PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Matthew O'Brien, Principal
Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, Students and the wider St. Joseph’s Primary School Community,
Advent Reflection
This Sunday marks the second Sunday of Advent. A time when Christians around the world focus on a deepening relationship with the Creator. It is often marked by a calendar or wreath and each new week begins a new focus; hope, peace, joy and love.
Week 4 Love
Sometimes to help understand more about a concept it is helpful to consider what it is not. I think this works for love.
Eliezer "Elie" Wiese (1928-2016) is a writer and professor. As a teenager he was interned in Auschwitz and later Buchenwald concentration camps. In these camps his family was murdered which he only learned after being liberated from the camp in 1945.
It was Elie who wrote:
“The opposite of love is not hate: it is indifference.”
This is a curious observation for someone who has experienced such hate.
Bishop Robert O’Neill an Episcopalian Bishop writes:
“The opposite of love is not hate, it is fear.”
He went on, “For fear is the breeding ground — the simmering cauldron so to speak — of all the resentments, bitterness, anger, and destructive behaviors that constitute and give rise to hate.”
At this time of Christmas we know that we should be feeling and sharing love. I wonder if considering our indifference and fears can be any help.
Or maybe we should just defer to another great philosopher; Tina Turner who wrote:
What's love got to do, got to do with it?
What's love but a second-hand emotion?
What's love got to do, got to do with it?
Updated School Closure Days 2025
Please see the revised school closure dates for 2025.
Please note that there will be no school for children in the first week of second term.
This change comes in response to a Professional Development Day to launch the DOBCEL 2035 Strategy on Thursday April 24th. St Joseph’s had communicated a further two days in term two to undertake our full school review. In order to cause least disruption to families and classes we have moved those two dates to Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd April. These days combined with Easter Monday and ANZAC Day creates a full week without classes for students.
- Monday 21st April - Easter Monday Public Holiday
- Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd April - Full School Review
- Thursday 24th April - Professional Development Day
- Friday 25th April - Anzac Day Public Holiday
I hope that with this early notice families are able to take advantage of the extended break.
2025 School Closure Days
Friday 7th February – Digest your Class Day
Tuesday 11 March – Structured Literacy Professional Development
Tuesday 22nd April - School Review
Wednesday 23rd April - collaboration with Lee Schlooz re: school review
Thursday 24th April – Southern zone Collaboration Day
Monday 18th August – Catholic School Culture
Monday 6th October – Structured Literacy
Final Assembly
All families are invited to join us at the final assembly to farewell our Year 6 students, present some awards, farewell staff and share in some Christmas music.
Many families will take the opportunity to take children home at the conclusion of the assembly. Please remember sign your children out via the office.
Merry Christmas!