Newsletter 26 2023
Principal's Report
Hello to Families and all in the St Joseph's School Community, Holy God, you are the creator of the Earth and all that is in it, the whole interconnected web of life of which we are a part.
Thank you for this earth, our home, and for this land we call Australia.
We sing in gratitude for the beauty of our country:
for fresh air, wind and rain;
for wide skies and dense bush; vast deserts; flame red rocks for rivers, oceans and lakes brimming with life.
for the unique animals, fish, birds, insects and reptiles for whom this country is also home.
Welcome to Term Four! What a wonderfully refreshing way to start Term Four with welcome rain to nourish our crops, gardens and spirits! Term Four, as always promises to be busy as we work our way towards the end of the 2023 school year. Transition programs for both our Grade 6 students and the Kinder students will be an important part of the term as we reflect on the journey of both of these groups of children. This term we welcome Mr Whatnall back to the Junior Classroom, after a period of Long Service Leave, and hope he has enjoyed seeing the happy faces of his students again!
Best wishes to staff and students for a productive, engaging and fun term ahead!
STOMP DANCING
Kira and Jess from the STOMP Dance Studio have been instructing students this week in all things dance related. They are an amazing organisation that really know their craft and how to get the best from their students. It has been fantastic to see the effort and participation from all St Joseph’s students. Students have their final session on Friday which is followed by a presentation of some of the dances they have learnt this week. Please note the information below.
ON FRIDAY ALL PREP – YEAR 6 STUDENTS BEGIN DANCE AT 9:00AM AND ARE TO BE DROPPED OFF/ GET OFF THE BUS AT CHARLTON COLLEGE. ST JOSEPH’S STAFF WILL BE THERE TO GREET THE STUDENTS. ALL STUDENTS ARE TO WEAR CASUAL CLOTHES ON FRIDAY.
ALL PARENTS AND INTERESTED MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO WATCH THE DANCE PRESENTATIONS IN THE COLLEGE STADIUM FROM 9:45-10:30AM.
RELIGION NEWS
Mission Month
Traditionally, the Catholic Church uses October as Mission month. During October, Catholic Mission invites schools to familiarise themselves with a community in need of support. In 2023 the focus in on a number of projects within Timor-Leste, specifically in Venilale. Students will learn about Timor-Leste and also explore the work of missionaries, who work in areas of need, and the important role they play in helping communities to live independently and overcome different challenges. As a school community we will celebrate Mass on WEDNESDAY 25th OCTOBER at 9:15am and will keep you updated on any social justice service students might choose to undertake during this month.
Sacramental Program
This year, students in Grade 5 & 6 who are wanting to make their First Reconciliation will be given the opportunity during Term Four. First Reconciliation will take place on THURSDAY 7th DECEMBER at 6:00pm as a part of the Parish Advent Reconciliation service. Students will be prepared during school time by Mrs Hogan.
If parents have any questions regarding the Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Eucharist & Confirmation, or regarding Reconciliation, don’t hesitate to contact Mrs Hogan at the school.
SCHOOL VIDEO
Next week on Monday and Tuesday there will be a small crew visiting the school to shoot a video about St Joseph’s School. This video will be used for providing information and promoting our school on our website. Please ensure students are in their usual school uniforms on these days.
SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
Our weekly school assembly will be held each THURSDAY at 2:45pm. Parents, families and those in our St Joseph’s School Community are most welcome to join us in the Multi-Purpose Room at these times. We will share in prayer, celebrate birthdays, recognise student achievement, sing the national anthem and share school news.
SCHOOL CLOSURE DAYS
Please note the following school closure days for Term Four. Students are not required at school on these days.
TUESDAY 31st OCTOBER – Structured Literacy Professional Development for all staff
MONDAY 6th NOVEMBER – Staff Report Preparation Day
TUESDAY 7th NOVEMBER – Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
BENDIGO BANK 20th BIRTHDAY
Students are invited to join in the Charlton & District Community Bank 20th Birthday celebrations on TUESDAY 17th OCTOBER. Students WILL NOT require their lunch on this day as we will be joining in the community barbecue. Students who do not like a barbecue may bring their packed lunch along to the celebration.
KANGA 8s CRICKET
Grade 4, 5 & 6 students will travel to Boort on THURSDAY 19th OCTOBER to participate in the Kanga 8s Cricket tournament.
VIC KIDS EAT WELL
St Joseph’s has joined the Vic Kids Eat Well movement! This organisation is a community that is passionate about making sure children and young people have the fuel they need to learn, play, grow and thrive. My aim is to get our Community Garden operating effectively, allowing students to be involved in the planting, harvesting and cooking of the food sources we produce. We have already been gifted some cooking equipment, a toaster and a blender! The organisation will also help with student cooking sessions and providing opportunities for students to try new foods (eg sushi). If anyone is interested in helping to tidy up the Community Garden, please contact Mary Hogan at the School Office.
SCHOOL CAMPS & EXCURSIONS
Grade 3 & 4 students will join their peers from St Arnaud and Donald Catholic Schools, for an overnight camp to the Pioneer Settlement in Swan Hill on the 27th & 28th of November.
F-2 students will have a day excursion later this term.
Further details to follow.
STUDENT ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
Under Department of Education Regulations, typically the only acceptable reasons for absence from school are illness and medical or dental appointments that cannot be arranged outside of school hours. In accordance with the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, schooling is compulsory for children and young people aged from 6-17 years. It is a legal requirement that parents contact the school regarding any student absences or lateness.
In the event of any absence or lateness, a note, phone call, text message or email to the school is required. This must be done before 9:30am on the day of absence, explaining the reason for absence on that day.
Important Dates
October 9 & 10th - School Video Shoot
October 17th - Charlton District Community Bank Birthday BBQ Lunch
October 19th - Grades 4-6 Kanga 8s Cricket in Boort
October 25th - Mission Month Mass at 10:15am
October 31st - SCHOOL CLOSURE - Structured Literacy
November 3rd - School Information Session for prospective students
November 6 & 7th - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAYS - Melbourne Cup
November 27 & 28th - Grade 3 & 4 Camp to pioneer Settlement
December 7th - First Reconciliation at 6:00pm
December 12th - End of Year Mass and Dinner
December 15th - Students last day for Term Four
Mary Hogan
Principal
Foundation/1/2 Class Report
It's been great to see everyone back at school for Term 4 and to reacquaint ourselves with each other after some time apart. The students have been lucky enough to start the term with daily dancing classes at the college with our 'Stomp' dance instructors Jess & Kira. Each morning the junior students have enjoyed learning a new dance with the Stomp dance crew stepping them through the moves bit by bit before putting everything together for a final performance. The students are looking forward to performing for our families this Friday. All welcome!
This week we've also been getting ready for the Charlton Art Show with every student creating mutiple pieces of artwork of which they'll have to choose one to showcase. The students have had many artistic experiences in school this year and we decided to revisit some of these by creating: a lifelike drawing, a painting, a collage and a mixed media piece. It was great to see how the students' skills and artistic talents have grown over two terms and to see what they were able to create was very impressive.
A few important things to note:
* Sport day is Wednesday, runners can be worn to school on this day.
* Homework will be coming home each week on a Monday and should be returned by Friday (Optional)
* With the weather warming up, please make sure hats and drinkers are labeled and packed for school each day. No hat means that you'll need to stay in the shade.
* I can be contacted on Class Dojo or via email at: jwhatnall@sjcharlton.catholic.edu.au
If you have any questions or concerns or wish to meet with us before reporting later this term, please let us know. Have a great term ahead everyone!
Grade 3/4 Class Report
Welcome to Term 4!
The 3/4 class have enjoyed our STOMP Dance program this week. They have loved the high energy and speed of the various dance routines that they have learnt with Kira and Jess this week.
In Literacy this week we have begun by completing a few writing tasks focused on the student’s holidays. Students have consolidated their writing skills through appropriate sentence structure, phrasing, sequencing, spelling and punctuation. Students have also proofread and edited their writing. In our structured literacy, students have been revising their learning from last term in a daily review with the whole class. We have revised the ‘oo’ phoneme, syllable types, sentences and fragments, compound words and contractions. This week we are focusing on the phoneme ‘y’ as in ‘y and u’. We are continuing to focus on handwriting, paired fluency reading, spelling strategies and rules focused on these phonemes through activities in our No Nonsense Phonics.
In Maths this week we are revising our understanding of counting from zero and non zero starting points. We are revising our multiplication tables (focused on x6 this week) and working on improving our speed and automaticity. Students are revising addition and subtraction strategies-both written and mental with carrying over and borrowing. We are exploring 3-5 digit numbers to revise these strategies. Students have also worked on word problems/problem solving with addition and subtraction. We have discussed particular language used in these problems, highlighting the important information, using clues to highlight the process needed and identifying the question and the amount of steps needed. Some students are working independently on single step word problems and others are working independently on two step word problems.
In Religion we have begun a new unit called ‘Action.’ We are consolidating our previous learning in Religion over the year through our units on GROWTH, RESPECT and IDENTITY. We are exploring how these ideas now transfer into our understanding of ACTION. Students discussed the idea of issues (personal, community based and global) and how people can individually and collectively respond to these. We listened to a reading of Finding Our Heart by Thomas Mayor & Blak Douglas and discussed what the Uluru Statement was.
Grade 5/6 Class Report
Welcome to Term Four, the final term of primary school for our Grade 6 students! Congratulations to all students for their performance in “Quest – a New Hero in Fantasyland” at the end of last term. It was amazing to see the growth in confidence and performance over the rehearsal period. Well done everyone!! This term we welcome Brody Giles as term leader; I’m sure we will be in capable hands and I hope Brodie enjoys his time of leadership. STOMP Dancing has been a fun and energetic way to start the term and it’s been great to see students’ participation.
ENGLISH
Our Literacy Block has been minimal each day as we have been at STOMP Dancing. I have taken the opportunity to use these shorter sessions to complete some assessments and follow up with revision as required. Over the next couple of weeks, we will continue to use these assessments to direct teaching and learning. We will revise punctuation, grammar, reading skills and comprehension and will revisit varied writing genres.
MATHEMATICS
Similarly, in Mathematics this week, we have been assessing and revising the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). Students have been practising the individual time table facts they are yet to master and using digital support to practise halving and doubling. This term we will revise all topic areas and will explore further fractions, decimals and ways to solve worded problems. Mrs Wright will focus on Data Collection and Representation as her starting topic each Wednesday.
HOMEWORK
Students have weekly spelling to learn and a reader for nightly practice. Please note that some list words may be easy to spell but are included to develop vocabulary and meaning. The HOMEWORK HOUND online homework will continue to be available for any students who wish to use this at home. I also continue to provide a homework sheet for students, which is due back each Friday. Please prioritise reading, spelling, tables practice and homework sheet, in that order, completing what you are able to.
Mary Hogan.
Child Safe Standards
CHILD SAFETY
The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a central and fundamental responsibility of Catholic Education. St Joseph’s School is committed to strengthened practice for the protection of children in line with the Victorian Government child safety reforms.
THE 11 CHILD SAFE STANDARDS
Standard 1
Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 1
Standard 2
Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 2
Standard 3
Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 3
Standard 4
Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 4
Standard 5
Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 5
Standard 6
People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 6
Standard 7
Processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 7
Standard 8
Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 8
Standard 9
Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 9
Standard 10
Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 10
Standard 11
Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.
Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 11
Community News
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We thank them for sharing their cultures, spiritualities and ways of living with the land, in this place we all now call home.