Principal's Report

Dear Parents, Carers and Community Members,

Students Stepping Up – Striving for Their Best

As we reach the halfway point of the term, it’s inspiring to see the enthusiasm, effort, and achievements of our students across all areas of school life. This fortnight is filled with academic, leadership, and sporting opportunities, including NAPLAN testing, Mini Vinnies elections and our St Joseph’s Cross Country. We also celebrate the outstanding success of our students at the recent Armidale Diocesan Swimming Carnival and in particular Zara Correy being the 11 years girls age Champion, and Claire Bailey who represented Polding at the NSW PSSA Cricket Trials, a testament to their dedication, perseverance, and talent. More details on our sporting events can be found in the sports section of this newsletter.

NAPLAN – Encouraging a Positive Approach

Next week, our Year 3 and Year 5 students will commence NAPLAN testing, beginning on Wednesday, 12 March. This is an important opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning progress in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation), and numeracy.

To help students feel calm and prepared, we encourage:

✅ A good night’s sleep – Rested minds think more clearly.

✅ A healthy breakfast – Fuelling the body helps concentration.

✅ A positive mindset – Encouraging students to do their best without pressure.

Parents, please remember that NAPLAN is just one part of your child’s learning journey. It provides valuable insights, but it does not define a student’s capabilities or potential. As always, our teachers support every child’s learning and growth far beyond a single test.

Appreciation

As we move forward in the term, I want to thank our school team of skilled, helpful adults, our wonderful students, and families for their ongoing commitment to making St Joseph’s a vibrant, nurturing, and high-achieving school community. Research shows that strong parent-student-school partnerships have a positive impact on student achievement. One simple way of being involved is to ask your child what they have 'learned' at the end of each school day, not what they have 'done'.  A simple change of language places the focus on learning rather than on completing tasks. 

May God bless you and your family.

Casey Chard

Principal