Principal Post

Dear Families,

Well, here we go again!  I thank you all for your continued support as we enter a another period of Lockdown here in Victoria. 

 We know that for many students and families the lockdown and working remotely is very challenging to say the least. We also know that with a positive mindset,  you continue to do your best. We thank you for the support you give your children and for working so well with our school; classroom teachers, administration and leadership. 

This morning many families collected  electronic devices if they were required. We hope all students are well placed to undertake remote learning across the next week. Continue to  contact your child's teacher in work hours should there be any issues around work tasks etc. As always, I am at the end of the phone or email and if I can assist or you need to chat please do so. 

As always we need to be mindful and follow the restrictions as outlined by the State Health Minister. 

We have a number of students who are attending at school. A reminder that: 

no student is able to attend school if they are at all unwell. If a student arrives at school unwell parents will be contacted to come and collect their child. 

I remind you all to continue to monitor your own and your family members' health and get tested should you have any COVID like symptoms.  

Whilst there have been a number of exposure sites in the Phillip Island area, our Year six students and staff who were on Camp last week were not at any of the exposure sites at the stated times.  

We look forward to seeing your children again next Wednesday 27th July at 8:45am. 

Supervison at school begins at 8:30am when classrooms are opened. 

I will send out an email on Tuesday 27th July with an update of School Operations. 

Support your child’s learning and help get their spark back

We are pleased to advise Andrew Fuller clinical psychologist  has been engaged by MACS to present two additional free webinar sessions next week on the topic of: Supporting your child’s learning and help to get their spark back

Andrew Fuller - Clinical Psychologist, Author and Family Therapist

We sent the registration links to you via an email late this afternoon.

Staff News

Michelle Ewan who has been a Learning Support Officer at St John Vianney's Mulgrave for the past eleven years has taken up a new position closer to home at St Catherine's Berwick. Michelle finishes at the end of this week. We thank Michelle for her work at SJV and wish her well at her new school.  

We congratulate Kristina and Chris Khoo as they welcomed their second child Spencer James Khoo on July 6. Such exciting news for their family!!

School Closure Day 

Please note that the school has planned for a Closure Day on Friday 13th August. Following the recommendations of the 2020  review the staff will be continuing to work with MACS on implementing high impact teaching strategies in the classroom.  This staff Professional Learning day has been planned for some time and will go ahead.   If there is any change to this as a result of COVID restrictions, I will inform you.

Please note that the next Closure Day will be Friday October 29th. School will be closed on Cup Eve  Monday 1st November.  

First Communion  - Please Read the Important Information 

Please note that Fr Eric has informed me that at this stage First Communion Masses will go ahead as planned. We will update you if this changes. 

The organisation of the Sacraments and First Communion Masses is now done through the Parish, not the school.  Families of First Communion Candidates have all received a letter from the Parish outlining their Mass time.  Continue to work through the Eucharist Booklet. It is set up to be completed together. It does not have to be completed  before the First Eucharist Mass. 

Year 6 Camp 

I take this opportunity to congratulate our Year 6 students and staff who attended Camp at Phillip Island Adventure Resort last week. 

The students were brilliant.  Whilst I was only there for a short time, it was obvious that the students' behaviour, their manners and their support of one another was exemplary. Our staff and the staff from Phillip Island made similar comments. I thank our wonderful team  who travelled with the group. Tony Nguyen (Coordinator), Belinda Ithier, Georgie McLean, Ru Lameijn, Nick Hoare, Jane Lancaster and Marg Klupacs. Their dedication, care and commitment to our students was first class. They also had a terrific time!  Read more from our students later in newsletter.

School Policies   

Please note that with the change of Governance from Parish Priest to Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), MACS schools are required to have all policies transferred to the MACS templates.  This ensures that we are compliant with the Victorian Regulations and Qualification Authority. 

Important Policies have been  updated and placed on our website.

School Crossing Police Road

As you will be aware the School Crossing has been removed during the term break. There is a traffic supervisor from Greater Dandenong Council at the pedestrian lights in Police Road near Dunoon St/Turner Close should parents need to use the crossing with their child.  I advise for safety reasons that no child should be crossing Police Road or any of the surrounding streets without adult / parent supervision.

At the end of last term all families were sent some correspondence from school around the removal of the Crossing and FAQ. Please refer back to this correspondence.

To have the signalised lights moved to the front of the school is not a simple matter. Be assured though that this has been raised and is not a Council but a Vic Roads issue. There are many variables to consider.  I continue to work with Monash City Council on effective ways to make the area around the back of our school safe. It is a complex issue and we can not have a crossing installed in this area unless it meets very stringent data and safety requirements.  

Monash City Council is looking at ways to improve safety around the school during pick-up and drop-off times, particularly around Dunoon Street. They are undertaking investigations and will consider any further improvements as necessary. If you wish to discuss this matter further, Monash City Council can be contacted on 9518 3555 or mail@monash.vic.gov.au

I urge you to contact Monash Council with any of your concerns. Feel free to contact me should you wish to discuss the matter further. 

I remind you all to be patient and very mindful of students, toddlers and traffic users in the Parish carpark and at the back of the school. Safety is all is our priority.  

Before School Supervision 

I remind all parents that students are supervised from 8:30am before school 

Please do not drop your children off and leave them unsupervised before school.

Camp Australia do operate  before school care from 6:30am - 8:30am.