A message from Emily

Dear parents and carers,

As we approach the end of term one it's lovely to reflect and share what has been happening at St John's this forntight.

Learning Conversations

Our Learning Conversations are fast approaching! All families should have received an email last week inviting them to book a session for Monday, 30th March. You can book your time slot via your child’s profile on PAM/Simon Everywhere.

Shaping Our School Culture: Your Input Valued

As part of our ongoing focus on Social & Emotional Learning and Wellbeing, St John’s is defining the specific expectations and behaviours that enhance successful learning. Our goal is to ensure every child feels connected, safe, and empowered to thrive.

We want to hear from you! If you are onsite for Learning Conversations on Monday, 30th March, we invite you to share your views at our feedback station. This will be located in Joan’s Yard (weather permitting) or in the Library. Following this, we will share these ideas via a Google Form so the broader community can help select the most relevant priorities. This process involves input from our staff, children, and families alike.

NAPLAN Update

As of today, all children in Years 3 and 5 have completed their NAPLAN assessments for 2026. We are incredibly proud of the calm, determined way they approached these tests—giving their best effort is all we ever ask.

Regarding results: Last year, individual student reports arrived in late July. I will send an email as soon as they arrive at the school so you know to check your child’s bag on the day they are sent home.

Catholic Education Week & Harmony Day

This week we celebrate Catholic Education Week. The 2026 theme is 'Christ beside me: Walking in the footsteps of Saint Patrick.' This is a wonderful opportunity for schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne to celebrate our identity and the vital role we play in our local communities.

This year’s theme highlights the legacy of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of our local Church. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral serves as a reminder of the faith and courage brought to Australia by generations of migrants.

This links beautifully with our Harmony Day celebrations. It was wonderful to see so many children wearing a splash of orange or traditional cultural dress to promote the message that everyone belongs at St John’s.

Tomorrow, I will be joined by some of our Year 6 leaders to attend Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, followed by a celebration in the Treasury Gardens to mark the conclusion of Catholic Education Week. We look forward to representing our school at this special event.

St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer 

Emergency Preparedness: Evacuation Drill

Yesterday, we conducted a supervised Evacuation Drill. We are pleased to report that the children responded perfectly, and we received excellent feedback on how the mock incident was managed.

During our staff debrief, we felt it was a timely moment to remind our parent community of the protocols should a real emergency occur. While we understand it is natural to feel concerned if you see emergency services at the school or hear rumors of an incident, we ask that you do not call or come to the school during an active emergency.

Why this is vital:

• Clear Lines: We must keep our phone lines open to coordinate with emergency services and communicate between staff at the assembly point and the management centre.
• Direct Contact: Our procedure is to contact any affected families directly if an incident specifically involves their child.
• Timely Updates: We will always provide a comprehensive update to all families as soon as the situation is under control.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our site safe and our emergency responses efficient.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Last night, children from our 3/4 Hub celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It was a beautiful service held alongside students from Christ the King Primary School, MacKillop Education, and other members of the Holy Family Parish.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Taryn and Lucy for coordinating the celebration, and to our educators Alicia, Kelly, and Jayde for their dedicated work in preparing the children for this significant milestone in their faith journey.

Earlier this term Maddy and her husband Dev welcomed their precious baby girl, Harriet, into the world. This new little family is doing very well and the staff cannot wait to meet Harriet really soon.

Division Swimming

Congratulations to our St Johns’ Swim Team who swam at the Divisional Swimming event at Brimbank Aquatic Centre last Tuesday. To have the opportunity to swim against children from over 50 different schools in the Maribyrnong area is a wonderful achievement. They all showed great swimming and tremendous effort to perform their very best. 

Yr 5 / 6 Hub:  Regan M, Rhoda K,  Billie F, Evelyn T, Xavier J,  Ben B & Isaac W

Yr 3 / 4 Hub:  Jubilee K

Evelyn T (Yr 5/6Hub) had 2 great swims to win both of her races in the 11yr Freestyle and Butterfly events.  This has qualified her to swim at the next level, the Regional Event in Geelong in late March. 

A fantastic effort Evelyn, the St John’s Community wishes you all the best for this next swim.

A big thank you to the parents and families who were able to come and support our children. 

District Cross Country:  Friday 21st March

Good luck to our St John’s Cross Country Team for their event tomorrow at Hansen Reserve.The children will be competing against students from 8 other schools in the area. The Year 5 and Year 6 children will be running 3km and the Year 4 children will run 2km. 

Ideas for Easter Bonnet Parade

• When: Thursday 2nd April @ 9:00am

• Where: Joan's Yard

• Who: All families are warmly invited to come and watch the parade!

   

Easter Raffle & Donations

We are loving the donations that have started to come in for our raffle prizes. Thank you to the families who sent in their donations of Easter eggs or Easter-themed items.

• Donations: Please drop off items to the front office or your child’s hub. Every chocolate bunny or craft kit helps us create more exciting prize hampers!

• Deadline: Please ensure all donations are sent to school by Friday, 27th March.

How to Enter: Raffle entries can be purchased via the Spriggly Schools app under the "Events" section. Winners will be selected via a digital randomiser wheel on the day. 

Ticket Prices:

• $1 for 1 Entry

• $5 for 7 Entries

• $10 for 15 Entries

  Sales close at 8:30 am on Thursday, 2nd April.

PFA Hot Cross Bun Fundraising Drive

Our Hot Cross Bun Drive featuring fresh buns from our local Bakers Delight is open and orders are coming in fast. Families can choose from Fruit, Chocolate, or Apple & Cinnamon varieties. Order now via our Spriggy Schools app until Wednesday 25 March 2026; with delivery in the last week of Term 1. 

Farm Volunteers Needed – School Holidays 🐔🌱

Over the school holidays, we are looking for volunteers to check in on the farm. This involves visiting twice a day to water plants and feed the chickens.

If you are interested, please complete our Intentions Form by Tuesday 24th March, including your preferred day or dates. A roster will be created for the Autumn holidays.

It’s a peaceful spot to visit—and the chickens love the attention! 🐔

God Bless,

Emily

What's coming up:

• Farm Roster over the Autumn Holidays - register your interest
• Learning Conversations 30th March - School Closure Day
• End of Term 1 - Thursday 2nd April
• School Closure Day - Monday 20th April
• First Day of Term 2 - Tuesday 21st April

Holy Week Prayer Gatherings

Reminders:

• Log into PAM an review and update all areas including Connect Fields and Connect Surveys

• Complete the form to let us know if you would like to support the PFA via donations, time or skills : https://forms.gle/nP8qUdxtAUyVuSfq8 

   

🧢 Hats

We have a small supply of spare hats for children who forget theirs. However, we are finding that more children are missing their hats than we have spares available to loan. Please check with your child to ensure they have their hat so their play isn't limited to shaded areas.

OUR IMAGE OF THE CHILD

‘At St. John’s, we strongly believe that children are at the centre when given authentic and meaningful experiences. They flourish when their passions and interests are acknowledged and valued. Children are empowered when they take ownership for their learning. They have a right to develop autonomy through discovery.’

(St. John’s Staff, 2018)

We respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the owners of the land on which we live, play and learn at St John's Primary School, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

All students attending St. John's Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school.