8 September 2021

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to Week 9.

This week is National Student Protection Week with the theme being, ‘Every child, in every community, needs a fair go.’ This week our students will be taking part in various age-appropriate activities centred around this student protective theme. Each class was also presented with a beautiful plant to look after and nurture.

I also took the time on Monday’s assembly to remind the students of our Student Protection Contacts. These being:

If ever you have concerns of a student protective nature, please feel free to speak to your class teachers or any of these contacts listed above. Remember, keeping children safe is everybody’s business.

Through the week I received details about The Cathedral College’s Year 6 Transition Program. For those families attending TCC in 2022, you will also be receiving these details via mail later in the year. The process will include:

1. Half Day Small Group Workshop of approximately 40 students (Year 7) on 3rd November 2021, 9:30am – 1:00pm.
2. Year 7 Orientation Evening on Monday 15th November 2021, 5:00pm – 6:30pm.

Please be aware that private transport to and from TCC will need to be arranged for both events.

Just a friendly reminder that School Fees are now due. Any community members that are experiencing difficulties in meeting their obligations regarding school fees should be meeting with me as soon as possible. Meetings about any school finances can be booked through Mrs Megan Crosthwaite via the School Office.

This is especially important for those families that are nearing the end of their time at Joey’s as our Secondary Colleges, Emmaus and TCC are tightening their enrolment processes regarding families owing any amount of fees at Catholic Primary Schools. We also are offering families the opportunity to make small camp payments over a couple of years to cope with the extra financial strain of Year 6 Camp. Please, if you are experiencing school fee hardship, please book a time to have a chat with me.

Finally, our hard-working APC, Mrs Senini will be taking some well-deserved Long Service Leave beginning this week. Deanne will be taking the final two weeks of this Term as well as the first two weeks of Term 4. While Deanne is enjoying her well-earned rest, Mrs Elizabeth Carter will be taking on the role of Acting APC over the next six weeks with Mrs Alice Wayman backfilling the Year 4 role until the beginning of Week 3 in Term 4.

Have a great week.

Don’t Forget …

• National Child Protection Week. 5th – 11th of September.
• Parent/Teacher interviews Week 9 of Term 3.
• Primary Inter-school Touch Challenge. Wednesday 15th September.
• Berry Street Trauma Aware Training. Wed 15th – Fri 17th September.
• Year 6 ‘Get Active’ Raffle drawn Friday 17th September.
• Prep 2022 Orientation Day. Thursday 21st October in Term 4.
• TCC Year 6 Half Day Small Group Workshop. 9:30am – 1:00pm Wednesday 3rd November.
• TCC Year 7 Orientation Evening. 5:00pm – 6:30pm Monday 15th November.

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

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus heals the deaf man

Mark 7:31-37

Gospel Focus – Ephphatha

The healing that Jesus works in this passage is perhaps one of the most ‘physical’ of his healing actions. He puts his fingers in the man’s ears and places spittle on his tongue. It is an incredibly intimate contact with a complete stranger, and someone regarded as outcast and unclean because of his disabilities. When Jesus speaks the word of healing, Ephphatha (‘Be opened’), he appears to be speaking not only to the man but to all those listening. Be open to the possibility of embracing those you have cast out; be open to a different understanding of Messiah.

@Liturgy Help – Greg Sunter

Liturgical Celebrations Coming Up

*OLHC – Our Lady Help of Christians church – next to school

*MPA – Multipurpose Area (Basketball court)

Peer Support

In the final session of the Peer Support module Moving Forward children will reflect on what they have learned over the past seven weeks. The students will make a cube to remind them to draw on their strengths, achievements and people who support them when faced with challenging situations. These protective factors promote confidence and motivate students to approach new situations where they can then apply the Pause, Plan, Proceed Model.

National Child Protection Week (5-11 September)
Every Child in Every Community Needs a Fair Go

National Child Protection Week is all about the ways that we can all work together to build communities that support children and families.

Children are safest when they are listened to, respected and believed.

All adults can play a part by ‘tuning in’ to children in everyday situations about small worries; then they are much more likely to feel comfortable telling us if something big is wrong. Our challenge each day and particularly this week at Joey’s is about highlighting the need to take the time to LISTEN, really listen. This DEEP LISTENING helps us really be present and attend to the person and what they are sharing.

Talking with children about safety:

• Support children to identify safe trusted adults (both within the family and outside) they can talk to, if they are worried, upset, or don’t feel safe. Make sure these adults know they are on your child’s list.
• Remind children that they can talk to you or a safe trusted adult about anything, no matter how big or small their worry might be.
• Talk to children about how they know when they feel safe or unsafe. Help them to listen to their early warning signs (how their body feels), and to trust their feelings and instincts.
• Use everyday activities as opportunities for conversations (e.g., preparing meals and snacks, going for walks, playing, shopping). If children are used to having lots of communication, it can make it easier to talk when big or tricky issues come up.
• Be open to talking about all kinds of feelings, including anger, joy, frustration, fear and anxiety. This helps children to develop a ‘feelings vocabulary’.

National Child Protection Week is a great time to start conversations with children and families about feeling safe.

This Year 2021 – St Joey’s is participating in Australia’s Biggest Child Safety Lesson (ABCSL)

on Tuesday the 7th of September. ABCSL is a free livestreamed event that engages children across the country in educational personal safety videos. The video safety lessons are provided by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to mark National Child Protection Week.

This year, the theme of ABCSL is Help Seeking. Children will learn skills and strategies to seek help if they ever feel unsafe. The lessons reframe accessing support as a truly heroic and courageous act.

To find out more about ABCSL and how to support children as they learn about their safety, you can download the Parent and Carer Guide.

Bernadette Brennan
Assistant Principal Religious Education

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congratulations to the following students who will celebrate their birthday this week. They are: Aleeya Horstman (Year 1), Amity Newman (Year 3), Blake Jones (Year 3), Ava Buckenham (Year 4) and Phoenix Thorn (Year 4).

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