St Joseph's Primary School Warragul eNewsletter

Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

Last week the students participated in Kids Roar which is an excellent program for helping them learn self-protective behaviours, particularly around issues with their body and sexual exploitation. This an important area to address with your children even though we would prefer that it was not necessary. The parent online workshop was also well attended and the staff had a separate session. I hope it was helpful.

All students were happily practising their house chants on Wednesday in preparation for the athletics carnival yesterday. This is one day when there is a lot of high spirits, excitement and fun!

NAPLAN will commence next week. Please remember that this is just a snapshot of learning on a particular day and is not something for the students to get anxious or concerned about. We treat this just as any other school activity which will give us some further information about their learning.

It is hard to believe that we are almost half way through Term 1. The start to the school year has gone smoothly and I thank all, parents and staff for their hard work.

A reminder that Tuesday is a pupil free day. Enjoy a restful and long weekend and I look forward to seeing our students back on Wednesday.

Best wishes,

Roslyn Joyner

Principal

Have you got a Health Care Card or Pension Card?

If so, please contact Kitty in the office on 5623 2943 or via email: kbarrett@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au before the end of Term 1.

Have your personal contact details changed?

Do you hold a current Centrelink Concession Card?
Do you no longer have a current concession card?
Has there been a name change?
Have you moved address?
Have you changed your mobile phone number?
Is your landline still valid?
Have you changed your workplace, therefore your business phone number has changed?
Have emergency contacts changed? Maybe they have moved away?

If you have answered "YES" to any of the above dot points, please email the office info@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au with your updated information.

PAM

Have you verified your PAM email login?
Please ensure student medical and contact details (including email addresses) are up to date

TERM 1

Monday 13 March - Labour Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 14 March - Pupil Free Day

Thursday 16 March - Gippsland Regional Swimming Championships at Sale Aqua Energy

Centre

Thursday 16 March - Reconciliation Parent/Child Workshop 2 – 4pm & 7pm

Friday 17 March - School Assembly at 2:40pm

Wed 15 - 27 March - NAPLAN

Tuesday 21 March - St Joseph’s Day

Tuesday 21 March - Parent/Teacher Interviews

Wednesday 22 March - School Photos – Full Summer Uniform (NO sports uniform)

Thursday 23 March - Parent/Teacher Interviews

Friday 24 March - Harmony Day Assembly

Friday 24 March - Easter raffle donations, tickets and money due

Monday 27 March - Warragul District Athletics at Geoff Watt Memorial Track, Warragul

Thursday 30 March - Sacrament of Reconciliation at 7pm

Friday 31 March - School Assembly at 2:40pm - Easter raffle drawn

Tuesday 4 April - District Athletics (back up date)

Wednesday 5 April - Stations of the Cross

Wednesday 5 April - Last day of Term 1

TERM 2

Wednesday 26 April - First day of Term 2

Wednesday 26 April - ANZAC Day – Whole school reflection

Friday 28 April - State Swimming Championships at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre

Tuesday 2 May - West Gippsland Division Athletics at Joe Carmody Athletics Track,

Newborough (back up date 4/5 or 9/5)

Friday 9 June - No school buses running

Monday 12 June - Monarch’s Official Birthday Public Holiday

Tuesday 13 June - Student Free Day

Friday 23 June - Last day of Term 2

A SPECIAL REPORT: Wellbeing Barometer Survey: 2023

Because parenting doesn't come with instructions, SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource implemented at our school to help support you in the challenges of modern-day parenting. Parenting is a learning journey and it's easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed when faced with raising happy, well and resilient young people today.

Every family has experienced some sort of difficulty or adversity in recent times, some more than others. As mental health concerns continue to rise, there have been some alarming statistics reported in relation to the mental health and wellbeing of young people. Unfortunately, the blueprint for parenting is often based on our own experiences, but this is no longer fit for purpose in raising children as citizens of tomorrow. Parents and caregivers play a vital role in providing the guidance needed to support children and adolescents as they reframe their worries and focus more on the things they can control in their life.

In this Special Report, we are seeking parent participation through a short survey. The survey is designed to provide a barometer to help gauge the state of student wellbeing within our community. We encourage you to take a few moments to complete the survey as this will help our school know the nature and extent of your concerns and determine how best we can support families in the months ahead. Responses remain anonymous and will only be reported on an aggregated basis. You are asked to base your responses on observations made in the last 12 months.

By working together we can continue to build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers as we navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for all students. Please reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you or your child, please reach out to the school or seek professional medical advice.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:

https://stjwarragul.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-2023-au

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students is held in March this year. NAPLAN assessments will be completed online, apart from the Year 3 Writing Test. In 2023, the NAPLAN Online test window is between Wednesday 15th March and Monday 27th March.

NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

At St. Joseph’s our test schedule will be as follows:

YEAR 3

Date	Time	Test
Wednesday 15th March	11:45am	Writing
Thursday 16th March	9:15am	Reading
Thursday 16th March	11:45am	Conventions of Language
Friday 17th March	9:15am	Numeracy
Monday 20th March - Monday 27th March - Catch up assessment sessions for individual students who are absent on test days

YEAR 5

Date	Time	Test
Wednesday 15th March	9:15am	Writing
Friday 17th March	9:15am	Reading
Friday 17th March	11:45am	Conventions of Language
Monday 20th March	9:15am	Numeracy
Tuesday 21st March - Monday 27th March - Catch up assessment sessions for individual students who are absent on test days

Our Term 1 Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday 21st March and Thursday 23rd March between 3:30-6:00pm. Booking details have been sent out. Interviews are offered both face-to-face or virtually.

We invite our students and their families to join the St Joseph parishioners in celebrating the Feast of St Joseph at our Parish mass on Sunday March 19^th at 9:00am.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to celebrate this special feast day with our Parish community.

Morning tea will be served in the Marian room after mass. All are welcome.

St_Joseph_s_Day_2023_newsletter.pdf

Third Week of LENT

In the third week of Lent, our next Project Compassion story is of Priscilla, who lives with her husband, Charles, and two of their grandchildren in Zimbabwe. Climate change continues to bring unprecedented challenges for people living in Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable and remote communities.

During times of intense drought and food shortages, Priscilla had to commute to the town centre and wait in long queues to collect food.

With the support of Caritas Hwange, Priscilla learnt conservation farming skills to grow drought-resistant crops. Priscilla produced a bumper harvest in her first year of practising conservation farming. She used the funds from her harvest to start poultry farming, which enabled her to sell eggs to pay for her grandchildren’s school fees, books and stationery. Poultry farming provides a safety net for Priscilla and her family during times of hardship, like the current drought.

While the situation in Zimbabwe and across eastern Africa remains dire, the work of Caritas Hwange means that Priscilla can learn the techniques, tools and resources she needs to build resilience and support her family during this current food crisis.

▶️ Watch Priscilla’s story here: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/priscilla-story-video

Support Project Compassion today: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion

A message from Deacon Mark

Be Careful - Don't Break Boundaries

Just so typical of Jesus!

He doesn't understand how to work the media, how to grease palms and hit on the rich and influential. If he wants to build a political constituency, he should be smooching with the civic and religious leaders. Certainly not mixing with unimportant sinners, non-Jews and undesirable people!

Instead, this week’s gospel (Jn 4:5-42) records the longest conversation he has with anyone and is it someone of importance, like the chief priest or the governor? No, it is with a woman! And not just any woman but a Samaritan woman, and not just a Samaritan woman but one of pretty questionable moral circumstances. And he knows just exactly who he is dealing with but, it seems like he doesn't care that she is the lowest of the low!

His Good News message is intended for women as for men. He promotes relationships based on the fact that everyone, woman or man, is created and loved by God who accepts them in his reign with equal dignity as his sons and daughters.

Instead of condemning the Samaritan woman for the errors of her ways he patiently invites, challenges and affirms her. It seems his message must be for everyone, not just Jews or males or people with the “right stuff”. Maybe he really doesn't care about my failings either, about whether I am male or female, or Aussie or Afghan, or one of the in-crowd or a loner, or saintly or a sinner.

Maybe he is concerned only for what my future can be. Maybe he knows about my spiritual thirst too. If I'm not careful he'll convert me and I'll be out of my comfort zone, my safe space. I'll end up out there proclaiming and teaching others about Jesus too. And we wouldn't want that - would we?

Deacon Mark Kelly

Holy Week Timetable 2023

2023_Holy_Week_Timetable.docx.pdf

Sacrament Dates for 2023

Sacrament_Dates_for_2023.pdf

Wednesday 22 March

Please ensure full Summer School Uniform is worn for school photos. Students with specialist classes are to not wear their sports uniform, but to bring it in a bag to school with them.

Sibling orders must be placed PRIOR to 8:00am Wednesday 22 March.

School_Photos_flyer.pdf

CARLINE

Please be aware that when using our carline, particularly for pick up in the afternoon, it is important that all cars move down the line and take up all spaces. Some cars are stopping close to the carline cover causing a bank of cars all the way along Burke Street. We are asking that all cars move down the line and if there are no spots left, that families park their cars opposite the carline and walk to collect their children. If emergency services needed to reach our office area in the afternoon, they would have extreme difficulty to arrive in a timely manner as cars completely block the entry. Please pass this message on to family or freinds who may be picking up children from the carline.

Please see the image for clarification.

Book Club

Keep a look out for Issue 2, coming out soon!

Volunteers

We are always looking for assistance to help shelve books. If you would like to volunteer, please email Bernie: library@stjwarragul.catholic.edu.au

UPCOMING SPORTS DATES:

Athletics

Monday, March 27th. Warragul District Athletics Geoff Watt Memorial Track, Warragul. Back up 4/4)

Tuesday, May 2nd. West Gippsland Division Athletics. Joe Carmody Athletics Track, Newborough (Back up 4/5 or 9/5).

Tuesday, October 10th. Gippsland Regional Athletics. Joe Carmody Athletics Track, Newborough

Division Swimming

Our students recorded fantastic swims at the West Gippsland Division Swimming Carnival on Tuesday the 28th of February at the Warragul Leisure Centre. It was great to have the opportunity to have our students competing in the pool again.

Well done to all the students who participated.

Congratulations to Charleigh Pendlebury who finished second, our 11 Year Old Boys Relay Team (Lenny Barake, Nathan Walker, Joseph Faithful and Yan Buesalido) who finished second and our 12/13 Year Old Girls Relay Team (Holly Bannister, Josie Malady, Indi Olsson and Charleigh Pendlebury) who also finished second.

Special thanks to Melia Silver and the parents that came to support our students.

BIG 4 Sports Trials

https://www.ssv.vic.edu.au/pages/parents.aspx

The School Sport Victoria (SSV) Team Vic representative program provides a development platform for Victoria’s emerging athletes to participate in the annual School Sport Australia (SSA) Championships. SSV coordinates the selection process for Team Vic teams in partnership with relevant state sporting organisations.

Please read the Team Vic Information Sheet before registering. This document contains important information on the SSV Team Vic Program, in relation to eligibility, registration, multiclass, selection, participation costs, and financial assistance.

View up-to-date information regarding 2023 Sport & Registration Dates.

Please see the new Team Vic Principal Endorsement Sheet process for the following teams in 2023:

Australian Football 12 Years & Under Boys
Basketball 12 Years & Under Girls
Basketball 12 Years & Under Boys
Cricket 12 Years & Under Boys
Football (Soccer) 12 Years & Under Boys
Netball 12 Years & Under Girls

Sports Uniform Reminder

It was great to see so many students prepared for Sport this week with the correct sports uniform. Just a reminder that the sports uniform is to be worn only on the students Sports Day. This includes appropriate footwear for vigorous activity.

TUESDAY: Grade 3/4 Classes

WEDNESDAY: Foundation and Grade 1/2 Classes

THURSDAY: Grade 5/6 Classes

Grade 6 can also wear their sports uniform on a Monday.

Athletics Day - Thursday 9th March

See below some images taken of our students participating in Athletics Day which was held on Thursday 9th March. A huge congratulations to Mrs Spencer and all the parents and staff who assisted her in the lead up to and on the day of the carnival. Well done to all!

In the Classroom

These first few weeks at school our students are exploring and discussing the behaviours of a S.T.A.R. at St Joseph’s. And how they would demonstrate these positive behaviours in their classrooms. They use the Expectations Chart as a guide.

Expectations Chart 2023

The students are creating posters and digital booklets that include examples of them demonstrating these positive behaviours. Each class will create their own posters and digital booklet, which will reflect their voice, needs and will be age appropriate.

They are keen to share these with you in the coming weeks.

Reflection Forms

Some of you may have received a Reflection Form that your child has completed. Thank you for returning them.

The forms allow students to consider their choices, how they felt and how they can make improved choices in the future.

More importantly, they inform us and assist us to gain a better understanding of our students' behaviour and how we can support them.

The Forms will be completed by a teacher with the student. The teacher and student will sign the form. The form will then be sent home for the parent/guardian to read, sign and return to school.

Contact will be made with parents/guardians prior to the form coming home.

Copy of Reflection Sheets Form 1

Copy of Reflection Sheets Form 2

We are a School Community, who

Take Responsibility,

Act Safely

and are always Respectful

Further to this our Staff have developed a matrix which highlights the behaviours we expect of all the members of our community.

Expectations Chart 2023

In these first weeks, the Staff are reintroducing their classes to the expectations we have at St. Joseph’s that make our students S.T.A.R.s

Have a conversation with your child about being a STAR at St. Joseph’s.

Part 2: Gratitude

This week’s presentation from The Resilience Project focuses on Gratitude.

Gratitude is paying attention to the things that we have right now, and not worrying about what we don’t have. We practise this by noticing the positives that exist around us.

Research shows that practicing gratitude rewires our brains to overcome the negativity bias (which can lead to anxiety and depression) and see the world for what we are thankful for. It is also shown to broaden thinking, and increase physical health through improved sleep and attitude to exercise.

View Part 2 of the series here:

Part 2 - Gratitude: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-hugh/

There are many ways in which you can practise gratitude, including starting a gratitude journal. You can simply use a notebook to list three things that went well for you each day, or use a more comprehensive Wellbeing Journal, like those created by The Resilience Project.

Source: Psychology Today

For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.

Megan Spencer and Melinda Mulqueen

TRP Co-ordinators

Bus Travellers

We have received reports of primary school students being collected from the Warragul Regional College (WRC) bus loop. This is not allowed. WRC is a transition station for students to catch their country bus home. WRC cannot allow students to leave the bus loop or parents to enter on site. Parents must pick up students directly from school and not the bus loop.

2023 TERM DATES

Term 1 Tuesday 31 January – Wednesday 5 April

Term 2 Wednesday 26 April – Friday 23 June

Term 3 Monday 10 July – Friday 15 September

Term 4 Monday 2 October – Friday 15 December

2023 STUDENT FREE DAYS

Tuesday 14 March

Tuesday 13 June

2023 SCHOOL CLOSED

Monday 6 November

Absences & Holidays

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 as absent without a reason. In some cases, if you email your child's classroom teacher, they may be away and may not be able to check their emails to forward to the office. It is imperative that you notify the 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

3. Phone the office on 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 addressing your intentions to our Principal, Mrs Roslyn Joyner.

LOST PROPERTY

Please encourage your children to have a look in the lost property (located in the Multi Purpose Room) if they are missing any items.

Please ensure all student belongings, especially jumpers and jackets are named!

Dates

Term 1

Friday 24 March- Last day for Easter egg donations, raffle tickets and money to be returned.

Friday 31 March- School assembly - Easter raffle will be drawn

Term 2

Friday 5 May - P&F Meeting, 2pm

Friday 12 May - P&F Mother's Day stall

Friday 2 June - P&F Meeting, 2pm

Friday 16 June - P&F Kids disco (after hours)

Easter Raffle

Join us on Facebook

We welcome all families to join our P&F Facebook page, 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 second-hand school uniforms from size 4-16 available, all for a gold coin donation. Thank you to Warragul Drycleaners who have donated their services to professionally clean our second-hand school unforms.

View these at assemblies or contact the P&F Committee on stjosephswarragulpandf@gmail.com or the school office.

P&F Meetings

Join P&F

Newsletter_term_1_week_6.pdf

St_Joseph_s_Primary_School_Warragul_Picture_Price_List_Full_Uniform_2022_23_.pdf

Hello, my name is Tabatha Cook, and I am a Foster Care Recruitment, Assessment, Training and Retention worker for the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA).

We have a large need for foster carers in your area.

As you may be aware, at the moment more and more children are coming into foster care programs across Victoria and there are not enough carers available to meet these needs, meaning children are often moved from short-term-to-short-term options. By spreading the word and supporting us to raise awareness of the need for foster carers, you will be supporting children who are at risk to find stability, safety, nurture, and the home base care they need to be able to focus on healing, empowerment and be able to achieve their dreams and goals. We encourage and support carers from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences and Cultural support and training is provided.