Welcome to March which signals the opening of the season of spring.

Sports Day 3 to 6

Today was also our Grades 3 to 6 Sports Day. These days can inspire both joy and worry in the hearts of students. For many, sports day can be a great day of fun, games and the chance to bag a prize or two. For others, it might feel like I have to take part in something that they are not very good at!

So where does St. Joseph’s sit in this world of learning, development, competition, health and wellbeing. We recognise the importance of exercise, participation and striving for personal best. We focus on the wonder of learning and learning to meet challenges, to learn to “have a go”, compete, at times lose and sometimes win. At St. Joseph’s we encourage learning by doing, have a go and to be satisfied with your best effort.

We also encourage healthy competition where you firstly compete against your self, then you be your best for your team and then your build your skills to perform with confidence and commitment. It is important that we all have experience of supported competition so we don’t develop fears of losing and just giving up. Meeting small challenges gives us the practice of achievement and if we loose we begin to understand it is not the “end of the world.”

To encourage healthy competition as a motivator students can earn points, have their best efforts recorded and then qualify for the elite competition via Victoria Sport District events.

In fact, in talking to the students before they headed out today, Emily Loyd (Sports Co-ordinator and PE Teacher) reminded our students of firstly thinking back to last year, remembering what you achieved. Then focus your efforts on what you have learnt in PE classes this year. Then focus on applying it with effort today. Ultimately though Emily said the effort needs to be supported by classmates and that the day is about fun; having a go, doing your best and enjoying a special day at school. Good luck everyone!

Closure Day, this Friday 6th March 2020

Each Term St. Joseph’s have a closure day to focus on staff professional development and school improvement. On these days students don’t attend class and the teaching staff work, usually on-site, but at times in other locations to improve our curriculum knowledge, teaching practice and check on our school’s outcomes.

This Friday we are preparing for the School Review which will include an examination of learning data and survey feedback which parents, staff and students completed last year. This was the Insight SRC survey program and Enhancing School Catholic Identity survey. This information will be part of the process of school review. Over the course of this year, a report will be developed by our teaching staff, complied by school leadership teams and validated by an external consultant. The report will outline St. Joseph’s progress, improvement and challenges. It will also lead to a specific focus on future school goals and school-wide improvement targets.

Grade 6 Reconciliation Program

A big thank you to the many students and families signing up to the Reconciliation Sacramental Program coordinated by our parish and supported by our school. Over the weekend masses, students were introduced to the parish community and recommitted personally to their baptismal promise. The Sacrament will be celebrated on Tuesday 24th March at 5:30 pm at St. Joseph’s church.

Annual School Fair

Moving this annual event forward our Parent School Association (PSA) and School Leadership Team have decided to form a “Fair Steering Committee” to guide this event. The Committee will replace a one-person “Fair Co-ordinator”. The committee will oversee the event and will have parents and staff as part of the steering group.

This group will support and advise the various activity co-ordinators. Our first meeting will be this Thursday 5th March at 2:30 pm. Parent contributors to this group will be Narelle Brown and Kath Madigan. Our PSA Chairperson (Adrian Benson) will also participate along with school staff.

Any other parent who might be interested in being a member of the committee please email me at principal@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

The role includes two meetings and sharing your ideas and small tasks as invited. Distributed last week was the master Fair document. Our motto with this event is fun, fundraising and community. All associated with St. Joseph's are encouraged to contribute to one of the many ways possible.

Regards
Michael Gray, Principal