Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

This is the last newsletter for the term. It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of term 1. Last week was a wonderful week of celebrations with the whole school enjoying St Joseph’s feast day. There was a stunning shade of red around the school with many smiling faces as the students enjoyed the donuts.

Harmony Day was celebrated with a very special assembly and thanks to Ms Butera and students who led “We Are Australian” with Auslan. It was very moving to be part of this assembly.

Congratulations to those students who participated in the District Athletics. You were a credit to our school.

This Tuesday we will be having our House Spirit Day. Our year 6 leaders had a training day to prepare to lead this day. They will run the session with the assistance of staff. Students are encouraged to come in House colours. We are hoping to extend the “House Spirit” further than just on Athletics Day.

We have been preparing for Easter with a focus on Lent across the school. Our annual presentation of the Stations of the Cross will be held on Friday 4^th April at 9.30 am. Everyone is welcome.

I hope you all have a refreshing break from the school routine and enjoy a peaceful Easter.

Best wishes,

Ros Joyner

Principal

Thursday 30 January – Friday 4 April

Tuesday 1 April                                                Easter raffle tickets, money and donations due

Wednesday 2 April                                         Bucket Challenge

Thursday 3 April                                               P& F Meeting, 8:00pm online

Friday 4 April                                                     Stations of the Cross 9:30am in the School Hall

Friday 4 April                                                     Easter Raffle Special Assembly 1:45pm

Friday 4 April                                                     Last Day of School for Term 1 – 2:20pm finish

Term 2

Tuesday 22 April – Friday 4 July

Monday 21 April                                              Easter Monday Public Holiday – No School

Tuesday 22 April                                              First Day of School for Term 2

Wednesday 23 April                                       Year 3 Day Camp – Forest Edge

23 Wed – 24 Thurs April                               Year 4 Overnight Camp – Forest Edge

Friday 25 April                                                  ANZAC Day Public Day

Sunday 27 April                                                First Holy Communion Commitment Mass

Wednesday 30 April                                       School Photos

Thursday 1 May                                                Foundation 2026 Open Day 3:30pm – 5:30pm

Friday 2 May                                                      P&F Meeting, 1:30pm at School

Sat 3 – Sun 4 May                                            First Holy Communion Commitment Mass

Mon 5 – Wed 7 May                                       Year 5 Mill Valley Ranch Camp (2 nights)

Thursday 8 May                                                First Holy Communion Parent/Child Workshop

Friday 9 May                                                      Mother’s Day Breakfast, Classroom Visit and Stall

Wednesday 21 May                                        National Simultaneous Story Time

Thursday 22 May                                             Andrew Chinn

Thursday 22 May                                             First Holy Communion Reconciliation Ceremony

Sat 24 & Sun 25 May                                      First Holy Communion Masses

Friday 30 May                                                   Pupil Free Day

Sat 31 May & Sun 1 June                              First Holy Communion Masses

Thursday 5 June                                               First Holy Communion Post Teaching Mass

Monday 9 June                                                 King’s Birthday Public Holiday

Thursday 19 June                                            Confirmation Parent Information Meeting

Friday 20 June                                                   St Joseph’s School Disco

Sat 21 & Sun 22 June                                     Confirmation Commitment Mass

Sunday 29 June                                                Confirmation Commitment Mass

Friday 4 July                                                       Last Day of Term 2 – 2:20pm finish

Rite of Election

The Rite of Election which was held last Sunday 16^th March at St. Mary's Sale was a joyous and faith filled occasion in the Diocese of Sale. This special ceremony marked a significant step for 31 catechumens and 27 candidates who will be received into the catholic Church at Easter Vigil. Let us continue to pray for our candidates Mia Hickey, Kimberley Page, Luke Farrugia and Lachy Walsh.

 A message from Deacon Mark

Huge Loving Hug

Perhaps the most famous of Jesus’ parables, this Sunday’s gospel is often titled “The Prodigal Son” but more correctly should be the “Amazingly Loving Father” (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32). Though at our worst we can relate to the dissolute younger son and the resentful older son, the character who blows us away is that forgiving father. What is happening there? Often, parents instinctively get it. We remember those anxious, exasperating times when a child of any age goes missing (literally or figuratively) and is found. There is a moment when nothing matters except their safe return. We just envelop them in a huge loving hug. For our Creator, that moment is always.

Jesus doesn’t tell this story for amusement. This is his core business. This is why he is incarnate amongst us. To make known to us this unfathomable, loving embrace of the Father. That’s what the Kingdom of God is about.

Pope Francis holds that “you cannot change the way God is in love with you, that his love flows all around you, and through you, and in you, and as you. We do not need to become more loving to make God love us more. It is because God first loves us that we become loving in response”. (Evangelii Gaudium 44) It is not because we pray more, become more religious and celebrate more sacraments that God looks at us with greater love; nor is it because we go to confession that our sins are forgiven. Every single grace, every blessing of total love and forgiveness bestowed on us, no matter what efforts we make to earn it, deserve it, merit it, always and only spring from the unconditional divine love that created us in the first place. Our Father has loved from the beginning. (Daniel O’Leary, An Astonishing Secret p211) Do we respond lovingly by hugging the Father and all his creation in return?

Deacon Mark Kelly

In Victoria, it is compulsory for children and young people aged 6–17 years to attend school.

Parents are legally required to ensure their child attends school every day and to provide an explanation for their child's absence from school unless an exemption from attendance has been granted or an exception to their attendance applies.

Absences

If your child is away sick or away due to a planned absence or appointment, please ensure you advise the school office. Student absence text messages are sent out if your child is marked absent without a reason. Emails or ClassDojo messages may be missed in some instances; if the classroom teacher is teaching or the classroom teacher may be away.

It is imperative that you notify the school office through one of the following methods:

1. Log into PAM (Parent Access Module) and register your child's absence;

2. Email absence@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au or info@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au 

3. Phone the office on (03) 5623 2943

When sending an email, you may wish to "cc" your child's classroom teacher so they are aware of the absence too.

Holidays

If you are planning an extended holiday (a week or more) during the school term, please email info@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au or principal@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au addressing your intentions to our Principal, Mrs Roslyn Joyner.

If you have any questions or need any clarification, please feel free to contact Shirley or Kitty in the office on (03) 5623 2943.

Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy

As members of the St Joseph's school community, we all have a responsibility to keep children safe. To support families with information about the actions our school takes to keep children safe, our Child Safety and Wellbeing policy has been updated, endorsed by our Child Safety Team and shared with our community both here and on our school website. Families are encouraged to read the policy or visit our school website and explore the Child Safety section. 

Victoria’s Child Safe Standards under Ministerial Order No. 1359 require certain roles and responsibilities to be allocated within schools, including the role of Child Safety Champions who supports school leadership to effectively implement their child safety and wellbeing plans. Our Child Safety Champions for 2024 and 2025 are Ros Joyner, Camillo Redi and James McMahon.

Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy

Car Line

Our school is very blessed with a long carline with ample parking. However, we continue to experience some issues during the afternoon pickup. Burke Street is extremely busy from 3:00-3:30pm. If you arrive before school finishes, it is an expectation that you move all the way down the carline and fill all the spaces. If the carline is full, take a parking spot opposite the carline and walk to the crossing for student collection. Alternatively, leaving home 5-10 minutes later may be a better option to avoid being stuck in the congestion. Children are supervised in the carline area until 3:35pm, at which time, our carline and Burke Street are clear.

School Crossing

Please remember that the carline is private property and all people using our carline must follow the instructions of the staff managing the area - this is non-negotiable and aggressive or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated. Entering the carline via the exit is dangerous and illegal.

When waiting along Burke Street to enter the school grounds, please do not stop your vehicle on the school crossing. For safety reasons, the school crossing supervisor is not authorised to allow children to cross the school crossing if a vehicle has stopped over the school crossing.

Medical Profiles and Emergency Contact Details

We remind parents and carers that it is time to review your child/ren's medical profile on PAM. Any changes in medical needs should be communicated to the school to ensure that we provide the most up-to-date care for our students. If emergency contact details have changed or emails, phone numbers need updating, please contact the office to provide the updates necessary. The most efficient way to provide these details to the office would be to email - info@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au

If your child is affected by Anaphylaxis or has any allergies and requires an ASCIA Allergy Plan developed by your child's doctor, please provide information and a copy to the office. In addition, Asthma plans may need updating, please ensure that these are also current. If your child has medication stored at our school, please check with the office that the medication is still in date and there is ample supply.

**All Medical Authority Forms held at school must be updated as soon as possible to allow for any medication changes, dosage or student growth . An email was sent out to all familes on 30 January with medication information and the forms required, depending on the ailment. Please contact the school office if you need any further assistance.

Lunch Orders

Lunch orders:

• are every Wednesday and Friday
• can be placed using the Flexischools app
• are delivered to school for the first break at 11:30am
• can be placed until 11:00pm the night before (Tuesday and Thursday) from a full menu
• can be placed until 9:00am on Wednesday and Friday mornings from a limited menu

The lost property shelves can be found in the multipurpose room. 

Parents are most welcome to come and look in the tubs if students have lost any items of clothing, headbands drink bottles etc...

We have plenty of unnamed bomber school jackets from lost property, mostly new and hardly worn. These can be purchased for a gold coin donation. Children can see Mrs Mulqueen on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's.

Please note that if your child tests positive to Covid-19, it is strongly recommended that students:

• Who test positive to COVID-19 should stay home and isolate for five (5) days;
• Should not attend school after five (5) days if still symptomatic;
• Who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school until their symptoms resolve;
• Parents, guardians or carers advise the school of the COVID-19 positive test result.

To assist with limiting the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses, parents, guardians and carers should be strongly encouraged to ensure that their child(ren) remain at home if they are unwell, including if they have tested positive to COVID-19.

Easter Raffle

With not long to go, hopefully everyone has received their Easter raffle tickets, which should have been sent home with each child.

Any Easter egg donations are welcome (big or small), as well as non chocolate Easter items (crafts etc.) to make up the prizes. We would be very grateful if you could send donations to your child’s classroom or to the office.

This is a great little fundraiser for the Parents and Friends group and prize day is always super exciting for the children.

Tickets (sold and unsold), money and donations are to be returned by Tuesday 1 April.

Raffle prizes will be drawn at a special assembly at 1.45pm on Friday 4 April, all welcome.

Join us on Facebook

We welcome all families to join our P&F Facebook page. This is a great place to ask any questions you might have and to engage with our school community - please search 'Parents and Friends of St Joseph's Primary School Warragul'.

Second Hand Uniforms

We have racks of clean second-hand school uniforms, available for a gold coin donation.

These will be available to view at some assemblies. Alternatively, to view/purchase items, please contact the P&F Committee on stjosephswarragulpandf@gmail.com or ask at the school office.

• Tuesday 1 April: Easter raffle tickets, money and donations due
• Thursday 3 April: P&F meeting, 8.00pm online
• Friday 4 April: Special Easter assembly, 1.45pm in the school hall
• Friday 2 May: P&F meeting, 1.30pm at school
• Friday 9 May: Mother’s Day breakfast, classroom visits and stall
• Friday 20 June: St Joseph’s School Disco

The bushfire season is upon us and normally runs from October until April.

As St. Joseph’s is located in a high-risk bushfire area, the school will be pre-emptively closed in the event that the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issues a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating (FDR) which is the highest level of fire danger. This will apply when the warning is issued for our weather district to the school (West and South Gippsland - Region).

A decision is made at 1:00pm the day before if possible, and will not change regardless of changing weather conditions. This will help limit confusion and help families plan for how their children will be cared for when the school is closed.

Where possible, four (4) to seven (7) days’ notice of a planned closure will be provided. However, experience indicates that a Catastrophic FDR may be forecast at short notice. Parents, guardians, and carers should expect that in some instances less than four (4) days’ notice may be provided. No one will be permitted on site when this notice has been issued.

When an Extreme Fire Danger Rating has been issued, the school may close and remote learning enacted - students will join their class online through Google Meet.

This is a part of our emergency management plan for St. Joseph's and every effort will be made to give you advanced warning of a closure. 

Warragul Mobile Blood Donor Centre

8 to 25 April

Got a bit of time this month?

Time to give blood and change lives?

1 in 3 people in Warragul will need blood, and they need people like you to give it.

We’re rolling into town from 8 to 25 April. Don’t forget to pre-book your spot at lifeblood.com.au, on our app or on 13 14 95.

Warranor Junior Football Club

Warragul Blues Junior Football Club

Drouin Petting Zoo

Peninsula Cinemas, Warragul