Dear Parents

May this week bring you abundant opportunities to flourish and succeed. As we step through the month of October, may you find the courage and strength to overcome any challenges that come your way. May God guide and protect you. Amen

Class Structure 2024

I have now finalised the survey that asked our community "what you thought was best for class structures in 2024."

After analysis of the survey, I have concluded that a K-4 model using a straight class structure and a multi-age 5/6 will best suit our community moving forward.

The survey had 46 respondents from 89 families and 20+ staff. The respondent rate was very good (30% is considered a good response rate, 50% is considered excellent) and as such was able to give me a clear indication of our community’s ideas and wishes on the topic.

The majority of respondents indicated that they would like, either straight classes K-6 or K-4. Looking at the written reasons, which ranged from social-emotional to academic, I believe the best fit for our community was the K-4 straight class and multi-age 5/6 structure.

I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the survey helping me make a clear informed decision.

Swimming Lessons

As agreed by community, Swimming Lessons have been scheduled for the last week in December.  The school has secured a price of $13 per lesson and will pay for the transport for all students through our excursion budget.  The total price for one student is $52, $95 for two students, $135 for three students and $170 for four students.  The idea of this pricing is to keep things affordable for families.  If this is financially difficult for your family please contact the school. Please note, this is not an opt in or opt out activity, it is a sport expectation.

Fete

The Fete is extremely close, and we will need all hands-on deck to bring it home. The SCC has listened to your responses from their Survey and are planning how to support the learning of all students at SJV through some very effective purchases.

For this to happen we still need volunteers for some stalls and parents to help sell raffle tickets. It would also be helpful for our families who have raffle tickets to sell the remainder and begin to return sold books and possibly collect a new one.

Raffle Tickets - FAMILY INCENTIVES - Repeat Notice
● The family who returns the most sold tickets will receive a $50 My Sweet Lady  gift voucher (one of our amazing parents at our school, Ash, makes seriously delicious cakes and has donated this prize).

● Weekly draw to win 1 x canteen voucher for fully sold books returned in that week (from weeks 1-7 in Term 4) Drawn each Friday at the morning school assembly.

● The family who sells each winning ticket will receive a $50.00 cash prize.

● As part of our Final prize to families for returning sold ticket books, we have a double pass to give away to attend Dr Seuss's the Cat in the Hat Live on Stage at Canberra Theatre during the summer school holidays. Drawn Friday 1st December.

There are many chances for you to win prizes just for selling the raffle tickets. If you would like more books, please come into the Front Office and Jet can organise them for you

Parent Class Contacts

We are now collecting names from parents who would like to be a class contact for their child’s class in 2024. The role of the contact is to welcome families with the help of the school, organise 2-3 student or parent events for the year (eg. a mums/dads night out, some fun play on our playground one afternoon or a swim at Mt Stromlo Leisure Centre). Thank you for those parents who have already contacted us and expressed an interest in this role.

Families Leaving SJV

It is that time of year that some families receive postings, leave the state for new work or win lotto, this can mean that they need to leave the SJV family. If you fall into any of these categories and will be leaving our school at the end of this year, please email the Front Office. It is a government requirement that we record this and register the new school of your child(ren).

God Bless

Peter Rodda

Principal