Dear Parents and Carers,

This week is National Reconciliation Week, a time for all people in Australia to reflect on our shared culture and history. It’s a time to consider the relationship between past achievements and future progress.

Reconciliation Week 2025 marks the 58th anniversary of the 1967 referendum in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Isander people became able to be counted in the census.

This year's theme, Bridging Now to Next, calls us to use these lessons of the past to push forward into the future. Our students have been collaborating on an installation that we will feature in our corridor that represents moving forward together in peace and love.

Photograph taken by artist Cathy Breen on 27th of May 2025.

Recently I was asked ‘What is Catalyst and what is it that makes SJA so special?’

I explained that the faith filled Catholic Education opportunities offered at St John the Apostle equips students with the skills and knowledge they need to become active, responsible and engaged global citizens. Some of the Catalyst Programs include InitiaLit, Spelling Mastery, Rocket Maths, The Writing Revolution, MacLit and MiniLit.  These programs are informed by the Science of Learning and Science of Reading. 

St John’s delivers excellent learning experiences for students through evidence-based teaching practice and high-quality resources as a learning community, the teaching staff implements the current Australian Curriculum, V9. The delivery of the Australian curriculum is through lessons that reflect High Impact Teaching Practices. This includes daily review, sequencing of concepts, modelling, questioning and reviewing previously taught concepts. 

Our teachers use Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) in their strategically planned lessons, to teach new concepts to mastery. During EDI lessons, teachers utilise ‘Engagement Norms’ (TAPPLE) to motivate students and hold them accountable for their learning. Engagement Norms ensure children are doing something every minute, whether it be discussion with a partner, reading text aloud, showing responses on a whiteboard or gesturing. These norms are designed to keep students actively engaged in their learning. Teachers are able to instantly check for understanding, provide immediate feedback, correct student responses at point of need and re-teach concepts if 80% mastery has not been achieved.

T - Teach First

A- Ask a question

P - Pause & Pair Share

P- Pick a Non-Volunteer

L - Listen to the response

E - Effective Feedback

If your child mentions that today we chinned our boards, parked our pens, hands on top, were chosen to answer without notice; they are all part of our toolbox of strategies that allow our students to be engaged in the learning of new concepts and skills to deepen understanding and expand their knowledge. 

The St John the Apostle school community is unique in promoting a strong values program and offers all children many opportunities to enable them to reach their full potential. The school has a strong focus on Restorative Practices and well‐being of all students. Recently, we have received our School NAPLAN results. There have been notable gains in the areas of English and Maths. Thumbs up to our amazing teachers and students who excel every single day!

We continue to be a community that is committed to providing innovative, state of the art learning facilities where parental involvement is encouraged and valued.

Enjoy the weekend. 

Jo Reed