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Dear parents and carers,
Welcome to the 2020 school year, I trust that it will be both a happy and successful one for all of us! It has been fabulous to see the children looking bright and excited about the new school year.
Welcome to our 2020 Kinder students – Adelaide, Brydie and Jack. We are all looking forward to getting to know you and working with you during this year.
There are always many questions when starting in Kinder, please feel free to check with staff if necessary to help answer these questions as they come up.
Welcome to Mr Martens who has joined us this year, I trust that you enjoy being with us at St Joseph’s. Welcome back to Mrs Best after her long service leave.
As always, the beginning of the New Year brings changes and new opportunities. We look forward to seeing all students at St Joseph’s take on these new opportunities.
The holiday period has seen many challenges for communities across our state and we send our best thoughts to those who have been impacted by fires.
There have also been other health issues that may not be directly affecting us, but may well be affecting some of those we know.
A separate letter is being sent home about those issues.
During the holiday break some further work has been completed around the school. The new exterior cladding has been painted, and the disabled access to the block has been completed.
Our chooks had a farm holiday and will be returning to school in the coming days, thank you to the Protheroe family for looking after them during the holidays.
This week, there are many pieces of information attached to the newsletter, if you have any queries, please feel free to make contact with us at school.
Swimming – the second block of our Swim Safe program will run in Week 3 (Feb 10 -14). The information attached is for your reference. Our new Kinders will need to return completed permission notes by Wednesday February 5.
Emergency Contacts/Medical Updates- At the start of every year there are many things that we need to update here at school. An update form is attached to this newsletter. This is the general permission slip and the emergency contact information sheet. Please fill in this form and return it to school, so that we will be able to contact you easily if need be.
This also helps us to be aware of any allergies that your children may have. Please note that if your child is an asthma sufferer it is up to you to provide an asthma plan to us at school.
It is important to return this update sheet to school as soon as possible, as many children have allergies to different items, sometimes these are food based allergies and sometimes children have other triggers that cause their allergic reactions.
Making this information available to school staff helps us to be aware of possible situations that may cause an allergic reaction. If your child needs to have medication at school, please send a note to the front office explaining times and dosages.
The 2020 form was sent home earlier this week.
Asthma Plans – if your child suffers with Asthma, please ensure that you send an updated Asthma Plan to school. A copy of an asthma plan is attached and can be filled in in conjunction with your family doctor.
School counselling – please be aware that we have received advice that our school counsellor will visit 4 times per term. Rachael Sheridan will continue as our school counsellor during this year. It is a requirement of Catholic Care that referral forms be updated annually. For those who accessed the service last year, and would like to continue, please fill in the referral form attached to this newsletter and return it to school in preparation for this year. If your child did not access counselling last year, but you would like them to do so this year, please fill in and return a referral form.
Canteen – information relating to 2020 canteen arrangements is being sent home today in a separate note.
Uniform orders – an order form is attached for those in need of additional uniforms. Please return all orders to school by Friday February 6.
Food at school - Did you know that many different foods such as cakes, salad dressings, health bars, nut bars, seafood, ice creams or even breakfast cereals can cause allergic reactions?
With this in mind, we discourage our children from sharing their lunches and snacks.
Volunteer Checks – we are endeavouring to ensure that our processes at school are in line with those across a range of areas.
As such, it is time to remind everyone to ensure that your volunteer checks are up to date. If you have not sent a copying of your most recent volunteer check to school, please update it through the following website:
http://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-organisations/working-with-children-check/apply/apply
There is no cost for volunteer checks.
If you already have a current volunteer WWCC as part of your involvement in children’s sports or other programs outside of school, we would appreciate if you would send a copy to school.
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation in completing these checks.
2020 Term dates – some important dates for 2020 are as follows:
January 28: Staff day
January 29: Students commence 2019 school year
April 09: Last day of Term 1
April 28: Students return for Term 2
P & F News – Please note the Annual General Meeting is to be held on Tuesday February 18, 2020 at 7:00pm in our school library. All executive positions will be vacant.
I trust that you all enjoy a Happy and Holy Christmas period, and that the new year brings you many successes.
Sincerely
God of life and death,
our prayers today are where our hearts and minds
have been during these last days and weeks,
with those whose lives have been touched
in differing ways by the bushfires.
We pray for all those who have been affected,
especially for those who have lost loved ones.
We pray for those who have been injured and survived: for physical and emotional trauma;
for the fear and helplessness experienced;
for the anger and frustration at the injustice
of unavoidable disaster.
We pray for those who have lost their home and property or are facing such loss:
for those who have been forced to leave
their memories and belongings;
for the fear & disorientation of all involved;
Heal them from their nightmare memories.
We pray for all involved in fighting the fire:
for our Rural Fire Service and their leadership
and all those we know and those we do not know;
we pray for courage in a place of fear;
for new strength in the face of exhaustion;
for people who have travelled distances
in order to resource those who experience fatigue.
We pray for all who offer support and care at this time:
for the various agencies, churches and community groups;
for government services as they are activated;
for friends and neighbours, known and unknown;
for aiding recovery and providing a shoulder to cry on;
we give thanks too,
for the generosity of many, in small and large ways,
to those who are struggling.
We are mindful of the days, weeks and months ahead,
For the dangerous days yet to come,
for seasons of recovery and rebuilding,
of homes, farms, lives and communities;
we pray for strength, courage, patience and hope
as grieving continues,
as frustrations rise
and the inevitable new changes occur.
Let there be peace.
Let there be hope.
Let there be life.
Keep us faithful and alert to the ways in which we can be of help.
Amen
Retrieved and adapted from https://www.insights.uca.org.au/prayer-for-those-affected-by-the-bush-fires/
Many blessings,
Term One is a very busy time for sport. Our Swimming Carnival will be held next week on Thursday 6th February commencing at 5.00 p.m. at the Grenfell Aquatic Centre. St Joseph’s Cross Country will be held later in the term.
For those students who are eligible and interested, the following events will also be held throughout the Archdiocese in Term One.
Canberra/Goulburn Basketball-Nominations close 6th February
Canberra/Goulburn Tennis- Nominations close 6th February
Canberra/Goulburn Soccer- Nominations close 14th February
Canberra Goulburn AFL Trials-18th February (Wollongong)
Canberra Goulburn Cricket –Nominations close 13th March
Canberra Goulburn Netball Team- Nominations close 20th March
Canberra Goulburn Hockey (Individual)-Nominations close 20th March
Canberra Goulburn Netball and Rugby League (Individual)-Nominations close 27th March
Canberra Goulburn Touch Football- Nominations close 1st April
Please indicate your expressions of interest to Mrs Best for any of these events by Tuesday 4th February, 2020. (loyola.best@cg.catholic.edu.au)