St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully Newsletter

Welcome back to Term 4.  It is great to return to school with sunshine and warmer weather. It certainly puts a spring in our step!  We hope that all families enjoyed their holidays and the opportunity to take a break from routines and quality time together.

For the third consecutive year congratulations to all Brisbane supporters on taking out this year’s Grand Final.

What an exciting time the last few weeks have been for football fans. 

There is much to look forward to throughout Term 4 such as Year 5/6 Sports Gala, Prep 2027 Transition Sessions, School Carols, Year 6 Graduation, Advent, Christmas and more. We look forward to celebrating and enjoying all of these wonderful events as a community.

As we return to school for another term of learning may we hold the staff, students, families and community of Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in our thoughts and prayers. Our Lady of Lourdes sadly lost their Principal, Mr Ross Williams in the most tragic of circumstances last term. Ross had been principal at Our Lady of Lourdes for approximately eight years. His passion, dedication and contribution to Catholic education and school community were significant. He will be dearly missed by all. 

The enormity of losing Ross will have set in for Ross’ family as well as all at Our Lady of Lourdes community over the holiday period. As we return to school for the term, may we give thanks for our own families and our SJB community whilst holding Ross, his family and OLOL in our thoughts and prayers.

During Week 4 our students will be participating in dance lessons run by Dance Curriculum.  During the daily lessons, each year level will learn a challenging, age-appropriate dance routine, along with a full-school dance. The sessions will focus on developing coordination, timing, and performance skills in preparation for our evening concert on Thursday 29th October. 

We will divide our families into 2 groups and you will receive an email this week to let you know which group your family is in and what time your concert will be.

We look forward to an entertaining experience that allows our students to showcase what they can achieve in a short period of time. 

SJB families are warmly invited to attend the SJB Parish lunch on Sunday 11th October from 11:30am after Mass at 10:30am.

Please see the invitation below for further information. 

Over the holiday period our gardeners planted the garden along the retaining wall that overlooks the Forest Road car park.  The newly planted garden area requires time for plants to establish and to flourish as a newly formed area. Whilst we recognise the short cut to get to parents in the car park at the end of the day is most appealing, we ask families to direct their children to use paths or stairs to the car park rather than running across the garden. We thank everyone in advance for your support with looking after our property and environment. 

Throughout Term 4 a number of SJB staff will be taking leave for various reasons. Some staff will be taking long service leave whilst others will be on leave while they undertake placement as part of their university studies or various other forms of leave. We wish all staff the very best for their leave and we look forward to their return. Please see leave and dates for various staff being undertaken throughout the term.  

We thank families for your understanding and support with the significant work and time invested in securing casual relief staff to replace teaching staff undertaking leave.

Mrs Amanda Heidenrijk - Monday 5th October - 21st October - Replacement Mrs Tracey Tremewen

Miss Danielle Cooke - Monday 5th October - Friday 23rd October - University Teacher placement

Miss Eliza Crouch - Thursday 8th October - 19th November - Overseas travel

Mrs Gisella Koroknai - Friday 16th October - Wednesday 21st October - Replacement Mrs Lunghausen and Ms Maron

Mrs Franca Paduano - Thursday 22nd October - Wednesday 28th October

Miss Elyse Harvie - Wednesday 4th November - 20th November - University Teacher placement

Mrs Tracey Walker - Wednesday 4th November - 20th November

Mrs Ursula DeCorrado - Wednesday 4th November - Monday 30th November

Mrs Cynthia Schouten - Monday 23rd November - 2nd December - Replacement Mrs Andrea Hayman

Dear God,

Please thank the people that are spending their time taking care of people in need. Hopefully the poor will get enough money to start taking care of themselves. Help us to be grateful just like them. 

Amen….by Bethany

Dear God,

Thank you for the St Vincent de Paul community and the love they’ve given the poor. Help them thrive and help more people each day with the donations that really support those people in need. 

Amen….by Aaron

Dear God,

Thank you for the St Vincent de Paul program that serves unfortunate people and thank you for all the members and volunteers who help to keep this program running.

Amen…by James

Dear God,

Thank you for the St Vincent de Paul Society. They have helped lots of people and provide a wonderful service that helps the poor and homeless. Thank you also for the many volunteers that help keep the program running. They help the poor, homeless and people less fortunate than us. 

Amen…by Amelia

To celebrate the end of another terrific term of learning and work SJB enjoyed celebrating Footy Day.  The students enjoyed embracing the spirit of the day dressing in their favourite team colours. Everyone enjoyed a fun day of activities, as well as a special Footy Day lunch.  We thank Mr John Mitchell for all of his work and planning of Footy Day, as well as Mrs Tracey Walker for all of her organisation and work in preparing a special Footy Day lunch.

A very big thank you to the families who took the time to complete the MACSSIS Survey.  We congratulate the Barrett family who were the lucky winners of the $50 Metro Movie Voucher.  

In the beginning weeks of Term 4 the staff begin the process of putting together class lists for the 2027 school year.  The process will be completed with consideration given to:

• The social and academic distribution of the children within the same level across classes

• A gender balance in each class

• Children’s requests for friendship groupings

• Specific placement of siblings and children with individual needs, inclusive of emotional, learning, physical and behavioural needs

• The social needs of children including the working relationships of all children and the desired separation of children who do not have a positive social or learning influence on each other

• An awareness of teachers in the previous academic year.   

To support the placement of our children we ask each child to name classmates who they work well with.  Children will be reminded to consider children from their current class and from other class settings.  Classes will then be structured with the aim to have each child with at least one nominated friend.  However if the class teacher feels that the choices are not in the best interest of the child then the child will be asked to nominate others.  Parents please note that it is sometimes commented that, ‘My child didn’t get any of their friendship requests’. It is often in this situation that a child’s actual friendship group has slightly or significantly changed from October through to the end of the year and as a result the child feels that their requests weren’t taken into account. 

With approximately 22 children in each class each child is provided with 21 opportunities to either further develop existing friendships or the opportunity to develop new friendships.  To be highly successful participants in our social, school and future working environments it is a most important skill to create new friendships each year, not be reliant on the same close friendships each year.  We make every effort to support our children by providing them with supportive environments but at the same time we wish for some form of challenge so that our children can further develop personal life skills by negotiating new friendships. 

As detailed above, there is a significant level of care and consideration that goes into establishing the best learning environments, along with social interactions, for our children.     

Parent Requests - Meeting with Leadership

We are aware that some parents may have valid reasons to have input into the placement of their children for the forthcoming year. Should there be numerous requests from parents then the ability for staff to make positive and professional judgements for the best learning environments for our classes is compromised.  Given this, if parents have any relevant information that you believe is essential to the grade placement process, I invite you to make contact with myself (kjohnston@sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au) or  Ursula De Corrado (udecorrado@sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au) to share your thoughts for the 2027 year.  Should we need to gain greater clarity on the request as made we will make contact with you to make an appointment to share your thoughts or concerns.   We will evaluate all requests and make a professional decision on the placement of the child in question. The final decision rests with the school. 

 ‘Teacher Shopping’ -  At SJB School we are blessed with a highly skilled and enthusiastic staff team and we are confident that all teachers will meet the needs of your children. Parents making requests simply as ‘Teacher Shopping’, without any foundation, may not necessarily receive their requests for the new year.  The reference to ‘teacher shopping’ means that, for example, parents have heard positive comments about teachers in the school from other parents and think that that teacher may be good for their child.  Likewise a sibling may have had a teacher previously and a parent wishes for their next child to also have that teacher.  We would love to meet all requests but there are other elements around class placements, as detailed previously, which may take priority over a request as such.  As stated above, parents are invited to meet with leadership to discuss thoughts that may be pertinent to 2027 class placements but we ask that you take on board all of the above information before making your request.

Classes for 2027

As we plan ahead for 2027 classes, we ask any families who know that they will not be returning to SJB in 2026 to inform the school as soon as possible. kjohnston@sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au

This year’s Dads and Kids camping weekend at Gilwell Park has been scheduled for two nights away due to popular request. Families can purchase their tickets via Flexischools. Tickets are $40 per person. 

Dads mark the date in your calendar and save the date for a terrific weekend with your children and SJB community.

As we move into warmer weather we now transition into summer uniform. 

Students are to wear sports uniform only on their designated days.  Please check your child’s level newsletter for clarity of days.  Students are to wear navy socks and black school shoes with their regular uniform. Runners are not to be worn with regular uniform.

We thank all families for ensuring students wear the correct uniform and our students for wearing their uniform with pride.

Girls

Blue and white check dress

Maroon tracksuit top with School Logo

Navy blue anklet socks

Black leather T-Bar OR Lace up/velcro school shoes (flat soled)

St John’s school hat

Boys

Navy school shorts

Short sleeved, sky blue polo shirt with school logo

Navy ankle socks

Black leather lace up/velcro school shoes (flat soled)

St John’s school hat

Please see the summer uniform outline below:

ParentZone Eastern provides resources for parents, carers, and professionals in the Eastern Region. We offer a range of in-person and online parent education programs.

Our programs are not one-size-fits-all. Many are co-designed with parents to reflect their unique needs, challenges, and strengths. Recognising that every child and family is different, we tailor our programs to provide practical, relevant support that works for them.

All our programs are free of charge.

Find out more on our website. You’ll find details about programs near you, our ParentZone podcasts, and an option to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter.

The 2nd Hand Uniform Shop is open Tuesdays 2:45pm - 3:15pm. A recent stock list is below. Donations are always welcome and can be dropped at the office when convenient for you. 

October

7th - Year 5/6 Summer Sports Gala

11th - Parish Social Lunch - 10:30am Mass followed by lunch

12th - Parents & Friends Meeting

16th - Assembly @ 2:45pm 5/6SJ

19th - School Nurse Visit

20th - School Nurse Visit

20th - Year 3/4 Excursion

21st - School Advisory Council

23rd - Assembly @ 2:45pm Prep PS

26th - School Concert Week

28th - Prep 2027 Information Evening

29th - All Saints Day - 9:15am Mass - Whole School with Parish

29th - SJB 2026 School Concert Evening

30th - World Teachers' Day

November

2nd - School Closure Day

3rd - Melbourne Cup Day - School Closed

4th - Year 3/4 Level Mass @ 9:15am

6th - Gilwell Park Dads and Kids weekend - Friday & Saturday night

10th - Year 3/4 Incursion Mini Boss

11th - Remembrance Day (Prayer Service)

12th - Prep Transition # 1- 9:00am - 10:30am

13th - Assembly @ 2:45pm

16th - School Closure Day

19th - Prep Transition # 2 - 9:00am - 10:30am

24th - SAC & P&F Thanksgiving evening

26th - Prep Transition #3 - 9:00am - 10:30am

26th - Carley McGauran Psychologist presentation Prep 2027 families 9:00am-10:30am

27th - PSGs

27th - Assembly @ 2:45pm

28th - SJB Sausage Sizzle & Cake Stall - Election Day

29th - First Sunday of Advent - Hope

30th - PSGs

December

1st - Online Music School - Concert Performance @ 6:30pm

3rd - SJB Carols

4th - PSGs

6th - Second Sunday of Avent - Peace

8th - Year 3 - 6 Life Ed. Human Development Sessions

8th - Reports live to families

10th - Year 6 Graduation @ 6pm

13th - Third Sunday of Advent - Joy

14th - Year 6 Fun Day

15th - End of year Thanksgiving Mass @ 9:15am

15th - Final Day 2026 School Year - school concludes @ 3:15pm

20th - Fourth Sunday of Advent - Love

25th - Nativity of the Lord - Christmas Day

Orders are to be placed via Flexischools - www.flexischools.com.au

Friday October 9th

Anna Kristof

Kelly Brady

Friday October 16th

Wade Palmer

Belinda Bond

Friday October 23rd

Mark Molan

Nelson Serrao