Term 2, Week 2 2025

Sibling enrolments for 2027 Terms 1 and 3 are now URGENT.

If you have not yet submitted an enrolment form please do so as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact our Front Office on 8218 3300.

Sacramental Program
The children who are enrolled in the Sacramental Program celebrated their first Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday evening at 6:00pm. We thank Fr Denis and Fr George for taking part in this special occasion and to Phillis Johnston for organising last night.

They will have their next session in preparation for Holy Communion and Confirmation in Week 7 at 6:00pm.

Mother’s Day
Classes will celebrate a special liturgy remembering and acknowledging all mothers and mother figures on Friday 9^th May, before Sunday 11^th May, Mother’s Day.

We thank all mothers and mother figures for all that they do in the lives of their children and how they support their families. Our lives would not be the same without your loving presence.

God, today, we celebrate mothers, but the truth is, we ought to celebrate them every day. Their love manifests in small, subtle ways each day–in the mundane that sometimes we can take for granted. We thank you for their sacrificial love and ask you to uplift them today. Thank you for the gift they are in our lives. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Ecological Sustainability & Laudato Si Week

As part of our school’s Vision and Mission, we aim to uphold our commitment to ecological sustainability. Our school website provides a framework that we have embedded into our school practise.

We also have a group of Year 5 and 6 students who will take part in a ‘Living Laudato Si’ program run by Catholic Education South Australia. They will endeavour to oversee a couple of initiatives that will allow our community to engage more deeply in our commitment to ecological sustainability.

In connection to this, we recognise that Laudato Si Week is in Week 4. We will have some small goals that we will aim to be intentional in our awareness of sustainable practises, such as lights off for a lesson, using less paper for printing and less water wastage.

Project Compassion
A massive thank you to the community for the generosity shown for Project Compassion. We raised a grand total of $1,831.20. A tremendous effort from our community.

School fee statements will be posted out in the next week to those who have a balance and with the Term 2 instalments due by Friday 6^th June.  Thank you to the many people who have paid in full, set up regular payment plans or paid the first instalment in Term 1.  If you have not yet made your instalment for Term 1 please do so ASAP, a friendly reminder will be on your statement. If your account is in credit due to the 5% discount this will be carried forward into next year. I will post out your account this term so you know you have a credit but will not post them each term as this amount should not change. 

Statements are posted out each term so those with payment plans can see the payments allocated to your account and as a reminder that the current terms instalment is due soon.

Online School Card applications for low income families have now been processed and applied to all approved accounts.  The 2025 income limit is $74,189 for your families 2023/24 financial year, increasing by $1,426 for each additional child/ren.  Applications need to be completed every year so if you still need to apply, please do so now via this link or come in and see me as it only takes a few minutes:

Form A (Income Assessment)

https://online.forms.sa.edu.au/content/forms/af/public/application-for-school-card.html

Form B (hardship, change of circumstances or self-employed)

https://online.forms.sa.edu.au/content/forms/af/public/form-b-hardship-or-circumstance-or-self-employed.html

If accepted, this will allow us to reduce your tuition fees, so please apply and let me know you have done so ASAP. 

As always if you have any queries or if you are having trouble making payments please email me on accounts@stjohnpl.catholic.edu.au, phone me on 8218 3304 or come in and see me Monday to Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm.

Jodie Veldhoen
Finance Officer

Dear St John’s Community,

Welcome back to Term 2, we are very lucky to be experiencing such nice weather still. Behind the scenes we have been busy preparing After-School Sports teams and aligning dates for upcoming carnivals. There are certainly many upcoming opportunities and we look forward to getting as many students actively involved as possible.

The holidays began and many students and their families experienced the pinnacle of the ‘Gather Round Footy Competition’ experience. Our Year 3/4 boys team played at the University Oval on War Memorial Drive and were undefeated on the day. The whole team then found themselves chatting with Mark Beretta from Sunrise and were asked to display some of their football skills in the background whilst he was reporting. A huge thanks to Luke Powell for coaching this team throughout this competition.

 

Both of our Year 5/6 Boys and Girls football teams got the opportunity to play on the Adelaide Oval prior to the Port Vs Hawthorn ‘Gather Round’ match. This was an absolute highlight for these players and a wonderful way to conclude the ‘Gather Round Schools Football Competition’. The girls team played first and worked well as a team. They were determined and never gave up, always giving their best. The whole process was a smooth one thanks to Darren Finneran with his role as Coach. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the experience and played team-orientated and skilful footy. A highlight for some of the boys was having a quick chat and a few ‘high fives’ with Jarman Impey from the Hawthorn Football Club. We must thank the SANFL Game Development Team for organising such an amazing experience for our students.  

St John the Baptist School had 4 boys represent the school at the SAPSASA State Swimming Championships. Congratulations to Ethan Beresford, Riley Taylor, Xavier Fontanot and Flynn Beresford. All of these swimmers represented our school brilliantly on the day, we as a school are very proud of their behaviour and achievements. A special mention must go to Ethan Beresford for placing very well in 3 of his events. Ethan received Gold in both the 50m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly events. He also swam 50m Butterfly to help assist the team in claiming Silver in the Iron Relay. This is an exceptional effort against some seriously talented swimmers.    

We would like to highlight the achievements of another one of our Year 6 students. This week we would like to also congratulate Rocco Giannini in regards to his Cricket award and recognition that he received at Phantoms. During the presentation, Rocco received the all-rounder award for his team (U/12 Yellow) for the most wickets and runs for his team. Rocco secured 12 wickets and made a massive total of 146 runs. Not only did Rocco win this award, he was selected as an all-rounder in the ‘Phantoms Junior Team of the Year’. Congratulations Rocco on these outstanding achievements.

Throughout Term 2 the students here at our school will have the opportunity to be involved in 3 SACPSSA Carnivals. We are looking forward to dialling the students into these carnivals through their weekly PE sessions. The Term 2 carnivals will take place on the following dates:

Week 4: SACPSSA Lacrosse Carnival – Tuesday May 20^th

Week 7: SACPSSA Basketball Carnival – Friday June 13^th

Week 9: SACPSSA Netball Carnival – Thursday June 26^th

Finally, just a reminder regarding the ‘Premiers Be Active Challenge’. Please continue marking off the weeks on your record sheet. I hope you are finding exciting ways to keep physically active during this challenge.

Have a wonderful few weeks everyone.

Yours in sport

Sam Putland
SPORTS COORDINATOR

We are excited to announce that Playgroup is back for Term 2!  Sessions remain on Friday mornings and we can’t wait to welcome back our families, as well as meet some new faces. Our playgroup continues to offer a warm and welcoming space where children can explore, play, and learn through a variety of fun activities. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for parents, grandparents, and carers to connect with one another and build lasting friendships.

This term, we have an exciting program planned, including sensory play, story time, art and craft, and music sessions. We will also continue building on our special intergenerational connections with visits from our older friends in the community.

Playgroup is held every Friday of the school term in the St John the Baptist Centre. New families are always welcome – we would love for you to come along and join the fun!

Words Grow Minds

TALK with your baby! 🗣️👶

Talking to little ones is one of the first ways we connect with them – but the beauty of talk doesn’t stop there! Being involved in more back and forth conversations early on is linked to physical growth in brain areas associated with language.

Remember too that ‘Talk’ doesn’t have to be words alone. Connection and interactions can be a warm smile, a gentle touch or a loving gesture, and they all - literally - grow minds.

Get chatting, in whatever way you know how, and give your little one the space to respond to you. It’ll make a world of difference!

Learn more at wordsgrowminds.org.au.

 

Karina Overall
Playgroup Coordinator

Mother's Day Stall
Today and tomorrow there will be a Mother's Day stall held for all classes.  One gift per child for $5 payable via Qkr!

We hope all Mother's have a Happy Mother's Day!

• Donut Day - 30th May
• Father's Day Stall - 3rd & 4th September

Scholastic Book Club
We recently purchased some new books using our Rewards.  These are given to the school as a percentage of the books ordered by our families through the Book Club catalogues.

The books bought for our library include:  

• Happy Mother's Day from the Crayons 
• Ninja Talent (#15) 
• Dog Man 
• Storm by Jane Bunn 
• Mallory and the Trouble with Twins (The Baby-sitters club)
• Don't fall for the trick (a giode tp s,asjog gemder stereotypes) 
• Welcome to Miracle
• a Consent and Respect pack of 4 books.

The Issue 3 catalogue is out now and will be sent home over the coming week.  Please check your child's bag if you have not seen it.

If you wish to order, the final date to do so is Friday 16^th May.

Thank you for your support.

Happy reading

Maria French & Julia Roy

 

I saw this documentary on Tuesday night and it was amazing. There is one screen in Adelaide on Friday 9^th May. I highly recommend it for personal development for ALL families.

SEEN The Film · A Parent TV Documentary

Sarah Byrnes
Centacare Counsellor

All orders for both recess and lunch are to be ordered via our Qkr! app.   

Canteen orders close each canteen day (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) at 9.00am.

Healthy Canteen (Tuesday & Thursday) orders close on Mondays at 12pm.

Canteen Roster

Term 2

Friday 9th May - Jo & Cara Finneran

Monday 12th May - Julie

Tuesday 13th May - Jo

Wednesday 14th May - Julie

Thursday 15th May - Jo

Friday 16th May - Jo & Penny Raven

Monday 19th May - Julie

Tuesday 20th May - Jo

Wednesday 21st May - Julie

Thursday 22nd May - Jo

Friday 23rd May - Jo & Jo Rowett

Canteen Feedback

We would love your feedback regarding the canteen.

Is there anything that you would like to see on the menu that we may be able to consider adding on?

Please send your feedback to jfitzgerald@stjohnpl.catholic.edu.au

Julie Henschke & Jo Fitzgerald

St John the Baptist School provides a safe environment for all while valuing the partnership between school and home.

As a Catholic community, we welcome and value volunteers. To be able to volunteer, and/or attend at other times throughout the school year, we ask that you hold a current Catholic Police Check (parents/caregivers attending excursions, reading in class, helping in class, attending community events), a current Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect in Education and Care for Volunteers certificate and have completed the volunteers application package.

A Catholic Police Check for volunteers is free for our current parents and caregivers. Application Forms are available in our school office.

This process ensures we maintain a child safe environment. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to apply for a Catholic Police Check through the school office as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the school office on 8218 3300 or email Julia Roy on jroy@stjohnpl.catholic.edu.au .

                                               

Insights may be discussed at future School Advisory Board meetings or you may be contacted personally for further follow up!

Please find link here for your suggestions.

The links and information that are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only.  They do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by St John the Baptist Catholic School of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organisation or individual.  St John the Baptist Catholic School bears no responsibility for the accuracy legality or contact of the external site or for that of subsequent links.  Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.

St Michaels All Angels Netball Club invites all 4–8-year-olds to our netball skills development program.

This is a great introduction to netball, developing fundamental skills in preparation to play or just for fun.

Sessions will be run by specialised coaches and is a great opportunity to learn new skills, co-ordination and the rules of netball whilst having fun and making friends.

The total cost is $80 and includes 6 x 1 hour training sessions, plus a SMAA gift, certificate and breakfast on the last session to celebrate all that has been learnt 😊

The specialised sessions will be held at the SMAA Netball Club at 3 Military Road, West Beach on Sunday mornings on the following dates:

May 18^th, May 25^th, June 1^st, June 15^th, June 22^nd and June 29th between 9am and 10am. (No session on June 8^th due to the long weekend.)

Any enquiries please email Smaa.secretary@smaanetballclub.com.au

To book, please click on the link below.

SMAArt Starts clinic | Register here