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What's coming up and when:
| Every Monday | Sports Day | |
| Every Friday | Sports Day | |
| Week 3 | Friday 8th August | 8:00am Community Coffee Morning. |
| Week 4 | Monday 11th August | Feast of St Clare of Assisi |
| Classes participate in anti-bullying lessons | ||
| Friday 15th August |
9:30am Parish Mass: The Assumption led by Year 1 8:00am Community Coffee Morning
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| Week 5 | Mon 18th - Frid 22nd Aug | Book Week - "Book an Adventure" |
| Wednesday 20th August | 9:00am Book Week Parade | |
| Thursday 21st August | Sth Weston Athletics Carnival | |
| Week 6 | ||
| Week 7 | Thursday 4th September | Kenny Koala Visit to SJV - Kinder, Year 1 & Year 2 |
| Friday 5th September | 8am Father's Day Celebration Hosted by Year 2 | |
| Week 8 | Friday 12th September | 8:00am Community Coffee Morning |
| Week 9 | Wednesday 17th September | 9:30am Parish Mass Led by 5/6P Families welcome |
| Friday 19th September | Magic Craig: My amazing Brain Incursion | |
| Week 10 | Wednesday 24th September | KABOOM Incursion (TBC) |
| Thursday 25th September | Uniform Free day - in support of the Fete - bring in blocks of chocolate and lollies | |
| HOLIDAYS | Sunday 12th October | 2:00-4:00pm Main Drop off Day for Fete Donations. Bring your unwanted items to the school during the open hours and they will be sorted ready for their new owners. |
Dear SJV Families
Welcome to the end of Wk 3.
I think it has been remiss of me not to include a prayer from our current Pope, therefore i have placed his prayer for this month below.
Jesus, Lord of our history,
Faithful companion and living presence,
You who never tire of coming to meet us,Here we are, in need of your peace.
We live in times of fear and division.Sometimes we act as if we were alone,
Building walls that separate us from one another,Forgetting that we are brothers and
sisters. Send us your Spirit, Lord, To rekindle within us The desire to understand one
another, to listen, To live together with respect and compassion.
Give us the courage to seek paths of dialogue, To respond to conflict with gestures of
fraternity, To open our hearts to others without fear of differences.
Make us builders of bridges, Able to overcome borders and ideologies,
Able to see others through the eyes of the heart, Recognizing in every person an
inviolable dignity. Help us create spaces where hope can flourish,
Where diversity is not a threat But a richness that makes us more human.
Amen
Trivia Night 15th August 7pm.
Are you ready for a hootin' and a hoolerin', rip snortin' good time for the planned trivia night? We have definitely hit our target for parent participation and will be forging ahead with the Western inspired theme. I look forward to seeing everyone there.
Classroom Mastery and Good Manners
Yesterday, I re-stated school expectations to the whole school about moving to and from class, how we greet each other and how we listen to instructions from teachers. I made sure that the students realise that what I discussed are expected norms at SJV. These norms help the flow of lessons and stops distractions from interfering with our learning.
I reflected on my discussion and began to relate the topic to one of an article I had recently read on manners. Many of the concepts discussed in Classroom Mastery relate quite well to manners.
The next time I discuss our norms with children I will discuss manners and how students can use them to work more efficiently in class.
I have placed a link below to the article I have read, it's a little long but you might find it an interesting read. How to teach kids good manners (and why they matter)
Principal Away - NCEC/Appa Conference and SILOAM
There is an expectation for Principals to attend the National Catholic Education Conference which occurs every three years. As such I will be travelling interstate to attend in Week 5 and then following this up with the Australian Primary Principal's Conference in Wk 6.
What will be interesting will be the dynamic to a conference with a specific catholic educational perspective and one that sits outside a religious focus.
I will feed back to community as to what I discover.
My principals's retreat is scheduled for Thursday and Friday of next week and this is always a great place to continue to strengthen my faith.
Feast Day
A big thanks to all involved, especially Mrs Matchett for our Feast Day activities. We began with a lovely mass and followed this with a Gem-A-Thon focussing on elements of our Resilience Project. We learned more about our Patron Saint and finished the day with an amazing Variety Show.
Thanks to all parents, grandparents and carers who came to support the children and adding to the fabulous atmosphere.
Have a wonderful blessed day.
Peter Rodda
Principal
Stepping Stones Triple P
Be it mealtimes, car trips or socialising, if extra steps are needed for your family, help your child with disability with the key life skills they need. This full toolkit of tips and ideas really works!
- 25 effective parenting strategies – you choose what works for your family and your child’s unique needs
- Support your child’s strengths and their development
- Encourage their independence and self-care skills
- Know how to address behaviours and support their wellbeing
- Build your confidence and help the whole family adapt and enjoy life more!
Families of children with a disability currently face long wait times for diagnosis and support. They can now access Stepping Stones Tripple P Online, a free evidence based parenting program funded by the Australian Government.
The course has been found to provide significant benefits to families, including improved family relationships, reduced parental stress, increased parenting confidence, and improvements in children’s emotional and behavioural well-being. The program produces benefits for families with children who have developmental disabilities, and neurodiverse children who have different thinking patterns to neurotypical children. This includes children diagnosed with autism and ADHD.
At-a-glance:
- Free, for all parents and carers in Australia who have children under 12 years, thanks to funding from the Australian Government of Health and Aged Care
- Online and available to you 24/7. Use your phone to learn valuable parenting skills.
- Tools and strategies for supporting positive emotional behavioural and social development of your child.
- Ten interactive modules to complete when you can
- Proven effective in supporting children with additional needs
- Helps parents and carers to use positive, practical strategies to manage everyday life with care ease and confidence.
- encourage child's independence and self-care skills, like teeth brushing
- build child's social skills
Parents and carers can sign up for Stepping Stones TripleP online now at
There are many other family friendly courses and topics to assist parents on the TripleP page. All courses are free and available 24/7
Mrs D’s ‘Thought of the Week….’
"Knowledge can be a stepping stone to success, but your experience is a path to wisdom.".
-Unknown
Nina De Rosa
Assistant Principal
Please note - Merit Awards will be handed out at NEXT Friday's morning assembly.
|
KA |
Izzy Steen |
|
1 B |
Nadha Chansawang |
|
2 J |
Ethan Bourke |
|
3 P |
Emma Ayling |
|
4 CA |
Mercy Isisheri |
|
5/6 J |
Marqas Hughes-Bell |
|
5/6 P |
Nadia Taflaga |
|
The Arts |
Samuel Ayers |
|
LIBRARY |
Marqas Hughes-Bell |
|
ITALIAN |
Jordan Borgese |
Merit Award Term 3 Week 1
Book Club Issue 5 2025 orders are now open. To order the books and find out more about Scholastic, please follow the link below.
Author Visit
As part of our Book Week 2025 celebrations, our students had a special visit from a real-life author – Sean Avery - and what a treat it was! The author shared their journey of writing, where story ideas come from, and the magic behind creating memorable characters and page-turning plots.
Students had the chance to ask questions, get inspired, and even hear a story read straight from the author’s own book! It was a wonderful way to spark imaginations and celebrate the joy of reading and storytelling.
With this year’s Book Week theme, “Book in an Adventure,” the author’s visit was a perfect reminder that every book is a doorway to new adventures!
BOOK WEEK AND QBD
Book Week is just around the corner, and we’re thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity for your school to win a $2500 worth of books for your school!
How does it work?
From NOW to August 23rd, we’re inviting schools to:
- Visit your local QBD between NOW to August 23rd
- Hand the team your school’s flyer - no purchase needed!
(flyer is attached to this email) - 1 Flyer = 1 Entry QBD_Book_Week_2025_Comp_Book_Week_Poster.jpg
- The school with the most entries wins!
Terms and conditions can be found here: www.qbd.com.au/book-week-2025-competition/
...The 2025 theme is Book an Adventure!
2025 is also a milestone year as we celebrate 80 years of Children’s Book Week! For 8 decades, CBCA has been dedicated to inspiring young minds to journey through the countless worlds that books offer.
Book Week at SJV – “Book an Adventure”
Throughout the month of August, community organisations, schools, and libraries across the country will celebrate Children’s Book Week, a time to highlight the joy and importance of reading for pleasure. With classroom activities, storytelling sessions, competitions, and the much-loved school book parade, it’s a week full of imagination and inspiration.
Reading for pleasure has powerful benefits for children and young people. It supports literacy development, builds knowledge, and boosts academic success. In fact, 74% of children say reading helps them better understand the world, and 86% of children aged 6–17 enjoy being read to at home — often because it creates a special connection with family.
At SJV, we’ll be celebrating Book Week from Monday 18th to Friday 22nd August, with our Book Week Parade taking place on Wednesday 20th August, just before school starts.
This year’s theme is “Book an Adventure”, so now is a great time to start thinking about a creative costume inspired by a favourite adventure story. Whether it’s a brave explorer, a daring detective, or a magical journey, we can’t wait to see the incredible characters come to life!
Happy reading!
Update from SJV Community Council
Please join the SJV Community Council on Monday, 8 September from 6:00pm-7:30pm for the annual open Council meeting. The meeting is held at the school and the agenda will focus key priorities for the school for 2026 and beyond.
We have an exceptionally strong community with a high level of engagement and involvement from across all year groups. The Council is always open for feedback, suggestions and input both to support our kids and ensure our community remains strong. In our first meeting for Term 3 we discussed the upcoming fete, fundraising and current financial commitments. Following feedback from a number of families we also approved an allocation to purchase more sports equipment for students.
Also, this Friday, the Council is pleased to once again be running the coffee machine ahead of Assembly. If you’re staying for assembly or are just keen for a chat, swing by and grab a cuppa. We look forward to seeing you there.
Finally, a reminder that the Council has registered SJV with the Southern Cross Club community rewards program. If you’re a member of the Southern Cross Club, just nominate the school as your designated community reward partner and 7.5 cents for every dollar spent will go to the school. This means that you can enjoy a tipple of your choice and schnitzel and know that you’re doing it purely for the good of the school and our kids!
See the step-by-step guide to help you get started. Nominating_SJV_SCC_as_Community_Rewards_Partner.pdf
Thank you for supporting our wonderful school community!
Warm regards,
School Community Council
TRIVIA NIGHT -
Friday 15th AUGUST - 7PM
Yeehaw! Get Ready for Parents Trivia Night!
Howdy, partners! Our much-anticipated Parents Trivia Night is just 8 days away, and we can't wait to see y'all there.
We'll be gatherin' at 6:45 PM for a 7:00 PM start, so don your best Wild West attire and saddle up for a rootin'-tootin' good time. Make sure you've got your babysitters wrangled and your snacks packed, 'cause it's gonna be a night to remember.
Don't forget to bring along some gold coins for our "Lasso the Bottle" game – it's sure to be a hoot!
Get ready for a night full of fun, laughter, and friendly competition. We look forward to seein' y'all there!
Uniform free day this term
A friendly heads-up, Thursday 25 September 2025 (week 10, last day of term) is SJV's uniform free day to celebrate the upcoming fete.
We're asking for a chocolate block or lolly donation (e.g. 200g Cadbury Dairy Milk, bags/containers of Chupa Chups) to stock the fete stalls! These treats will be a huge hit – for a cheeky hack, grab them while they’re on special at the supermarket!
Fete Donations – Drop-Off Details
Have you been busy spring cleaning these school holidays? If you’ve got items to donate for the fete, we’d love to take them off your hands!
Main Drop-Off Day
Sunday 12 October 2025
2pm – 4pm
SJV Reception (Playroom/Counsellors Room)
Some of our fete team will be there to assist with unloading.
Cleaned out early?
If you're ready to donate before the 12th, you’re welcome to drop items off at school any time during school hours — we’ll look after them for you.
Donations make our fete stalls amazing and we’re still in need of clean and good quality items including:
- Toys
- Books
- Second-hand items for the White Elephant stall
- Plants and seeds
- Supermarket paper bags
We’re so grateful for your generosity! Please note electrical goods, bedding, cots and mattresses can’t be accepted.
Sponsorship and Volunteers
We’re on the hunt for helping hands or businesses to support the SJV fete. If you can lend a few hours or you know a business that might want to get involved, reach out to sjvfete@gmail.com to join the dream team!
Sponsors receive great benefits and exposure in return for their support, including promotional signs, MC mentions on fete day, features in our newsletter and on our fete flyer.
For more info or if you’re interested in volunteering, contact the fete crew at sjvfete@gmail.com
Fete Coordinator
ELC News
Happy Birthday to Jack W
ELC Staff
We welcome educator Rohini Taujale who will be joining the Turtles team next week.
ELC School Photos – Monday 11 August
A reminder that school photos for the Turtles and Stingrays are on Monday 11 August. Turtles will have their photos taken in the hall at 9:15 so please have your child here by 9:00 as we will leave for the hall at 9:05. Stingrays are scheduled for 9:30.
Book Week Parade – 20/22 August
Our annual Book Week parade is in Week 5 - Turtles and Stingrays on Wednesday 20 August and Lobsters on Friday 22 August. Children are invited to come dressed as their favourite book character. We can’t wait to see all the creative and colourful costumes!
Hats
We are back to checking the UV index each day. If the UV is above 3, children are required to wear a hat while outdoors. Please ensure your child has a clearly labelled school hat packed in their bag each day.
Grandparents Day – Friday 31 October
Save the Date - St Jude’s will be celebrating Grandparents Day on Friday 31 October.
Carla Drayton - St Jude's ELC
Phone: 6287 5520
Email: elc.stjudes@cg.catholic.edu.au
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 8th August
Karen
Wednesday 13th August
Aysar 11:30am - 12:30pm
HELP NEEDED
Friday 15th August
Andrea
HELP NEEDED
Volunteers are the real HERO'S! If you can spare a Wednesday or Friday to team up with Mel in the canteen, we’d be super grateful.
Mel’s on the lookout for extra hands—without enough volunteers, we’ll need to simplify the menu to keep lunch orders moving so the children can eat and get back to playing and having fun.
If you’re up for it, just drop Mel an email or give her a shout with your availability. Thanks a million for helping out! We appreciate you.
Term_3_2025_Canteen_Roster.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
A new WINTER Canteen Menu is available here and on our website. Term 2 & 3 Winter Menu Term 2 and 3
Please contact the Front Office or Mel or simply fill in the 2025_Canteen_Volunteer_Note.pdf to let us know you are able to help and when.
Mel Harding
Canteen Manager
melanie.harding@cg.catholic.edu.au
On Monday, our school community came together to celebrate St John Vianney Feast Day – a special day honouring the patron saint of parish priests and the namesake of our school.
Our day began with a beautiful Mass at the Church at 9:30am, bringing our school together in prayer and reflection. Afterwards, students returned to their classrooms to take part in activities exploring St John Vianney’s life and his lasting impact on the world.
In the middle session, excitement filled the air with our very first GEM-a-thon! As part of The Resilience Project, students have been learning about Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness (GEM) this year. During the GEMathon, Year 6 students led their peers through engaging rotation activities that brought these three powerful values to life. A big thank you to all families who supported this initiative with a gold coin donation – all funds raised will go to Global School Partners, helping support education projects in African communities.
We wrapped up the day on a high note with our much-anticipated SJV Variety Show! It was a joy to see so many talented students take the stage and share their gifts with confidence, creativity, and a whole lot of heart.
A huge congratulations to our awesome Year 3 cohort, who have achieved White Token status as part of our School Wide Positive Behaviours Program!
To earn a White Token, students must complete 150 positive actions that are recognised by a variety of staff members. This is a fantastic achievement and a true reflection of the way our Year 3s consistently live out the values of St John Vianney’s Primary School – showing kindness, respect, and making great choices.
To celebrate, the Year 3 students joined Mr Rodda for a delicious Waramunchies Lunch on Wednesday. There were plenty of laughs and some great conversation around the table about all sorts of things – from favourite games and weekend plans to what makes our school a great place to be.
Well done, Year 3 – we’re so proud of the way you’ve reached this milestone. Keep shining!
