5 June 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Message

Dear St. Joseph’s School Community,

Last Friday our school came together to celebrate and highlight to us all what is unique and special about Catholic education. Students from across our school shared their learning and insights. It was inspirational.

Classrooms from our Junior School investigated Units of Work that explored the different ways and why we pray? Their thoughts were imaginative, respectful and meaningful. I share B1’s work with us all. This work is beautiful, displays courage and encourages us all to wonder about the beauty of our young people.

• Sadie - During the ‘We can pray in different ways’ unit in Term 1, we learnt about different types of prayers. Sometimes we pray to ask for help, sometimes we pray to say thank-you and to praise God for our beautiful world, and sometimes we pray to say sorry and ask for forgiveness.
• Cohan - We also explored the different ways and different places we can talk to God. I like to pray near our lemon tree at home. It’s around the back and no-one really goes there so it’s nice and quiet.
• Rose - I like to pray in bed before I go to sleep. I tell God about my day and I ask him to look after my family.
• Jayden - I like to pray by singing to God and Jesus. It makes me feel good and my favourite prayerful song is “Underneath God’s Beautiful Rainbow.”
• Archie - I pray at the B.M.X track. I ask God to look after all the riders and to help me to win the race.
• Rahni - I like to go to church and pray with other people. I like to listen to Father John.
• Nicholas - I like to pray by meditating because it’s very peaceful. I ask God to help with problems.
• Ella - I like to pray at the cemetery when I go to visit my Grandma and Grandpa’s graves. I pray for all the people who have passed away.

I thank B1 for allowing me to share this great work.

As Principal I also had an opportunity at assembly to share with students, staff and families a small glimpse into the enrichment leave experience I will be undertaking, starting on Monday in Jerusalem. My program, and the theme of the week “Come and See” certainly rang true. I will have the very privileged opportunity to visit the holy land and engage with people from across the world.

In taking on this challenge I aim to:

• Gain insight into our religion, my faith and life in a very historical part of the world.
• Build my capacity to listen with empathy. This is a critical skill in leadership to ensure people are respected. Good listening helps develop better solutions for all.
• Dialogue with people from different viewpoints to enhance tolerance, patience and decision making.

Congratulations to Ellie Holden who recently interviewed our local State Parliamentarian Roma Britnell (MP) for her work “Forces For Good.”

Ellie Holden and Roma Britnell

After attending the Student Leaders Congress in Term 1 this year our St. Joseph’s School Student Leaders have decided to help all the families who lost their houses in the South West Bushfires. “Blazeaid” is the organisation we are going to raise money for, they assist local property owners with rebuilding things like fences and other structures after the fire. Please keep an eye out for their work, your support will be appreciated.

Please support the activities that our Senior Leaders are organising

Kind regards,
Michael Gray, Principal.

Teacher Awards

Week 6

Week 7

Gold Box Winner

Congratulations to this week’s Gold Box winner Jack Dunphy for walking his scooter into school. Jack and a friend get to go for a swim at the pool. Congratulations to Gold Box winners Trae Brereton for walking his bike in from the gate when others rode in and Matilda Stevens and Olivia Wolter for picking up a letter in the Botanic Gardens.

Healthy Moves

Well done to all the students who walked or rode bikes and scooters to school last week as part of the Healthy Moves program. Congratulations to Henare Da Ros, Xavier Keilar, Ava Bull and Ashton Nagorcka who won a drink bottle each and Cooper Davies who won a bike helmet.

2019 Enrolments

2019 St Joseph’s Primary School enrolment forms are now available for collection from the school office.

Curriculum - The Learning Never Stops

Louis O’Connor, Curriculum Coordinator

It has been a busy Term 2 so far! Starting in Week 1 with a visit from musician and religious songwriter Andrew Chinn. Andrew workshopped with each area of the school and finished with a whole school concert. This event was a highlight for many students having the opportunity to show their performance skills in front of a large crowd.

Andrew Chinn Concert

The busy schedule continued in Week 3 with ANZAC day. Students were provided opportunities to make connections from their learning at school, to their own experiences and lives. In the Junior area we read stories about the ANZACs and explored many questions in relation to Australia’s involvement in wars of the past. The main focus being around the connection to people who served and the traditions that have followed.

The Inquiry learning across the school for Term 2 has been based around; Civics and Citizenship, Geography and History. The Inquiry questions engaging student learning are as follows:

Foundation - In your life, what can you see today from the past and what do these things tell us?
Junior (Years 1/2) - How are people connected to many places?
Middle School (Years 3/4) - Early Australia, what really happened?
Senior School (Years 5/6) - How does Australia as a nation embrace a rich diversity of beliefs, traditions and lifestyles?

As part of The Middle school inquiry into ‘Early Australia, what really happened?’ the students have recently enjoyed visits from Rob Lowe to tell stories and pass on knowledge of local Indigenous history. During the students time with Rob they were taught about local areas inhabited by Indigenous people before European settlers, significant local events involving Indigenous people and their traditions. Rob also presented our Senior Leadership team with a message stick as a sign of appreciation, to the respect our students have shown during the many years he spent sharing his stories and knowledge about local Indigenous culture and history.

The Resilience Project

7:00pm, Thursday 23rd August, 2018

Resilience Project “Parent Information Night”. St Joseph’s can confirm this team and their visit to work with parents and staff on Thursday 23rd August and students on Friday 24th August this year. This program is being fully funded by our funds raised by our Parent Association.

Please register your interest in attending this FREE parent Information

Community Conversations

A conversation between people is the starting point for improved understanding.

Within the community of a school, such conversations occur between all members of that community, about any areas of common interest: the family, the child, learning, growing, the ways in which the school operates, the community, its priorities and hopes.

St. Joseph’s is hoping to hold a Community Conversation
on one night in the near future.

What is a Community Conversation?

Community Conversations provide a process that extends and develops those informal moments, and builds and changes relationships within the community. The process involves having intentional and inclusive conversations between members of the community, in which participants listen to each other, in order to understand and explore what is important to and valued by that community.

We aim to look at what our school might look like over the coming years.

How do we think a school of the future should look?
What considerations should we make for St Joseph’s, for the future?
What should we embrace?

The intention is to listen and through listening, relationships are changed.

We would like to gauge your interest in a Community Conversation. Please give consideration to attending such an event. Dates will be confirmed in following newsletters.

Please email Catherine Lee to indicate your interest.

email: clee@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

School Photo Day

Our students contributed to a very smooth school photo day. All orders have now been given to the photographers. Any changes or additional photos needs to be made directly with MSP.

MSP photography can be contacted on (03) 5222 6747

Term 2 Pizza Day

Wednesday 20 June, 2018, Orders close 3pm Monday 18 June

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

Children can choose from either Garlic or Hawaiian pizza (Gluten Free options available) which are ordered via CDFPay (Canteen ordering system) and provided by Pinkie’s Pizza who are one of our major school sponsors.

There are no canteen orders on Pizza Days and children not wanting to order pizza should bring their lunch from home.

Sports News

Mark Gercovich, Sports Coordinator

Soccer

Last Thursday the St. Joseph's soccer team travelled to East Warrnambool to play in the WPSSV soccer. The team started will with a 2-1 win over OLHC. They narrowly lost the next two games before finishing with a draw. They finished 4th on the day. Thanks to Jeff Vison for coaching the team.

Our School Soccer Team

T-Ball

Last Thursday the St. Joseph's boys and girls T-ball teams took part in the WPSSV competition. The boys won their pool and played Warrnambool Primary School in the final, coming away with a convincing win 21-10. The boys now progress to the Division stage of the event. The girls won two of their four pool games to finish in a tie for 3rd. Well done to all those involved.

Congratulations to our Boys T-Ball team heading to Divisions

Golf

In atrocious conditions on Monday, four SJS students performed admirably at the WPSSV golf tournament. Joseph Brown came second overall with Sam Marris and Nick Main also qualifying for the next round. Well done boys.

Brodi Parsons, Nick Main, Sam Marris and Joseph Brown

Division Cross Country

The Division Cross Country was held at Deakin University. 23 of our children had qualified in their efforts at Districts the previous week. 12 children finished in the top 12 of their age group qualifying them for the Regional event also held at Deakin on Friday 1 June.

11 year old boys division cross country representatives

Regional Cross Country

Last week 12 students attended the Regional Cross Country through their efforts in the Division cross country. The event was held at Deakin University in perfect conditions for cross country running.

Congratulations to Shaylea Ralston, Taj Riddle and Will Main who have won their way through to the State Cross Country Finals.

Will Main on his way to States.

Japanese Host Families Required

Can you help?

Once again we have visitors from Doshisha Elementary School in Kyoto, coming to visit St. Joseph’s in August. We are looking for host families to care for these students over a period of two weeks. Sunday 5th - Sunday 19th August.

There will be six students coming. They will firstly be visiting St. Patricks in Port Fairy and staying with host families there for one week prior. Then they will come to St. Joseph’s on 5th August.

Could you please email Catherine Lee to indicate your interest about being a host family.

Email: clee@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Sacramental Program – Confirmation

Please keep the children and their parents in your prayers as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. May we be models of faith for these children.

Key Dates