Newsletter 2 2024
Principals Report
Hello to Families and all in the St Joseph's School Community,
This week we were certainly reminded of the force and power of nature with the storm event on Tuesday. Thankfully, news of the storm has not included injury to community members. The safety of staff and students was our main priority at St Joseph’s and it was great to have all make it safely home. Showing true St Joseph’s spirit, I thank Brett Schofield, Jake Lanyon & Luke Zagame who spent time yesterday, clearing our school yard of fallen timber and debris. We appreciate your time and effort in making the playground safe for staff and students.
Thank you to those family and community members who were able to attend our opening Mass of welcome last Friday. The school year is well and truly underway, with assessments in action and new routines being established. We hope our swimming program can continue, if the pool is ready for use, and it will conclude with a water safety focus and our Swimming Carnival on Tuesday 20th February from 12-2:30pm.
This week we celebrated Shrove (Pancake) Tuesday, and the commencement of Lent in the Catholic Liturgical calendar, on Ash Wednesday. For Christians, Lent is a time of preparation in readiness for the time of Easter. During Lent, people are challenged to think more of others than themselves, as Jesus showed by his example. Project Compassion boxes were distributed after Ash Wednesday Mass, for students to take home to families. During Lent, options are given to pray more, donate money or items/toys/clothing you no longer use and to fast (go without or reduce) things such as treats and screen time. Of course, these Lenten practices are invitational. At school we focus on supporting Project Compassion. Project Compassion offers us a way that we, as a Catholic school, can follow the example of Jesus and respond with compassion to those who are in need both in Australia and all around our world.
A reminder that staff are available for contact if you have any questions or concerns and don’t hesitate to call in and see me at any time. A journey in faith and education supported by shared communication provides the best outcomes for all students.
I can be contacted via the school phone or on mobile number 0419137966 from 8:00am -5:00pm and after hours as required.
Please note Cate’s Office hours are 8:00am – 3:00pm Monday – Thursday.
Mary Hogan
Principal
RELIGION
The Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation will be offered in 2024 for students in Grades 3&4 who wish to complete the Sacraments of Initiation. This will likely be in May and I will confirm the date as soon as possible.
If any families wish to enquire about the sacraments, including Baptism, please contact myself or Fr Gerry.
Meet Miss Brown
Miss Brown has rescheduled her parent-teacher meeting to Monday 19th February. I hope she is feeling better and ready to meet parents, learn about individual students and set goals for the term. An invitation to attend has been sent via the PAM parent communication app. Please rebook your preferred time from those provided.
*Please note Grades 3-6 will have parent meetings towards the end of Term One.
Weekly Assembly
Staff and students meet each Monday at 12:40pm for a whole school assembly. We pray together, recognise birthdays, student achievement and sing the National Anthem. Parents, grandparents and friends are most welcome to attend. Our first assembly will be on Monday 26th February, after the Swimming Program concludes. All welcome.
Swimming Lessons
We are hopeful the Swimming Pool will be available for our Swimming Carnival on Tuesday 20th February, from 12:00pm – 2:30pm.
School Attendance
All children are expected to be at school ready to begin by 8:55am. Arriving on time for school is important. The first 10 minutes of school is a vital time of the day when the day's routine and structure is established. It is a time for ‘tuning in’ and focusing on the learning intentions for the day. It is very difficult for children arriving late to ‘catch up on this missed information. Parents are required to phone through to the office the child’s absence on the day, or enter it through our school Parent Access Module (PAM). If there has been no contact from the family before 9:30am on the morning of the absence, you will receive a call or sms from the office to confirm the child’s absence from school. This is a legislated requirement.
DOBCEL Student-Free Guidelines and Procedures
Student-free days are days where students do not attend school within the gazetted attendance period but are designated for staff professional development, school professional development activities, planning and/or report-writing. Each year, the first day of term one and the last day of term four will be a student-free day in all schools. PLEASE NOTE THE STUDENT-FREE DATES FOR 2024.
Friday 22 March Mental Health and Wellbeing PD
Monday 20 May Religious Education Cluster
Monday 22 July Structured Literacy
Monday 4 November Assessment & Reporting
Tuesday 5 November Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
Mary Hogan
Principal
Project Compassion
Ash Wednesday 14 February This week, the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. Please give generously to Caritas Australia this Lenten season and help vulnerable people around the world, now and for all future generations. With your support, Caritas Australia has been able to assist communities around the world through income generation, water and sanitation, food security, education and disaster risk reduction programs. Project Compassion 2024 reminds us that the good we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow. |
Students of the Week
St Joseph's School TV
St Joseph's is very excited to introduce a new initiative to help support the wellbeing of your students and better resource key staff. After all, happy and well supported students are better equipped to learn and succeed.
Because parenting doesn’t come with instructions, SchoolTV is an online wellbeing resource that can support you in the challenges of modern-day parenting. This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist you in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.
Parenting is a learning journey and SchoolTV supports families by providing credible information from trusted sources offering practical strategies with a focus to empower confidence when difficulties arise.
We invite you to visit our SchoolTV site and view the content. Discover a host of interesting topics featuring interviews with leading youth wellbeing experts and researchers from around the world offering hours of relevant and practical information. Additionally, each topic includes a compilation of related resources from key organisations providing a comprehensive stream of content. Resources include informative fact sheets, articles, apps, books, podcasts, websites, and other videos - all related to a single topic, in one place for easy access!
Start exploring SchoolTV today! https://sjcharlton.catholic.schooltv.me/
School Nurse Visit
Kerrie McCosh, primary school nurse, will be visiting our school on March 8th.
Foundation Grade Health Assessments: All parents/guardians of Foundation grade children will be asked to complete a Health Questionnaire online, before the day of the visit. A ‘postcard’ will be sent home from school with information about how to do this. If you do not wish your child to be seen by the school nurse, please go online and indicate the non-consent. If you need a paper copy of the questionnaire instead, please ask the school, or, phone Kerrie on 0428319636. Thank you.
Referrals (Grades 1-6): Parents and/or teachers may refer children from any grade for assessments of vision, hearing, basic speech, physical abilities, medical conditions, behavioural and parenting issues. Please collect a referral form from the school office. Completed forms are to be handed into the school office prior to March 8th. Should parents wish to have an interview with the School Nurse, please indicate your request on the form.
Please note: You can talk to the primary school nurse at any time throughout the year.
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.
Child Safety - digital images
Taking Photos/Video Footage
As we begin a new year a reminder to parents and family members to please ensure, when at school events, to take photos or video footage of your child/ren only. Please do NOT post photos of children, other than your own, at school events or wearing school uniform, on personal social media pages other than your own. Thank you for your cooperation in using social media respectfully helping to keep everyone in our school community safe online.
Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) applications are now available to
those eligible parents and carers who hold a valid concession card. Primary school students are eligible for $150 The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments for eligible students to attend activities like:
• school camps or trips
• swimming and school-organised sport programs
• outdoor education programs
• excursions and incursions.
Please email or call the office if you would like an application form. Existing families who have received CSEF and hold a valid concession card do not need to re-apply, but will need to send a copy of their Concession Card into the office.
School Broadband Initiative
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.