I big couple of days in Horsham. Lots of EBA talk and the unsuccessful  SIMON cyber attack absorbed much of the time.  We also looked at the Strategy 2035 and actions for next year. On a personal note, I was farewelled along with Lee Schlooz and Olga Lyons from our area. 

To reiterate the message above - Please change your SIMON password and your Google password as a matter of urgency. Many of our email addresses and passwords have been found on the dark web.  A reminder that you should not be using a school email account for personal transactions. 

If you have any other accounts that are linked to your school email with your school password this account may be compromised. 

Staff Meetings

A reminder that staff meetings are compulsory for all teachers. They begin at 3:45pm.  Please make sure that you make these a priority. If you are unable to attend due to an emergency please let Matt know in person.

Staff Meeting Reminder:
Monday Night: 4 - 5:30pm.
If you would like a certificate, or to watch it from home, you will need to register:
https://www.positivepartnerships.com.au/workshop/?eventtemplate=179-online-professional-learning-sessions-national-the-diversity-of-autism&event=2203
We will be playing the PD in the staff room on Monday if you prefer (but a certificate won't be sent  to you if you don't register).
We will be taking attendance onsite, if you are at home please email me your certificate. 

Week 5:

Please note that the staff meeting in week 5, has been tranferred to Monday 3rd November, for the Diversity of Autism PD 4pm - 5.30pm

Week 6:

General staff meeting

There will be no whole school assemblies at the moment due to the hall not being available

We are hoping the hall will be available for Friday 14th November (Week 6)

Please read in conjunction with the Upcoming events list.

Week 5:

Monday 3rd November:  Year 2 swimming continues; MAI Testing in C19; Cathy at training Monday to Thursday.

Tuesday 4th November:  Melbourne Cup Day; Roof installed over sandpit

Wednesday 5th November:  School; Advisory Council Meeting; Move of the portables to commence

Thursday 6th November:  Planned move of portables

Friday 7th November:  Book week dress up day; Division Cricket; Reconnection of all services to the portables

Week 6:

Monday 10th November: Foundation swimming continues; Playground installation commences; Year 2 Planning day; 2026 Foundation Kinder visit 1

Tuesday 11th November: Rememberance Day; Year 4 Forces Expo; Regional Tennis (Colac); Year 5 visit to Emmanuel; 2026 Foundation Kinder visit 2

Wednesday 12th November  Year 4 Forces Expo; 2026 Foundation Kinder visit 3; Leadership Team Meeting

Thursday 13th November: Zooper Dooper Thursday (PSA); 2026 Foundation Kinder visit 4

Friday 14th November: First Aid Training

Transition:

Thank you for the work that is going into grouping students for next year and providing extra preparation for transition into new classrooms. It is great to see classes and LSO's going to visit the areas for the new year. Sending children on jobs to classrooms is helping students to feel more comfortable for next year. 

Moving of Portables:

At this stage we are still on to move the portables next Wednesday and Thursday (please keep everything crossed this goes ahead)!

Training: I will be attending training from Monday 3rd to Thursday 6th November for our new Finance system (here we go again!)

2026 Staff Diaries:  As you all start to hold your  2026 planning days etc, and you want to start purchasing your diaries, you can purchase them from Office national (old Tobins) and they will book them to the school account (please use your name as the purchase reference) or if you purchase one from anywhere else, please use the reimbursement link below uploading a copy of your receipt and I will reimburse you.

If you like the Monthly Planner option, these are available at Warrnmbool Nextra (the old Rogers newsagency).

Thank you Evening for Volunteer parents:  We hold this event every year and ask you to point out this invitation in the newsletter to all parents who help out in your classroom.  There will be a link there for them to RSVP in they can attend.

2026 Leave Application:  2026 Leave Application Form link

Playground update:

The parent playground committee are holding their working bee on Saturday 25th October to remove the current senior playground and clear the site in readiness for the installation team.  

On Friday 7th November (week 7) the pre-installation team will arrive and set up the temporary fencing and start setting up the site.  On Monday 10th November the installation will commence, this will take approximately two weeks.  After this the parents will be working on the new edging etc and replacing the softfall mulch.

Refer to the newsletter or PAM for further details on all these events.

Week 5

Year 2 Swimming Continues: Monday 3rd November

Book Week Dressup Day Parade: 9am, Friday 7th November

No Whole School Assembly, Friday 7th November

Week 6

Foundation Swimming Commences: Monday 10th November

Zooper Dooper Thursday: Thursday 13th November

Whole School Assembly, Room B7: 2:40pm, Friday 14th November

Pizza Day Orders Close: 3pm, Friday 14th November
(Pizza Day now Thursday 20th November)

Converge International is a free and confidential support service for staff and their families.   Ph 1300 687 327

• Leah Brooks - 6th November
• Lexie Moncrieff - 8th November

Book Week Dress Up and Parade

Friday 7th November - will be an optional ‘Book Week’ Dress-Up Parade and short Assembly prepared by our Year 6 Library Leaders.  We will use this occasion to celebrate the conclusion of the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge and present awards to those who finished the Challenge and to announce the Class Winners who read the most books during the Challenge! You are more than welcome to join us in the School Hall from 9am, for a 9:15am start.

Please email me with any questions you might have about these two events to: elloyd@sjwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

St Joseph’s Christmas Party

Warrnambool Golf Club Function  Room

Friday 19th December (last day of work for 2025) 

5.00pm - 11.00pm 

$30 per staff member

$60 per CRT or partners

Please pay Cathy at the office by December 1st, and

Please add your name to this doc if you can attend