'A Welcoming Community Leading the Future of Learning with Faith and Love'

A Message from the Principal

This week we celebrate the times that we embrace and welcome everyone into our community. Many of our students will be celebrating Halloween - derived from All Hallows Eve, observed on 31 October, the evening before All Saints’ or All Hallows Day. While this was originally a religious time of celebration it is now a special time to remember those who have gone before us. All Saints Day, 1 November and All Souls Day, 2 November, are feasts to celebrate the best of ourselves and to give thanks for all that we have and all the good things we do. This week we celebrate the diversity in ideas, in culture and in faith. It is also a time to celebrate the struggle to be our best, our deepest hopes for ourselves and to ask for continued courage and friendship as we journey together.

Today was a big community day for our school. We had a visit from the Gloryland Kindergarten children. They played on the playground and worked in the Prep classroom to help them transition to school life. Tomorrow we welcome another group of students from the kindergarten also.

The Year 3/4 students were challenged by the coaches from the Melbourne Stars and Mitcham Cricket clubs this afternoon, developing their skills and interest in the sport while the Year 5/6 team were inspired by their Parliamentary Incursion this morning. It was great to see them all involved in the role play of the ministers sitting in parliament.

Child Safety

At St John's we are always reviewing and refining our Child Safety practices to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all of our students. It is a rolling agenda item on all Staff Meetings as well as the School Advisory Council Meetings. Many of our policies are shared via the school website. To view the policy please check the Forms and Policies page - https://www.sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au/right/forms-polices/forms-policies

Our Future Leaders have been making posters to put up around the school to remind everyone to keep themselves and each other safe. Today they worked on posters about using the toilet area safely and respectfully.

St John's Playgroup

Children aged 0-5 and their care providers are invited to come along to the St John’s Parish Playgroup, on Thursday, 2 November, at 10.30am for one hour of play, fun and connection. Everyone is welcome, so come along and bring a friend too.

Location: St John’s Church Narthex

St John's Community Fete - Raffle Tickets

Raffle Tickets are due back at school this Friday. All families who return their tickets by today were entered into a Draw for a $50 Coles/Myer Voucher. And the Winner is...........the Borloz Family.

We will draw a second incentive prize this Friday, a $50 voucher to Neros.

We are also looking for some parents to advertise and sell the tickets after each Mass on the weekend for the next month. We will receive $1.00 for every ticket sold. Please contact me if you are able to help out or see Rob Smith before Mass next weekend and make this your contribution to volunteering for one of the fete duties.

We would love it if each family could contribute at least one hour volunteering to help out at the fete. This may be set up (bump in), during the fete or pack up on the Sunday morning (bump out). We would appreciate any time that you can afford and we guarantee you will enjoy it! Please sign up for any stall or activity on this link.

RIDE TICKET WRIST BANDS

The Early Bird Sale is on for the wrist bands. See further details on the Fete page of this newsletter.

FREE DRESS

We are asking each student to donate a block of chocolate for our

LOB-A-CHOC Stall at the fete. All students wear free dress and bring in a donation of a block of chocolate on Friday, 10 November.

We are also collecting sealed bags of lollies for the Lolly Stall run by St James, so if you can donate a bag of lollies as well, that would be apreciated.

Swimming Program

Congratulations to our Year 3/4 students for completing their 2 weeks of swimming. They all enjoyed the experience and have been fully immersed in the water safety curriculum as outlined in the Victorian Curriculum Framework.

Reminder - School Closure Days

This Term there will be 2 school closure days and a public holiday for Melbourne Cup.

The first day is Monday, 6 November, on the Cup Day long weekend. This day will be used for Time in Lieu for our staff due to all of their after hours school commitments and meetings.

The second day, Friday, 17 November, will be the day before the Fete, as we need to be off site while the Fete is being set-up. The staff will be involved in Professional Learning in Positive Behaviours.

Melbourne Stars Visit

Today the 3/4 students were incredibly lucky to have Olivia Henry (WBBL player), Mark from the Melbourne Stars and Steve from Mitcham Cricket Club come and run a super clinic for them. The students learnt that you can practice your cricket skills anywhere and it’s a great game for boys and girls. The focus was on the engagement of girls in the sport of cricket and they listened to Liv’s journey from Ringwood CC to the big stage of the women’s BBL.

The students received signed pamphlets which they are extremely excited to share with their families and hopefully students are able to attend the Stars local game next Wednesday 8 November at Ringwood Cricket game starting at 3pm. You can go to the game after school and enjoy free entertainment.

Spring Joke of the Week

What did the tree say when spring finally arrived? What a re-leaf.

Have a peaceful week!

Verona Gridley

Principal

vgridley@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au

St John's Community Fete

Saturday 18 November

Please sign up for any stall or activity using the QR code