Dear Parents and Guardians,

I cannot believe how quickly this term is going. The students have been working hard and I continue to be impressed with the high standard of learning and teaching at St Joseph the Worker.

Catholic Education Week

This week is an opportunity for our school to join all 334 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese to acknowledge our distinctive Catholic identity, our achievements, and the role our school plays within our parish and local community.

At the very heart of our school and all Catholic schools, is a desire for the full flourishing of each student, across religious, physical, cognitive, emotional and social domains. We support students to grow in virtue and to embrace a view of themselves and the world that leads to peace, justice, and the prospering of the whole of creation. It is a journey that is enlightened by faith, animated by love and leading to hope (Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools, Horizons of Hope, 2019).

Reconciliation

Please keep our Year 3 students in your prayers as they are currently preparing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday, 29th March.

2024 Prep Enrolments

We have already had a considerable number of enrolment applications for Prep in 2023. I encourage families who have a child they wish to enrol for next year to submit an enrolment application ASAP. Existing families are guaranteed a place, but you must submit an enrolment form. Please drop in at the office and collect an enrolment pack. We have our first school tour next Tuesday 21st March for new families only. It is not necessary for existing families to attend the school tours.

3 way conversations

Our 3 way conversations are scheduled for Wednesday, 5th April and Thursday, 6th April. Students on Wednesday, 5th April will be dismissed at 1.15pm with 3 way conversations beginning at 2.00pm and concluding at 5.30pm. 3 way conversations will resume on Thursday at 8.45am and conclude at 1.15pm. Please note that Theircare will be running from 1.15pm on Wednesday and normal hours on Thursday. Further information regarding this will be shared closer to this event.

Parent Helpers Course

We will be holding a parent induction session for any parent who would like to assist as a volunteer in classrooms on Tuesday 28th March in our library, commencing at 9.00am. Attendance is compulsory if you wish to help as you will learn about the roles and responsibilities and expected behaviours of volunteers who work with children in our school.

Working together

At St Joseph the Worker, we strive to be a safe, supportive and respectful learning community where the wellbeing of all is paramount. We implement a number of strategies and approaches to promote an inclusive and supportive environment for our students where everyone feels safe, supported and respected, and where bullying is not accepted.

At the current time, we have a number of students using inappropriate language and breaking the hands off rule when playing with their peers on the yard. We have addressed this with our students and in the spirit of working together, l ask all families to remind their children to be careful with their both their language and their actions when playing at school.

Book Fair

Special thanks to Rosa Adorno for organising our Book Fair again this year. I hope many of our students and families take this opportunity to visit the library and purchase a book for their child.

School Fees

Thank you to all the parents who have paid their school fees in full. For those paying instalments, the first instalment and the Curriculum Levy are due on April 1st. It is important that all fees and levies are paid on time to enable the school to meet our financial commitments.

Traffic Management & Safety

A friendly reminder to all parents that if you need to exit your car to assist your child when using the drive-through in the morning, then please park in the car park. I understand that some students need support with their belongings however, parents leaving their cars to assist their children slows the traffic and causes a backlog in Wilson Blvd. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Term 2 Starting Date

Students return to school in Term 2 on Wednesday, 26th April. The school will be closed on Monday, 24th April as staff will be involved in completing professional practice requirements including Mandatory Reporting, First Aid and Disability Standards. Please note that Theircare will be operating on Monday, 24th April.

We ask St Joseph the Worker to continue to bless our community and wishing everyone a very happy St Patrick;s Day.

Physical Education