children’s learning, communication and social lives, it is more important than ever for families to feel informed, confident and supported.

This session has been specifically designed to provide clear, practical and up-to-date guidance to help parents feel more confident and equipped in navigating the digital landscape. It will offer relevant information and strategies to support children in developing healthier and safer online habits, including how to:

Understand the digital environments your children are navigating
Support safe and responsible technology use at home
Strengthen digital wellbeing and online decision-making
Build consistent expectations between school and home

Even for those who have previously attended similar sessions, the constantly evolving nature of the digital world means that current insights are essential. Staying informed empowers parents to actively and confidently guide their children’s online experiences.

Working together as a school community ensures we are proactive rather than reactive when it comes to digital safety and wellbeing. Your involvement plays a vital role in helping our students develop healthy, balanced and informed digital habits.

DATE: Thursday 19 February 7:30pm

Please register using the link below:

https://event.webinarjam.com/z3w5x/register/7qxm9szy

Once parents register, they will be emailed a link to the webinar, reminder emails and a link to the replay. Therefore, we recommend that even if parents are unable to attend the live webinar, they register to ensure they can access the replay.

We strongly encourage all families to take advantage of this valuable opportunity.

Kind regards,

Laura WegmannDigital Technologies Leader

St Justin’s Primary School

Parents and Friends Meeting

Last Tuesday we had our first Parents and Friends meeting for the year which was a great success, thank you to all who were able to attend: Kane, Gillian, Adam, Alexis, Josh, Tammy, Amela, Monita, Talar, Meg, Gillian, Fabiola, Sam, Chrisi, Helen and Melinda- we appreciate your time and support and cannot wait to see many more of you throughout the year.

NEXT MEETING DATE - Friday13th March- 9.10am @ Staff Room

Please note, we will have zoom meeting links moving forward for those who wish to attend but cannot make it in person

Kiosk Friday

Kiosk Friday is back for 2026!

School Car Parking - School Gates

We have become increasingly concerned about the number of families still dropping off and/or picking up in the staff / church carpark. As a result, we have decided close the gate most mornings and afternoons (being mindful that the driveway is also used by parishioners). This is not just about safety, it's also about fairness and equity to all. If you have any issues, please speak to Mr T. The school number is on the gate if you need to ring.

School Fees and Year 6 Camp Levy

School Fees will be issued to all families within the next fortnight, this is due to a delay and waiting on some support before issuing fee statement to families. Thank you for your understanding.

Please refer to Fees and Levies and Year 6 families please note that the minimum of $460 (Camp Levy) must be paid off your child's school fees prior to your child attending Camp at Portsea.

Sacrament Dates 2025

Please refer to Education in Faith for 2026 Sacrament Dates.

Camps Sports and Excursions Fund

As always, thank you for your ongoing support.

All the best,

Pat

Mr Patrick Torpey

Principal