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Michael Gray, Principal
Dear Families of St. Joseph's Primary School,
RE: Term 2 Schooling Program
In response to the global pandemic of COVID-19, the Victorian Premier, State Education Minister, Chief Medical Officer and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria has now released clear guidelines for schooling in Term 2 for Victoria school communities.
With this emerging situation, I can confirm the St. Joseph's Leadership Team has been meeting regularly to interpret the guidelines and importantly build on our evolving plan for Term 2.
Our program will focus on ‘flexible and remote learning’ for all students off-site (in the home) for the full 11 weeks. Victorian schools have been strictly advised that all students should be learning from home, with exceptions allowed for vulnerable children and where no other arrangements can be made. St Joseph’s families have indicated their preference via our survey sent at the end of Term 1. I reinforce that access to on-site learning is only available for students who have no other practical option to remain in their home.
Therefore,
- Teachers will provide access to the off-site/on-site program while working from their home.
- A rostered skeleton staff will be on-site at St. Joseph’s each day.
- The students in the on-site program will access the same program that students are completing at home.
- On-site students may not have their classroom teacher or necessarily have a teacher full time at school, however, adequate supervision will be provided along with appropriate social distancing and health recommendations.
Please note, current classroom teachers will be conducting their classroom programs from off-site but will not always be available for eligible students on-site.
The student program for Term 2 will commence gently with teacher and parent support and participation. It will be a step by step learning process for everyone. If internet technology lets us down we will work around this issue. Generally speaking, formal work will be in the mornings and the more creative elements in the afternoon. This timetable is flexible and can be responsive to your work needs too. This student work will be recorded by the students in their Learning Journals, including books read and other creative self-sourced learning. This procedure will also apply to the on-site program students.
St. Joseph’s families have already been invited to complete two surveys; one to express interest in the on-site delivery of our program and secondly to indicate home internet and electronic device capabilities. Our final response to these surveys will be provided on Tuesday 14th April.
If you have not yet completed either of these surveys please refer to the links below
Teachers will return to school on Tuesday 14th April for further lesson preparation, including practice with our preferred communication technology ‘Google Meet.’ All staff meetings, planning and preparation will be conducted online with staff working from home.
The ‘student school/homework pack’ is to commence on Wednesday 15th April 2020, remembering Tuesday 14th April is a ‘pupil free day’, no students, staff only. If you missed the family pack distribution please refer to the link below. Please note these documents will follow the child if there is a shared care arrangement with the child’s responsible supervising adult.
The steps families can take now in readiness for learning to start next week are:-
- Set simple routines and structure as stability will help young people settle and perform well.
- Negotiate a daily timetable with your family remembering that your work needs to fit into this schedule too. Formal learning is best in the morning; creativity, fun and physical exercise are better for later in the day. A formal school remote learning timetable will be distributed once we are underway.
- Establish a simple workspace for each person and discuss shared access to electronic devices if needed.
- Look for resourcing support we will distribute on a regular basis, and note that older siblings can make excellent tutors for younger family members.
For families right across Australia, the past weeks have been spent getting used to the new normal — school at home, limited visitors, and only essential outings.
We are in this together and St. Joseph’s will work relentlessly to help everyone adapt to this new teaching environment. We will approach this challenging new reality with a ‘can do’ attitude and a ‘hopeful’ mindset that involves; Living with Joy, Living without Fear and Living with New Eyes.
Regards,
Michael Gray. Principal.
For vulnerable students or those where no other arrangements can be made please complete the following form for School Business Manager, Cathy Duynhoven.
This program will run within school hours and will not be a full classroom educational program but adjusted as per all our students.
We have received completed important surveys for a large majority of our students. If you have not had a chance to do so please complete this week. It will help us ensure your children have access to quality remote learning opportunities this term.
We are sorry that you did not receive the student school/homework pack. Please complete this form and we will get the pack to you as soon as possible. A residential address is preferred.
You will need to complete this form for each child that missed out on a pack. Thank you.
If your financial circumstances have changed and you would like to either put a short term hold on your scheduled fee payments or seek further fee support please contact our School Business Manager, Cathy Duynoven, on cduyn@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
See letter below for more information.
We are absolutely committed to working with our families as we move through these challenging times.
Dear Parents and Guardians
I write to you today to reassure families impacted financially by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that we want to assist you in every way possible to continue your child’s enrolment at St. Joseph’s.
As many in our school community grapple with unprecedented changes to finances, emotional wellbeing and physical health, we have taken a clear position on enrolments.
There has been a long-established policy in our St. Joseph’s Parish that no family is denied a Catholic education due to an inability to pay school fees. Catholic schools have provided fee relief to families since their beginning around 175 years ago and now again amidst COVID-19 we will do the same. No parent or guardian who wishes their child to receive a Catholic education at St. Joseph’s will be denied the opportunity to do so because of financial circumstances.
As you are probably aware, the Family Fee Assistance Scheme has been implemented at St. Joseph’s for several years. Families who hold a means-tested Health Care Card, Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran Affairs Pensioner Card qualify automatically for the scheme and pay a discounted family fee of $520 per annum ($10 per week).
If you are not eligible for the Family Fee Assistance discount yet are experiencing financial difficulty at this time, please contact our school business manager, Cathy Duynhoven via email in the first instance to cduyn@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au, so that we can explore confidential financial support arrangements to enable your child’s ongoing education at our school. After your initial confidential contact Cathy will then call and we will work through the options available.
Regards
Michael Gray, Principal.
The following information is from the Parish Bulletin.
Let us Pray
Dear God
You are my light and salvation.
You are my hope.
Please come into my heart.
Forgive all my wrongs and give me your wonderful gift of eternal life.
Help me be an instrument of your love,
and cause your light to shine on others through me
Amen
Easter Ceremonies
Channel 7 will stream on Good Friday ‘The Lord’s Passion’ at 3.00pm and Mass on Easter Sunday at 10.30am St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney. Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP welcomed the partnership …… “people of all ages and no matter where they live or are currently isolating, will now be able to participate in the Mass.” St Joseph’s Parish will re-commence ‘live streaming’ on Sunday, 19th April
Prayer of the Faithful
Celebrant: With the joy and hope of the Risen Christ in our hearts, we present our needs to God Response: God of Light, hear our prayer
For the Church: may we be instruments of Christ’s light to others. We pray ...
For all who work in healthcare and other essential services. We pray ...
For medical research: may scientists around the world be successful in developing a safe vaccine as soon as possible. We pray ...
For the many refugees in the world: may they be kept safe from the spread of the virus. We pray ...
For our Eucharistic community at this time: may they be nourished through a ‘spiritual communion’ of prayer, reflecting on the scriptures or by participating in the ‘live streaming’ of the Eucharist. We pray ...
For those who have suffered from sexual abuse: may they gain strength from the support and love of those around them. We pray ...
For Ray O’Keefe and Mary Fiorini who died recently and for those whose anniversaries are around this time. We also remember the many people who have died from COVID-19: may the light of the Risen Christ on them. We pray ...
God of Light, may the paschal mystery we celebrate today be a constant and lasting reality in our lives. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord.
God of Hope, who brought love into this world,
be the love that dwells between us.
God of Hope, who brought peace into this world,
be the peace that dwells between us.
God of Hope, who brought joy into this world,
be the joy that dwells between us.
God of Hope, the rock we stand upon,
be the centre, the focus of our lives ...
... especially during this Holy Week.
Amen
Enrolments for all NEW families open on Monday 25th May and close on Friday 19th June at 4pm.
Information Tour dates
These dates may be revised as necessary.
Message from Commonwealth Bank
The health, safety and wellbeing of our communities and our people remains our highest priority. Due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding coronavirus, the School Banking program will remain on hold. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed with any updates including how we will be managing Dollarmite tokens for students.
In the meantime, here are some handy online resources for parents who wish to maintain momentum with their child’s financial education:
- Start Smart: these resources have been created to improve children’s money management skills, and is aligned to the Australian Curriculum and the National Consumer Financial Literacy Framework.
- The Beanstalk: offers videos and fun activities for children to learn about money.