Dear Parents/Caregivers,

We have had a very pleasing start to the school year at St John’s. I have been most impressed by the way that the students have been positively engaged with their learning and in their interactions with their peers. I have had the opportunity to visit each classroom and it has been obvious to see that effective routines and structures have already been established to assist in creating positive and safe learning spaces. One student said to me that she loves being at St John’s because it is just like a second home. What more could we ask for!

This connects well with the Gospel reading that will be used this Sunday. It is the well known verse from Mathew’s Gospel which has the following:

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’ The children are certainly shining their light in the way they have begun the school year.

Tomorrow, our Kindergarten students formally begin their schooling journey. After what must have seemed like such a long wait for them, they can now finally say they are at ‘big school!’ I pray that they will enjoy all that school has to offer.

For those of you who get to attend some of our morning assemblies, you will notice a slight change. Following feedback from the staff who indicated that the assemblies can get very long for the students and impact on learning time in the classroom. In order to find a balance between coming together as a community and ensuring learning is not disrupted too much, we are trialling using our Monday, Wednesday and Friday assemblies to cover such things as prayer, singing our National Anthem, providing an Acknowledgement to Country, celebrating birthdays, distributing Good Samaritan Awards and providing important reminders about upcoming events. The assemblies on Tuesday and Thursday will thus be shorter in length.

You will have received notification via Compass this week of ‘Meet and Greet’ meetings being held next week for Years 1-6. I encourage you all to take advantage of this opportunity meet with your child’s teacher to assist in supporting your child’s growth and development.

Wishing you a safe and happy week,

Paul Moroney
Principal

We would like to warmly welcome you back to another school year. The year has begun very smoothly and the students settled in well and reconnected with their friends.

It has been wonderful to see how well presented they are in their full Summer uniform. We thank you for ensuring that they have returned to school so well prepared for the new school year.

This term holds many events that we can look forward to including the celebration of our Opening Mass, our school Cross Country and remembering the events of Holy Week. We look forward to sharing these special times with you.

At St John’s we value parents as a child’s first teacher who knows your child best. To assist us to support your child, we have sent home a questionnaire for parents to complete to inform your child’s teacher about important information concerning your child.

Kindergarten parents will not need to complete the questionnaire, as they have been already completed this form during the Best Start interviews.

Please bring the student questionnaire to your child’s meet & greet appointment. The meet & greet meeting will allow you the time to provide information about your child to their teacher. Please bring any updated health plans that your child has to the meeting.

Wishing everyone a successful year ahead. Let us walk together in peace and joy.

Kylie Billett & Helen Libro
Assistant Principals

The canteen is an exciting part of school life for our students, however, this is only possible with help from volunteers. If you are available to volunteer any time in the canteen, please complete the attached 'Canteen Volunteer' form and return it to the school office as soon as possible.

Many hands make light work.

We would like to acknowledge all students and staff who celebrated their birthday over the school holidays.

The following students are celebrating their birthday this week, February 3 - February 9

School Banking Day is Wednesday!

School Banking for 2020 will commence next Wednesday 12 February. All current volunteers and any new parents who are available to assist for a few hours on a Wednesday morning are asked to meet in the Community Room next Wednesday after morning assembly. No experience necessary as training will be provided.

The Clothing Pool will be open during the following times:

Friday 7 February: 8.30-9.30am

Monday 10 February: 5-6pm

Friday 14 February: 2.30-3.30pm

School Crossing Supervisor

Yesterday we said goodbye to Pat, our Lindesay St crossing supervisor. We have been advised by the RMS that they are unable to replace her at this time. The RMS is looking to appoint more crossing supervisors in the area and a copy of the advertisement is attached. If you know anyone who may be interested in applying for these jobs, please feel free to pass this on.

School Bus Travel

A reminder to all students catching buses must remeber to Tap On and Tap Off each time you travel. A letter from Busabout is attached for your attention.

St John's Netball Club

Please see attached flyer regarding St John's Netball Club for 2020.

Sisterhood is a rapidly growing national movement of Catholic women seeking to deepen our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and those we do life with. We are regular everyday women; students, sisters, daughters, wives, mums, career women and grandmothers, walking alongside one another and doing life together.

Sisterhood has now been operating for the past 14 years. Each year the conference draws between 200-300 Catholic women of all ages and from right across Australia for a weekend of prayer and formation on what it means to be a Catholic woman in the Church today.

Through keynote talks and workshops, mass, adoration of the blessed sacrament, reconciliation and quality sisterhood with other women, women are given the opportunity to deepen in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and develop community with other women. The conference seeks to provide keynote inputs which are both spiritually enriching but also practical to the lives of women of all ages and stages of life.

We are excited to announce the 2020 Sisterhood National Catholic Women’s Conference, ‘Anointed’ will be held from 20 – 22 March 2020 at The Tops Conference Centre, Stanwell Tops. Tickets can be purchased via Trybooking - https://www.trybooking.com/BFQZP

This year's keynote speakers include the very beautiful and well known singer Alyssa Agius from Melbourne and Katie Kobler. Katie has a passion for seeing women released to be who they are created to be.  She also has a powerful personal story to share. The other keynote speakers include: The Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia of Nashville Tennessee, Trish Macarthy, Vivian Dolar, Carrie McCormack, Renee Doyle, Kate Seseljia and more. 

We want to invite women to what will be an incredible weekend of dynamic talks, quality sisterhood time and most importantly an encounter with an amazing God who loves us beyond measure and pours His Grace abundantly.