Dear Parents and Carers,

Term Four has started well with Staff and Students returning refreshed and ready for the final run up to Christmas. We have a busy term ahead for the students with exciting events like Swimming, Jnr Sports Day and Orienteering in the next few weeks. Later in the term we will be holding our Carols by Candlelight and Graduation for our Year Sixes.

Staff Professional Learning

To support with improving the learning outcomes of your children, St Joseph's Teachers and Learning Support Officers regularly engage in Professional Learning on a variety of priority areas detailed in our School Development Plan. Throughout 2024 we have had a focus on Science of Learning, Developing Critical and Creative Thinking Skills and Religious Education focusing on scripture.

The last two days of Term Three were spent working with Anne Slengo from Xavier College in Kew and Kathy Green from Australian Catholic University. Anne led us in an exploration of our personal faith journeys and our collective journey as members of the St Joseph's Faith Community. Kathy worked with us on encouraging student voice and agency, strengthening learning dispositions and enhancing students' metacognitive skills (reflective learners).

On Thursday and Friday of last week, Katie Vranken, Alison Waldron and I participated in a two day workshop on Resilience First Aid. This was facilitated by Maria Roberto, a Clinical Psychologist with a strong background in Neuro-science. Her dynamic presentation style and in depth knowledge of resilience building in students made these two days very worthwhile. I am currently working with schools from our Rural Community of Practice to find a way of engaging Maria to work with our staff and parents in 2025. I am sure you would find her insights as helpful to you as parents as we do as educators.

St Joseph’s Master Plan

The school recently shortlisted and interviewed a number of architects to assist us with the development of our Master Plan. We have appointed Sibling Architects to complete this work for us. Our Masterplan will guide us in the development of our school facilities over the coming decade.

Plans for these works will be staged and the Master Plan will assist us with applications for State and Federal Government Grants. We have been advised by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools that a school of our size would be eligible to apply for up to $2.4mil. This, combined with a contribution of around $500K from the school, would provide us with just short of $3mil. This would be enough to construct a new wing of our school or complete significant refurbishments of our existing buildings.

Staff and students participated in consultation with the Architects last Monday and it was pleaseing to see the variety of ideas that were offered by both of these groups. Parents are also major stakeholders in our school and, as such, it is important that they are also consulted. We are organising a date for a joint meeting of our School Advisory Council and Parents and Friends Committee with Sibling Architects later this term and we will extend this invitation to the broader parent community. I will notify you once this date has been finalised.

Parent Input with Student Placements

Planning for 2025 is underway with final decisions being made about class structures and the placement of staff and students. At the end of last term I let parents and carers know that any input on the placement of their child for 2025 needed to be communicated directly to me via email by the end of Term Three. We will begin formalising plans the week after next so I will be happy to receive input from parents any time up until Friday 25 October. All requests will be given due consideration and everything will be done to accommodate requests, where possible. However, I cannot guarantee that requests sent in previous years or communicated to someone other than myself will be taken into account. If you have any input that you think will be helpful to us please email me directly by Friday 25 October.

Public Holidays, Pupil Free Days and End of Term Dates

As previously communicated students will not be at school on the following dates:

Monday 4 November - Pupil Free Day (Time in Lieu Aquittal)

Tuesday 5 November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Friday 6 December - Pupil Free Day (2025 Planning Day)

The school term ends for students on Tuesday 17 December at 3:00pm

School Holidays run from Wednesday 18 December to Sunday 26 January, 2025.

Pupil Free Days 2025

Thursday 3 and Friday 4 March - Staff Conference 2025

Monday 3 November - Cup Eve Pupil Free Day

Best wishes to you and your family for the week ahead.

Kind regards,

Nick.

Nicholas Boyhan

Principal

Student Shout Outs