Deputy Princpal News
The Science of Reading
One of this week's highlights was working alongside Mr Freeman and students in 4AF as they began their novel study of Kensuke's Kingdom. It was wonderful to see students working as active, engaged readers — drawing on background knowledge, making thoughtful predictions, and reading with fluency and expression.
Working alongside our students reaffirmed the evidence-based approach our school takes to the teaching and learning of reading. At St Joseph's, our approach is grounded in research known as the Science of Reading — a body of evidence that tells us exactly what skilled readers need and how we can teach it explicitly and systematically.
Our program is built around five key pillars:
- Phonemic Awareness — hearing and manipulating sounds in spoken words
- Phonics — understanding how letters and sounds connect to decode words
- Fluency — reading smoothly and accurately so mental energy is free for meaning-making
- Vocabulary — building a rich bank of words to unlock texts across all subjects
Comprehension — actively constructing meaning, the ultimate goal of all reading
Adding further depth to our reading program is the use of mentor texts — carefully chosen, high-quality books used as shared teaching tools. Rather than every child working through a different book in isolation, the whole class reads and thinks together, with the teacher modelling the habits of expert readers.
Reading is a lifelong skill, and we hope all our students develop a genuine passion for it. We also hope that you, as parents, get the opportunity to hear about the wonderful novels and stories being explored in our classroom.
Da Vinci Decathlon
Next Tuesday, our Year 5/6 students will be participating in the Da Vinci Decathlon — an exciting academic competition that challenges teams of eight students across ten diverse disciplines, including engineering, art, creative writing, science, mathematics, and more. The event encourages students to think creatively, collaborate as a team, and push the boundaries of their knowledge and problem-solving skills. It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their talents and represent our school with pride.
We wish all the very best to the following students and look forward to sharing an update on their achievements after the competition:
Archie B, Sebastian B, Arthur, Max O, Jasmine K, Zoe M, Eva G, Maia W, Zoe G, Ryder C, Zara L, Milo D-W, Evie McN, Nicholas R, Lochie, Elsie W, Maxi K
Year 6 Leaders
This Thursday afternoon provided a wonderful opportunity to work alonside Mr Janson, Mrs Shanahan and the Year 6 students to gather and begin establishing their Term 2 leadership initiatives. As part of our leadership programme, students are encouraged to identify and develop initiatives that support and positively influence those around them — from fellow students and teachers to parents and the wider community. It was fantastic to see our young leaders thinking beyond the classroom and considering the impact they can have on others.
We look forward to seeing this term's initiatives come to life, and are excited to share the projects our Year 6 leaders have identified for Term 2:
- Lunchtime Netball Tournament for Years 4 & 5
- Lunchtime Soccer Tournament for Year 2
- Reading Buddies & Mentor Program for Year 1
- Lunchtime Art Club for Years 1 & 2
- Lunchtime Coding Club
- Supporting the Winter Appeal & National Reconciliation Week
- Supporting the Mother's Day Breakfast
Celebrations of Learning
One of the best parts of my day is seeing students from across the school make their way to the office to share their achievements and evidence of their learning. Mrs Tobin and I love welcoming students, no matter their year level, as they arrive with a genuine sense of pride and leave with a sticker attached.
Here are some photos capturing these wonderful moments from the past fortnight.
Luke Daffy
Deputy Principal