Dear Families

Welcome back to Term 2.

We hope all families enjoyed a restful break and are feeling refreshed for what promises to be a busy and exciting term ahead. There is much to look forward to, including our Three-Way Conversations, House Athletics Day, Cross Country, Year 5/6 Canberra Camp and an important focus on reporting and writing. We are also excited to begin preparations for our school performance, Paint Outside the Lines, alongside upcoming sacramental celebrations and our ANZAC Day liturgy. It’s shaping up to be a vibrant and engaging term, with many opportunities for our students to learn, grow, and connect.

During the holidays, many of us in our community (Catholic and Orthodox) gathered with family to celebrate Easter. Easter marks the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Through His life, death, and resurrection, believers are given the hope of eternal life. The resurrection reminds us that life is not ended by death, but transformed.

For our students, the Easter message is a reminder of hope, new beginnings, and the power of love. It encourages us to show kindness, forgiveness, and compassion in our daily lives, and to look for ways we can bring light and joy to others. As we begin Term 2, may we carry this message with us in our learning, our friendships, and all that we do as a school community.

Thank you to all the families who attended our Holy Week Liturgy.

ANZAC Day liturgy

God of love and liberty,

We bring our thanks this day for the peace and security we enjoy, which was won for us through the courage and devotion of those who gave their lives in time of war.

We pray that their labour and sacrifice may not be in vain, but that their spirit may live on in us and in generations to come.

That the liberty, truth and justice which they sought to preserve may be seen and known in all the nations upon earth.

We pray in the name of the one who gave his life for the sake of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

In honour of ANZAC Day, our school will be holding a small commemorative paraliturgy on Friday, April 24th at 10:45am. This special event will be led by our dedicated school leaders.

We invite all families to join us in reflecting on the significance of this day and paying our respects to those who have served our nation.

Items are available for purchase at the office to support the ANZAC Appeal. Prices range from $1 - $5.

Celebrating 175 years of St John's

Casual Clothes day

It is party time! The Parish School is turning 175 years old! On Monday, 4 May, we will kick off a year of 175th anniversary celebrations by inviting students to wear a party outfit (casual clothes) to school.

Please bring a gold coin to go to the Church restoration program.

175th Anniversary Mass - 3 May - Archbishop Peter Comensoli will be attending St John's

Archbishop Peter Comensoli will be celebrating Mass with our School Parish community to mark 175 years on Sunday, 3 May at 10:30am, followed by morning tea. This is a wonderful milestone in the life of our school and an opportunity for us to come together in faith, gratitude, and celebration of our rich history.

All families are warmly invited to attend this special Mass, and we are looking for students to sing as part of the celebration. If your child is interested, please let Alison know.

175 years Anniversary Gala Dinner Dance

Some families have asked whether the 175-year celebration includes both the school and the parish. It certainly does! We would love for you all to take part in the 175-year Gala Ball.

The celebration will take place on Friday, 29 May 2026 from 7:00pm – 10:30pm in the Great Hall at The Centre Ivanhoe (275 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe). This special evening will be a wonderful opportunity for parishioners, school families and friends of the parish to gather together, celebrate our shared history and give thanks for the vibrant faith community that has grown over the past 175 years.

Guests will enjoy a three-course meal with drinks. The dress code is Gala Dinner attire, making it a festive and elegant evening for all who attend.

Tickets are $150 per person and bookings can be made via TryBooking.

Wendy Hernandez, one of our parents, has kindly offered to help organise school tables. Please see the office for more details or phone her on 0423 153 310.

AUCTION ITEMS WANTED for Dinner Dance

We would appreciate any auction items you would like to donate with all funds raised going towards our church restoration fund.

We will have a few major items that will be Auctioned and other items will be listed for silent auction (written bidding on a list) on the night. We have Fr Geo donating dinner for four - a homecooked meal by him in the new parish kitchen! Perhaps you have a holiday house and you can giveus a weekend at your holiday house to auction.

Auction items must be new and of good value e.g. - a signed footy jumper or signed memorabilia that is valuable, vouchers for services or goods, new boxed wine glasses, wine, spirits, luxury goods, pamper packages, golf voucher, movie tickets, designer apparel etc.

Please drop your auction item/donation at the parish house or ring Wendy (school parent) 0423 153 310. We can also arrange pick up if required.

St John’s Cross Country - Heidelberg Park

We’re excited to confirm that our annual Cross Country event has been rescheduled to Thursday, 30 April at Heidelberg Park.

This is a fantastic event that encourages participation, perseverance, and school spirit. All Year 3-6 students will take part in age-appropriate races, with distances varying across year levels. Families are warmly invited to come along, support the students, and enjoy the positive atmosphere.

Event details:

Location: Heidelberg Park
Date: Thursday, 30 April
Students will walk to and from the venue during school hours
Students are encouraged to wear their house colours and bring a water bottle

Further information, including the event schedule and volunteer opportunities, will be shared closer to the date. We would love your help on this day.

Those students who are selected from this event to compete in the IDSSA District Cross Country will be required to attend on Friday 15th May. Families will need to make their own arrangements to transport their child to and from this event.

House Athletics Day - Keep this date free!

We will be holding our Annual House Athletics day on Wednesday 6th May at the Tom Kelly Athletics Track, Doncaster East.

It is a wonderful day for all students. Last year we introduced an arrangement where all students from Prep to Year 6 attended, and it was a great success.

Year 3-6 will attend the full day, while Prep - Year 2 will attend from 10:30 - 1:30pm.

This fun day can only be successful if we have sufficient parent volunteers to support the event. If you are able to assist and help with this event, please contact Ben Friggi at bfriggi@sjhedleberg.catholic.edu.au. Any support, no matter how big or small, would be greatly appreciated.

Don't forget to get your child's house colour outfits ready - House colour t-shirt and accessories!

Winter Uniforms:

Students will gradually shift into their Winter uniforms this term, with the expectation that all students will be fully attired in Winter uniforms by Monday, 4 May.

As part of our commitment to sun safety, students are reminded to wear sun hats and apply sunscreen until the end of April.

Ways we keep parents informed about their child's learning

Term overviews - Prep- Year 6

Term overviews will be distributed in Week Two via nForma / Seesaw. These documents outline what your child will be learning in Term Two across all curriculum and specialist areas.

They will also provide information about home learning, including expectations, tasks, and ways families can support learning at home. This ensures parents and carers are informed and able to reinforce key concepts beyond the classroom.

We encourage families to read these carefully and keep them for reference throughout the term.

Three Way conversations - Term 2

As part of our reporting procedures the Three-Way Conversations will be held on 23 and 24 June (Week 10). Please note that school will finish at 1:00pm on Tuesday 23 June to allow teachers to meet with individual students and families.

Classes 1D and 2C will hold their Three-Way Conversations in Week 8, as their teachers will be away during the scheduled Week 10 times. Booking details will be provided closer to the date.

Following feedback from parents last year, many families expressed a preference for the opportunity to speak with teachers about their child’s progress, with the option of not having their child present. In response, we will again prepare students to share a piece of their learning with you. However, if you choose to attend an adult-only meeting, your child will bring their work home to discuss with you afterwards.

Safety at St John's

While completing the school tours I often get questions around behaviour management and safety. So I thought I would share what the school has been doing to support your child's safety, both in the classroom and outside in the playground.

One of our 2026 focus areas is Student Engagement, and it is vital that all students feel safe, supported, and included both in the classroom and out in the yard.

Over the past year, staff have been consistently monitoring and recording student behaviour and inputting this data into a PBL portal. We are pleased to see that the number of major and minor incidents occurring in the playground has significantly decreased, reflecting the positive impact of our proactive approach.

To further strengthen student safety, we have increased staff presence during yard duty, ensuring better supervision and quicker responses to any concerns. Staff are also actively engaging with students during break times, promoting positive play, encouraging inclusion, and helping to build respectful relationships.

In addition, we have been reinforcing clear expectations for behaviour in the playground and explicitly teaching students strategies for conflict resolution and safe play. These efforts are helping to create a more positive and supportive environment for all.

We will continue to monitor our data, listen to student voice, and refine our practices to ensure that every child feels safe, confident and ready to learn.

Expert parents/carers/grandparents needed

In our Knowledge Rich curriculum, we are always looking for parents and carers who are willing to share their expertise and experiences with our students. Real-world knowledge and perspectives greatly enrich our learning programs and help bring topics to life.

Below is a list of what each year level will be learning about this term. If you think you have relevant knowledge, skills, or experiences that connect to any of these topics, we would love to hear from you.

Your involvement could include speaking to a class, sharing resources, or supporting learning in other meaningful ways. Please contact the school if you are interested in contributing.

Prep – Families and their traditions. If you cook special treats or pata suace you may like to shar ethat wiht the class.

Year One/Two – Mind, Body and Soul. If you are a health practitioner, yoga or Pilates instructor, or work in a wellbeing-related field, our students would love to hear from you.

Year Three/Four – Key Features of the Environment and First Nations Education. If you work in, or have an interest in, conservation, environmental studies, or have experience working with First Nations communities, we would love for you to speak with our students.

Year Five/Six – Government, Democracy, and Australia’s History (Civics and Citizenship) If you work within Australia’s political or legal systems, or have relevant knowledge in these areas, we would welcome your involvement.

School performance - 13/14 August - important information

We’re excited to let you know that auditions for our upcoming school performance will begin in the next couple of weeks.

This is always a special time for our students to explore their creativity and build confidence, and we encourage everyone who is interested to get involved. To help make the experience as positive and successful as possible for all students, we kindly ask families to consider any planned travel.

If your child will be away on a family holiday between Week 6 of Term 2 and Week 5 of Term 3, they won’t be able to audition for a main role. As you would understand lead roles require consistent attendance at rehearsals during this time, as students work closely together to learn lines, develop scenes, and build the performance as a team. Missing these key rehearsals can be challenging for both the individual student and the group.

We completely understand that family time is important, and there will still be opportunities for students to be involved in other ways. Thank you for your support and understanding as we work together to create a rewarding experience for everyon

Feedback - SAC

Feedback about how we do things at St John's is always welcome.

Please provide feedback to myself - principal@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au or email a SAC member up until 15 June.

Prep - Leon Stavrou - prepsac@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

Junior - Aidan Depetro - year12sac@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

Middle - Mel Mahady - year34sac@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

Senior - Mary Molloy - year56sac@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

Additional Parish School members - parishrepsac@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

Laurette Kairouz, Wendy Hernandez

Recent building works

Over the past month, we have been renovating the area near the planning room following flooding caused by the toilets last year. The works are progressing well, and we are very pleased with the outcome so far.

The renovation will provide an updated intervention and meeting room for students and families, as well as a communal office space for staff.

We are also rearranging teacher resources to create a larger, more functional space for our students to use as part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.

I would like to thank NOVCON Builders and John, our “maintenance man,” for their work over the holidays. I will continue to keep you updated on the progress.

Library closed for the next three weeks

Due to renovations happening, our Library will be closed for the next couple of weeks to ensure the safety of all.

Upcoming Mother's / Special Person events

Please go to the PIC page for more information

Sports News

Ben Friggi - Physical Education Teacher & Head of Sport