Filter Content
- PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
- NATIONAL ZART ART TEACHERS COMPETITION
- STOMP DANCE COMPANY
- NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BULLYING AND VIOLENCE
- CELEBRATING SAINT JOSEPH
- BABY NEWS
- SAFETY
- NEW STUDENT LEADERS
- TUTOR PROGRAM
- FOUNDATION STUDENTS
- PARENTS & FRIENDS GROUP
- INTEREST BASED LEARNING
- SCHOOL REVIEW
- UNIFORM SHOP
- SCHOOL ATHLETICS
- ASSEMBLIES
- VISIT FROM THE LIFE EDUCATION VAN AND HEALTHY HAROLD
- MARIST-SION COLLEGE YEAR 7 2022 INFORMATION EVENT
- DATES FOR YOUR DIARY & REMINDERS
- TRAFALGAR VICTORY FC PLAYERS WANTED
Dear Families
Recently Fr Tom O’Connell’s (1933 to 2021) passing has occupied much of my thinking. He was a wonderful man, completely filled with God’s love. I especially loved Fr Tom’s sense of fun. Sometimes I think, we all need a bit more fun.
Fr Tom’s death marks the end of the extraordinary ministry of those Irish clergy who for so many years served the people of the Diocese of Sale. Following his Ordination at All Hallows Dublin (17th June 1956) Fr Tom made his way to Australia and commenced at Yallourn, then in the Parishes of Sale, Bairnsdale, Morwell, Leongatha, Neerim South, Wonthaggi, Koo Wee Rup, Cowwarr, Dalyston, Omeo, Fish Creek and Trafalgar and as Director of Propagation of the Faith.
Fr Tom will be remembered for his extrovert personality and priestly goodness. In both the joy and desert places of his ministry he had wonderful ‘angel messengers’ who walked with him and he with them. As a priest he brought friendship, delights, stories and songs to the presbyterate of Sale.
In his retirement in Trafalgar, initially privately and in recent years at Andrews House, he remained a beloved member of St John’s Parish and the wider community of Trafalgar.
We pray that, he has now met the God he loved and served face to face and enjoys the transfigured life of the resurrection.
Fr Tom’s Requiem Mass took place today at St John’s Church, Trafalgar.
Rest in Peace Fr Tom xx
NATIONAL ZART ART TEACHERS COMPETITION
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
THE NATIONAL TEACHER-ARTIST PRIZE 2021
A Zart Education initiative
Fifty artworks have been shortlisted from a whopping 760 entries for the National Teacher-Artist Prize 2021 (NTAP).
The prize was established to reward teachers by celebrating the value and quality of their individual art practice.
NTAP aspires to be one of the most important events on the art and education calendar - the only dedicated art prize for educators in the world.
We were overwhelmed by the high quality and quantity of works this year and would like to thank every teacher-artist for taking the time to submit an entry for the NTAP21.
We are very pleased to announce the NATIONAL TEACHER-ARTIST PRIZE FINALISTS for 2021:
Our very own Ms Kathy Grass has been announced as one of the 50 finalists. We are so incredibly proud of Kathy and her work. We are so lucky to have Kathy work at our school. Here is her work.
Kathy: To be selected as a Top 50 finalist out of 760 entries is a great honour for me as a teacher of art and a creator of artworks. Your children will tell you how passionate I am about art in general but especially needle felting. To have my felting artwork selected and recognized in a mixed media art competition is very special as felting is often just thought of as a craft rather than an art.
My artwork was based on a special photo that was sent to me by a friend in Belgium and it gives me great pleasure to think that the special connection between my friend and her tiny dog has led to this honour…as it encompasses my love for my art and dogs.
Here is the Artists statement that I attached to the artwork.
In 2020 I was sent a photo of my friend and her tiny puppy asleep on the couch.
I was instantly moved by the strength of the connection between human and dog.
I wanted to capture that beautiful moment but also the feeling of love, safety and serenity that the image portrayed. Falling asleep on her couch in a cosy, warm living room after an exhausting early morning shift at the hospital and having her dogs envelop her in their love gives her the strength she needs to face each day’.
The next phase of the competition now, is to have all the 50 artworks placed on display for several weeks in a gallery in Melbourne. From these 50 artworks the Best in Show will be chosen as well as 7 State ‘Highly Commended’ awards. At the conclusion of the art show they will also announce the ‘Peoples’ Choice Winner’ (You can still vote for my artwork for this category until then).
Kathy Grass
On Friday, 19th March we will be joined by STOMP Dance Company for the whole day. STOMP is an indigenous dance company and they will be taking each grade for a workshop. This will then be combined for a whole school performance and presentation in the afternoon. We are fortunate to have STOMP Dance Company so close to Harmony Week. Costs are covered through the school excursions levy.
This is a fantastic opportunity that supports the Victorian Curriculum including history, languages, performing arts, physical education, health and social capabilities. It also supports our School Wide Expectations of: respect, inclusiveness, resiliency and teamwork.
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BULLYING AND VIOLENCE
19th March, 2021
This year once again, St Joseph’s Primary School will be participating in the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. It is an important day in our school calendar to join with other schools across Australia to say “Bullying. No way!” At our school, we encourage students to take hold of the issue and talk about what does work. Let’s support our students to drive powerful messages and take action to prevent bullying. Together we can make change.
So far, our students have been learning about building and maintaining healthy and respectful relationships. This will be followed up with a visit from the Life Education Van on the 17th and 18th of March. Building healthy and respectful relationships is everyone’s responsibility. At school, we promote the Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support (WSAPBS) and explicitly teach our School Wide Expectations (SWE). As a whole school community, it is important that everyone; teachers, students and parents promote the expectation of positive relationships and say “Bullying! No way!”
On Friday 19th of March, we invite all students to come to school dressed in the colour orange for the day. In doing this, we can help our school deliver a powerful message that bullying and violence are never okay.
This year our church has named 2021 as the Year of St Joseph, a lowly carpenter, betrothed to Mary. A ‘just man’ ever ready to carry out God’s will as revealed to him. He beheld the birth of Jesus in a stable. Joseph had the courage to become the father of Jesus, here on earth. Joseph protected Jesus from Herod. He accompanied Mary and Jesus with tender love. He lived his life in the small village of Nazareth in Galilee, where he taught Jesus the value of good, faithful and noble work and service. He is the ‘Patron of the Catholic Church’, the ‘Patron of Workers’, ‘Guardian of the Redeemer’ and Patron Saint of our School. This year, we are encouraged to imitate the example of St Joseph in our lives and into our communities. Let us turn to St Joseph and ask for the grace of graces: our conversion. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father, and guide us in the path of life. We pray for grace, mercy and courage. Amen. St Joseph, pray for us.
Short reflection inspired by Patris Corde, a letter by Pope Francis.
Congratulations to Brianna and Josh on the birth of Emmy Rose Walker (sister to Kaylem and Aleyah).
Born 14th of February early hours in the morning.
At school we now have a QR code for entry. This is particularly easy to use and helps with contact tracing if we need. Staff use the QR code each day and we ask that visitors also use this or fill in the paperwork at the office.
We congratulate our new Grade 6 Student Leaders for the next five weeks. We look forward to your work with us.
Pictured from left: Charlise, Cohen, Shelby and Mr Troy.
We will employ Ms Lucy O’Connell and Ms Liza Marino to support student learning following the periods of remote and flexible learning. This funding will help us to deliver additional targeted teaching support to students in a way that best suits our local circumstances. We will need to identify students requiring tutoring support with a focus on literacy and numeracy. In order to identify students, teachers will use a variety of data.
Students who may require additional support include those:
- with low levels of English
- with home environments not conducive to remote and flexible learning
- already at risk of disengaging from school and
- who need educational and health and wellbeing supports at school but were unable
to access them at home.
The tutoring style will be small group based and use an evidence-based approach to differentiated teaching. The idea is for students to be tutored in short (30 or 45 minute) regular sessions (between 3-to-5 times a week), over a sustained period (between 10-to-20 weeks). We are presently planning our school’s approach, or combination of approaches, to tutoring that best fits our context and the needs of our students. Tutors will work under the direction of and in collaboration with the classroom teacher to implement evidence-based approaches that target the needs of the students within the group. In the coming weeks if your child has been identified as someone requiring tutoring support we will be in contact with you and give you further information on how this program will run. If you think your child needs this program, I encourage you to talk directly to your child’s teacher. It may be that our school data reinforces this idea or it may be that the school data doesn’t confirm this approach, either way it is positive to talk to the class teacher about this.
Message to families with a foundation student: remember foundation students have had the first 5 Wednesdays off as a rest day.
This coming Wednesday following the long weekend, is the first Wednesday the foundation students will be at school.
We have a wonderful P&F group who plan fundraising and social events for us. Our next meeting is the AGM. Please find attached invitation.
We started our Interest Based Learning last Thursday. The school was buzzing with excitement. The program will run for five weeks on a Thursday afternoon from 2.00pm to 3.30pm. The groups include science activities, sport, woodwork, concert writing, art, photography, Survivor, cooking and animal groups. The students are especially excited and to be honest, so are the teachers and helpers. I truly believe that if students are interested in their learning that the level of engagement will be particularly high and therefore the quality of the learning will be high. It is working really well. Thank you to Cathleen Ryan for organising and co-ordinating the program. Special thanks also to the volunteers who have enabled us to run this program.
Our schools that work under DOSCEL (Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Ltd) operate within a 4 year review cycle. This year is our year for review, so this means that we reflect on our processes, activities and policies and seek deliberately and strategically to improve. The leadership team, the staff and the School Advisory Committee will engage in this process. By completing the SRC parent surveys (that we send home each year) you will be participating in this review process, and in addition if you would like to be more actively involved in the review then please contact me and I will thankfully include you. It is crucial that we always seek to be our best.
Orders from CDF online payment system are received on a weekly basis and are filled Wednesdays, cut off for weekly orders is Tuesday night every week. Items can be picked up from the office when ready.
Over the next 4 weeks the student's at St Joseph's will be participating in a Kids' Athletics Program which focuses on the development of running, jumping and throwing skills through fun and engaging games. The Kids' Athletics program is the only one endorsed by Sport Australia and made available to us through Sporting Schools funding.
Our Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday March 12th at Joe Carmody Track in Newborough. We rely on the help of parents to make this day run successfully. At the moment we do not have enough helpers to run this day. If you are able to help please contact Taryn as soon as possible!
My God Continue to bless and guide us in our work.
Trish Mulqueen
Principal
This year assemblies will be Fridays at 3.10pm in the Mary MacKillop room. Unfortunately, at this stage assemblies are only open to students and teachers as we still need to abide by the 2 square metre density rules and our Mary MacKillop room is simply not big enough to hold students, staff and parents. We will however endeavour to livestream the event if you would like to join us. Tomorrow we have a Lent Liturgy in the church at 3.00pm. As there is more room in the church, if parents would like to join us, you are welcome.
VISIT FROM THE LIFE EDUCATION VAN AND HEALTHY HAROLD
On the the 17th and 18th of March the students in our school will be visited by the Life Education Van and Healthy Harold. The theme for the visit is to build healthy and respectful relationships. The beginning of the year is an ideal time to participate in a program such as this as we navigate maintaining and building friendships and new class structures/groupings. During the visit, students will have the opportunity to participate in developing their knowledge by receiving age appropriate and factual information in a safe and respectful environment. The school already promotes healthy and respectful relationships through our Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support (WSAPBS) and through our School Wide Expectations (SWE). Reinforcing our SWE through the uses of services like the Life Education Van is fantastic not only for providing great learning opportunities but to also reinforce that safety and relationships are always a priority for us here at St Joseph's School.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY & REMINDERS
Icy poles on sale on Fridays in term 1 $1
Remember school hats must be worn in Term 1 & Term 4
Remember it is best for students to bring their own drink bottle of water from home.
DATES
MARCH
Mon 8th Labour Day Holiday
Wed 10th Foundation Students first Wednesday at school.
Thurs 11th Interest Based Learning Program
Fri 12th Athletics Carnival at Joe Carmody Track
Tues 16th P&F AGM 6pm Trafalgar Thai Restaurant
Wed 17th & Thurs 18th Life Education Van visit
Thurs 18th Interest Based Learning Program
Fri 19th National Day of Action (wear orange)
St Joseph’s Feast Day
Stomp Dance Group
Thurs 25th Interest Based Learning
APRIL
Thurs 1st Last day of term 1pm dismissal
Monday 19th Staff Day RE Curriculum Day Pupil free day.
Thursday 22nd School Photos (Summer Uniform)
MAY
Tues 11th,Wed 12th & Thurs 13th NAPLAN
Mon 17th to Wed 19th Grade 5/6 Camp to Allambee
Mon 24th to Fri 28th Catholic Education Week
JUNE
Thurs 24th & Fri 25th Staff Professional Learning Days
(Pupil Free Days)
JULY
Mon 12th First day of Term 3
SEPTEMBER
Thurs 2nd & Fri 3rd Grade 4 Overnight Camp to Mill Valley
TRAFALGAR VICTORY FC PLAYERS WANTED
A detailed flyer regarding players wanted is on display at the school.