Matthew O'Brien, Principal

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, Students and the wider St. Joseph’s Primary School Community,

Student Leadership and Team Building Day

Our Year 6 crew headed to the Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club for team building day. The children listened to an inspiring story from Ben Harkin who has thrived after being born without arms. Remarkably he is a local swimming instructor. One of his key messages to the children is “to focus on what you have, not what you don’t have.”

Ben Walsh (Emmanuel College and Western Bulldogs Football Club) led the children in a session to develop our theme for 2025. See below. The children worked in teams to consider the great things about St Joseph’s, what our opportunities are and then bundled that all together into a slogan or theme for the year.  There were lots of creative ideas and the student representatives have combined the ideas to create the St Joseph’s Theme for this year. (see above)

The final session involves 3 team challenges before the Year 6 children were presented with their Year 6 polo tops (another PSA initiative) which make them easily identifiable as our school leaders for 2025.

PSA Trivia Night

Building community within schools is a crucial aspect of creating a positive and supportive learning environment. When schools prioritize community-building, they foster a sense of belonging, safety, and collaboration among students, teachers, and families. Our Parent Support Association (PSA) is extremely active in taking a lead in developing a strong, supportive community in our school.  This year the PSA are hosting a key event to build on the strength of our community in running the Inaugural Parents and Friends of St Joseph’s Trivia Night.  This will be a fun night of music, dance, competition and a true test of those useless facts that lay hidden in our heads.

I urge everyone to come along and to bring a friend. Join your child’s classroom table or make a table of your own.  Reach out to your kid’s friends and to those families new to St Joseph’s.

Matthew O'Brien, Principal

Get the babysitters booked - ready for an epic trivia night

How it Works

Gather a group (8-12 people) OR sign up solo/couple

Register + pay for your ticket through CDF pay ($20 per person) 

If you’re entering as a group you will be able to nominate your “table leader” OR you can suggest your child’s classroom to join the class table 

• BYO - bring drinks and nibbles - (think eskys and platters)
• DJ after the trivia night - from 10pm - hang around for a dance and catch up
• Spot prizes and raffles will be drawn on the night

It’s about building community, having fun + fundraising for our new playground!

Tables are limited, so don’t wait too long - we don’t want you to miss out.

Happy Birthday to children celebrating their birthday this week.

Emma Ludeman, Whyat Brian, Hadley Boyle, Olivia McCarthy, Luca McSween, Reggie van Jaarsveldt, Sean Du and Lottie Roberts.

School Sports Day

Our highly anticipated School Sports Days are fast approaching! Please note that there has been a change for the Middle and Senior Sports days, which will now be held on Friday 7^th March. On this day, students' times, distances, and heights will be recorded during their events. These results will determine which students will qualify to represent the school at the district athletics competition in early Term 2.

Please note that Triple Jump and High Jump will take place during regular school hours on different days, as these events can be quite time-consuming and may affect the schedule on Sports Day. To keep things moving, other fun activities will replace these events on the day itself.

Tennis

Congratulations to all those who tried out for the school tennis team! The first competition is Division Tennis, scheduled for Thursday 6that the Supergrasse Tennis Courts.

Swimming

Well done to everyone who tried out for the school swimming team! Special congratulations to those who achieved the qualifying times to make the team. The first swimming competition is Division Swimming, which will take place on Friday 28th February.

800m Trials

The 800m trials will be held next week. Boys' trials will take place during lunchtime on February 26th, and girls' trials will be held on Thursday 27th February.

1500m Trials

The 1500m trials for boys will take place on Monday 3rd March at lunchtime, and for girls, the trials will be held on Tuesday 4th March.

New Date: Middle and Senior School Sports Day

Middle and Senior School (Years 3 - 6) - Friday 7th March, 2025

Junior School (Foundation - Year 2) - Friday 14th March, 2025

We are looking forward to the upcoming Sports Days. We are particularly excited to welcome parents, carers and family members as spectators to the day. The following information is provided to help make the day run as smoothly and safely as possible. 

Event Program

Please note that the event program timing may change on the day due to weather conditions and other factors.

Event Program will be published in the newsletter close to the day.

Sports Uniform

• Navy Blue school logoed shorts
• House coloured Sports polo (compulsory)
• Navy Blue logoed windcheater, vest or coat
• School logoed hat
• White socks (no logos)
• Runners

No hair colour or coloured zinc permitted.

Spectators

Spectators are welcome at our school sports. Enter via the gate near the school hall. Spectators are not to enter the school building (with the exception of the School Hall for event and toilet access)

Volunteers

If you are able to assist on the day please email Matthew McMillan at mmcmillan@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au and indicate which age group/year you would like to assist with. All volunteers are required to have a current Working With Children Check.

Parking

On street and tennis court parking is available. Please obey parking rules.

Photography

Please read the St Joseph’s Primary School Photography Guidelines for Parents and Carers. 

Sign your child out

A reminder that if you are taking your child home early on sports day, they must be signed out at the office. If, by arrangement, you are taking another person's child we must receive either verbal or written permission (note in diary) from the child's parent.

Canteen

Children are advised NOT to have a lunch order on their School Sport Day as they will be working to a modified lunch timetable.

Good luck to all of our athletes.

We will be holding a Classroom Helpers information session for all parents and carers in Foundation, Year one and Year Two who would like to help with reading activities in their child’s classroom.

9:15am, Tuesday 4th March, 2025

If you would like to be involved in the helping in the classroom please register your interest and attendance/apology on the linked form. 

Please note: All school volunteers must hold a current Working With Children Check. These can be obtained free of charge at https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/ 

The session will focus on child safety and how to support children in developing reading skills using the latest research based approaches.

Home Reading - Parent Information Session

Join our Curriculum Leader and Library Resource Centre teacher for an information night regarding what home reading might look like for your child.  Become a member of our LRC to borrow books and read with your child.

You are more than welcome to bring along your children and we can set them up with a game/puzzle/drawing to ensure you gain the opportunity to hear some tips and advice in supporting your child reading at home.

Note: This is NOT the Classroom Helper Program - We also run a Classroom Helper information session for all parents and carers in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 who would like to help with literacy activities in their child’s classroom. This session will be advertised in a future newsletter.

Do you have a Health Care Card (Low Income) or a Veterans Affairs Card?

If so, you could be eligible to claim a number of financial support packages.  There are three main options, through two different Governing bodies:

The Victorian State Government

• The Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund $154 per child
• Schools Savings Bonus $400 per child

DOBCEL Ltd:

• Family Fee Assistance $925 per family

To apply for these, please complete the form below and email to cduyn@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au along with a copy of your relevant card.

Tuesday 18th February, 2025

A - L Family photos (8:00am - 9:00am)

Individual and Class photos for

Foundation to Year 2

Rooms D3 and D6

Wednesday 19th February, 2025

M - Z Family photos (8:00am - 9:00am)

Individual and Class photos for

Years 3 to 6

Uniform - What to wear

• School logoed blue polo (Not House Coloured Sports Short)
• Navy School jumper
  
  
• Choice of sports shorts/trackpants, grey shorts/pants, navy pants, tunic or skort
• Choice of black shoes or runners
• Choice of white or grey socks (no logos)
   
• No Summer Dresses
• No Sports polos
• No jackets or vests
  
  
• A small supply of spare blue polos and jumpers will be available on the day for children who do not have one.

Year 6 students

We ask Year 6 students to wear their new Year 6 polo, those that have them, and for those that don't to wear their normal pale blue polo.

Hair

Hair longer than collar length for all students must be tied back as per school uniform policy.

A navy blue or white hair band/clip/ribbons may be worn. 

Queries regarding uniform and school organisation

Contact the school office if you have any queries regarding the uniform requirements and organisational aspects of school photo day.

All students have their photo taken

All students will have their individual photo taken on the day regardless of whether an order has been placed.

Class Photos

Class Photos are taken in the traditional format with all children present on the day included in the photo. 

Family Photos

Family photos are taken prior to school commencing, between 8:00am - 9:00am.

• No need to pre-order, simply send you children to he hall foyer
• Children go straight to the hall foyer upon arrival at school
• Leave bags in Foyer
• Line up for photos in order of arrival
• Children then return to the playground until their classroom doors are open at 8:45am

Family Photo orders

• Family photos do not require pre-payment.
• These photos will be taken of any family that turns up to a 'Family photo session'.
• Each child will receive a 'How to order family photos' card with an access code for their private gallery. The school will also receive a list of these codes to have on file for parents who don't know the code.
• The gallery goes live on Sunday 23rd February. Families can then purchase a family photo from the gallery.
• Order in the first week for FREE Standard Australia Post delivery.

Order of Classrooms on Photo Days

The order of photos will be starting from Foundation to Year 2 on the Tuesday and Years 3 to 6 on the Wednesday.

Unwell Children

If your child is unwell please keep them at home.

School Photo Ordering Information

Senior Reconciliation is a Sacramental Program for Year 6 students who have completed their Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist Sacraments. 

Registration Steps

1. Complete the registration form if your child would like to participate in this program. 

2. Make $20 payment through CDFpay.

Meeting, Retreat Day and Queries

The Parent Information meeting and Sacrament are held at St Joseph's church.

The Student Retreat Day is held at Emmanuel College (to be confirmed).

Contact Cara Chisholm at cchisholm@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au with any queries.

Key Dates

3pm, Monday 17th February, 2025 - Registration and payment closes

7pm, Tuesday 18th February, 2025 - Parent Information meeting (all schools)

10am - 2pm, Monday 24th March, 2025 - Student Formation/Retreat Day

6pm - 7pm, Tuesday 1st April, 2025 - Sacrament of Reconciliation