Dear Parents and Guardians,

It was wonderful to see so many parents at our Smoking Ceremony last week. Smoking ceremonies promote the wellbeing of Indigenous people and guests on country. Our community was led in this ceremony by Wurundjeri man Colin Hunter jnr jnr, who explained the importance of the ceremony and then invited us to walk through the smoke for an individual cleansing.

This was a wonderful way to start our year as a school community, demonstrating respect for the land, its history and acknowledging the Traditional owners of this land on which we learn, play and work. l thank Connie for organising this special event for our community.

Staff, students and members of our parish gathered on Wednesday to mark the beginning of our school year and the beginning of Lent. During Lent this year, may we be reminded of the value of prayer and remember the importance of acts of service and charity at this time.

Student Health

There are many illnesses in our community at the current time and we still need your help in keeping our community safe and well. Please remain vigilant, keeping an eye out for symptoms of any illness, including COVID. Please do not send your child to school if they are unwell.

Inclement Weather

When we have hot, rainy or very windy days, students remain inside during breaks. Students stay inside on hot days (e.g. when the temperature outside is over 35 degrees or UV is extreme) or when Emergency Management Victoria issues a severe weather warning about rain and days of extreme heat or wind.

We have air conditioning in all classrooms so there is no need for students to stay at home on hot days. Unless students are sick, students are expected to attend school each day.

Parent Code of Conduct

At St Joseph the Worker Primary School, we want what you want - and that is the best for your child! Please trust us and know that we always follow up and respond to any incident and we will always do what is right for your child. When you enrolled your child at our school, you accepted and agreed to respect and follow all school policies and procedures.

At St Joseph the Worker we believe that everyone:

has the right to be safe
has the right to be treated with respect and be valued even in disagreement
has the right to participate within a secure environment without interference, intimidation, harassment, bullying or discrimination
is encouraged to be respectful, polite, courteous and considerate of others
has the right to be supported and challenged as ongoing learners

Please note that is it never acceptable for a parent to:

approach a child that is not your own with a view to disciplining that child for their behaviour
approach other school parents to resolve issues arising between students at school (such matters should always be referred to school staff)

2024 Prep Enrolments

We have already had enquiries from families wanting to enrol their child in Prep next year. If families have a child they wish to enrol for next year, l encourage you to contact the office to join a tour and submit an enrolment application.

Please collect the enrolment documents from the office.
New families are encouraged to book a school tour.
Tour dates are on the website.

Alumni News

Congratulations to past student Sasadi Jayalath on receiving Mercy College High Achievement Award for a top study score in Psychology. Well done Sasadi.

School Uniform

Thank you for ensuring that your child is wearing the correct summer uniform, which includes the school hat and correct school shoes - no black runners.

The school uniform is compulsory for all students.
As a SunSmart school, hats must be worn at all times when outdoors during the warmer months. We encourage all students to wear sunscreen daily during times of high UV ratings. You are welcome to send sunscreen with your child in their bag.

NO Dogs at School

A reminder that under no circumstances should dogs be brought into the school grounds, nor are they to be tied up and left at the school gates. This is for the safety and wellbeing of both families and the pets themselves. We also have students with allergies to dogs and some who are very scared of them. I ask for your support with this matter and to leave the dog at home or wait away from the school grounds with your dog.

Birthday Treats

It is not an expectation or requirement, but some parents like to send in a birthday treat to share with your child's class. Please note:

Items will need to be individually wrapped and not require refrigeration or special care.
A list of ingredients should be provided (to ensure compliance with anaphylaxis management)

Please note that food items will be given out at the end of the school day.

Anaphylaxis

It is important that l remind parents that we have students in our school who are at risk of having an anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis is a severe, rapidly progressive allergic reaction that is essentially life threatening. The most common allergens in school aged children are peanuts, eggs, tree nuts (e.g. cashews), cow’s milk, fish and shell fish, wheat, soy, sesame, latex, certain animal stings and medication.

The key to prevention of anaphylaxis in schools is knowledge of those students who have been diagnosed at risk, awareness of triggers (allergens) and prevention of exposure to these triggers. Partnership between schools and parents is important in ensuring that we remain up to date with medical management requirements of all students.
Parents of students who are at risk of anaphylaxis must review and update medical plans each year. Please contact Michele to organise a time to complete this review and update as soon as possible.

Working together

If you have any concerns, queries or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me or a member of the leadership team. For classroom matters, please email your child's teacher. For general information or inquiries, please contact the office.

Special thanks to our P&F for organising our Tarantella evening next Tuesday 20th February. I look forward to celebrating this special event with everyone in our community.

May St Joseph the Worker continue to bless and watch over everyone in our community.

Kind regards,

Maria Barnes

Principal