Principals Update

Key Events - Term 1

Term 1, Week 2

• Monday 3rd of February - Music lessons begin this day for enrolled students 
• Wednesday 5th of February- Prep Testing day (No Prep students attend school)
• Thursday 6th of February - Opening Year whole School Mass, 9.15am. Presentation of staff and student leaders during Mass.  
• Friday 7th of February - Year 4, 5/6 Interschool sports - St John Vianney's v Mordi Beach @ SJV HOME GAME.  Assembly 3pm

Term 1, Week 3 

• Monday 10th of February - Music lessons continue
• Tuesday 11th of February - Parent Information Evening - More information to follow. PFA AGM @ 7pm
• Wednesday 12th of February- Prep Testing day (No Prep students attend school)
• Thursday 13th of February - Swimming Training (Interschool swimming squad) - 7.15am-8am (Waves Leisure Centre)
• Friday 14th of February - Swimming Training (Interschool swimming squad) - 7.15am-8am (Waves Leisure Centre). Year 4, 5/6 Interschool sports - St John Vianney's v St Brigid's @ SJV HOME GAME.  Assembly 3pm

Dear SJV Families,

Welcome to 2025!  We hope you enjoyed a restful break with your family and friends and are looking forward to an exciting year ahead.

We warmly welcome all 29 Prep students and their families into the school community. Thank you for choosing St John Vianney’s and placing your trust in the school. We look forward to working in partnership with you. Our Preps have managed their first couple of days at school with an amazing calmness and keenness to take in everything! The feedback from all staff has been so positive - they have adjusted to school life so quickly and confidently. My sincere thanks to our amazing Prep team - Mrs Hannan, Mrs Osadnik, Mrs Lee and Mrs O'Shannessy for ensuring that they settled in smoothly for their first day of Primary school.  Special thanks also to our LSO team for their dedication and support to our students as well.

We also warmly welcome a number of new children and their families into classes from Grade One through to Grade Six. We look forward to getting to know you this year. With these new students and strong Prep numbers, we now have 165 students in total attending our wonderful school.

It was amazing to see so many parents, grandparents and special friends walking their children into school on Wednesday. The students entered the classrooms with great enthusiasm and have settled into school life well. If the first few days are an indication of the year to come, then we are in for a fantastic year of learning and opportunities.

Thank you to all parents for having your children so beautifully presented in their school uniforms. Please continue to encourage your child to take pride in their appearance and remind them the importance of wearing the correct uniform including their hats (No Hat-No Play policy is in place) at school and to walk in carrying their own school bags. I have been most impressed with the students' manners when entering and leaving the school each day, saying good morning or good afternoon. We have hit the ground running and are ready to ensure that this term is an engaging one full of learning. 

Each year we have a whole school theme. Last year we had Keep Shining, the World Needs Your Light. This year, our whole school theme is Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths! This theme ties in with our Vianney's Values with a specific focus on Excellence. More will be shared on our 2025 theme throughout the year.

Staff Updates

This year we welcome on staff to SJV:

• Mrs Lauren Koziol (Japanese teacher - Tues & Wed)
• Mrs Rebecca Middleton (Library teacher & Literacy Enhancement - Mon & Tues)
• Mrs Fiona Lee (Prep - Wednesday)
• Mr Gary Kruger (Year 1 teacher)
• Miss Maddie Bortoli (Learning Support Officer) 

We are incredibly lucky  and delighted to have a you all as part of our SJV  community.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Mr Luke Brownhill  (3/4LB) who was married over the summer holidays. We wish him and his wife Sarah all the best for the coming years.  

Whole School - Start of the Year Mass

Next Thursday 6th February will be our start of the year mass for all students.  Parents are most welcome to attend, Mass will begin at 9:15am in the Church.  We will be blessing, and presenting, the Year 6 student leadership badges at this mass.

Parent Information Evening

On Tuesday 11th of February, the classroom teachers will be hosting a Parent information evening between 5.45pm - 7pm which all parents are invited to attend. More information will be shared next week outlining details of the evening.

Class Letters

On Tuesday you would have received a “Class Letter” which detailed the expectations for your child’s class in 2025 and more specifically in Term 1. It also includes relevant information about specialist teaching subjects, what day they occur, what particular uniform would be needed and any relevant diary dates. Please make sure that you take the time and read it carefully and if you have any questions, please contact your child's classroom teacher/s.

School Photos

School photos will be taken on Tuesday 11th March. Envelopes will be sent home in the coming weeks. Orders need to be placed online. More details to follow.

2026 Prep Enrolments 

Our Requests for School Tours have begun already! Enrolments for Prep 2026 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.  If you are not able to make these tours please note that you are also welcome to call to make a time that does work for you. 

SJV School Tour Dates

Thursday 27th February @ 9.15am

Wednesday 5th March @ 9.15am

Tuesday 11th March @ 7pm

Friday 14th March @ 1pm

Thursday 3rd April @ 9.15am

Christian Meditation

This year at SJV we have introduced Christian Meditation before morning prayer. Meditation has always been part of the Christian tradition. In the world today there has been a renewed interest in the practice of meditation as a form of silent personal prayer. This could be due to the increased need for silence and stillness in the midst of our busy lives. 

How it will work at SJV

• Two minutes of quiet relaxing music will be played prior to the start at 8.50pm. This is signal to get the students seated and focused - not start meditation.
• When the music stops a chime sound will signal for meditation to begin.
• There is no music during the meditation. It is silent!
• Silence follows. Students can pray with a mantra, “Maranatha”, meaning “Come Lord” or use the focus provided for the day.
• Prep & Year 1 students will meditate for 1-2 minutes 
• Year 2 to Year 4 students will meditate  for 2-3 minutes
• Years 5 & 6 students will meditate for 3-4 minutes
• Another chime sound will signal the end of quiet meditation and the start of prayer time.

Teachers have been working on implementing this in their classrooms and will begin with students formally next Monday. More information will be shared with parents in the coming days.

NAPLAN 2025

All Year 3 and 5 students will complete the NAPLAN tests  between the 12th of March and the 24th of March. If any families in Year 3 or Year 5 have holidays booked during this time, could they please let the school office know, so we can factor this into our planning.  We use NAPLAN to provide us with feedback about how we can improve our teaching, whilst parents are provided with a snapshot of how their child is progressing. For us, it is one assessment that makes up a thorough Assessment Schedule and should not present any stress for students, as they are well versed at completing online assessments.

Work completed over School Holidays

Over the holiday period some of the following work has been conducted:

• AV screen installed into the Library
• Sections of the oval have been resurfaced
• New carpet in the Prep classrooms
• New tables and chairs in Prep (arriving in mid February)
• New carpet and vinyl flooring in the Year 1/2 classrooms
• New Year 1 classroom created opposite the the Library

This work could not have taken place without the wonderful support of the PFA and the Fete committee for their tireless efforts in raising funds to improve resources at SJV. The Year 3- 6 classrooms will have new carpet installed during the next school holidays

nForma App for Parents

All parents are registered on nForma. If you haven't downloaded the app or you are new to the school this year, please do so now. This is what we use to communicate with you, to give permission for excursions and how we send SMS messages and emails about First Aid incidents. Use your email address that you have registered with the school and then set up a password. Any difficulties, please see Nicole in the office. Please make sure student medical details are up to date on this system. 

Parents & Friends Association AGM

This will take place on Tuesday 11th of February at 7pm (after Parent Information sessions) with wine and cheese in the multi purpose room.  We are looking for people to join our Parents and Friends Association Committee for 2026, especially any new Prep parents. The commitment is to attend one/two meetings per term and a willingness to help out at one, some or all of the functions that we have during the year. It is not an onerous task and the benefits flow to every family and student in our school. There are no prior skills required. 

School Fees and Direct Debit Forms

 At the end of last year we sent home Direct Debit forms for School fees. This is a great way to stay on top of your fees for 2025. Please fill this form in if you would like to take up this payment method and drop it into the office. If you have misplaced it, please call in to collect a new one. Accounts will be issued next week. New families, please feel free to call in and collect a direct debit form. 

Asthma and Anaphylaxis plans

If your child requires Asthma medication, an Epipen or medication for allergies including Hay Fever, this must be supplied to the school. All medications are kept in the First Aid Room. Management plans for Asthma and anaphylactic reactions need to be signed by a doctor and supplied to the school.

SJV Facebook Page

Year 5 / 6 Upcoming Canberra Camp

The Year 5/6 Canberra Camp is scheduled for Week 8 of this term on Monday 17th March to Friday 21st March. Information will be shared with Year 5/6 families early next week. My sincere thanks to the school staff who are attending this camp as it enables our students to access this amazing opportunity.

Reminders

• 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 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.

School Newsletter and School Assemblies

This is the first school newsletter of 2025 and we will circulate our newsletter each fortnight through the online portal, iNewsletter. The Newsletter will be emailed to all families and will also be uploaded to our school website. 

Throughout the year, assembly will be held every other fortnight starting next Friday at 3.00pm in the MPR. We celebrate Vianney's Values Awards and Class news. Parents  are welcomed and encouraged to attend. 

Crossing Update

The council has informed us that they are doing their best to move full steam ahead with the crossing and speed cushions on Brisbane Terrace.

Please see the below plans for the works which has been sent out for tendering.

I have also attached a bulletin which will be sent out to the area in the coming week or two regarding the changes so please take the time to read it. The Council have placed a timeline of 6-8 weeks on which works may possibly take place. I will continue to update the community when more information is shared with us.

This has been such a great week and we thank you all for your support.

May this also be a great year for you, your families and all in our SJV community. 

Regards

Mick Schinck

Principal