Friday 3rd May, 2024

Matthew O'Brien, Principal

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

ANZAC Day

Thanks to Indiana Smedts, Archie Harle, Roisin Hansford and Billy Main who laid a wreath on behalf of the St Joseph’s School Community during the ANZAC Day ceremonies. 

I received a phone call from a member of the community who attended our assembly on Friday to ask me to pass on her congratulations to everyone involved for the respect and sincerity shown at our ANZAC assembly on Friday.  Thanks to F4 and Mrs Lee for this very moving ceremony.

Lest We Forget

Cross Country

Good luck to all of the children participating in the cross country on Wednesday. I always enjoy this event because at some stage throughout the race each child will get to the point where it feels hard.  I particularly admire those children for whom running is not their number one pastime yet continue to try their best even though there is no possibility of winning and their lungs and legs are hurting.

Catholic Education Week

This week is Catholic Education week. Our Year 6 students will be heading to Emmanuel College (on Monday) to meet with the other Year 6 students from OLHC, St Pius X, St John’s Dennington, St Pat’s Koroit, St Pat’s Port Fairy and the Year 7 students from Emmanuel.  They will share a morning tea together then head into the Emmanuel Centre to join in a “people’s choir” led by Tom Richardson.

School Closure Day
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)

This Friday our staff will be furthering their understanding of SWPBS. 

SWPBS is designed to assist schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children through:

• increased respectful and positive behaviour
• increased time focused on instruction
• improved social-emotional wellbeing
• positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
• increased adoption of evidence-based instructional practices
• a predictable learning environment with improved perceptions of safety and increased attendance.

Matthew O'Brien, Principal

150th Anniversary of the Ballarat Diocese - Parish Celebration

Sunday 5th May, 10:30 am Mass, St Joseph’s Church

Following Mass we will gather in St Joseph’s Hall for Brunch.

Come along and enjoy this first Star of the Sea Parish
community celebration.

Please bring a plate of food to share.

Happy Birthday to children celebrating their birthday this week.

Jet Struth, George Evans, Isabelle Densley, Jessica Happ, Mason McArthur, Leo Oakley, Hudson Crowley, Quinn Place, Parker Scott, Charlie Bellman, Jed Lilley, Lily Price, Lyric Ratu and Layaara Gunasekara.

As part of our Camps and Excursion program, the Year 2s enjoyed an extended day at school. 

The children were very excited to see everyone else leave school while they got to stay! After a little play and extra snacks we met as a whole group and following our Safety talk, separated into mixed groups. The children loved being with friends from other classrooms and getting to know new people from across the year level, while having a great time. Even though it was raining and miserable weather outside, we were having fun with activities like PMP, Boxing, Art and Cricket inside. We also got to explore areas of the school that we don’t normally see like the Senior Building and the Hall when it’s dark! The children are now ready looking forward to an overnight camp program next year and can be proud of coping with the dark and rain when the power went off! 

A big thank you to the teachers, trainees and helpers for making it possible for this experience to happen.

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.

Monday 27th May, 2024

A - L Family photos (8:00am - 9:00am)

Individual and Class photos for Foundation to Year 2 (9:00am onwards)

Tuesday 28th May, 2024

M - Z Family photos (8:00am - 9:00am)

Individual and Class photos for Years 3 to 6 (9:00am onwards)

Uniform - What to wear

• School logoed blue polo (Not House Coloured Sports Shift)
• Navy School jumper
  
  
• Choice of sports shorts/trackpants, grey shorts/pants, navy pants, tunic or skort
• Choice of black shoes or runners
• Choice of white or grey socks (no logos)
   
• No Summer Dresses
• No Sports polos
• No jackets or vests
  
  
• A small supply of spare blue polos and jumpers will be available on the day for children who do not have one.

Year 6 students

We ask Year 6 students to wear their new Year 6 polo, those that have them, and for those that don't to wear their normal pale blue polo.

Hair

Hair longer than collar length for all students must be tied back 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.

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

Family photos are taken prior to school commencing, between 8:00am - 9:00am.

• Children go straight to the hall foyer
• Leave bags in Foyer
• Line up for photos in order of arrival
• Children then return to the playground until their classroom doors are open at 8:40am

Family Photo orders

• Family photos do not require pre-payment.
• These photos will be taken of any family that turns up to a 'Family photo session'.
• Each child will receive a 'How to order family photos' card with an access code for their private gallery. The school will also receive a list of these codes to have on file for parents who don't know the code.
• The gallery will be available to view by Friday 31st May. Families can then purchase a family photo from the gallery.

Order of Classrooms on Photo Days

The order of photos will be starting from Foundation to Year 2 on the Monday and Years 3 to 6 on the Tuesday.

Unwell Children

If your child is unwell please keep them at home.

School Photo Ordering Information

This applies to all canteen volunteers, all helpers at our Mothers Day & Fathers Day breakfasts, and our Pizza day helpers. 

Amendments to the Food Act 1984 have meant that we are now required to have all of our staff and volunteers who handle or process food, to have some type of food handler training to ensure that only safe and suitable food is supplied to customers (in our case our parents & students).

This training can be done online via the link below.  Once completed can you please forward a copy of your printed certificate to Cathy Duynhoven or email on cduyn@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Dear Parent/Guardian

The Lions Eye Health Program is offering Free Vision Screening for St Joseph’s Primary School for Foundation, Year 3 and Year 6 students.

If you would like your child to participate in this vision screening program or wish to know more about the program, please view and/or complete the linked form.

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

Thank you to everyone who put their name down to volunteer. A roster will be emailed out early Week 4.

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.

The Parish would love your help!

St Joseph’s Parish is looking for volunteers to help with ministries at the Church for weekend masses. 

If you are someone who would like to read, be a eucharistic minister, bring up the gifts or be involved in the music, please email Cara Chisholm, cchisholm@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au and she will give your details to the Parish Office.

There will be no choir on

• Thursday 25th April (Anzac Day)
• Thursday 2nd May (May Race Day)
• Thursday 9th May (Mother's Day Breakfast)

Normal choir resumes on Thursday 16th May.

Parents are advised that the school has had one confirmed case of Influenza A reported to the school.

Key facts

• Influenza A is a type of virus that causes the flu.
• Symptoms of influenza A infection include:
  • fever, chills,
  • headache and muscle pains,
  • feeling tired and weak,
  • sneezing,
  • coughing and
  • sore throat.

If your child is unwell or presents with any of the above symptoms we request that you keep them at home until well enough to return to school.

School Canteen Support