Principal's Report

School Presentation Day: Friday 10 December 

In adhering to current COVID regulations, our presentation event will be a closed event, with our student population only and with the inclusion of specifically ONLY invited guests; those who have a specific role in presenting an award or playing a key part. All of this will happen COVID style. Invited guests must be fully vaccinated and socially distanced protocols will be implemented.  

By 10 December, in the potential event of  more inclusive changes being introduced, allowing for parent/carer inclusion, those parents and carers who are fully vaccinated will be welcome to attend. Social distancing will apply. COVID marshalls will  be in place ensuring our event meets the responsibilities we have for our community safety. My wish is for this to eventuate. The opportunity to meet the parent community has been absent from my time as Acting Principal.  

The school misses the inclusion of our parents in the day to day activities which we have previously enjoyed for a long time, up until 2019. It is not possible to predict what the restrictions will be like by 10 December. It is a waiting game.  Should we be able to physically include you in this event, we certainly will. Should the event remain a closed event, the awards ceremony will be live streamed enabling all families access to the event. 

The parent/carer community will be kept informed. 

Semester 2 Reports 

Student Reports will be made available to the parent/carer community via the Compass portal on Wednesday 8 December. Responding to your feedback, Semester 2 Reports will have the inclusion of comments for Mathematics and English, while Kindergarten has the additional inclusion of a social comment. For parents and carers who wish to take the opportunity to engage in student-led parent/ teacher conferences or parent/teacher conferences, this window of opportunity will be open from  9 December (Thursday) until 12 noon 15 December (Wednesday). This is the chance to capture more elaborated information from your child’s teacher. You are invited to contact your child’s teacher/s to arrange this occasion. 

Annual School Survey 

Thank you for the input into the 2022 Annual Survey. With pleasing affirmation, St Joseph’s, like all schools, is constantly working on school improvement. The school is open to building on areas where your feedback suggests that improvement can be made. This will be passed on to the next Principal for review. 

School Advisory Council & Parents and Friends Association (P&F) 

2022 will be the year for St Joseph’s School parent/carer community to rally behind the bodies  of School Advisory Council (SAC) and Parents and Friends Association (P&F). A shout out in Term 3 for interested potential persons for positions yielded no response. The challenges of AGMs and information sessions for interested SAC and P&F office holders understandably proved far too difficult during our COVID lockdowns and associated restrictions. Consequently, at this point in time, these bodies are “resting." 

By virtue of having a child enrolled at St Joseph’s School, all parents and carers are members of the P&F. Some parents are interested and able to be very active members while others support the work of the P&F in other ways such as attending/supporting the activities organised. The work of the P&F is two fold; school community engagement and fundraising. I am grateful to the P&F  for accepting the opportunity to rally a vaccinated team, along with school staff, to enable a disco to happen for our students. Additionally, on this occasion, for accepting my request for a low cost entry fee for the disco, as a means of acknowledging and supporting our parents/carers in what has been a difficult six months, and even twelve months. This activity will probably be a break even ,perhaps a little bit of profit for the P&F, however, this event is about community engagement. Thank you P&F, great work!  

When restrictions change in 2022, I am confident that St Joseph’s School will have two important bodies actively at work supporting our school. Please give this your consideration. The incoming Principal will have these bodies as high priorities for the commencement of the school year. 

Start and Finish Dates 2021/ 2022 

• 15 December (Wednesday) 2021:  Last day of 2021 school attendance for students
• 2 February (Wednesday) 2022:      ALL students K-6 return for the start of the 2022 school year. Attendance counts, EVERY DAY. Learning commences this week. 
•  In 2022, there will be one day only in the school calendar for a further Pupil Free Day.