St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully Newsletter

Letter from the Principal

Tuesday February 16th 2021

Dear Families

This week's newsletter is taking a very different form to what I was originally writing. Last week it was full of upcoming events that now for the short term have been cancelled or postponed. Friday afternoon was certainly a whirlwind time when at 1.15pm our Premier Daniel Andrews announced that we would be going into a 5 day stage 4 lockdown. This was met with varying responses from our community with the predominant response being what can we do to help each other manage this disruption to our lives once more? I was surrounded on Friday afternoon by staff and parents who despite their own concerns put our children as their highest priority and said, “what can I do to help?” In less than an hour we had work for home learning prepared, laptops mobilised for distribution and clear communication processes set up between home and school. I am very grateful to our staff for their resilience and adaptability. Our parents once again have juggled work commitments to ensure their children are cared for and supported with home learning. Our children are really so blessed to belong to such loving families. To all families in our community from our essential workers who need to work outside the home to those families who are balancing their work alongside teaching their children, we promise we will be with you every step of the way. Our preference is always to have the sound of children’s laughter on our school grounds but with God’s grace we pray this will be a short lockdown with our children once again onsite from Thursday. Take care and stay safe everyone. You are certainly in my thoughts and prayers.

District Swimming

Our district swimming event was due to take place this Wednesday. Thank you to our wonderful squad of swimmers who have trained so diligently over the past few weeks. We are hoping the event will be rescheduled. 

School Camp

We welcomed back our happy and tired campers last Friday afternoon. They had a wonderful time canoeing, swinging from great heights on the giant swing and spending time hiking up many hills! The staff at Camp Rumbug were impressed with our staff and students. They commented to me how impressed they were with the great care the staff took of the children. They also noted the good manners of the children and recognised that they must come from wonderful homes. 

I wish to thank Sue Cahill, Ange Cavarra, Tracey Ryan, Emily Johnston, Shari Correlje and  Sue Davey for the time they generously gave to organising and facilitating such a successful school camp. It is always a big responsibility for the staff and I am grateful for the time they took away from their own families to ensure the children had such a positive camp experience.

Education Board Meeting

Our Education Board meeting that was scheduled for this Tuesday 16th February at 7.30pm will now go ahead via a zoom  due to the current restrictions.  

Twilight on the Green

We look forward to seeing everyone for the Twilight Picnic on Friday 26th February from 5.00pm on our school oval. Let’s hope and pray for fine weather and no lockdown restrictions!

School Open Day and 2022 Prep Enrolment

Our school open day will take place on Wednesday 10th March from 9.00am-5.00pm. A hard copy note came home last week inviting parents to help out on the day with  school tours. Thank you to the generous parents who have already offered to help out on the day. Please invite any friends, family or neighbours who have a child eligible to start school in 2022 to come along and see our wonderful school in action. 

We already have children enrolled for Prep 2022. If you have a child who is eligible to start Prep in 2022 please make contact with the school office to complete an enrolment form. As an existing family with siblings in the school you are our first priority for enrolment. It is important that we know our incoming Prep siblings so we know how many places we can offer to new families. Offers for placements for Prep for 2022 will go out by the end of Term 1, 2021. 

School Sports Day

At this stage we are still waiting for advice after Daniel Andrews announces on Wednesday what our roadmap out of this 5 day lockdown looks like as to whether our athletics carnival will go ahead on Friday. I will let you know once we have further information. 

Unexplained Student Absence: Notifying Parents

Attendance Guidelines for Victorian Schools now state: ‘schools must advise parents/guardians of unexplained absences on the same day, as soon as practicable.’ As a result of these guidelines I would like to remind parents that if your child is absent from school you need to advise us of their absence either via a phone call to the school office or via our skoolbag app. We will place a phone call to any families where we have an unexplained absence for their child. 

Parent Parking

Just a reminder that the top carpark is for staff cars only. All families need to park in the bottom carparks or the carpark behind the hall to keep areas where children are walking safe from moving traffic. Thank you for your support in keeping our children safe. 

School Calendar

All dates for our school year are on our google calendar. The calendar can be found on our school website www.sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au under the current parents/calendar tab. Any changes to these calendar dates will be advertised via the school newsletter. 

Self Portraits - Year 1/2

Year 1/2 students are learning about the proportions of their face and created some fantastic self portraits that are on display in the school office.

Camps, Sports, Excursions Fund (CSEF)

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF.  The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.  The annual CSEF amount per student is $125 for primary school students.  Attached below is the application form.

For more information about CSEF, visit: 

CSEF Information

CSEF Application Form 2021

Download

2021 Sacrament Program for Year 3/4 Students

If your child has been baptised in the Catholic Church and you wish for them to prepare for and receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, please note the following dates for your diary:-

Thursday February 25th at 7.00pm - First Reconciliation Family Night

Thursday March 25th at 5.00pm - First Reconciliation

Thursday May 6th at 7.00pm - First Eucharist Family Night

Tuesday June 8th - First Eucharist Reflection Day (school hours)

Saturday June 19th at 6.00pm & Sunday June 20th at 9.00am & 11.00am - First Eucharist Masses

Scholastic Book Club

Book Club forms have been sent home with your child.  Please note all orders must be placed online (no cash accepted).  Orders close this Friday, February 19th.  Please see more information below.

Canteen News

Canteen Helpers Roster


Wednesday February 17th 

NO CANTEEN TODAY

Friday February 19th 

School Athletics

NO CANTEEN TODAY


Wednesday February 24th 

Raelene Portbury

Friday February 26th

Rachael Wool

Jodie Flynn


Uniform Shop News

New times for the Uniform Shop

Parents & Friends News

Bunnings BBQ

Bunnings BBQ - Monday 8th March (Labour Day Public holiday)We’ve been fortunate enough to nab Labour Day public holiday for our Bunnings BBQ. Fingers crossed - with all the people DIY-ing that weekend - we will have a ripper of a fundraising day! As always, many hands make light work, so if you are able to donate a couple of hours on the day, please do. Keep an eye out for the volunteer notice coming home in the next week or so.
Thanks to JHL Accounting for sponsoring the BBQ.

Volunteer Form

This form will be also sent home with your eldest child on Thursday.
Download

SJB Big Day Out!!!! (aka winery tour)

Regretfully postponing this event until later in the year - hopefully Spring, when restrictions have eased.

Looking at options of a (child free) social activity on this day/night a little closer to home.  Will update once we have more info.

Dress Down Day for the Children - Wednesday March 17th

Wear green for St Patricks Day. Gold Coin donation – ALL proceeds given to charity.  The charitable donation initiative started in Term 4 2019 with ‘Five for the Fires’. As a school community we managed to raise a whopping $850 for the Red Cross Fire appeal. In 2021 we will work with the grade 6 leaders to determine where the money will be donated each term.

P&F Meeting

Our next meeting is scheduled for March 22, but we might try and sneak another one in before then.  Stay tuned.

Entertainment Membership is Back!

Entertainment Membership – not sure you’ll get your money’s worth? Even if we aren’t able to travel more than 5km from home we don’t have to!

Takeaway - Rapture, Mad Patties, Cheesecake Shop, Forage, KFC, McDonalds, Subway, Sushi Hub, Pancake Parlour…over $100 in savings here

Activities - Knox Leisureworks, Zone Bowling, Bayswater Roller City, Goodlife Health Clubs, Curves, Genesis Health Clubs, Kreationz Cheer and Dance, Cameo Cinemas, Tunzafun, Timezone…over $150 in savings

Something for you - Salts of the Earth, Strike A Pose Photography, Urban Float, Big W, Cellarmasters, Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s, The Iconic, Country Road and JB HiFi…unlimited savings here!

Every membership sold contributes to our School’s fundraising. It’s a WIN WIN!

Entertainment Link

And from Tuesday 16 February until Monday 15 April you will receive a $10 or $20 Woolworths or JB HiFi eGift voucher.

Camp Australia News

Everything you need to know about OSHC

Download

Community Notices

P&F Sponsors

St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully