Filter Content
Michael Gray, Principal
As we are all well aware Victoria has entered into a five day Covid “Circuit Breaker” lockdown to conclude at midnight this Wednesday 17th February.
I especially thank everyone for your support of the stay at home orders and the option of a care and supervision program. Our approach for these three days is to support the Victorian Government’s health objectives, not put extreme formal student learning pressure on the home environment over hopefully what will be a very short lockdown period.
Last year and early this year our curriculum focus has been on essential learnings; the important to know, not the nice to know. With parent support this has stood our students well as their progress has been excellent. Our data collection is confirming this approach.
Thus, over these three days the work for students is listed in this “Principal Optional Project”. It has a simple range of open ended tasks that are completely independent. Students are invited to do one, some or many. Personal creative options are also welcome. The key focus is on simple, ‘doable’, creative and self-initiative. Obviously the younger students may need extra help. See below for details.
Our Victorian Premier, Chief Medical Officer and our Catholic Education leaders have requested all Victorians enter a 5 day “Circuit Breaker” lockdown to stop the possible spread of the Covid 19 variant. This action is to support our health and is similar to what has recently been completed in Western Australia, South Australia, and starting in Auckland, New Zealand today. I have also included, for family information the workflow that our school employee teams will be completing over these next three days.
Using Time Well
Teachers will work from home over these 3 days to complete Teacher/Parent Interview preparations, develop goals for students on individual learning plans, continue to prepare learning for daily classroom work, review student literacy and numeracy interview results, complete file handover from last year and plan for another possible future remote program for offsite learning.
Learning Support Staff will complete self-paced online learning modules about student safety (Eg. Mandatory Reporting and Covid Safe infection control) and continue research and any self paced learning and teaching opportunities that will support students in classrooms.
The School Facility Team will be able to give the school building and playground equipment an extra deep clean. The team will also make sure classrooms are right for the on-site supervision program. Oval works will continue as normal and the tree removal on the Allen Oval North are will be concluded.
Our Administration Team will continue answering phones, completing school policy work, updating web pages, complete newsletters, manage school budget, complete first aid teacher updates and answer all manner of general inquiries.
All the best with the next three days and we look forward to Thursday with everyone on-site ready to go.
Michael Gray, Principal.
St Joseph's Primary School, Warrnambool
Families and students together negotiate which activity the student will work on over the next 3 days.
- Take a before and after photograph of your work.
- Email the photographs to principalproject@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
- All entries will go into a draw for movie passes, art teaching books and various rewards.
- Options and ideas are listed below, or design your own.
Literacy
- Read together or by yourself a book, or several.
- Write a story “My Favorite Adventure in Warrnambool … !”
- Submit a poem in your best handwriting.
Mathematics
- Present as many equations (sums) for the Junior School that equal 12, Middle School that equal 53 and Senior School 1,255.
- List all the individual logical steps involved in cooking a pancake. (Coding). Follow the steps and make the product. Did the steps result in a tasty pancake?
- Record the solar system, to scale on paper.
The Arts
- Paint a picture of your home.
- Draw your pet or a favourite animal.
- Record a short advertisement promoting healthy eating.
- Compose a song about your favourite sporting team.
- Take a photograph that shows respect for diversity.
Religious Education
- Draw a plan of the old city of Jerusalem marking the track Jesus rode his donkey on Palm Sunday.
- Develop 4 “Prayers to Share” in class about protecting our environment.
Physical Education
- Shoot hoops.
- Skip.
- Run a fitness circuit.
- Show a cricket defensive stroke.
- Skate, scoot, run, walk or jump.
Other
- Clean your room.
- Weed the garden.
- Paint the fence.
- Build a lego construction
- Listen to the podcast of the rescue of the soccer team from the caves in Thailand. (shown below)
Rescuing the boys from the cave — Richard Harris
As a staff team in preparing for 2021 we recently listened to a podcast of an interview with Richard Harris and his support to the daring team rescue of the Thailand cave boys several years ago. Medicine and diving have been twin themes of South Australian anaesthetist: Richard ‘Harry’ Harris’ adult life. He and close friend Craig Challen were about to leave on a cave diving adventure in July 2018 when they got news of a group of boys marooned in a flooded cave in Thailand. As an expert in the field Richard was asked if it would be possible to extract the boys by carrying them out under heavy sedation. Richard’s response was that it was out of the question. But by the time he got to Thailand, he realised it was the only feasible solution to bringing the boys out alive. Richard and Craig were jointly named as 2019 Australian of the Year for their roles in the rescue mission.
The reason we listened to this story was to highlight the importance of living with Joy in a world where there can be much negative chatter; the podcast also emphasised working through problems, worry and difficulties and it also challenged us as educators to see with New Eyes. As teachers it is important that we present a hopeful disposition, see the uniqueness of every person but also demand high standards of each other. Two links are listed, if you are interested; one the 50 minute podcast and the other a 30 minute Anh Do TV interview.
Here are links to excellent learning and school recommended Websites
Recommended Websites Foundation, Level 1 and 2
Recommended Websites for Levels 3 and 4
Reccommended Websites for Levels 5 and 6
Happy Birthday to children celebrating their birthday this week.
Sophia Sarra, Hudson Greene, Mackenzie Lang, Emma Ludeman, Whyat Brian, Layla Drummond, Charles Northeast, Charli Jago, Bellalie Martin, Hadley Boyle, Mikayli Hoffmann, Logan Hunter and Ada Minifie.
7:30pm, Tuesday 16th February, 2021 Via ZOOM
Parents are invited to join us for our scheduled PSA Meeting at 7:30pm on Tuesday 16th February via Zoom.
This meeting is going to be held via the ZOOM platform. Please enter your name when prompted upon entering the meeting.
Meeting ID: 991 2950 8007
Passcode: b9e1Ca
2021 Meeting Schedule
- Tuesday 16 February, 2021 (to be held via Zoom)
- Tuesday 9 March, 2021
- Tuesday 4 May, 2021
- Tuesday 1 June, 2021
- Tuesday 27 July, 2021
- Tuesday 24 August, 2021
- Tuesday 19 October, 2021
- Tuesday 16 November, 2021
- Tuesday 30 November, 2021 (6:30am, Parent Committee Thank you evening)
New Dates
3:30pm - 5:30pm, Monday 22nd February, 2021
3:30pm - 6:00pm, Tuesday 23rd February, 2021
Room D1's Interviews will be Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th February, 2021.
At previously advised, Parent Teacher Interviews which were scheduled for Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th (D1 - Wednesday 17th) have been rescheduled due to the Circuit Breaker Lockdown in Victoria.
All current Parent Teacher Interview bookings have automatically been moved to the same times on the following week.
Parents are encouraged to view, edit and delete their own booking via PAM if necessary. If you still need assistance contact the school office. A reminder that we are operating with a skeleton staff this week.
800m Trials for 9-12 Years old BOYS and GIRLS will now take place on Thursday 18th February at lunch time. Students can wear their Sports uniform to school on this day if they wish to trial.
For any questions or concerns please email us at sport@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
Thank you.
Regards,
Mrs Emily Lloyd (Physical Education & Sport Co-ordinator)
Mr Matthew McMillan.
New Date for Trials: Monday 1st March, 2021
We have had an amazing number of children put their names down for the swimming trials - 60 in total! Registrations are now closed and as previously advised only those who have registered are able to try out.
Due to the recent Government lockdown restrictions we have had to change our previous booking to Monday 1st March, 2021.
We apologise for any inconvenience that this may have caused, however we will have ample time for our swimmers to prepare for the Division Swimming Carnival on Friday 12th March.
For any questions or concerns please email us at sport@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
Tuesday 23rd February, 2021
A - L Family photos from 8:15am - 9:00am
Individual and Class photos for Foundation to Year 4
Thursday 25th February, 2021
M - Z Family photos from 8:15am - 9:00am
Individual and Class photos for Years 5 and 6
|
Glen Watson watsonphoto.com.au SHOOTKEY: HQX3AZ4V |
School Photo Ordering Information
School Photo Package Samples
Questions regarding Photo Packages
Please contact Glen Watson Photography if you have any queries regarding the purchacing of photos and photo packages.
All students have their photo taken
All students will have their individual photo taken on the day regardless of whether an order has been placed.
Class Photos
In moving to two days for our school photos the school is now in a position to go back to the traditional class photo rather than a composite photo. Moving to two days was due to a number of factors including the additional classroom, increased popularity in the number of families wanting a family photo and parent feedback via a survey last year.
Family Photos
Commence at 8:15am, children are able to go straight to the hall foyer. There will be reminder announcements.
Order of Classrooms on Photo Days
The order of photos will be starting from Foundation to Year 4 on Tuesday 23rd February and Year 5 and 6 on Thursday 25th February.
Unwell Children
If your child is unwell please keep them at home.
Uniform
Summer Uniform as per our uniform policy.
Boys wear grey shorts with their blue polo and grey socks.
Girls wear their Summer Dress (or polo and culottes) with white socks.
Foundation children wear school sports shorts with their blue polo with white socks.
School jumpers, jackets and vests are not required. Children will be asked to remove these items prior to their photo being taken.
Hair longer than collar length must be tied back, whether boy or girl, as per school uniform policy. A navy blue or white hair band/clip/ribbons may be worn.
Queries regarding uniform and school organisation
Contact the school office if you have any queries regarding the uniform requirements and organisational aspects of school photo day.
A message from the Country Bus Co-ordinator
Please remind your families/students that only students that are registered to travel on specific country buses can use this service; the service is not to be used for sports training/work/social purposes. Parent/Carers are to make their own arrangements in this regard.
Volunteers
We rely on our volunteers and are also in need of more parents to assist. Training is arranged by our Canteen Co-ordinator Tania Hughes. Please consider volunteering, even if only once per term, all help most appreciated.