Parent Engagement

Each week you will find a brief bio on School Council members.

This week: Rachael Castricum

Hi St Joey’s families,

I am Rachael Castricum, mum to Flynn (Grade 6), Max (Grade 3), and Annabelle (Grade 2). I have been part of the school board since 2017 when my husband Shane and I moved our family to Beechworth from Melbourne. Shane and I both grew up in Harrietville and decided to move back to be closer to our families after 20 years of living in the city. We love living in Beechworth and really value the friendships and connections that we have made through St Joe's.

Why I Am On/ Value the School Advisory Council:

St Josephs has been a great school for our family. We highly value the approach to inclusion and support and the values that are linked to social justice. I decided to join the board so that I could support and endorse the work of the St Joseph’s leaders and teachers. I am a teacher myself, and although I work in government secondary education, many school settings share the same experiences and challenges. I was really interested in learning about how the school operated and wanted to meet engaged, like-minded parents. I have been on the Advisory Board for 6 years now and I feel very connected and invested in the school as a result.

What do you love about St. Joseph's:

What I love about St Joe’s is the friendly and supportive community that is at the heart of our great school. I love that there are opportunities for kids with all different kinds of abilities to flourish and try new things. I love that there is a culture of high expectations and plenty of support to help us (parents too!) get there. I love that every teacher knows all my kids, my kids know all the teachers, and the kids all know each other. I now work as a teacher at Beechworth Secondary College, and what is really special for me, is that I get to see our St Joe’s kids continue to thrive and grow as they move through our local high school. It is such a privilege. 

SCHOOL NEWS

Learning Walk:

The purpose of a Learning Walk is an opportunity to come in and experience teaching and learning across the school in a specific curriculum area. It gives you the opportunity to see what is happening at your child/ren’s level and also the progress across the school. 

Our focus this Friday is on Numeracy on Challenging Tasks.

Learning Walks take between 40-60 mins, we will meet in the office area to begin at 9:00 am.

Learning Expo:

The purpose of a Learning Expo is to give students an opportunity to share learnings from the term with an authentic audience. It also gives you as a parent an opportunity to come in and see some of the learning that has taken place over the term.

Learning Expo’s go from 2:15-3:15 pm, and it is up to you how long you spend.

Little Joeys

Little Joeys is back Wednesday Mornings from 9.00 - 10.30 am.

Connect and play

Mums, Dads, Grandparents, and carers 

Children aged 0-5 years are welcome

BYO healthy snacks, drink bottles, and a hat - everything else is supplied