11 September 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Message

Jim Guinan, Deputy Principal

This is the last newsletter for Term 3, 2018. The weather is becoming finer, the days are slowly starting to draw out, so it must be finals time. Good luck to your team in whatever finals they may be playing.

This newsletter, as always, contains some relevant information for school life going forward in Term 4 2018 and in to 2019.

Coming home with the newsletter Week 1 will be information regarding student placement in 2019. In line with school policy you will be invited, where needed, to have input with your child’s/children’s placement in 2019. The only students to stay in their 2018 class in 2019 are this year’s Grade 1’s and Grade 3’s. All the other students are moved with a working friend to a new teacher and new classroom. Occasionally there are relevant educational reasons why parents need to fill in a Placement Survey (Green Form). This may be that parents don’t want their child in the same room as siblings, or cousins or neighbours, etc. If you feel you need to share information that your child’s teacher doesn’t know, you are invited to complete a green form. It is available from the front office during the first week of term 4. This opportunity closes on Monday 15th October.

We have been approached by the local RSL club to nominate any Grade 4 or Grade 5 child in 2018 who may wish or need to attend Portsea Camp. The camp takes place in January from Saturday 19th to Friday 25th. The camp is a fun filled, well supervised camp. If you would like to nominate your child, please call me or come into the school office.

A reminder again, if you need to enter the school car park of a morning drop off or afternoon pickup time because you are staying at school, you need to queue in the line closest to the gutter. You also need to queue to enter the loop at night.

Children have been encouraged to wear their hats while doing outside activities. From this week the policy of “No Hat, No Play” will apply. Sunscreen is available to children in their classrooms.

With fine weather and sunshine in mind, it’s a great time to say “Happy Holidays”, travel safely and thank you all for your support through the term.

Regards,
Jim Guinan, Deputy Principal.

Teacher Awards

Week 7

Week 8

Gold Box Winner

Congratulations to Gold Box winner Cienna Boylan for working through and achieving her goals. Congratulations to Gold Box winners Matthew and Chloe Bennie for walking to school and crossing roads safely.

Congratulations to Gold Box winner Jack Gavin for behaving well at Mass. Congratulations to Gold Box winners Joseph Ahearn using a correct drop off point and crossing point.

Winners of our Gold Box get to go for a swim at the pool.

First Eucharist

Congratulations to the students who celebrated their First Eucharist on Sunday. The masses were a beautiful celebration of faith and community.

Sacrament of First Eucharist

Middle School Forces Expo

Wednesday 12th September 2018, 2:35pm – 3:15pm

Middle school students are currently studying the Inquiry question “How can forces be exerted and used?”. As part of this unit of work the students are creating a model to demonstrate their chosen force eg: magnetism, gravity, friction, tension, air resistance etc. To celebrate these models and student learning we are inviting parents and special guests to the Middle School Forces Expo.

While at the Expo, parents and guests will be encouraged to move around the hall and ask the students to explain their model ie: What force is your model demonstrating? How does your model demonstrate this force? What have you learnt from creating this model?

For parents and special guests who are unable to attend at this time the model display will be open for viewing after school on Wednesday 12th September until 4:15pm and Thursday 13th September 2018 8:15am – 8:50am.

Library News

Children have enjoyed finding their book treasure.

Book Week was a huge success with all children dressing in fabulous book character costumes. The nominated books this year were received well but as usual the children’s favourites were not the CBCA judge’s selections.

For activities and competitions there were many wonderful entries. The 3D creations of either a Treasure Box or ship galleon were exceptional. Thank you to all the contributions and we hope you enjoyed your book prizes.

Room D2 in their Book Week costumes

Literacy at St. Josephs

We write to inform, persuade or entertain. This term Year 3 and 4 have needed to write to inform as they participated in a Science Enquiry unit -How can forces be exerted and used?

In Science a procedure will tell us how to conduct an experiment. An explanation tells an audience how something works or why something happens. Explanations detail and logically describe the stages in a process, such as the water cycle, or how a steam engine works. Other examples of an explanation could be how a law is made, or why we blink when we sneeze.

An explanation should have:

• A title
• An identifying statement - What is it?
• An explanation sequence - What does it do? How does it work?
• Conclusion and it may also have a labelled diagram

Now enjoy reading these explanations, written by some D7 students during their enquiry unit this term. I’m sure you will agree that they have presented very clear explanations of the water cycle or how a parachute works.

Student Wellbeing - Resilience Project

As a staff we are feeling very grateful for the support of the PSA which allowed us all the experience the work of the Resilience Project last week. Students were very engaged in the sessions with Martin Heppell and after chatting to many of them they have been quite inspired by what they heard.

Students are continuing to develop skills to support resilience at school and it is important that this is practised and modelled at home as well.

Remembering that daily practice of G. E. M. has a vital impact on how we feel and view our world especially when things go wrong.

G – Gratitude – Practice each day.

What was the best thing that happened to me today?
Who am I most grateful for today and why?
What am I looking forward to most about tomorrow?

E – Empathy – Includes random acts of kindness without getting or expecting anything in return.

M – Mindfulness – Being in the moment with others giving our minds a rest, practise mediation.

Foundation Swimming

Commences Tuesday 9th October

All Foundation classes will have swimming lessons Tuesdays and Friday. The lessons will go for 30 minutes. Please make sure you are very organized for school swimming lessons as it eliminates many anxieties and enables full participation.

It would be best that your child does not have a lunch order on their swimming day. If this is not possible, please let your child’s teacher know.

If parents intend to help at swimming a Working with Children Check is required.

2018 Artwork Project

Orders Open: Monday 17 September 2018 and close at 3pm, Friday 19 October

This year the PSA is running an exciting project in collaboration with the Art Department where each child has designed a beautiful and unique and personalised drawing of their family. This drawing is transferred onto a high quality ceramic mug. The mugs are highly durable and are dishwasher and microwave safe. The mug is made out of ceramic. Your child’s drawing will not scratch, fade or wash off. Each Mug comes in a gift box.

We chose the mugs because the project gets the children involved, produces a wonderful memento and meaningful gift for parents, relatives and special friends. The mugs look amazing and make a fabulous reminder of your child being part of St Joseph’s School. Orders can be made via CDFPay (Online Ordering) for $15.00

This year you will be able to view your child’s beautiful artwork before you make your purchase. Look for your child’s classroom via the attached link.

Please note that not all the Artwork has been processed at the time that ordering opens and we will keep parents informed as each classroom is available to view during the ordering period.

The following classes are currently available for viewing:

All efforts are made to give your child an opportunity to participate in this project. However, if they were away from school during the period when the artwork was being done they will not be able to place an order this year.

Farmer in a Beanie

Friday 21 September, 2018

Our annual student initiative Fundraising Day will be held on Friday 21 September. Children are invited to come to school dressed as a Farmer in a Beanie and make a donation to three nominated charities.

Healthy Moves

Congratulations to the following Healthy Moves prize winners - Leah English, Sophie Jellie and Nate Brereton.

Father’s Day Breakfast Raffle Winners

Congratulations to the following Father’s Day Breakfast Raffle Winners.

Chocolates – Brenton Morgan, Stephen Thompson, Peter Ward, Andrew Baudinette, John Hansford, Brad Miller, Adrian Morley, Stephen Crichton, Jamie Squires, Lawrence Wood.
Supergrasse Family Membership – Chris Snell
McNeil’s Trailer Hire Voucher – Robert McKinley, Lyndon Attrill
ACE Airport Parking Melbourne – Chris Smith
Ashmore Palms Holiday Village Voucher – Stephen O’Brien, Brett Cahill, Justin Watson, Glen Pavletich, Steve Callaghan, Adam Spence, Lee Kane, Damien Walsh
Bojangles Voucher – Leon Beks

Operation Christmas Child

Belinda Wrigley

St. Joseph’s Primary School has been invited to once again take part in Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse. Families are invited to fill a box with items which is then sent to a child in need. Boxes can be collected and returned to Room B7.

There is a $10 postage charge. Boxes are due back to school by the last week of Term 3.

Thanks.

Community Notice Board

Pick My Project

We have been approached by several Pick My Projects to advertise in the newsletter. Pick My Project is a Victorian-first community grants initiative, with at least $1 million in funding available in each metro and regional area.