Dear Parents/Carers,

Loving God, we come to you at this new beginning of the school year.
We have been many places during the summer
and our journey has brought us back to this place and to this time together.

As we turn towards you at the beginning of this year as a school community,
we begin by saying thank you—thank you for where we are on our journey
and for the journey ahead.
Thank you for where we are on the path of our life.

Be with us as we begin the year.
Steady our hearts and our minds to be open
to what is being constantly revealed through your loving presence.
Give us joy-filled hearts, and a warm and friendly attitude that is open to the movement of your spirit and to others.
Help us to be open and ready to respond to what is needed
by our St John's community,
In you, we place our trust as we ask these thing through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Welcome to the 2024 school year. I trust that your Christmas was a time of great blessing, and that your family was able to have some quality time together during the summer break. It has been wonderful seeing our Year 1-6 students return to school so positively this week, and we look forward to the Kindergarten children joining us tomorrow. On behalf of Fr John and our staff, I would especially like to welcome our new families to St John's. I pray that your time with our community is rewarding.

I welcome our new staff to St John's:

• Mrs Tracy New (Physical Education Teacher)
• Mrs Suzanne Roughly (School Suuport Officer)
• Mrs Melissa Simpson (School Support Officer)
• Miss Kaitlyn Hodge (School Support Officer)
• Miss Jordan Monagle (School Support Officer)
• Mrs Julie Fraley (Library Administration)
• Miss Abbey Newton (School Support Officer)

After a short period of leave from St John's, it is also wonderful to welcome back Ms Afchal (Year 6) and Ms Titone (Kindergarten 1 day/week).

For 2024, Rita Maher, our school counsellor, will be working in a leadership position with CatholicCare. This means for this year we will have new counsellors at St John's, Jessica Chan (working 6 days/fortnight) and Amanda Heather (working 2 days/fortnight). 

Tea & Tissues

To support new parents to our school community, the Parents & Friends' (P&F) Association is hosting a 'Tea & Tissues' morning tea tomorrow, 8 February from 8.45am in the hall. Both current and new parents are warmly welcomed to attend.

Whole School Beginning Year Mass and Presentation of Leadership Badges

All parents and carers are welcome to join us in celebrating Mass to ask God for His blessing on our school year. Following Mass we will present our Year 6 student leaders with their leadership badges. Mass will commence at 10.00am and will be held under the COLA.

Meet & Greet sessions

An important aspect of ensuring we are meeting your child's needs is to maintain positive communication with you, as parents and carers. We are organising time for a 'Meet & Greet' session between yourselves and your child's classroom teacher in Week 4 of this term (12-16 February). This will give you an opprtunity to share with the teacher information about your child which would be valuable in knowing to support their learning and faith development. Details about booking a session will be made available via Compass. There will also be a form sent home for you to complete which will assist in directing the conversation that you have.

Wishing you a safe and rewarding week,

Paul Moroney
Principal

WELCOME BACK

As we embark on another school year journey together, we want to extend a warm welcome to all our returning students, families, and staff, as well as extend a heartfelt greeting to those joining our community for the first time.

The start of a new school year is always a special time, filled with endless possibilities, new friendships, and opportunities for growth. Whether your child is beginning on a new grade or beginning their educational journey with us, know that you are an integral part of our vibrant St John the Evangelist family.

We are committed to putting into action our School’s Vision and Mission, by fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential. 

We want to express our gratitude to our families for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your children, and to our staff for their dedication and passion for teaching and learning.

We invite you to stay connected with us throughout the school year, whether through our newsletters, Compass notifications, Facebook page, school events, parent-teacher conferences, or volunteering opportunities. Your involvement and support is invaluable to the success of our students and our school community.

Wishing everyone a fantastic start to the school year!

STUDENT ATTENDANCE & SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS

We understand the challenges that come with getting students ready for school and ensuring they arrive on time. Punctuality plays a significant role in your child's education and overall well-being.

Children can be brought to school between 8:15am-8:45am. The school gates close not long after 8:45am. 

In the afternoon, students are dismissed at 3pm. They are supervised up until 3:30pm. We remind parents and carers that children need to be picked up within this timeframe. If it is a challenge to pick children up before 3:30pm, we would encourage after school care at ASPIRE or Presbyterian After School Care.

Student attendance in New South Wales is essential to provide every child with a strong foundation for lifelong learning, preparing them for future challenges. Please click on the link below providing information to parents and carers about compulsory school attendance.

CEDoW Compulsory School Attendance Information for Parents

MEET & GREETS

During Week 4 (19-23 February) we will be holding our Meet & Greet sessions. This is an extremely important opportunity for classroom teachers to gain further insights about children from parents/carers.

Each meeting will be scheduled for 10 minutes. Our late night will be on Monday, 19 February, with the final meeting taking place at 6:50pm.

(PLEASE NOTE: Year 2 will have their late night meetings on Tuesday, 20 February and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.)

Early next week, parents and carers will be able to book their appointment online to meet with their child’s classroom teacher. A notification link will be provided via Compass.

We look forward to working in partnership with parents and carers to support the learning and well being of our students.

SAFER INTERNET DAY

On Tuesday, 6 February, it was Safer Internet Day. In this online world we live in, it is crucial that our students are aware of being safe when online. 

This year marks the 21st year of this global event. It is now celebrated annually in about 200 countries and territories. From cyberbullying to social networking to digital identity, each year Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns.

As we did last year, we are currently in the process of engaging our local Police Liaison Officer to visit the Primary students to discuss online safety.

We strongly encourage all parents and carers to speak with their children about the importance of being safe online. Help for parents in this area can be found at https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents. 

Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthday this week 4th February - 10th February

Sports Uniform Days

Just a reminder that the first day of Kindergarten is THIS Thursday, 8th February. We kindly ask if you arrive at 9am. There will be a balloon display in the hall for photos and then you can drop your child off in their classroom. This later start time will allow the opportunity for photos etc with your child. Children will need to wear their full school uniform on this day. Don't forget the 'Tea & Tissues' for parents back in the hall.

The regular school hours are: 8.45am - 3pm.  

The next day (Friday) you will be able to drop your child at the Kindergarten rooms for an 8.45am start. The following week they will begin to line up under the COLA with the rest of the school and we will be outside to support them. 

Opening School Mass

In Week 4, on Tuesday 20th February 2024, we will be celebrating our Opening School Mass.

It will be held under the COLA, starting at 10 am.

Our student leaders will be receiving their badges at this very important School Mass.

All students will be in attendance and will be sitting on their own classroom chairs.  

We therefore ask that you bring your own chair to our Mass.  

Please log into your Compass portal - under insights cycle open - to provide consent for "Acceptable Use of Technology for CEDoW students"
It is important to read and discuss the rules and expectations of using technology at school with your children so they are aware of what is required. 

PLEASE GIVE PERMISSION BY FRIDAY 9 FEBRUARY.

The children will be completing internet safety modules in the coming week.  After these modules are completed, and your consent is received, classroom teachers will inform students when they can bring their iPads to school.

If you have any questions please contact the office.

  It is important that you let the office know as soon as possible, via email or phone, if you are picking your child up prior to normal dismissal (including time).  We can then arrange to have them in the office ready for you.

Please note we are unable to arrange collection of your children during break times,

Please do not enter late arrivals or early departures into compass, this needs to be done by the school office.

Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

If your child is away from school it is important to let the school know as soon as possible with a specific reason, e.g. what type of illness they have, If you are filling in a note on the Compass app, please add an explanation in the details/comments box .

Do not enter into compass if they are going to be late or leave early, that needs to be done from the school end.

It is really important to keep your child at home if they are unwell, this will help with the spread of illness.

If your child takes regular medication, has a medical condtion and/or allergy/anaphylaxis, the school will need documentation and/or an action plan from a medical professional as well as a signed consent form to administer medication/advice of medical condition (available from the office).

This applies even if medication or condition are temporary.

Join Beyond the 80 – a FREE 10-week journey to a healthier lifestyle! For girls aged 7-11 and their families in Western Sydney. Boost your rugby league skills and embrace healthy lifestyle activities together.Click here or scan the QR code to join or for more information. Limited spots available – Enrol now!