Week 4, Term 1

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been an incredibly busy and productive fortnight at St Joseph's and we have so much to share with you!

Staffing News

It is with great joy that we announce Mrs Maria Crawley, and her husband, Mark, are expecting their first child later this year! We are equally delighted to share that Mrs Cassie Gleeson and her husband, Will, are expecting their second child later this year. We look forward to celebrating these wonderful milestones and sharing in the excitement as our St Joseph’s community continues to grow.

Year 4 and 5 Assembly Items

Well done to our superstar Year 5s for their assembly presentation last week, celebrating the important role they play as Prep Buddies. Our Year 5s play such an important role in helping to settle the Preps into school life, and they have done such an incredible job. Well done Year 5s!

Today, Year 4MH presented their assembly item on Democracy. It was a fabulous trip through time, with wonderful examples of how we use and see democracy in our every day lives, in the world around us and at St Joseph's. Well done, Year 4MH!

Year 6 Canberra Camp

Yesterday evening, our Year 6 students and staff returned from their week-long Canberra Camp. Throughout the week, our students embraced every opportunity and were an absolute credit to themselves, their families and the school. Congratulations to our Year 6 cohort for representing our school so beautifully.

Canberra Camp provides rich, real-world learning opportunities that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom. Across the week, students visited Parliament House, Museum of Australian Democracy, National Electoral Education Centre, the Australian War Memorial, explored national museums and galleries, engaged in hands-on learning at Questacon, and visited the Australian Institute of Sport. These experiences deepen students’ understanding of Australia’s history, democracy, and national identity, while also building independence and resilience.

We sincerely thank families for entrusting us with their children for the week. Taking students away from the comforts of home and the familiar routines of school is a significant responsibility, and one we do not take lightly. Our staff value these opportunities to connect with students in different ways, outside the 'regular' routine of school life.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Miss Shanahan, Mr Jansson, Mr Sandler, Ms Bowman, Miss Lougheed and Mr Daffy for generously giving up a week of family time to ensure the camp was such a success. Like we did last year, students and staff flew home on Thursday evening, with Friday designated as a day at home. This allowed students time to rest and recover, while also acknowledging the significant commitment of staff through time in lieu arrangements, in line with EBA provisions following such an intensive camp experience. The day of rest was welcomed by both students and staff as a valuable and necessary pause after a full and rewarding week.

For our current Year 5 students, who will attend Canberra Camp as Year 6 students in 2027, the dates are February 8 - 12 (Term 1, Week 3). The 2027 camp will follow the same structure: travelling by bus on Monday, flying home on Thursday evening, and a rest day at home on Friday.

Parliament and Civics Education Rebate

Our Year 6 students have recently undertaken an educational tour of the National Capital. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. The Australian Government recognizes the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the National Capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship Education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $45 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Prep Success!

We are continuing to be amazed at how well our youngest students have settled into school life. They have responded superbly, and beyond expectations, to our daily routines. Dare we say, they are built for school! Their enthusiasm and adaptability have been such a joy to witness.

P&F Meeting

Thank you to the P&F Team for such a successful first meeting on Tuesday night. The Parents and Friends play a critical role in fostering a strong sense of community and wellbeing within the school. Many events for the year have been mapped out, focusing on student enjoyment, community engagement and, most importantly, fundraising. Please see the P&F Community Page for all the details! We encourage our families to sign up to the St Joseph's Digital Calendar so all dates are automatically updated on your mobile phone, and you never miss an event. Our next P&F Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday April 28 - all welcome.

School Athletics Day

As we prepare for our upcoming Athletics Carnival at Duncan Mackinnon Athletics Track on Friday 20 March 2026, we would like to sincerely thank our families for your flexibility and understanding regarding the updated drop-off and pick-up arrangements. We appreciate that direct drop-off and collection at the track may present logistical challenges for some families and we remind everyone that St Joseph’s will be providing bus transport to support our families who require drop off or pick up arrangements. All families need to do is please register their child's bus requirements via the nForma portal. To assist with planning and bus capacity, families requiring transport must complete the registration form by February 25, selecting AM, PM, or both. If you have any questions, please contact Garin Sandler at gsandler@sjelst.catholic.edu.au.

Creating the Right Conditions for Learning

At St Joseph’s, one of our key school-wide priorities this year is strengthening what we call our Conditions for Learning. This simply means putting consistent routines and structures in place across the school so every child feels calm, secure and ready to learn. When students know what to expect and experience the same clear expectations from classroom to classroom, it reduces anxiety, protects learning time, and allows teachers to focus on teaching rather than managing behaviour.

You may hear your child talk about routines such as how they enter the classroom in the morning, where they sit, how they line up, how they walk between lessons, or the signals teachers use to gain attention. These practices are intentional and are being used consistently across all year levels. They are not about being overly strict; they are about creating a safe, predictable environment where every student can thrive. When the conditions are right, students are more confident, more focused and more able to achieve their best.

MSL - Junior School Success

We are delighted with the strong and rigorous start to our MSL (Multisensory Structured Literacy) sessions across the Junior School. These sessions reflect our deep and ongoing commitment to evidence-based teaching and align with the MACS Vision for Learning, which places high expectations on explicit, systematic instruction to ensure every child can succeed. Our teachers are implementing best-practice approaches grounded in the Science of Reading, with a clear focus on precision, consistency and responsiveness to student progress. This strong foundation supports improved literacy outcomes and ensures our youngest learners are given the very best start to their learning journey.

Year 3 & 4: Democracy, Community & Me Incursion

On Monday, 16th February, our Year 3 and 4 students became leaders for the day during an exciting democracy workshop. As part of their 'Topic' unit, they learned how laws are made and discovered the different roles within the local government. The students ran their own mock election, practicing how to vote and count ballots to choose their classroom representatives. To finish the day, some students dressed up to role-play a council meeting, where they debated local issues and made important decisions together.

Year 5 & 6: Challenge, Leadership and Opportunity

Our Year 5 and 6 students have had an outstanding start to the year. They have settled confidently into senior school expectations, are working hard in their learning, and are highly engaged across the classroom and wider school life. It has been wonderful to see the confidence, maturity and enthusiasm our students are already demonstrating as senior members of the St Joseph’s community. Our Year 5 and 6 program is designed to stretch, inspire and deeply engage students at this pivotal stage of their learning. Our senior students are supported by a dedicated and experienced team of educators, including Miss Dusting, Mr Moldrich, Mrs Pepper, Miss Shanahan, Mr Jansson, Mr Sandler and Mr Daffy.

Our students are offered rich academic challenges through explicit, evidence-based teaching, alongside a broad range of enrichment opportunities that extend learning beyond the classroom, including:

• Prep Buddy Program (Year 5)

• Tournament of the Minds (Year 5 + 6)

• Da Vinci Decathlon (Year 5 + 6)

• Maths Olympiad (Year 5 + 6)

• Ethical Olympiad (Year 5 + 6)

• Australian Mathematics Competition (Year 5 + 6)

• Lead roles in our biennal School Production (Year 5 + 6, scheduled for 2027)

• Interschool Cricket, Soccer, Football, Netball, Tennis (Year 6)

• Canberra Camp (Year 6)

• Leadership Initiatives (Year 6)

• School Captains (Year 6)

Just as importantly, at St Joseph's our senior students are known, supported and valued. Remaining at St Joseph’s through to Year 6 allows our students to grow as leaders within a strong, connected community, develop deep relationships with peers and staff, and leave primary school with a strong sense of identity, purpose and readiness for secondary school. It is a powerful and rewarding final chapter of their primary years – and one we are immensely proud of.

Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday

Thank you to Mr Hayes, plus Fiona and Amanda in the office, who supplied us with pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. It was a wonderful treat that was thoroughly enjoyed by both students and staff alike. On Wednesday we gathered for the Ash Wednesday Mass for our school community. We thank Mr Hayes for putting the Mass together, Father Pat for serving as our celebrant on this day and a special congratulations to the students for their exemplary behaviour during Mass.

School Open Days & Tours for Enrolments 2027

Enrolments for Prep 2027 are open and we encourage all families to submit their applications as soon as possible. The enrolment application is to be completed via our School Website here: https://www.sjelst.catholic.edu.au/applynow

Our Open Days are scheduled for:

Tuesday February 24
Friday February 27
Monday March 2
Friday March 13

Please head to our School Website to book in a time. Our families are our greatest advocates, so keep spreading the good word about our amazing school to your friends and family. Tours are always welcome outside of these hours, so please contact the office at your earliest convenience should you be unable to make one of the above times.

School Closure Days

The school will be closed on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March as staff participate in two important professional learning days. MACSEYE will be operating on the two Pupil Free Days. Further information regarding bookings will be communicated directly to families.

On Thursday, the St Joseph's staff will undertake further training in the Berry Street Education Model, continuing our whole school commitment to strengthening student wellbeing, engagement and positive classroom practice. On Friday, staff will complete mandatory MACS compliance training, with a specific focus on Child Safety and Occupational Health and Safety requirements. This work ensures we continue to meet our obligations and uphold the highest standards of care, safety and governance across the school. The school will also be closed on Monday 9th March for the Labour Day Public Holiday.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN testing for 2026 will take place during the national assessment window from 11–23 March, with students in Years 3 and 5 participating.

At St Joseph’s, we approach NAPLAN in a calm and supportive way, helping students feel prepared and confident without adding pressure. All tests are completed using the school’s Chromebooks, with the exception of Year 3 Writing, which is handwritten.

At this point in time, the Year 3 and 5 students will complete the following tests:

Writing - Wednesday 11 March
Reading - Thursday 12 March
Conventions of Language - Monday 16 March
Numeracy - Tuesday 17 March

Closer to the testing period, families of Year 3 and 5 students will receive more detailed information about day‑to‑day arrangements.

NAPLAN 2026 information for parents and carers can be found by clicking the link.

If you have any concerns or questions about your child completing the NAPLAN assessments, please contact Luke Daffy or Gabe Sheahan directly.

Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund (CSEF)

If you have a Health Care Card that was current on 29/01/2026, please email Fiona (fscammell@sjelst.catholic.edu.au) for CSEF and Concessional Fee Rebate Application Forms (policy can be found on the school website). CSEF Applications close on 28th February.

Little Gems

Our Year 5 SRC Leaders hosted assembly today, in the absence of our Year 6 School Captains. Congratulations Anna, Evie, Eddy and Jack S, you did an exceptional job! We also congratulate our Year 5 Environment Leaders - Keira, Elsie, Harvey and Wyatt - for their first presentation of 'Joey' this week. Joey the Kangaroo is awarded to the class who demonstrates the best sustainable practices e.g. putting their rubbish in the correct bin, not creating too much waste and turning their lights off when not in the room.

We have had a steady stream of Year 1 and 2 superstars visiting the office, showcasing their superb bookwork. We are so proud of you!

Our Music and Visual Art specialist classes are in full swing, and we are thrilled to have Mrs Absalom (Music) and Mrs Lockett (Art) with us this year. Our students are in such capable (and creative) hands!

Congratulations to Evie (Year 5) for winning a signed copy of the Matildas book by Shelly Ware! Last year, Evie and her classmates participated in a 'Book Bash' with the author, and Evie won the book for her excellent participation.

Don’t forget, our first Open Day is on Tuesday! We encourage all families to continue spreading the good word about our wonderful school. We’re excited to showcase the terrific happenings across our classrooms, with our Year 6 students sharing their authentic experiences through student-led tours.

Thank you for another wonderful fortnight. We really are getting into the swing of things now and are excited for what is to come. Enjoy a restful weekend.

Claire Tobin

Principal