Term 1 Week 1 2022
Principal's Report
I wish a warm welcome to everybody, students, parents and staff, to the 2022 school year. We have 4 new preps beginning and a total number of 25 students and for the first time in my 40 years at St Joseph's we have 1 Grade 6 student.
In the junior classroom, Mrs Armstrong will be teaching Monday to Thursday and Mrs Karina Johnston will be teaching Friday for the first half of the year. Mr Jason Whatnall will be returning in Term 3 for the second half of the year. We welcome Karina to our staff and look forward to working with her this year.
Mrs Byrne will be full time in the senior room for the first half of the year and Mrs Winslade will be here on Tuesday again.
Next Monday the swimming programme will begin. This year we have teachers from Sloan Swim School in Bendigo coming up each day to teach the children. They will be swimming Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for 2 weeks. The shire is supplying a lifeguard for our use.
Prep students will have a rest day on Wednesdays until after the long weekend in March.
We have still only received the one box of RAT tests. If you would like one to test your child, please see Cate or Frank at the office. Testing is recommended but not compulsory.
Children in Grade 3-6 will be required to wear masks at all times while inside. For children in Grades prep to 2, it is recommended they wear masks. Some masks are avaiable at school but it is recommended that children bring their own mask from home.
As you know, we currently have a covid case in the school. If your child tests positive, you must inform the school as soon as possible and isolate at home for seven days. The school will contact all parents via email whenever we have a positive case.
If you have any questions regarding Covid protocols, feel free to contact Cate and she will attempt to answer for you.
Foundation/1/2 Class News
We have had a fantastic start to the year in the Foundation/1/2 classroom. On Tuesday we welcomed, Vinny, Mia, Madelyn and Lila to St Joseph's. We wish them all the best for their school journey and we hope they really enjoy their time here at St Joes.
We have been talking, 'All about me' and learning new things about each other. We have been doing some counting and place value activities and we have been reading some stories about how it feels to start school or to begin something new.
We want to wish Mrs Armstrong a speedy recovery and we can't wait to have her back at school next Monday. We welcome Mrs Johnston to school on Friday. None of us have met Mrs Johnston yet but we are really excited to get to know her.
Grade 3/4/5/6 Class News
Literacy: The students have started the year looking at the Australian Geographic 100 Aussie Icons picture. There are 100 different Aussie Icons in the picture. We have read the Buloke Shires report on the young citizen of the Year Tessa Fitzpatrick and we are thinking about all the qualities needed to be a fantastic Australian.
Religion: The Students are watching the movie titled The Lion King. During the screening we are looking at all the choices the characters are making in their lives and how those choices have assisted them.
Numeracy: The students are working hard on a little bit of everything - an overview of the maths curriculum.
Art: We are looking at Indiginous Art and have had a go at using the technique of painting with dots to create our own pictures.
Information
Camps Sports and Excursion Fund. If you have a current Health Care Card or Pension Card, you are eligible for the Camps Sports and Excursion Fund payment. Please contact Cate in the office for details.
Parent Consent Forms. The students will be bringing home their Parental Consent Forms. This form gives permission for the children to attend local events without us having to get specific permission every single time. Please read the details, make any changes necessary and return to school ASAP.
iPad Agreements. The Grade 3/4/5/6 students were given their iPad agreements on Tuesday to take home and get signed. Please take the time to read the parent expectations, read through the student expectations with your child and return signed as soon as possible.
Beginning of Year School Mass. The beginning of Year School Mass will be held on Wednesday 2nd March. This will be combined with the Ash Wednesday Mass. At this stage it will be held at 2:00p.m.
No buses Friday 18th February. There will be no buses on Friday 18th February because of the College swimming sports. Please arrange your own transport on this day.
School Photos. School photos are on Thursday 3rd March. Envelopes will arrive anytime soon.
Variety Club Classic Car Rally. The Variety Club Classic Car Rally will be at Charlton Park on Friday 4th March for lunch. St Joseph's parents will be catering for their lunch. We will be taking the children over to Charlton Park to have a look at all the cars. We will also be receiving a new set of class iPads for the junior room from the Variety Club as the result of a grant we received last year.
Tuckshop. Please remember to have all tuckshop orders in on Tuesday each week.
Bookclub. Bookclub is due in by Wednesday 9th February. Please use the LOOP app online if possible.
HUMOUR
A man walked into a Melbourne bar and ordered a pint of the dark liquid.
'Excuse me,' said the only other drinker. 'Is that an Irish accent I detect?'
'It is, sir. Dublin to be exact.'
'Bless my soul,' said the first. 'I'm a Dublin man meself. Ballymun to be precise.'
'Bedad, aren't I from Ballymun meself - Carberry Street in actual fact,' remarked the second.
'Carberry Street is where I was born and raised meself, and St Joseph's was me parish church, Father Dunne the parish priest.'
'Didn't I go to nine o'clock mass every Sunday at St Joseph's. What an amazingly small world. Did you go to St Joseph's School?'
'I did. I was in Miss Slattery's class.'
'God in heaven. So was I.'
Just then the phone rang and the Aussie barman said, 'Not too busy at the moment. In fact there's just the Murphy twins here.'