Matthew O'Brien, Principal

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, Students and the wider St. Joseph’s Primary School Community,

At mass on Sunday Father John reflected upon the tragedies in the world, in particular the violent attacks in Bondi as well as the worsening situation in Gaza. He reminded us that Catholics are people of hope. Jesus' own life took him to the depths of human suffering and as Easter people Catholics see beyond pain, the darkness and hard times, as people who live in faith, hope and love. With Father John’s thoughts I offer this prayer for Easter and for all of those suffering.

An Easter Prayer

(Adapted from, Prayers for Progressive Christians Michael Morwood)

This Easter season, we rejoice that his life and all that he lived for all that he believed and taught leads us to see beyond death and darkness and to believe in transformations beyond our imagining.

In his memory, we gather once more as a Catholic school community committed to hospitality, friendship and learning.

We share his stories, committing ourselves to be Easter people, people who see beyond the barriers, that pain, the darkness of hard times, people who live in faith, hope and love in all the seasons of our lives whatever the ups and downs.

We pray for one another:

May you love the life within you

May you love the life around you

And may you know that

a part of everything is here in you

a part of everything is here in you.

 

We pray for ourselves:

May I love the life within me

May I love the life around me

And may I know

A part of everything is here in me

A part of everything is here in me. 

 

We open our eyes,

We open our ears,

We open our hands,

We open our minds,

We open our hearts.

Amen

Welcome back to school for Term 2. This term (like the last) there are opportunities within and beyond the classroom. Our PSA are working hard to continue promoting and developing our school community: in particular we have the Mother’s Day Breakfast and a Parent Social Night organised for this term. I encourage everyone to support our PSA through these two events.

Camps, cross country, excursions and sacramental celebrations add extra life to our already vibrant classroom experiences.

Our staff will continue their professional learning through our engagement in the Structured Literacy Project and further development of our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support which is the focus of our school closure day on Friday 3rd May 3rd (day after May races).

Camp Rest Days

One of the outcomes from the Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2022 for education staff was the introduction of Time In Lieu for hours worked by staff beyond the 38 hour week.  This includes activities such as parent teacher interviews, extended days, sacramental celebrations etc.  The most significant activity impacted by this change has been camps.  Basically, for each day of camp, each staff member accrues 1 day of Time In Lieu. As you can imagine this creates a significant cost to running each camp.

You may have read in the media that many schools have cancelled and/or shortened camps as a result of this change.  Other schools have transferred this extra cost to families as a part of the camp fee.

At St Joseph’s we have a well planned, cumulative camps program that begins in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 with an extended day and moves through our 4 camps:

• Year 3 - Warrnambool, 1 night
• Year 4 - Kangaroobie, 1 night
• Year 5 - Ballarat, 2 nights
• Year 6 - Melbourne - 2 nights

The value of camps cannot be underestimated for growth, independence, developing relationships and just pure fun.   I make a habit of attending the 2 night camp in Ballarat with the Year 5 children (unfortunately principals do not get TIL!) as a way of further getting to know the future leaders of our school. I have noticed how important the second night is when the novelty has slightly worn off and how the group gels and bonds together. 

In order to maintain our current camp program without transferring cost to families we are encouraging a POST CAMP REST DAY for children while staff acquit one day of their accumulated TIL.

Our records show that attendance on the day after a camp sits at about 25%.

To support families who are unable to keep their children at home post camp we will provide care at school. Please note that normal lessons will not be running. This option will be provided to families prior to the camp via a direct email to assist us with our planning.

Traffic Safety

Towards the end of last term I had some reports that children were exiting cars on the driver’s side and that some drivers were pulling out to overtake cars in front of them.

Please remain patient in the loop to ensure the safety of all. 

• So a reminder that all passengers exit only from the left side of the car.

And

• Please do not overtake in the loop.

Mini Vinnies

Monday Fun Day - On Monday 25th March, the mini vinnies and the St Joseph Primary School community organized a fun day for all year levels ranging from Foundation to Year 6. On this day we managed to let everyone have a variety of fifteen activities. Some of the student's favorites included mini golf, the big Lego, and having fun with the parachute. Before this event, we asked all the families to give a gold coin donation. On that day we managed to collect $750 to help communities around the world through Caritas Australia. All the Mini Vinnies were a great help and contributed with organizing these activities for the year levels.

A big thanks to Mini Vinnies leader Mrs Brown.

Paddy Ward and Jessica Happ, Year 6 Mini Vinnie Students

Stations of Cross

Thank you to our choir and the children from Year 5 who led us in our Stations of the Cross liturgy at the end of last term.

Vale Andrew Suggett

We received the sad news that Andrew Suggett passed away during the holidays.

Andrew is the artist who painted the brilliant backdrop to our Tree of Life mural in the hall. Andrew generously volunteered his time and skill to work in collaboration with our Art Team to give our tree such a local flavour.

Matthew O'Brien, Principal

Happy Birthday to children celebrating their birthday during the holidays and this week.

Mackenzie Davies, Darcy Drummond, Jackson Rogers, Isaac Rae, Zavier Duncan, Greta Lloyd, Chris Vu, Quinn Lilley, Lily Pearson, Milla Riordan, Reuben Riordan, Aadinath Renjith, Will Molan, Daniel Jiang, Harper Collins, Sophie Thornton, Archie Stewart, Max Smedts, William Pearson, Lucas Sarra, Lillee-May Jennings-Reason, Sophie Parker, Sophie Price, Fred Boyd, Jaxson Byron, Olivia Bowman, Jago Darcy, Safia Dwyer, Mason Murrell and Ted Zanos.

Dear Parents

Lately the Year 6 leaders have been working on an important project to help the environment and raise money for our St. Joseph’s community. This all started when 7 of our Year 6 leaders went to Deakin University and came up with the brilliant idea to start recycling the 10c bottles used at our school, instead of throwing them out. Doing this will not only help the environment, but will also help to raise money for a new playground at St. Joseph’s.

At the end of Term 1, two of the Year 6 leaders made a phone call to the company WDEA to organise when we can officially start the bottle recycling program. Our first load of bottles has already been recycled, in total making us $24.20, all of the money going towards our new playground.

Just a quick reminder, outside every classroom area is one community bin for all the children who have bottles from lunch orders to throw them in that bin in order to start building the new middle/senior school playground.

You can donate your bottles to our cause via this code at any recycling centre.

The easiest way to get the barcode is via the school SZApp.

Rhianna Gibbons and Vivienne Smedts, Student Leaders (on behalf of the student leadership team)

Hi everyone and welcome back to term two! This term is another busy one at St. Josephs in the Physical Education and Sports side of things. 

This Wednesday 17th April, 46 of our students will head to Brauerander Park for the District Athletics. Congratulations to all students who have qualified for the event and good luck to all.

In week 3 on Friday 3rd May Division Athletics will take place, also at Brauerander Park.

Wednesday 1st May, 2024

We are looking forward to our school cross country day. Parents, carers and family members are welcome as spectators on the day. Children compete in their event at the nominated time and then return to class. 

Timetable

Hopefully we will be able to stick to these times, however sometimes due the wet weather forecast and other factors it might have to be adjusted. 

Age Determination

Ages are calculated as of December 31st in the year of competition.

What to wear

Sports Uniform

• Navy Blue school logoed shorts
• House coloured Sports polo (compulsory in 2023)
• Navy Blue logoed windcheater, vest or coat
• School logoed hat
• White socks (no logos)
• Runners
• Parents may like to pack a change of socks and runners.

No hair colour, sleeveless tops or coloured zinc permitted.

Spectators

Spectators are welcome at our cross country. Enter via the gate near the school hall. Spectators are not to enter the school building (with the exception of the School Hall for toilet access)

Parking

On street and tennis court parking is available. Please obey parking rules.

Photography

Please read the St Joseph’s Primary School Photography Guidelines for Parents and Carers. 

Sign your child out

A reminder that if you are taking your child home early, they must be signed out at the office. If, by arrangement, you are taking another person's child we must receive either verbal or written permission (note in diary) from the child's parent.

Good luck to all of our cross country competitors.

Our PSA are holding a Mother's Day Breakfast for our school Mums (or special person). 

Children arrive at school early with their mum and enjoy a breakfast with a choice of BLT roll, Pancakes or Yoghurt, Granola and Berries.

The PSA will provide some muffins and pastries, fruit, juice and hot drinks. After breakfast mums can walk their child/ren to the classroom for a visit.

Orders made via CDFpay

Orders are now open and close at 3pm, Friday 3rd May, 2024.

Dairy Free, Vegetarian and Gluten Free options are available.

Sorry no late orders.

Volunteers

We rely on the assistance for volunteers on this day and the afternoon prior.

Please complete the volunteer form if you are able to assist with setup on Thursday after school or on the Friday morning for cooking, serving or cleanup.

To provide opportunities for social meetings between parents, and promote a spirit of union and good fellowship. The PSA runs and supports several events throughout the year to raise money for the school and to support our school community.

What do we do? Mother’s Day Stall, Hot Cross Bun Drive, Father’s Day Breakfast, Pizza Days, Art Activities and Canteen support

Who can attend? Anyone and everyone, meetings are held at the school in Room C19 or the staffroom.

How often do they meet? Tuesday evening, Week 3 and Week 7 of each term. 8 meetings per year. Meetings commence at 7:30pm.

• Tuesday 13 February and Tuesday 12 March
• Tuesday 23 April *New Date and Tuesday 28 May
• Tuesday 30 July and Tuesday 27 August
• Tuesday 22 October and Tuesday 19 November
• Date TBA: Parent Committee Thank you evening

How can I help? Come along to the meetings, contribute to the discussion, share ideas, support events that enrich the school community.

We really need our school families to support this group.  It’s only 8 meetings per year! Hope to see you there, better still bring a friend!

As Mothers Day will come around very quickly after the holidays, we have opened up the online shop (via CDFpay) for children and fathers to start placing orders for their Mothers Day gift.  Each gift is $5 and students will get to personally select their own gift.

The "shop" will operate on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th May.

Due to school camp, Year 4 students will select their gift on Thursday 9th May. A full range of gifts will be made availalbe

Orders close 9am Tuesday 7th May.

As this gift purchase is optional for each family, if an order has not been placed, students will not be able to select a gift on the day; any leftover gifts will be available for purchase if children would like to purchase a second gift for another important person in their life.

A reminder 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.

Year 3 children who have been baptised will have the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation in Term 2.

If you desire and are ready to support your child in his/her faith please complete the Registration Form. Parents should not feel pressured to enrol their child just because they are in Year 3. The celebration of Confirmation is a celebration of faith and needs to be seen in the context of Church and not merely as part of the school curriculum, even though the faith of the child is very much supported by the school.

Registration

Registration is available online as well as nomination for preferred family group meeting date and time.

Family Groups

Family groups meet at 3:30pm at school in an allocated room, eg Meeting Room, Library or a classroom. 

Family groups who wish to meet of an evening can arrange a time suitable for the group and these are generally held in participants homes.

Each group nominates a leader to lead the session. Mrs Chisholm is available if leaders need any assistance.

Payment

Payment for the program materials etc can be completed via CDFpay.

Key Dates

The Permission to Administer Medication form needs to be completed for short term and long term medication that children may require at school. This form can be completed electronically from the app SZApp from the tile Permission Medication.

In regards to times of medication, it is easier on the staff and most importantly your child to coincide with a bell at either recess/lunch times. We have found that the bell is a prompt for your child and staff and has less interruptions to the day. These times also maintain the children's confidentiality, with less disruptions to the child in regards to being called or required to leave the classroom.

Recommended times are:

• 11:20am - End of recess
  
• 1:00pm - Start of eating time/lunch
• 2:35pm - Between session 5 and 6

Sharing of food items in the classroom

As our school community grows we have more students enrolled who have been diagnosed as having food allergies or intolerances. To support all needs we have procedures for the sharing of food items in the classroom. At times some classrooms will have a shared morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea. This is a supervised event and all families are advised of this via a letter sent from the classroom teacher.

This ensures all children's individual needs are met and catered for.

To ensure the inclusion of all students please adhere to the routine for the sharing of food items within the classroom.

Celebration of Birthdays

At St Joseph's we celebrate children's birthdays as a school by presenting the child with a Birthday Certificate at our whole school assembly. Each classroom celebrates birthdays in different ways. Some classes have a special chair for the day or a badge to wear, most classrooms have birthdays displayed in the room.

For the purpose of an individual child’s celebration or birthday the school permits an lemonade icypole or frozen Zooper Doopers as recommended options for these occasions.  It is not compulsory to celebrate all birthdays through the classroom.

Icy poles can be dropped into the school office. Please label with child's name and room number and let the classroom teacher know.

Numbers required

• Lemonade Icypoles - 3 boxes of 8
• Zooper Doopers - 1 bag of 24 (allow 2 days for freezing)

Uncollected left over icypoles/zooper doopers will be redistributed.

Our 2nd Hand Uniform system allows for parents to puchase and sell items all year round with options to purchase online.

Items for second hand sale can now be dropped into the school office at any time of the year.  

Uniform items MUST be:

• current uniform items only
• very good to excellent quality
• washed and free of stains
• have any naming labels crossed out
• labelled with either the printable Pricing Label template or similar.

Items that are NOT suitable are:

• school bags more than 2 years old
• library/book bags
• stained or torn clothing
• non-current school uniform
• sports shorts without the school logo
• shoes
• secondary school uniform items.

Unsuitable items will be returned to the seller/donator.

Pricing of Uniform Items

Price uniform items accordingly and receive 70% of the amount (when the item is sold) with 30% of your sale going to the school’s PSA.

Items are kept in the second hand uniform shop until they are sold. We will notify via text of any monies to be collected, this may be after a family has left the school.

Alternatively you can donate items to be sold. We will label and price donated items. 100% of these sales go to the school's PSA.

Refer to suggested pricing guide linked below.

Purchasing of Uniform Items

Parents are able to complete an online form indicating the uniform item and size required and it will then be sent home with your child or made available for collection.

Payment to be made in cash the following day. Items can be returned if they aren't the correct size or quality.

A reminder that we require all families to login to PAM and update their child's Medical Information if their child's medical details have changed. 

This information assists with our electronic permission forms. 

Please follow the instructions below to update a medical profile for each of your children by:

1. Click on link to PAM (found on our webpage or SZapp)
2. Click on student (if more than 1 child, this will need to be done individually)
3. Click on Medical Profile (blue writing to the left of screen)
4. Check all questions and select Edit Details for updates to be made.
5. Once you get to the end of the questions please confirm by clicking on the Green “Update Details” Box found at the bottom right of screen.

As a parent/guardian you are able to access your child/rens medical profile on PAM at any time to update as needed.

If you have any queries or require your PAM login details, please do not hesitate to get in contact with the office.  

During term 4 last year parents who visited the school would have noticed our new sign in system via the ipads.

Due to the changes to Child Safety the sign in procedures have been changed to collect more information from all visitors when entering a school.  You WILL need to bring with you your Working With Children Card or your VIT card the first time you sign in.  Once you have completed all sections of the sign in process you will create what is called a quickpin, which will be your mobile number as it is a unique number.  After that you will only need to enter your number to sign in & out and not everything else.

It does allow you to select the option that you just do not have your card on you, but a limit has been set for the number of times this is allowed.  If you have a VIT card, you can select that option at the start and use that number instead.  The sign in process does a live check with the Department of Justice and VIT to verify your cards are current and valid.  The most common reason for them to be rejected is because your card is in a different name to what you have signed in as e.g. shortened name (Cathy instead of Cathryn) or one is still in your maiden name.

We encourage all visitors to complete this process in full the first time you come in, if you need help, any of the admin team can assist you. I guarantee it will make it much quicker for you from then on.

Cathy Duynhoven, Business Manager

School Canteen Support