October 27th 2025: Newsletter #34

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 4- Grandparents Day Prayer

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you proudly hang my first painting on the fridge, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, And I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favourite cake for me, And I learned that the little things in life could be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I heard you say a prayer, And I knew there is a God I could always talk to And I learned to trust in God.

 When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, And I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of your time, expertise and money to help people who had nothing. And I learned that those who have something should give to those who don’t.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take care of your house and everyone in it, And I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, Even when you didn’t feel well, And I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

 When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you are courageous., And I wanted to be brave like you.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you being creative and I was inspired by you to be a creative and  productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, “Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

From the Principal

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

Staffing Updates: In addition to the news announced last week regarding Kaitlyn Lane, I am pleased to announce that Kristie Painter will be returning from Maternity Leave and will be filling the role of PE Teacher, we will also be welcoming Taylah Hobbs onto staff as our Digi Tech Teacher. Taylah is relocating to the area from Ballarat and has previous experience in the leading of learning in this space.  

Zahli Brookes, Harry Baudinette and Kirsten Thwaites will  be leaving us to commence their University courses whilst Emily Rooke and Nick Palmer will conclude their contracts with us before moving on to other employment.

We will acknowledge these staff at the end of year assembly, and thank them for their amazing contribution to our school community.  

With this in mind, our 2026 teaching staff will be as follows;

Leadership: Ben van de Camp (Principal), Jan Madden (AP F-2) & Amy Atwell (AP 3-6)

Intervention: Sarah Milroy

Wellbeing: Jasmine Koch and Mel Willis

Classroom Teachers

• 3 Foundation classes taught by Hayley Dwyer, Katie Buwalda and Kylie Archbold (this will then combine into 2 classes after 2nd lunch and on Fridays)
• 2 Gr 1 classes taught by Rick Hynes and Grace Lucas
• 2 Gr 2 classes taught by Natalie Ryan and Jordan Mugavin
• 2 Gr 3 classes taught by Megan Kelly and Alicia Moloney
• 2 Gr 4 classes taught by Ella Kissick and Daniel Harrington
• 3 Gr 5/6 classes taught by Nathan McInerney, Kristie Prendergast and Kaitlyn Lane. 

Specialist Teaching Staff

• Japanese: Narelle Marsden
• STEM: Samantha Lane
• ARTY: Sandra Rhodes
• PE: Kristie Painter
• Digi-Tech: Taylah Hobbs

Parent Assistance Required: We have a number of gardening tasks that need to be attended to and we are asking for any parents who are willing, to contact Ben on principal@sjdennington.catholic.edu.au to see where this assistance can be provided. This can be used to offset Parent Participation points.  

Term 4 Closure Days: There has been some confusion regarding Closure days in Term 4 and I apologise for this. There is one closure day in term 4 and that will occur on Monday November 24th, there will be no classes for students on this day. This date wasn't mentioned on the Ask Me Abouts as it is only just been scheduled. Theircare will be open for bookings on this day.

Enjoy the week ahead, Ben.

Term 4 Assembly Roster: 

• Monday Oct 20th- Grade 5
• Monday Oct 27th- Grade 2
• Monday Nov 3rd- Grade 1 
• Monday Nov 10th- Leadership
• Monday Nov 17th- Foundation
• Monday Nov 24th- Advent
• Monday Dec 1st- Advent
• Monday Dec 8th- Advent
• Monday Dec 15th- Grade 6 

SIMON & PAM Offline

On Friday 24th October, the SIMON service, including access to the Parent Access Module (PAM) were taken offline after some unusual login attempts were detected. This involved the unauthorised use of student and staff user credentials to create fake accounts.

St. John's Primary School and SIMONSchools take cyber security very seriously. External experts have been engaged to help ensure we take all appropriate action in response to this activity.

From our investigation to date, we do not have any evidence to suggest that any user information held on the platform has been affected, or that any other systems are involved. Should this position change, we will notify relevant parties as required.

The Parent Access Module (PAM) will remain offline until further notice. This precaution is being taken to ensure the safety and security of all users while we work to further understand this unusual activity and resolve the situation.

The schoolzine app is still available to record absentees. If you need to update important medical information during this period, please contact us directly via admin@sjdennington.catholic.edu.au or 5562 5362. 

We understand this may cause some inconvenience and appreciate your patience and support as we work to restore full service.

We will be in touch with a further update regarding access to PAM as soon as we can. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Parents & Friends AGM

The St John's P&F Social Group works together in coupling fundraising and fun. By combining common sense, energy, fun and enthusiasm there is a lot that is achieved. In planning projects and activities together you can positively influence the lives of many people, discover new experiences and challenges. The excitement of planning and seeing plans come to fruition needs to be shared by as many people as possible and this leads to a shared sense of accomplishment. Everyone likes to feel included and welcome, putting the fun into fundraising will help to achieve this and most importantly, help to provide our children with learning materials, resources and equipment essential to their whole education.

St. John’s Parents and Friends Social Group aims to:

• Promote the values outlined in the Vision and Mission of our school. 
• Provide a sense of warmth and hospitality to our school and wider community.
• Organise social functions whereby the community can come together.
• Help raise funds, which provide the school with learning materials, additional staffing and general equipment.
• Work together as a team with the School Advisory Council and staff.
• To act as a representative body of parents on matters affecting the education of their children 
• To encourage and foster the involvement of staff, students and parents in the activities of the school and this Group.

Every year the Parents & Friends Social group conduct their Annual General Meeting, in 2025 this meeting is set to occur on Wednesday November 26th. It will be a dinner meeting held at the Cally Hotel.

In 2025, the 2 year terms of our Office Bearers will expire, this means that we will looking to elect people to the positions of;

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary

A description of each position and the general guidlines for the P&F Social Group is linked below. 

2025 POPPY APPEAL

For more than 100 years, the Poppy Appeal has raised funds to provide important services for veterans and their families in their time of need.

We have a variety of items for sale at the office ranging from $2 to $5 for any students wishing to make a purchase. 

We remember those who volunteered, sacrificed, served, fought, and died, for our freedom. We thank you, and we salute you as we salute those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

We will never forget. We will remember you.

World Teachers Day

This Friday 31st October is World Teachers Day. Hats off to our amazing teaching team! 

Thank you for being more than just teachers. You are role models who inspire learning, curiosity, and confidence in every student you reach. Your commitment to excellence, your creativity in the classroom and your unwavering support make a lasting difference in our school community.

Today and every day, we appreciate all that you do and are. Happy World Teachers Day!

Grandparent's Day

Thank you to all the grandparents and special people who joined us for our liturgy and activities last Wednesday. It was wonderful to see our students sharing this special time with those who play such an important role in their lives. Your presence made the day truly memorable and we are so grateful for the love and support you bring to our school community.

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Grade 4

In Grade 4 we have been learning about different cultures around the World. Some of the countries we have been researching include, Italy, India, Spain, Peru, Indigenous Australia, China, Philippines, Thailand and Scotland. To support our learning, we put a call out to some experts in our school community. 

Over the last few weeks, we have been fortunate enough to welcome lots of parents into the Grade 4 space to help us with our literacy and inquiry study. To launch our unit, we welcomed Kylie Romanes who showed us how to plan a holiday around Australia. Then we welcomed Anu George who showed us a powerpoint about India. Over the next few weeks we will also be welcoming Yan Zhang into our space who will show us how to make dumplings and Ludwig Mjeda who will be teaching us how to speak spanish. We are learning so much from our school community. 

Just a reminder, in Week 5 and 7, family and friends have the opportunity to come into the Grade 4 space and support us in creating some artefacts for our expo in Week 9! We are really looking forward to these sessions and can't wait to show off our teamwork skills. 

Sporting Events

T20 Cricket Competition

Last Monday, four Grade 5/6 teams took part in the District T20 Cricket competition against other schools in the district. All teams performed exceptionally well and should be incredibly proud of their efforts.

A huge thank you to Mr van de Camp, Mr Mac, Miss Hirst, Miss Mugavin, Mrs Huntly and Jonty McInerney for their encouragment, coaching and scoring throughout the day. 

Regional Basketball

On Friday 24th October, 9 students represented St. John's at the SSV Greater Western Region Basketball tournament held at Selkirk Stadium, Ballarat. The girls played 3 games against St.Columba's (Ballarat), Colac and St.Mary's (Ararat). 
St. Columba's and Colac were both extremely strong teams and despite going down in the first 2 games, the girls showed great determination and improvement throughout the day to come out and win their final game against St. Mary's! 

The girls played fantastically and showed great teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the tournament and are to be commended on their efforts! Many thanks to head coach, Matt Sell and Ms Rooke for all of their time and effort in preparing the girls for the tournament and on the day. 

Wellbeing

First Lunch Activities

Each day, our Wellbeing Team and Learning Support Officers run a range of fun and inclusive activities for all students during first lunch (see schedule below). Students are reminded daily, but we encourage parents and carers to also remind their children to join in and make the most of these opportunities.

Youth Mental Health

The current state of youth mental health is concerning, with recent research indicating a rise in mental health disorders among young people. The pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues among young people, with increased anxiety, depression, and stress levels reported. Academic pressure and social media use can also negatively impact youth mental health, leading to higher levels of stress and negative emotions. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach, including promoting healthy habits, encouraging open communication, and seeking professional support when necessary. Parents can play a vital role in supporting their children's mental health and well-being by staying informed and engaged in their children's lives.

November Action for Happiness

Theircare

Student Awards- Term 4 Week 4

Miss Buwalda -  Alfie P for his outstanding writing this week using fairytale characters. Great job Alfie!

Miss Dwyer - Tessa A for working hard during Literacy and making some wonderful improvements when writing sentences. Keep it up, Tessa!

Mrs Archbold - Valenti A for the enthusiasm and eagerness he has displayed this week during phonemic awareness. Keep up the great work Valenti!

Miss Kissick - Kennedy W for her determination in completing her Let's Spell in Little  Learners This week. Well done Kennedy!

Miss Lucas -  Logan V for his enthusiasm towards the Year One volcano eruption. Keep it up Logan!

Mr Hynes -  Bonnie C for doing such a great job at settling in so well into Year 2 RH. Fantastic!

Miss Ryan - Easton S for his positive attitude and cheerful nature that brightens our classroom every day.

Mr Harrington - Finnley C for his amazing efforts in PAT-Maths last week and giving everything a good go, fantastic work!

Miss Kelly - Harry W for being a fantastic friend to those around you, and for always giving everything a go. Great work, Harry!

Miss Moloney - Alex R for your amazing enthusiasm and strong collaboration skills in your Inquiry group, working together as a team to create a fantastic Highland cow. The Scots would be proud!

Mrs Mugavin -  Gracie S for demonstrating excellent teamwork by listening to and being critical of everyone's ideas. The kangaroo you designed is epic!

Miss P -   Eloise P for the fantastic interview process you undertook in applying for the role of Vice President.

Mr McInerney - Amber S for showing great initiative and teamwork with her Money Matter$ beauty salon.

Happy Birthday

Best wishes to the following students who celebtate their birthday this week, we hope you have an amazing day! Olivia M, Piper S, Stella P, Savannah D and Audrey S.

Around our School- Term 4 Week 3

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Parents and Friend's Social Group

Meeting

Our AGM & end of year break up has been booked for Wednesday 26th November 6:30pm at The Cally Hotel.  

Its been two years since our last AGM and all Parent and Friends roles will be available to nominate and vote. We will be looking for a new President, Vice President, Secretary and Wednesday Treats coordinator. If any of these roles might be of interest or you have any questions please feel free to reach out. 

A Colour run has been set for Tuesday 9th December at our end of year break up BBQ. More details to follow in coming weeks. If you would like to help organise the colour run please contact Emily McGennan.

Dennington's Day Out

Just under 2 weeks to go!!!! 

There is a meeting tomorrow night (28th) in the Gathering Space at 7.00pm.  

Congratulations to Melanie Kellett for winning our Dennington’s Day Out facebook competition!

Don't forget to pre purchase your unlimited rides passes and return raffle tickets before 9.00am Wednesday 5th November.

Raffle tickets are to be returned to the office by Wednesday 5th November they can be returned with cash or payment made on CDF and return the sold tickets to the office. 

We also will be looking for volunteers to help on Saturday 8th November in the afternoon with some setting up and from 7am on Sunday 9th November. All volunteer time goes towards your participation levy. 

Make sure you're following the Dennington Day Out facebook page. If you're able to like and share posts to help spread the word on our fun filled day and to show support to our Wonderful sponsors because without them our day wouldn't be possible. 

• Tuesday 28th October 7.00pm
• Thursday 6th November 7.00pm  

Thanks, Sarah Howley

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 November 3rd:

Stewart, Stidolph, Stonehouse, Storer, and Stuart (Ava).

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

Upcoming Events

Monday November 10th-14th: F-4 Swimming Program

Tuesday 11th November: Remembrance Day

Friday 14th November: Yr 5 Emmanuel College Visit

Monday 17th-20th November: F-4 Swimming Program

Monday 24th November: School Closure Day

Tuesday 25th-28th November: Gr 5/6 Surf Awareness

Wednesday 26th November: Parents & Friends AGM & end of year break up at The Cally Hotel at 6.30pm

Friday 5th December: Carols by the Merri

Tuesday 9th December: Orientation Day

Tuesday 9th December: P&F Colour Run & Family BBQ

Wednesday 10th December: End of Year Mass at 10.00am

Wednesday 10th December: Grade 6 Graduation

Monday 15th December: Final Assembly

Thursday 18th December: Last day for students