Principal's Message

Dear SJV Families,

Welcome to the end of Wk 1

We have had a wonderful start to our school term with happy faces and eager minds ready for a year’s learning.  I am sure that there may be challenges for all our families throughout the year,  please know that you can call on the school and community for assistance.

I would also like to welcome all of our wonderful new staff and families into the SJV family.  

O God,
I find myself at the beginning of another day.
I do not know what it will bring.
Please help me to be ready for whatever it may be.

If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely.
If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly.
If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently.
If I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly.

I pray just for today, for these twenty-four hours,
for the ability to cooperate with others according to the way Jesus taught us to live.
"Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
May these words that he taught us become more than words.

Send your Spirit to inspire me in time of doubt and indecision so that, together, we can walk along your path.

- J. Veltri, S.J.

Introduce Staff and Welcome Picnic– 2nd February 5:00pm-7:00pm 

It will be great to celebrate in person again with our opening Picnic. We will have a small Information Session from 5:15pm-5:30pm which will contain the following –

• Introducing Staff 
• School Goals 

Our evening continues at 5:30 where the children can play on a jumping castle and use our playground equipment.  Supervision will be maintained by parents of their own children, but we hope mums and dads use this as an opportunity to say hello to each other and spend some time to get to know more community members. 

A fully supervised jumping castle,  a free pkt of chips and a Zooper Dooper will be offered to children. 

School Goals and Curriculum Updates

Below I have placed out three main goals for 2024.

• Strengthen our understanding of Catholic Identity and Curriculum
• Improve Student Engagement and Growth through accurate interpretation and application of data
• Improve student engagement and growth using High Impact Teaching Strategies

Driving some of these changes will be the work of staff in breaking open the new version 9 Australian Curriculum and adapting new supporting programs such as Spelling Mastery.

A new area that CECG (Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn) is breaking into is called Classroom Mastery.  This is explicit teaching of classroom behaviour using common language across the whole school, this aligns to our School Wide Positive Behaviour Program where students are acknowledged for correct decisions through the use of tokens.

The purpose of Classroom Mastery is to increase learning time as small misdemeanours are dealt with before they arise.  Key components of the program will result in children lined up and ready with teacher picking them up in a timely fashion to begin learning immediately.  An implication for parents will be a locked school gate at 9am as classes forward in immediately.  My apologies for parents parking as this occurs, but we all need to begin certain programs on time and waiting at the gate for 1-2 minutes each morning will throw a spanner in the works.   I will be discussing more about this program in further newsletters.  

School Community Council Members Needed

Being on the Community Council is a great way to volunteer with the school, outside of school hours. There are two meetings a term, in Weeks 3 and 8, held on Monday nights at 6.00pm for about 1 – 1 ½ hours.

The Chair and Secretary positions will be determined at the first meeting of 2024. Joining the Council does not mean you have to volunteer for one of these specific roles.

If you are interested in volunteering for, or want more information about any of these positions, please contact Peter Rodda the Principal or the Front Office.  

COMPASS– SJV Communication Platform - Contacting Teachers

Currently we are sending almost all communications using Compass.  If you are unsure how to use this communication app, please contact the Front Office for help.  

If you need to contact the school regarding your child, the first contact would almost always be the classroom teacher.  Parents in the past have emailed the front office regarding an issue, this sometimes does not reach the teacher until the end of the day, when the teacher needs to receive it in the morning.  If it is an urgent message you can call the Front Office directly.  

Parent Contacts

At the beginning of the year, we ask for one to two parents from each class who would like to be a point of contact for new enrolling families or someone who might like to coordinate helpers for an event.  This is a great way for you to network and have some fun (eg. a mum or dad's night out) and meet new people.  Please see the attached slip to offer assistance. Class_Contacts

Parent/Teacher 'Meet and Greets' Feb 12^th – 16^th Feb/ Parent Information Notes

Each teacher will make themselves available for 3-4 days over the week.  The booking times which will be available on Compass which will be opened up for inputting requests by next week.  These meetings will occur here at school.  Teachers will also be sending a general information note home to their parents next week via Compass. 

Fortnightly Parent Compass Communications from Teachers

Please make sure that you have access to the Compass Portal as your child’s teacher will keep you up to date with what is happening or going to happen in your child’s class through a fortnightly communique.    

Canteen - Volunteers needed

A Compass notification was sent out this week asking for volunteers for the Canteen.  Please look to see if you can assist, especially on a Friday. Anyone who works in the Canteen must hold a current WWVP card.

A reminder that if you child is sick on the day and they have a lunch order, please contact the school and cancel your order by 9:30am.  Unfortunately after this time items will already be in the process of being made or heated and your order cannot be refunded.

Student Pick Up and Drop Off

Don't forget that SJV has an entry and exit system only.  You enter from the driveway closest to Hindmarsh Drive and exit from the driveway closest to Stromlo High.  Today there was some confusion over this.

Please pick up and drop off only in the designated drop off/pick-up zone which is directly outside the school hall, no parking here please.  Otherwise park your car (not against the red kerb) and pick your child up from the school gate.

School Fees

These will be issued by the central office early this term, we have not yet been given a specific date.  When you receive your statement, it may be for the entire year.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY THIS, IF THAT IS THE CASE.  You need only pay a term's worth of fees. 

If your family is experiencing financial difficulty please contact the front office and make an appointment to see me so we can investigate Fee Remission.  

Easy Communication/ What's On

A simple way to know what's coming up and happening in our school is by using either the School Calendar, Newsletter or Newsletter Calendar - 'Dates to remember' for the month.  These are supplements to COMPASS but are quite useful and easy to find. 

God bless you and your families

Peter Rodda

Principal