Our Vision and Mission

Vision

Love to Learn, Learn to Love
Learn to Live, Love to Live

Mission

At St. John’s Primary School we will:

* Foster faith and spiritual development through a strong Religious Education program.
* Provide high quality education addressing the individual learning styles and needs of every child.
* Nurture the ongoing development of relationships and community, within our school and beyond.
* Ensure that all community members have the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

Working with Children & Volunteering

Parents and volunteers are encouraged to support St. John’s Primary School and our students by volunteering their time to help in classrooms, school events, excursions, canteen and various other times as invited by the school. In 2008, new State Legislation required volunteers working with children in Victoria to have a current Working with Children Check (WWWC).

If you would like to volunteer your time at St. John’s Primary School for any purpose/event, you will need a current Working with Children Check (WWCC), this is Victorian Government legislation.

Working With Children Check website

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September 1st 2025: Newsletter #28

Acknowledgement of Country

St. John’s school community respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders as the traditional custodians of the land on which we learn, pray and grow. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together, working together towards a reconciled Australia.

Prayer Week 7

As a society we have shared in the sadness associated with the death of two Victoria Police members killed in the line of duty, with the death of the Geelong schoolgirl in the bus crash and in the ongoing conflicts across the world which continue to bring pain and displacement to thousands, and cause distress and a feeling of hopelessness for millions.

The Catholic Faith promotes the concept of a shepherd as the one who leads and protects the sheep, no sheep is more important than the other, no sheep is left behind. As with human life, our challenge is to care for every human and to support them through the darkest days. In Paul Kelly's song, Meet me in the Middle of the Air which is his version of Psalm 23, he reminds us that even when we are broken and fearful that we are never abandoned, God will meet us wherever we are and will assist us to pull through.

In the line "fear not deaths dark shadow" we remember that God is close to us in the grief and tragedy and when we hear "every soul shall be restored" we are reminded of the hope and healing God brings us even when all seems beyond hope. And lastly, when we hear "meet me in the middle of the air" we are assured that God meets us wherever we are, offering hope, peace and comfort.

As you listen to the Psalm below, let us all hold in prayer the people of Victoria and across the world who hope for healing and peace and let us also call to mind the shepherds in our lives who are called to lead with compassion, care and courage. May we meet them in the middle of the air!

From the Principal

Hello everyone, and welcome to a new week at St. John's!

Oval Development Update: Tender documents have been developed and sent out for pricing which we expect to happen shortly. it is anticipated that the tender will be awarded during the holidays with works to take place in Term 4.

Sympathies: Our love and prayers and with Eliza M and her family on the passing of her beloved Nanna, may she rest in peace and her memory live on through you all.

2025 Term 3 Assembly Roster:

Monday Sep 8th- Grade 1
Monday Sep 15th- Grade 2

National Catholic Education Commission Conference: I was thrilled to be able to attend the NCEC Conference in Cairns recently, a highlight being the conference mass (shown below) which featured over 1400 attendees and over 500 students from Cairns catholic schools. The conference theme was Hope, Anchored in Faith and we were afforded the opportunity to hear speakers address numerous topics including curriuclum initiatives, parent engagement, future directions of education and teacher capacity building.

Enjoy the week ahead, Ben.

2026 Learning Support Traineeships

Our Traineeship positions have been advertised via our website, our Facebook page and in a booklet provided to Emmanuel College students.

If you are aware of a student who is looking to particpate in a Traineeship then I encourage them to consider applying, it is a great way to learn while receiving pay and training.

Applications for all traineeship positions close at 4.00pm on Wednesday 3rd September 2025 and must be submitted via the Jot Form at https://form.jotform.com/252077649056868

A covering letter, application form and resume must be uploaded via the Jot Form.

Student Mobile Phones & Smart Watches

As previously advised, we have guidelines regarding the use of mobile phones and smart watches by students whilst at school or on any camp/ excursion. As a rule, our students are very good at handing their phones in at the office each day but we have noticed a number of students using their watches to communicate with parents, which as per the linked guidelines, is against our expectations. Smart watches have the capacity to be placed into school mode and I encourage families to ensure that this is done.

Mobile Phone Policy

FoodBank

At St. John’s, we are proud of our strong tradition of caring for one another. One way we do this is through our Food Bank initiative, where families volunteer to provide meals for others in our school community during times of need—whether it’s supporting someone through illness or offering comfort during a time of loss.

We’re currently inviting families who are willing to donate a meal—either homemade or store-bought to support this important initiative. These meals make a real difference to those receiving them.

If you are able to make a donation please contact our Pastoral care Leader Jasmine - jkoch@sjdennington.catholic.edu.au

Father's Day Breakfast- RSVP's closed.

Our annual Father's Day breakfast is being held this Friday 5th September in the Stadium from 7.30am - 8.30am. For those who have responded breakfast will consist of egg and bacon rolls (and a coffee for the Dads/special person).

RSVP's have now closed for this event.

Japanese

During August, we have been learning about the Peace Day celebrations in Japan on August 6th, as they marked the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in World War 2. Although the events were traumatic, the day now marks a celebration of peace and unity between countries around the world. Students listened to stories about how peace has been shared between Japan and America, as well as symbols of peace that are common in Japan and around the world.

Students were asked to design a poster in our school-wide competition in order to share messages and symbols of peace with our school community.

Congratulations to our winners:

Foundation: Danyl S and Olivia G
Gr 1: Hazel M, Jack Y and Dylan Z
Gr 2: Rosa D, Chad G and Easton S
Gr. 3 Harper H and Lucy W
Gr 4: Hallie W and Isabelle C
Gr 5/6: Eloise P and Milla B

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Wellbeing

Student Representative Council

In the newsletter last week we introduced our SRC members from years three and five. Today we are excited to introduce our remaining reps.

In Year One, Laney and Eli are the elected students for 2025. Laney was keen to be on the SRC to make the school a fun and happy place for everyone and Eli thought it would be a good thing to do at school.

In Year Four, Issy and Gracie were chosen by their peers. Issy likes to share her ideas and lep others while Gracie loves being in the SRC because it’s a time she can help others if they are down and support them when they need it. Both of these students have shown excellent leadership qualities in their time at St John’s.

Esther and Shona are excited to be the Year Two reps on the SRC. Esther is looking forward to helping everyone and Shona wants to try and make the school great for everyone.

We look forward to sharing the exciting work our students are doing as the rest of the year unfolds!

Self Care September

Happy first day of September (and Spring!) Attached is the action for happines calendar you might like to follow this month.

SchoolTV- Multilingual videos now available

Because wellbeing shouldn’t get lost in translation, SchoolTV has introduced a powerful new feature — multilingual videos.

Until now, families could access written content in more than 60 languages. Now, expert-led videos are also available in Chinese, Hindi and Arabic, with more languages to be added next year. This new feature ensures every family can access trusted, practical guidance in a way that feels familiar, inclusive, and easy to understand.

Explore this feature for yourself by clicking the link below to view SchoolTV content in your preferred language. You can access SchoolTV through the SZ app or on our website.

Start viewing translated content today

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrate their birthday this week: Tilda C, Maddi H and Aggi K. Best wishes, we hope you have a great day!

Student Awards- Term 3 Week 7

Miss Buwalda - Cyrus L for his wonderful effort and enthusiasm when sounding out and blending tricky words during reading!

Miss Dwyer - Cooper S for his impressive improvement when blending words. Well done Cooper, keep up your hard work!

Mrs Archbold - Paddy M for the enthusiasm you have demonstrated in rehearsals and on the night of the concert. Well done Paddy!

Miss Kissick - Ryder R for being a good friend to others in the classroom and out in the yard. Well done Ryder!

Miss Lucas - Zeppelin M for his enthusiasm in all of our dance rehearsals. You did such a great job!

Mr Hynes - Lennox S for all the brilliant effort he has placed in his learning daily. Amazing to see!

Miss Ryan - Cooper G for his great work on his Koala Information Report.

Mr Harrington - Skylar C for her amazing growth in her multiplication assessment last week!

Miss Kelly - Riley F for his fantastic choices in and outside the classroom, you are becoming a real leader in the Grade 3 area. Great work Riley!

Miss Moloney - Taylor M for showing great growth in our Multiplication & Division. You were super determined each lesson and you should be super proud of yourself!

Mrs Mugavin - Taylor G for being super positive and extremely resilient during our multiplication & division unit. All that hard work was definitely reflected in our assessment! Well done.

Miss P - Luis V for your excellent consistency in Maths over the unit on Multiplication.

Mr McInerney - Jaxon B for showing 2 years growth on his multiplication post test. Great work Jaxon.

Student News

Last weekend Mia was one of 100 Auskickers selected to do a lap of honor before the Tigers vs Cats game as part of the Thank You Tiger Army round. Even though her tigers lost she had a great time!

Ida and Ella competed on the 27th in the FISAF National Aerobics Championship for their club, DNA Hiphop Fitness and Aerobics, in a team called Flair. They placed 9th overall and 2nd out of the Victorian teams, which is an amazing result!

DNA is based locally and offers both recreational and competitive classes in hip hop and aerobics, giving kids the opportunity to develop confidence, fitness, teamwork skills, and lifelong friendships. They regularly run free “come and try” days during the school holidays, so it’s a perfect chance for anyone interested to see what the club is all about.

The club will also be making an appearance at this years Dennington's Day Out, showcasing their talent and encouraging new members to get involved. With such strong community spirit, DNA is more than just a club, it’s a family that celebrates every athlete, whether they’re just starting out or competing on the world stage. You can check them out on Facebook and Instagram at @dnawarrnambool.

Around our School- Term 3 Week 6

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Parents and Friend's Social Group

Dennington Day Out

Dennington Day Out 2025 is less than 100 days away. Behind the scenes the team is busy preparing for another awesome jam packed day. Its not too late to jump on board and help.

We are looking for volunteers to help put our sponsor/ family packs together on the first Monday of term 4. More information about this to come, please keep an eye on our parents/ guardians facebook page.

We will also have more opportunities in the lead up to DDO to complete participation points.

The following meetings have been set for:

Tuesday 2nd September 7.00pm
Tuesday 7th October 7.00pm
Tuesday 21st October 7.00pm
Tuesday 28th October 7.00pm
Thursday 6th November 7.00pm

Father's Day Stall

Please make payment on the CDF by 8.00am tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd September. You can upload up to $10 per child.

Bunnings BBQ & Cake Stall

Our school is hosting a fundraising Bunnings BBQ and cake stall on Saturday 13th September and we are looking for volunteers to assist with both stalls. All time will go towards your participation levy. Please click on the link below if you are able to assist.

We will be calling out for cake stall donations closer to the date. Thank you!

Volunteer Form

Wednesday Treats

This weeks treat is Pizza. Orders close tomorrow Tuesday 2nd September at 8:30am.

Pizza slices are $2.50 each. Gluten Free also available for $2.50 each. Drinks $2.00 each.

Roster:

Tuesday 2nd September - Melissa & Jennifer M

Wednesday 3rd September - Olivia, Jacinta & Tess

Next weeks treat is on Wednesday 10th September will be Dim Sims and Sausage Rolls. Orders will open on Wednesday 3rd September and close on Tuesday 9th September at 8.30am.

Roster:

Tuesday 9th September - Melissa, Laura & Kiri

Wednesday 10th September - Elyse, Theresa G & Bianca

Please remember: Orders are required to be placed online via the CDFpay app. Each Wednesday the order for the following week will be uploaded to the app. Orders will close at 8:30am each Tuesday so please make sure you get your orders in on time as we can not accept late orders or cash this year.

Should you have any questions please feel free to contact Emily McGennan or the front office.

Cake Raffle

Each Assembly we draw a cake raffle for students. The money raised goes to Our noimiated charity, Backpacks Beds.

School families have been assigned a week to bring in a cake. There is no obligation or pressure for you to do so, it is only if you wish to. If you have been assigned a week that is unsuitable and you would like to bring a cake in another week, please contact the office and an alternate date will be arranged.

If you choose to, please drop your store purchased cake into the office with your family name written on top.

All students will have the opportunity to buy a raffle ticket for 20c with a limit of five tickets per student. The Johnnies will make a P.A announcement at first lunch, calling all students who wish to purchase a ticket, to the Library.

The following families are rostered on for Monday September 8th:

Nicholas, Oakley, O’Donohue, O’Grady, Olam, Payne, Plater, Porter-rook, Powell and Purcell.

School Sponsorship

Would you like to advertise your business in our school newsletter? Businesses can advertise for only $100 a year and will have a business card sized listing in every school newsletter.

A big thank you to O'Brien Electrical & Plumbing, Fry Painting, Carry on travel, King Cole Fruit Supply, Total Landscapes and Design and Hiensch Haulage that sponsor our school!

Please contact parents@sjdennington.catholic.edu.au for more information.

Star of the Sea Bulletin

Sunday Mass is held at 9.00am at St. Pius X Church. School families are always welcome.

The Parish office can be contacted on 5562 2231 and this weekends bulletin is featured below. Other information and contact details can be found on the Star of the Sea South West Coast website: https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/parish/southwestcoast/

Community Notices

LESS THAN A MONTH UNTIL THE EPIC SOUND & LIGHT SHOW BEGINS!!!!!
LIMITED SEATING SO GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW USING THE QR CODE!!!
Mr. M Adventures: Out Of This World LIVE
Date: Saturday, 20th Sept • 10:30am
Venue: Kardinia Church, Dennington
Doors open at 10am
The LIVE show everyone wants to see!!!
'Music for all Generations'
Mr. M