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What's coming up and when:
| Every Monday | Sports Day |
| Every Friday | Sports Day |
| Friday 7th February | School Opening and Welcome Picnic 5:00-7:00pm.
 Depending on the weather conditions. We will send out a Compass email, if we cancel the event.
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| Saturday 8th February | Sacramental Gathering Mass - St Jude's Church 5:00pm - 6:00pm |
| Tuesday 11th February | Reconciliation Reflection Hour from 6:15pm- St John Vianney Parish |
| Wednesday 12th February |
Kinder Rest Day (Kinder families are most welcome to come along to the Opening School Mass) 9:30am Opening School Mass & Leadership Ceremony . |
| Friday 14th February |
Census Day |
| Sunday 16th February |
Sacramental Gathering Mass - St John Vianney Parish 9am - 10am |
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Monday 17th - Friday 21st February
Wednesday 19th February |
Parent Meet and Greet - Bookings for the interview - via the Compass Portal - from next Monday. Kinder Rest Day |
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Saturday 22nd February |
Sacramental Gathering Mass - St Judes Church 5:00pm - 6:00pm |
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Wednesday 26th February |
Kinder Rest Day |
Term 1
Week 1 Notes
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– 7th February 5:00pm-7:00pm
We're excited to gather in person once again for our Opening School Picnic!
It promises to be a fun-filled evening, with the children enjoying the jumping castle and playground equipment. Parents will be responsible for supervising their own children, but we encourage mums and dads to take this opportunity to connect with one another and meet more members of the community.
A fully supervised jumping castle, a free pkt of chips and a Zooper Dooper will be offered to children.
THIS EVENT IS WEATHER DEPENDENT. WE MAY NEED TO CANCEL OUR JUMPING CASTLE IF THERE IS RAIN. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR COMPASS MESSAGES IN CASE WEATHER EFFECTS THIS EVENT.
School Goals and Curriculum Updates
Below I have placed out two main goals for 2025.
- Strengthen our Catholic Identity and embed across all areas of the Curriculum
- Improve student engagement and growth using High Impact Teaching Strategies
A large part of our Catholic Identity is to make sure we are caring and nurturing all members of our community. A new program that aligns with this is The Resilience Program. This will be a whole school approach that is run every Monday morning K-6. More information to parents will be sent out this term.
This year we will also focus on staff coaching in High Impact Teaching Practices. Mrs Kain and Mrs Malpas are heading this program working with all staff and an external coach to make this program a success.
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 2025. 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 contact your classroom teacher through Compass if you can help out in this area.
Parent/Teacher 'Meet and Greets' Feb 17th – 21st 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 regarding their class 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 your 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 your order maynot be able to 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. Please do not park on the red curb or try and stop and pick your child up outside the school fence, as this is a thoroughfare for traffic.
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 walk and pick your child up from the school gate.
School Fees
These will be issued by the central office early this term.
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.
Well done SJV Students!
A couple of our students are clearly striving to play for the Matilda's or the Soceroo's in the near future. Well done to Elsie and Carter who participated in the Futsal National Club's Championships representing the ACT. This was a big achievement and a super fun tournament for them both.
Carter was also selected to represent Australia in futsal which is a huge, super exciting achievement!! Go Carter!!
Peter Rodda
Principal
With Nina De Rosa
As Assistant Principal, it is a privilege to support our students in a nurturing and dynamic environment where they feel valued, encouraged, and inspired to achieve their best.Our theme for 2025, ‘Pilgrams of Hope,’ calls us to walk together in faith, perseverance, and optimism, using our gifts and talents to inspire, support, and serve those around us. A special welcome to our youngest learners—our Kindergarten students—who have settled beautifully into their new classrooms! We also warmly welcome Ashton (Yr6), Kiara (Yr5), Zion (Yr5), Naga (Yr3), Raman (Yr3), Kudi (Yr3), Ethan (Yr3), Tino (Yr2), Luke (Yr2), Krivi (Yr1), Joshua (Yr1) and Zachary (Yr1) and their families to our school community.
policies and procedures, refined our programming, deepened our understanding of Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum, completed First Aid training, and formalised our whole-staff mentoring program.
staff across the Archdiocese participated in a System Day, featuring keynote speakers Natalie Wexler and Professor Daniel Willingham. They explored The Knowledge Gap, offering valuable insights on narrowing it and fostering independent learners. This session provided a meaningful opportunity for reflection, helping us refine our High-Impact Teaching Practices (HITP). - Starting time is 9.00am sharp. Students arriving after this time will need to be signed in the Front Office using the Compass Portal.
- Supervision commences at 8.30 am and NO Student should be at school before then. Students arriving before 8.30am are not supervised. Please note we do have before school care run by Camp Australia if this service could be of assistance to families.
- Correct School Uniform is to be worn.
- If a student’s hair is longer than shoulder length, it should be tied back.
- Parents are requested not to send any nut products to school such as Peanut Butter, Nutella, nut based or topped muesli bars, etc. Please understand bringing these items to school may be life threatening to other students.
- Please ensure that all school items are clearly labelled with your child’s name.
- Students who are collected by their parents during the day for appointments must be signed out/in at the Front Office before and after the appointment.
- Parents assisting at the school must have a WWVP card on their person and are also asked to sign in/out at the Front Office and will receive a visitor’s badge.
- Please ensure that the school always has up to date parent and emergency contact details for your child.
- Please ensure that any notes/envelopes sent to the front office are clearly labelled.
- If you or your child are unwell, please do not attend school. We have community members who are vulnerable to illness.
We remain dedicated to fostering academic excellence, character development, and a lifelong love of learning. Our committed teachers and staff are here to support and inspire each child, nurturing their unique talents and guiding them toward their fullest potential.
RE News with Laura Matchett
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Thank You
I’d like to thank everyone in our community for such a warm welcome back from my parental leave. I am excited to return to my REC role as well as teaching Year 1 this year. I would especially like to extend my appreciation and heartfelt thanks to Emma Donaghue for stepping into the REC role in my absence. Emma worked incredibly hard throughout her time here, and I’m particularly grateful to her for establishing our hygiene station which I will be continuing with this year.
SPAR - Parents and Friends Prayer Group
Tomorrow evening at our welcome picnic I will be launching a new initiative at SJV this year, the SPAR Parents and Friends prayer group. SPAR stands for Stop Pray and Reflect and my hope is that it will give parents and friends of our school community the opportunity to pray together regularly. It is open to everyone regardless of faith background, practising or non-practising Catholics, those who pray regularly, those who haven’t prayed in a while, anyone considering becoming Catholic, anyone curious about how we pray here at school, or anyone who would like 10 minutes of peace and calm in their week! You don’t need to attend each week, it will always be open to anyone who wants to come along.
The group will meet on Thursday mornings in the area between the canteen and the hall, starting at 8:45 am for 10 minutes. Parents and friends with younger children are welcome to bring them along, where Year 6 students will be available to supervise them in the hall. The focus of the prayer group will be on reflections of the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, Christian meditation, and key events and feast days in the Catholic faith. Participation is entirely optional—no one will be asked to share or speak unless they feel comfortable doing so.
I encourage you to consider giving this a try this year. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. lauramatchettt@cg.catholic.edu.au with any questions.
I hope to see you there!
A reflection hour for parents and candidates who would like their child to make their first Reconciliation this year, is on next Tuesday 11th February at St John Vianney’s Church at 6:15pm. Registrations for Reconciliation will close shortly and can be made through the Parish’s Qkr! App. Please contact the Parish via email: SacramentalOLA@cg.org.au or by phone: 6288 1979 with any questions about the evening or registration.
Sacraments 2025
Families of students who are eligible to make one of the Sacraments (Reconciliation, First Eucharist or Confirmation) this year are encouraged to visit the Parish website: https:/stjvwestoncreekblogspot.com/ for information and registration details for each of the Sacraments.
Eligibility for each Sacrament is as follows:
Reconciliation - open to students who have been baptised Catholic and who are in Year 3 or above.
First Eucharist - open to baptised Catholic students who have made their Reconciliation and are in Year 4 or above.
Confirmation - open to baptised Catholic students who have received their First Eucharist and who are in Year 6 or above.
It is possible to receive more than one Sacrament in the same year, however, the Sacraments usually need to made in order (i.e. Reconciliation, followed by First Eucharist, then Confirmation). These questions and other general enquiries about the Sacramental program are best directed to the Parish Office via email: SacramentalOLA@cgorgg.au
School Masses
As a school, we regularly attend the Wednesday morning 9:30 am Mass at St John Vianney’s Church. The choir sings at this Mass and sometimes our students have a role in other parts of the celebration. Parents and friends of our school are welcome to join us alongside parishioners at this Mass. Dates the school will be attending Mass this term are as follows:
Wednesday 12th February: Opening School Mass at 9:30am
Wednesday 5th March: Ash Wednesday Mass at 9:30am
Tuesday 25th March: Our Lady of the Annunciation Feast Day Mass (with St Jude’s),TBC
Please note - Merit Awards will be handed out at NEXT Friday's morning assembly.
|
KA |
Abby Ayling |
|
1 B |
Luke Huszar |
|
2 J |
Tinomudaishe Mutumbu Luke Chakkumkal |
|
3 |
Michael Huszar |
|
4 |
Imogen Boyle |
|
5/6 J |
Harrison Cameron |
|
5/6 P |
Elio Buenaventura |
|
The Arts |
Evelyn Hubbard |
|
Italian |
Kiara Venishetty |
|
ICT |
Ethan Degraaff |
Welcome back to the Library :) 
Students have had borrowing time in the library this week. All students have been given the opportunity to borrow books from our amazing library.
From next week, Library lessons will begin.
Please pack your child's library bag on the following days :)
Tuesday - Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4 and 5/6J.
Thursday - Kinder and 5/6P.
SJV Tuckshop is open Wednesday & Friday. Orders can be made online via Qkr! A copy of the Menu and Qkr! instructions can be found on the Tuckshop Webpage.
TUCKSHOP ROSTER
Friday 7th February
Karen
Canteen Volunteer Roster for Term 1 is a work in progress - if you have some free time to help out, Mel would greatly appreciate your assistance.
Please remember to bring your WWVP- (Working with Vulnerable People) card with you.
You can apply for the card via Access Canberra: https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/working-with-vulnerable-people-wwvp-registration-tab-how-to-apply
Term 1 & 4 The SUMMER Menu kicks in. 2024_Summer_Tuckshop_Menu.pdf
Please contact the Front Office or Mel or simply fill in the Canteen Volunteer Note to let us know you are able to help and when.
Mel Harding
Canteen Manager
melanie.harding@cg.catholic.edu.au
