Principal's Page

Dear Parents and Friends,

A warm welcome to Term 2. Thank you for ensuring your children returned to school so well prepared - it has made for a smooth and positive start to the term. We are already off to a wonderful beginning and look forward to the many opportunities and experiences that Term 2 will bring.

Bishop Brian Mascord’s Easter message 2026

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5

In his Easter message for 2026, Bishop Brian speaks into a world marked by uncertainty and change, offering a steady reminder that the light of Christ continues to shine, even in the midst of darkness. Drawing on the promise of the resurrection, he reflects on the quiet strength found in faith, the resilience of communities, and the everyday acts of compassion that shape a more hopeful future.

This message is both an encouragement and a call, to remain grounded in Christ, to recognise God at work in our lives, and to carry that light into the lives of others. It speaks to the deeper meaning of Easter: not only as a moment in time, but as an invitation to renewal, to trust, and to begin again.

We invite you to read Bishop Brian’s Easter message here and take a moment this Easter season to reflect on the hope it offers.

ANZAC Day

Our school community commemorated ANZAC Day on Friday with our annual whole school liturgy. I was incredibly proud of our students for the reverence and respect they demonstrated throughout the service, and towards our special guests, Mark and Tony from the Woonona-Bulli RSL.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Mark and Tony for generously giving their time to be with us and for sharing such a meaningful address. Their presentation offered valuable insight into the origins of the Dawn Service, a tradition that continues to hold deep significance and is so strongly supported within our community.

It was wonderful to see a number of our students attending Dawn Services across the local area. Mr Walker accompanied a group of students who represented SJB with great pride, laying a wreath at the Woonona-Bulli ANZAC Day Dawn Service. I was also delighted to see some of our students at the Thirroul Dawn Service, demonstrating their respect and commitment to honouring this important occasion.

2026 Annual Improvement Plan 

Goal: Students will be challenged to maximise their learning growth in Writing and clearly articulate their learning goals, know their next steps, and monitor their progress.

Progress Update

Staff Development Day

Our Staff Development Day last Monday focused on strengthening the development of Learning Goals in Writing to effectively challenge all students. There was a particular emphasis on defining what constitutes an “Extensive” grade in Writing, as well as identifying appropriate learning goals for students already achieving at this level. More broadly, the day also explored strategies for supporting high potential and gifted learners.

Learning Walks

The purpose of a Learning Walk is to gather evidence about the impact of teaching and learning in relation to our school’s Annual Improvement Plan. Evidence includes observations of the classroom environment and teaching practice as well as student voice. Learning Walks are scheduled at least twice per term and are generally conducted by members of the Leadership Team. Our most recent Learning Walk occurred in Week 10 last term. 

Recent Learning Walks have highlighted the excellent pedagogy that is consistently occurring in our classrooms across the school. An example of this is the use of Worked Examples and Bump It Up Walls to show students what excellent writing looks like. Furthermore, students are taught to use these writing examples to set learning goals to improve their writing.

Recent Staff Professional Learning

Research tells us that the quality of the teacher is the greatest in-school influence on student achievement. Therefore high quality professional learning for teachers must be a priority to ensure improved teacher practice that leads to improved student learning growth. 

Please find a snapshot of the professional learning our staff will attend over the coming fortnight:

28 & 29 April 2026

Assistant Principal Retreat

Mr Aguilera

5 May 2026

Writing Curriculum Day

Mrs Clarkson & Mrs Fursey

8 May 2026

PB4L

Mrs Smith, Mr Aguilera, Mrs Page

School Assemblies

Our next whole school assembly will be held this Friday 1 May at 2pm.  All are welcome!

Kaylene Duffin

Principal

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Principal Awards

Our Principal's awards are presented to students fortnightly on the even week.  

The following students will receive their Principal Awards at our whole school assembly on Friday 1 May 2026 (Week 2).

How does my child receive a Principal's Award?

Class teachers nominate students for Blue Merit Awards which are presented at the weekly assembly.  When five Blue Merit Awards have been received, students send them to the school office to be recorded and are then eligible for a Principal’s Award. When students attain their 4th Principal Award, they are awarded a Principal’s Medallion at an assembly. End of Term awards can be included as part of the 5 awards.  Please see the "School Handbook" for a full list of eligible awards.

Acknowledgement to Country

St Joseph's Bulli acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal people past, present and emerging the traditional custodians of the land on which our school is built