Term 3, Week 2 2025

It has been wonderful to meet so many families in my first 2 weeks in the St John’s community. I’ve been impressed by the kindness and dedication that I see throughout the school community. From the enthusiasm displayed by students when I have met them in classrooms and out at play, to the collaborative spirit shown by all staff in their mission to provide meaningful learning opportunities for all learners. It’s clear that St John’s is a place where learning thrives! Thank you for welcoming me so warmly into the community. I look forward to getting to know more of you as the year continues and am excited to be part of and contribute to the great work that is happening here every day.

Do you have a child or sibling due to start in 2028 Term 1 or Term 3?  If so, it is now time to submit your enrolment form.  Forms can be collected at the front office or you can download a form here. 

Sibling enrolments for 2027 Terms 1 and 3 are now URGENTLY OVERDUE.

If you have not yet submitted an enrolment form please contact the Enrolment Officer on 8218 3300.

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

We would like to congratulate Sylvia (Staff) and Stefan Roussos for the safe arrival of baby Sofia.

School fee statements were posted out late this week to those who have a balance. Thank you to the many people who have paid in full, set up regular payment plans or paid the instalments for Terms 1 & 2.  If you have not yet made your instalment for Term 2, please do so ASAP, a friendly reminder will be on your statement.

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.

Welcome to the Mid-Year receptions, we hope you are settling into school life well.  You will not receive a statement this year as part of a CESA wide initiative where by mid year receptions will not be charged school fees for their first 2 terms.  You will receive your first statement in 2026.

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 the link below or come in and see me as it only takes a few minutes.

To be eligible for the lower income fee, you need to apply & qualify as a low-income family via the SA Government School Card Scheme each year.  This is determined by your family's gross 2023-24 income and is set by the State Government.  Your family's gross income needs to be below $74,189 for a family with one school aged child (the limit will vary depending on how many dependent children you have increasing by $1,426 per additional child).

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,

It’s wonderful to be back, feeling refreshed and ready to go for all things Sport in Term 3. I hope everyone enjoyed their mid-year break and got some time to relax, slow things down and enjoy time together with those that mean the most to you. Although initially in Week 1 the weather wasn’t too kind, Week 2 has certainly proved to be better. We have also well and truly passed the halfway point of winter, so things are already looking better. In today’s newsletter piece, we touch on the upcoming SACPSSA Cross Country, hear about our future Auskick superstars and find out which student has represented Australia in his chosen sport in the USA.

Behind the scenes we have been busily preparing for the SACPSSA Cross Country Carnival that will take place on Wednesday 6^th of August at East Parklands. SJBCS will take a squad of 77 students who will compete in the 2km event in both their year levels and divisions. I have been proud of the consistent 25 runners who have continuously showed up each week for our ‘Run Club’. These students have shown great maturity and are serious about improving their running capacity. Well done to each and every one of the ‘Run Club’ team members, you’re all improving and enjoying the process. I’m positive that this hard work will assist you on the day and prove to be a factor in your results.

This week we launched our NAB AFL Auskick R-2 clinics here at school and wasn’t this a huge hit for everyone involved. The SANFL Game Development Team could not believe the constant registrations that filled up their system. As a school we had 68 of our Reception to Year 2 students nominate for this 6-week clinic. The SANFL Team have informed me that this is certainly one of the largest groups they have catered for. Well done to all of our wonderful parents for giving your future superstars the best start possible in learning the fundamentals of the game. I was very pleased to see so many parents getting involved during the clinic and even honing some of your skills along the way. All of the students had smiles on their faces and the oval space was filled with great energy.

Baseball is the chosen sport and Angus Deer (5G) is the student who was the fortunate one to be chosen as one of the players to represent Australia in the USA. What a remarkable headline, but more importantly what an amazing achievement for a quietly spoken, yet fiercely competitive Year 5 SJBCS student. I know Angus takes his sport very seriously and trains hard, so he is a very worthy recipient of this wonderful opportunity. Angus was selected amongst all other students in Australia to represent his team ‘Legacy Australia’ in a week-long U12 Tournament called the San Diego World Series. Whilst over there Angus very much held his own in the team and was thankful for the opportunity to represent Australia overseas. A highlight was getting the chance to hold the Australian flag for a lap around Petco Park at a Padres game on the 4^th of July weekend. Congratulations Angus, we at SJBCS are very proud of your achievements and look forward to seeing where your love of Baseball takes you.

 

 

I know many students have been working extremely hard to complete their ‘Premiers Be Active’ challenge. Once completed can you please have your child return them to me in my office. If all brochures could be returned to me by Monday 18^th August (Week 5), that will give me sufficient time to upload all student information online. New Mid-Year Reception parents, your child is encouraged to just complete a 4-week block.

Stay warm everyone and keep enjoying your chosen Sports.

Yours in sport

Sam Putland
SPORTS COORDINATOR

Hello St John’s Community,

I’m Monique and am thrilled to be in the role of chaplain in your school community. Thank you for the warm welcome. I work from a space of hope and kindness, and I am passionate about seeing students flourish in all who they are and all that they do. I look forward to supporting the emotional and spiritual growth of your child/ren and your family in your schooling journey.  I am on site at St John’s on Thursdays and can be contacted through school email on monique.saywell@stjohnpl.catholic.edu.au. Please come and say hello if you see me in the playground. In all things kindness.

Monique Saywell
Chaplain

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:
• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

For further information, please find attached letter here.

The Australian Government Department of Education (the department) would like to advise all staff, parents, guardians and students (where applicable) that it will collect certain information about your school, its staff and student body as part of the non-government schools census collection (the census).

Please find further information here.

Catholic Schools Open Week is next week!

Enter in the draw to win a family pass to Monarto Zoo thanks to our friends at oOh! Media.

All you need to do is post a photo of your child/children with any of the oOh! Media Catholic Schools Open Week outdoor advertising (bus shelters, shopping centre panels or billboards) to Facebook and use the hashtag #CatholicSchoolsOpenWeek to be in the draw to win! Please be sure to be safe when taking these photos.

The lucky winner will be chosen via random draw on Monday August 11 at 12pm. Make sure your post is set to public so that it can be seen.

Please be safe when taking photos in locations close to roads. The competition is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook in any way.

The City of West Torrens have updated the School Safety Pamphlet.

Please find below a copy of the pamphlet.  A hard copy has gone home earlier in the week.

The Flyer can be downloaded online on Council's website here or watch video here.

We’ve been having lots of fun together at our playgroup this term! It’s been wonderful to see our older friends enjoying craft activities with the children and sharing stories and laughter. This special time continues to strengthen connections within our community.

Please note, there will be no playgroup on Friday, 22nd August, 29th August or 5th September.

If you know of an older person within your family or community looking for something engaging and rewarding to do on Friday morning, please let them know to join us in to the hall on a Friday morning during the school term, between 9am and 11am. We would love for them to join our intergenerational program.

Karina Overall
Playgroup Coordinator

Scholastic Book Club
The Scholastic Book Club flyers Issue 5 2025 went home last week.

Please be reminded that all orders need to be in by Wednesday, 6th August 2025.  

Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC)
All students doing the challenge must complete their lists and give them to the library by Friday of Week 6 - 29^th August.

Please encourage your students to work towards completing the challenge. The book lists are available to assist with books to choose for the PRC at https://premiersreadingchallenge.sa.edu.au/book-list/

Maria French
Library

• Father's Day Stall - 3rd & 4th September
• Commemorative Tea Towel Fundraiser

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 3

Thursday 31st July - Jo

Friday 1st August - Jo & Kate Piasente

Monday 4th August - Julie

Tuesday 5th August - Jo

Wednesday 6th August - Julie

Thursday 7th August - Jo

Friday 8th August - Jo & Jo Rowett

Monday 11th August - Julie

Tuesday 12th August - Jo

Wednesday 13th August - Julie

Thursday 14th August - Jo

Friday 15th August - Jo & Michelle Cook

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.

You're invited to a fun-filled Quiz Night at the Fulham Community Centre – all in support of creating a brand new study space for our community!

📅 Saturday, 9 August
🕖 7:00 PM Start
📍 Fulham Community Centre – 19 Fitch Road, Fulham SA 5024

Get your fun on!
🎟️ $100 for a table of 10
🙋 $10 per individual (we’ll help place you in a team)

🎁 Great prizes from local businesses!
🍷 BYO drinks, nibbles and spare change!

This event will help us raise funds to create a brand new study space for our community – and your support makes a real difference!

We’d love to see you there for a night of fun, connection, and support for a great cause.

Thank you for being part of our community!

You’re invited to a Retreat: Cast Your Anxiety and Burdens onto the Lord Saturday 23rd August 9:15am - 3:30pm At Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church 420 Seaview Road Henley Beach

Speaker: Fr Josy Sebastian MSFS

Please bring your own lunch tea/coffee provided. Enquiries and bookings phone Pauline 0403002240 by 21st August Cost by Cash Donation All Welcome

Enquires to  Pauline Cotton 0403002240

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.