eNews Term 2, Week 1, 2024

Dear parents, carers, teachers, and students,

Welcome to Term 2! We hope you all had a restful break and are ready to embark on a new term filled with exciting opportunities for learning and growth. This term, we have a variety of activities and events planned to engage and inspire our students.

Our dedicated teachers and staff work hard to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. We value your active participation in your child’s education. Whether you volunteer for a school event or attend a parent meeting, your involvement is not just appreciated, but it also makes a significant impact on our school community. We are a team, and your role is crucial to our success.

ANZAC Dawn Service

Participating in the ANZAC Day dawn service is a solemn moment that serves as a reminder of the sacrifice and courage displayed by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. For our School Captains, Charlotte Wise and Harry Rowe, representing their school community at the service was not just an honour for them but a testament to their dedication to our school as captains and a display of respect for the history and values that ANZAC Day embodies. Their participation is a source of pride for all of us at St Joseph's School.

Charlotte and Harry's participation in laying a wreath on behalf of St Joseph's School is a powerful act of remembrance and respect for the sacrifices made by the soldiers who fought in past wars and conflicts. 

Through their representation, Charlotte and Harry not only pay tribute to the fallen but also show support for the current members of the Defence Forces. Their actions at the ANZAC Day dawn service reflect the school's commitment to teaching its students the significance of this day and instilling a sense of pride and gratitude in the younger generation. Thank you to their families for their support and to the wider community who gathered to pay their respects at the dawn service.

Staffing News!

We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to our newest staff members at St Joseph's. We are fortunate to have these talented individuals join our teaching team, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to our school community. 
Miss Chloe Wilson will lead our Year 6B students.
Mr Simon Harris will also support the Year 6 classes by ensuring that students receive personalised attention and support. 
Ms. Sheridan Eccles will guide students in Visual Arts across multiple year levels.
Mrs. Jessica Munzberg will spearhead our STEM and Agri Projects for Years 5-9 on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Additionally, we have additional members joining our ESO team.
Jesse Vogt, Tasia Peel, Brianna Griffiths, and Amy Hogarth will provide valuable assistance on various days throughout the week in classes. Later this term, we anticipate welcoming Thanh Truc Tran (Sou), who will offer essential support to our English as an Additional Language Dialect (EALD) students.

The addition of these professionals strengthens our commitment to student success. They will offer specialised instruction and support tailored to our students' diverse needs. We are confident that these new staff members will make a positive impact on our school community. Please join us in welcoming them to St Joseph's!

On another staffing matter, we regret to announce that Fiona Graf, our dedicated counsellor from Centacare, has resigned from her position at St Joseph's School for personal reasons. Over her time with us, Fiona has shown extraordinary support and care for many of our students. Her presence has made a significant impact on our school community, and she will be dearly missed. Centacare is actively working to find a replacement counsellor to ensure that our students continue to receive the guidance and support they need. We thank Fiona for her hard work and wish her all the best for the future.

Kindest regards,

Mrs Ros Oates
Principal

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Transition Programs

St. Joseph's School offers two preparation periods for pre-school students to help them transition smoothly into Reception and become familiar with the school environment. 

JOEYs – January start for (12 months) Reception students.
Mid-Transition – Term 3 start for (18 months) Reception students 

These sessions aim to ensure your child is well-prepared and to ease any concerns or anxiety about starting school.

Mid-Transition (Term 2)

Students enrolled for the Mid-term intake (18 months) will transition to school on a nominated day, week 9 of Term 2. Guardians will attend a Mid-term information session in early Term 2 of that year to discuss the particulars of the transition day at the end of the term. 

Our current enrolment numbers are approaching capacity for the Mid-Term class beginning in Term 3 this year. Please refer to the calendar for the upcoming parent meeting dates.

JOEYs (Terms 3 and 4)

Depending upon the registration numbers for JOEYs, we aim for two periods over Semester 2 for JOEYs.

Guardians select ONE DAY (the same day each week) that complements your child’s kindergarten days. 

e.g. Kindy days: Monday, Thursday. JOEY's chosen day could be Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday. ONLY 1 day per week. 

Term 3, beginning week 3 until week 8, (6 days in total)
Term 4, beginning week 1 until week 7, Term 4 (7 days in total)

We host a very special JOEYS Liturgy Graduation at the end of the Year in Week 7, Term 4. Guardians, relatives and friends are invited to join us for this special occasion. 

The JOEY’s extended transition program is a valuable resource designed to aid young children in transitioning from kindergarten to school. This optional program is facilitated by our dedicated Reception teacher and support staff.

Building a Positive Future Together: Fostering Respect and Responsibility

At St. Joseph's School, we take pride in our commitment to nurturing students' growth, not only in academics but also in their personal development. In light of recent media attention towards student behaviour in schools and proposed government plans for behaviour programs, we are pleased to share that at St. Joseph’s School, we continue to be proactive in creating a supportive and respectful learning environment. We regularly hold staff discussions to identify what works well and areas for improvement.

Our school has a strong foundation in providing various support and resources throughout the school day to guide our students when inappropriate behaviours arise. In the past few years, many factors have contributed to the changing school environment. Through our programs, such as Real Schools Restorative and Life Buoyancy Institute and trauma-informed practices, our teachers guide students in learning the value of respect, communication, and community engagement.

We emphasise teaching students how to respond to challenges calmly and with consideration for others. We believe teaching about the consequences of our actions, both positive and negative, is more valuable than unexplained punishments. As a school, we acknowledge there is more work to be done as we navigate this into the future. More than ever, we value the importance of collaboration between our school and our families to continue to improve. By working together, we can reinforce the lessons students learn at school and create a consistent approach to modelling acceptable community behaviour. We encourage families to engage in open conversations at home about the importance of respect, manners, and positive communication, both face-to-face and online.

We acknowledge all the parents and guardians who support our efforts and play an essential role in guiding our young people towards a bright future. Remember, we are all different, so let’s keep the discussion open and maintain a positive atmosphere where everyone feels valued and respected.

We're thrilled to share the highlights from our Term One journey with you!

In Religious Education, our Year 4 students have been exploring gratitude, recognising the importance of the things that truly matter in their lives. Through heartfelt reflections, they've developed their sense of appreciation and community, reflecting on what they are grateful for.

In science, our young scientists have been fascinated by the water cycle, conducting experiments that showcase its everyday significance. They've uncovered the transformative power of water and heat, sparking wonder and discovery, particularly in their experiment on condensation.

In mathematics, the Year Fours have been perfecting their skills when using fractions and decimals. Together they have learnt to count in halves, quarters, thirds, and sixths. Students have also worked on recognising equivalent and mixed fractions.

During Easter, our three classes came together to deliver a meaningful Mass, emphasising the importance of Lent and gratitude. It was a beautiful display of collaboration and faith.

Our collaboration with The NRL brought excitement as students learned Rugby Tag fundamentals through engaging games, fostering teamwork and sportsmanship; students were challenged to work in teams to strategize and reach their goals. Ultimately, our Sports Day was a blast! Smiles, laughter, and friendly competition filled the air as we celebrated together. Mackillop walked away with the Shield and the Cup, but we all walked away with great memories of a fantastic day. We have many exciting events coming up in the next few terms, including camp, which we are all really looking forward to!

Looking ahead, we're excited for upcoming adventures this term, including camp. Which will aide us in making the next terms even more memorable than this one.

On Monday, students from the Middle Years were presented with Sports Day year level champion medallions. Points were earned via results from sports events on the day, and were tallied to find the champion and runner up from Years 7, 8 and 9. Records from each event were also recorded for the first time, and students currently holding each record were recognised with certificates. Congratulations to the award winners, and we look forward to another successful sports day in 2025.

The weather couldn't have been more cooperative on this year's Sports Day, providing us with ideal conditions for a day filled with fun and competition. We were delighted to see a strong turnout from our school community, with parents, siblings, and friends gathering to cheer on our students as they showcased their athletic abilities.

On Wednesday, 3rd April, our primary swim team went to the SA Aquatic Centre at Marion to compete in the Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival. Swimmers had trained after school in the lead up to the carnival, practicing their starts, strokes, and relays.

Overall, our team earned 83 points and finished 5th out of 8 schools, only 7 points behind Emmaus in 4th place. This is a fantastic result and full credit goes to the efforts of the whole swim team.

Congratulations to Year 3 student Amelia Farmer who won the Year 3 Individual Champion Medallion. Congratulations also to the Year 3 team of Amelia, Ollie Ireland, Angus Jeffery and Kane Buchanan for winning the Year 3 Champion Team Banner.

A big thank you to the parents and school community who came along to support the team, especially Jodie Austin and Charlie Ireland for taking on officiating duties at the carnival.
Notable results:

Year 3
4x25m Freestyle Relay – 2nd 
Amelia Farmer – Freestyle 2nd, Backstroke 2nd, Breaststroke 1st
Ollie Ireland – Freestyle 1st, Backstroke 1st, Breaststroke 2nd 
Angus Jeffery – Freestyle 1st
Kane Buchanan – Breaststroke 1st
Year 4
Isabelle Farmer – Freestyle 4th
Max Sobels – Backstroke 4th, Breaststroke 4th 
Alessandra Jarvis – Backstroke 4th 
Year 5
Summer Williams – Backstroke 4th

On Monday the 8th of April, four of our students represented the Murraylands District at the State Swimming Championships - Leo Sobels, Max Sobels, Isabelle Farmer and Matilda Di Santo.

Isabelle came third in freestyle and breaststroke, first in the relay and 4th in backstroke. Leo was 9th in backstroke and 6th in one relay and 5th in another. Max came 2nd in backstroke and 2nd in the relay. Matilda was 7th in the relay.

Awesome job representing your District, congratulations!

After defeating Unity College earlier in the term, our school team were through to Round 2, this time playing against Littlehampton Primary School.

Our team captain, Cephei Van Eyk won the toss and elected to bowl. Little Hampton started well with 10 runs off the first 2 overs. A fantastic piece of fielding from Halen Lienert resulted in a run-out in the third over. However, Littlehampton steadily grew their run total to 45 without wicket loss. After the 10th over drinks break, St Joseph’s started taking wickets which slowed Littlehampton’s run rate right down. Bowlers Mason Williams, Archer Rowe, Zaxton Sword and Levi Ashton all bowled out a batter in their second over and, all of a sudden, Littlehampton were 5 for 55 after 14 overs. Littlehampton’s 10th batter came to the crease and belted 14 runs off 15 balls to help Littlehampton to 81 runs. Halen Lienert took a catch off the bowling of Lachlan Gates in the final over to end Littlehampton’s innings at 6 for 86.

We were in trouble early in our batting innings, with both our biggest hitters out for ducks in the first over. Mason Williams and Kailem O’Hara both settled in at the crease for the next 5 overs before Kailem was caught out on 4 runs. Mason retired just on the drinks break on 6 runs. Cephei and Halen’s innings were short lived leaving our school with a big run chase at 6 for 30. Levi Ashton gave us a final highlight, smashing a 4 before getting caught out and in the 17th over we were all out for 51.

Congratulations to Littlehampton Primary School who move on to play in the 3rd Round later in the year. A big thank you to Jaiden Dawson for umpiring and supporting the players both on and off the field. Thanks also to Matthew Gates who once again score the match and Ian Bates and the Monarto Cricket club for the use of their clubrooms.