Matthew O'Brien, Principal

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

Lent, Ash Wednesday

Feb Fast, Dry July, Oct-Sober, Movember, Couch to 5 K are all personal goal setting challenges usually with an element of fasting and raising funds for a worthy cause. These endeavours lead to self improvement and contribute to the greater good.

We can think of Lent in a similar way. 

Lent is a 40 day opportunity to give up (or take up) something and to raise money for charity organisations. An important point of difference though is that unlike the other events, Lent invites us to focus on a spiritual goal as well. Usually this goal is achieved through prayer.

Our modern goal setting gurus and personal coaches tend to say that it takes 30 days to build a habit. 40 days seems to be a special number in the bible, Noah’s Ark,  Jesus in the desert, Moses on Mount Sinai and 40 days between Jesus' appearance to the disciples after the resurrection and the ascension. I don’t think that these events actually happened for 40 days but 40 days and nights seems to be an indicator that a significant change has occurred.

If we think about the 30 day habit rule we could certainly say the 40 days is enough time to have an impact.

As a Catholic School community we will recognise Lent by increasing opportunities to pray and by raising money for Caritas Australia through Project Compassion.

I am sharing this audio meditation/prayer resource with you as an invitation to pray this Lent. Pray as you go - Introduction Is a Jesuit publication might be a good fit for you. An audio recording will be released each Monday of Lent in the lead up to Easter.

As Fr Michael Linehan (St Pius X) used to say  “Have a good Lent”.

Pray As You Go https://pray-as-you-go.org/player/special/4946-introduction

NAPLAN

NAPLAN testing across Australia begins next week for all Year 3, 5, 7 & 9 students.  NAPLAN provides our school community with important information about the achievement and growth of our students.  It helps us to set priorities in our future School Improvement Plans.

Parents of Year 3 and Year 5 students can find further information attached. 

NAPLAN Information

NAPLAN Information 222.46 KB

Lifelong Benefits of attending a Catholic School

I'm pleased to share new research based on data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, which reveals that individuals who attended Catholic schools are likely to experience lifelong benefits in employment, general health, and overall life satisfaction.

The study highlights that Catholic schooling offers both personal and community advantages.

Conducted by the Centre for International Research on Education Systems (CIRES) at Victoria University and commissioned by VCEA, the research adjusts for various individual and family characteristics to specifically isolate the impact of Catholic school attendance.

This evidence supports what you and your team have likely known instinctively – that an education focused on developing the whole person leads to well-rounded individuals who are prepared to succeed, thrive, and navigate life with confidence, regardless of the path they choose.

I am proud that St Joseph’s school contributes so positively to the lives of our children well after they graduate from Year 6.

A copy of the full report along with a short video is available for you on the DOBCEL website.

DOBCEL News https://dobcel.catholic.edu.au/new-research-highlights-lifelong-benefits-of-catholic-schooling/

Matthew O'Brien, Principal

Happy Birthday to children celebrating their birthday this week.

Keilan Lawlor, Kruz McDonald, Sophia McSween, Nina O'Kane and Cooper Leach.

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

What to wear

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 will not be able 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.

Scholastic Book Club

We hope everyone received Issue 2 of the Scholastic Book Club last week.  If you are looking for another copy, we have spare catalogues in the LRC at the Circulation Desk. 

First time ordering from Book Club?

You can order books via the website or download the App from the App store: Be sure to select ‘St Josephs School’ and then add your children and their classes.  Once you’ve logged in once on the App - it should remember you each time, which makes it easier to order in the future!

You also have the option to tick the “GIFT” box when ordering.  This is a great opportunity to purchase BIRTHDAY GIFTS and we will sit them aside secretly for your collection from the Office.

Closing date for all current Book Club orders is FRIDAY 21st MARCH - 2025

Premier's Reading Challenge

The 2025 Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge has opened!

As the school has embarked on a real focus on literacy this year we have decided to enrol every student in this year’s Reading Challenge.  Students in Years 3-6 have access to their own device so they will be responsible for adding the books they have read and generating a Book Review on each book which will be emailed to their Classroom Teachers. We will add the books that the Juniors have had read to them, plus the books that they borrow from the library each week.  Students in Years 3- 6 need to read 15 books while the Junior students need to ‘experience’ 30 books by September.

If you would prefer your child/children NOT to participate in this year’s Reading Challenge or you would like a copy of your child’s username and password sent home so that you can also support your child in adding books to their ‘dashboard’ then just send me through an email to elloyd@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

LRC Coordinator
Mrs Emily Lloyd

School Swimming

Last Friday, St. Joseph's children competed with other schools for the Division Swimming at Aquazone. The schools that we were against were OLHC, Woodford Primary, Terang Primary and Warrnambool Primary. Then our school, St. Joseph’s.

Some kids successfully made it through to the next stage at Horsham. There were individual races and relays at the end. All children were sitting and cheering for St. Joseph’s kids who participated, which was good to see.

Before the first race took place, all school swimmers were able to practice diving. The first race took place at 10:00 am. Top six students in all of the heats combined successfully made it to Horsham.

Be very proud of yourself that you tried your best on Friday. You were all amazing with your behaviour and swimming skills. Many outstanding swimmers made it to this stage that should be very proud of themselves for making it this far.

We can’t wait to see more competitors with excitement next year.

Alfie Woonton and Theo Smith
Year 6 students

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.

To provide opportunities for social meetings between parents, and promote a spirit of union and good fellowship. The PSA runs and supports several events throughout the year to raise money for the school and to support our school community.

What do we do? Mother’s Day Stall, Hot Cross Bun Drive, Father’s Day Breakfast, Mother's Day Stall, Pizza Days, Art Activities and Canteen support

Next Meeting Date: Wednesday 12th March 2025 at 7:00 pm.

How can I help? Come along to the meetings, contribute to the discussion, share ideas, support events that enrich the school community.

Dear Parent/Guardian

The Lions Eye Health Program is offering Free Vision Screening for St Joseph’s Primary School for Foundation, Year 3 and Year 6 students.

If you would like your child to participate in this vision screening program or wish to know more about the program, please view and/or complete the linked form.

Registrations close Thursday 20th March. 2025.

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.

Our PSA is once again holding a Hot Cross Bun Drive. Baker's Delight Norfolk Plaza Bakery will be supporting this event and donating $2.50 from every pack sold back to the school. Orders are now open through CDFPay.

Please place your order against the eldest child in your family with orders now open.

Buns available to order are:

• Traditional Hot Cross Bun - 6 Pack,
• Choc Chip Hot Cross Bun - 6 Pack,
• Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns - 6 Pack,
• Fruitless Hot Cross Buns - 6 Pack. 

Orders close: 3:00pm, Monday 31st March, 2025.

Delivery date: Thursday 3rd April, 2025.

We require some volunteers to assist on the day of delivery from 1:30 pm to pack the packs of buns and deliver to the classrooms. If you can assist please email Alecia on abidmade@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Since the beginning of 2024, our school - along with many others - has joined the Ballarat Diocese Flare Primary Literacy Strategy. As a part of our ongoing improvement strategy in Literacy instruction we are participating in an award-winning research partnership with La Trobe University.

The Sciences of Reading and Learning tell us that a systematic, explicit approach to the teaching of the alphabetic code and the grammatical rules that underpin written English offers our students the best chance at becoming confidently literate. The approach we are strategically adopting is called Structured Literacy, which is the approach endorsed by the International Dyslexia Association, the International Literacy Association and the Australian National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy.

Our whole staff group has been working closely with the Structured Literacy team from the Catholic Education Office, and we will continue over the next few years, to learn more about the principles, elements and characteristics of a Structured Literacy approach. This is a substantial change that will take time. However, we are assured by the results achieved in the pilot schools and the endorsement of the La Trobe University researchers.

Please read the attached letter in regards to the collection of data for the research project. If you do not wish your child/children’s data to be used for the study, you may opt out by collecting a hard copy form from the office and signing it. 

Marlie Boyd
Assistant Principal 

This applies to volunteers for:

• Canteen
• Mothers Day & Fathers Day events involving food
• Pizza day help
• Orientation and fundraising BBQs

Amendments to the Food Act 1984 have meant that we are now required to have all of our staff and volunteers who handle or process food, to have some type of food handler training to ensure that only safe and suitable food is supplied to customers (in our case our parents &andstudents).

This training can be done online via the link below.  Once completed can you please forward a copy of your printed certificate to Cathy Duynhoven or email on cduyn@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Pizza Day: Wednesday 12th March, 2025

Orders Close: 3pm Monday 10th March, 2025

Once per term the PSA run a Pizza Day as a "special occasion" lunch option and to raise money for the PSA.

Children can choose from either Garlic or Hawaiian pizza (Gluten Free options available) which are provided by Pepper's Pizza (formerly Pinkies Pizza) who are one of our school sponsors.

Orders are now open via CDFPay (Canteen ordering system)

There are no canteen orders on Pizza Days and children not wanting to order pizza should bring their lunch from home.

Sorry, no late orders can be accepted.

The Arts team would like donations of glass Jam jars - with their labels and lids removed.

Please remove the label and drop them into the school office this week.

Term 1 Roster

School Canteen Support