St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully Newsletter

We hope that all families enjoyed the extended weekend over the Melbourne Cup weekend.  The Melbourne Cup weekend is always a great opportunity for families to take a break prior to moving into the final weeks of the school year. The remaining weeks of the school year are filled with many exciting events as we work towards the end of a productive year of learning and commence preparations for a new school year.

We look forward to the following events:

• Remembrance Day Prayer Service

• Prep 2025 Transition sessions

• SJB Carols Evening

• Year 6 Fun Day

• Year 6 Graduation

• End of Year Thanksgiving Mass

• 2025 Move Up sessions

• 2024 Semester 2 Reports shared with families

• SJB Last Day of School Year community gathering on school oval

Monday 18th November - School Closure Day

Last week I enjoyed meeting with our Year 5 students to discuss leadership.  Together the students and I explored what it means to be a leader, the qualities of leaders and their actions. The students reflected upon what they wanted to see and not see from their SJB leaders.The students additionally had an opportunity to ask questions about leadership.  It was wonderful to experience a variety of very well considered and insightful questions from our students -our future leaders. I am very much looking forward to hearing the students’ speeches and their insights into leadership for 2025. 

Best wishes to all students as they prepare their speeches in the weeks ahead.

On Thursday 31st October our Year 3-6 families attended an online parent information session led by Sue Pain from About Real Life.  Sue presents families with an informative session in a safe and secure environment on the topic of sexuality education. We thank families who took time to provide feedback on the session from About Real Life. It was wonderful to receive overwhelming positive feedback from our community.

Over the coming two - three weeks our students will participate in their sessions with Sue.  These sessions are designed in alignment with the Victorian Curriculum and are opt in sessions via Operoo. We strongly encourage families to discuss the sessions with their children.

Exciting times ahead as the annual SJB Dads and Kids Gilwell Park camping awaits this weekend. It is terrific to see that once again there are strong numbers attending the annual event.  We wish all Dads and kids a great weekend away. We thank Nelson Serrao, Lionel Croning and Chris Lumsden for their teamwork and organisation of this wonderful event.

We ask families to stay tuned as there has been a high level of interest for a family camping weekend. We are tentatively planning to launch this for March 2025. This weekend will include the opportunity to stay in caravans, cabins or camp. The focus being on access for all SJB families.

School levies and fees for the 2025 school year have now been finalised in consultation with the School Advisory Council

Levies for School Camp and Swimming Levies will be dependent on the costs of the swimming pool charges and camp provider charges.  We would hope that there would be minimal increases with these levies.

If your child/ren (Prep- Year 5) will not be returning to St John’s in 2024 we ask that you please notify us.

As we plan ahead for 2024 classes, we ask any families who know that they will not be returning to St. John's in 2024 to inform the school as soon as possible by emailing principal@sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au

We are seeking Expressions of Interest from members of the community who would like to join the School Advisory Council for 2024.  To qualify for nomination a person must be a parent of a student attending St John the Baptist Parish Primary School.

The School Advisory Council provides a forum for discussion and discernment, where the parent/guardian voice and perspective are available to inform and support the decisions made by the Principal and Parish Priest for the good of School and Parish where the wellbeing and outcomes for students is paramount. 

The main duties of the School Advisory Council are to:

• Support the Catholic ethos of the school.

• Assist in planning for the future development and direction of the school in consultation with the Parish Priest and Principal.

• Assist on the setting of priorities through the use of the school's Annual Action Plan and School Improvement Plan.

• Assist with the process of School Review which occurs on a four year cycle.  

• Advise on finance-related matters such as school fees and building/maintenance programs.

• Assist on issues such as enrolments, School improvement plans and enrolment trends

• Giving advice about the school Master Plan

• Assist with activities that promote the school within the parish and the broader community.

The Council meets on a minimum of 6 occasions per year. 

Your commitment requires:

• Membership for 3 years.  

Please note that membership on the School Advisory Council ceases once a Council member no longer has children enrolled at the school. 

• Attendance at scheduled Advisory Council meetings for each year

The aim of the SAC is to provide advice to the School Leadership and Parish Priest in order for them to provide the optimum educational and spiritual environment for our children. The Council meets at regular intervals during the school year to discuss and address a range of relevant issues pertaining to the school.

Parents interested in becoming a member of the School Advisory Council are asked to email myself with the following information:

I _________________________________ (full name) am interested in becoming an School Advisory Council member.

Children enrolled at St John the Baptist School (include Grade level):

__________________________________________________________________

Contact no. ___________________________________

Date.           ___________________________________

Signature: ____________________________________

We look forward to welcoming our 2025 Prep families and students as they start their journey with us at St John the Baptist. The following dates below are important dates for our Preps and their families:

Our Year 1-6 students will continue their Cyber Safety sessions this term with Inform and Empower. Please see the focus for this term’s Inform and Empower sessions.

Wishing everyone a great week. 

Kelli Johnston

November

7th - Prep 2025 Transition Session #1

7th - Year 3/4 Level Mass @ 9.15am

8th - About Real Life Session 1 Yrs 3-6

8th - Yr 7 2026 placement offers to be finalised

11th - P-2 Swimming continues 🏊‍♀️

11th - Remembrance Day - Prayer Service @ 10.45am

14th - Prep 2025 Transition #2

15th - Assembly @ 2.45pm - Prep BA

15th - About Real Life Session - Years 3-6

16th - Working Bee - 1.30-4.00pm

18th - School Closure Day - Staff Professional Learning

20th - School Advisory Council - 7.00pm

21st - Prep Transition Session #3

22nd - About Real Life Session - Years 5-6

25th - Prep-2 Swimming continues 🏊‍♀️

29th - Assembly Prep LC

December

2nd - P-2 Swimming continues 🏊‍♀️

5th - Carols evening BBQ 🌭

5th - Carols evening - 7pm 🎄

9th - P-2 Swimming continues 🏊‍♀️

9th - Semester 2 Reports emailed to families 📃

9th - Move up session No. 1

12th - Graduation Mass - 6pm 👨‍🎓

12th - Move up session No. 2

16th - Year 6 Fun day 🤸‍♂️

17th - End of Year assembly - 2:45pm

17th - Last Day of SJB School Year - 3:15pm

17th - SJB Family Gathering on SJB oval - 3:15pm

$5 - Slouch Hat Pin

$5 - Pen

$5 - Poppy Pin (Premium)

$4 - Poppy Key Ring

$3 - Wrist Band

$2 - Poppy Pin (Standard)

$1 - Poppy Pin (Budget)

Canteen orders can be placed via http://www.flexischools.com.au

Orders must be placed no later than 7.30am on the Wednesday or Friday.

Full story:  Link - A Crusade for Peace: Melbourne Men Unite in Prayer