Principal's Message

Dear St John's Community,

Over the last 12 months, we have had a small team of staff working on a new behaviour policy for the school. A number of staff have now completed the Berry St trauma-informed behaviour training, and all staff have gone through the new MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools) Team Teach behaviour program. This is on top of having professional learning with several experts, such as Psychologist Karen Young and expert Glen Pearsall.

Current research shows that punishment-based methods of behaviour management do not make the problems go away; they simply create fear and, more commonly, anger at authority, masked with levels of basic compliance.

The new policy is based on the belief that the foundation of positive behaviour lies not in systems of control or punishment, but in the consistency, relationships, and calm authority of the adults who guide the students. The new approaches that will come into effect from this term, align with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Engagement and Learning, which recognises that wellbeing and learning are deeply interconnected and must be nurtured together.

You may begin to hear your children talking about certain things and ways of approaching behaviour. We will be prioritising strategies that build students’ capacity for self-regulation, resilience, and engagement through relational practice and trauma-informed approaches. Similarly, staff will be trialling the use of a shared framework for de-escalation and restorative responses that uphold the dignity and safety of all members of our community.

This does not mean there won't be consequences for poor behaviour decisions, but it does mean that there will be more intensive attempts to find out why the behaviours are occurring in the first place and address the core of the resultant actions. The new practices replace punitive defaults with accountability and repair, ensuring students face the results of their actions in a way that teaches them responsibility rather than resentment.

Staff are now learning to use these approaches, its new to us as well. As long as I've been in education we've had an assertive-disipline policy in place for behaviour. Many, if not most of you will have also gone through school under such models. This turns those models on their heads, so please bear with us, and we'll try to explain how it all works as we go through this implementation phase.

The first step is focusing on the belief that every child’s behaviour is a form of communication. Kids don't do things for no reason. They may not be able to explain why they did it, but there is always an underlying need they are trying to fulfil when acting out. 

Neuroscience and trauma-informed research tell us that connection, not control, quiets the stress response and enables learning readiness and 'positive behaviours'. Berry Street and Team Teach emphasise that real behaviour change occurs through relational trust, and not simply blind compliance.

Child-Safe Standards

For all our new families, as well as a reminder to existing families. Anytime you come to the school to help in some way you need a current Working with Children Check, you need to sign the school's volunteer Child-Safe Code of Conduct and potentially review a risk assessment document as well, depending on the activity you are supporting.

When we have events such as Athletics Day or Assemby, all parents on site must register their presence in the school. You do not have to sign in at the office at these times, we have provided QR codes around the school to enable you to register yourself quickly and easily for those events.

Thank you in advance for helping us maintain the Child-Safe Standards of our school.

Canteen help!

If you or someone you know has a few hours to spare on a Friday, we desperately need a helper on Fridays in the canteen. Please contact the office if you or someone you know can help!

Staff news:

There has definitely been something in the water over the last 12 months at St John's! We've had a 'birth of babies' (is that the collective noun?) in that time, and now Mrs Emma Clarke has just announced that she and her husband are expecting their first child. Congratulations!!! 

                  Tickets through Trybooking

        I will confirm the movie as soon as I can!

Kelly Sports Sessions

Will be carrying on from Term 1 with the:

Wednesday afternoon multi-sport program (3.20pm - 4.30pm). First session is the 11th of February.

Thursday lunchtime dance program (1.30pm - 2.15pm). First session is the 26th of February.

Navigating the Car Park/ Kiss n Go/ Pick up & Drop off

We have a number of new families and relatives learning the ways of the car park, please be patient at these times. Important things to remember are as follows:

• Please adhere to the designated speed limit when travelling through the car park
• Please give way to cars needing to park in the marked bays
• Do not leave your vehicle unattended in the kiss-n-go from 8.30am - 9am or 3pm to 3.30pm. Any blockage in the kiss-n-go at those times has an ongoing impact on us being able to move cars in off the street.
• You must stop, indicate and give way to Paisley St traffic before crossing the solid line from Jayne St into the school carpark.
• You need to remain aware that if you sit on Paisley or Jayne St waiting to get into the school, you can be booked by the council. You are not supposed to remain stationary on either of those roads. We will try to get you into the carpark as quickly as possible. We have been unsuccessful in the past in overturning any bookings made by the council regarding this. 
• If you arrive at school before 3pm you are not permitted to remain in the drive-through area. You must call the school and have your child sent out to you.

Operoo Account & the nForma App

Please make sure you set up your child's account on nForma so all our correspondence and permission forms, etc can get to you.

 You need to use the same email address you used for the school to set up the account on nForma so you can access your child's information.

Parents - St John's Facebook page

Search: Parents @ St. Johns

Note: You are required to answer the questions to be allowed access to the page.

Prayer

Please also remember our Reconciliation Sacrament Candidates in your prayers this week.

Dear Lord,

As our students begin a new school year, 

we pray that you will keep them in your care.

Send your Spirit to open their minds to all that is true and beautiful and good. Help them to see the gifts and talents you have given them and to use them well. 

Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Help them to be kind to others and lead others to be kind to them. Give their teachers patience and understanding and help them teach what is just and true.

Send your angels to guide and guard our children and to keep them from all harm. Open their young hearts to your presence and enfold them in your peace and protection.

Hold them in the palm of your hand and bring them home safely every day of their lives.

Amen

Have a great weekend!

Kind regards,

Derek Bruitzman

Principal

Jokes of the week: 

Why did the egg get thrown out of class?

A. Because it kept telling yolks.

Q: What did the student throw their watch out the school window?

A: They wanted to see time fly!

Q: Why was the broom late for school?

A: It overslept

Fun facts of the week:

Neuroscientists have just created glasses connected to a computer chip in the mouth that enables blind people to see with their tongue.

Eating cheese at the end of a meal can help neutralise the acids in your mouth and reduce the chance of tooth decay.

If you eat too many carrots, your skin will turn orange!