School Advisory Council 2024

We are looking for some new members for the SAC in 2024. If you would like to know more about the role of the SAC and would be interested please let our Principal, Verona Gridley, know. principal@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au

It is a very important part of the governance of the school and an opportunity to learn more about the running of the school and offer advice on various aspects of the school.

School Advisory Council Meeting Report

Tuesday 5 September

At our meeting on 5 September the SAC was joined by Melinda Buscema, our Religious Education Leader, to share the Pedagogical Framework that we use to teach Religious Education at St Johns. RE is an important area of learning for all of our students.

The SAC members were invited to reflect on:

“Why do you send your child to a Catholic school?”

The discussion and jamboard responses included:

Christian Values, Values, Connection to Community, Connection to Church, Pastoral Care, the opportunity for kids to be part of something bigger than them, to Share our Catholic Faith, to grow the kids knowledge/deepen their faith etc.

Re-contexualisation of RE

Recontextualisation is about making religion relevant for our children today. It puts teachings and traditions into a contemporary context which includes modern art, music, videos and stories.

Peter Mayer song was listened to and discussed, making faith very tangible and easy to understand.

Annual Action Plan goals for RE were noted, included:

Priority 1: Enrich our Catholic Identity

Goal: Foster a catholic community through dialogue and encounter

Areas of RE knowledge development include Scripture & Jesus; Church & Community; God, Religion and Life; Prayer Liturgy & Sacrement; Morality and Justice.

The ways RE is assessed for each student are through their Knowledge and Understanding; Reasoning and Responding; Personal and Community engagement. Teachers use a variety of rubrics, questions, quizzes, mini projects, drawings and written responses to assess the students in these areas.

Planning and Teaching RE at St John's

St John’s RE teaching is very well planned, is something we do really well and is differentiated from other schools.

To assist teachers to plan effective RE lessons, a provocation is presented to staff and they all reflect on this before presenting it to the students.

-Symbols of our faith are kept up to date in the classrooms and around the school, including prayer tables, contemporary crosses, images, bibles and posters.

-Praying at St Johns and Celebrations of Faith and Mission were shared to demonstrate all of the ways we celebrate prayer and our faith at St Johns.

-Imaginative Prayer is used to share stories through imagery and creative responses. This process has been led by Carlie Anderson.

-Father Elio Capra has spoken on RE using modern artworks and contemporay ideas to develop the staff's knowledge and faith.

-Social Justice initiatives over the year have included:

Term 1-Caritas Project

Term 2 - St Vinnies Winter Appeal

Term 3-Catholic Mission Stocktober - mini missions

Term 4 - St Vinnies Christmas Appeal

-Staff are required to undergo TAP (Teaching and Professional Learning) to be accredited to teach RE. This includes 50 hours minimum of professional learning over the year.

Angela McLean - SAC member

Gratitude Column

SAC wishes to acknowledge and thank the phenomenal efforts of our Performing Arts Teacher, Mrs Amanda Hill who did a brillant job in leading and delivering the annual School Production of “The Adventures of Superstan” at the Karalyka centre in Ringwood on Wed 6 September. It was a highly entertaining, colourful, fun and extraordinary performance by all students and fantastic to see such talent in our student population. A big thanks also to all staff for their tireless efforts and commitment in preparing the students for the performance. The SAC offers their thanks and Congratulations to all involved.
SAC wishes to acknowledge and thank the CA for putting together a wonderful Father’s Day breakfast. We see and appreciate all the volunteers who woke up bright and early to prepare a lovely breakfast for the Dads and families in our school community.

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