Dear St John's families,

Today was the the second Grandparents Day celebration and we welcomed our visitors with morning tea, a choir performance and visits to the classrooms. There were smiles all around!

Uniform Feedback

At Wednesday evening's Community Council Meeting our fantastic volunteers who run the Uniform Shop shared some feedback regarding children's and parent's request for a skort option for the every day and sport uniform. This was originally taken out when the uniform changes were brought in several years to try to keep it simple and to allow families to hand down uniform options more easily.

We've listened and we're going to investigate some options for skorts that work well with our current uniform. Leave it with us and we'll let you know what's happening regarding this. Thank you to our volunteers who do an amazing job in the Uniform Shop.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

We often share about the impactful and successful literacy and numeracy teaching practices we've introduced and while literacy and numeracy are fundamental to children's development we also put a lot of effort into other important areas, such as the social emotional development of our students.

Prior to school, children's social and emotional development is largely learnt from home. Students come to Kindergarten with 5 years of having developed age appropriate social skills, emotional regulation and capacity to negotiate their needs and wants. Parents still play a very big role in modelling and co-regulating these developing skills.

Many have had the opportunity to go to child care and/or preschool. These experiences provide an opportunity for children to apply their developing social skills and strategies. Early childhood educators are well trained to support children in these instances.

Once at school students begin to expand their circle of long term, regular relationships to include their peers and other adults. The world becomes bigger than 'home' and family, stretching their social emotional development through a variety of new contexts and people.

To support students in this area of their development we draw upon a number of programs, one of which is Second Step.

Second Step is a school-wide social-emotional learning program designed to teach children social-emotional skills to help them get along with peers, manage emotions, and succeed in school and throughout their lives. In Kindergarten through Grade 3, the program also includes activities targeted at developing executive-functioning skills—such as focusing, listening, and paying attention—which can help them do better in the classroom and later in high school and work.

Examples of the what students learn through the Second Step Program include:

The lessons span throughout the year and, combined with our Positive Behaviour for Learning Policy, our Protective Behaviours programs, our Bulliying Program (also through Second Step) and of course Religious Education, we work hard to teach, support and champion positive relationships, emotional development and compassionate living.

If you ever have concerns for your child's social and emotional development please do contact your child's teacher to discuss your concerns and they will provide you with information about what they are learning at school and how you can support them at home. Our CatholicCare school counsellor, Nik, is also always available to speak with parents just as much as with students. Please contact the Front Office with more details to contact her.

Thank you for working together to help your child to grow and learn.

Matthew Garton

Principal

Class Allocations for 2024

During this term, we will finalise our staffing arrangements for 2024. When it comes to class placements for students we aim to ensure a fair, considered and just process in allocating students to classes for the next school year.

Teachers are in the best position to decide a child’s placement because they know all the children in their classes and have a view of the ‘big picture’ and what the learning needs are for each child. However, I invite parents to inform me of any educational concerns that you feel need to be considered, for your own child’s well-being or development.

There are only two classes each year at St John the Apostle Primary School. One of the benefits if this is that every child is known across the school community. Every year we mix the classes to help children spend time with different people as well as reconnect with others they haven't shared a class with for some time. We do keep a history of previous considerations for the arrangements. When forming balanced class lists the following factors are taken into consideration:

• gender;
• diverse needs;
• work habits;
• personal plans;
• intervention needs and supports;
• friendships;
• behaviour;
• health considerations;
• religious identity(to assist in achieving a balance between classes, especially in Sacramental years) and
• common names;
• new students enrolled for the following year.

Ideally, we aim for an equal spread of all characteristics in a class. Where practical, parental requests based on educational concerns may be considered. At St John the Apostle, we will use the following principles and guidelines when considering the placement of students each year:

• Every care will be taken to ensure that each child is placed in the best situation to enhance learning and social development;
• Teachers will ask students to name three people they would like to be in the same class as next year and teachers will endeavour to make sure that one of those is met;
• Parents who wish to raise particular concerns regarding the placement of their children in particular classes should put the concern in writing and email it to me directly (matthewgarton@cg.catholic.edu.au) by Friday of Week 5 of Term 4 (Friday 10 November);
• Parent concerns regarding educational needs of students will be considered during the process. It must be clearly understood, however, that no definite guarantees can be given regarding parental concerns. No requests for specific teacher will be accepted. All teachers work hard to provide the best possible learning opportunities for their students;
• Where appropriate, advice will be sought from the Inclusion Teacher, School Counsellor and Student Welfare Officer alongside the current class teacher during this process;
• Considering all the factors listed above, the current class teachers compile class lists from mid-term, Term 4. These are then handed to me to confirm;
• Children will be informed of their class placement for the 2024 school year in December (usually the last week of school) and the opportunity will be provided for them to spend some time with their new class teacher;
• Throughout this process, after appropriate consultation, I reserve the right to make final professional decisions regarding the placement of children.

As you can see, these decisions are given very careful consideration and we look to balance the needs of all students. Every school does this. Once class lists are finalised we select the teacher best suited to each group.