Final Newsletter for 2024 - Let's Celebrate!

Dear families,

As the year winds down, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our amazing St Joseph's community for such a wonderful year. We have so much to celebrate and be thankful for. Without a doubt, our school has excelled this year - from completing our building project, introducing an updated school uniform, our highly successful Christmas Fete, the many sporting, teaching and learning achievements, and the wonderful Art Show. We are so proud of what we have been able to achieve together.

As we reflect on the accomplishments and growth of the past year, it's clear that the success of St Joseph's is a result of the collective efforts of our dedicated students, passionate staff and supportive parents. Each one of you has played a vital role in creating a positive and enriching learning environment.

Our students have produced outstanding achievements, demonstrating not only their academic growth, but also their resilience and determination in the face of challenges. Whether it was excelling in the classroom or sportsfield, showcasing their artistic or musical talents in the Art Show, or contributing to our community through their Leadership roles, the commitment of our students to personal and collective excellence has been truly inspiring.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our devoted staff (teachers, specialists, LSOs), who have worked tirelessly to provide quality education and guidance to our students. Your dedication to nurturing the academic, social, emotional and spiritual development of our students has undoubtedly made a lasting impact on their lives. Your passion for teaching and commitment to fostering a love of learning is the cornerstone of our success - something that we celebrate each and every day. I count my blessings every day to be surrounded by such an expert team.

We congratulate and thank our Deputy Principals, Tom Hartney and Alannah Harrison, for their strong, instructional leadership. Tom and Alannah work with our staff and students every single day, and know our students deeply. Their commitment to driving student achievement and staff development is second to none and we thank them for their dedication. Our community is privileged to have such expert leaders on our team.

To our amazing office staff, Moira, Fiona and Kerry. They continue to set the tone for our school, and their unconditional support of all members of our community can never be taken for granted. We wish Kerry all the best as she embarks on a lengthy period of leave in 2025.

We also thank our families who have been unwavering in their support. Your involvement in your child's education, whether through volunteering in the classroom, attending school events or providing a positive home/school relationship, has contributed significantly to the wonderful atmosphere at St Joseph's.

We acknowledge the following departing families for their commitment over many years:

Anketell, Arumugam, Browne, Conquest, D'Orazio, Dwyer, Edler, Edmonds, Flores, Garrard, Gilbert, Grindal, Howard, Nauhria, Polyik, Quin, Schroeder-Bellido, Sillitto, Sim, Sim, Subbotina.

We have loved being a part of your journey and thank you for your contributions to St Joseph's.

Building Project

An important milestone in the development of our school was the completion of our long awaited building project. In August, after almost 14 months of work, we were proud to celebrate the blessing and opening of our stunning new building, a space that reflects our commitment to educational excellence, vibrant community spirit, and incredible opportunities for our students. This beautiful transformation, including newly refurbished classrooms and shared spaces, is a testament to the vision and dedication of many. We extend thanks to our builders, Spaces Australia, our architects, Smith+Tracey, our Parents and Friends Association, and our School Advisory Council for their invaluable contributions. Special thanks also go to our remarkable students and staff, who adapted seamlessly throughout the construction process, demonstrating resilience and community spirit. The beautiful outcome of this project will serve our community for many years to come.

Parent & Friends and School Advisory Council

A significant highlight for 2024 has been the outstanding contributions made by so many parents. From the Welcome BBQ, Footy Classic, Parent Cocktail Function, and the amazing Christmas Fete, our volunteers, Parents & Friends Association and School Advisory Council continue to play an instrumental role in the success of St Joseph’s. We thank Ben Gibbs and Jen Conway (P&F Co-Presidents), John Ferraro and Cat Anderson (Council Chair and Vice-Chair) and their respective teams for their ongoing and unwavering support in ensuring our students are afforded the best possible learning environment.

As we wrap up the year and begin planning for the next, we extend our thanks to the parents who completed the recent Christmas Fete feedback form. Your input provides an important foundation as we plan for future events. Recently, the P&F Executive Team and I met to review the fete, along with the entire P&F events calendar. Together, we are developing a streamlined two-year plan for the incoming P&F Executive Team to implement. As always, the focus of our Parents and Friends remains on building community, enhancing children’s enjoyment, and raising funds.

This year, we are delighted to have raised an incredible $71,000 through various initiatives, including the Christmas Fete, Footy Classic, Parent Function, Uniform and Cake Stalls, Tea Towel and Apron Drive, Mother’s Day Function, and the Easter Raffle. These funds have supported key school projects, such as our beautiful new library, the playground artwork, new soccer and football uniforms for our Year 5 and 6 students, and the forthcoming outdoor upgrades, which will include new astroturf and boundary fence nets. These achievements reflect a significant investment in both our school and, most importantly, the future of our children.

We also want to express our sincere gratitude to our wonderful Parent Reps, whose remarkable contributions have been instrumental in supporting and connecting our parent community. Their dedication to fostering relationships, sharing information, and creating a sense of belonging within the school is valued by all. The success of our fundraising efforts and the positive outcomes achieved would not have been possible without their unwavering commitment, and the support of our entire school community.

Prep - Jess F, Karen V, Sarah A, Skye K
Year One - Yas Z, Don F, Arlen C, Lydia H, Nicolle P
Year Two - Lou H, Jayde O, Georgie K, Emma W
Year Three - Annette Y, Molly F, Caroline S, Cara F
Year Four - Colleen A, Jane B, Xavier T, Shirin S, Sophie B
Year Five - Liana C, Sarah E, Sarah B, Julia F
Year Six - Kate G, Josie S, Susie A, Maree T

2024 School Captains

Congratulations to our new school captains for 2025 - Matthew, Hector, Ava and Jessie! We are absolutely delighted for you and know that you will serve our community well next year. All Year 6 students will work in various leadership groups across the year, supporting important school events and initiatives.

End of Year Mass

It was so beautiful to gather on Wednesday to celebrate the end of the school year with Mass. We thank Father Leenus for the lovely service and Miss Dillon for her organisation.

Year 4 Campers

It was brilliant to hear how wonderful our Year 4s were while away on their three day camp last week. Camp Wyuna is a fabulous camping experience for the students - situated right on the beach and providing a lovely variety of activities for our students. The children and staff simply didn't stop and it should come as no surprise they looked exhausted as they returned to school on Wednesday afternoon.

Although we suspect some parents may have (briefly) missed their child, the students had an amazing time and were blessed with such beautiful weather while down the coast. Supported by our amazing staff, Meg Wilkinson, Maria Crawley, Jack Jansson and Gerra Pepper, we are most grateful to Amanda, Vanessa and Josie for generously offering up their time for this worthwhile experience for our children.

Dame Jean Macnamara Award

It was an absolute delight to host Josh Burns (MP) at St Joseph's yesterday to present the Dame Jean Macnamara Award. This award recognises female Year 6 students who have excelled in STEM, as well as showing resilience and strength in their learning. We are thrilled to announce that Cara and Flossie were the deserving recipients - both having excelled in all curriculum areas this year and demonstrating incredible achievement in Maths Olympics. Congratulations, Cara and Flossie!

Year 6 Graduation & Final Assembly

Congratulations to our Year 6 class for their absolutely stunning assembly today. There was not a dry eye in the house as they recounted their special memories from their 7 years at St Joseph's. I think the collective sentiments were so clearly summarised by Aliya:

Year 6 is a fun-filled, jam packed and absolutely life changing year that was an incredible way to cap off our primary school journey.

Year 6 at St Joseph's will change your life - you heard it here first! If you saw how emotional our students were, you would know just how much the seven-year journey, this school and wider community means to them. To our Year 6s, this is farewell, not goodbye, Our door is always open to you so, please, stop past and say help.

On Thursday, the students went to Luna Park on their 'Big Day Out', our traditional end of year treat. A surprise up until the last minute, the students had a wonderful time playing together as a cohort (for the last time!) before stopping for icecream at Seven Apples on the way home.

Last night we gathered to acknowledge the wonderful achievements of our Year 6s at their Graduation. Miss Coldebella, Miss Shanahan and Mrs Quitt's inspiration and care has been second to none. We hope that their journey at St Joseph's has prepared them well and that they continue to embrace the wonderful opportunities that will be presented to them at High School. Thank you to Maree, Tina, Carmel, and the Year 6 Graduation team for their work in coordinating the evening and setting up the Elsternwick Bowls Club - the space looked stunning.

Congratulations, Elaine!

Congratulations to Elaine Shanahan (6S) and Ciaran on their recent wedding in Ireland! Elaine, you made a stunning bride, and we cannot wait to hear all about your special day upon your return to Australia.

Kaboom Sports

It was wonderful to celebrate with the students last week during their 'end of year' activity with Kaboom Sports. A huge thank you to our Parents & Friends for generously supporting and partially funding this special day for our students.

School Fees

A reminder to those who still have outstanding fees. Payment of these by Friday 20th December would be appreciated.

Then & Now

How cute is this photo of Jasmine and Andreas, Year 6, walking into St Joseph's on their first and last day of school.

Next year...

We look forward to building upon the successes of 2024 and creating even more memorable moments together, as we continue to strive for excellence in education and community engagement. Wishing you all a restful and joyous holiday season.

See you all on Thursday January 30th, ready to embark on another exciting chapter in the journey of St Joseph's School.

Warmest regards,

Claire Tobin

Principal

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