Our 4/5/6 class community have had a great start to the year in 2024. We have begun by focusing on building relationships and getting to know each other. In these photos you can see students getting to know each other by playing “Chat Bingo” and welcoming each other in one of our prayer experiences.

Welcome

The beginning of the school year is such a special time for children and families, especially those who are commencing school for the first time or have transitioned to St. Joseph’s from another school. In Pre-school I have the pleasure of welcoming the following students: Anicha, Athena, Doreen, Isla, Isobel, Justin, Kiara, Lyanna, Mmasinachi, Selena, Stefano, Tobias and Zipporah.

In Reception I have the pleasure of welcoming the following students: Alana, Aria, Bryan, Gianella, Ivy, Orlando, Yuvraj, Emily, Monika, Seirafina, Theodore, Riley, Yohanan and Arabella.

I warmly welcome the following students in older year levels throughout the school: Alem (Year 1), Mekai (Year 2), Annabelle (Year 2), Heza (Year 3), Zelia (Year 4), Rita (Year 5), Ravpreet (Year 6).

I hope that their experiences at St Joseph’s encourages their love of learning and sense of curiosity. I hope, too, that their families feel connected with their children’s learning and development, and that our partnership with them is long and prosperous.   

New Beginnings

Of course, for every child and young person returning to school this year there is also a sense of a new beginning. Every new year level is a different experience for all children and an opportunity to make new friends and set new goals. Similarly, as educators, as this new school year commences, we have another opportunity to be the kind of leader or teacher that we dream of being. I hope that, individually and collectively, we can continue to grow and evolve as educators, nourished by our faith and our commitment to making education truly liberating for children and young people.

As we commence this new school year, there is much for us to be excited about. In Term 1, children will experience our whole school excursion to the Adelaide Aquatics Centre, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, St Joseph’s Feast Day celebrations and Harmony Day; just to name a few.

Importantly, though, 2024 offers us the opportunity to strengthen the quality of the education that we provide - a truly Catholic education - to equip children and young people to be more self-aware, skilled in critical thinking and willing and able to take their place in society as leaders for the world God desires.

In other news, I would also like to officially welcome Mrs Kali Brown, Mrs Alissa Kaselow, and Ms April McInerney to our school community. Kali has commenced in the role of School Finance Officer in the lead up to Anne Turtle’s retirement this Friday. Alissa has commenced in the role of Office Administrator supporting Tanya on the front desk while April will join our team of Classroom Education Support Officers.

Farewell to Mrs Anne Turtle

We thank and farewell Mrs Anne Turtle who has been in the role of school Finance Officer for the past 2 years. On behalf of the school community, I would like to acknowledge and thank Anne for the great service she has provided to our school during her time with us. Anne has been a great support to me in managing the finances of the school. She has built many positive relationships with children, staff, and families during her time at our school. We wish Anne every blessing as she begins the retirement chapter of her life.

2024 Teaching Staff and Class Structures

Below is an outline of our 2024 teaching staff structure:

Shaun O’Leary: Principal, Leader of Teaching and Learning: Numeracy & STEM (1.0)

Simon McCullough: APRIM (0.6), Admin (0.2) & Specialist Music/Drama (0.2 Thursday)

Trish Pfeiffer: Leader of Teaching and Learning: Literacy & EALD Coordinator (0.8 Mon-Thurs)

Louise Moody: Inclusive Education Coordinator & Literacy Mentor for Early Career Teachers (0.4)

Preschool Teacher: Catherine Crosbie (0.6 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)

R/1 Classroom Teacher: Danielle Librandi

R/1 Classroom Teacher: Anna Huynh

1/2 Classroom Teacher: Natalie Doyle

2/3 Classroom Teacher: Cindy Chong (Term 1), Cindy Chong (0.4) & Jennifer Craig (0.6) Terms 2,3,4

3/4 Classroom Teacher Ben Higgins

4/5 Classroom Teacher Matt Pick

5/6 Classroom Teacher Jane Smith

Janine Myer: Specialist French Teacher (0.2 Friday)

Daniel Nguyen: Specialist Physical Education Teacher (0.4 Monday & Friday).

Upcoming Events

I would like to draw your attention to the following upcoming events:

Whole School Excursion - Thursday February 8.

To celebrate the beginning of the new school year, the whole school will spend the day at the Adelaide Aquatics Centre on Thursday February 8. The day promises to be full of fun.

Parent Information Evening & School Board AGM- Monday February 12.

This will involve class teachers outlining their classroom programs and procedures. This is an opportunity for parents to meet the teacher and hear about class routines and ways they can support their child at home. During the evening I will present the AGM Report in the School Courtyard sharing our school’s achievements from 2023 and our future plans moving forward. All families are very welcome to attend. Please refer to the notice sent home to all families on Monday January 29 for further information.

In addition, Parent/Teacher interviews will also take place during Week 9 of this term. More information will be forwarded to you closer to the time.

Ash Wednesday - Wednesday February 14.

As a school we will join the parish community in celebrating Ash Wednesday mass in St Maximilian Kolbe Church. Parents are very welcome to join us during this mass. 

St. Joseph’s Feast Day Liturgy - Tuesday March 19.

As a whole school we will celebrate the feast day of St Joseph on Tuesday March 19. The St Joseph House Team will lead our whole school liturgy which will be followed by several fun activities. Parents are very welcome to join our celebration. Further details about the day will be forwarded to you closer to the time.

Pupil Free Day - Monday March 18.

Our staff will be involved in professional learning in the areas of Student Agency, Literacy and Numeracy. APRIM Simon McCullough and I will facilitate the day where staff will be involved in further developing their teaching pedagogy in these important learning areas. OSHC will be available for families who require the service on this day. Bookings are essential so please see Mieke if you need to make a booking.

Sports Day - Thursday April 11.

Sport Day this year will once again be held at the Port Adelaide Athletics Club.

Whole School Assemblies

Another of our community activities at St Joseph’s are our school assemblies. Whole School assemblies will take place in Weeks 5 and 10 this term on Friday at 8:45am. Parents are warmly invited to attend assemblies where we celebrate learning and working together.

Catholic Identity

The following are past twitter feeds from Pope Francis:

·       God needs people who bring His forgiveness and His mercy into the world

·       God loves us in a way that crushes all loneliness and isolation

·       Holy Spirit, you who sustain the Church, come down upon us again, teach us unity, renew our hearts, and help us to love as Jesus taught us

·       Never forget this golden rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Mt 7,12)

These messages from our current Pope remind us of the importance of valuing all those we meet throughout our lives.

Curriculum News

I have included two mathematical tasks which you might like to have a go at with your child/children.

This week’s Mathematical tasks:

Reception to Year 3

You see a sign in a shop window  

Record what this means to you in as many different ways as possible.

Years 4-6

Two fractions add to give 3/4. List as many possibilities as you can as to what those two fractions might be.

Happy inquiry.

Reading is another core learning area here at St Joseph’s School. Our staff use an agreed set of practices around children’s development of reading skills, knowledge and understanding. These practices shape our reading programs across the school.

Below are some strategies you might like to try at home to support your children’s learning:

•             Encourage and model reading in the home
•             Listen to your child read their reading material and ask specific questions related to what they have read                                      
•             Read with your child
•             Share what you are reading with your child
•             Read your child a bedtime story
•             Talk to your child about the different situations you find yourself in whereby you are required to read texts.

Happy reading.

Eating well is good for our mental and physical health. The brain requires nutrients just like our heart, lungs and muscles do. At St Joseph’s School children are encouraged to bring healthy foods to school to eat daily, with many classes stopping throughout the day for Brain Food snack time. Wholegrain breads, fresh fruit and vegetables are easy to manage Brain Foods children should be eating on a regular basis.

Enjoy.

Teaching and Learning

In September 2023 our school commenced a journey with Lee Crockett aimed at empowering our children to have further agency over their learning.

Lee Crockett is an optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together through compassion and humour. He works with governments, education systems, international agencies and corporations to help people and organisations connect to their highest purpose and realise their wishes for the future. Living in Kamakura, Japan, he practices Zen and studies the Shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese bamboo flute. Mindfulness and joyful curiosity are the foundations of his approach to creating vital learning environments for groups worldwide. His several best-selling books, including Future-focused Learning and Mindful Assessment, have garnered many awards and are used in schools and universities around the world. His highly anticipated new book Agents to Agency: A measurable process for cultivating self-directed learner agency explores how to adopt learning practices that develop and enhance learner agency and has received accolades from some of today’s top education leaders.

On Monday January 22, our school teaching staff along with teaching staff from two other Catholic schools spent the day working with Lee Crockett around student agency. We will continue to work with Lee in this area over the next 3 years.

My leadership experiences along with my professional development have taught me the importance of staff having a clear shared vision, working in collaboration, and basing their teaching practices on contemporary data and research. Most importantly as educators we need to have a human connection and develop a positive trusting relationship with each child. When these key areas are evident, we see the greatest impact on the improvement of student learning outcomes and wellbeing.

In 2018 the staff developed three important documents to support teaching and learning across the school. Our Principles of Pedagogy document clearly outlines how we teach at St Joseph’s School while our Literacy Agreed Practices and Numeracy Agreed Practices documents outline what is to be taught in the areas of English and Mathematics. These documents were reviewed in 2022.

In 2019 staff developed a school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Vision and Action Plan, an Action Plan around Ecological Conversion and Sustainability for the school along with a Vision for Learning Reflective of Catholic Education South Australia’s Living Learning Leading Framework. These 6 documents along with the Australian Curriculum will inform our teaching and learning programs both in 2024 and into the future. 

In 2024 we will continue to have separate English and Mathematics blocks across the school; non-interrupted times where teaching and learning is focused on developing children’s understanding, knowledge and skills in these vital areas of school life.

Religious Education is another important area of learning in our school. Children regularly have the opportunity to develop their personal relationship with God through participating in prayer and liturgy experiences, learning to live faith filled lives informed by scripture, reaching out to those in need within our community, creating a sense of community within classes and across the school, witnessing to God’s love for all of the creatures of the Earth and recognising each of us as unique gifts made in the image and likeness of God.

During the first three weeks of the school year, classroom teachers spend much of the time focusing on wellbeing and relationship building within their classes. This focus also incorporates components of the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum which since 2008 has provided the framework to teach children and young people from ages 3 to Year 12 to recognise abuse, talk to trusted adults and understand ways to keep themselves safe. In 2013 the curriculum was updated to reflect contemporary child safety issues and to align with both the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum.

Of course, there are many other areas that we focus on at St Joseph’s School however the above-mentioned areas are integral to us. If you would like further information, please see your child’s class teacher or a member of the leadership team.

2024 School Board Nominations

Nominations are now open to members of the school community who would like to serve on the school board in 2024. The school board plays a valuable role in school governance. The board also allows parents to have a voice in the strategic direction of the school. Being a part of the school board can be a very fulfilling and rewarding experience. The school board meets twice a term on Mondays at 5:30pm.

If you are interested in serving on the school board in 2024, please complete the nomination form below and return it to the front office.

2024 School Finance Committee Nominations

Nominations are now open to members of the school community who would like to serve on the school finance committee in 2024. The school finance committee reports directly to the school board and plays a valuable role in school governance and transparency.  The school finance committee meets the week before school board meetings (twice per term).

If you are interested in serving on the school finance committee in 2024, please complete the nomination form below and return it to the front office by Monday February 12.  

Safety Around Ina Avenue Pick Up/Drop Off Points

A friendly reminder to ensure that for safety reasons, you park outside of the yellow lines and not over driveways adjacent to the school crossings on Ina Avenue and Rosewater Terrace when picking up/dropping off children. Drivers are also reminded that the disabled parking spaces at the front of the school are reserved for those with a disability. Alternative parking before and after school (along with school access) is available along Rosewater Terrace. The local council has informed the school that they will be conducting random inspections to enforce parking regulations around our school. As a school community we are seeking your support in following the parking regulations in place outside of the school.   

School Newsletter Translation Button on our School Website

Our school website has been recently upgraded giving users the ability to read the school newsletter in their first language. To access this new feature, visit our school website and:

·         Click: news and events (towards the top of the homepage).

·         Click: newsletter.

·         Click: newsletter online.

·         Click: select language (bottom right-hand corner).

·         Scroll down to select your desired language.

Audiri App

To keep up to date with what is happening within our school along with upcoming school events why not download the AudiriApp from the App Store on your mobile phone. Once downloaded simply search St Joseph’s School, Ottoway and add to your Audiri page. Many of our families currently use the Audiri App to keep up to date with what is happening across our school.

May God continue to bless all our families throughout 2024.

Working in partnership with you.

Shaun O’Leary.

Swimming excursion

Our excursion on Thursday 8th February is an exciting part of our activities to build good relationships in the school and to have fun. Please note the changed date is Thursday 8th February. Children are asked to do the following;

• Clothing, equipment and other requirements:  School uniform, bathers, towel, plastic bag for wet bathers, sunscreen and towel.  Extra food and drink as swimming makes children very hungry.  Students may bring up to $5.00 to spend at the canteen. Please note, children need to bring a packed lunch from home as well. (Students are encouraged to wear bathers under school uniform to pool. Remember to bring underwear to change into after swimming.)
• School contact officer and any instructions regarding your child contact:  Tanya Brereton - 8415 1100

Parent volunteers are needed on the day, please see your child’s class teacher to volunteer and if you need to begin the volunteer process, see below.

 Parents and Friends and Volunteers

We would love to see you join us as a volunteer. There are a range of ways to be involved and we greatly appreciate opportunities to work with you and get to know your family. Volunteering requires that you complete a process of induction and also some online training in child protection called, ‘Responding to abuse and neglect.’ All people who work with children are required to do this training. If you would like to volunteer, you will need to complete the following:

• Speak with Tanya or Alissa about a Working with Children Check which the school will lodge on your behalf.  There is also a personal information form to complete which includes your contact details and those we would contact in any emergency.
• Complete the required Child Protection training - Responding to abuse and neglect for volunteers. This will take an hour or two and it is done online. Follow the instructions below to locate this training. You will need to register for a PLINK number to access the training on the Department for Education website.
• Provide the school with a copy of your child protection training certificate. This will be accessible at the end of the training module - Responding to abuse and neglect for volunteers.
• Follow this link to register and get your plink number. This will allow you access to the training.

https://www.plink.sa.edu.au/pages/signup.jsf

Then access the training through this website:

https://www.plink.sa.edu.au/pages/external-dashboard.jsf?menuId=1104&locale=en-GB&showbundlekeys=false#/?dashboardId=6

Thanks very much for considering becoming a volunteer, we respect and value your time very much. Please let me know if you have any questions. My email is smccullough@stjotto.catholic.edu.au

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please return to Simon McCullough

I,_______________________________________ would like to support the 2024 Parents and Friends events or volunteer in another way.

My child / children are in:__________________________________________(class)

I am best contacted on: ___________________________________ (phone / email)

Mass: you are very welcome to join with us at these Parish Masses and school liturgies:

• Community prayer each Friday in the school yard unless the weather stops us.
• St Joseph’s Mass 10am in St Maximilion Kolbe Church followed by a
• whole school celebration, Tuesday 19th March.
• Feast of the Annunciation Mass, 10am, Monday 8th April in St Maximilion Kolbe Church.
• Holy Week Liturgies 25/3 - 28/3. There will be more information on these later in the term.

Sacrament program

The Parish Sacramental program is facilitated in our school every second year. The next program begins in 2025. More on this later in the year.

School Card Applications

School Card Applications for 2024 are now open.

To be eligible for Low Income Remissions you must apply and be approved for School Card.

Application forms for 2024 are available in the office or you can apply online.

https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/education-and-learning/financial-help-scholarships-and-grants/school-card-scheme

2024 School Fees

Accounts for 2024 school fees will be posted out this week. This account is for the fees for the full year.

Should you be experiencing difficulties with meeting your fee obligations please make a time to see Mr O’Leary or myself so that we can tailor a plan to your particular circumstances.

St Joseph’s School aims to meet the needs of all families and to this end we encourage you to meet with our Principal, or Finance Officer, to assist you where we can.

Kali Brown

08 8415 1102

St Joseph’s School with Hallmark Music Studios provide instrumental music lessons at school.

We are currently supporting drums and guitar tuition and will be adding piano (keyboards) and violin/viola if there are students interested.

Although lessons are at school, payment for lessons is direct to Hallmark Music Studios and the cost is $32 for a private lesson and $22 for a group lesson (not available for drums and piano).

Parents interested in music tuition for their children should contact Duncan Kilburn through the front office for further information and application forms.

As we embark on the 2024 school year, I wanted to take the opportunity to welcome everyone back and to address some Canteen housekeeping issues.

Given the introduction of some fresh legislation in late 2023 I have had to make some necessary changes to the Canteen menu. This includes a separated Break 1 and Break 2 menu. You will notice that some things simply are now not available to order for Break 1. I hope everyone understands that this is being done to ensure that the law is being properly adhered to and we are taking the best care of our students. I ask that everyone carefully reads the new menu before ordering a lunch order.

I note that towards the end of last year I received a few orders where ice blocks or ice creams had been ordered.   Please remember that ice blocks are not to be ordered in a lunch order, and instead are available for purchase from the Canteen in Break 2. 

The Canteen at St Joseph’s Ottoway utilises the QKR! Online ordering platform. I encourage everyone to use the app as it makes ordering a lunch order very easy and accepts card payment. I note the Canteen can otherwise not accept card payments.   If you have used the QKR! App previously please ensure you have updated which class your child is in for 2024.

Dear Parents and Caregivers.

Welcome to the new year, Term 1, 2024 in OSHC.

Children are in a safe supervised environment; learning happens while children play, have fun, and make new friends.

Please feel welcome to visit.

Morning care in OSHC is available, 6.30-8.30am.                                          

Afterschool care in OSHC is available 3.00-6.00pm, 2.45-6.00pm Tuesday.

Please remember to make a booking when you need OSHC.

All bookings can be made by ringing or messaging the OSHC mobile on 0437 863 067.                                               

If there is no answer leave a message on the service. I will call or message you back.                            

Making a booking helps us keep the child/educator ratio in line with legislation.                                                                                          

24 hours’ notice is necessary when cancelling a booking or charges will occur.

All parents using OSHC will need to check their myGov app to check for messages.              

When you attend OSHC casually.     

Please remember check your myGov app and Centrelink for messages.                                                                                                                                      

When parents use OSHC casually you won’t automatically receive CCS (Childcare Subsidy).

Follow the prompts-confirming that you used the OSHC service.

Centrelink is just confirming that you are using the service.

Parents/caregivers are welcome to read the OSHC Policies, feel welcome to ask and I will make copies available for your perusal.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Mieke   

OSHC Director