Principal’s Message
Welcome to Week 10, Term 4.
It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of another school year. 2021 has been challenging at times, with unexpected lockdowns and a return to home schooling but it has also been incredibly rewarding. You only have to walk around the playground or through the classrooms to witness happy, excited children enjoying their learning. We are truly blessed to have a dedicated staff who are providing quality educational opportunities for students every day.
Farewell
We bid a fond farewell to Mrs Maureen McNeill and Mrs Judy McManus who will be leaving St Joseph's at the end of the year. Maureen has been a part of the secretarial team for 26 years and has played an important role in the administration of the school, supporting a number of principals. She has generously donated many hours of her time to teaching chess and has organised many inter-school competitions over the years.
Judy has been teaching at St Joseph's since 2016 and has had a number of roles during that time. She has taught Kindergarten in recent years and has done an excellent job. Judy is always looking for new ways to provide quality educational opportunities for her students which are enjoyable - her Science unit on chickens is just one example!
On behalf of the staff and school community, I thank Maureen and Judy for their hard work and dedication to the students and families at St Joseph's and wish them all the best for the future.
Staffing
Recruitment has begun for another teacher to join our team and an announcement will be made at the start of next week. Once the position has been filled, I will announce the staffing list for 2022.
Congratulations to our Leaders
Last week, our Year 5 students gave their leadership speeches and they are to be commended on their efforts. All students are considered leaders of the school and are expected to be positive role models for the school community. Some of the positions hold special responsibilities such as representing the school at events such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. We all hope that 2022 has less restrictions and our students will, once again, be able to attend these important community events.
Congratulations to the following students who are our Captains for 2022:
School Captains - Max Newell and Isislyn Balquin
Vice Captains - Archie Allan and Arabella Hamilton
Sports Captains - MacKillop: Sophia Taylor-Hughes and Roland Tocao
Sports Captains - Joseph: Lilly Marshall and Khai-Van Tran
Pupil Free Day
The last day of school for Term 4 for students is Tuesday 14th December. We will hold our end of year Presentation Assembly in the hall at 9am. Due to Covid restrictions, parents are not allowed to attend, however we are recording the assembly and will distribute it to parents via email. Wednesday 15th December is a staff development day (no students) and the school office will close from Thursday 16th December and re-open on Friday 28th January 2022.
Semester 2 Student Reports
The Semester 2 reports are being finalised and will be sent home via email on Compass on Friday. If you do not receive the report on Friday or would prefer a hard copy, please contact the school office. Equipment lists for 2022 will also be sent home this week.
Thank you
Special thanks to all the parents/carers who have volunteered on the Parents and Friends Association and School Advisory Council this year. Interruptions due to Covid restrictions have meant that meetings and events had to be cancelled but we truly appreciate the support of our parent community. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered throughout the year in the Canteen which has meant we were able to continue this great service .
On behalf of St Joseph's school, I wish everyone a safe, happy and holy Christmas.
May God bless you and your family,
Katie Hanes
Principal
St Joseph's School - a Faith Filled Community Where Learning Matters.
