PRINCIPAL'S NEWS

WORLD TEACHERS DAY

Last Friday, 27 October,  was World Teachers’ Day.  

This week we took the time to share morning tea to say thank you to our teachers.  Our staff are a wonderful group of people whom I am privileged to work alongside. Their genuine care and interest for all children in our community is evident not only by the engagement within the classroom but in the relationships they have built and maintained with our students.  

WELCOME TO ST JOHN'S CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

We are delighted to welcome 18 children and 15 families to our school community.  The closure of St John's has been devastating for the families and children enrolled there, and I hope that we, at St Joseph's, can assist them to begin the process of healing, and find a new 'home-base' here at St Joey's.  I have no doubt that they will be welcomed with open arms by our school community, and together with the staff we look forward to continuing to provide an engaging, stimulating and fun school experience for them all.

On Friday this week, we will be holding the first of three transition sessions.  The following children will join the 2023 cohorts:

Prep - Sophie, Maisie, Lillian and Oliver

Year 1 - Billie, Sophie and Sadie

Year 2 - Mary, Solyana, Joumana and Casey

Year 3 - Lola, Victoria and Dylan 

Year 4 - Nolawi and Chris

Year 5 - Stella and Tahlia

We will also welcome two 2024 prep students, Kate and Lucy,  who will join the prep transition days later in November.

On this day parents will be dropping off and picking up their children at the regular drop off and pick up times - please make them feel welcome!!

The children will join us again on the morning of Thursday 9th November.  Again the children will be dropped off at 8:45am and the classes that morning will be divided into year-level groups and participate in some fun well-being focussed activities.  Kate and I will then take the children back to St John's on the tram.

On Friday 24th November Kate and I will collect the children from St John's and bring them back to St Joseph's (again on the tram) and the children will spend the afternoon with us.  The children and families have then been invited to join us that afternoon for our Friday Market, which will be hosted by our prep and junior students.

The children will then join us again for our moving-up afternoon on 13th December.

I'm confident that, with your help, our new families will feel welcomed and a part of our wonderful community prior to their commencement in 2024.

A MESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR

As 2023 starts to draw to a close, the School Advisory Council will be holding its Annual Review meeting on Wednesday 29 November at 7pm in the staff room - all are welcome to attend.

The role of the Council is to support the Principal, the Parish Priest and the school leadership team to drive the values of our school and community.

This year the Council has been hard at work progressing a number of projects and the Annual Review Meeting is a chance to connect with our community and for you to hear what we have been up to! 

We also have two positions on the Council that are being vacated and we would love you to be a part of the team - if you are interested in nominating, please pick up an application form at the office or speak with Mary or myself.  There are photos of the members of the council on the notice board in the under-croft, please feel free to ask any member of the council for information if you are considering applying for one of the available positions.

As you know, we also have our Social Club led by Jo, Eleanor, Aruna and Olivia. Together with the Class Representatives from each year level, the Social Club facilitate and put on a calendar of social and fundraising events for both kids and parents across the year.

If you’d like to be involved, simply volunteer at the start of 2024 at one of our parent coffee mornings or reach out to the Social Club directly.  2024 has been a great social year with the Mothers’ Day lunch in May, the Quiz Night in August and the Pie Drive, to name a few.

We are so grateful that we already have a large group of engaged and supportive parents who volunteer their time and skills – thank you!

Candice Becroft

Chair SAC (School Advisory Council)

2024 CLASS PREFERENCES 

It’s amazing that we are once again at the time of the year when we are beginning our discussions for structures for 2024.  An important component of this is the regrouping of our classes. 

When determining new classes we take the following into consideration: 

❏ a balanced number of students with social, emotional and academic needs 

❏ an appropriate mix of student role models and class leaders 

❏ a balanced number of boys and girls 

❏ student friendship circles. 

Please make an appointment with me if you wish to discuss any concerns you may have that may impact your child/children’s class placement for next year. This may include particular social nuances with other students or any other extenuating circumstances. 

Please be aware that this is not an opportunity for ‘teacher shopping’, but rather to share genuine concerns about your child’s learning environment for 2024.  Also, if you are not intending to return to St Joseph’s in 2024 please contact the office as soon as possible

MIDDLE'S CAMP

Good luck to all our middle students who head-off to camp tomorrow!

The children will be attending the Urban Camp, in Brens Dve Parkville.  The teachers attending camp are Julia, Laura, Peter, myself (Wednesday and overnight) and Kate (overnight and Thursday).  I'm sure it will be a great experience for all concerned and we will share some student reflections in the next newsletter.

SECOND-HAND UNIFORMS

We are looking to build our supplies of pre-loved uniforms - if you have any items that no-longer fit your child/children please donate them to the school.  We will have our pre-loved uniforms on sale at our Friday Market on November 24 and will hopefully be able to help-out families that are joining our community in 2024.

SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY

St Joseph's will be closed on Cup Eve - Monday, November 06. This is a time-in-lieu day scheduled for staff, as per the new EBA.  I hope that everyone enjoys the extra-long weekend and that the weather is kind to us all!!

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Please assist us with ensuring our students are wearing the correct school uniform. Black school shoes and the blue school jumper should be worn with the academic uniform, and the sports jacket is only to be worn with the sports uniform.  Can I also ask that you ensure nail polish and jewellery are not worn to school.

Thank you!

SAVE THE DATES...

Family Night - Bush Dance!!

November 17 the Bush Band - 'Bushwahzee' will be working with the children teaching them a good old-fashioned heel and toe bush dance, which they will then perform for families at an evening Bush Picnic in the school yard.  

Please SAVE THE DATE for what I'm sure will be a super evening of boot scootin fun!!

Christmas Concert

This year we will host an evening of 'Christmas Carolling' on Thursday December 07.

Weather permitting - this will be in the school-yard commencing at 6:30pm.  In Performing Arts classes, Sarah has begun to work with each class on their performance.

Again - please 'diarise' the date!