Informer Term 1 - Week 1

From Our Principal ...

Dear Families

Welcome back to 2025. If you are joining the St John’s community for the first time, I hope it is an association that will hold many special memories for your family.  

The year is well and truly underway, and as we breathe down the neck of February, we are well into the busy-ness of the year, and all our good thoughts and intentions from the New Year may be fading into memories. I read the Simple Formula for Living over the break and have included it below. I have great plans for making this my focus for 2025. I keep a copy on my desk, and while I don’t always succeed, I read and refocus every morning. 

A change in habits is not easy. In any learning, the accepted standard is 24 repetitions to achieve 80% competency.  Whatever we chose to do we often fail or don’t do our best. As the old saying says, ‘It doesn’t matter if you fall down seven times as long as you get up eight.’ A great lesson for us and one we need to model for our children.

Have a great week and hug your kids.

Regards
Jamie Emerick
Principal

SIMPLE FORMULA FOR LIVING
Live beneath your means.
Return everything you borrow.
Stop blaming other people.
Admit it when you make a mistake.
Give clothes not worn to charity.
Do something nice and try not to get caught.
Listen more; talk less.
Every day take a 30 minute walk.
Strive for excellence, not perfection.
Be on time.
Don’t make excuses.
Don’t argue.
Get organised.
Be kind to unkind people.
Let someone cut ahead of you in line.
Take time to be alone.
Cultivate good manners.
Be humble.
Realise and accept that life isn’t fair.
Know when to keep your mouth shut.
Go an entire day without criticising anyone.
Learn from the past.
Plan for the future.
Live in the present.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
It’s all small stuff.

Student Pick-Up and Drop-Off

• Please DO NOT park on flattened dirt area next to oval shed, or on grassed area near Stop, Drop, Go off J. Hickey Avenue. This is a safety hazard. 
  
  
• Please DO NOT Park Over Driveways
  We have received several complaints from school neighbours regarding vehicles parking over their driveways. We need to be respectful of our neighbours. Parking over driveways is ILLEGAL. Police and local traffic controllers patrol our school area often and issue fines to vehicles parked illegally.  When you park, please check that the front and back of your vehicle is NOT obstructing a driveway.
  
  
• Under no circumstances should the visitor car park be used as a pick-up or drop-off area for students.
  
  
• Drivers MUST not obstruct the bus from entering or leaving the bus stop on J. Hickey Avenue.
  
  
• Drivers MUST not park on footpaths or grassed areas (i.e. near the J. Hickey Avenue Stop, Drop, Go.)

All St John's families using Stop, Drop, Go MUST abide by the following:

• Students in Prep, Years 1 and 2 MUST be picked up after school (3:00pm to 3:20pm) from the J. Hickey Avenue Stop, Drop, Go area. 
• Students in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 (and their younger siblings in Prep, Year 1 and 2), MUST be picked up after school (3:00pm to 3:20pm) from the Laner Street Stop, Drop, Go area.
• Students MUST sit in the undercover area at each location and wait for direction from the teacher on duty. No students are to be playing on school play areas during this time.
• Parents under no circumstances are to park their car in either the J. Hickey Avenue or Laner Street Stop, Drop, Go areas. Please use the Laner Street visitor car park or street parking if you intend to walk your child/ren into the school grounds.

Thank you for ensuring the smooth and safe drop-off and collection of our wonderful students!

Students Riding To/From School

If your child is riding to/from school, please ensure they have a lock to secure their bike or scooter.  Bikes and scooters MUST always be stored and secured in the racks provided.

Opening Mass - Save the Date - Fri 7 Feb

Welcome New Teachers

A warm welcome to Ms Katrina Campbell, who joins us in the Year 3 Sharks.  Katrina is excited to be joining our St John's community after teaching for ten years with Education Queensland.  She lives at Mt Larcom with her chickens and two dogs, Diesel and Deni. Katrina, or Kat as she prefers, loves camping, travelling, art, sewing and quilting. 

A warm welcome also to Ms Sharon Hage who will be teaching the Year 3 Sharks.  Sharon is a Mum of three amazing boys.  She has been teaching with Catholic Education, Rockhampton Diocese for two years as a kindergarten teacher in Biloela. Sharon is looking forward to learning and growing with the Year 3 Platypus.

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Miss Mikaela Jones is welcomed as one of the Year 4 Redbacks teachers. She will be team teaching with Mrs Lauren Pierpoint on Thursdays, Fridays and every second Wednesday. Mikaela grew up in Tannum Sands and has returned home after eight years teaching in Barcaldine. She likes reading, supporting markets and community events, boating and fishing. Mikaela believes in supporting learning by making it fun and that a classroom should be a safe, positive and encouraging environment.  

We welcome Mr Chris Lockyer, who is teaching the Year 4 Kingfishers.  After many years living in South East Queensland, Chris and his family have moved back to Gladstone. Chris has a daughter who attends kindergarten at Rainbow Valley. Chris loves camping and visiting Agnes Water and is looking forward to joining the St John's community.

Welcome to Ms Danielle Peterson, who is teaching the Year 3 Lorikeets. Danielle has been teaching for four years and is joining us from Education Queensland.  She has a son in Year 4, who attends Star of the Sea. Danielle is looking forward to getting to know everyone and contributing to the growth and success of our students.

Welcome back Mrs. Catherine Warden, formerly known as Miss Rooney before getting married last year in Ireland. She is one of the teachers in the Year 2 Treefrogs. Catherine is returning from maternity leave, having previously taught at St.John’s for the past twelve years. She is looking forward to being back teaching part-time and is excited for the learning and growth that will happen in the Year 2 Treefrogs classroom this year.

Tuckshop CLOSED Week 1

Our Tuckshop will be close Week 1.

From Week 2, our Tuckshop will be open both breaks from TUESDAY TO FRIDAY.

Volunteering at St John's

We appreciate volunteers at St John’s.

If you wish to volunteer in any capacity (including changing reading books/reading groups in your child’s class), it is an industrial and insurance requirement that you have completed a St John’s Volunteer Induction Session prior to commencing. These sessions take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete, face-to-face, in a group, with one of our leadership team.

Prep Parent Teacher Interviews

In Weeks 3 and 4 (Monday 10 February – Thursday 20 February) we will host our Semester One, Prep Parent Teacher Interviews.

Parent Teacher Interviews are imperative to ensure strong home and school relationships as well as providing a wonderful opportunity to discuss the progress of your child, celebrate successes and set goals for the coming year.

Interview times OPEN for parents to book via Parent Lounge on Monday 3 February (Week 2) at 8.00am and will close on Thursday 6 February (Week 2) at 3.00pm. 

All Parent Teacher Interviews MUST be booked via Parent Lounge within this timeframe.  No bookings will be made from the office or via your child’s teacher.

Interview times can be reserved by accessing your Parent Lounge account via https://402sjg.rok.catholic.edu.au/parentlounge.

2025 School Leaders

Congratulations to our 2025 School Leaders.

Port Curtis Trials - 2025

Please note that there was an error in the Port Curtis Trials Calander which was shared in last week's newsletter.

The 2025 Challenge Cup dates were advertised as 16-18 June, rather than 16-18 July. 

Challenge Cup for 2025:
Wed 16 July–Fri 18 July -  Rugby League   10 – 12 years
Wed 16 July–Fri 18 July - Netball  10 – 12 years

Parents & Friends Meeting: TODAY

Our first Parent & Friends (P&F) Meeting for the year is on TODAY!

Monday, 3 February 2025 at 5:30pm
in the staffroom (Admin Building).

Our 2025 Committee WELCOMES EVERYONE!

P&F Welcome BBQ: Friday 14 February

Uniform Shop Hours

Parish News

Star of the Sea Parish Donation Portal

Dear Families

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new Parish Donation Portal. This site allows you to manage your own parish giving, by setting up a regular parish contribution, or a one-off donation. Using the portal you can update your details, including how much you give and how often, at any time.

Click on the image below (or scan the QR code with your smart phone) to access the portal.

Please reach out to our finance officer (finance.gladstone@rok.catholic.net.au) if you need assistance.

Thank you for all the ways you support our parish!

God bless,
Fr Andrew Chase PP

Social & Ecological Justice Calendar 2025

Young Engineers

Touch Football

Clinton Football Club

Youth Academy

Gladstone Women's Health

Strong Communities