Dear families,

National Reconciliation Week

Each year, National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week give Australians time to acknowledge and reflect on the injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the role and responsibility we all have in the healing process as individuals, families, communities, organisations and government. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2024, Now More Than Ever, recognises our work needs to continue, in treaty making, in truth-telling, in understanding our history, in education, and intackling racism.

Across the school, students from St Joseph's have explored the theme with their classroom teachers, in addition to the Year 6 Social Justice Leaders running lessons for all classes. In each lesson the students unpacked the significance of National Sorry Day, what Reconciliation Week is and how we can be agents of change, before reading the story 'Listen' by Duncan Smith and Nicole Godwin.

Today, our SRC and Year 6 Social Justice Leaders presented at assembly, speaking about National Reconciliation Week and how "reconciliation is not a destination but a journey—a journey that requires commitment, understanding, and mutual respect". Thank you to the wonderful students for your call to action within our community.

As part of our ongoing commitment to reconciliation, we are very excited to announce that we have commissioned a local artist, Heather Kennedy, from the Bunurong Land Council to design a piece of art for our school. The original will be hung in the office and a replica will be placed on one of our walls outside for the community to see.

Building Project Update

The final part of the auditorium was installed today - the metal safety screens. It will be ready for student use on Monday!

Demolition has begun in the multipurpose room. This space will have new lights, carpet, ceiling tiles, acoustic panels, joinery, bench seating, AV equipment and reading corners installed, in addition to a refurbished kitchen, pantry and bathroom for OSHClub. It will look absolutely beautiful!

Year 5D Assembly

It was a delight to be dazzled by Year 5D during their assembly presentation last week. Showcasing their learning in English and Maths, in addition to celebrating all of the wonderful opportunities that they experience in Year 5 - buddies, Run Club, Cross Country, Interschool Soccer, excursions and creative writing. Our Senior Students are so fortunate to be provided with such enriching experiences, and we thank Miss Dusting for her incredible work with Year 5D.

Principal for the Day

Last Friday I handed over the reins (temporarily!) to Olivia, who was the Principal for the Day. I must say, she did an wonderful job and, if she was to take over, St Joseph's would be in excellent hands. Congratulations, Liv! Please see Olivia's recap of the day below.

On the Friday the 24 of May I was Principal For A Day. First I ran Assembly. It was cool to speak in front of the whole school. Then we went to Carter Lovett for our business brunch. We had pancakes and talked about why St Joseph's is so great. Afterwards, we bought a book from The Avenue. I bought ‘Willa and Woof’. After first break we went around to the classrooms and gave out stickers to the students and the people who were listening the best in the classroom. After that we grabbed Chloe and Jas and we went to Will’s Batch for ice-cream. We all got mango and lemon sorbet. Then we came back and chatted in Mrs Tobin’s office. Then we got ready to go back home and tell our parents all about it. It was the best day ever and I would love to do it again! I hope Jas and Chloe had lots of fun being my Deputies, too.

Beachside Cross Country

Congratulations to the students who competed at the recent Beachside Cross Country event earlier this week - Patrick, Archie, Harvey, Sam, Elsie, Maia, Charlie, Arlo, Hector, Hamish, Poppy, Penelope, Astrid, Andreas, Will S, Will W and Flossie! The competition was very tough and we congratulate the students for giving their all. Most importantly, every single student crossed the finish line and cheered on their friends while spectating. Well done, St Joseph's!

Year 3 Excursion - Botanical Gardens

Our Year 3 students recently participated in an enriching excursion to the Melbourne Gardens, where they explored the cultural practices of the Kulin Nations and the sustainable land practices of Aboriginals across Australia. The day began with a welcome from the guides, who introduced the students to the diverse indigenous plants and their various uses for food, tools, shelter, and medicine.

Students learned about the significance of these plants, and the importance of caring for the plants and Country. They also had the chance to examine tools and technologies. The excursion deepened the students' understanding of the connection Aboriginals have with the land and how it fosters a sense of belonging. This hands-on, engaging experience aimed to instil a greater respect for the rich heritage and sustainable practices of the Kulin Nations and Aboriginals across Australia.

We recieved the most beautiful email from one of the parent helpers afterwards:

Thank you for the opportunity to attend the excursion today. It was truly a wonderful day for the children (and parent helpers), and we were certainly blessed with wonderful weather, (no sooner did the bus return to school, the heavens opened)! The facilitator/guide we were assigned without a doubt made the day! (Jakobe). If you do have the opportunity to request him as the guide for future excursions, I would certainly do so. He is a truly remarkable First Nations person! His messaging was incredibly powerful. He was spiritual, knowledgeable and he really understands children. They were 100% engaged, and happy, and the interactive opportunities he provided for the children were fabulous. The children had the opportunity to create whistling sounds from flax, put citronella from a tree on their skin (learn about senses) and make bracelets, as well as being educated on how we are all connected to the land we live on.

Please make sure you read some Year 3 student reflections from the day.

Thank you, Mrs Skehan

On Thursday we said farewell to Bek Skehan, our Learning Diversity Leader. She has been an integral part of our community for the past 10 years and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her dedication and impact on our school, and our most vulnerable students. Bek has championed inclusive education, ensuring that every student receives the support they need to thrive. Her contributions to the learning diversity team and advocacy for students with additional needs has been invaluable, and we will dearly miss her. We wish her all the very best as she steps into her new role at Caulfield Grammar as the Head of Learning Strategies.

P&F Fete Planning

Our fete is booked in for Saturday November 23rd, 10am - 5pm at school. All families must mark this important date in their diaries! Thank you to Ben Gibbs who hosted the first big planning meeting. If you were unable to attend the meeting and would like to become involved, please contact pandf@sjelst.catholic.edu.au for further details.

Illness

We have had a lot of illness circulating this week, and our thoughts are with our families who are really feeling it. If your child is unwell, please keep them at home to stop the spread of sickness. If a child presents to sickbay with sickness during the day, families will be notified and asked to come and collect them.

Little Gems

Harper (Prep) raced outside on Friday morning to share her writing with Mrs Harrison and I. She is absolutely beaming with pride!

Year 5C had a maths lesson with Mr Hartney today, covering mapping, geography and digital technologies. Their task was to program a plane to take Mr Cody back to Ireland, using coordinates and map reading skills. The students were so engaged that no one wanted to go outside for their first break!

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend. A reminder of our closure day on Friday June 7th, which backs onto the King's Birthday Public Holiday on Monday June 10th.

Claire Tobin

Principal

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