Acting Principal's Message

Dear St John's Community,

Respect and kindness make our school a great place. 

Strong relationships are the heart of learning here at St John’s. We place a deep emphasis on teaching respect and kindness because that is exactly how we build a safe, happy school environment. Child safety is our highest priority, and every child who walks through our gates has the fundamental right to feel safe, engaged, and ready to learn.

This year, our staff has been working incredibly hard to establish consistent routines and procedures across the entire school. This whole-school approach ensures wide consistency, fostering a shared understanding of "how we do things at St John’s." Whether your child is with their classroom teacher, their Japanese teacher, or a relief teacher, the expectations and routines remain exactly the same.

To bring this vision to life, we focus on daily practices that actively build positive relationships, utilise restorative conversations to resolve conflict, and partner with you to build lasting trust.

Daily Practices that Build Positive Connections

Consistency isn't just about rules; it’s about predictable, positive interactions. Every day, regardless of the classroom, our students experience core practices. For example:

• Morning Circle: Classrooms begin the day with a brief circle time. This gives students a predictable space to share how they are feeling and focus on our school values and rules before learning begins.
• Positive Tracking: We intentionally look for students doing the right thing. By noticing and encouraging positive behaviours, we reinforce our high expectations through support rather than correction.
• Predictable Transitions: Moving between classrooms or heading to specialist classes follows a uniform routine. Clear, calm cues reduce anxiety and keep the focus entirely on safety and learning.

The Power of Restorative Conversations

When behavioural expectations aren’t met, or conflicts arise, we don't rely on arbitrary punishments. Instead, we use Restorative Conversations. This is a structured, school-wide approach that teaches children how to take responsibility for their actions and repair harm.

Whether speaking to the classroom teacher, specialist or leadership, students are guided through the same reflective questions:

1. What happened?
2. What were you thinking at the time?
3. Who has been affected by what you did?
4. What do you need to do to make things right?

By focusing on repairing the relationship rather than just punishing the behaviour, we teach our students vital emotional regulation and conflict-resolution skills that will serve them for life.

Addressing Serious Incidents

 While our day-to-day focus is on positive reinforcement and restorative growth, we also have clear boundaries to ensure our school remains safe for everyone.

For more serious incidents, we may need to enforce more significant consequences, such as a same-day response or suspension. A same-day response or suspension is an immediate safety measure used when an incident impacts the health, safety, or wellbeing of your child, other students, staff, or the school community.

Implementing these measures allows us to maintain an environment where learning can happen without disruption, while giving all parties the time and space needed to safely plan a constructive way forward.

How This Supports Learning

When routines are predictable and discipline is fair, children feel safe. A safe brain is a learning brain. By eliminating confusion around rules, we maximise time spent on actual learning. Furthermore, in an environment where mistakes are treated as opportunities to grow, students are much more willing to take positive risks in their learning, speak up, and participate.

We’re proud of the caring community we’re building together.

Staff News

Congratulations to Mrs Emma Clarke and her husband Matt, who welcomed a baby boy on Tuesday, named Ezekiel Grant Clarke. Mum and bubs are doing well and soaking in the precious joy new babies bring.

"Even when persons dehumanise themselves and bring about tragedy, a small light continues to shine within humanity, one that can be rekindled, with God’s grace, along paths of conversion and reconciliation.” 

| Pope Leo XIV

Kind regards,

Maree Summers

Acting Principal

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