23 June 2021

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to Week 10.

Report cards were posted to Parent Lounge today. These reports are a very important part of the communication between home and school regarding your child’s academic progress.

I urge you to sit with your child and reflect on this document. Many of our students just missed out on an academic award at Monday’s assembly. For some of our students, they may just need a little prompting from both their teachers and from home to reach that next level in a specific area of their learning. In last weeks newsletter, I included the requirements for all the awards, Navy for effort, as well as Maroon, Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards for Academic Achievement.

On Monday's assembly, I also addressed the students about what it means to achieve an ‘O’ in the effort area of their report card. Essentially to receive an ‘O’ they must be an active, engaged learner. Even though it is a good start, this means more than just sitting quietly and listening to the teacher. It means that they need to always be striving to improve in their schoolwork each day. A student does not need to excel in a subject area to obtain an Outstanding effort mark, they just need to apply themselves to the best of their ability. I have asked the teachers to address what an ‘O’ looks like within their classrooms when the school community returns for Semester 2.

Even though all students may not be able to achieve an Academic Award, it would be lovely to see all our 372 students being awarded a Navy Award for Academic Effort later in the year. This particular award, with some hard work, was designed to be achievable by all of our students.

Please have a happy and safe holiday break and I look forward to seeing you for Semester 2 in a couple of weeks.

Have a great week.

Don’t Forget …

• Semester 1 Reports posted to Parent Lounge. Wednesday 23rd June
• All Prep enrolments for 2022 submitted online before the end of Semester 1
• Term 3 recommences. Monday 12th July
• Prep Enrolment Interviews for 2022 commence Monday 12th July
• Challenge Cup, Wed–Fri 14th-16th July (First week back)
• July P&F Meeting. Tues 20th July @ 6:00pm in the Library
• July Board Meeting. Wed 21st July @ 5:30pm in the Library.

Regards
Bernard Fitzgerald
Principal - St. Joseph’s Catholic School Park Avenue

St Joseph’s 2021 School Improvement Priorities:

• Writing
• Parent Engagement
• Social Emotional Learning

RELIGIOUS MATTERS

12th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Jesus stills the sea
Mark 4:35-41

Living the Gospel – Do you not care?

The experience of the disciples as their boat was tossed about the sea by the powerful storm may sound like a familiar situation. At times in life, we may feel that we have lost control of our situation and we are being blown from one ‘disaster’ to the next. At such times, we may find ourselves asking the question that the disciples asked of Jesus, ‘Master, do you not care?’ Jesus’ reply to the disciples suggests that had they been calm and trusted in the slow work of God then they would have made it through the storm unharmed.

@Liturgy Help – Greg Sunter

Children’s Mass Date Claimer

It has been a long time coming, but we are going to return to having a regular children’s mass next term. Saturday 31st July @ 6:30pm, will be our first Children’s Mass since the pandemic closed our churches. A Children’s Mass is led by the children, with children’s hymns, children reading and singing and is targeted at their level of understanding. Please add this date to your calendar and more will be posted next term. This will be a great way to celebrate the end of Catholic Education Week for 2021.

Bernadette Brennan
Assistant Principal Religious Education

CURRICULUM NEWS

UNDER 8S MORNING

All students from Prep – Year 3 will be participating in a variety of activities to celebrate Under 8s week. This celebration will be held on Thursday, 24th June. Students are invited to wear free dress on that day. Please ensure their clothing is sun safe, enclosed shoes are worn and the school hat is also worn. Please also bring a re-usable bag for the students to keep their creations in.

The day will begin with a short prayer assembly led by the Year 3 class in the MPA at 9am. After the prayer assembly, the students will be free to wander around the activities which will be set up around the Prep/Year 1 classrooms and across the oval. The students will be provided with a sausage on bread for first break. Please make sure they have enough food for the rest of the day. Thank you to the P&F for donating the sausages and bread as well as their time to cook the food.

After first break, the students will return to their classrooms for normal teaching and learning until the 3pm bell.

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN SCIENCE WEEK

National Science Week is celebrated during the week of 15th – 21st August, which for us, is Term 3, Week 6. The 2021 theme is: Food: Different by Design. This year we are going to celebrate Science Week by organising an expo of displays for our students to engage with.

We are hoping to get some experts to volunteer their time to teach our students something interesting about Science or Technology (if that sounds like you or you know someone who might be interested, please let me know).

As well as these professionals from our community, we’d love for some of our own students to run a display. It doesn’t have to match in with the theme but simply be something to do with Science or Technology that they are interested in.

If your child is interested in running a display, and you are happy to help them learn about their topic and put together an engaging display / activity, please fill in the form that came home last week and return it to the office by the end of Term 2 so that I can begin to organise the logistics of this event and check that the display/activity fits in with our workplace health and safety requirements.

Some ideas:

• Teach the community about the importance of bees and how they help us
• Explain how a volcano erupts
• Show how to filter dirty water
• Become an expert on a natural disaster and teach the community what you know
• Teach the community how to make soap
• Show off your coding skills with a robotics display
• Design a solar powered vehicle

Please note, this is not a competition but simply a way of celebrating Science by sharing our knowledge and passions. Also, parents don’t need to be present on the day as long as the student can talk to their topic and their display.

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer your expertise and time, please contact me through the office or via email: deanne_senini@rok.catholic.edu.au.

ICAS

St Joseph’s will be offering ICAS assessments again this year. These assessments are online assessments designed to recognise and reward academic excellence. The assessments are based on the curricula for the relevant year. Students are asked to demonstrate a deeper, integrated, and thorough level of knowledge. New ICAS assessments are developed annually for each subject in every year level. This is to ensure an engaging and beneficial experience for all students.

ICAS offers the following assessments:

Please note that your child may miss out on their PE or Arts lesson if the ICAS assessment is scheduled for that time. If your child is absent for the scheduled assessment, there is no opportunity for a catch-up assessment and you would need to speak to ICAS directly to try to organise a refund.

To purchase an ICAS assessment for your child please log on to our ICAS parent page at the following link and using the following access code:

Your school access code is: XWG624
ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY SUNDAY, 25TH JULY.

If you have any questions or concerns about ICAS, please let me know.

ART COMPETITION

Students are invited to enter the 2021 Independent Education Union’s Awards for Excellence in Art Design competition. All students from Prep – Year 6 are eligible to enter.

Design Task:

• Your task is to produce a piece of artwork that best reflects the theme: Our World.
• You may include a statement or caption to reinforce your visual image.
• You may use a variety of media (paint, crayon, pencil, ink etc). It must also be suitable for exhibition purposes.

Entries close: Friday, 23rd July. Cash prizes of $100 - $350.

Please note: All entries must be posted to the appropriate address in time for it to be received by Friday, 23rd July. Parents are responsible for posting their child’s entry.

Please see Mrs Senini for an official entry form if you are interested in entering this competition.

TEACHING AND LEARNING FRAMEWORK

I hope you have all enjoyed learning about our Teaching and Learning Framework. Our staff are working very hard implementing the various aspects of it into their classrooms.

Regards,
Deanne Senini
Assistant Principal Curriculum

FINANCE NEWS

School Fees for Term 2 were due for payment on Tuesday 11/5/21. These are now 6 weeks overdue for payment and require Urgent Attention.

It is recommended that all families ensure that you regularly log into Parent Lounge and check your Account balances. Although you may be making Direct Debit payments you may need to amend the amount you are paying or make a one off payment to catch up on the fees so that the outstanding balance does not get too high.

Please contact Tracey or Megan in the office if you require your Parent Lounge Login details.

If you have an outstanding amount and are unable to make any payment, can you please make immediate contact with Bernard or Megan to advise your current situation.

If you have a means tested Concession Card and have not yet given a copy to the Finance Secretary (Megan), please do so as soon as possible.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congratulations to the following students and staff who will celebrate their birthday this week and over the holidays. They are: James Coleman (Yr 1), Jace Scott (Yr 6), Theo Pollack (Yr 2), Layla Wall (Yr 2), Abbie Thistlethwaite (Yr 4), Slater Robertson (Yr 4), Mackenzie Da Silva (Yr 5), Orlando Wyatt (Yr 1), Adyn Slater (Yr 6), Harper Spencer (Yr 2), Oliver Davidson (Yr 1), Tyler Ivers (Yr 4), Slade Carey (Yr 5), Nathaniel Pettett (Yr 4), Harpah Schukking (Yr 1), Emelia Evans (Prep), Reuben Benson (Prep), and Mrs Whiting.

Have a great day.

DRAKES SUPA IGA

Drakes Fundraiser for St. Joseph's Cathedral

I thank you for your support of this project which has raised over $40,000, of which the school community has played an important role. Please continue to support the Cathedral by shopping at DRAKES using your key tag and receiving the benefits.

If you have not been part of this fundraiser you are invited to get a key tag from your local School or Church and shop at your local Drakes, one cent in every dollar you spend will go to the Cathedral. No Fuss, only benefits.

Hoping to see you at Drakes
Stay Safe

Shirley Hopkins,
Co-ordinator, Drakes Fundraiser for St Joseph's Cathedral