Dear Parents and Friends,

It was wonderful to welcome our students and families back to school on Monday. All looked rested and happy, and I congratulate them for settling back into learning and their school routines so successfully.

This term, we would like to continue to foster a spirit of working together, recognising that when we do this, we can achieve remarkable things! Together, let us continue to nurture a culture of collaboration, respect, and excellence, ensuring that every child thrives and flourishes. I encourage you to regularly check our school communications platform ‘Audiri’ and mark your calendars for any upcoming significant events, especially those specifically scheduled for your children’s learning area.

Our learning showcases, assemblies, liturgies and Masses provide a wonderful opportunity for students to demonstrate their achievements and share their learning with you. As partners in your children’s education, your participation in these events are invaluable. Your support not only enriches their educational experience but also strengthens the bonds within our school community.

St Joseph the Worker Day

Next Friday 1st May, staff, students and families are invited to gather at a 9.15 am Mass to remember St Joseph the Worker, the patron saint of our school. Students will then return to class to learn about St Joseph through a variety of activities.

Anzac Day

Today our students gathered in the hall to mark Anzac Day. Special thanks to MLA 1 for leading and organising this assembly. This was a wonderful opportunity to build students' understanding of Anzac Day and the important reason we mark this every year.

Anzac Day on Saturday, April 25, 2026, marks the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, acting as Australia’s National Day of Remembrance to honour the service and sacrifice of veterans and over 103,000 fallen soldiers. It is a day for reflection, dawn services, and marching, focusing on the "ANZAC spirit" of courage and mateship.

Uniform

We have enjoyed another week of mild weather, with some beautiful sunny days along the way. As the sunny conditions are set to continue into next week, students can continue to choose which uniform to wear however, from the beginning of Week 3, Monday 4 May, all students are expected to be wearing their full Winter uniform.

At St Joseph the Worker it is expected that parents provide their child/ren with the correct school uniform at all times and abide by our uniform policy.

Just a reminder that students are expected to wear black school shoes (except on Sport days). This does not mean that black sneakers can be worn instead of school shoes.

Please remember that the only jewellery that is allowed to be worn at school is a religious necklace (crucifix, holy medal or scapular on a modest, simple chain) and this will be removed while undertaking physical activity. Also, only one earring per ear and all earrings must be studs. Earrings must be worn on the LOBE of the ear and no dangling earrings are allowed.

Student Phones

A friendly reminder that any students who bring mobile phones to school are required to hand them in at the office upon arrival and collect them again at the end of the day. Please note that smart watches must also be handed in, as these devices are capable of making recordings, which does not align with our child safety requirements. Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a safe school environment.

Mother’s Day Celebrations

On Friday 8th May we invite our mothers and significant others to enjoy a coffee and sweet from 7.45 am and time in classes with their family from 9.00 - 9.45 am. See further information in this newsletter.

Morning Drop Off

A friendly reminder to all parents that our drive though in the morning is a ‘stop and drop’ zone. If you need to get out of the car to assist your child, please park in the parking areas. Parents often complain to me about the lack of consideration by a small number that affects many others. In the spirit of working together, l ask parents to ensure that they park if they need to support their child at the drop off.

School Fees

Thank you to all the parents who have paid their school fees in full. It is important that all fees and levies are paid on time to enable the school to meet our financial commitments. Please contact Marisa if you have any questions regarding your fees.

Photographs & Videos

A friendly reminder that under our child safety requirements, parents are only allowed to take photos of their own children. We kindly ask all members of our community to respect our legal obligations and ensure compliance with this.

Parent Volunteers – Training Sessions

Parents are invited to become involved as classroom helpers or support excursions and incursions. To volunteer, a Working with Children Check and completion of the Parent Volunteers Training Course are required. Dates for these sessions are included further in the newsletter.

As a MACS school we are changing the way we teach, and as a result there is less need for parent assistance. This together with expectations around privacy and confidentiality, has led us to review how parent volunteers support learning within classrooms.

Moving forward, parents who have completed the Parent Helpers Course will be timetabled to support learning in Prep and JLA for short periods in the mornings or afternoons. This focus will be on supporting students develop fluency in literacy and numeracy skills.

We greatly value the contribution of our parent community and appreciate your understanding as we make these changes to ensure we continue to meet our responsibilities around student privacy while supporting positive learning outcomes.

District Cross Country – coming soon

Congratulations to the students who have been selected to compete in the District Cross Country event in May. This year, 22 students will proudly represent our school—the largest number of students selected for Cross Country in recent years. We congratulate each of them on this achievement and their selection.

The students who will be competing in the Cross Country are: MLA students: Sienna, Emily, Alexandra, Eleanor, Evelyn, Pat, Louise, Christian, Maverick and Jaxson.

SLA students: Adele, Alexia, Sierra, Lena, Emma, Salvadore, Archie, Christian, Josh, Matthew and Isaac.

We ask that St Joseph the Worker continues to bless our community

Kind regards,

Maria Barnes

Principal

A Message from Pope Leo

In his Easter message, Pope Leo spoke to the challenges facing our world, encouraging people to choose peace over conflict. He reminded us that lasting peace is built through dialogue, understanding, and respect for one another.

Pope Leo encourages us all, in times of difficulty, to lay aside division and work towards peaceful and respectful relationships in our homes, communities, and beyond. We hope and pray that the conflict in our world is resolved soon so that everyone may live in peace, safety, and dignity.

Lord Jesus, you conquered death without weapons or violence: you shattered its power with the strength of peace. Grant us your peace, as you did to the women filled with doubt on Easter morning, as you did to the disciples who were hiding in fear. Send forth your Spirit, the breath that gives life and reconciles, that turns adversaries and enemies into brothers and sisters. Inspire in us to trust in Mary, your mother, who stood at the foot of your cross with a broken heart, firm in the faith that you would rise again. May the madness of war cease and the Earth be cared for and cultivated by those who still know how to bring forth, protect and love life. Hear us, Lord of life!

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