Principal's News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Despite the cold winter weather, it has been wonderful to see our students making the most of the sunshine. There is nothing quite like seeing the children outdoors, enjoying time with their friends and being active together.
Our Year 3DB students certainly embraced the opportunity during their Friday afternoon sport session with Mr Butler. Their enthusiasm, teamwork and enjoyment were evident as they participated in sportgamess , making the most of the beautiful winter sunshine.
August School Census
Each year, all non-government schools that receive Australian Government funding are required to complete the August School Census. The census collects information about our school, students and staff and helps the Australian Government with planning, funding and reporting for schools. Census Day is Friday, 7 August 2026. The information provided is used for funding and compliance purposes and is managed in accordance with privacy requirements. If you have any questions about the School Census, please contact the school office.
School Captains' Update
One of the highlights of my week is meeting with our School Captains and hearing them enthusiastically share their ideas for making a positive difference at St Joseph's. Their initiatives for improving our school and leading with kindness is inspiring.
Over the past few weeks, our School Captains have been busy planning a range of exciting initiatives, including social justice projects, fundraising events and opportunities to further strengthen our wonderful school community. They have shown great leadership, creativity and a genuine commitment to making a difference for others.
Over the coming weeks, students and families will begin to see these exciting plans come to life. Some of the fundraising initiatives will support our sponsored partnership with Ellie in Tanzania, while others will contribute to our Soctober fundraising campaign. The School Captains are also planning a whole-school Sock Day and a variety of fun fundraising events throughout the year. Funds raised will also help enhance our outdoor learning and play spaces for an outdoor space for our Year 6 students, including the addition of a new table tennis table for our Year 3- 6 students.
Our School Captains are excited to share more details at upcoming school assemblies and can't wait for everyone to get involved.
Cooper shared, "I am looking forward to seeing everyone's reactions when we announce the days and events at our school assembly. I really hope all the funds help people in need, especially through the Soctober fundraiser."
Xavier added, "We're going to have lots of fun, and I hope we raise enough money for Ellie, the Soctober charity and some new additions to our outdoor spaces for everyone to enjoy."
We thank our School Captains - Cooper and Xavier, for their enthusiasm, dedication and thoughtful leadership. We look forward to seeing our school community come together to support these wonderful initiatives throughout the remainder of the year.
Evacuation Drill
As part of our ongoing commitment to child safety and emergency preparedness, our school conducted a whole-school evacuation drill coordinated by Mr Butler and reviewed by Rigby & Rhodes as part of our emergency management procedures.
Despite the rainy weather, both our staff and students managed the evacuation exceptionally well. The drill was carefully planned, and everyone responded calmly, followed procedures responsibly and worked together to ensure the evacuation was completed safely and efficiently.
Regular evacuation drills are an important part of maintaining a safe school environment. They provide valuable opportunities for students and staff to practise emergency procedures in a calm and organised way, ensuring everyone knows what to do should a real emergency ever occur.
I would like to thank our staff for their thorough preparation and calm leadership, and congratulate our students for their sensibility and cooperation.
Our St Joseph's School Assembly
Once again, it was wonderful to see so many families join us for our school assembly this morning. During our assembly, students were recognised with STAR Awards for demonstrating our school values of Stay Safe, Try Your Best, Act Responsibly and Respect Yourself and Others. These students were warmly congratulated for the positive choices they make each day and for the way they contribute to our St Joseph’s community.
We also celebrated the birthdays of students across the week by joining together to sing “Tanti Auguri”, sharing in the joy of these special occasions.
Mr Butler also announced the winners of this week’s Line Points. Congratulations to our champions in Year 3DB once again for their fantastic achievement and for demonstrating our school values throughout the week.
I also had the pleasure of introducing Evie to our school community this week as the principal's "Who Am I?" Last week Cooper (Year 6) and his Mum Laura cane in to my office to spin the "Who Am I?" wheel and Evie was selected as this week's student! Evie had so many enjoyable and fun facts that w shared at assembly today- did you know that Evie has two dogs, loves to play soccer and she does 4 kinds of dance- jazz, lyrical, tap and ballet! 3 superstars guessed Evie this week- Scarlett, Edie and Gus who will now spin the wheel for next week's "Who Am I?"
Thank you to all of our families who continue to join us for these celebrations and support the strong sense of community that makes St Joseph’s such a special place.
Working Bee Thank You!
A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful families who generously gave up their time to attend our School Working Bee. Your willingness to volunteer your time and lend a helping hand is greatly appreciated and is a wonderful example of the strong community spirit that makes St Joseph's such a special place.
Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers, a range of jobs were completed across our school grounds, helping to maintain a safe, welcoming and attractive environment for all of our students, staff and families. The care and pride our families show in supporting our school is truly valued.
A special thank you also to the children who came along to help. It was wonderful to see the children enthusiastically pitching in, working alongside their families and taking pride in caring for their school. We also loved seeing the children enjoying time together, playing, laughing and building friendships while their families worked. Their enthusiasm and smiles added to the wonderful community atmosphere of the afternoon.
Working Bees are about much more than completing jobs - they are an opportunity to connect, work together and strengthen the partnerships that make our school community so special.
On behalf of our school community, thank you to everyone who generously gave their time, energy and support. Your contributions make a genuine difference, and we are incredibly grateful for your ongoing commitment to St Joseph's. Together, we continue to create a beautiful and welcoming environment where our children can learn, grow and thrive.
Parents and Friends Update
Please take some time to read the Parents and Friends Update in this week’s newsletter. Our wonderful Parents and Friends team have been busy planning a range of exciting events and activities for our children, families and wider school community over the coming months.
We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing commitment, enthusiasm and continued support. Their dedication plays such an important role in bringing our community together, fundraising for our school and creating wonderful experiences for our students and families.
School Advisory Council Meeting
This week, we were pleased to meet with our School Advisory Council (SAC) for another productive and collaborative meeting.
I would like to sincerely thank our SAC members for their ongoing commitment to St Joseph’s and for the generous way they share their time, wisdom and expertise in supporting our school. The contribution of our SAC is incredibly valuable to the leadership and future direction of our school. Their thoughtful advice, valued perspectives and genuine care for our community provide important guidance as we make decisions that support the growth, wellbeing and success of our students.
I am truly grateful for their collective wisdom, insight and counsel of our SAC members.
During our meeting, we discussed a range of important matters, including the impact of the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) across Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools and what this may mean for St Joseph’s. We also commenced our planning for 2027, with initial discussions around the 2027 school budget and strategic priorities. The Council’s expertise and feedback were invaluable as we explored these important matters and considered the opportunities and challenges ahead.
We also shared updates and reflections on the many valuable partnerships that continue to enrich our school community. Our relationship with De La Salle is one such partnership. Father Gallacher shared the highlights from the MACS RE Symposium last week as well as a Parish update, highlighting the importance of strong connections between our school and parish communities and the shared mission that guides our work.
We were also grateful to seminarian Anthony Wright, who has kindly offered to work with our school leaders and Year 6 school leaders beginning an exciting process of developing new House names that hold meaning and significance for our school and parish community.
Child safety continues to remain at the heart of all that we do at St Joseph’s. Our School Advisory Council continues to support and guide our commitment to ensuring our school remains a safe environment where every child is protected and able to flourish. During our recent SAC meeting, we discussed the importance of ensuring our practices continue to prioritise the safety, privacy and wellbeing of our students in regards to privacy and photography (especially on more public online platforms). In line with updated Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) policies, we are making changes with support of the SAC that further strengthen our commitment to protecting students, particularly in relation to the sharing of student photographs on more public platforms. These measures reflect our ongoing responsibility as a school community to create safe practices that respect and safeguard every child.
Thank you to our School Advisory Council members for their continued partnership, support and commitment to St Joseph’s. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people who generously contribute their knowledge, experience and care to help shape the future of our school. Your service, guidance and counsel are deeply appreciated.
What's on Next Week...
School Closure Day- Monday 10th August
A reminder that Monday, 10 August will be a school closure day for students. This day provides our staff with a valuable opportunity to come together for professional learning focused on literacy and numeracy curriculum, evidence-based teaching practices and strategies that continue to support and enhance student learning and achievement.
At St Joseph’s, we are committed to being a school of excellence, continually reflecting on our practice and seeking ways to provide the very best educational experiences for every student. These professional learning opportunities are an important part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring our teachers have the knowledge, skills and resources to deliver high-quality learning and support outstanding outcomes for our students.
We thank families for their support and understanding of this important day. We hope it also provides families with an opportunity to enjoy a longer weekend together.
Staying Connected...
At any time, if you have questions or concerns regarding the wellbeing, care, or learning of your child, please do not hesitate to reach out. We encourage you to contact your child's class teacher in the first instance, or alternatively, one of our school leaders, Dean Butler (Deputy Principal), or myself, Annabelle Marinelli (Principal). Working in partnership with our families is incredibly important to us, and we are always happy to listen, support, and work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child.
With warmest regards,
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal