Dear Parents and Guardians,

This is the final newsletter for 2025 with school finishing next Tuesday. We are very grateful to have had another faith filled year of learning and fun at St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School.

Thank you volunteers

A Message of Thanks and Celebration

At our school we are fortunate to have so many parents volunteer to support in classrooms, at fundraising events and on our School Advisory Board. Volunteering is more than just helping; it’s about creating a place where children feel supported and valued. Your contributions have enriched learning experiences, created memorable moments, and strengthened the bond between home and school. These efforts don’t go unnoticed, they are deeply appreciated by our teachers, our leadership team, and our entire school community.

As we reflect on the year, we celebrate not only the achievements of our students but also the generosity of parents in our community who make these achievements possible. Thank you for sharing your time and for being such an important part of our school family.

Best Wishes & Thank you

I would like to also acknowledge and thank the staff who are leaving St Joseph the Worker at the end of this year; Daniel Young and Betti Michael.

As Daniel and Betti prepare to embark on the next chapter of their journey, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for their wonderful during your time with us. Your passion and commitment to your students have left an indelible mark, and we are so fortunate to have had you as part of our school family.

While we are sad to see you go, we are excited for all that lies ahead for you. Your next school or role will be so lucky to have you, just as we have been.

Please know that you will always have friends and supporters here. We wish you nothing but success, happiness, and fulfillment in all your future endeavours.

In 2026 we welcome:

Rosemary Bliss
Clare Young
Stephanie Clarke

We wish Lina Palumbo a wonderful long service leave in 2026. Lina will be away for the year, and we are currently advertising for a LOTE teacher for next year. Any further staffing updates will be communicated to families as soon as possible.

End of Year Mass

Today we celebrated our End of Year Mass where we gave thanks to God for the year that has passed, and to celebrate the many wonderful events and achievements throughout the year. Thank you to Kate who prepared the beautiful liturgy.

Student Reports

Families will receive their child’s End of Year Report via the NForma portal next Monday. We are confident that you find these reports meaningful and reflective of the progress your child has made. Teachers dedicate an enormous amount of time and care to preparing these reports, and I thank them sincerely for their hard work.

Orientation Day for 2026 Classes

All class lists for 2026 are finalised and this Friday, students will meet their 2026 teacher and classmates during our whole school Step Up morning.

2026 School Captains

Congratulations to our 2026 School Captains. We are looking forward to working with you next year.

School Captains:

Alexia A & Roman B

Vice Captains:

Emma F, Leila S, Isaac O and Lachlan K

Sports Captains:

Rosewall: Grace B & Leo K

Chappell: Jessica F & Dylan G

Clarke: Marley L & Matthew P

Cawley: Siena B & Joshua Z

Thank You

We also want to express our sincere thanks to every parent for the trust you place in us and for your continued support throughout the year. Your involvement in classrooms, library, art room, fundraising, excursions, and more is deeply valued by all the staff, and the students. Your contributions ensure that we continue to work in close partnership with you to support your children's education and maintain a strong, vibrant school community.

Our Sacramental Program and school liturgies have been meaningful and prayerful experiences, supporting our students' faith development through our Religious Education Program. Thank you to Kate and the teaching team for their dedication to teaching our students about the Catholic faith, traditions, and preparing them for sacraments and liturgies.

Our learning and teaching opportunities continue to be outstanding, and a special thanks to staff for their invaluable contributions. Our excursions and incursions have been highlights of the year, as was our School Christmas Carols event, which showcased our talented students. We enjoyed a wonderful performance and an exciting visit from our many Grandparents as well. This was truly a highlight for our community.

We are immensely grateful to all the staff for their extraordinary efforts this year. We appreciate the dedication and hard work of our teachers and support staff. We are fortunate to have such a committed team who genuinely care for the students. We wish them a well-deserved and restful break.

Thank you and good luck to all of the Year Six students. I would like to extend a very warm congratulations to all of these students on behalf of our community and wish them every success for next year at secondary school.

We have several families whose child finishes this year and will be ending their association with St Joseph the Worker. We are saying goodbye to the following families: Bozzi, Catalano, DeFazio, Ferraro, Francione, Karras, Khazm, Lentino, Nicolazzo, Reveliotis, Tragas and Wood.

To our Year 6 students and departing families, we say thank you! Your contributions to our community are greatly appreciated. I thank you for your support and wish you all the best for the future.

And finally, we would like to thank all our students. Your hard work, enthusiasm, and positive energy have made our work truly rewarding. A special congratulations to all our Prep students for completing their first year at school! It is a privilege to work with all our students, and I hope you enjoy a well-deserved break.

As we approach Christmas, may the peace, love and joy of the season fill your homes. On behalf of Fr Pritchard and all staff, l wish every member of our St Joseph the Worker community, a joyful Christmas and many blessings for a safe and happy New Year.

Thank you once again for your wonderful support throughout 2025 and we look forward to working together with you all again in 2026.

May St Joseph the Worker continue to bless us and watch over us.

Kind regards,

Maria Barnes

Principal

Creative Music