Dear Parents and Guardians,

It’s been an eventful few weeks at our school! We celebrated Book Week with a delightful performance by Tony Bones, bringing stories to life in a way that captivated students and staff alike. Families joined us for our heartwarming Prayers in Pyjamas evening, creating special moments of reflection and prayer. Our MLA students enjoyed an exciting excursion to Scienceworks, and students across all year levels have been refining their dance techniques in preparation for our upcoming school performance. We can’t wait to see their hard work come to life on stage!

It was fabulous to see so many fathers, grandfathers and family members onsite on Monday afternoon. There was a buzz in every classroom and l am sure that all our visitors enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside their children in the classrooms.

It will be wonderful to celebrate Father’s Day at assembly today and to have so many families attend to share this important event. Special thanks (in advance) to all attendees and to our wonderful Parents and Friends who organised our very successful Father’s Day Stall.

Working together to be SAFE

Creating a safe and supportive learning environment is a shared responsibility, and it plays a vital role in helping our students thrive. When students feel secure, they are better able to concentrate, engage in learning, and build positive relationships. A sense of safety reduces stress and anxiety, allowing students to participate more confidently and take intellectual risks. It also contributes to stronger academic outcomes and healthy social-emotional development. By working together, establishing clear expectations, fostering respectful relationships, promoting inclusivity, and empowering student voice, we can ensure that every student feels valued and protected. This collective effort lays the foundation for meaningful learning and long-term success.

Community Illness

We have recently had a number of students and staff away from school due to illness. We kindly ask families to continue monitoring their children’s health and to keep them at home if they are unwell. This helps us protect the health of all in our community.

P & F Father's Day Stall and Raffle

A very big thank you to our P & F members, who organised a wonderful stall and raffle for the students to celebrate Father's Day. This was a lovely opportunity for the children to purchase gifts for their loved ones, as well as being a profitable fundraising event. Thank you to everyone who donated a raffle prize, helped on the stall, wrapped gifts, folded raffle tickets and all the other many 'behind the scenes' activities, which go into making these events so great for our children. Special thanks to ~ Mel, Marelia, Melisa, Daniela, Emma, Lara, Rachel, Amanda, Sarwat, Sandy, Danielle, Abby, Laura, Christine, Melissa, Renee and Jacqui.

MACSSIS Family School Improvement Survey

Each year we ask families, students and staff to share their perceptions about how our school is going. At St Joseph the Worker, we believe it is important that families have a voice and contribute to the shaping of improvement in our school. Parent feedback is invaluable to our progress as a strong school community.

Some families have been invited to participate in our annual online Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys (MACSSIS). Families will have received an email with the details of how to complete the survey. We encourage families to participate in the survey however, it is not compulsory.

3 Way Conversations

Our 3 Way Conversations, which will take place today Wednesday September 17th and Thursday September 18th. We have allowed 15-minute appointment times, and all parents are expected to attend to discuss your child’s achievements and future learning priorities.

The 3 Way Conversation is an opportunity for students, teachers, and parents to talk about the student’s strengths, the areas for future learning. The 3 Way Conversations strengthen the home-school partnerships and allow our students to see their parents and teacher working together with them.

The 3 Way Conversations provide a forum to acknowledge student progress and celebrate their achievements. We want this to be an affirming experience where parents are encouraged to provide positive feedback to their child based on the work they share.

We understand that some conversations are not always appropriate to have in front of your child. If there is a matter that you wish to discuss privately with your child’s teacher, students will be able to wait outside the classroom after they have shared their learning goal.

R U OK Day? Thursday 11th September

This year R U Ok is being held Thursday, 11th September. R U OK? is calling on everyone to Ask R U OK? any Day because life happens every day.

This is our National Day of Action when we remind each other that every day is the day to ask, ‘are you OK?’ and start a meaningful conversation whenever we observe that someone we care about may be struggling with life.

As a school we take mental health very seriously. Supporting our community to continue to have important conversations is crucial especially if you have noticed changes in a family member, your child, a friend or a colleague. Don't underestimate the difference each of us can make to others by simply asking R U OK?

Jane has provided further information for families in the Wellbeing section of our newsletter and l encourage parents to review this and discuss this important day and its meaning with their children.

School Fees

Thank you to the families who have paid their fees in full. We still have a very high number of outstanding fees and remind families that the final instalment of fees is due October 31st (unless you are paying by direct debit).

It is important that all school fees are paid in full and on time to enable the school to meet its financial obligations. Families with students in Year 6 are asked to finalise their accounts as soon as possible. Do not hesitate to contact Marisa if you would like to discuss your account, set up a direct debit payment plan or discuss support.

Our School Performance

Our students are currently very busy refining their dance moves in preparation for our school performance on Monday, 15th September. Our school performances are an important part of the curriculum, offering students a rich opportunity to build confidence, express creativity, and work collaboratively. These experiences are not only memorable but also play a vital role in their personal and educational development.

A heartfelt thank you to all staff for their dedication and tireless efforts in preparing our students for the stage. In particular, I would like to acknowledge our talented producer and director, Krystal, whose vision and leadership have shaped this performance so beautifully. She has been wonderfully supported by our marketing team, Rosa and Mary, whose creativity and attention to detail have helped promote and market our event to the wider community. Our performance committee of Jackie, Cherrie, Daniel, Sally, Maryanne, Chloe, Lina, Kate and Eleni have been fabulous in assisting with all the planning and organisation to ensure a wonderful night for both performers and members of our audience.

The ongoing support of all staff has also been instrumental. This truly has been a team effort and l am sure that our performance will be an enjoyable evening for all.

We are also especially grateful to Brian Hanley and the team at St Monica’s for their generous support and hospitality. It is a privilege to present our performance in such a welcoming and inspiring venue.

Casual Clothes – Wednesday, 17th September

On Wednesday, 17th September, all students are welcome to dress in their favourite sporting team colours on this day. We ask families for a gold coin donation as part of our school’s ongoing commitment to supporting Vivian with her education in Tanzania.

Wishing a very happy Father’s Day to all our amazing dads and grandfathers!

May your Sunday be filled with love, gratitude and special moments shared with those who appreciate all that you do. Thank you for the strength, care and guidance you bring to our families and community.

May St Joseph the Worker bless you and watch over you and your family at this time.

Kind regards,

Maria Barnes

Principal

Prep