A Message from the Principal
St Joseph the Worker Primary School
Dear Families,
Welcome to Term 4 – I hope everyone had a restful and well-deserved break and are looking forward to our last term for 2026.
Term 4 is a very busy term, where there are many events to mark the transitions to the next phase of our students’ learning journeys. In coming weeks, we will celebrate Grandparents Day, welcome our 2027 Prep students for orientation, enjoy Athletics Day at Meadowglen Athletics Track, send the MLA and SLA students off on camp, prepare for our Carols and farewell our Year 6 students. There is a lot to look forward to, and l encourage everyone to check the calendar to ensure you are aware of important dates this term.
Thank You
Special thanks to the leadership team for their outstanding work leading the school in my absence. Your professionalism, dedication and teamwork ensured the smooth running of the school and allowed me to enjoy a wonderful break in the Cook Islands.
The Cook Islands truly live up to their reputation as a tropical paradise, with sunshine-filled days, stunning beaches and warm, welcoming people who are always ready to lend a hand. It was a wonderful opportunity to relax and recharge, and I returned feeling refreshed and grateful. Thank you all for your support and commitment while I was away.
SLA Camp Preparations Underway
Our SLA staff are busy preparing for camp at Lady Northcote Camp in Bacchus Marsh, which is just a few weeks away! Camp is a valuable and enriching part of our student learning journey. It offers students the chance to share experiences with their friends, try new things and grow in confidence and independence.
We know how much students benefit from participating in camp and we are looking forward to another memorable and rewarding experience for everyone involved.
Planning for the 2027 School Year
Planning is already underway for the 2027 school year. If your family is relocating and your child will not be attending St Joseph the Worker next year, please email Michele as soon as possible.
It is important that we work together to ensure a smooth transition, so please include the name of the school your child will be moving to. This helps us prepare the necessary transfer documents and support your child’s next steps.
Prep Orientation Sessions – Welcoming Our 2027 Families
Next year we have a change regarding our 2027 Prep cohort. In recent years, St Joseph the Worker has typically enrolled between 34 and 40 students in Prep. At present, we have 25 confirmed enrolments for 2027. After consultation with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) and our School Consultative Committee and following careful consideration of our enrolment numbers and staffing requirements, we will be operating with one Prep class next year rather than two.
While this represents a change from previous years, our focus remains on providing a
high-quality learning environment for all students, supported by the staffing and resources needed to meet their individual learning, wellbeing, and developmental needs. With lower-than-expected enrolment numbers for 2027 and, after careful consideration and advice from Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools, we have made the difficult decision to operate with one Prep class next year.
Although this was not a decision we expected to make, our focus remains firmly on ensuring all students experience high-quality learning and receive the support, care, and attention they need to thrive. We understand that some families may have anticipated a two-class structure, and we would like to reassure you that we are confident our staffing model will provide a positive, engaging, and supportive learning environment for all students.
The Prep class will be led by a highly skilled classroom teacher who will work alongside a dedicated Learning Support Officer throughout the school day. While the classroom teacher will be responsible for planning, delivering, and assessing all learning programs, the Learning Support Officer will work collaboratively with the teacher to support students' learning, wellbeing, and social development.
We are looking forward to welcoming back all our 2027 Prep families next week for our first round of orientation sessions. These sessions are a wonderful opportunity for children and families to continue building familiarity with our school environment and community.
Please note the upcoming orientation dates:
- Prep Orientation Day One: Thursday, 15th October
- Prep Orientation Day Two: Thursday, 29th October
We can’t wait to see you there!
School Fees
Thank you to the families who have paid their fees in full. We still have a high number of outstanding fees and remind families that the final instalment of fees is due October 31st (unless you are paying by direct debit). It is important that all school fees are paid in full and on time to enable the school to meet its financial obligations. Families with students in Year 6 are asked to finalise their accounts as soon as possible. Do not hesitate to contact Marisa if you would like to discuss your account, set up a direct debit payment plan or discuss support.
Next week, I will be sharing a letter from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) regarding school fees and levies for 2027. As part of MACS' annual planning and budgeting process, there will be adjustments to fees and levies across Catholic schools to support the ongoing delivery of high-quality learning programs, resources and services for our students.
I encourage families to take the time to read the letter when it is distributed. Should you have any questions after reviewing the information, please do not hesitate to contact the school. We appreciate your ongoing support and partnership in the education of your children.
Building Update
After two years of planning, consultation and design work, we are delighted to be moving to the tender stage for our new Administration Building. During the school holidays, I met with prospective builders who are now preparing their tenders for this exciting project.
Once all tender submissions have been reviewed and a successful builder appointed, I will share the updated plans with our school community. This marks a significant milestone in the journey towards improving our facilities and creating a welcoming new entrance and administration space for students, families and visitors.
For your information, I have attached artist impressions of both the front and rear views of our new Administration Building. The new building will serve as the face of our school and will include staff workspaces, administration offices, a reception area, meeting rooms and a sick bay. The project will also incorporate a new gated entry, providing a safer and more secure system for visitor access during school hours. Relocating the reception area to the front of the campus will further enhance school security, supervision and the overall experience for families and visitors entering our school.
This is a very exciting time for our school, and I look forward to sharing the updated plans with our community early next term as we take the next steps towards bringing this project to life.
Working Together to Minimise Disruptions
We kindly ask families to avoid picking up students early unless it’s for an emergency or an unavoidable appointment. Early pickups interrupt learning and can be disruptive for both students and staff.
Often there are many interruptions during the day, including lunch drop-offs and unscheduled pickups. While we understand that things come up from time to time, frequent disruptions impact student learning and interrupt teachers during valuable classroom time. Learning time is precious, it’s when students are most engaged, focused and building important skills. We want to protect that time as much as possible.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our school community.
I pray that St Joseph the Worker continues to watch over and bless our parish and school community.
Kind regards,
Maria Barnes
Principal
Dear Lord,
Thank You for our school community, our families, teachers, and friends.
We are grateful for the opportunities to learn, grow, and support one another each day.
Bless us this term with curiosity, kindness, and courage.
Help us to care for one another and make our school a place of respect, safety, and belonging.
Guide us to do our best in all that we do.
Amen