St John XXIII Thomastown East

ENGLISH

At St. John XXIII Primary School we believe that English is a vital component of the curriculum. A firm grasp of the English language in Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening ensures that our students are empowered to be active school citizens. Each level dedicates time to a daily 2 hour Literacy Block where reading and writing skills are explicitly taught. Our use of investigations and Inquiry in P-2 encourages the development of oral language through the use of careful questioning and exposure to real life situations. Data is collected in each area which is carefully analysed to ensure that our students’ needs are being met.

MATHEMATICS

At St. John XXIII Primary School we believe that Mathematics is also a vital component of the curriculum. Students participate in activities that provide them with a sound grasp of Number, Measurement and Geometry, Statistics and Probability, in line with the current Victorian Curriculum. Skills in these areas are explicitly taught through whole class, small group or independent tasks as necessary. Teachers regularly assess their class before, during and after units of work to ensure each students’ needs are being met and catered for. Our Prep-2 students engage with hands on materials, a variety of tools and explicit teaching to build a strong number sense and foundational understanding of Mathematics. Our Year 3-6 students sharpen their independence skills by setting Mathematics goals and working towards achieving these with teacher and peer support as needed.

RELIGION

Religious Education at St. John XXIII Primary School is the key element in the education of each child. The fundamental aspect is that of teaching gospel values, demonstrating and informing each child of our faith tradition.

We strive to lead your child to know and love God by the teaching and example set at our school. Education in faith is at the core of our school and parish life.

The students attend school, level and class Masses throughout the year. Parents are warmly welcomed to join us in these celebrations.

The Religious Education Program places emphasis on the Church’s Liturgical Calendar, covering aspects such as Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Advent and Christmas. The Sacrament of Penance/First Reconciliation is received in Year 3, the Sacrament of First Eucharist is received in Year 4 and the Sacrament of Confirmation is received in Year 6.

Our Religious Education Program is based on the central program for Religious Education for all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne- Coming to Know Worship and Love series. This series is an Archdiocesan framework for use in Catholic schools from Prep to Year 6 and provides Catholic schools with a rich and engaging curriculum accompanying high quality student texts.

WELLBEING

At St. John XXIII Primary School we believe that each person’s wellbeing is paramount. It is nurtured through experiences of belonging, building relationships, being accepted, valued and positively engaged in the community. We endeavour to maintain a calm, compassionate and respectful school environment that allows education to take place in the best possible circumstances. We expect our students to allow their teachers to teach and their classmates to learn. We acknowledge the power of affirmation and seek positive ways to encourage students to meet behavioural and academic expectations. Fundamental beliefs in all Catholic schools are the values of love, respect, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, repentance, reconciliation and justice. These core beliefs are at the heart of the way we promote positive behaviour and challenge inappropriate behaviour.

The Wellbeing of our students is fostered through:

A School Wide Behaviour Management Plan
A strong focus on explicit Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through a variety of programs including, but not limited to; You Can Do It, Building Values Across the Whole School, CommonSense Media, Kelso’s Choices, Circle Time
Student Leadership/Representative Council, Social Justice and Liturgy action teams bring the student voice to life and take action in our local community
A focus on the development of the St. John XXIII School Dispositions; Collaboration, Resilience, Risk-taking, Responsibility, Reflective and Inquisitive are at the forefront of all learning opportunities
Specific teaching focused on the development of a Growth Mindset from the research of Carol Dweck and the profound effect that a person’s mindset, or attitude about learning, can have on motivation and academic performance is a feature of every year level
The Alannah and Madeline Foundation Better Buddies Program between prep and year 6 students
Parent Support Group Meetings where the Special Needs leader and the classroom teacher meet with parents/guardians of children with special needs to discuss and monitor learning plans
Student Wellbeing Support Group meetings where the Student Wellbeing/Special Needs Leader and Literacy/Maths Leader meets with classroom teachers to identify those children who require extra assistance within the classroom. Referrals may be needed to access further support through Catholic Education Melbourne within the areas of Psychology, Speech Pathology or Educational/Academic support
Wellbeing Focus Groups
The implementation of the eSmart Schools framework that guides policies, practices and whole-school change processes to integrate cyber safety practices and promote the safe use of online technology in our community

SPECIALIST PROGRAMS

At St. John XXIII Primary School, we provide specialist subjects.

This includes:

Physical Education
Visual Art
Language Other Than English (L.O.T.E) - Italian
Digital Technology

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

We have an extensive extra curriculum including but not limited to:

Yr 5/6 Inter-school Sports Program
Yr P -4 Swimming Program
P-Yr 6 Outdoor Education Program which includes a P-2 Extended Day, Yr 3/4 Overnight Camp and Yr 5/6 Camp (3-5 days).
Music Bus
School Choir
School Concert
Student Representative Council (SRC)
Social Justice/Liturgy Group
Annual School Christmas Carols
School/Year Level Masses
Sacramental Programs