Dear Families,

Loving God,

We give thanks for the fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, brothers and special male figures who play such an important role in the lives of our children.

Thank you for the love, guidance, wisdom and encouragement they give so generously. Thank you for the moments of laughter, the words of reassurance, the lessons they teach and the example they provide through the way they live their lives.

Bless all fathers and father figures in our St John’s community. Give them patience when things are difficult, strength when they are weary, and joy in the privilege of watching their children grow.

May our fathers and father figures always know how valued and appreciated they are. May they continue to be people of kindness, courage, compassion and faith, helping our children to know that they are loved, supported and never alone.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Dear Families,

As we move further into the term, I want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful sense of community that is such an important part of St John’s. It is always a joy to see our families come together, support one another and share in the life of our school.

Our recent Father/Special Person Breakfast was a wonderful example of this community spirit. The morning was a tremendous success, with a fantastic turnout and a beautiful atmosphere of laughter, conversation and connection. The aroma of hot food and croissants added to the occasion, but it was the smiles, conversations and time shared together that truly made the morning special.

We are so grateful to PIC and their team of volunteers for their hard work in planning, preparing, and serving on the day. Your time and generosity created such a warm and welcoming celebration for our community.

Our Prep students did a wonderful job celebrating the special men in their lives at our assembly on Monday. It was lovely to see the students share their appreciation and recognise the important men who support, encourage and care for them each day.

What wonderful male role models they have in their lives.

LSO and Office Staff Appreciation Week

Last week we celebrated Learning Support Officer (LSO) and Admin Appreciation Week, and I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our wonderful LSOs and Administration staff for all that they do for our school community.

We are incredibly fortunate at St John’s to have such dedicated and caring people who work alongside our teachers and students each day to ensure that every child is supported to learn, participate and flourish. Our LSOs play a vital role in the life of our school.

We would also like to acknowledge our wonderful Administration Team, Louise and Rebecca. They are often the first welcoming faces our families see and are the people working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our school running smoothly. Their care for our families, support for our staff and commitment to our school are greatly valued.

To our LSOs, Louise and Rebecca, thank you for everything you do each and every day. You are an incredibly valued and important part of our St John’s community and we are very grateful for you.

Bunnings BBQ- We need your help

We need your help!

Our Bunnings BBQ is happening this Sunday, and we are looking for volunteers to help make the day a success.

Even if you can spare just one or two hours, your support would be greatly appreciated. There are a range of jobs to help with, and every contribution makes a difference. Please contact Megan or fill out this form here

If you can't help why not pop in to buy a sausage and drink.

If you are available to lend a hand, please let us know. We would love to see some St John’s families getting involved and supporting our school community!

Thank you for your ongoing support.

MACSSIS Survey- please, please, please fill it in.

A big thank you to the 17 families who have already taken the time to complete the MACSSIS Survey. We really appreciate you sharing your feedback with us.

We have only had 17 families complete it so far. With approximately 230 families in our school community, we would love to hear from more of you.

Your feedback is incredibly valuable and will help inform our planning and priorities for 2027, ensuring we continue to build on what we are doing well and identify areas where we can improve.

You will have received an email with instructions on how to access and complete the survey. We encourage all families to take a few minutes to share their thoughts and experiences.

SUN SMART ☀️

It is wonderful to see our students wearing their hats when playing and learning outdoors. As we head into the warmer months, we would like to remind families about the importance of being SunSmart.

Please remember to apply sunscreen to your child before they come to school each day and send a roll-on sunscreen in their school bag so they can reapply throughout the day when needed.

MAINTENANCE 🌿

This week, we continued to care for and maintain our beautiful school environment. New soft surfacing has been installed around the playground equipment, providing a safer and more inviting space for our students to play.

Our gardens have also received some attention, with fresh mulch added to garden beds, and the sandpit has been filled with fresh new sand for the students to enjoy.

We also had a tree safety audit and will have some tree lopping in the holidays.

Our grounds are looking fresh and cared for, as well as safe places for our students to play.

Year Three Faith Formation night.

Faith Formation Nights are a special part of life at St John’s, providing an opportunity for families to come together, share in their faith and have meaningful conversations with their children about their Catholic faith. These evenings help nurture and strengthen the faith of our children while supporting families on their faith journey together.

This week, our Year 3 families came together as they prepared for their children’s First Reconciliation. It was a wonderful evening of reflection, conversation and prayer as families supported their children in this important step in their sacramental journey.

A special thank you to Fr Vinh, Connie, Catherine and Olivia for supporting our families and helping to make the evening so meaningful.

Class Placement 2027

We will begin preparing the 2027 class lists in Term 4. This is a thorough and collaborative process, with staff carefully considering the best balance of students in each class to support their academic, social, and wellbeing needs.

As part of this process, students are invited to nominate peers with whom they feel they work positively. While we make every effort to include at least one of their choices, we also recognise the importance of building resilience. Primary school is a time for students to grow through a variety of experiences, including working with different teachers and classmates.

Class lists are finalised using the professional judgement and deep knowledge staff have of each student, ensuring a thoughtful and rigorous outcome.

Parents are welcome to share any critical information they feel should be considered when class lists are prepared via the form available form the office.

Please note that this does not include friendship or teacher requests.

It is imperative that this form is returned by Monday, 19 October, either in an envelope addressed to Principal Confidential Class Placement 2027 or via email principal@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au . We will not accept requests after this date.

At St John's, our staff bring a wealth of experience in supporting students with diverse academic, social, and wellbeing needs. This expertise guides us in creating balanced classes where all children can thrive. Here is the St John's Class Placement Policy

Transition to Summer Uniform

From the beginning of Term Four until Friday 16 October, students may choose to wear either their Summer or Winter uniform, depending on the weather. After this date, all students are expected to be in full summer uniform.

A reminder that dresses need to be at knee length in order to be comfortable sitting on the floor, playing sport etc.

Please ensure that all uniform items are clearly labelled with your child’s name to avoid lost property. We also remind families that sports uniforms and runners are to be worn only on designated sports days.

Footy Colours Day

On Friday 18 September, St John’s students will be celebrating our ‘Footy Colours Day’. Students will be involved in an AFL Footy Clinic held at Warringal Park in partnership with PLMC students. Students will walk to and from Warringal Park under the supervision of staff.

Students are encouraged to wear their favourite ‘Sporting Colours’

for their teams for the day - AFL, Soccer, NRL, Rugby Union or American Football. All students must wear a sunhat for this activity.

Parents are welcome to attend the clinic. Please see times below:

Footy Clinic Times

Session 1- Prep, One, Two, Three- Leave school 9:20am- Back at school 11:30am

Session 2- Year Four, Five, Six- Leave school 10:30am- Back at school 12:45 pm

Please note: Students are dismissed at 1pm on the last Friday of the term - 18 September.

Year 4 - Free Fishing Rods

Victorian Fisheries Authority has provided a free Fishing Rod to Year 4 students

Each kit includes a fishing rod, reel with line, tackle box with hooks, lead-free sinkers, swivels and a lure, along with a Kids Guide to Fishing.

We hope this encourages more families to get out among the great outdoors, experiencing nature. The Year 4 teachers will hand them out this term.

Year 6 2027 School Polo Tops

Year 5 Families please be on the look out for an nforma notification this afternoon explaining the ordering process for the 2027 year 6 polo top.

Thanksgiving Mass for Mercy Sisters - This Sunday

You are all warmly invited to attend a Thanksgiving Mass celebrating the Sisters of Mercy, who have played such an important role in the rich history and story of St John’s and Our Lady of Mercy College (OLMC).

It will be a wonderful opportunity for our school and parish communities to come together to give thanks for the Sisters of Mercy, their service, their faith and the lasting impact they have had on generations of students and families.

Mass -Sunday, 13 September at 10.30am

We would love to see members of our St John’s community join us for this special celebration.

As this is our final newsletter for the term, I would like to wish all our St John’s families a safe, happy and restful holiday break. I hope you enjoy the opportunity to slow down, spend time together and make some special memories.

I look forward to welcoming everyone back next term and hearing all about the wonderful adventures, activities and moments you enjoyed over the holidays.

God Bless

Alison Dean

Community News

Australian Girls Choir