Filter Content
- For the Calendar
- Notes to Parents
- Principal's Message
- A message from the Assistant Principal and Mrs D's "Thought of the Week"
- RE News with Laura Matchett
- Merit Awards
- School Wide Positive Behaviours
- NAPLAN
- Library News
- ELC news
- High School Open Days
- Sport News -Upcoming Swimming Carnival Schedule
- Tuckshop
What's coming up and when:
| Every Monday | Sports Day |
| Every Friday | Sports Day |
| Every Thursday | New for 2025 - SJV Parents and Friends Prayer Group. Time: 8:45am Where: Between the hall & canteen. Everyone welcome. |
| Saturday 8th March |
5:00-6:00pm Sacramental Gathering Mass St Jude's Church |
| Monday 10th March |
Canberra Day Public Holiday |
| Tuesday 11th March |
Healthy Harold K-Year 6 |
| Wednesday 12th - Frid 21st March |
Naplan Assessment Window |
| Wednesday 12th - Friday 14th March |
Year 5 and 6 Leadership Camp |
| Saturday 15th March |
5:00-6:00pm Sacramental Gathering Mass - St Judes Church |
| Tuesday 18th March |
5:30-6:30pm Reconciliation Reflection Hour - SJV Church |
| Friday 21st March |
9:00am - 2:30pm SJV Swimming Carnival - Mt Stromlo Leisure Centre. Please complete consent form via Compass Events |
| Saturday 22nd March |
5:00-6:00pm Sacramental Gathering Mass St Jude's Church |
| Friday 28th March |
School Disco Year 4 to host the night |
| Saturday 29th March |
5:00-6:00pm Sacramental Gathering Mass - St Judes Church |
At the end of each term, the notes will be archived and only the last week of the previous term will be visible in the new term. If you are searching for a note, please go back to the archived newsletters and the term that it was sent home in to find the note you are looking for.
Term 1 Week 1 Notes
Term 1 Week 2 Notes
No notes went home this week
Term 1 Week 3 Notes
Class_Contacts_Parent_Letter_2025.pdf
Parent_introduction_foundation_TRPHUB.pdf
2025_Address_collection_notice_for_parents.pdf
Term 1 Week 4 Notes
No notes went home this week
Term 1 Week 5 Notes
Dear SJV Community
Welcome to the end of Wk 5
"Charism" is the Greek word used in the New Testament for "favor" or "gratuitous gift." Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit to give them power both to represent Christ and to be a channel of God's goodness for people. A question for our community is - What is your Charism and how do you channel God's goodness for others, especially during this time of lent?
NAPLAN
A reminder to all parents that NAPLAN begins next week for Year 3 on Wednesday 12th March and then the following week for Year 5. This is one form of assessment in a raft of tools that our school uses to assess our students. It would however be very helpful if your children were present during the test week and not late for school. If you have any questions, please contact the Principal.
Year 5/6 Camp
Next Wednesday Year 5/6 will head down to Kianinny for school camp. A big thank you to our staff Mrs Kain, Miss O'Neill and Mr Scarfone who will be giving up their time to give our Year 5/6 children a wonderful camp experience. Like all of our SJV staff they will be going above and beyond in giving up their personal time to build leadership in our SJV students.
School Counsellor
I am pleased to announce that Catholic Care have secured a new School Counsellor. Courtenay, will be starting at SJV on Wednesday 2nd April. She is very excited to work at SJV and is currently a social worker with experience working at Headspace. If you would like to refer your child for counselling, you can sign up using the QR Code and complete the associated forms ready for the Counsellor to work with your child.
Classroom Contacts
Thank you to Sonia and Beth who have put their hand up to be a classroom contact. Being a class contact does not require much time and it helps bring people together and build our SJV Community. If you would like to undertake this role, please contact Mr Rodda peter.rodda@cg.catholic.edu.au
Year 3 - Sonia Taflaga
Year 5/6P - Beth Seivers
School Disco - Claim the Date - 28th March
It is on again, the 28th March will see SJV hold it's annual disco. This is scheduled for our Year 4 parents to host this event. In the past the wonderful Kylie Lloyd (current Yr 5 parent) has organised this event. Kylie has already generously booked the operator and so we need our Yr 4 parents to liaise with Kylie to make sure this event is a success. A note will go home tomorrow to Year 4 parents with further information.
Principals Retreat/Conference
I am currently on leave from school to attend the annual CECG Principal's Retreat/Conference. Alongside the spiritual aspect of the retreat, CECG Office often use this as a platform to release new information concerning strategic planning and innovative pedagogy. It has been beneficial to touch base with both the interim and newly appointed Director of Education, Pam Betts and David de Carvalho.
School Swimming Survey
Thank you to everyone who has responded to our Annual Swimming Survey. A reminder to our community that the survey link will expire tomorrow. You can follow the link here https://sjvpswaramanga.schoolzineplus.com/survey/38
God Bless
Peter Rodda
Principal
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support Program
Rights and Responsibilities.
All students have certain rights. At St John Vianney’s Primary School, we have our corner stone rules. The children will know them as the yellow, pink and green rule. The rules form the basis of our School Behaviour Management Policy.
· We all have the right to feel safe (Yellow Rule)
Students cannot learn well or socialise effectively if they feel unsafe in the classroom or playground. Safety at school includes psychological and emotional safety, the right to privacy and personal space as well as a safe and clean physical environment.
· We all have the right to learn (Pink Rule)
Students need to have their efforts recognised, to feel supported when they make mistakes and to receive assistance and encouragement. The teacher needs to be able to focus time and energy into supporting learning. Class developed rules can support a learning culture and environment.
· We all have the right to respect and fair treatment (Green Rule)
Students should be able to express their thoughts, beliefs and feelings without fear of racism, ridicule or bias. All students should feel included and be treated with dignity and respect, even when being disciplined. Such rights can only be enjoyed when people are acting responsibly.
At SJV, we use a 'Token' system to highlight and celebrate with the students when they follow the rules ad are demonstrating high quality behaviour. When staff ‘spies’ them following our school rules they will receive tokens. Students will then be able to redeem these tokens for rewards when they have accumulated a certain amount.
This is the progression of trading for the reward system.
Receive 10 x Yellow Tokens trade for 1x Red Token
Collect 5 x Red Tokens trade for 1 x Blue Token
Collect 3 x Blue Token trade
for 1 x White Token
When students receive a white token they receive a lunch with Mr Rodda with other white token recipients.
Tokens continue to accumulate for a child's time at SJV. There is the potential of receiving more than one white token and children in Year 6, as leaders in the school can opt for a 'takeaway' lunch - which tends to be McDonalds.
Nina De Rosa
Assistant Principal
RE News with Laura Matchett
Prayer for the beginning of Lent
Lord,
Let everything I do this day and in this season of Lent
come from you, be inspired by you.
I long to be closer to you.
Help me to remember that nothing is important in my life
unless it glorifies you in some way.
It's so easy to get caught up in the day to day of my life and keep saying,
"Tomorrow, I will spend more time in prayer,"
but now my longing meets your love and I want to do it now.
Help me to rely on you for help.
The prayer asks you that I reach perfection.
Please, Lord, remind me that "perfection"
isn't the crazy, "successful" way I try to live my life,
but a perfection of my most authentic, real self.
My "perfection" might be holding my many flaws in my open hands,
asking you to help me accept them.
Heal me, Lord, and help me to find you in the darkness of my life.
Let me reach out in this darkness and feel your hand and love there to guide me.
Source: https:/onlineministriesscreightonneduuCollaborativeMinistryy/Lent/Daily-prayers-00.html
Prayers for Pope Francis
Many of our Parish priests have asked us to keep praying for the health and well being of Pope Francis and those who are currently caring for him. You may like to pray the following prayer:
O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful,
look favourably on your servant Francis,
whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;
grant, we pray, that by word and example
he may be of service to those over whom he presides
so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care,
he may come to everlasting life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: https:/www.usccbborg/prayers/prayer-popefrancis
Project Compassion
Caritas Australia has launched the 2025 Project Compassion campaign with the theme: Unite Against Poverty this Lent. There are many Project Compassion boxes around the school, including in each classroom, and every student is encouraged to donate some money to this worthy cause. Project Compassion is Caritas Australia’s major fundraiser for the year, and much of the work they do in developing communities around the world, depends on our generosity. Even a donation as small as 50c a week during Lent can make a huge difference to our school’s overall total. Our classroom teachers will continue to promote Project Compassion throughout Lent, and we encourage our students to embrace this as the alms giving part of their Lenten journey. We understand that times are difficult financially for many families at the moment, so please give what you can.
Sacraments 2025
Registrations for Reconciliation for 2025 have now closed, however, registrations for First Eucharist and Confirmation remain open. 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:/stjv.westoncreekblogspot.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@cg.org.au
SPAR - Parents and Friends Prayer Group
Our SPAR Parents and Friends Prayer Group will be held regularly on Thursday mornings at 8:45am in the space between the canteen and the hall, and will run for 10 minutes. A reminder that the group 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.
Parents and friends with younger children are welcome to bring them along where they will be watched by Year 6 students in the hall. The prayer group will focus on reflections on the forthcoming Sunday’s Gospel, Christian meditation, and significant events and feast days central to the Catholic faith. No one will be asked to share or verbally participate unless they feel comfortable to do so. I’d encourage you to consider whether this might be something you give a try this year. Please feel free to contact me: laura.matchett@cg.catholic.edu.au with any questions or feedback (particularly regarding the timing, if this is a barrier for you to attend). I hope to see you there.
School Masses
The next Mass the school will be attending will be for the feast day of Our Lady of the Annunciation on Tuesday 25th March. This Mass will be celebrated with staff and students from St Jude’s as it is the feast day of our joint Parish. St John Vianney’s will host feast day celebrations this year. The Mass will be followed by lunch out on the oval, some play time and activities with students from St Jude’s. More details to follow in the coming weeks.
Please note - Merit Awards will be handed out at NEXT Friday's morning assembly.
|
KA |
Willa Hagan |
|
1 B |
Olivia Thorpe |
|
2 J |
Joshua Russell |
|
3 P |
Emmanuel Nhial |
|
4 CA |
Merrcy Isisheri |
|
5/6 J |
Ashton Harvey |
|
5/6 P |
Farrah Van Duren |
NAPLAN testing will occur in our school between 12 and 21 March 2025 for students in years 3 and 5. Online NAPLAN tests provide more precise results and are engaging for students. The tests are tailored (or adaptive), which means that each test presents questions that may be more or less difficult depending on a student’s responses. This helps students remain engaged with the assessment. Tailored testing allows a wider range of student abilities to be assessed and measures student achievement more precisely. A student’s overall NAPLAN result is based on both the number and complexity of questions they answer correctly. Your child should not be concerned if they find questions challenging. NAPLAN provides valuable information to schools and parents about literacy and numeracy achievement. It supports school improvement processes by enabling teachers to monitor student progress over time and to identify areas of strength and development. All eligible students are encouraged and supported to participate in NAPLAN testing. Visit www.nap.edu.au to see interactive versions of the test and for more information.
Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge
This year's theme is 'Spaces and Places Where We Read'
This year SJV students will participate in the 2025 Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge. At school, and at home, students are encouraged to read 30 books by the end of June (this includes books that are read to them/ shared).
Each student from Year 2 to Year 6 has a recording sheet in the library that they are encouraged to fill in to show the 30 books they have read.
Happy Birthday to Winslow S and Luca W
This week we are learning about the season of Lent. On Shrove Tuesday we made pancakes to share. On Ash Wednesday Mrs Leighton placed a cross on our heads with ashes. Throughout Lent, we will focus on the importance of prayer and doing kind things for others, and we will be participating in Project Compassion to help people living in poverty. ELC families are invited to donate. Project Compassion boxes are located on the prayer table in each classroom and children will be able to contribute during morning class prayer.
We have begun the ReadY to Read literacy program and have focussed on strengthening listening skills and awareness of different sounds, including sounds from musical instruments. We explored the different parts of a book, including the title, front cover, and back cover.
Mystery Readers Wanted
We’re launching our Mystery Reader program, and we’d love for parents, grandparents, family and friends to be part of the fun. Sign up sheets are on the classroom doors. Bring along a favourite book to read to the class and remember not to tell your child that you’re coming —they love the surprise of having a loved one as the mystery reader!
Healthy Harold Excursion –Tuesday 11 March
The Stingrays and Turtles will catch the bus to St John Vianney’s on 11 March to meet their SJV buddies and participate in the Healthy Harold program. The cost of $21.50 has been added to your fee statement.
St Jude’s Fete – Saturday 15 March
Our school fete is a great family day out and a wonderful opportunity to connect with the school community. We are currently seeking donations for the Plant Stall and Trash and Treasure. Donations can be dropped in the tub in the ELC foyer.
Calling Volunteers!
Many hands make light work and a great community. To volunteer an hour or so of your time, please go to https://volunteersignup.org/FLHJM and go the ELC Hairspray stall (or any other stall you would like to volunteer for).
Calling all Bakers (and non-bakers)!
Please help make our Fete Cake Stall a success by contributing home baked goods. If you’re not a baker, no-bake slices are very popular. Remember no fresh cream or items that require refrigeration. Please label all items with a list of ingredients and package items ready to sell. See the fete section of the newsletter for more information.
Karen Leighton - St Jude's Early Learning Centre
Phone: 0262875520
Email: karen.leighton@cg.catholic.edu.au
High School Open Days
The below program is only an approximate guide for the day.
Students will need to complete a swim test which is conducted by the lifeguards at Stromlo Pool. The results of the swim test will indicate if your child is allowed to participate in the 25m, 50m or 100m events or novelties only.
The decision of the lifeguards is final.
Students will sign up for their races on the day of the carnival.
For families who have not signed the Permission notes on behalf of the child, please do so via the Compass, alternatively, the permission note has been sent home with your child this afternoon.
If your child does not have permission, they will not be able to participate in the swimming carnival.
Thanks,
Leah Malpas
FUTSAL
A note went home via email yesterday for Year 1 to Year 6 students that would like to play in the "Schools Futsal Titles" at the end of this term. Families must show an expression of interest by tomorrow - Friday afternoon please (7th March).
Please register your child's interest via Compass
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 March
Karen & Ellen
Joe 11:30am - 1:30pm
Wednesday 12th March
(Yr 4 Helpers)
Sarah/Cate
Aysar
11:30am-12:30pm
Friday 14th March
(Yr 4 Helpers)
Jen and Laura
Term_1_2025_Canteen_Roster_3_March.pdf
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 Tuckshop Menu kicks in.
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