FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear parents,
We had a bumper Mufti Day and Sausage Sizzle last Friday! Thank you for the gold coin donations for Project Compassion; your support is always greatly appreciated. Special thanks to Sheridan Hunter and Sally Metcalfe from the School Community Council for coordinating the delicious Sausage Sizzle which was hugely enjoyed by the children.
Thanks also for making sure the children looked spic and span for the school photos on Monday!
Exciting New beginnings for our School – Please Join us at this Important Event!
As you may know, our school, has been chosen to establish a School Community Council under a new and inclusive model. The council has a key role in supporting the St Joseph’s community of parents, carers, students and staff in building an open, inclusive, welcoming and collaborative school community environment.
The School Community Council will advise the principal on important matters and provide support to the principal and school leadership team in their decision-making process.
This new model emphasises the importance of parents and carers being involved in partnering with the school and the way this helps your children in their education. All parents of students attending the school are now Community Members of the Council who are encouraged and welcome to attend council meetings and attend council led activities.
ALL St Joseph’s parents and carers are warmly invited to join the inaugural School Community Council meeting and social. Be part of this exciting new beginning that empowers all community members to support our school. We hope every family will be represented.
Tuesday 19th March at 6.00pm
Please complete the Google Form at this link to register your attendance:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1E5oO-m6s0nPkfZA-mx1AJgcOhmZxvenlou6feMPHXXM/edit#responses
I am excited by the idea of having a School Community Council and hope you will also see this as another chance to support your school, and your children and build a strong, inclusive school community.
NAPLAN 2024
Next month, 13th -15th March, children in Year 3, 5, will participate in NAPLAN assessments.
The children have been experiencing some NAPLAN practise sessions so that they are familiar with the types of questions they will encounter and the platform for the assessments.
Parents and Carers, please note that unless your child is ill, it is very important that they attend school on the days the assessments are scheduled. Thank you!
NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress.
For more information, please follow this link:
Parent and Teacher Conferences
We trust that parents, carers and teachers found the Parent and Teacher Conferences informative and helpful this week. Please remember that teachers are always available should you have questions or areas you would like to discuss. Appointments can be made by emailing teachers or phoning Nichola/Sheridan at the Office.
MPS Visits
St Joseph’s monthly visits to the residents at MPS will commence this coming Monday, 4th March. Year 5 and 6 students will get the ball rolling and we look forward to another positive year of collaboration with April and the team.
High Impact Teaching Strategies Coaching Visit
We were pleased to welcome Alice Smith from CogLearn to St Joseph’s earlier this week. Alice is our High Impact teaching Strategies coach and Alice and I very much enjoyed visiting classrooms and observing the student levels of engagement and the progress we have made as we embed high impact teaching strategies across the curriculum in every classroom.
In Conclusion…
Next week, I will be attending the annual Principal’s Retreat where principals from all 56 schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn come together in unity and enjoy a time of reflection, prayer and spiritual nourishment. My thoughts and prayers will of course be with the St Joseph’s community during this time.
Consequently, the next newsletter will be published in Week 7.
Please do join us for the Yr 2/3/4 Liturgy on Wednesday 6th March next week at the Church, our first class Mass of 2024.
In the meantime, please do register your attendance at the upcoming School Community Council event and we will look forward very much to getting the community together then.
With best wishes,
Louise Grant
Acting Principal
