St Joseph’s Feast Day 19th March

Image of Sleeping St Joseph

As recounted in the Bible, we all know how important and fundamental has been the act of sleep or rest for Saint Joseph. During his sleep an Angel came to tell him to marry Mary. In the same way, in his dreams he had the apparition of an Angel telling him about escaping to Egypt, due to the imminent slaughter ordered by Herod to kill Jesus.

These examples inspire me to think first, sleep on it before action as St Joseph did.

Pope Francis keeps in his office a statue of Sleeping Saint Joseph. He has a habit of putting underneath the Sleeping St Joseph statue some little notes with requests for grace and prayers of the faithful, in faith that like Saint Joseph grace may be sought in sleep and contemplation.

As he slips the notes under the statue he prays this prayer:

Glorious St. Joseph, thou who has power to render possible even things which are considered impossible, come to our aid in our present trouble and distress. Take this important and difficult affair under thy particular protection, that it may end happily.

Congratulations

Congratulations Yuichi Deguchi on being awarded a life membership to the Japanese Language Teachers' Association of Victoria.

Yuichi has been a force in the teaching of Japanese language and culture in our district for many years. He began teaching across all catholic schools in the Warrnambool Network and as the curriculum has expanded across Foundation – Year 6, St Joseph’s has been the beneficiary of his enthusiasm and talent. Yuichi’s lessons are characterised by his vibrant games-based approach to teaching weaving a combination of language, culture and geography.

Yuichi has been instrumental in forging our relationship with Doshisha Elementary School in Kyoto, Japan. This relationship has allowed our school community to host visiting students (next week) and offer cultural exchanges to Japan for our students.

On behalf of our school community I offer Yuichi our full congratulations on this outstanding achievement.

Doshisha Visit

We are looking forward to the students from Doshisha arriving in Warrnambool next Sunday. We will be hosting a special assembly on Wednesday for the Doshisha students and staff. Many thanks to all of our families who have opened their homes to welcome the students.

Harmony Week

We celebrate the cultural diversity of our community which encompasses the variety of cultures, beliefs, and traditions present, contributing to a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives at St Joseph’s. By valuing every family’s cultural background, we enable them to excel in all facets of life. Nurturing an environment of curiosity, open-mindedness, and respect for all cultures, will not only promote unity but a deeper appreciation of ourselves and others.

As a Catholic school community we can instil an appreciation for cultural diversity which is vital to equip young people with the tools they need to navigate an increasingly interconnected world. During Harmony Week we focus on how best to embrace and celebrate cultural diversity within our community.

With this in mind we wish those in our community of Muslim faith 

“Ramadan Kareem” (have a generous Ramadan)

School Athletics Sports

Congratulations to all of the children who enjoyed the sports days last week. Thanks to all of our parents and grandparents who came along to support the children. A special thanks to Mr McMillan and the staff who ran the day so smoothly.

School Swim Team

Good luck to the swim team who head off to Hamilton for the Regional Finals on Friday. 

Esther Baulch, Isaac Brown, Ella Carlin, Arusha Cashmore, Patrick Cumming, Violet Greening, Jessica Happ, Quinn Madigan, Will Madigan, Cooper McCosh, Sophie Mugavin, Ivy Sobey and Lily Stewart.

Safe Travel

Patience and planning will be required for the remainder of the term as the roadworks continue at the Botanic/Queens Road roundabout. 

I have also had a concerned citizen report of an instance where a young child darted between parked cars on Babers Lane to cross the road to their parents in a car on the other side. Please be mindful that at times it is best for parents to get out of the car and cross the street at a safe place with their child.

Staffing Update

Pat Allen will be on Long Service Leave for most of Term 2. Elise Smock will replace Pat as the Assistant Principal - People and Organisation. We wish Pat a happy and safe holiday.