Principals Update

 Key Events - Term 4

Term 4, Week 3

• Friday 23rd October - School Tour at 9.30am. Official Opening of new building and Heart of the School at 2.45pm

Term 4, Week 4

• Tuesday 27th October- School Mass at 9.15am. Sacrament of Reconciliation at 12.00pm. Yr 6 Kingston Transition Incursion @2.30pm
• Wednesday 28th October- Prep 2027 Parent Information Evening at 7pm
• Thursday 29th October- 5/6 Explore Melbourne Excursion 
• Friday 3oth November - World Teachers Day

Term 4, Week 5

• Monday 2nd November- Report Writing Day- School Closure
• Tuesday 3rd November- Cup Day Public Holiday
• Wednesday 4th November- Online Family Program
• Thursday 5th November - Newsletter shared
• Friday 6th November - Lucky Jars & Lolly Hunt Drive. District Lacrosse

Dear SJV Families,

The students have settled into the term extremely well after the school holidays and have been busy focusing on their learning and assessments and various other activities. It’s an important term for all students as reporting will take place. For Year 6 students it is vitally important not only here at SJV but as a part of their transition program into their chosen Secondary colleges.

Tomorrow, we are very excited that we will be holding the official opening of our new school building and play areas on at 2.45pm. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together and celebrate the completion of these exciting improvements to our school. Parents and families are more than welcome to attend and join us for this special occasion.

Next Wednesday the 28th of October, I will have the privilege of hosting Prep parents 2027 for an information evening. It will be a wonderful occasion to have parents old and new coming in and learning about what their child’s first year of school is all about here at SJV and the many wonderful learning opportunities that they will have. We look forward to having our Prep 2027 students visiting us for their first transition on Thursday the 19th of November. 

Please make sure that you take the time to read the newsletter as there is much happening here at SJV.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Please keep our Year 2 students, along with some of our older students, in your thoughts and prayers as they take this important next step in their spiritual journey towards receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Next Tuesday, all participating students will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, marking a significant milestone in their faith journey.

A heartfelt thank you to our Religious Education Leader, Mrs Kerry Slater, for her thoughtful guidance, careful organisation and ongoing support in preparing our students for this special sacrament.

We are also incredibly grateful to our dedicated Year 2 teaching team—Mrs Kylie Kostense, Mrs Taigan Evans, Ms Clare Wrigley, Mrs Gabbi Davoren and Mr Gary Kruger—as well as our wonderful Learning Support Officers (LSOs), for their continued care, commitment and support as they walk alongside our students during this important moment in their faith formation.

Year 3/4 Camp

Our Year 3/4 students had a fantastic time at Mill Valley Ranch! We were blessed with amazing weather, which made it even more enjoyable as the students participated in a range of exciting activities and embraced the many opportunities for adventure and teamwork. The students were exceptionally well-behaved throughout the camp and demonstrated kindness, cooperation and a positive attitude. It was wonderful to see them challenging themselves, supporting one another and creating lasting memories with their classmates. A big thank you to our dedicated staff for providing such a memorable experience for our students!

Online Family Program

BODIES, BABIES AND GROWING UP 

SCHOOL FAMILY PROGRAM (Sex Education) ONLINE

Highly experienced Sexuality and Protective Behaviours Educator Cathrine McCallig will be conducting a 2 part Family Program online via Zoom to help children and their families to learn together, ask questions and build confidence to talk about their bodies, babies and growing up on Wednesday 4 November. The sessions are aimed at children from Years 3-6 and their parents. The first session Families, Bodies and Babies will be conducted from 6-7pm. The second session Puberty, Growing and Changing will follow at 7.15pm. The sessions will be conducted online and at least 1 parent must sit with their child throughout the sessions. Families can choose to do one or both sessions. I would encourage all parents to take up this wonderful opportunity to begin or continue conversations about these important issues. Please see the flyer below for booking details. 

World Teachers Day

World Teachers' Day 2026 will be celebrated here at SJV on Friday the 30th of October. This day is a chance to recognise and celebrate the teachers who are making, or have made, an impact on the lives of our students. World Teachers’ Day is a chance to say, ‘thank you’. 

We are very lucky here at SJV to have such amazing, dedicated and hard working teachers. On behalf the community, I would like to thank the teachers for the wonderful work that they do in educating our students academically, socially and emotionally.  

School Fete - FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20th @ 3:30pm.

Please note the following dates for donations for the fete:

Term 4

• Lucky Jars & Lolly Hunt - Friday the 6th of November

Please refer to the PFA Fete Page for further details.

School Closure Dates - Term 4

• Monday the 2nd of November - Report Writing Day
• Tuesday 3rd of November - Melbourne Cup Public holiday
• Friday 4th of December - Planning Day 2027
• Tuesday the 15th of December - Term 4 concludes for students at 12pm

Classes for 2027

As we begin the process of planning ahead for 2027 classes, I ask any families who know that they will not be returning to St. John Vianney's in 2027 please inform me as soon as possible. principal@sjvparkdale.catholic.edu.au

Prep 2027 Parent Information Evening

We are excitedly preparing to welcome our 2027 Prep families and students for their Orientation program. This program continues to be a highlight of the year, as these children take their first big steps into school life. While some students already have a sibling at SJV, we cannot underestimate how this can still be quite an overwhelming experience as the children transition away from a very small Kinder/Early Learning Centre setting into a significantly larger one. For our new (and not so new) Prep parents, we look forward to welcoming you on Wednesday 28th October at 7.00pm in the MPR. This information evening is a wonderful opportunity to meet new families and teachers who will work with your children.  

Our Prep 2027 Orientation Sessions are as follows:

• Thursday 19th November 9:15am-10:45am

• Wednesday 2nd December 9.15-10.45am

2027 Enrolments 

Our Requests for School Tours continue. Enrolments for Prep 2028 are now open and we encourage all families to submit their applications as soon as possible. If you have a child or you know someone wanting to tour schools for their child, please encourage them to book a school tour by contacting Nicole in our front office. 

Remembrance Day - 11th November

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month is a moment not only to pause and remember all those who have served and sacrificed in wars and conflicts across the world, but also to reflect on the historical events that led to this day of significance. Originally announced to mark the anniversary of the Armistice that ended fighting with Germany in World War I, Remembrance Day today gives us all the opportunity to acknowledge the service personnel who died while serving in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. Year 6 Social Justice Leaders will be selling merchandise for our local RSL. Poppies and other items will be available for $2, $3, $5, $10 & $20. Please support this worthy cause.

Uniform Shop

Our Uniform shop is open every Monday at 3.15pm for sales. If you cant make it at that time, pop into the office and fill in an order form.

Second Hand Uniforms are coordinated by one of our parents, Sahara. Please log on to Brisbane Terrace SJV Secondhand Uniform on Facebook. Sahara will approve you joining the group and you can access second hand sales through this group.

Instagram- We now have an SJV Instagram page on social media. So please make sure you follow and share: @sjv_parkdale

Reminders

• The next school assembly will be on Friday 30th of October in the MPR at 3pm

• Dogs - Please note that for the safety and wellbeing of all members of our community, no dogs are permitted inside the school grounds and they must not be left unattended tied up at the gates. Adult supervision and holding of the leash is so important around vulnerable places such as schools.  We love dogs but we do have to take care of all members of our community.

• Bikes and Scooters - Please walk bikes and scooters when moving through the school grounds.

• Punctuality - It is expected that all students are to be at school by no later than 8.45am and not any time up to 9am. From 8.45am to 9am is crucial for students to get themselves organised, start the day with Meditation, prayer, take the roll and ready to commence their day promptly. Formal lessons begin at 9am. Any child who arrives at or after 9am is to be signed in at the office by a parent/guardian. I ask all parents to make sure that you adhere to these times.

Regards

Mick Schinck

Principal