Principals Message

Dear Families,

Welcome to Term 4, I hope you had an enjoyable break with your children. 

As always it was a true joy to welcome our children back on Tuesday morning, with their enthusiasm and the absolute need to share all their wonderful holiday stories.  A timely reminder to us as staff, of how blessed we are in our job. 

We have now been given permission to run 4 Junior Joeys orientation days this term. 

The Junior Joeys 2020 Transition Program will be run on Wednesday mornings, beginning Wednesday 28 October 2020 from 9.15 am until 11 am,  and continue for 4 consecutive Wednesday mornings. The last session will be held on 18 November 2020. 

During the 4 visits preschoolers will become familiar with the following:

•  School boundaries
•  School and class routines
•  Outside play skills
•  Play as part of the curriculum
•  Working as part of the class
•  School values and classroom expectations
•  Class teachers and class learning environment, including outdoor learning areas.

With the current COVID-19 guidelines in place, we ask that parents sign their child in outside the Library each Wednesday morning. The children will clean their hands with sanitiser and then be taught our COVID safety strategies as the day progresses.

We are so excited to finally be able to welcome our Kindergarten 2021 students to our beautiful school. 

As we begin our final term for 2020 we are aware of the many events and activities that will keep us busy and focussed (COVID adapted)- lots of learning, Junior Joeys, Swimming awareness, Exuro, assessments, reports, the swimming carnival, School Captains and Leaders elections for 2021, Advent, Masses and Liturgies, Year 6 Graduation and the list goes on. Before we know it, we will be at the end of another year and saying goodbye to Year 6 2020. What a wonderful term we have ahead! 

WEEK 1 HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR:

• Our students and staff for a terrific start to the term! 
• Our School Cyclic Review. Thanks to the parents who were available to speak to the panel via phone. 
• Our Consultant- Mr Paul Wilson for his support throughout the process.
• We can have Junior Joeys.

We had a terrific staff learning day the first day back. We unpacked the Pedagogy dimension of the Diocesan 'Fullness of Life Framework' and participated in 2 Spirituality Modules. 

We thank you for your support and understanding of Staff Development Days.

We learn so that we will be better teachers for our students. 

COVID 19 Practices Term 4 

• Staff and students exhibiting even mild COVID-19 symptoms are to be sent home and required to produce proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to school. 
• Non-essential adults are not be permitted to enter the school grounds. We ask that no parents enter the school past the front office. All inquiries to the front office, please. 
• Pick up and drop off will continue out the front of the school. 
• Canteen for lunches only is continued to be offered if we are able to get parent volunteers to assist.  
• It is paramount in these times, in particular,  that any child who is unwell is kept at home. We appreciate your understanding and consideration for the safety of the other students and the staff.
• Our bubblers will still not to be used and therefore the children require a water bottle.
• Our stringent hygiene practices for our new normal continue with: the washing of hands regularly; sanitiser after eating, no food or drinks to be shared; coughing and sneezing into elbows, tissues discarded immediately, cleaning of the desks between lunch and recess breaks and extra cleaning of the school by our cleaners.

Yesterday a panel of Diocesan representatives, including an Assistant Director, a visiting Schools Consultant and Principal attended St Joseph's for our School Cyclic Review. This process, as explained previously, was a  mid-review of the 7-year cycle. 

It was a process in which we were rated highly across all areas. It clarified our current practices and gave justification to our goals and initiatives going forward. Well done St Joseph's! 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Regards