I am writing this on a break during the conference in Cairns. The focus has been around Catholic Education and its place in Australia and the world. Over 1600 delegates including a good showing from the Ballarat Diocese.   It is always interesting talking to educators from different systems to learn how they go about achieving the same outcomes that we are striving for. A consistent theme has been the honouring, naming and valuing of the daily work that happens in classrooms by our teachers and support staff.  Presentations by bishops, the federal education minister and leading international guests have all shown admiration for the classrooms of our Catholic schools. You will be pleased to know that there is no big idea or new thing to implement but I do also want to acknowledge the contribution you all make to Catholic education as a part of the mission of the church and to our community in forming young people in partnership with their families. 

REVIEW VALIDATION

I am looking forward to the review panel working with us next week. Janet Cain: Principal St Colmans Mortlake, Lee Schlooz: Southern Zone Consultant and Pauline Fischer: External Reviewer  will meet and listen and support us in identifying our priorities for the coming years.  The timetable for the two days is laid out below.  

Thank you to all staff involved in the organisation and running of last Friday night’s school disco. The event was a great success, and the positive feedback from students, parents, and staff has been both encouraging and greatly appreciated.

I would also like to acknowledge Kath, Cara, Michelle, Caitlin and Tily Chisholm for their incredible dedication in preparing for our upcoming ARTS Week. Their many hours spent after school, on weekends, and during their own time have not gone unnoticed. Your hard work and passion are truly valued.

A special thank you to Cara for your outstanding efforts in preparing for our Religious Education Professional Development Day on Monday. The day was engaging, enjoyable, and provided meaningful, relevant learning for all involved.

Reminders:

• No Year 3 Football until further notice
• An External School Review Panel will be joining us onsite Monday and Tuesday. During their visit, they will be working closely with Leadership, nominated staff, students and parents as part of their review process. Meetings will take place in the Clubhouse.
• Community Groups on Friday, 2pm - 3:00pm. Please wait for an announcement over the P.A before moving to and from classrooms.

Finally, thank you all for your unwavering professionalism, dedication, and enthusiasm. Your impact reaches far beyond the classroom.

• Thank you Cara for a beautiful day on Monday.
  
  
• I will be planning days all day on  Monday, Wednesday and Friday of this week!

Staff meeting: Last  Online Structured Literacy Module for the term 

Where?: Learning Leader’s rooms

Focus: Paragraphs
You will receive an email from me in the coming weeks if I have not received certificates. Thanks everyone!!!

Structured Literacy Module:  Paragraphs

Week 6:  No whole school assembly - Community Groups 

Week 7:  Whole School Assembly - Room D4

Please read in conjunction with the Upcoming events list.

Week 6:

Year 4 Swimming - each day 1 - 3pm

Monday 25th August:  School Review Validation; Year 2 Planning Day

Tuesday 26th August:  School Review Validation

Wednesday 27th August:  Year 6 Planning Day

Friday 29th August:  Year 1 Planning Day

Week 7:

Arts Week

Year 4 Swimming - each day 1 - 3pm

Tuesday 2nd September:  Regional Bowls (Ballarat); Year 5 Planning Day

Wednesday 3rd September:  Year 6 students going to Emmanuel for Arts week activity

Wednesday 3rd September:  Arts Week Night Walk 6pm - 8pm

Friday 5th September:  Fathers Day Breakfast

SIMON: If students require a sandwich or fruit from the office, can you please record this under 

Incidents> Wellbeing> Food so we can track the data. If you need to write a note after a confidential call, for example from Child Protection, please place this under: Student Notes> Welfare> give it a title and write the note. You will see that the note says ‘Welfare Eyes only’. You may not have access to this note once submitted. If unsure, please see Gabe, Liz or Leadership.

Positive Behaviour Matrix: Thank you to all who have taken their class through the Positive behaviour Matrix, contributed feedback and listed class representatives. Please have this completed by Tuesday, 26th. Student reps are meeting with Anne Ruddell, Liz and Gabe during session 3 on Thursday, 28th. We will call the students up when we are ready for them.

External Review: Gabe, Liz, Lousie, Candice, Kate W, Kristian, Emily B and Kat will work with the External Review panel to identify our priorities for the coming years at St Joseph’s. We appreciate the feedback and thoughtful responses during this process.

Wellbeing Office: If the ‘In a Meeting’ sign is on the office door, please do not disturb us, as we may be on a confidential Zoom or phone call. If urgent, notify the office or leadership. If not urgent please email us and we will get back to you. We appreciate your cooperation.

R U Ok? Day is celebrated in 4 weeks in Wk 8, on Thursday the 11th September. Below are some resources that you may like to integrate into your planning to complement your RRRR program. You can encourage and support an RU ok? Culture every day of the year by having regular, meaningful conversations which build trust and engagement within our school community.

The 4 steps of the RU Ok? Conversations:

1. Ask R U Ok?
2. Listen with an open mind
3. Encourage action
4. Check in

Here are some resources you may like to access for R U Ok? Day

School Closure Day - Thank you everyone for your enthusiastic participation on this day.  I really look forward to see co created prayer evolving at St Joseph’s

First Eucharist - St Joseph’s Church - first “Eucharist Celebrations will be on Sunday 31st August at the 10:30 and 6:00 mass.  Thank you to the grade 4 teachers who are coming to welcome and support the children on the day.  All staff are very welcome to come along. 

Choir: Our beautiful choir has a very busy time coming up and only one more practice is available. On Sunday, the 31st, they will be providing the music for the 6:00 first eucharist mass.  On Monday 1st, they are singing the National Anthem at the opening of the National Lawn Bowls Championships, and on Wednesday the 3rd, they are providing music during our night walk.   To give us a little more time to get things polished, I will be taking the choir for an extra practice next  Wednesday 27th, straight after the second break.  I apologise for any inconvenience caused. 

TAP - for anyone struggling to get your TAP hours DOBCEL staff are offering free online PD you can access. There is no need to book in for a session. Just click the link and join in. The sessions and links are available here:

• St. Joes got talent class representative names to Kath by Wednesday week 6.
• Students will need to provide music on USB. 1-2 minutes long no longer. Make sure music is appropriate with no suggestive content or swear words. 
• Students need to bring all equipment from home unless arranged prior with myself or the arts team e.g keyboards etc. 
• I will notify students performing in arts week by the end of next week by email to the class teacher. 
• Please check through the incursion time table for Jon Madin and activity itinerary. Please add a small image of what you are making in the box under your name so we don’t have double ups and have a variety of activities. ( contact me if you need help)
• Fill in the google doc I reshared if you need any art room supplies. 
• The Hall and E5 will be out of use for weeks 6 & 7 
• Help needed on: 

• Monday September 1st at 7:30 am . Needing help unloading instruments from Jon Madin musicians van. The more help we have we should be able to do it quickly. They aren’t heavy but just lots of instruments. He will also need help packing up Friday after assembly too. 
• Wednesday 3 Sept- 3  3:30 straight after school if each unit area and specialist could meet for 30 minutes to help put lights in their year level lanterns. I will have a map sorted and everything you need outside. This will save me hours. 

• If each class could please practice the song - Light a candle for peace, with your classy on email I sent last week.

Interventions that happen in E5 will need to find another space during Week 6, as that room is quickly filling up with Arts Week props! There will be no literacy interventions during Week 7 (Arts Week). Also, just a reminder that intervention groups should still be happening four times a week, even if there are only two children present. The programs end up taking too long to complete if lessons are not taught due to absence. Those that are at school need to be having their four lessons a week. LSOs - please let me know if you have any planned days off and I will endeavour to cover your lessons for you. Thank you.

End of day lock up:  Tom will now finish his day at 4.15pm (instead of 4pm) to move the lock up back a little later.  Please be mindful though to have your keys (particularly years 5 & 6) if you leave your rooms before this time.

Photocopy Machines:  When needing to repalce the toners cartirdges in nay of the machines, please make sure you are collecting the correct cartridge for that machine (
EVERY cartridge box has a machine number on it that MUST match the machine it is going into).  You also need to check the correct toner colour is being put in.

Refer to the newsletter or PAM for further details on all these events.

Week 5

Fathers Day Breakfast orders remain open

School Dental Van remains on site

Whole School Assembly, Room B5: 2:40pm, Friday 22nd August

Week 6

Year 4 Swimming Commences: Monday 25th August

Community Groups: 1:45pm, Friday 29th August

No Whole School Assembly (Community Groups): Friday 29th August

First Eucharist Mass: 10:30am and 6:00pm Sunday 31st August

Week 7

Arts Week Commences: Monday 1st September

PSA Meeting: 7:00pm, Tuesday 2nd September

Arts Week Night Walk: 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Wednesday 3rd September

Father’s Day Breakfast: 7:00 - 9:00pm, Friday 5th September

Whole School Assembly, Arts Week: Friday 5th September

Converge International is a free and confidential support service for staff and their families.   Ph 1300 687 327

• Tom Wormald - 20th August
• Joel Saywell - 31st August