General Information

WELCOME BABY STELLA

Congratulations to Ms Laura Couch on the safe arrival of her beautiful baby daughter.  Stella Daisy Dougan was born on 2nd of August and Laura and Brendan couldn’t be happier with the new addition to their family.  

FOLLOW ST JOHN’S ON INSTAGRAM 

We are very excited to be launching our St John’s Instagram page today.  To follow us search @stjatarneit on instagram.  We’ll be posting new event updates and photos each week.

100 DAYS OF PREP

100 DAYS OF PREP

Last Monday the Preps celebrated reaching the milestone of 100 days of school.  We began the day with Prep students parading their costumes for the school community in the Hall.  After this the students were treated to a disco.  Once back in class they completed several 100 day themed activities.  The progress of all prep students since the beginning of the year has been remarkable.  Thanks very much to our parents for the time and effort they put into the outfits worn by the students during the parade.  As you scroll through the images in the gallery below, you can see how creative our families were with their costuming.

KABOOM SPORTS DAY

Yesterday the students participated in a fun tabloid sports event.  The unique activities had the students engaged from start to finish.  Throughout the day all students were given the opportunity to enhance their skills in cooperation, leadership, teamwork and resilience while enjoying movement and fitness. Our Year 6 students are to be commended on the fantastic way they guided and assisted their groups throughout the event.

HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION 

Feast of the Assumption

Today the Church celebrates the Feast Day of the Assumption of Our Lady when according to our faith, Mary the mother of Jesus, “having completed her course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”.  Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII just over half a century ago, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven has been accepted from back to the earliest of Christian times.  Along with Christmas Day, the Feast of the Assumption is a Holy Day of Obligation.  This means Catholics are ‘obliged’ to attend Mass.  Below are the St Andrew’s Parish Mass times for today:

Parish Mass Times St Andrew's Church Werribee 

• 9:00am 
• 7:30pm 

UNIFORM PRICE LIST 

It is wonderful to see so many students wearing the new uniform options.  Below are links to updated Price Lists for all St John’s uniform items being sold by Rushfords.  Please be aware that students may continue to wear any item from the original uniform range.  Some of these original pieces are still for sale at Rushfords, at discounted prices until sold out. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED UNIFORM QUESTIONS

My child’s current uniform is in good condition, do I need to buy the new one?

No, as long as your child is in full school uniform, they can wear the current one until you decide to transition across. Remember that the old uniform will not be restocked instore. Once supplies are sold they are no longer available.

What days does my child wear the new uniform?

The new uniform is multipurpose therefore it is worn everyday regardless of whether your child has sport or not.

What parts of the new uniform do I buy?

You now just mix and match any combination that you like from the new uniform wardrobe. This means if your child does not feel the cold you do not need to buy the track pants. We hope this will save families money as they are not having to purchase items their child won't want to wear.

Are any current items able to be worn with the new uniform?

Yes, the sports shorts, polo top, soft shell jacket, hat, vest cardigan and jacket can be worn with the new uniform. 

What shoes will be worn with the new uniform?

Students must wear runners with the new uniform. These must be predominantly white or black in colour.

Can I replace new uniform items with unbranded items from Kmart, Target, etc?

No, with the reduced cost of the uniform we are expecting families to use the official uniform items which are identified by the school logo.

Can my child wear leggings or long-sleeved undergarments under the uniform for warmth or sun protection?

Yes, however they must be from the official uniform list. These items have now been added to the wardrobe.

DISTRICT ATHLETICS DETAILS

After qualifying earlier in the year, we had  41 students from Year 3 - 6 compete in the District Athletics today.   Students had a terrific day, competing against students from schools across the Wyndham district.   Everyone is to be commended for the positive way they approached the day,  encouraging all competitors and celebrating wins in a respectful manner.

MACSIS SURVEYS

Each year all catholic school’s survey students, parents and staff. The data collected through the survey process provides us with valuable feedback and guides the school’s future direction.  Students from Year 4-6 will be completing an online survey over the next few weeks. The surveys are conducted by an outside agency, which selects 80 families to complete a survey.  The selected families will have their survey log on details sent home shortly.  Surveys open on Monday 28th August and close on Friday 15th September.

FATHER’S DAY STALL

We are very excited to be holding our Father’s Day Stall on Friday 1st September.  With over 360 students needing to visit the stall, we will be asking students to bring in their $5 prior to the day.  This can be done in the week beginning Monday 28th August through to Thursday 31st August.  Please send all money in a clearly marked envelope with your child’s name and class written on the front.   Families with multiple children at the school may send all money in a clearly labelled envelope.  This will help us to streamline things and ensure everyone gets an opportunity to visit the stall.  Unfortunately with our growing student numbers, we will no longer be able to take IOUs from students for purchasing gifts.  Any parents who are able to help set up or run the stall, are asked to contact the office.  

2024 ENROLMENT INTENTIONS

Planning for the 2024 school year has begun and this process is quite complex and reliant on accurate and up to date information.  We ask any families who are considering moving house or changing their child’s school in 2024, to contact the office.  Please be assured that should your plans change, it will in no way affect your child’s placement for next year.  

CHILD SAFETY 

The Linewize platform helps schools, students and families to develop better digital habits, while also monitoring and tracking digital usages.  With St John’s now working in partnership with Linewize, our parents have access to an Online Safety Parent Hub, via the school’s website. This Hub has a wealth of tips and information for families.

This newsletter we draw your attention to an article by Online Safety Expert Taryn Wren.  In the article Taryn explores what parents can do if their child is experiencing abuse or unwanted contact online.  The article covers the in-platform controls available to help manage the situation, on common sites such as; TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Discord, Twitter and YouTube.  Having embarrassing, inappropriate, or hurtful posts or comments removed as soon as possible, is essential.   Reporting to the platform is generally the first step in this process.