Matthew O'Brien, Principal

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

Project Compassion - Lent

St Joseph’s Feast Day - Tuesday 19th March

We are celebrating St Joseph’s feast day next Tuesday with a school mass, fun activity day and pizza lunch.

We will be beginning an initiative called “pastoral groups” where children will be mixed up into groups from Foundation to Year 6 based on their house colours. These groups will meet each term for different activities.  It is planned that children will remain in the same group during their life at St Joseph’s with new Foundation children replacing the graduating Year 6 children. These groups are designed to further promote a sense of wellbeing and community at school.

NAPLAN 2024

The NAPLAN testing  window opens this week Wednesday 13th March to Monday 25th March. Over this time our Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy tests.  All of the tests take place online via computers except for the Year 3 Writing test which is handwritten using pen and paper.

The information gained from these tests is used by our school to help us identify priorities for our school improvement plan. We also use it along with our school based assessments to help identify next areas of learning for children and cohorts.

NAPLAN information for parents and carers 2024

Matthew O'Brien, Principal

Happy Birthday to children celebrating their birthday this week.

Isaac Brown, Ali Boyd Tregea, Bronte Flett, Gretta Heggie, Logan Wythe, Elsa Farley, Will McCarthy, Sadie Boyle, Ada Cooper, Louie Welsh, Harrison Farrelly, Sophie Timpson, Luke Bennie, Ruben Darcy, Gracie Jess and Paddy Quinn.

Middle and Senior School (Years 3 - 6) - Thursday 14th March, 2024

Junior School (Foundation - Year 2) - Friday 15th March, 2024

We are looking forward to the upcoming Sports Days. We are particularly excited to welcome parents, carers and family members as spectators to the day. The following information is provided to help make the day run as smoothly and safely as possible. 

Event Program

Please note that the event program timing may change on the day due to weather conditions and other factors.

Sports Uniform

• Navy Blue school logoed shorts
• House coloured Sports polo (compulsory)
• Navy Blue logoed windcheater, vest or coat
• School logoed hat
• White socks (no logos)
• Runners

No hair colour or coloured zinc permitted.

Spectators

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

Volunteers

If you are able to assist on the day please email sport@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au and indicate which age group/year you would like to assist with. All volunteers are required to have a current Working With Children Check.

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 on sports day, 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.

Canteen

Children are advised NOT to have a lunch order on their School Sport Day as they will be working to a modified lunch timetable.

Good luck to all of our athletes.

Woolworths have started an amazing community initiative and as a part of this will be here onsite at both of our school sports days.  You will find their marquee beside our own coloured marquees giving away free fruit, bottles of water, popcorn and even sunscreen.

We would like to thank the Woolworths staff members who will be here over these two days.

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

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!

Tickets to everyone's favourite Easter Raffle are now being sold in the foyer at the school.

$1 per ticket. Children can purchase tickets before and after school.

Raffle Drawn: Wednesday 27th March, 2024.

Our PSA is once again holding a Hot Cross Bun Drive. Baker's Delight Norfolk Plaza Bakery will be supporting this event and donating $2:50 from every pack sold back to the school. Orders are now open through CDFPay.

Please place your order against the eldest child in your family with orders now open.

Buns available to order are:

• Traditional Hot Cross Bun - 6 Pack,
• Choc Chip Hot Cross Bun - 6 Pack,
• Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns - 6 Pack,
• Fruitless Hot Cross Buns - 6 Pack. 

Orders close: 3:00pm, Friday 22nd March, 2024

Delivery date: Tuesday 26th March, 2024

We require some volunteers to assist on the day of delivery from 1:30 pm to pack the packs of buns and deliver to the classrooms. If you can assist please email Alecia on abidmade@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Pizza Day: Tuesday 19th March, 2024

Orders Close: 3pm Friday 15th March, 2024

Once per term the PSA run a Pizza Day as a "special occasion" lunch option and to raise money for the PSA.

This term the Pizza Day is set to coincide with the school's St Joseph's Feast Day Celebrations.

Children can choose from either Garlic or Hawaiian pizza (Gluten Free options available) which are provided by Pepper's Pizza (formerly Pinkies Pizza) who are one of our 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.

School Canteen Support