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Michael Gray, Principal
Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Staff and our wider School Community
Welcome once again to the school week, a bit shorter after the long weekend. Our region was indeed a hub of activity; congratulations to the many locals who played volleyball, competed in the tennis tournament, engaged in the local life-saving carnival, visited friends, were involved at the dog show or sung at the Folkie! I’m sure many also escaped to other locations to enjoy camping, riding, fishing or attending the Women’s World Cup final. As well I’m sure many did what I did, just stayed at home catching up with house chores! Whatever you did it is important to celebrate and be grateful for where we live; a caring, active community, with easy access to our natural environment and a safe place to be!
School Review
Importantly with family and student support on Friday St. Joseph’s school closed to continue our on-going professional development. This support to quality teaching and learning is valued by our teachers and support teams. On Friday our teaching staff attend a school review workshop and our Learning Support Officers participated in a “Google” ICT workshop.
Our teaching staff worked with the Catholic Education Office to evaluate school-wide feedback from several important surveys completed by families, staff and students. Last year our community completed the School Climate surveys and Religious Education survey. We had 90 students from the senior school complete the student survey. All staff completed the employee survey and 60 randomly selected families completed the whole school survey. This information will form part of our 2020 School Review. Every five years our school completes a school review.
The school review work is monitored by the Catholic Education Office, Ballarat and validated by external education consultants visiting in Term 3 of 2020. Our School Advisory Committee and parent association groups are also involved in this work. Last Friday was the start of this work and it will continue over terms two and three. The review report will be developed to guide our annual school improvement actions over the next few years
Student and Community Health
Our Occupational Health and Safety Team continue to monitor student health, especially the growing issue of the coronavirus spread. St. Joseph’s will follow Education and Health Authorities advice. Specific actions already undertaken was the cancellation of our Japan partnership programs of homestay and school visits. While very disappointing for all concerned we have cancelled these events for 2020 as a precaution for all students and our general communities.
In classrooms, we are implementing all advised health and hygiene practices with respectful vigilance. In our classrooms, as well as appropriate hygiene we have always had disinfectant wipes available for a range of needs. These are updated as needed and we have a good supply. For our Foundation classrooms, we also have hand sanitizers. We will continue to monitor all advice is provided to ensure the best practice. Generally, it is also important that childhood illness is reported to the school; our families are very conscious of the importance of this early information and school procedures. This includes common illness like chicken pox etc.
From a “looking ahead” perspective some are talking about extended days at home for individuals or schools; if students have to stay home our parent access modules and electronic communication is first class and the vast majority of families have our SZApp. The App is easily able to provide updates, advice and school work support if needed.
I have also added below ten ways to reduce risk from a virus, as provided by the Department of Health
Ten ways to reduce your risk of coronavirus
- Wash hands often with soap and running water, for at least 20 seconds. Dry with a paper towel or hand dryer.
- Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow.
- Isolate yourself at home if you feel sick. If you take medication it is wise to ensure you have adequate supplies.
- Phone your GP first if you need medical attention. They will tell you what to do.
- Continue healthy habits: exercise, drink water, get plenty of sleep.
- Don't wear a face mask if you are well.
- Buy an alcohol-based hand sanitiser with over 60 per cent alcohol.
- Get the flu shot (available April, 2020).
- Shaking hands is optional
Annual School Fair
This event is fast approaching and we are looking forward to a great day. All help appreciated, please see the weekly ‘Fair News’ for all updates and requests for your donations, help and support.
Regards
Michael Gray, Principal
Draft Roster
A draft roster of the Fair is now available.
Can you help?
After viewing the DRAFT Fair Roster can you fill some of the gaps? Please complete a volunteer form.
District Tennis
Congratulations to all players who competed at the district tennis at Supergrasses on Friday 28th February. Conditions were tough at times, with a little bit of rain making matches difficult for competitors. All St. Joseph's members did a fantastic job, playing the game in the right spirit as well as winning many matches and games across the day.
Special congratulations to Austin Lloyd who qualified for the division tennis tournament.
Division Tennis
This year St Joseph’s was represented by Austin Lloyd in Year 6 who played in the Division Competition at the Lawn Tennis Courts last Friday 6th March.
Austin is congratulated for winning the competition and will now advance to the Regional Finals which will be held in Ballarat on Friday 8th May.
Well done Austin!
Senior Athletics
Thank you to everyone involved in making the Senior School Sports a great success last Monday. We are particularly grateful to all the parents who gave up their time and the opportunity to support their own children, in order to assist our staff, complete each event as efficiently as possible. Children who have qualified for the next stage, the Districts, will be notified soon after all trials have been completed.
Congratulations to Yellow House for taking out the Shield as the overall winning House and to the following individual Age Champions:
9 year old boys - 1st Gano Akoch, 2nd Harry McDonald, 3rd Patrick Ralston and Oscar Stewart.
9 year old girls - 1st Abbey O’Keefe, 2nd Sophie Brown, 3rd Amelia Austin
10 year old boys - 1st Lewis Gommers, 2nd Casey Carlin, 3rd Roy Lucas, Hudson Green and Blake Wood.
10 year old girls - 1st Charlotte Wythe, 2nd Sienna Byron, 3rd Eva Madigan
11 year old boys - 1st Maljwok Lual, 2nd William Ralston, 3rd Isaac Duncan
11 year old girls - 1st Hannah McMeel, 2nd Isla Dixon, Bella Telford
12/13 year old boys - 1st Edward Northeast, 2nd Jenson Jago, 3rd Austin Lloyd, Will Johnston
12/13 year old girls - 1st Lila Evans, 2nd Layla Nicholson, 3rd Mia Slater
Junior School Sports Day
Our Foundation to Year Two students will all participate in their School Sports on Thursday 26th March on Allen Oval. The program should run between 9:30am and 1:30pm approximately. If you can spare some time to help us out, then please email us at sport@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au and specify your preferred time slot to assist 9:15am - 11am or 11:30am - 1pm. Any assistance on the day would be greatly appreciated!
Swimming
Good luck to all our swimmers in the carnival on this Friday 13th March. Please make sure you wear the correct swimming attire. Strictly no long shorts for boys and one-piece bathing suits for girls. This is a Swimming Victoria enforced rule and any swimmer not abiding by the swimwear rules will be disqualified.
Photography and Video is strictly prohibited. Officials have the power to disqualify swimmers or schools if parents fail to abide by this rule. Mr McMillan and I will be supervising on the day. Parents are required for time-keeping duties on the day and your help would be greatly appreciated. Please notify the school no later than Wednesday if you would be willing to help out.
Please contact us at sport@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
A roster of times will be made available and shared equally among helpers.
The Warrnambool Swimming Club will be running a BBQ on the day with sausages, muffins and honeyjoys available. Pricing will be reasonably cheap and water will also be available to purchase too.
Cross Country
The first Friday back in Term Two will be our School Cross Country! Here is a link to some great tips that you as parents can use to support your child in preparing for the Cross Country. It’s also an excellent excuse to get fit and active alongside your children.
Emily Lloyd, Sports Co-ordinator
sport@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
As a response to parent feedback, we are advising the following about school uniform policy.
Foundation students can wear sport uniforms everyday. Students in Grades 1-6 are required to wear sports uniform on their classes designated sports day/s. Students trying out for school sports events can also wear sports uniform on tryout days. All other days, as per policy, students are required to wear full summer/winter school uniform. Teachers will monitor what students are wearing in their classrooms.
If students are regularly out of the required dress for that day or persistently wear non uniform items, teachers will advise the office and parents will be contacted. We are trying to implement full uniform policy at all times, however we need to have everyone's cooperation and support.
Mark Hyland, Religious Education Co-ordinator
The Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, for our senior students, will take place next Tuesday 24th March, beginning at 5:30, in St Joseph’s church.
Try to be there 10 minutes beforehand so the children can take time to settle and think of what they will say to Father John or one of the assisting priests.
Children are to wear their white sacramental stole with the purple Reconciliation symbol.
In the Sacrament of Reconciliation God calls us to live in “RIGHT RELATIONSHIP” or harmony, with OURSELVES, OTHERS, OUR EARTH and OUR GOD.
Jesus calls us to repent and live as he showed us how to live. Jesus accepted all people, he even ate with outcasts, he healed those people who needed physical or spiritual healing and he often told parables that show us how to behave.
In the Lord’s prayer we say “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” When we all live as Jesus taught us to, then God’s kingdom will have come, everyone and everything will be in “Right Relationship”.
We are human so we really have to work hard at living as Jesus taught us to live, but (lucky for us) God loves us “no matter what”. God’s love is unconditional and God’s forgiveness is never ending.
Family Prayer
Loving God who dances in creation,
Who embraces us with human love,
Who holds us in our joy and grief,
Who shakes our lives like thunder,
Help us claim our strength and need,
Our awesomeness and fragile beauty.
Help us stay open to your love
So that hope may be renewed.
Bless us, show us the way.
Amen
Iron on transfer
Parents will have received an iron on purple Reconciliation transfer for their child. The photograph below is an indication of a suggested placement of all three Sacraments - Confirmation, Eucharist and Reconciliation. Wear the stole with the Baptism and Diocese transfers on the right side.
Our PSA are once again holding a Hot Cross Bun Drive. Brown's Bakery will be supporting this event with orders now open through CDFPay. Please place your order against the eldest child in your family.
Orders close at 6pm on Monday 23rd March.
Delivery dates
Wednesday 25th March 2020 (Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6)
Thursday 26th March 2020 (Grades Foundation, 1 and 2)
*Note this is F-Grade 2 Sport Day
The St Joseph's Healthy Moves ambassadors created some clever strategies to encourage students to forgo the comfort of a car, when traveling to school. Students from Warrnambool, Dennington and Allansford gathered at The Pavilion for the Healthy Moves Planning Day.
The stimulating environment clearly helped Bridget C, Bridget G, Micheli and Kayla to embrace discussions that were designed to encourage students to actively travel to or from school. The girls came up with many creative ideas including a buddy walkathon, a classroom leaderboard, and the most kilometres traveled competition.
Many thanks to Nicole from the Warrnambool City Council for organising the day.
Sports Day in the Canteen
Thank you to the many helpers who assisted in the canteen at Sports Day - Thank You Helen McKenzie, Daphne Ginley, Tanya Hughes, Joelle Martin, Jean Davis and Eve Platt.
Term 1 Canteen Roster
Price List
We rely on our volunteers and are also in need of more parents to assist. Training is arranged by our Canteen Co-ordinator Tania Hughes. Please consider volunteering, even if only once per term, all help most appreciated.
