Dear Parents and Carers,

As I write the final newsletter for Term 1, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for working in partnership with us. Together, we have ensured that every child has been able to flourish and shine at St Joseph’s this term.

I am immensely proud of the learning that has occurred and the way our learning communities have established positive routines and effective environments. Students require structure to build competency and, ultimately, to stay motivated.

Insights from the Victorian Catholic Principal Conference

I was very fortunate to attend the Victorian Catholic Principal Conference in Lorne last week. The caliber of the speakers was excellent. We heard from Marlee Silva, an NRL presenter and proud First Nations woman with a passion for supporting Indigenous children; Dr. Yemi Penn, a globally recognized keynote speaker; Peter Nerret, a leading expert on teams; and Gilbert Enoka, the motivational coach for the All Blacks.

Two speakers particularly resonated with our mission at St Joseph’s:

Dr. Justin Coulson (Parenting expert and founder of Happy Families) spoke about the three essential elements a student requires to be motivated:

Competence: "I feel like I can master this." Knowing routines and expectations provides a sense of security, safety, and control.
Relatedness: "I feel connected to others." Having adults they can trust.
Autonomy: "I have a voice." Feeling a sense of agency within the school structures.

Dr. Preeya Alexander (GP and health expert) spoke about fostering healthy relationships with food. She suggested refraining from labelling foods as "healthy" or "unhealthy," and instead viewing all food as food, noting that some choices are simply better for our minds and bodies than others.

She also highlighted:

The goal of 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables daily.
The direct correlation between gut health and mental health.
The importance of 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule to allow the brain to rest and reset.

It was a wonderful week of professional growth, and I thank my leadership team and staff for their incredible work back at school during my absence.

Student Celebrations & Events

Regional Swimming: Congratulations to all students who represented St Joseph’s at the Regional Swimming sports! A big thank you to Emily Reed for her support of the team.

A big congratulations to Jett in Grade 6 for progressing to the next level for the Victorian Team Football under 12's side, Well done Jett.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Congratulations to our Year 3 students who celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation last Friday at St Peter’s in Shoreham. Thank you to Father Shymon, Maria, and Ash for supporting our candidates.

Year 3 & 4 Camp: We wish our Year 3 and 4 students all the best as they head to Phillip Island today for their overnight camp! Thank you to all attending staff, particularly Georgie and Ash, for their leadership. I had a wonderful day at camp yesterday spending time with our amazing students and they were just so excited by every activity offered.

School Notices

Enrolments for 2027: Enrolments are now open! Our biggest marketing tool is word of mouth, so please share with the community how special our school is. Prospective families are welcome to call the office to book a tour or visit our website to enrol via the Enrolments tab.

Parents & Friends: A huge thank you to our P&F group for volunteering to wrap our Easter Raffle prizes, and to the families who donated items or returned their tickets.

End of Term Assembly: We invite the community to our end-of-term assembly today , March 31st, at 2:00 pm. This will include our Holy Week service, the Spirit of St Joseph’s awards, and the Easter Raffle.

Important Dates

Last Day of Term 1: Tomorrow, March 31st (Students finish at 3:15 pm).
Staff Conference: Wednesday, April 1st and Thursday 2nd (Pupil Free days).
Term 2 Commences: Monday, April 20th.
Anzac Day Parade: Saturday, April 25th. Meet at the RSL at 10:40 am to march to the Crib Point Cenotaph. This is a significant day for us, given our deep connection to our Defence Force families.
Mother’s Day Celebrations: Friday, May 8th. Join us for lunch and reflection. Save the date!

I wish everyone a holy and safe Easter holiday. I look forward to continuing our journey of excellence and seeing every student flourish in Term 2. Thank you to our wonderful staff for setting the foundation for a thriving 2026 school year.

Yours in Partnership,

Gab

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