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Matthew O'Brien, Principal
Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, Students and the wider St. Joseph’s Primary School Community,
Catholic Education Week
This week we join with 64 Catholic primary and secondary schools across our diocese to celebrate Catholic education.
Our schools are unique places that continually strive to make our world a more just place by celebrating the most precious gifts of our community, our children. Together we respond to the example of Jesus’ life to grasp what this looks like in following and enacting God’s dream in the modern world.
We pray that St Joseph’s and all our Catholic school communities inspire from within to be places of peace, hope and love.
Congratulations to Mark Gercovich who will be presented with a 30 Years of Service Award at the Catholic Education Week dinner this Friday. Other than one year in Ballarat, Mark has spent his entire career here at St Joseph’s Primary School. On behalf of our school community I thank Mark for his generosity, professionalism and good humour. Mark’s impact goes well beyond the classroom. For many years he coordinated our school sport program and dedicated many hours to coaching various teams. Mark is a team leader at our school and his classroom is characterised by a strong sense of fun and belonging.
School Loop - Pick Up and Drop Off
I was pleased to be contacted by a concerned parent who observed a child exiting their car using the right hand door in the loop. Concerned about student safety I spent some time in the front loop and tennis courts to observe and listen to our duty teachers.
I was really pleased with the behaviours of the students and drivers and this was the feedback from the duty teachers as well.
In short drivers are:
- Pulling up at the furthest point in the loop
- Driving slowly and cautiously
- Showing patience and care
Children are:
- Waiting sensibly
- Watching for their car
- Waiting for cars to stop
- Entering cars quickly
- Older siblings/children are being helpful and setting good examples
As wet weather approaches more children will be using the loops. We will maintain our current pick up areas based on surnames. In the case of a short shower at pick up time the teachers will hold the tennis court children undercover while the shower passes. In the case of rain really settling in we will send all children to the front loop so that they can wait under shelter.
Wet days are particularly dangerous around schools with poorer vision, more traffic and longer braking distances required. Please continue to be vigilant as winter approaches.
Parent School Association PSA
Election Day BBQ
Thanks to everyone who volunteered for the Election Day BBQ and to those who baked and donated cakes. We made just over $1.500 profit on the day.
St Joseph’s Fair 2023?
Please come along to our community meeting on Tuesday 7th June. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and decide on the future of our school fair. In order to proceed with the Fair for 2023 and beyond we need to reinstate the Fair Committee. The Fair Committee meets monthly in the year leading up to the fair then more frequently as the fair nears. The Fair Committee is largely made up of stall coordinators e.g. cake stall, fill a basket, food, rides, devonshire teas, market garden etc. and an executive who oversees the coordination of the event. In all the committee is about 20 people strong.
We are particularly reaching out to past coordinators to attend the meeting to share their expertise.
The fair requires the commitment of our whole parent community. Every family is asked to donate goods and to volunteer their time across the fair weekend.
Please indicate your attendance at the community meeting to begin shaping the 2023 fair.
Please note that should the PSA think that we do not have the personnel to run the fair then it will not proceed in 2023.
Adrian Benson PSA Chair
ReLATE Parent/Student Survey
Monash University have contacted our school in order to gain insight into the Reframing Teaching and Learning (ReLATE) initiative. Parents are invited to complete the following 15min survey with their Year 4-6 children. he survey is anonymous and will provide feedback to MacKillop Family Services on the program.
Regards
Matthew O'Brien, Principal
Happy Birthday to children celebrating their birthday this week.
Francesca Di Cesare, Amber Johnson, Cooper McDonald, Ruby Koch, Miranda McDowell, Lily Stewart, Mia Toohey, Elizabeth Fitzgerald Zoe Ierodiaconou, Ollie Welch, Indi McLaurin, Jack parker and Doris Pham.
This Week is special in the Library as on Wednesday it is National Simultaneous Storytime for 2022. This event has been held for the last 25 years by Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). It promotes the value of reading and information using an Australian storybook and offers age appropriate activities and discussion points.
The book for this year is: Family Tree by Josh Pyke. A story that celebrates family, community and the seasons of life. This book will be read, watched and listened to over this week. In the Library at lunchtime there will be activities related to the book for our students.
Cross Country
Well done to our Division Cross Country team who represented St. Joseph’s with pride and humility at yesterday's event. We as a school had 21 representatives head along to Deakin University in the beautiful conditions yesterday morning. All students showed excellent resilience and finished their races in fantastic times, and did so with a great attitude and good sportsmanship. 10 competitors have now qualified for the next round, Regional Cross Country, also at Deakin, next Monday (30th of May).
Tennis
Congratulations to Hudson Greene who did an outstanding job at State Tennis yesterday, Hudson has achieved a lot this year already with his tennis and should be very proud of himself. Well done Hudson.
Winter Sports
Winter sports etches closer by the day, with our annual District competition taking place next Friday (3rd of June). Soccer will be played at East Warrnambool Primary School, Netball at Russells creek and South Rovers, Football at South Rovers, and Tee Ball here at St. Josephs. Teams are being finalised over the next day or so. Training for this week is as follows.
Soccer - Thursday recess
Netball - Thursday lunch
Teeball - Tuesday/Wednesday lunch
Football - Thursday lunch & Friday recess
Girls Football
Our District even for girls football is coming up in Week 7 on the 9th of June. Mr. O’Brien will hold training this Friday at lunchtime. Any grade 6 girls who wish to try out need to wear their sports uniform on the day.
Golf
Well done to our awesome Golf team comprised of students across grades 3-6 who competed at the tournament held last Friday at the Warrnambool Golf Club. We had a number of students qualify for the next round in November. Congratulations to all.
Matt McMillan
On Friday 20th May, 22 children ventured out to the Warrnambool Golf Course to compete in the Victorian Primary Schools Golf Competition. The weather was perfect, no wind and we were blessed with blue skies. The children were grouped in 3 or 4’s and played the front 9 holes.
There were lots of great shots, breathtaking putts and the occasional blast out of the bunkers. Very few golf balls were lost, which was great. We were very blessed to have plenty of parents that helped out with each group. Their expertise, encouragement, eagle eyes on wayward balls and keeping an eye on the scoring, meant that everyone had a fantastic time. We thank all of those parents for their time, without them we couldn’t include so many in our team.
Congratulations to Lachlan Walters for coming 2nd on the day, Archie Heffernan for placing 3rd and Harry McDonald came 5th. These 3 boys will progress onto the next stage of the competition. I hope all of the children enjoyed their day, learnt or improved their skills and I’m pretty sure they all enjoyed the hotdog and drink in the clubhouse.
Congratulations to the following children:
Harry McDonald, Casey Carlin, Charlie Madden, Leo McMeel, Lachlan Walters, Henry Lloyd, Charlie Milroy, Blair Lyons, Monty Darcy, Rupert Jenkins, Oliver Mugavin, Archie Heffernan, Stuart Thring, Archie McDonald, Isaac Brown, Billy Main, Mason McArthur, Bodhi Rudolph, Ted Dabernig, Henry Steenhuis-Young, Charles Northeast, Billie McDonald.
Online Enrolment
Online enrolments are now available and can be completed and submitted electronically.
For this process go to our school website and select the Enrolment tab. Complete the Enrolment Enquiry to add your details for reminders and updates.
Under the Enrolment Tab you will also notice an Online Enrolment Form - select this and away you go. A tip with this one is do not use a phone or ipad to complete the form, any laptop or desktop computer will work fine.
You will also need to make sure you have your child's documentation (birth, immunisation, baptism certificates and any specialist reports) loaded onto your device, either by taking a photo or scanning and uploading as you will be able to upload all of that as well.
Tuesday 31 May, 2022
A - L Family photos (8:15am - 9:00am)
Individual and Class photos for Foundation to Year 3 (9:00am onwards)
Wednesday 1 June, 2022
M - Z Family photos (8:15am - 9:00am)
Individual and Class photos for Years 4 to 6 (9:00 onwards)
School Jumpers
School jumpers must be worn for school photos (no jackets or vests).
Uniform
Winter Uniform as per our uniform policy.
- Grey shorts or pants
- School logoed blue polo
- School logoed navy school jumper (wincheater)
- grey socks
- black shoes.
- Navy pinafore, navy skirt, navy pants or cullotes
- School logoed blue polo
- School logoed navy school jumper (wincheater)
- white socks or navy tights
- black shoes.
Foundation children
- School logoed navy sports shorts
- Logoed blue polo (NOT house coloured sports top)
- School logoed navy school jumper (wincheater)
- White socks
- Runners.
Hair longer than collar length must be tied back as per school uniform policy. A navy blue or white hair band/clip/ribbons may be worn.
Classroom Sport Day
If your child has Sport or Sport tryouts/practice on photo day they are to bring their sports uniform and runners in their bag. If your child arrives in sports clothes the school may contact you to drop in their Winter Uniform.
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.
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
Class Photos are taken in the traditional format with all children present on the day included in the photo.
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 3 on the Tuesday and Years 4 to 6 on the Wednesday.
Unwell Children
If your child is unwell please keep them at home.
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.
Foundation Orders
If you are a Foundation parent who placed an order earlier this year - that print order will be fullfilled from the upcoming school photos, so please don't place another Foundation order, unless you want extra packages.
Pizza Day: Wednesday 8th June, 2022
Orders Close: 3pm Monday 6th June, 2022
Once per term the PSA run a Pizza Day as a "special occasion" lunch option and to raise money for the PSA.
Children can choose from either Garlic or Hawaiian pizza (Gluten Free options available) which are provided by Pinkie’s Pizza who are one of our major school sponsors.
Orders are now open via CDFPay (Canteen ordering system)
There are no canteen orders on Pizza Days and children not wanting to order pizza should bring their lunch from home.
Sorry, no late orders can be accepted.
Update of RAT's for the remainder of Term 2
From Monday 23 May 2022, it is recommended that RATs are used by students and staff when symptomatic. RATs are also required to be used for five days if a student or staff member is a close contact of a confirmed case and they are attending or working at a school.
From Monday 23 May 2022, we do not recommend that non-symptomatic students or staff conduct RATs twice a week in mainstream schools and five days a week in special schools.
Students and staff must continue to notify the Department of Health and their school if they return a positive RAT result.
Vaccination remains the best way to protect students and staff in school settings, and your ongoing support in encouraging children aged 5 to 11 to get vaccinated and staff and 16–17 year olds to get their third dose remains critical.
The correct use of air purifiers also continues to be an important step in ensuring the safety of our schools. Please ensure your air purifiers are set on high (or the highest tolerable noise level). Air purifiers should not be set on auto.
Face masks can continue to be used by any staff or students who wish to do so, including those who are medically at risk.
