St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully Newsletter

Last Friday our teachers and learning support officers participated in a Professional Development Day facilitated by Mark Church.  Mark works with educators throughout the world supporting them to create cultures of thinking in their classrooms and schools.  He is currently a consultant with Harvard Project Zero’s "Making Thinking Visible" and "Cultures of Thinking" initiatives worldwide, drawing upon his own classroom teaching experience and from the perspectives he has gained working with educators throughout North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe.  I feel very fortunate that he has agreed to partner with us this year to support us in the area of developing student agency and empowerment.   Mark will continue the work he began on Friday during our staff meetings this year.  

Following our review in 2022 a new School Improvement Plan was developed which will drive our work for the next 4 years.  This Plan has 5 intended outcomes and informed our decision to partner with Mark:

• That students are able to make connections between life and catholic faith

• That student learning outcomes across the curriculum are positively impacted by consistent research based teacher practice which is reflective of the schools agreed approach

• That students become empowered and reflective learners

• That teachers consistently use student data to reflect and improve on practice

• That students are active participants in the conversation about their own data sets

Second Week of Lent (Week beginning Monday 14th March)

This week through Project Compassion we learn about Biru who lives in a rural village in India’s east. He lost mobility in one of his legs, after contracting polio as a child. Biru worked as a shepherd, looking after other people’s cattle, to support his wife and four daughters. Keeping up with the cattle was a challenge.

Biru taught himself how to repair bicycles by watching other people, but he never dreamed of using those skills to start his own business. With your generous support, Biru was able to access an entrepreneurship and livelihoods training program, run by Caritas Australia’s partner, Caritas India. He gained the support and skills he needed to start his own bicycle repair business. Now, Biru earns enough money to support his family.

Watch a short film about Biru’s story here.

Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au

(Photo: Sameer Bara/Caritas Australia)

A pair of reading glasses have been lost on the school grounds.  David Walliams blue rim glasses. Please contact the office if found.

Don't forget to get your Hot Cross Bun order forms back to the office. 

This fundraiser supported by our friends at Glenfern Bakery.

Order form attached below.

To assist your decision making in relation to your child's education for 2023 and beyond, please find below a link to the 136 page 2022 edition of the Catholic Education Guide.

CLICK HERE - Victoria School Guides