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Dear Families,
Last week was an especially busy week at school. We celebrated Father's Day Breakfast with our Dads at school at 8am and then we had a liturgy in the Mary MacKillop Room at 9am. Thank you so much to Ellie Dilger and Kate Westbury for serving the food and special thanks to Narelle and Andrew Jamieson for organising everything and then cooking the eggs and bacon. Special shout out to you Andrew for cooking the breakfast for all the other Dads, we hope you were spoilt on Father's Day. We appreciate your help.
We hope all our Dads had a wonderful day. You occupy a very special place in our families. THANK YOU !
This week we welcomed Aylah Stokes in Gr 4 and her parents Kylie and Rowen from Greensborough to our school community. Aylah is pictured above with Scarlett, who has helped Aylah feel especially welcome. We know you will love our school, Aylah.
R U OK? day
Last week we acknowledged R U OK? day on Thursday. This is a really important day to check in with your friends, colleagues, neighbours, family members, to really check how they are. We hightlighted the day with a small bag of goodies for each staff member, together with an R U OK? card. Remember, everyday can be R U OK? day. Life changes when we all spread a little compassion and care for others.
Assemblies
We have assembly every Monday morning where we raise our national flags. We think this is especially important as we are a respectful and inclusive community. You may have noticed that we have our flags flying half mast as a sign of respect to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth 11.
In addition to Monday assemblies, we have two Friday afternoon assemblies to showcase our learning. Next term, our Friday assemblies are: Nov 4 at 3pm (Gr 4/5 presenting their learning) and Dec 9th at 3pm (Foundation students send off the Gr 6s). Families are very welcome to join us in the Mary MacKillop room.
Enrolments for 2023
A reminder if you know any families who have a 4 or 5 year old kinder child, you might consider promoting our school to them. This week I have been conducting Foundation Interviews for 2023. It is a great part of my job to sit with young students and their families and to talk about school, it is really exciting for them.
Our Loving God, we give you thanks and praise for our fathers, young and old.
We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation; may they find courage and perseverance to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice.
We pray for our own fathers around the world whose children are lost or suffering; may they know that our God of compassion walks with them in their sorrow.
We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and advice.
We remember Fathers, Grandfathers and Great Grandfathers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen.
Next week, on Thursday October 20th we will be hosting a 'Learning Expo' at school. Each student will have a number of pieces of quality work on display. The Learning Expo will start at 2pm for the school classes to walk around and view each other's work. Families are invited to visit the school from 3.30 to 6pm and walk through our classrooms viewing the student's quality work. Our art work, music work and Japanese learning will be highlighted. The big cow that we have painted will also be unveiled each hour for viewing. We think this is a wonderful way to invite our families back into the school and to showcase our work. We hope your family can join us sometime.
National Child Protection Week
Please see below a short video about our schools celebrating National Child Protection Week next week.
Child Safe Standard 4 – Families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
In complying with Child Safe Standard 4, St Joseph’s School informs our families and the community about Child Safety issues via:
- Promotion of safety in our physical environment eg single entrance via new entry
- Actively seeking input from families and the community in decisions that impact our students.
- Communicating strategies to the families and community about how to increase child safety. This regularly occurs via the school newsletters, Dojo and through Parent Teacher conversations.
- Actively involving families and the community in decisions about building an inclusive school that acknowledges and values diversity eg including Acknowledgement of Country at our school assembly and at our school masses and liturgies. Holding a Japanese Day and learning about families and the world in our Humanities and Literacy education.
Next week is National Child Protection Week 4th – 10th September.
National Child Protection Week is an annual event starting on the first Sunday of September. This year’s theme Every child, in every community, needs a fair go aims to spread the message that to treat all of Australia’s children fairly, we need to make sure every family and community has what kids need to grow up safe and supported.
We will once again be participating in Australia's Biggest Child Safety Lesson. This year the focus is on boundaries and body parts and is aimed at children between the ages of 4 and 12 years.
Later in the year, we will also be participating in 'Day For Daniel'. It is held on Fri Oct 28th and the students and teachers are all invited to wear red.
P&F upcoming activities
Father's Day Stall
Our Father's Day stall is on - Friday 2nd September at 2pm. Payment for gifts have now closed off on CDFpay. We hope all the Father’s and special carers enjoy their lovely gifts!
Father's Day Breakfast
P&F are providing a Father's Day brekky on Monday 5th September at 8am. The kids will be super excited to be able to share a special breakfast with their Dads or care givers, so please come along if you can. We still require volunteers to help on the morning from 7am to prepare and serve the food. If you can assist, we would really appreciate it, please contact one of our friendly P&F committee members.
Special Lunches
Our next lunch order day is a footy themed hot dog lunch on Friday 9th September. Orders are now open through CDFpay. If you can assist in the coordination on the day cooking and serving the food, please let us know as we are trying hard to mix up the responsibility between as many people as possible.
Movie Night
We are hosting a movie night on Thursday 15th September at 5.30pm at school. Cost is $10 per family to view the movie. We will have a cap on numbers for this event due to space. Food will be available to purchase, there will be a BBQ dinner and our Mini Vinnies team will be selling popcorn and lollies. Emma Steendam has posted a poll on Green Page to vote for the preferred movie – Babe, Mary Poppins Returns, Sound of Music or Willy Wonker and the Chocolate Factory. Can you please place a vote ASAP as we need to place the booking shortly.
Trivia Night & Auction Night
This night is going to be one you will not want to miss, get the babysitters booked! An adult friendly evening at Trafalgar Bowls Club on Friday 4th November at 7.30pm. Andrew Deak from 3GG will be hosting the trivia event and we will also be having an auction. Tickets will be $25 per head which includes entertainment and nibbles. Invitations are extended to family and friends. You can buy tickets individually or a table of 8. Tickets will be available to purchase through CDFpay, the winning table on the evening will win a grand prize! We are sourcing donations from families or community businesses to auction on the night. We are still sourcing donations to auction on the night, please contact one of our P&F members if you can help– thank you!
Colour Fun Run
Mia Scanlon from You & Mia Fitness and our committee are organising a fantastic colour fun run at school on Friday 11th November after lunch on the oval. Mia’s talent in fitness and health is valuable and very much appreciated to get our children out in the sun, exercising and having fun! Children will be sponsored to raise money, the class who raises the most money will get to slime their teacher and our Principal!! Please come along to join the colourful fun.
Next P&F meeting – Tuesday 6th September at 3.30pm at school.
Thanks,
Narelle Jamieson
Circle of Security Parenting Program for Dads
A few years ago we ran a particularly successful parenting program called 'The Circle of Security' and the mums who attended it said it was especially helpful. We are looking at running this program for our Dads. It requires a substantial commitment but the benefits are tremendous. You need to be able to commit to the 8 consecutive sessions as each week grows on the previous week's learning. We are looking at running it on Tuesday nights at school from 5pm to 6.30pm in term 4, starting October 12th. The program aims to help parents in their vital role of parenting. If you are interested please let us know as soon as possible as we will only run it if we have enough interest. Post Father's Day can be a nice time to reflect on your important role in our families.
JAPANESE DAY ga suki desu ka?
Do you like Japanese Day?
Japanese day will be Wednesday 7th September.
Please wear red and white (the colours of the flag) or something Japanese.
We will be doing a range of Japanese activities including calligraphy, art, dancing and origami.
Parents are welcome to come and join our dancing at 3pm (weather permitting).
Ushi 牛 (cow)
We are learning to use different types of Japanese sentences.
Rubi has made a lot of different sentences about cows.
Susan Taylor
(Japanese teacher).
This year we are running our swimming program in the last week of Term 3 at the Warragul Leisure Centre. It starts on Monday September 12th and finishes on Friday September 16th. We will go swimming in the afternoons on Monday through to Thursday and on Friday (the last day of term) we will go swimming in the morning (as school finishes at 1pm on the last day). Permission forms have been set up on PAM. Your child is encouraged to either wear their bathers to school under their uniform or bring their bathers (this is a good option if your child has a one piece suit) in a smaller bag to take swimming. We are looking for parent helpers, especially in the junior classes. All helpers must have a current Working with Children's Check.
Please see attached timetable. If you are able to help please let your classroom teacher know.
2023
March
Thurs 16th Reconciliation Parent & Child Workshop
Warragul 4pm or 7pm
Fri 17th AFL clinic (all classes)
3. Interest Based Learning
Mon 20th St Joseph's Feast Day Prayer Service church 3pm
Tues 21st School Athletics Carnival
Wed 22nd Storytime 9.15am
School Advisory Committee 5.30pm
Fri 24th AFL clinic (all classes)
4. Interest Based Learning Program
3pm Lenten Prayer Service in church
Mon 27th Gr 6 Young Leaders Day Melbourne
Tues 28th & Wed 29th Life Ed Program Healthy Harold
Wed 29th Sacrament of Reconciliation 6pm church
Fri 31st 5. Interest Based Learning Program
April
Mon 3rd Easter Carnival 3.30 to 5pm at school
Wed 5th Last day of Term 1.
Easter Dramatization in church 2.30pm
School finishes 3.30pm
Thurs 6th Pupil Free day. Staff Professional Learning
Fri 7th GOOD FRIDAY
Mon 24th HOLIDAY
Tues 25th ANZAC DAY holiday
Wed 26th First Day of Term 2
May
Mon 22 to 26 Catholic Education Week
June
Tues 6th Andrew Chinn (music composer) visit & concert
Mon 12th King's Birthday Holiday
Wed 21st Last day of term 2 for students
Thurs 22& Fri 23 Staff PD days in Melbourne (student free days)