Term 2, Week 6 2025

Feast of the Ascension & Pentecost
We are coming to the end of the Easter Season. Last Sunday, we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension, and this coming Sunday will be the great Feast of Pentecost. Both are important dates in our Church and will be observed by our classes through liturgy and prayer.

This does not mean that the joy of the risen Christ ends but instead we find more joy in his ascension into heaven. It is through Jesus’s ascension that we have received the promise of the Holy Spirit, sent to dwell within us and empower us, as it came down upon his apostles on Pentecost.

Sacramental Program
Please note that the first session for Holy Communion and Confirmation will be on Wednesday 11^th June, Week 7 in John the Baptist Centre (school hall) at 6.00pm. We look forward to welcoming the children and their parent(s) as they continue to embark on their Sacramental journey.

St John the Baptist Feast Day
On Tuesday 24^th June, we will celebrate our Patron Saint’s feast day beginning with Mass at 9.30am in the church. The whole school and parish are invited to attend this special celebration. The remainder of the day will include some buddy activities within class.

As part of the celebration of this special day, there will also be a Sushi lunch available to order via Qkr!. Please purchase and have your orders in for your child before Week 9.

Amanda Razon
APRIM

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.

Term 2 School fee instalments are due this Friday 6^th June for those families who are paying this way.  Statements were posted out earlier in the term to those who have a balance, if you have not received yours please let me know so I can check the address we have on file and resend one.  If you have not yet made your instalment for Term 1 please do so now along with your Term 2 instalment, a friendly reminder was sent with your statement. If your account is in credit due to the 5% discount it will be carried forward until next year. I have posted out your account this term so you know you have a credit but will not post a credit account 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 for parents paying termly.  If you have had a direct debit payment rejected it will show on your statements, so please make an additional payment to catch this up via Qkr! Or Bpay.

Online School Card applications for low income families have now been processed and applied to all approved accounts.  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. 

Please remember School Card needs to be applied for every year as circumstances do change:

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,

The wintery weather is making its way into our lives, so all we can do is embrace it, stay active and overcome it. So, if your child mentions that they are cold, there is no better way to stay warm than being active. This is also a great incentive to keep your child focused on achieving their goals and progressing with their ‘Premiers Be Active Challenge’.

Two students that couldn’t escape intense rain and wintery conditions were Will Keegan (5F) and Xavier Fontanot (5G) who represented our school at the 2025 SAPSASA Football Carnival from Monday May 26^th – Wednesday May 28^th. We are very proud of both of these boys for braving the conditions and giving this carnival their absolute best efforts. After many games and playing against some stronger bodied Year 6 students, Airport District was credited with a 3^rd place finish overall for the carnival. Well done Will and Xave on making the team and representing SJBCS in the best possible manner.

As a school we would like to also highlight Mila McInerney (4PC) who has been selected to play for the Woodville Warriors District U/12 Girls Basketball team for the upcoming Nunawading Basketball Carnival over the June long weekend. The Nunawading Carnival is the biggest club carnival competition in Australia with over 1,100 teams from all over the country competing.

Mila has only been playing club Basketball for the Woodville Warriors since October 2024 and has represented their Division 1 team on several occasions. What a wonderful achievement considering Mila is only 9 playing against experienced 11-year-old girls. We wish you well for the Nunawading Carnival and hope that you play some fantastic Basketball over the long weekend.

Whilst on the topic of Basketball, I would like to thank and commend the 59 students who trialled for the 2025 SACPSSA Year 5-6 Boys and Year 5-6 Girls Basketball Teams. After running 2 separate trials, we have been able to reduce the squad to just 2 teams. The 19 students selected will represent our school at the Wayville Basketball Centre on Friday the 13^th June.

Following this SACPSSA Basketball Carnival, our attention will then be fixed upon the mass participation Years 4-6 SACPSSA Netball Carnival. To assist the students with their understanding of the game and development of skills we will be running a Netball unit for all students in the lead-up to the carnival itself. The 2025 SACPSSA Netball Carnival is scheduled to run on Thursday 26^th June at the Netball SA Stadium. We are very privileged to have a connection with the students from St Mary’s who as part of their Netball Academy requirements have to show the ability to either Coach or Umpire games of netball. This works well for us as a school due to this being a mass participation carnival and high volume of both students and teams. We will still look to invite parents to volunteer for this carnival to oversee each of the teams.

It is a really pleasing part of my role to hear about wonderful sporting achievements that occur outside of school hours. I know there are a large portion of our families who dedicate multiple weeknights and weekends either driving children to training or attending games. If your child’s team are successful in any way or they place well in a competition, I’d be very excited to hear more about it. Either catch me during the day or put the information in an email and let’s celebrate these moments as a community: sputland@stjohnpl.catholic.edu.au

I hope your week has been kind to you.

Yours in sport

Sam Putland
SPORTS COORDINATOR

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!

Please note: Friday 6th June is a Pupil Free Day and there will be no Playgroup!

Words Grow Minds
PLAY with your baby! 🧸👶

Playing is how young children explore and learn about the world around them.

Research tells us that 94% of Australian parents know that play is important for their child’s health and development, but even though we KNOW, that doesn’t mean it’s second nature. A huge 61% of parents say they often find it difficult to play with their little ones. Here at Words Grow Minds we understand it isn’t always easy to know what it takes to support your little one to thrive, but we’ve got plenty of ideas and tips on how to do it - here on socials, on our website and on our podcast!

Learn more at wordsgrowminds.org.au.#WordsGrowMinds

Karina Overall
Playgroup Coordinator

The Australian Government recently announced an Anti-Bullying Rapid Review. The Review will look at current approaches to addressing bullying in schools, what is working and what needs strengthening, with the aim of providing options for the development of a consistent national standard for responding to bullying and its underlying causes in schools.

The Review is now accepting submissions. The Review co-chairs, Dr Charlotte Keating and Dr Jo Robinson AM, are seeking views from students, parents, teachers, and those involved in school education across the country.

Submissions can be made anonymously if preferred.

To provide feedback through the submission process, please visit
www.education.gov.au/antibullying-rapid-review. This page contains instructions on how to participate, along with the Review’s Terms of Reference.

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

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 6th June - Pupil Free Day

Monday 9th June - Kings Birthday Public Holiday

Tuesday 10th June - Jo

Wednesday 11th June - Julie

Thursday 12th June - Jo

Friday 13th June - Jo & Ashleigh Keegan

Monday 16th June - Julie

Tuesday 17th June - Jo

Wednesday 18th June - Julie

Thursday 19th June - Jo

Friday 20th June - Jo & Michelle Cook

Monday 23rd June - Julie

Tuesday 24th June - Jo

Wednesday 25th June - Julie

Thursday 26th June - Jo

Friday 27th June - Jo & Stacey Arnold

New Item on Healthy Eating Menu
Butter Chicken is back on the Healthy Eating menu on Tuesdays for lunch.

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

We are having a community shared lunch on Sunday 22nd June from 11.30am in the John the Baptist Centre.

Everyone is invited as we bring together families from the many diverse cultures that make up our parish & school community.

It will be a BYO shared lunch, and we ask you to bring a plate of food to share from your own cultural background or a family favourite.

Tea, coffee, soft drinks, plates, serviettes and cutlery will be provided.

EVERYONE WELCOME!

Free Webinar

Unplug Childhood with Dr Justin Coulson

Tuesday 24th June, 7:30pm AEST

Our upcoming free webinar, “Unplug Childhood,” is hosted by the renowned parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson. In today’s fast-paced, screen-filled world, children are facing challenges we’ve never seen before. Join us as we unpack the impact of digital technology on childhood and explore practical steps parents and carers can take to protect and empower their children.
Plus, an interactive Q&A session.

Register here

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.

We're removing three level crossings where the Glenelg Tram line crosses Marion Road and Cross Road, Plympton and Morphett Road, Morphettville.  We're also rebuilding the South Road tram overpass to make way for the River Torrens to Darlington Project (T2D). 

These projects will be delivered by the Tram Grade Separation Projects Alliance (TGSPA) together with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. 

Community Information Sessions

Please drop in to our community information sessions to meet our team, view the latest project and landscape designs, learn about how we will construct the overpasses and ask any questions.

We will have Alliance and Department team members available to speak with community members. This includes staff from:

• Construction
• Environment
• Design
• Engineering
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Urban design and
• Landscaping.

We will also have information on substitute bus services that will operate during the partial tram line closure from Monday 4 August 2025.

For your convenience we will be holding two sessions (both displaying the same information) for each project site. Please note registration is advised for attendance to these sessions as our venues have capacity limits.

Please register to attend your preferred session below or contact us via email or phone.  

South Road Tram Overpass Upgrade 

Session 1

When: Wednesday 11 June 2025 anytime between 6pm and 8pm

Where: South Road Site Compound, 112 Anzac Highway, Glandore

Please register by Monday 9 June 2025

Session 2

When: Saturday 14 June 2025 anytime between 10am and 12pm   

Where: South Road Site Compound, 112 Anzac Highway, Glandore  

Please register by Wednesday 11 June 2025 

Register here

Morphett Road Level Crossing Removal 

Session 1

When: Wednesday 25 June 2025 between 6pm and 8pm

Where: Camden Community Centre (Hall), 18 Carlisle Street, Camden Park

Please register by Monday 23 June 2025

Session 2

When: Saturday 28 June 2025 between 10am and 12pm

Where: Camden Community Centre (Hall), 18 Carlisle Street, Camden Park

Please register by Wednesday 25 June 2025 

Register here

Marion Road and Cross Road Level Crossing Removals

Session 1

When: Saturday 21 June 2025 anytime between 9am and 11am 

Where: Plympton Community Centre, 34 Long Street, Plympton  

Please register by Wednesday 18 June 2025 

Register here

Session 2

When: Wednesday 2 July 2025 anytime between 6pm and 8pm  

Where: Plympton Glenelg RSL, 464 Marion Road, Plympton Park

Please register by Monday 30 June 2025 

Register here

More information Ph 1300 916 976 or email info@TGSPAlliance.com.au

Australian Girls Choir Open Day

Look no further than the Australian Girls Choir (AGC) because we encourage, challenge and inspire girls as they learn to sing, dance and perform. School aged girls are invited to come along to our June Open Day to try our fun and inclusive classes and learn more about being part of the AGC! Please visit our website to register to attend our free Open Day: ausgirlschoir.com.au/joinagc

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.