St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully Newsletter

Families wishing to purchase ANZAC Day badges, keyrings or bag tags may purchase these items from the office.

The Ferntree Gully Rotary Club & CFA invite the community to join this year’s Anzac Day Dawn Watch on Saturday 25th April at Quarry Park, Quarry Road, Ferntree Gully at 5:45am for a 6:00am start. 

Each year we will alternate the laying of a wreath between the parish and school.  This year parishioners of SJB will lay the wreath purchased by the school and parish. We warmly welcome members of our SJB community to attend the Quarry Park Anzac Day Dawn Service to represent SJB.

We still have many resources to prepare for our school’s daily Maths fluency program.

Volunteers are needed to help prepare the resources needed for this program.  Tasks include cutting, laminating and labelling materials.

Please join us for our “Snip & Sip” sessions running each Tuesday morning this term.

→ When: Tuesdays - 8:45am – 10:30am  (Drop in anytime — any time you can give is greatly appreciated!)

→ Where: SJB Office Meeting Room

Alternatively, if you are unavailable on Tuesdays and would still like to help out in some way, please feel free to contact Jill Palermo.  (jpalermo@sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au) 

We’re looking to improve our school chicken area by building a permanent fence (approximately 6 metres long), continuing our existing design using reo mesh and timber posts.

To make this happen, we’d love support from our school community—particularly with digging post holes deep enough to securely set the timber posts. If you have experience, tools, or time to lend a hand, your help would make a big difference!

 We’re planning to commence this project mid-Term 2 on a Wednesday (exact date to be confirmed based on availability).

If you’re able to assist, please email cderkinderen@sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au or speak with one of the staff. Even an hour of your time would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for supporting our school garden and helping us create a safe, sustainable space for our chickens and students!

As part of the SJB Building Program we were fortunate to have funds to further extend works to the Year 3-6 building. Over the holiday period Baxter Constructions replaced a significant proportion of the roof. The roof of the Year 3-6 building was part of the School’s Master Plan and ongoing works required. To be able to complete this work as part of the building program is a terrific outcome for the school that ensures the longevity of our school buildings.

We thank the team at Baxter Construction for their ongoing support and work ensuring that such works occur seamlessly and without disruption to the school.

At this time the Tuckshop will be closed for Term 2. Our wonderful Tuckshop Co-ordinator, Tracey Walker continues to recover from recent surgery. We wish Tracey all the best for a speedy recovery.  

Tracey is hoping to open the Tuckshop for our St John the Baptist Feast Day celebration on the final day of the term. Further updates will be placed in the newsletter as the term progresses.

As parents, many of us know the feeling that raising children was never meant to be done alone. It truly takes a village — yet in our busy lives, that sense of village can sometimes feel missing. As one of the parents in our school community, I would love to help create a small space where families can connect, support one another, and build that sense of village together. From this idea, The Village Circle was born. The Village Circle will simply be a relaxed and welcoming gathering for parents from our school community. It’s a chance to chat, share experiences, make new friendships, and support each other through the beautiful and sometimes challenging journey of raising children. Young children are warmly welcome to come along and play while we connect. There’s no pressure, no expectations — just an opportunity to build a stronger sense of community and support among the families in our school. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy being part of, I’d love for you to join me (and my daughter Elora-4yrs) for a cuppa on Fridays. Because parenting is easier, and far more joyful, when we do it together.

Time - 9:00am – 10:00am

Where - St John the Baptist School Hall

We are most fortunate to partner with Marty and Carley McGauran from Inform and Empower to provide families with an online session focusing on ‘Raising Kids in a Digital World’. Marty and Carley provide valuable insights into the digital world that children are navigating. They provide families with an understanding of the current digital climate, along with how to educate, support and raise conversations and awareness with children.

With a wealth of knowledge and experience as an  eLearning educator and psychologist leading the evening, this is a session that is most beneficial to all families. Navigating the digital world in partnership as home and school provides our students with education and support they need to become digitally responsible citizens.

We warmly welcome all Mother’s, Nanna’s and special people to join us for our SJB Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea and family activity on Friday 8th May from 1:30pm.  We will commence with an afternoon tea in the hall. Mums and special people will then move to the classrooms in family groups to participate in an activity with their children.

A nForma form has been shared for families to respond.

Term 2 is when students transition to their Winter Uniform. Over the first couple of weeks if the weather presents as being warm families are able to make an informed decision in regard to uniform selection.  Once the weather has changed and becomes cooler we will request that all students transition to Winter Uniform. Students are not required to wear hats at play in Term 2 and Term 3. We do ask that students are dressed in the correct uniform at all times, this includes the correct socks - navy, and shoes, along with Sports Uniform only being worn on designated days.

Please see updates of the SJB uniform as outlined below. 

Winter Uniform

Winter Girls

Navy Pants – only available from Uniform shop or winter tunic

Maroon tracksuit top with School Logo

Long sleeved, sky blue polo neck shirt (ie collar shirt with tab front) OR

Navy tights OR knee-high navy socks

Black leather T-Bar OR lace up/velcro school shoes

(no boots, track shoes or runners)

Winter Boys

Long navy gabardine pants

Long sleeved, sky blue polo shirt (ie. collar shirt with tab front) Maroon tracksuit top with School Logo

Navy anklet socks

Black leather lace up/velcro school shoes (no boots, track shoes or runners)

Wishing everyone a fabulous Week 1.

Kelli Johnston

April

23rd - St Joseph's Lighthouse Program

23rd - Confirmation Family Evening @ 7pm

24th - ANZAC Day Prayer Service

25th - ANZAC Day Lest We Forget

27th - St Joseph's Lighthouse Program

27th - Parents and Friends Meeting @ 7pm

30th - Term 2 Level Newsletters shared

30th - St Joseph's Lighthouse Program

May

1st - Cross Country -tbc

2nd - Confirmation Commitment Mass @ 6pm

3rd - Confirmation Commitment Mass @ 10:30am

4th - St Joseph’s Lighthouse Program

5th - Mother’s Day Stall

5th - Term 2 Level Newsletters shared

7th-   Open Day Tours at 9am, 10am, 4pm & 5pm

8th - Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea @ 1:30pm

9th - Open Day Morning - Saturday

10th-   Mother’s Day 

11th - St Joseph’s Lighthouse Program

25th - St Joseph’s Lighthouse Program

26th - National Sorry Day Prayer Service

29th - Assembly @ 2:45pm

29th - Sacrament of Confirmation

31st - The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Janice