General Information

10 YEARS OF PRINCIPALSHIP

Recently the members of the School Advisory Council presented Mr Dundon with a personalised parking sign, to commemorate his 10 years of service to St John’s.  This was a wonderful opportunity for us to say a heartfelt thanks to Simon for his decade of hard work and dedication.  We see reflected in the St John’s school community many of the best traits and qualities of Mr Dundon.  The school under his leadership has become a welcoming place where students flourish and teachers are supported in all that they do.  Many parents may not be aware that Simon began working on the establishment of the school, 6 months prior to its inaugural year, ensuring a solid foundation was established on which to build this wonderful St John’s School Community. 

DIVISIONAL ATHLETICS COMPETITION

Well done to the students who competed last week at the Divisional Athletics competition at the Newport Athletics Track. Congratulations goes especially to the four students who have progressed through to the next round of the athletics competition.  Dominic, Luca, Dylan and Ben will compete at the Keilor Aths track on the 22nd of October.

BIZZARE BIZZARE

The Year 6s held their Bizzare Bizzare fundraising event last Wednesday 11th September.  As you can see from the images below the students created a fantastic range of items to sell.  Many of the stalls sold out of their goods and had to take orders.  The Year 6 students are to be commended on the way they approached this task, ensuring that the products were both creative and  cost effective.  The stall raised over $800 dollars and students were able to keep their expenses to a minimum.  The students have elected to “Leave Their Mark” on St John’s and use this money to fund a school improvement project.  Once the design ideas have been finalised and all costing has been done, our Year 6s will outline their proposed project.  Scroll through the photos below to see some of the fantastic stalls.

PREP EXCURSION

On Thursday 5th September the Prep students travelled by bus to the Museum of Play and Art (MoPA) in Geelong.  They had a fantastic day building, exploring and developing their ability to collaborate with others to create things.  Thank you to all the parents who supported the teachers and students on the day.

YEAR 2 EXCURSION

The Year 2 students spent Friday 6th September, offsite.  Their excursion included a session at Bounce in Essendon Fields, followed by time at Brimbank Park in Keilor.  This excursion gave the students an opportunity to put into action everything they have been learning in class about healthy lifestyles.  Thanks to the many parents who helped out on the day.  As you can see from the pictures they had a terrific time!

AGED CARE VISITS

There is a growing body of research showing that participating in intergenerational activities has many benefits, including increased dignity and self-esteem, and reduced stress levels and anxiety for those in their retirement years.  Our Year 6 students have begun visiting a local Aged Care Facility each fortnight, in small groups.  The students visit residents at Homestyle Aged Care Sunset Views Manor and spend two hours chatting with residents and playing Bingo with them.    

JURASSIC ALIVE EXCURSION

A group of students have recently been working with Miss Grippi each Friday, on a science investigation centred around Paleontology, Fossils and Dinosaurs.  To mark the completion of this project, the group travelled into Brunswick last Friday to visit the Jurassic Alive Interactive Exhibition.  Through the exhibition they were fully immersed in life in the Jurrasic era, where dinosaurs roamed the earth. 

Farewell Fr Huy

The parish of St Andrew's recently announced that sadly, Fr Huy will be moving to continue his ministry at the parish on Mordialloc/Aspendale. The parish will have a Farewell Mass next Sunday, 22nd September at 11am followed by fellowship in the Penola Hub, 33 Mortimer Street Werribee. You are welcome to bring a plate to share. Everyone is invited!!!

Hoppers Crossing Junior Basketball Club

This local junior club is calling for junior players. Please use the contact details below if you are interested.

LUNCH ORDERS NOW AVAILABLE MONDAYS & FRIDAYS

After a very successful start to Term 3, TK Tuckshop has revised pricing on many of their menu items.  TK Tuckshop has a range of over 40 options priced from just $5.50. All meals come in packs with a selection of one or more snacks / drinks.  Download the app to view the full menu and place your order - available Mondays and Fridays.  

CHILD SAFETY IN THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

School holidays are a time for children to take a break from their daily routines, and spend it with families and friends. There are also opportunities for older children to start exploring their independence and freedoms.  Talk to your children about safe places to play. Highlight the risks and challenges in different neighbourhoods and traffic environments.  Consider independent activities your child might do in the holiday period and how you can help to make it safer. 

For example:

Playing with Balls 

Talk with your child and their friends about stopping to look for vehicles/riders before chasing runaway balls. Encourage one of them to be a spotter to keep an eye out for vehicles/riders and to pause the play, get everyone to stand in a safe spot until it’s OK to resume play. Check road safety risks of installed basketball or netball hoops such as not being seen by drivers entering or exiting driveway entrances, blind spots from street bends or corners and so on.

Changes in Traffic 

Talk to your child that quiet roads don't mean they are always safe roads, they must be alert to vehicles/riders. eg cul-de-sacs

Riding and Walking to the Shops or Friend's House or Having Sleepovers 

Discuss how to be a safe and responsible pedestrian/rider/passenger. Highlight the potential places of risk when playing or travelling. Talk about what to do if they're feeling unsafe or there's an emergency.

Things to Chat with your Children about Before they go Out and About

• Always tell an adult when and where they are going
• If feeling unsafe, tell someone and move to somewhere safer
• Avoid playing near driveways and carparks as drivers may not see them
• Check their bike's brakes, bell, reflectors and tyres are all working before going for a ride
• Correctly wear a helmet when riding any device
• Remove their headphones when near traffic so they can hear approaching vehicles
• Stop, look, listen, think before they cross the road, and not just follow their friends
• Wear bright clothing so drivers can see them, especially when it's twilight.