Notes from Liz 

Catholic Identity Review 

This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Joan Coldwell from Catholic Education Sandhurst, who conducted our Catholic Identity Review. It's always enjoyable to host visitors, especially those dedicated to affirming and enriching our practices. We were also fortunate to have Fr. Caldow join us in these meaningful discussions, adding valuable insights to the review.

When we receive the report, we will use it alongside the School Improvement Tool report to start developing our new Strategic Plan. This is an exciting time for our school and community as we look ahead and plan for the next four years. 

A big thank you to Eliza McNamara for her preparation for this review. It was fantastic to hear such commendations for her efforts. 

End of Year testing 

Following the completion of our end-of-year standardised testing, I’m delighted with the results, which indicate that most of our students are making progress in their learning. Those students who are not yet progressing as expected will continue to be closely monitored throughout the remainder of the year and beyond. We are closely tracking and assessing all students demonstrating minimal or slow growth in English and Maths, particularly considering our recent shift to Structured Synthetic Phonics. 

Website 

The new St. Joseph’s School website will be launching within the next week or two! We’re putting on the final touches and are excited to share it with you soon. This website has been a long-term project that was delayed by the 2022 flood, so we’re thrilled to finally bring it to completion. 

We’ll let you know as soon as it’s live and available to the public. 

KABOOM 

It was fantastic to bring local schools together for a morning filled with fun, play, and engaging activities. Watching our students connect meaningfully with their friends while fostering play, creativity, and teamwork was truly rewarding. 

A big thank you to Sue Kerlin for organising the morning and to all staff for their energy and enthusiasm. We were especially proud of our Grade 6 students, who stepped up as leaders for the event. 

T20 Cricket - what a blast!!  

Thank you to Steve at Rochester Primary School for organising such a wonderful day! Also a big thank you to our very own Zack and Bianca for coaching our teams. A fantastic day had by all! Kyabram P-12 College, St Augustine's College Kyabram, Rochester Primary School and St Patrick's Primary School Tongala. 

While both teams competed with great sportsmanship, the girls team reached the final, only to be beaten by Kyabram P-12 College. 

Special mention to Ms McEvoy for organising the event. 

School Engagement Survey – ONLINE portals 

In response to the School Engagement Survey results, we are reviewing our use of online portals. On Monday, 11th November, your child will bring home a survey about Seesaw. We encourage you to complete it and return it to the school by Friday 15th November. 

As a thank-you, children from families who return the survey will receive a Freddo Frog from Mrs. Trewick. 

End of Year Celebrations 

We are thrilled to be able to provide the following dates for our community. Information will be coming home following the Parents and Friends meeting on Wednesday 13th November. 

Grade 6 families have received information about the Grade 6 Graduation Dinner on Monday 16th December. 

We look forward to gathering together and celebrating 2024! 

Thanks for your continued support. 

Liz