Dear Parents/Carers,

Gracious God, today begins a period of inner reflection and examination. The days stretch before me and invite me inward to that silent, holy space that holds your Spirit. This special time beckons me to see my life through Christ's eyes and the truth and reality of your love incarnate. When I open my soul to your presence, let your loving kindness flow over me and seep into the pockets of my heart. I ask this for the sake of your love. Amen.

Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of the season of Lent. This period of 40 days reflects the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness strengthening his own relationship with his Father. For us Lent is time of reflection, prayer, and giving - a time to get rid of habits that lead us to be lazy - a time for us to practice good habits - a time to make ourselves a little bit more in Christ’s image. 

As we get closer to God during Lent, we need to remember what it is all about. We lead up to Christ’s ultimate passion, and death on the cross.  This is a sacrifice that can never be matched. As we begin this Lenten season we remember that Jesus taught his disciples about giving, prayer, and fasting. We use his teachings to make our own sacrifices and honour him, in the way that he showed his disciples. 

School Open Day for enrolments

You may have started to see promotions for a School Open Day on Wednesday 1 March. This is a day specifically for families seeking enrolment at St John's for 2023-2024. We are seeking support from existing parents in two ways:

1. Promoting the event with any family, friends and neighbours who would like to know more about our school
2. Helping on the day with meeting prospective families and assisting with morning tea. Please let the office know if you are able to help.

P & F Meeting (AGM)

The P & F AGM will be held on Tuesday 7 March. I apologise for any confusion from last week’s Newsletter which had an incorrect date for this meeting. This meeting will be held in the Tiered Learning Space (entry via Kindergarten). It is a great way for parents to get involved in our community. New parents and carers are particularly welcomed so that you can find out about the P & F and how you can get involved.

Student supervision before and after school

Please note that before-school supervision of students commences at 8.15am. Some students are arriving as early as 8.00am and are left waiting outside the school gates unsupervised. For the safety of your children, it is best that they not be left unsupervised before the school gates open.

In the afternoon, supervision of the students under the COLA concludes at 3.30pm. You are asked to ensure your child is collected by that time. 

If these times in the morning and/or afternoon are difficult for you to manage due to work or other commitments, you may want to consider using the Outside of School Hours (OOSH) care that is run by Aspire. They can be contacted on 0477 702 514.

End of Term 1

Please note that the last day of Term 1 for students will be Wednesday 5 April. The following day is an allocated Staff Professional Development Day. 

Wishing you a safe and blessed week,

Paul Moroney
Principal