St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully Newsletter

Parish Priest:  Father Thomas Kuruvila

School Administration:

Mrs Cynthia Schouten (Mon-Wed); Mrs Jo Devenish (Tue/Thur/Fri)

Principal: Mrs Cathy Mason

Deputy Principal/Teaching & Learning Leader:  Mrs Ursula De Corrado 

Religious Education Leader:  Mrs Marialisa Mandarino 

Learning Diversity Leader/Reading Recovery/Literacy Support:  Mrs Jo Stoica

Maths Leader:  Mrs Kathryn Forbes

E-Learning Leader:  Miss Stephanie Gorman

Sustainability Leader:  Mrs Deborah Butler

Learning Support Officers: 

Mrs Julie Gellie; Mrs Amy Wright, Mrs Sue Davey, Mrs Ange Cavarra & Mrs Renee Armstrong

Specialist Teachers:

Music (1/2):  Mrs Lorraine Costa 

Italian:  Mrs Marialisa Mandarino 

Performing Arts:  Mrs Sue Cahill (3-6)

PE:  Mrs Tracey Ryan

Grounds & Maintenance:  Mr John O’Halloran 

Classroom Teachers:

Prep G:  Miss Stephanie Gorman/Mrs Ursula De Corrado

Prep BK: Mrs Deborah Butler (Mon/Tue/Fri) &  Mrs Gisella Koroknai (Wed/Th)

1/2 BR:  Miss Molly Brown

1/2 BE:  Mrs Michelle Bearder

1/2 S:  Miss Rebecca Swan

3/4 FM:  Mrs Kathryn Forbes (Mon; Wed-Fri) & Mrs Marialisa Mandarino (Tue)

3/4 SK:  Mrs Susan Smith (Tue-Th) & Mrs Gisella Koroknai (Mon/Fri)

5/6 CR:  Mrs Shari Correlje (Wed-Fri) & Mrs Tracey Ryan (Mon/Tue)

5/6 CJ:  Mrs Sue Cahill (Tue-Th) & Mrs Emily Johnston (Mon/Fri)

Last Thursday was an exciting day at St John the Baptist as we greeted our Prep children for 2021 to school. They had the biggest smiles on their faces as they lugged those huge school bags in ready for the start of their school journey. 

Welcome to:

Jake, Harrison, Mya, Kayden, Amy, Keira, Lucy, Siella, Benjamin, Ashlea, Oliver, Cillian, Xavier, Leo, Ethan, Elijah P, Isla, Stella, Carter, William, Hudson, Zoe, Claudia, Malvina, Chelsea, Anthony, Elijah C, Cohen, Lawson, Bella, Lacey, Eliza, Archie, Mitchell, Jacob, Charlie, Alexis, Maggie, Winston, Frankie, Finn, Terrence, Benji and  Charlotte. 

This year we will once again run swimming training sessions before school on a Tuesday morning from 8.00am-8.30am to prepare our swimming squad for the District Swimming Carnival. Notes went out last week for children in Year 3-6 who would like to trial for this event (children must be able to competently swim 50m). The swimming training will take the place of the Running Club for the first part of Term 1 at the swimming pool at St Joseph’s College. At the conclusion of these swimming training sessions running club will commence for the remainder of the year (weather permitting).

Our Parent/Teacher Meet & Greet Meetings will be held this Tuesday 2nd February and Wednesday 3rd February from 3.30pm-6.00pm in your child’s classroom.

These Meet & Greet sessions strengthen the transition process for your child and are an opportunity for you as parents to share information about your child from your perspective. We really value your input and believe that a positive home/school partnership will enhance the learning outcomes for your child. We would encourage all parents to make an appointment with your child’s teacher through our online booking system. Click the link below to access the booking system -

 SOBS Parent Booking Link

Our beginning of the school year and staff commissioning Mass will be held on Thursday 4th February at 9.15am. All  welcome!

Please note that the top carpark area is NOT to be used by parents during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.  We utilised that carpark during COVID restrictions, but as restrictions have eased we will revert to parking in the lower carpark or surrounding streets (where permitted).  Students arriving and departing school walk across this area and their safety is of the utmost importance.

This Friday the 5th of February our Parents and Friends Committee are hosting their annual welcome evening for all our families. The cost of the evening will be $10.00 per family. BYO food, drink & picnic rug or chairs. The evening will commence at 5.00pm on our school oval. Make note of this important date in your diary as we welcome our 2021 school year as a whole school community dancing to our wonderful band led by Simon and Bec.

Please note there will be a change to our uniform opening hours commencing from next Monday 8th February. The uniform shop will now be open on a Monday morning (8.30-9.00am) and Friday afternoon (2.30-3.00pm). 

Each year we have a very kind person donate school shoes to any family who may need them. This year we have been generously given a pair of Boys & Girls Size 3 school shoes. If this is a shoe size that your child wears and it would be helpful to your family, please reach out to the school office. We are so fortunate to have such generous and caring  people in our community. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Welcome Morning Tea last Thursday morning.  Cuisine of every kind was enjoyed by all and it is always a great time to catch up with familiar and new faces.  

A big pat on the back to the following helpers -

Stephens, Lopez, Keane, Kristof, Aponso, Ong, Dwyer, Fernandes, Lind, Comport, Cann, Conway, Hughes, Nugent, Camille, Armstrong & Wearne.

Bring your chairs/picnic blanket, some dinner/nibbles (and maybe your dancing shoes!) and head to the oval to hang out with other families while listening to some live tunes.   $10 per family. If the weather isn’t up to scratch, we will move in to the hall.

Join us in the staffroom from 7.00pm, as we plan the year ahead! Don’t be shy – you can come along as many times as you like without formally joining the committee! Meetings usually go for about an hour, AND we supply Tim-Tams!

Join us as we head to the Yarra Valley to check out some wineries, breweries, perhaps the chocolatier AND have a spot of lunch.

Expect a 10.00 departure, 17.30 return (from school grounds).  Cost circa $125ph (includes tastings, lunch & LOTS of laughs!)  What happens on tour, stays on tour!

Attend 2 working bees and get $100 rebate on your school fees!

One down - three to go!