Dear Families

Welcome to Term 4! Today we have Andrew Chinn (an Australian song composer and singer) visiting our school.  Andrew conducted workshops with the different classes throughout the day and then put on a concert at the end of the day.  Here are some photos of our day:

Prayer

Why Pray?  Relationships thrive on good communication.  To grow in love and friendship we need to communicate, not just openly but often!  When we pray, we express our desire to grow closer to God.  Through prayer we can praise, thank, ask, cry, argue and express many emotions.  We can speak, listen, sing, chant, dance, smile, embrace or just sit with our God.

I found this prayer recently, and I thought it was meangingful.  You might like to pray it too:

Loving God,

when things are not going well,

touch the hearts of all of us,

that we may see the best in each other. 

Alert me to different approaches I might take

and remind me to remain positive in attitude,

treating others with respect. 

When things are going well,

prevent me feeling smug or better than someone else,

and remind me then

how important it is for us to work together

and support one another.  Amen.

Mini Vinnies support our local CFA

Our Mini Vinnies team comprises of 20 students who volunteer to work as part of this group.  They organise a number of fundraising activities to support different efforts.  Recently the Mini Vinnies team fundraised to support our local Trafalgar CFA team.  The local Trafalgar CFA members were incredibly grateful for our $200 donation and then visited the school to show their gratitude.  The students listened to Volunteer Marcus Barker and Kristie, as they explained the role of the CFA in our community and the students even got to use the fire truck hose.

And, of course, what’s a CFA fire truck visit without the sounding of the ‘fire siren’ at the end?  The students were appropriately startled and alarmed (and a little excited at the same time).

The visit was educational and served to publicly say thank you to the work of the Mini Vinnies team at our school. 

New student

We warmly welcome Parker Askie to our school.  Parker is in Foundation and his mum Prue, used to go to our school when she was younger.  Welcome Askie family!

Recently St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in  Trafalgar hosted a Japanese day. The community immersed themselves in Japanese culture in the morning through raising the Japanese flag Nisshōki  and listening respectfully to the Japanese anthem. The community then engaged in a popular morning exercise ritual in Japanese schools and workplaces,  the 'rajio taiso', which everyone enjoyed.

There was a smorgasbord of activities during the day, including cooking and eating okonomiyaki (a Japanese omelette), print making, manga, origami, a kahoot and Japanese stories. Some students also tried the fermented soybeans called nato.

In the afternoon the community joined together as a whole school to do a festival dance 'Tokyo Ondo'.

Odin Trreyvaud, one of the students, said, "It was very fun. I liked doing the manga and I liked making the okonomiyaki." Senior student, Evie Lowe said "I tried the nato and it was slimy and a bit gross. It tasted a bit like the smell of coffee. I don't know how to describe it."

The Japanese Day was part of the Japanese Program at St Joseph’s School which is capably lead by Ms Susan Taylor, Languages Expert and Teacher in DOSCEL (Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Ltd). The school community is very proud of the successful Languages Program.

R U OK? Day

Last term we highlighted this very important day.

St Joseph’s School community asked R U OK? The community participated in this  annual event  to help educate people about the importance of mental health.  On R U OK? Day people are encouraged to reach out to friends and family and check in on them.  A simple phone call or message can go a long way in helping someone with their mental health.   Leadership at St Joseph’s School reached out to staff and asked them if they were really OK. 

The message is stay connected and make asking R U OK? part of your everyday.

This way, if people are struggling with something big or something small or maybe nothing at all, they’ll know you care.  Learn how to ask at ruok.org.au because a conversation could change a life.

To acknowledge R U OK? day, staff at St Joseph’s School Trafalgar were presented with care packages. This year the care packages included healthy treats (avocado, banana, apple and mandarin) to further promote our healthy eating message in the Vic Kids Eat Well Program.  Pictured are staff members from left Stacey Lia, Will Troy and Cynthia Graham.

Storytime

We continue to run Storytime in Room 5 (near the F/1 classroom) for toddlers and then families. We have only got 4 more sessions this year.  The last Storytime session this year is Wednesday November 1st.

Assemblies

We have a weekly brief assembly on Monday afternoons at 3.15 where we sing the National Anthem and give out class and birthday awards. Additionally, we have some Friday afternoon assemblies.  On Friday October 27th the Gr F/1 students will present their learning at Assembly.  Everyone is welcome to join us in the Mary MacKillop Room at 3pm.

May God continue to bless and guide us in our learning.

Trish Mulqueen

Child Safety is everyone's business.

Day for Daniel is on Friday October 27th.  Everyone is encouraged to wear red, to raise awareness about child safety. Daniel Morcombe was a 13 year old boy, living with his parents and brothers in the town of Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. While on his way to buy Christmas presents for his family at a local shopping centre, he went missing.

He was last seen wearing a red t-shirt, waiting for a bus at 10 minutes past 2pm on Sunday 7th December 2003. He was abducted and murdered; after years of searching and an incredible undercover police investigation Daniel was finally found in 2011.

Daniel’s parents, Bruce and Denise started the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to give back to the community who had supported them from the day that Daniel went missing. Today, the Daniel Morcombe Foundation is one of the most well known not for profit child safety organisations in Australia. Daniel’s story changed child safety in Australia and the determination and dedication of his parents has inspired the entire nation.

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation have produced a number of podcasts to help educate parents and carers on child sexual abuse and safety.  I have found them particularly informative.  You might like to listen to them as well.  You can find them here:

https://danielmorcombe.com.au/bright-futures/bright-futures-podcasts/

Emergency Drill Practice

Child Safety is paramount at our school.  Each term we practise a different Emergency Drill (evacuation, lock down), tomorrow we will practise a Lock Down from the yard.  It is important for us to regularly practise our safety procedures so that we all feel confident in knowing what to do in the case of an emergency. The practice drills are as important for teachers as what they are for students. 

Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.

Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.

Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.

In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to this month's edition

https://trafalgar.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships

One of the most important things we do each year at school is to prepare the students for the Sacraments.  Sacraments are special blessings in our faith and aim to help us along our faith journey. In Gr 3 we prepare for and celebrate Reconciliation, in Gr 4 we prepare for and celebrate Eucharist and in Gr 6 we prepare for and celebrate Confirmation.  This term Harry Westbury, Maycee Shankar and Ethan Jamieson are preparing for their First Holy Communion (the Sacrament of Eucharist).  There are a number of preparations:

Teaching Mass will happen at school on Tuesday 24 October at 10am in the church.  Everyone is welcome to join us.

Parent/Child Workshop St Joseph’s Church  Warragul: Thurs 26th October 4pm or 7pm 

Reconciliation will happen at school sometime in week 6 or 7.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION MASS will be celebrated on Saturday 18 November 6pm in St John’s Church, Trafalgar.  Everyone is welcome to celebrate with us.  We especially remember Harry, Maycee and Ethan in our prayers.