Acting Principal's Message

Dear St John's Community,

Welcome to this week's issue! We have had a busy and engaging week across all year levels, from the Mad About Science presentation to fantastic Stomp practices and concert.  Thank you to all parents and guardians for your ongoing support as we move through the term.

Taking a Stand Together: Bullying No Way Week

This week, our school community proudly took part in Bullying No Way Week, dedicating daily focus sessions to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive culture. Through morning discussions, reflection activities, and classroom conversations, students explored how small, everyday actions can build a supportive community where everyone feels a true sense of belonging.

A major highlight of the week was our students participating in Australia’s Largest Anti-Bullying Lesson, hosted online by Kids Helpline. "Small Acts. Big Impact." — highlighting how simple gestures like including a classmate, using kind words, or checking in on a peer can make a meaningful difference in stopping bullying before it starts. 

We encourage families to continue these positive conversations at home by asking your child what "small act" they practised this week!

Staff Professional Learning Day: Student Engagement & Behaviour Dynamics

On Thursday, our teaching staff participated in a dedicated professional development session led by renowned educational consultant and author Glen Pearsall. 

Drawing on his extensive background in helping schools navigate complex behavioural challenges, Glen shared actionable strategies designed to strengthen classroom environments. The workshop focused on key areas essential for student success:

• Heightening Classroom Engagement: Implementing evidence-based techniques to keep students active, curious, and involved in their daily learning.
• Proactive Behaviour Support: Practical methods for addressing challenging behaviours before they disrupt the learning environment.
• Building Positive Relationships: Fostering productive, respectful connections between staff and young people to promote safety and trust.

Our staff are eager to bring these insights into their classrooms as we continue striving for vibrant, inclusive, and supportive learning spaces across all year levels.

Vibrant Moves at the STOMP Concert!

Our school community came alive this afternoon as students took to the stage for our STOMP Concert! After weeks of energetic rehearsals, students enthusiastically showcased their dance routines to a packed audience of proud families and friends. From high-energy beats to synchronised group choreography, the performance was a wonderful celebration of creativity, rhythm, and confidence.

Learning Through Movement: Connection to the Victorian Curriculum

Beyond the excitement of performance day, the STOMP dance program forms a vital component of our physical education and arts learning aligned with the Victorian Curriculum:

• The Arts (Dance): Students develop foundational body awareness, spatial consciousness, and rhythm. They learn how to use movement, posture, and gesture to express ideas, convey emotion, and interpret diverse musical styles.
• Health and Physical Education: Choreographed dance enhances fundamental movement skills, coordination, motor planning, and physical stamina in a fun, dynamic setting.
• Personal and Social Capability: Preparing for a whole-school performance requires teamwork, persistence, self-discipline, and active cooperation. Taking the stage builds resilience and self-confidence as students experience the pride of shared success.

A huge thank you to our dedicated STOMP instructors, staff, and all the families who joined us today to applaud our talented performers!

Get Ready for Book Week: Symphony of Stories!

Next week promises to be an action-packed celebration of literature as we celebrate Book Week across the school! We have a vibrant week of events planned to inspire a lifelong love of reading, creativity, and storytelling.

Schedule of Events

• Monday – Author Visit with Fiona Harris: Renowned Australian children’s author Fiona Harris will be spending time with our students, sharing insights into her writing process, character creation, and where she finds inspiration for her popular books.
• Wednesday – Book Week Costume Parade: Time to bring favourite storybook characters to life! Students are invited to dress up as their favourite character for our morning costume parade. Parents Welcome
• Friday – Cozy PJ Day: We will wrap up the week in comfort! Students can wear their favourite pajamas to school as we enjoy cozy classroom reading sessions and quiet story times.

Enhancing Literacy through Multimodal Learning

Events like Book Week do far more than offer fun dress-up opportunities—they deepen students' engagement with language through multimodal learning:

• Interactive Storytelling & Author Workshops: Direct interactions with creators like Fiona Harris help students understand the mechanics of creative writing and spark their own desire to craft stories.
• Visual & Kinesthetic Character Exploration: Dressing up as a character allows children to explore narrative perspective, emotional expression, and character motivations through dramatic play and visual art.
• Shared Cultural & Social Literacy: Whole-school parades and cross-age reading sessions build a shared reading culture, promoting literacy as a joyful, community-wide experience rather than just an academic task.

Principal Appointment

The process for the appointment of the new principal for St. John’s has commenced.

The panel members discharged with this responsibility is:

• Father Jude (Parish Priest)
• Claire Cook (Parent Rep)
• Cristy Solis (Parent Rep)
• Sarah McDermott (Principal Rep)
• Simon Fitzpatrick (MACS Senior Manager)

We trust that the Holy Spirit will guide the process and the panel with their work.

"Jesus’ teaching on the primacy of love for God is clearly complemented by his insistence that one cannot love God without extending one’s love to the poor. Love for our neighbour is tangible proof of the authenticity of our love for God." | Pope Leo XIV

Kind regards,

Maree Summers

Acting Principal

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