Term 1, Week 8, 27 March 2025

Principal's Message

Dear St John's Families,

As we move into the second half of Term 1, Week 7 & 8 have been another busy and productive period for our school community.

A significant focus this past week has been the administration of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests for our students in Years 3 & 5. I was incredibly impressed by the calm and focused manner in which our students approached these assessments. Despite the natural anticipation surrounding these tests, I witnessed a remarkable level of composure and effort from all involved. It was wonderful to see students supporting each other and demonstrating the positive learning environment we strive to cultivate here at St John's. We commend our students for their maturity and resilience throughout the NAPLAN testing period. Thank you also to Miss McEvoy who Administered the tests for both Year 3 and Year 5 and supported the students along the way. 

This past fortnight also saw the culmination of our Three-Way Conferences. These valuable meetings provided a fantastic opportunity for students, parents, and teachers to connect, discuss learning progress, and collaboratively set goals for the remainder of the year. I had the pleasure of observing many positive and productive conversations taking place, highlighting the strong partnerships we have between home and school.

I extend my sincere gratitude to our dedicated staff for their time, preparation, and thoughtful engagement during the Three-Way Conferences. Their commitment to fostering individual student growth is truly commendable. Furthermore, I would like to thank our parents and guardians for actively participating in these important discussions. Your involvement and support are crucial to the success of our students. Finally, a big thank you to our students for taking ownership of their learning and contributing meaningfully to these conferences.

The insights gained from both the NAPLAN assessments and the Three-Way Conferences will be invaluable as we continue to tailor our teaching and learning programs to best meet the needs of each student.

Looking ahead to the final weeks of the term, we have Holy Week Celebrations, Cross Country, Year 6 Mt St Pats taster, Coffee and Conversation, and Celebration of Learning. We encourage you to stay informed through our school calendar and upcoming communications.

Thank you for your ongoing support of St John's.

Warm regards,

Dave

2025 Annual Strategic Plan

I invite you to view our Annual Strategic Plan which informs our direction for the year. When planning for the year ahead we review data collected through student learning, student surveys, parent surveys and staff feedback. I encourage you to look at the initiatives which we will hold ourselves accountable to this year. 

Coffee and Conversation

I invite you to Coffee and Chat at the Paddock Project at 9am on Friday 4th April. This is an opportunity for families to raise concerns, have suggestions, want clarification or just a chat. Topics of discussion could include issues pertaining to the school, possible plans for the future, current educational trends, technology in schools, school data, student wellbeing - whatever you want it to be!!!!

Come by yourself or with others! ALL WELCOME (Toddlers also!)

If you would like to attend please fill out the online RSVP by Thursday 3rd April.

Updated Policy - Head Lice

Please find below a link to our updated Policy and Procedures for Head Lice.

This updated policy has been developed in alignment with the latest guidelines from NSW Health and the NSW Department of Education to ensure a consistent and effective approach to managing head lice within our school community.

Our priority is to maintain a healthy and comfortable learning environment for all our students. Head lice are a common occurrence in school-aged children and are not a sign of poor hygiene. However, they can cause discomfort and be a nuisance if not managed effectively.

The key principles of our updated policy are:

• Focus on Education and Prevention: We will continue to educate students and parents about head lice identification, treatment, and preventative measures. Information will be available through occasional newsletters.
• Emphasis on Home Management: The primary responsibility for checking for and treating head lice lies with parents and carers. Regular checks at home are crucial in preventing widespread outbreaks.
• Reduced Disruption to Learning: In line with current health advice, students with head lice will generally be able to remain at school on the day they are detected, provided treatment commences that evening. This approach aims to minimise disruption to their learning and reduce unnecessary absences.
• Confidentiality and Respect: We understand the sensitive nature of this issue and will ensure that all matters related to head lice are handled with discretion and respect for the privacy of students and families.
• Communication and Support: If a case of head lice is identified in a classroom, we will inform parents of that class via a general, non-identifying communication. We will also provide information and support resources to families as needed.

We believe this updated policy provides a balanced and practical approach to managing head lice, focusing on early detection and effective home treatment while minimising disruption to the school day.

We encourage all parents and carers to familiarise themselves with the updated Head Lice Policy, which will also be available on our school website. We also encourage you to routinely check your child's hair for head lice.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in implementing this updated policy. By working together, we can ensure a healthy and positive learning environment for all our students.

Canteen Update

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the parents who took the time to provide feedback regarding the St John's Primary School canteen operations. Your input is invaluable and has helped us to make positive changes to better serve our students.

We are pleased to announce that the school canteen will be opening on Wednesdays, commencing on Wednesday, 2nd April. This is in addition to Fridays.

We are also excited to introduce some new and delicious items to our canteen menu, starting from Friday, 28th March:

• Pesto Pasta: (Vegetarian, contains dairy and gluten) - $6.00
• Mini Pie and Sausage Roll Pack: (Two party pies and one mini sausage roll) - $6.00
• Chips: Plain - $4.00 / with Gravy - $4.50

Please find an updated canteen menu attached. Students are still able to purchase drinks, frozen items and snacks with cash at the canteen on canteen days. 

We are also actively exploring options for including pizza on our menu in the future. We are currently working to find a pizza option that meets the necessary criteria and gains the approval of the school canteen association, ensuring it aligns with healthy eating guidelines. We will keep you updated on our progress in this area.

Thank you once again for your support and valuable input. We look forward to seeing the students enjoy an additional canteen day and hope they enjoy the new menu items.

HIKE AWARDS Week 8

LEARNING

Exciting Opportunity for St John's

This year St John’s school has been selected to be part of the Number Fluency Project for Mathematics. We will be working alongside Dr Ange Rogers. I have included some information about the project in the attached flyer. 

S1 will be our first class to implement the programme. After completing training with Dr Anne, Mrs Gruft and I began conducting screening assessments this week. This gives us data so we know where our students are at now and how to individualise the program for every student. Next week we will work with the students in the classroom to establish the routine and get the students working on building number fluency in the classroom. 

During Term 2 other classes will join the programme after we participate in professional learning at the start of the term. We will keep you posted about our NFP journey. S1 and Mrs G are super excited to be our pioneers in the project.

WELL BEING @ ST JOHN'S

Peaceful Problem Solving

The St John’s HIKE matrix provides clear behaviour guidelines for our children at school. All humans encounter interpersonal problems from time to time and this of course is true at school, too.

The HIKE matrix encourages the children to be positive problem solvers! Great advice - however what might positive problem solving look like? It’s a discussion the children would have in class many times with their teachers and it seems to be paying off! I have witnessed many challenging incidents recently in which our children have found positive ways of solving a problem. It’s been inspiring to witness.

The poster below offers a number of ways we can solve problems in a peaceful and positive manner. You may like to print these suggestions and put the poster up at home for future discussion and reference. 

Happy problem-solving!

Best regards, Mr Flint

Mission News

Family-Friendly Thursday Night Mass Now at Our Lady of Lourdes, Brunswick Heads!

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Bruns is now offering a Thursday evening Mass at 5:30 PM, perfectly timed for families to come together before the weekend rush.

This new addition to the weekly schedule provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with your faith in a welcoming and inclusive environment. Imagine ending your Thursday with a shared experience of prayer, reflection, and community, setting a positive tone for the days ahead.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"

Our Birthday people:-  

Ella, Edie, Savannah  & Archie

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS PARENT ASSEMBLY

COMMUNITY NOTICES