From the Principal

Welcome back to 2023. I sincerely hope that you all had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year spent with family and friends, and that the students have enjoyed their break.

New Staff

A big welcome to the new members of our team at St Joseph’s. We are exceptionally lucky to have such enthusiastic and experienced staff joining us!

Chelsea Harveyson (Yr 5/6 Teacher)

Deborah Green (Teacher assisting in a variety of areas, including InitiaLit 1)

Sally Metcalfe (Classroom Assistant)

New students and families

Yesterday we welcomed 9 kindergarten students and their families to our school. It’s always very daunting starting ‘big’ school but there were lots of smiles and laughs. We are so pleased to have you here with us!

Faith in Learning

On Monday, our staff participated in the 2023 C.E System Day - ‘Faith in Learning’ at the Canberra Convention Centre. We joined 2,300 colleagues from across our diocese to engage in insightful presentations from leaders in Education and Faith. It was wonderful to see how we at Grenfell, fit into the bigger picture of our system, and it was both inspiring and affirming for the work we are doing here to transform student’s lives through learning.

New programs - Spelling Mastery and Connecting Math Concepts

Next week, we begin the implementation of our new Spelling and Math programs. Students in years 3 to 6 will be involved in Spelling Mastery (students in Kinder to year 2 will continue with InitiaLit) and the whole school will utilise Connecting Maths Concepts. The programs provide highly explicit and systematic instruction in the wide range of content for Mathematics and Spelling.

The programs ensure student understanding and introduce concepts carefully, then weaves them together throughout the program. Lessons are designed to introduce concepts at a reasonable rate and help students make connections between important concepts. Specific strategies are taught for all content and provide mastery support for students that need it. The nature of being at-level, to help students meet and exceed achievement goals.

Further information was shared with parents at the end of last year, however please contact me if you would like to find out more.

Teacher contact details

Communication between the classroom teacher and home is essential. We would like all parents to be actively engaged in their child’s learning and encourage you to contact your child’s teacher regularly for updates or any questions you may have.

K/1:

Danielle McFarlane - danielle.mcfarlane@cg.catholic.edu.au

Loy Best - loyola.best@cg.catholic.edu.au

2/3/4:

Lachlan Martens - lachlan.martens@cg.catholic.edu.au

5/6:

Chelsea Harveyson - chelsea.anderson1@cg.catholic.edu.au

Principal:

Melissa Hotham - melissa.hotham@cg.catholic.edu.au

Calendar

The school calendar is now available electronically both through the school website (calendar tab - https://sjpsgrenfell.schoolzineplus.com/calendar) and on Compass. This will enable the school community to keep up to date with planned events. We will no longer include a calendar in the newsletter.

Sport day

Sport day this term will be Tuesdays. Students are to wear their Sports uniform every Tuesday this term. They will be doing Cricket lessons with Cricket NSW, thanks to our Sporting Schools Grant.

Music

We are excited to be continuing our partnership with the Young Regional Conservatorium for classroom music lessons, music tutoring and choir. There are still places available for guitar tutoring, so if you are interested please contact them directly.

Swimming Carnival

The St Joseph’s Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 9th February 9:15am to approximately 1:00pm. Please see the Compass Event to respond by Friday to provide consent and for nominations in events. If students do not wish to participate in any nominated events there will be novelty games in the smaller pool on the day that they can join, along with the K/1 students.

After the success of last year's event, it was decided to keep the carnival as a daytime event. I apologise that this will not suit all parents, but we appreciate if any are able to come along on the day to volunteer for timekeeping. Please remember that we need to have a current WWCC to volunteer at the school, including sporting events.

Back to School Vouchers

We are pleased to be able to accept the ‘Back to School’ vouchers for purchases of school uniforms. Please contact the Office if you would like to use them.

School Board Parent Member Nomination

A position for a parent member on the School Board has become vacant and so we are calling for nominations. Parents - both new and existing - are invited to nominate. We have very exciting plans for our school community and would love to have someone who is keen to help our school flourish and grow.

School Board members take on an advisory role and meet twice per term, on a Tuesday evening, to work together to provide leadership to the school community.

If you would like to nominate, please email me (melissa.hotham@cg.catholic.edu.au) by 9am Thursday 9^th February. Nominations will be seconded by the School Board Chair, Rob McLelland or another member of the Board.

The list of nominees will be published in next week's newsletter with details on how to vote.

I look forward to a year of great success in learning and teaching with our students and staff.

Kind thoughts,

Melissa Hotham

Principal