EBA - The deadline for completing the survey has been extended till Monday 27th.  If you have not completed it there is still a chance to have your say. 

Leadership and Staffing Thanks to everyone who put themselves forward for leadership next year and beyond. I should have this sorted out shortly.  Following this process I will be able to share class levels for next year.  Thanks for your patience. 

My Week ahead  I will be in Horsham Wed Thurs and Friday attending my last Diocesan Leadership Gathering. Also the St Joes Leadership team will be at the parish office on Tuesday working  on the 2026 Annual Action Plan.  Ebony will be in the office to support any eventualities that arise.

With the senior playground being under demolition/construction, can the yard duty teachers on the passive play & Basketball courts keep a close eye on that area.

I will be absent on Thursday and Friday this week. Please call Marlie on 0413 973 979 for any absence on Friday. Call me up until 8:30 Thursday morning for an absence on Thursday. Note that Gabe and Marlie will be the leadership onsite on Thursday and Friday. 

Tuesday 28th October:  General staff meeting - Marlie will meet with new staff regards reports etc

Please note that the staff meeting in week 4, has been transferred to Monday 3rd November, for the Diversity of Autism PD 4pm - 5.30pm

There will be no whole school assemblies at the moment due to the hall not being available

We are hoping the hall will be available for Friday 14th November (Week 6)

Please read in conjunction with the Upcoming events list.

Week 4:

Monday 27th October:  Year 2 swimming commences; MAI testing in C19

Wednesday 29th:  Leadership Team meeting

Thursday 30th:  Matt at Principals Meeting in Horsham

Friday 31st:  Matt at Principals Meeting in Horsham

Week 5:

Monday 3rd November:  Year 2 swimming continues; MAI Testing in C19; Cathy at training Monday to Thursday.

Tuesday 4th November:  Melbourne Cup Day

Wednesday 5th November:  School; Advisory Council Meeting; Planned move of the portables to commence

Thursday 6th November:  Planned move of portables

Friday 7th November:  Book week dress up day; Division Cricket; Planned reconnection of all services to the portables

WOOF Day: You are invited to wear orange  this Friday 31/10 (Wear Orange on Friday) to fundraise for the Story Dogs Program of which we have 4 students participating. St Joseph's Story Dog Information. Story dogs have been in partnership with our school since 2023.

Draft 4 Expected Behaviours Matrix

Positive Behaviour Matrix will be shared at PLT meetings for feedback following modifications.

Interoception and Self-regulation resources from Student Wellbeing Hub. A reminder about the benefits and how to use them. 

Interoception & self-regulation

Wellbeing SIT team minutes

Catholic School culture team minutes

TAP hours - Well done! Most of you have got this sorted.  If you are someone who is unsure how to go about this please come and see me.  I can sit with you for ten minutes and we can get it sorted. 

Book Week Dress Up and Parade

Friday 7th November - will be an optional ‘Book Week’ Dress-Up Parade and short Assembly prepared by our Year 6 Library Leaders.  We will use this occasion to celebrate the conclusion of the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge and present awards to those who finished the Challenge and to announce the Class Winners who read the most books during the Challenge! You are more than welcome to join us in the School Hall from 9am, for a 9:15am start.

Please email me with any questions you might have about these two events to: elloyd@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Security Shredding bins: We now have two Secure Document Shredding bins that are located beside the lost property.  These are emptied once per month so please feel free to put everything in there that needs to be shredded.  I do have a key if have a large lot to drop in, but by the nature of them being secure, they do need to remain locked otherwise.

Update on Building Program:

Braith for Nunn Haulage has now pencilled Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th (Week 5) of November to move the portables.  This will take them the two days, and then we will need a couple of days to have all of the services reconnected.  If this all goes to plan we will be able to move the classrooms back late in week 6 (keep praying).

Playground update:

The parent playground committee are holding their working bee on Saturday 25th October to remove the current senior playground and clear the site in readiness for the installation team.  

On Friday 7th November (week 7) the pre-installation team will arrive and set up the temporary fencing and start setting up the site.  On Monday 10th November the installation will commence, this will take approximately two weeks.  After this the parents will be working on the new edging etc and replacing the softfall mulch.

Training: I will be attending training from Monday 3rd to Thursday 6th November for our new Finance system (here we go again!)

2026 Staff Diaries:  As you all start to hold your  2026 planning days etc, and you want to start purchasing your diaries, you can purchase them from Office national (old Tobins) and they will book them to the school account (please use your name as the purchase reference) or if you purchase one from anywhere else, please use the reimbursement link below uploading a copy of your receipt and I will reimburse you.

2026 Leave Application:  2026 Leave Application Form link

How to look up your leave balances:  In case you are wanitng to check your LSL balances, or your personal leave balances at any time, here is the instructions I had created for staff to use.  For TIL balances you will need to actually come and see, or send me an email.  

How to look up leave balances on CEVN

Maintenance Request Link:  This has now been added under school links in SIMON  

Copies of previous memos:  If you are looking for a copy of a previous memo, they in SIMON under the school links tab /  staff communication / Staff Memo Archives (for the new system memos)

For all Staff Reimbursements, please use this link:  Staff Reimbursement Form

Filling out forms

If a parent gives you a form from a GP or Specialist to fill out, can you please bring it to me without filling it in. 

I will then release you to sit and fill it out with my support.

These reports should not be given back to the parent. They are to be posted or dropped off directly to the paediatrician at their clinic.

Thank you

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

Week 3

No Whole School Assembly: Friday 24th October

Week 4

Year 2 Swimming Commences: Monday 27th October

WOOF (Wear Orange On Friday): Friday 31st October

No Whole School Assembly: Friday 31st October

Week 5

Year 2 Swimming Continues: Monday 3rd November

Book Week Dressup Day Parade: 9am, Friday 7th November

Whole School Assembly, Room D1: 2:40pm, Friday 7th November (TBC)

Week 6

Foundation Swimming Commences: Monday 10th November

Whole School Assembly, Room B7: 2:40pm, Friday 14th November (TBC)

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

• Matt McMillan - 27th October
• Kara Wolff - 29th October

St Joseph’s Christmas Party

Warrnambool Golf Club Function  Room

Friday 19th December (last day of work for 2025) 

5.00pm - 11.00pm 

$30 per staff member

$60 per CRT or partners

Please pay Cathy at the office by December 1st, and

Please add your name to this doc if you can attend