Michael Gray, Principal

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Staff and our Wider School Community.

The Great South Coast Health Behaviours Study

Several years ago St. Joseph’s school we made a commitment to data helping to inform school-wide decisions. In the health area, this involved every two years students participating in the ‘Great South Coast Health Study’; students of Grades 2, 4 and 6 participate. The study is coordinated by Deakin University under the jurisdiction of researchers Professor Steven Allender, Professor Colin Bell and Dr Claudia Strugnell. It is funded by government grants, occurs between April through to June and is supported by many schools in this region. This will be the third time over a six-year period we have participated.

The purpose of this study is to examine if health weight and related behaviours (physical activity, diet quality, and wellbeing) among children have changed in recent years in our area. Information is de-identified, we get a school-wide report of our school cohort and parents can ‘op out’ their child if so desired. For St. Joseph’s this information has helped us reflect on our student’s health and then how as a school we can support student’s healthy development. This has resulted in school fruit snack programs, general student’s health and physical activity curriculum, canteen food availability and programs such as ‘Walk/Ride/Scoot To School’ engagement.

Correspondence will arrive home for children in Grades 2, 4 and 6 with full details. Family support and student engagement will add to regional information supporting the many local agencies in this area to promote, plan and develop support for the Great South Coast liveability.

St. Joseph’s Staff Morning Tea supporting the Warrnambool Wig Bank

Last Wednesday our school staff gathered for Morning Tea to support Judy Conn and her work with the Warrnambool Wig Bank. This community service provides free access to wigs supporting the many patients across the local community who with various medical treatments lose their hair. The availability of wigs during treatment and recovery support patient dignity when people are vulnerable. The support might be needed over a short period but often longer periods depending on the individual response to the various treatment. With staff food donations, a raffle and the support of our event organisers Liz, Trish and Donna we were able to present from staff to the charity $800 A very special thanks to all involved.

Parish News

Fr. John Fitzgerald heads off on his sabbatical to the Holy Land, including Jordan and Egypt and will be away for a couple of months. We wish John all the best for what will be a time of renewal, learning and prayer. John's major focus will be an ecumenical experience (World religions learning from, and about each other). He will study at Tantur (Notre Dame Campus) in Jerusalem, Israel.

A warm welcome to Fr. Peter Murnane OP who is with us while John is away. We trust his time here at St. Joseph’s will be a fulfilling one. We also welcome Fr. John Corrigan who has recently been appointed as an Assistant Priest to this area and will support our St. Joseph’s parish sacramental program. John Corrigan will also be an Assistant Priest of the parish of Koroit and Port Fairy.

Very fortunately, we also had a visitor this week from overseas. Fr. Edward, who is a training Jesuit priest is completing his pastoral experience in Victoria. Fr. Edward is from Mwanza, Tanzania. Edward has an amazing story to tell; he lives and works in a parish on the edge of Lake Victoria in Africa and his home is not far from the famous wildlife Serengeti area of Africa. Edward visited several classrooms with me and mentioned two special places in his life, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria.

Conclusion

In concluding my notes for this week I remind families that school photographs are coming. Information is in this newsletter including that we will start the family photo process before school to reduce classroom learning interruptions.

Enrolments for Foundation (Prep) open up on 3rd June with school tours this week and a backup day next week. Details available on our school calendar. Year 7 enrolments have recently closed, if you have missed this process please contact your preferred College to ensure a place for your child. This ensures that appropriate transition for your child can be organised for later in the year.

Yours sincerely, Michael Gray, Principal

Congratulations to Gold Box winner Sienna Johnson for helping someone find a friend on the yard.

Winners of our Gold Box get to go for a swim at the pool.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) On School Students with Disability

Schools must now complete the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) every year. It counts the number of students who receive additional adjustments or “help” at school because of a disability. The NCCD helps governments plan for the needs of students with disability.

Please follow the link below to see how this may effect you and or your family.

All parents and guardians are invited to attend a Foundation Information Session and Tour for 2020. These sessions are directed at an adult level and run for one hour. Current families are more than welcome to attend or alternativley can collect an enrolment pack from the school office.

Information School Tours for 2020 are to be held on the following days:

1. Tuesday 21st May - 10:00am

2. Wednesday 22nd May - 11:45am

3. Thursday 23rd May - 10:00am

4. Wednesday 29th May - 7:00pm

Our enrolments open on Monday 3rd June, 2019 and close at 4pm on Friday 21st June,  2019.

School Fee Statements were sent home last week via email or mail.  If you haven't received a statement at all could you please contact Cathy Duynhoven to verify your email address we have on file is correct.

Andrew McCombe, Physical Education and Sport Co-ordinator

Cross Country 2019

A big thank you to the students who participated in the District Cross Country last Friday.  We were greeted with fantastic weather and great parent support on the day and St Joseph’s had a successful day winning the aggregate and handicap shield for our district.  Special thanks to George, Matt and Michelle for their work on the day.

Many of our runners have advanced to the next stage of Cross Country competition to be held on Monday 27th May at Deakin University.  Notes will go out this week for this event. 

Aussie Footy (Grades 5 and 6)

The Aussie Footy Program continues this Wednesday night with a home game against East Warrnambool.  Children playing this week will need to check the roster of matches to see if they’re playing this week.  

Selection for Winter Sports Teams

This week, we are finalising teams for our upcoming winter sports teams in Footy, Netball, Soccer and Footy. If children have signed up for any of these sports and fail to attend the training sessions below then you will not be eligible for team selection. 

Return Forms by: Wednesday 29 May 2019 if possible

Photo Day: Thursday 30 May 2019

Photo Order Forms: School photo order forms with child’s name and room number have been sent home with your child. We encourage you to return the envelopes to school as soon as possible. Please return by Wednesday 29 May. A surcharge of $25 may be applied by MSP Photography to late orders.

Family Photos: Families will have also received a personalised family photo envelope. Spare family photo order envelopes can be collected from the office. Family photos will be taken in the hall starting from 8:30am on school photo day. Children should go directly to the hall with their siblings when they arrive at school.

Uniform: Children are required to wear full Winter Uniform. The school uniform policy allows for boys to wear grey shorts and girls to wear culottes all year. All children are required to wear their school jumper (not jacket) for their photos. It may be timely to check lost property if your child has lost their jumper.

Multiple Orders: Children living with two families are able to order multiple copies. There is a space on the form to indicate Mum, Dad or Both. An order form is required per family photo payment. Additional order forms are available at the school office.

Class Sports Day: If your child has sport on Thursday, please put runners in their bag so that school shoes are on for photos.

All students will have their individual photo taken and be in a class photo on the day regardless of whether an order has been placed.

MSP photography can be contacted on (03) 5222 6747.

The Catholic Development Fund (CDF) have produced a handy Parent Guide for CDFPay.

Our PSA are once again offering the opportunity to families to book a photo session with Vision Portraits in Warrnambool.

The dates are Saturday 19th October and Sunday 20th October and it wil be held at the school with inside and outside options. More information to follow in late Term 3.

Thank you to all our canteen volunteers.