May the Ancient Dreaming

inform and inspire us.

May the resilience and generosity

of the First Peoples encourage us.

May the clarity and respect

of the Prophets motivate us.

May the endurance and colour

of the land sustain us.

May the yearning of all peoples

for unity reconcile us.

Amen

2020 Annual Improvement Plan and Strategic Plan 2019 – 2021

Throughout 2020, we have maintained our focus on the three key priorities from our 2019 – 2021 Strategic Plan.

As a school community, we have actioned these priorities through our Annual Improvement Plan goals:

Mission

• All students, staff and parents able to name the unique aspects of being at a St Joseph’s School.

Performance

• To develop a St Joseph’s pedagogical framework for conceptual inquiry that centres learning around the student.
• To introduce open-ended and engaging; investigations, teaching and learning that promotes the application of mathematical thinking and skills.
• To use data to inform teaching and learning, identify student achievement and to guide school-wide decisions.

Service

• To promote student wellbeing, safety and positive relationships so that students can reach their full potential.

While 2020 has presented many challenges, it has been rewarding to review these goals for the year and to identify the successes that have been achieved and to name areas for continued growth going forward. Through our weekly Joey Focus, the engaged and inquisitive questions at home, involvement in the Family Maths Week, and comments from the kids such as ‘are you being a bucket filler?’ we hope you have seen and heard some tangible evidence at home of our priorities for 2020.

Staffing

Congratulations to Esther Coghlan on her appointment as Acting Coordinator for the 2021 school year. Esther has been focused this year on developing numeracy across the school and will be a great addition to the Leadership Team. Congratulations also to Tiffany Fletcher on her appointment as the Music teacher for 2021. I hope that already you have heard the kids singing and humming along following their music lessons. In 2021, we will also welcome Mrs Georgina Jaram and Mrs Shakira Beal to St Joseph’s, both working part-time in different teaching roles across the school.

Canteen Manager 2021

We are still looking for our new Canteen Manager! Our canteen is up and running, thanks to the efforts of Sarah and the P&F Canteen Committee, but we are looking for someone to continue this great work in 2021. Please see below a link to the position of Canteen Manager at St Joseph's Primary School. 

https://careers.cg.catholic.edu.au/cw/en/job/496865/canteen-manager-st-josephs-primary-oconnor-act 

2021 Classes

This week all students in Foundation – Year 5 will be given a Sociogram to take home which allows them the chance to consider 3 friends that they would like to be in a class with in 2021. The intention is to ensure that each student is paired with at least one of their friends they nominate. Sociograms are to be returned to classroom teachers by Friday 20 November.

A reminder that if there is specific information that parents would like to advise me of to assist the composition of classes for 2021, then this must be done so in writing to me either via email or letter by no later than Friday 20 November. This does not include requests for particular teachers, nor does it include considerations other than the learning needs of your child. Each year is a new start for all students, and teachers, and therefore only information provided this year is taken into consideration when putting classes together for 2021.

Family Photos

Do you want to get a start on your Christmas shopping? What better present to send to family and friends than a family photo of your children! Family photos are available to purchase from the Front Office for a mere $15.

Religious Life of St Joseph's

Our St Joseph Charism

Our Week 5 focus is:

Social Justice Mission Market Day Update

On Friday 30 October, we held our Mission Market Day to raise money for our Global School Partner- Riamabana Orphanage Academy, Kenya. The Market Day was an outstanding success with the total amount raised $2814.95. This year has been particularly difficult for Riamabana Orphanage Academy with floods, locust plagues, drought, COVID-19 and a famine impacting people in Kenya. When schools reopen in January 2021 they must provide hand washing with soap, sanitiser, face masks and enough desks to enable physical distancing between students. Riamabana’s water tank also must be replaced to provide water access. The estimate is that Riamabana Orphanage Academy will need approximately $1,500 AUD worth of PPE just to be allowed to re-open. We know that our donation will have a significant impact on our partner school being able to reopen next year.

 

Advent Prayer Celebrations

We are so happy to be able to hold our Advent prayer celebrations with students together in the hall. These prayer celebrations are a vital part of our St Joseph’s tradition and would not have been the same if held via Zoom in classrooms. Parents of classes leading the prayer celebration are warmly invited to attend these prayer celebrations. The dates and times are:

Friday 27th November 9.15am led by 5 Orange

Friday 4th December 9.15am led by 5 Blue

Friday 11th December 9.15am led by 4 Gold

Friday 18th December 9.15am led by 4 Green

Yours in Christ,

Melanie Stratford

Religious Education Coordinator

melanie.stratford@cg.catholic.edu.au

Uniform Shop Prices

This year has been challenging, from home-schooling to playing soccer while (attempting) self-distancing! Our wonderful school and our P&F have not been immune to the effects of 2020: we had to cancel the fete, and numerous other fun events. But rest assured we have some great things on the horizon.

However, we want to ensure that we continue to provide for the kids as best we can. So, for the first time in years, our uniform shop will be altering our prices. We know that this might come as a shock to you, but please know that every cent of profit goes back into our school.

Over the years we have provided play equipment, barbecues, helped fund farewells and even shifted a couple of tonne of mulch! We want to continue to do these things even if we can’t fundraise in the usual way!

Our prices will change on 24 September 2020. The new prices will be available in Qkr! that same day.

Thank you to everyone for your donations of second-hand summer uniform! Prices for these items will remain at $5.