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Informer - Term 1 Week 1

From Our Principal ...

Dear Families

Welcome back to 2024. I hope that the break was a chance to spend time with family and friends and recharge before the onslaught of lunchboxes, uniforms and the routine of everyday life kicks back in. If you are joining our St John’s community for the first time, welcome and I hope that is it a beginning of a special time for your family at our school.

The weather situation is currently being monitored and if the need arises, we will pass on any cyclone related briefings. Regardless of the potential cyclone, the daily weather conditions predicted for this week will be very hot and humid. Catholic Education- Diocese of Rockhampton (CEDR) has clear guidelines for the management of heat. These are developed in conjunction with Education Queensland to ensure a consistent approach across school systems and school sporting events. Humidity, as well as temperature, is taken into consideration and there may be times in the coming weeks when your children will come home to tell you they didn’t get out to play today.

Children’s bodies are still growing. Their ability to cool and regulate their temperatures, as well as recognise temperature conditions is not as developed as adults. At times we may spend breaks either in classrooms or under cover to avoid adverse weather conditions.

As always, every effort will be given to making sure little bodies have the opportunity to 'blow off steam', in a safe manner early in the day. Please contact your class teacher if you have any queries.

Looking forward to catching up with families and new faces at our Welcome Back BBQ on Friday 9 February.

Have a great week and hug your kids.

Regards
Jamie Emerick

Mobile Phones & Wearable Technology During School Hours

As of January 2024, the Queensland government introduced new guidelines in relation to mobile phone and wearable technology in schools.

Below is the section from our Parent Handbook that provides guidance for parents on how St John’s manages these new requirements.

At St John’s, we recognise that there are legitimate reasons for students to bring a mobile phone or personal device to school. These may include but not limited to:

To ensure their safety while travelling
So that parents can contact them outside of school hours.

At school, no student is permitted to use or access their mobile phones and personal devices during school hours. These devices include any watch or other device that has the potential for internet connectivity or recording images or sounds.

During the school day, students are not permitted to access, or use their mobile phones or other personal devices. Students must drop their device off to the office for storage at the beginning of the school day. They will not be able to access their device until the end of the school day.

If you need to contact your child during the school day, or your child needs to contact you, this can be done via the school landline – 4978 1799.

Welcoming Our New Staff

Mrs Lauren Davies - Prep Crocodiles

A warm welcome to Mrs Lauren Davies, who joins the Prep Team on the Prep Crocodiles. With her husband and three children, she enjoys fishing, boating and camping. Lauren has been teaching with Education Queensland for seven years and is looking forward to sharing, learning and growing her knowledge amongst the St John’s community.

Mrs Haylee Roberts - Year 1 Possums

We welcome Mrs Haylee Roberts, who has worked on a casual basis here at St John’s over a number years, to the Year 1 Possums working with Mrs Angela Bruton. Haylee is mum to Harry, Will and Layla and is really looking forward to joining the rest of the Year 1 teaching cohort.

Miss Bridget Fox - Year 2 Yabbies

Miss Bridget Fox will be joining us in our new class - the Year 2 Yabbies in 2024. Brigdet is new to both St John’s and Gladstone is looking forward to becoming a part of the community here. She grew up in Brisbane, but has spent the past five years in Rockhampton, enjoying the extreme humidity and the beautiful Great Keppel Island. Welcome, Bridget.

Lauren Pierpoint – Year 2 Pierpoint

We warmly welcome Mrs Lauren Pierpoint who will be in a shared-teaching role with Mrs Renee Spencer in the Year 2 Treefrogs this year. Mum to daughter Millie in Year 1, Lauren has had prior experience with Education Queensland and is very excited to be a part of the St John’s community in a teaching capacity.

Hannah Bellert – Year 4 Redbacks

Welcome back to Mrs. Hannah Bellert who is one of the teachers in the Year 4 Redbacks. She is returning from maternity leave, having previously taught at St John’s for the past eleven years. Hannah is excited to be back teaching part-time in the classroom and is looking forward to all the exploring, excitement and growth that will occur in the Redbacks Classroom this year.

Storm Wild – Year 4 Redbacks

Joining Mrs Hannah Bellert on the Year 4 Redbacks is Mrs Storm Wild, who arrived in Gladstone from the Sunshine Coast ten years ago. Storm graduated from QUT with a Bachelor of Education majoring in the Middle Years and has taught in schools on both the Sunshine Coast and in Gladstone. She is excited to be a part of the St John’s teaching team and our school community. A warm welcome, Storm.

Kayla Balfour – Year 5 Eagles

Mrs Kayla Balfour joins us in the Year 5 Eagles. Kayla grew up in Hervey Bay and received her first teaching position in Gladstone with Education Queensland. Having taught for nine years, she is excited to be joining us here at St John’s. Kayla loves art, exploring various cultures and their histories and is obsessed with Book Week! Welcome, Kayla!

Brigid Connolly – Year 6 Dingoes

Miss Brigid Connolly is joining us in the Year 6 Dingoes. Brigid joined Catholic Education several years ago at St Therese’s in Monto and is very much looking forward to joining the St John’s community in 2024. She is an educator who comes with a background in cattle farming alongside her teaching career. So happy to have you on board, Brigid.

Angela Craze – Year 6 Bandicoots

Mrs Angela Craze, an experienced educator who has worked in schools across Australia, joins us this year in the Year 6 Bandicoots. Originally from Tasmania, she has experience across both primary and high school year levels and has been in involved in school leadership. Since moving to Gladstone several years ago, Angela has worked for Education Queensland. She and her two children are excited to be joining the St John’s family this year.

Milena Barbagallo - Counsellor

Mrs Milena Barbagallo is very excited to be part of the St John's family, as a part-time counsellor this year. Originally from Townsville, she has been calling Gladstone home for the past ten years and loves the relaxed, small-town feel. For the past fifteen years, Milena has been working in the education and wellbeing space, most recently as counsellor at Chanel College. With two energetic, young boys aged one and four, Milena doesn’t get a lot of spare time, but has always loved musical theatre, travel and cooking. So happy to have you on board, Milena.

A Big Thank You To Our Parents

Behaviour Management at St John’s is very open and transparent. We expect our students to be safe, respectful and to learn at all times; no ifs, buts or maybes.

We do expect our students to be safe in the choices they make toward others and for themselves, and we expect them to keep their hands and feet to themselves, no matter their age or situation.

And yes, we do expect our students to make respectful choices; in their words and actions and deeds; to choose kind over nasty, to build others up, not tear them down.

And yes, we do expect our students to come to school to learn and to allow others to learn; to listen, to positively engage, and to work hard.

As the years have progressed, behaviour expectations are tested time and time again. And this is absolutely ok, because part of life is about testing “the line in the sand”. By having behavioural expectations at St John’s that are clear, firm and consistent, we can educate our (your) children from very early on that respect, safety and learning are what our school is all about.

We thank you, St John’s families, for knowing and supporting our clear standards and for supporting our school in enabling all students to achieve these very clear standards. We thank you in supporting us to help develop your child into the best person they can be.

Behaviour_Management_at_St_John.pdf

Stop Drop Go

Volunteer Inductions

Parent Teacher Interviews - Prep to Year 2

Parent Teacher Interviews for Prep to Year 2 students are as follows:

Prep: Mon 29 Jan - Fri 9 Feb (Week 2 & Week 3)
Year 1 and Year 2: Mon 29 Jan - Fri 2 Feb (Week 2)

All bookings must be made through Parent Lounge and will open at 6pm, Tuesday 23 January. Bookings will close at 12 noon on Friday 26 January. An email regarding how to book will be emailed tomorrow (Tuesday 23 January).

Parent Teacher Interviews for Year 3 will be held during Week 4, from Monday 12 Febuary until Thursday 15 February.

Years 4, 5 and 6 Parent Teacher Interviews will be held during during Week 9, from Monday 18 March until Friday 22 March.

Capricornia School Sport - Swimming Nominations

The form below was given to interested students at school day. If you have any queries, please contact Capricornia School Sport directly.

Capricornia_School_Sport_Swimming_Nomination.pdf

Uniforms/Shoes/Hair Styles/ Jewellery/Valuables

Uniforms_Shoes_Hair_Styles_Jewellery_Valuables_2024.pdf

Student Council Request

If you are cleaning out your cupboards, please consider donating specific items to the School Student Council please?

We are eager to have books in good condition donated to the school for a Project Compassion Stall in 2024. We are also looking for football and soccer boots you may have grown out of. These will be used in a Books, Boot and Biscuit Stall in Term 1, 2024.

Boots need to be clean and donated in a clear large snap lock bag with the size recorded on it.

Thank you for your generosity.