Principal's News

Dear Families and Carers,

As part of our Catholic tradition, we will enter the important season of Lent next week, beginning with Ash Wednesday. This sacred day marks the start of our Lenten journey—a time of reflection, prayer, and spiritual preparation as we move towards the joyful celebration of Easter.

We will come together as a school community to celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass next Wednesday 18 February at 12:00pm. Families and carers are invited to join us for this special liturgy.

During the season of Lent, we are called to deepen our faith and renew our commitment to prayer, compassion, and service. It is a time to reflect, to consider the needs of others, and to act with generosity and love.

As members of the St John’s community, let us embrace the spirit of Lent together, fostering kindness, humility, and care for one another as we walk this faith journey side by side.

We have had a wonderful week, and the students have settled into school life beautifully.

I apologise for the inconsistent communication via nForma over the past two weeks. We are currently experiencing difficulties with the platform linking to the MACS ICON system. As a result, some families have been receiving our correspondence while others have not.

This is our third newsletter for the year so please go to our website if you have not received them. The next newsletter will be in a fortnight.

We are working closely with the relevant teams to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

Thank you to the parents who have taken the time to let me know about these difficulties—we really appreciate your patience and feedback.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Feast

We extend our heartfelt thanks in advance to the parents and caregivers who will generously offer their time and support for our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Feast next week, Tuesday 17 February. Each child will recieve pancakes, with the choice of toppings. 

Please let your classroom teacher know if your child can not eat pancakes.

Thank you for helping us make this joyful tradition a wonderful experience!

Join the PIC

If you would like to meet other parents/carers joining the PIC team is a great way to do it. New members are always welcome to join this wonderful group of parents. Please feel welcome to make contact via email picstjohnsheidelberg@gmail.com for more information. Our first meeting will be held in the staff room date Tuesday 24 February 6.15pm.

The PIC has two main functions:

• To encourage and maintain a vibrant school atmosphere within the school community by promoting social activities
• To assist with the ongoing physical improvements in the school by setting annual fundraising goals and planning fundraising events to purchase school related needs and improve school facilities, in collaboration with the Principal.

Parent Helper Course - Child Safety  Induction Program

This year, we again welcome the support of parents / carers to assist in our classrooms. As a school we value strong partnerships and believe that your support is invaluable. All parents / carers are welcome to help. We require that all helpers assisting in the classrooms are fully trained and have a current Working with Children Check. There will be a compulsory training session (approximately 1 hour) for all new  parent helpers. Parents / carers are asked to attend one of the following sessions either Thursday 12 March 2:30pm or Wednesday 25 March 9:00am. Please contact Elizabeth on ewhiting@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au for any questions.

Getting to Know You Meetings

We also extend our appreciation to all the families who participated in our Getting to Know You Meetings this week. These gatherings provide invaluable opportunities for collaboration between parents and teachers, ensuring our students are set up for success.

Welcome to our Prep Students and Families

We  thank all the families who attended our Beginning of the Year Mass. It was wonderful to celebrate together as a school community and to present our Prep students, offering them a special blessing as they begin their school journey.

Your presence made the occasion even more meaningful, and we look forward to sharing many more special moments throughout the year.

Prep Parent Night Out

We warmly invite all Prep families to join us for the Parent Night Out on Friday 27 February 7:30pm at The Alleyway Cafe. 

Cost is $30 per person.

This much-loved event is a wonderful St John’s tradition and a great opportunity to connect with other families in a relaxed and social setting—one you’re sure to remember. We hope you can join us!

Prep Enrolments 2027 – School Tours and Information Sessions

St John’s has officially commenced school tours and information sessions for our 2027 Prep intake. It has been a true pleasure to welcome prospective families into our community and to celebrate the outstanding work of our teachers, LSOs, and students.

We look forward to continuing to share the St John’s experience with families considering joining our school community in 2027 over the next month.

I have already started Prep interviews for 2027 (for existing families) so please ensure your enrolment has been submitted so you don’t lose your spot.

Beginning of the Year  Picnic for all families

Everyone is warmly invited to join us at the St John’s Beginning of the Year Picnic.  Please bring a picnic rug and food or get a smoothie from the food truck.

Please note adults are responsible for their children. Staff will not be supervising them.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community, and we would love to see you there. 

Role of the WhatsApp groups

Class WhatsApp groups are a helpful way for families to stay connected and support one another. Their purpose is to:

• Share general reminders (e.g. events, excursions, non-confidential information)
• Ask simple clarifying questions that may help other families
• Build a sense of community and connection within the class

However, to ensure these groups remain respectful, effective, and appropriate, they should not be used for:

• Individual student matters or concerns
• Teaching and learning opinions/questions 
• Behaviour issues or complaints
• Messages directed at, or about, staff
• Sharing confidential or sensitive information
• Raising concerns that require a response from the school
• Sharing photos of children who have not given consent

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s learning, wellbeing, or any school matter, please contact the classroom teacher or myself via email or phone. This allows us to respond appropriately and maintain privacy and clarity for all families.

We urge you to read the newsletters before asking questions so families are not inundated with messages.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping keep our communication respectful and supportive.

Ride to School Day

Time to dust off your bikes and scooters and get ready for the St John's Ride to School Day Friday 20 March. Please read the information in the Wellbeing section for more details.

Role and function of the School Advisory Council 

The School Advisory Council acts as a forum for discussion on matters concerning holistic education within the school. It brings together in a spirit of cooperation, the Parish Priest, Principal, parent representatives and teachers from the school, so that responsible and informed advice can be given to the Principal. Through membership on the School Advisory Council, each member assumes an important role in the ministry of the school. 

Expressions of Interest are currently being sought for parents and carers to join St John’s School Advisory Council. Aidan (Year 1 Rep) and Melinda (Year 5 Rep) will continue to be on  SAC but we are looking for parents from the following year levels.

• Prep

• Year 2, 3, 4, 6

Any parents or carers who would like to nominate for SAC are asked to send an email to principal@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au providing their name, child’s name/grade, personal qualities, skills and interest as contributors to this advisory body. Expressions of Interest are due by 9:00am, Monday 16 February.

Have a great week.

Alison