February 26th, 2024: Newsletter #4
- Acknowledgment of Country
- Week 5 Prayer
- From the Principal
- Disabled Parking Spaces
- Sharing of Food- student birthdays
- Working with Children Check
- Parent Information Session Feedback
- FIRE Carrier School
- Bushfire at Risk Register (BARR)
- School Photos
- Hands on Learning
- Breakfast Club
- Student News
- Around our School- Week 4
- Student Awards
- Happy Birthday
- Parents & Friends Social Group
- School Sponsorship
- Emmanuel College
- Star of the Sea Bulletin
- Community Notices
- Upcoming Events
Acknowledgment of Country
St. John’s school community respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and emerging. 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.
Week 5 Prayer
From the Principal
Welcome to the 5th week of term.
Lions Eye Health Program: We are fortunate to have the Lions club provide Free Vision screening for students in Foundation, Grade 3 and Grade 6 on 14th March. A paper permission form has been sent home today for every student, if you wish to access this program please complete the form. Please return the form to the school office by Friday 7th March.
Superstar Swimmers: Good luck to Ava M, Billy F, Daniel H & Mila N who will represwent the school this Thursday at the Division Swimming Sports- we hope they have an amazing day.
We look forward to the week ahead, Ben.
Disabled Parking Spaces
Could all school families please be aware that the disabled parking spaces, located in the Russell St and Coghlan's Rd car parks are only to be used by community members who have a permit to park in disabled parking spots.
Sharing of Food- student birthdays
It's great that many families like to celebrate their child's birthdays and to involve their classmates in these celebrations. This is often done by the sharing of food.
If this is something that you wish to do, we ask that you provide pre-packaged foods such as lollipops, cup cakes, zooper doopers etc. doing so helps us to keep a guage on food ingredients etc.
Working with Children Check
A reminder that if you wish to volunteer your time at school events and at various other times you are required to have a current Working with Children Check (WWCC Check), this is Victorian Government legislation. When you arrive at school, sign in on the iPad and enter your Working with Children card details.
The application is completed online and it is free. Please click here.
Parent Information Session Feedback
We would like to thank all parents who were able to attend our Parent Information Sessions in week 2, they are always a good way to build relationships between home and school.
We are always looking for ways to enchnace these sessions and have developed a short survey which we ask all families, even those who didn't attend, to complete. The information gathered will help to shape future sessions, their content, their time and their purpose.
The form is linked here.
FIRE Carrier School
As a school community, we recognise the special place and culture of Aboriginal peoples within Australia. We acknowledge that Aboriginal people have been the caretakers of this Land for more than 60,000 years. We respect their spiritual connection to Mother Earth through the Dreaming.
At St John’s our vision for reconciliation is to be a place of learning and teaching that respects Aboriginal protocols, history and culture. We will have strong and mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal communities. These relationships will provide for the sharing of knowledge and ideas, and the opportunity to listen and learn from Aboriginal Australians about the past, their current circumstances, and their vision for the future. We will be a place where Aboriginal culture is respected and celebrated.
St John’s have become a FIRE (Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education) Carrier school. FIRE Carrier Project is to promote respect, fairness and inclusion for Aboriginal people. To be a FIRE Carrier is to exercise an important leadership role in the school community. FIRE carriers are students and teachers that share a passion for learning about Aboriginal culture and history and are committed to sharing this knowledge and promoting reconciliation within and beyond the school community. As part of this program, at our beginning of the year Mass, we had our new Message Stick blessed and presented to the school community. This Message Stick has already become part of all our assemblies and liturgies.
The Message Stick is carried during the procession at the beginning of Mass, along with the Lectionary. It is a powerful symbolic gesture that showed the willingness of both cultures to accept the Word. The Message Stick is also held up while the Gospels are being read. The Message Stick will be a focal point in our foyer and then taken to all assemblies, liturgies and Masses.
Bushfire at Risk Register (BARR)
In 2024 our school has been placed on the Bushfire at Risk Register.
With the implementation of a new national Fire Danger Rating (FDR) system, all schools on the "Bushfire and Grassfire At Risk Registers" will be closed on days classified as Catastrophic FDR.
What does this mean? On a Catastrophic FDR, our school will be closed, along with school bus services. No one will be allowed on site. Such ratings will be declared ahead of the nominated day. In the event of a Catastophic FDR an email and a Schoolzine alert will go out to parents.
Please note: A Catastrophic FDR is different to a Day of Total Fire Ban.
Additional Information about the Australian Fire Danger Rating system is reproduced below for your information.
School Photos
Our annual school photos including sibling photos will be taken by Arthur Reed Photos on Tuesday 5th March 2024.
Students are to wear their sports uniform.
There is no need to return any forms or money to school. Unique image codes will be issued to all students on/after photo day so families can register online to view images when they become available in the webshop.
Registration is simple, just follow the 3 simple steps on your child’s personalised flyer once you receive it and remember to add the codes for all your children attending this school. Even if you registered last year, it’s important that you do again this year using your child’s 2024 image code to link their images for the current year with your contact details.
When images are ready to view and in the webshop, all parents who have registered will be notified by SMS and email. Once registered, please wait for notification that 2024 images are online to view before making your purchase.
Hands on Learning
Breakfast Club
A huge thank you to Fonterra for their support of our Breakfast Club in providing all of the dairy products each week. Breakfast Club is very popular with our students, attracting large numbers each week so we are very appreciative of any support that is given.
Student News
Ava competed in her first swimming carnival in Terang on the weekend and finished 2nd in 9 & Under 33m Freestyle.
This is amazing Ava! We are all so very proud of you. Good luck for your future events.
Around our School- Week 4
Student Awards
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to Lachlan A, Taylor M, Brooklyn H, Zach R, Harry M and Carter A who celebrate their birthday this week, we hope you have a fabulous day celebrating with family and friends!
Parents & Friends Social Group
Our AGM is quickly approaching on Tuesday 19th March at 7.00pm with all positions needing to be filled.
This group organises all fundraising and social events for the school community and is made up of a variety of parents. This variety helps us to provide feedback to the Principal regarding a range of topics from school uniforms to play equipment.
It is always great to see new faces and I would encourage all families to try and get along to a meeting throughout the year. The group meets monthly and it is a great opportunity to have a say on things happening in your child's school.
At the AGM we’ll be hoping to fill the following roles;
President (Currently held by Malynda De Bono) Vice President (Currently held by Amber Serra & Ali Fechete) Secretary (Currently held by Jen Milne) Treasurer
Nominations for these positions will be taken at the AGM. Should you have any queries regarding these positions then please feel free to speak with the incumbent person or if you would like a role description then please speak with Ben van de Camp.
Wine Cheese & Chat Gathering
It was great to be able to get together last Tuesday with a great turn out of parents. As always it is great to see new faces coming along.
Ben took the opportunity to discuss the various roles played out by the different groups within our school including the School Advisory Council, P & F and the many sub committees it has, ahead of their respective AGM’s.
Many thanks to Amber & Ali who catered and made a delicious spread for all to enjoy into the night.
Malynda De Bono - President
Dennington Dash
Dennington Dash will be held on Friday 15th March. A great opportunity to get out and run/walk with friends while raising money for our school.
Get your sporting club involved for a competitive race or bring your friends and family along for a social stride. All welcome to come along and help raise funds for our school.
Use the QR code below to register for the event.
There are some great prizes to be won on the night including winners of each category and spot prizes for those who registered.
We are on the lookout for volunteers to help on the night with registrations, marshalling and helping on the BBQ. There is a post in the facebook group asking for volunteers. Please comment if you are able to help out.
Dennington's Day Out
Dennington’s Day Out is our school’s biggest fundraiser for the year and it takes a year's worth of planning to pull it off.
THIS WEDNESDAY at 7.15pm in the Gathering space will be the groups first meeting of the year and we would love to see some new faces.
No special skills are needed and the meetings can be a great social outing. The group is led by Sarah Howley and is a very rewarding experience.
Cake Raffle
Each week on a Monday, families are rostered on to bring in a cake which will then be raffled and drawn out at assembly. All funds raised throughout the year will be donated to the Good Friday Appeal the following year.
All students will have the opportunity to buy a raffle ticket for 20c each Monday 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 next week- Monday 4th March.
Boreham, Boyle, Bray, Bridgman and Brooks (Aurora).
School Sponsorship
A big thank you to O'Brien's Electrical, Joinery by Jarrod, Fry Painting and Carry on Travel who sponsor our school!
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.
Please contact parents@sjdennington.catholic.edu.au for more information.
Emmanuel College
Star of the Sea Bulletin
Sunday Mass is held at 10.00am 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
Upcoming Events
Wednesday 28th February: DDO first meeting in the Gathering Space at 7.15pm.
Tuesday 5th March: School Photos (students are to wear sports uniform).
Wednesday 6th March: School Athletics Carnival.
Friday 15th March: Dennington Dash.
Monday 18th March: Sacrament of Reconciliation, St Pius X Church at 6.00pm.
Tuesday 19th March: P&F Social Group AGM and first meeting.
Wednesday 27th March: DDO Dinner Meeting.