Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome to Week Nine! Amazingly, we are halfway through the school year already. It has been a fascinating, busy and challenging first six months in so many ways. I thank parents, caregivers, students and the staff for their commitment to our outstanding school.
For those who have had the opportunity to visit inside the school gates, you will notice that the new Middle Years school building is named Tenison Woods (pictured above). Fr Julian Julian Tenison Woods was a devoted priest and geologist who was very active in Australia during the 1800s. He shared a common goal with Saint Mary MacKillop to help poor and disadvantaged children. Together, they started the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph at Penola in 1866. Father Julian Tenison Woods had a great idea and vision to create a Catholic Education system demonstrating innovation, curiosity, leadership, and entrepreneurship - thinking outside the square. One of Fr Tenison Wood's main interests was science and geology. He loved to study the environment, fossils, sea, and animals. Fr Julian died in October 1889.
The naming of the Middle Years building considers many of these attributes. It will inspire and drive our vision of students in the future by using all the facilities, especially the modern and well-equipped Science Laboratory and classrooms.
Next Friday, the staff and I will have our second Professional Learning and Religious Education Formation Day for the year, a pupil-free day for the students to conclude the term. The professional learning for the staff is in Adelaide. Together we will be learning from an esteemed Josephite nun, Sister Mary Cresp and Ms Lucia Ciocca about Father Julian Tenison Woods, his legacy and the historical connection to the Josephite Sisters.
Early Term 3, we will invite the community to join us for an Open Day and tour of our Tenison Woods building, renovated classrooms and upgraded landscape and play areas. Dates and times will be announced in the next newsletter.
Mobile Phones and Smartwatches
In my first newsletter of the year, I referenced the St Joseph's School Murray Bridge Years Reception to Year 9 – Communication Device Guidelines. This guide has clear instructions and permission about the use of mobile phones and smartwatches. In recent weeks there have been breaches of this policy by several students.
I ask that parents read the attached guidelines carefully and indicate by the survey link below if your child/ren has permission to store a mobile phone in their bags throughout the day and only to be used off the school site. If consent is not received via the survey or email to the Principal, and your child is found using a device at school, this device will be confiscated as per the instructions in the guidelines. A reminder that students are encouraged to keep their devices with the administration office for complete security throughout the day.
https://forms.office.com/r/AWnpQjUsBT
School Reports
On Wednesday, July 6, student reports will be sent to families via email. Please be aware of many grade decisions that your child's teacher may have made if there have been significant student absences this Semester due to illness.
This report informs parents of their child's progress at school and is based on the results of formal testing, assignments, set tasks, work samples, class activities and daily observations. The report is one of several ways in which parents can monitor their child's progress throughout the year. Parent/Teacher meetings and informal communication between the teacher and parent should ensure that parents are kept fully informed about academic performance and spiritual, personal, physical and social development. Through the report, teachers also comment on the student's behaviour.
When students begin a new year level, it is important to remember they are working towards a new achievement standard from the Australian Curriculum. This means a lot of new learning for students and a big step up from the previous year. Students are supposed to reach the achievement standard by the end of the year. They are continually working towards this standard, meaning they may still be developing by Semester One report grades. However, students have the rest of the year to work towards the achievement standard. Please ensure you discuss the report with your child, highlighting the positives and things they need to work on. If you have any concerns, please see your classroom teacher.
I want to thank the teachers for their time, professionalism and commitment to writing these reports.
Staffing Announcements
Mrs Gabby Merritt and Mrs Penny McClure have resigned from their perspective positions as of the end of Term 2, 2022 and we wish them well in their new endeavours.
Mrs Debbie Driver has reduced her teaching load to three days per week and will be teaching with Mrs Robyn Coulter in the Year 3 classroom for Semester 2. I am pleased to share that Miss Caitlin O'Brien, who currently teaches the Year 2 class, will remain full-time in this class for the remainder of the year.
Miss Jane Lane who is currently replacing Mrs Tori Heinicke on maternity leave, will be replaced by a full-time experienced Reception teacher, Mrs Paula Kulas for the remainder of the year. Miss Jane Lane will continue to support the school, teaching across multiple year levels in Semester 2.
In the next school newsletter, there will be more announcements of new Education Support Officers employed to support our teachers and students in various roles in Semester 2.
Congratulations
We would like to congratulate Tori and Brayden Heinicke on the recent and safe arrival of a baby boy, Dawson Henry Heinicke on Thursday, June 16.
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