NEWSLETTER

This term, the class has had an exciting and energetic start, diving into creative learning experiences and building strong connections with both teachers and classmates. We’ve especially enjoyed our buddy learning time, where we’ve had fun working together and supporting one another. Engaging in problem-solving activities has been a highlight, challenging us to think critically and collaborate in new and exciting ways. From hands-on projects to interactive discussions, every day has been filled with curiosity, teamwork, and a love for learning!

Catholic Identity

Lent is the Church season leading up to Easter. It is a time of prayer, reflection and giving of oneself to others to become closer to God. It is also a time where we prepare ourselves for the events of Easter, namely the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.

When God chose to enter this world as Jesus, he did it in full measure, becoming one of us even until death. He was rejected, despised, abused, mocked, and murdered. He suffered, died, and was quietly buried. His message was like a seed buried in darkness, deep underground, waiting for the moment to burst into new life.

The first week of the upcoming school holidays is the last week of Lent, namely Holy Week, the week we begin the journey towards Easter. As we will be on holidays during Holy Week, next week as a school, we will re-visit the events of Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, and the Stations of the Cross. The story continues thereafter with the celebration of the Risen Lord during the Easter season which we will celebrate when we return from school holidays.

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

In my pocket I have $2 and 30 cents. What coins might I have?

Years 4-6

I went to get $315 out of the bank. What are the different ways I can ask for this amount in notes?

Happy inquiry.

Below is part of an article that has been published in the Sydney Morning Herald focusing on the benefits of reading to children.

Melbourne researchers have proven what parents have intuitively known all along - the more often you read to your children from an early age, the greater the positive effect on their reading and thinking skills.

The Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research has not only proven a causal effect between the frequency of reading to a child and his or her development, but have also for the first time measured the benefits.

Children four to five years old who are read to three to five times a week have the same reading ability as children six months older (who are read to only twice or less a week).

Reading to children six to seven days a week puts them almost a year ahead of those who are not being read to. It was also found that reading to small children has a positive effect on the development of numeracy skills.

''It does appear to be the case that children who are read to more often keep doing better as they age than other children,'' said Professor Guyonne Kalb, director of the institute's Labour Economics and Social Policy Program, and co-author of the study.

The research - which was funded by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development - found the positive outcomes occurred in children regardless of parental income, education level or cultural background.

''We wanted to try and determine whether reading itself is leading to better outcomes, or do parents who read to their children have other things going on,'' Professor Kalb said.

''We worked with children representing a whole range of families, from all different backgrounds and economic circumstances. We found it doesn't matter if a child is from a poor or rich family, or if the parents are highly educated or not, doing this basic thing of reading to them leads to better developmental outcomes.''

The longitudinal study followed the reading skills of more than 4000 children, aged four to five years in 2004, through to age 10 to 11.

Victorian Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Wendy Lovell said the research was ''an exciting step forward'' in understanding the importance of reading to young children.

Happy reading.

Teaching and Learning Updates:

Year 1/2D - N Doyle

Literacy groups are progressing well, and we are working on breaking words, building words with letters, using our white boards and writing interesting sentences to learn our spelling list words.  In writing we are looking at narratives and looking at writing our very own fairy tales.  The students are working hard on Friday’s being authors and writing their own books in book making.  The students enjoy reading to self each morning and the children are working on reading aloud using a good pace.

Numeracy groups are developing, and it has been great to work in smaller groups as students are able to ask questions and spend more face-to-face time with a teacher.  We are working through the number strand looking for patterns, counting forwards and backwards, skip counting by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s, looking at number characteristics and writing numbers in words.

 The students are now becoming more confident using their surfaces for learning. We have learnt to log on, Paint 3D and listening to books with storyline online.  The students are busy preparing for Sports Day and looking forward to competing in a fun environment at Port Adelaide Athletics Club. 

Year 2/3C - C Chong & J Craig

This term, in literacy, students have participated in various assessments, including the PAT, BURT, and WESTWOOD tests, to assess their comprehension and inform groupings. They’ve expanded their vocabulary through word storm activities in both whole-class and small-group settings, and each student keeps a personal "My Useful Words" Book. Alongside vocabulary development, the focus has been on spelling, grammar, and oral language skills, with persuasive writing being a key area of study. This writing has been linked to real-life experiences, allowing students to practice sentence structure while deepening their understanding of persuasive techniques.

In numeracy, students have engaged in challenging tasks to develop their number sense, such as flashcards, timed worksheets, and interactive games. They have explored number patterns, sequencing, skip counting, and time-telling, all with an emphasis on real-world applications. Numeracy groupings are based on personality and preferences, strengthening teamwork and fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Beyond their core subjects, students have been actively engaged in environmental awareness, particularly through recycling initiatives. They have studied the importance of reducing waste and participated in activities such as recycling and crafting with recycled materials. The class proudly hosted its first whole-school assembly, where they presented their learning about recycling, including narrative writing on the importance of environmental stewardship. During the assembly, students also shared their recycling posters and creations made from recycled items. Families who had the time to collaborate were invited to contribute their own recycled creations, and the students took great pride in showcasing their creativity.

Parent-Teacher Learning Conversations  

Thank you to families who were able to take part in our Parent Teacher Learning Conversations last week. I’d also like to thank our teachers for their preparation work and for making themselves available. These conversations provided an opportunity for teachers to share the academic and social progress your child has made and to discuss areas of growth and future goal setting. Our Parent Teacher Learning Conversations also provided an opportunity for parents to ask teachers questions related to their child’s development.

If you were unable to attend last week’s conversation and would like to make a time to meet with your child’s class teacher, please feel free to do so by contacting them directly and arranging a time that is suitable for both of you.

Pupil Free Day - Friday March 21

Our staff were involved in professional learning facilitated by Autism SA, focusing on working with children on the autism spectrum. Teachers and Education Support Officers had the opportunity during the day to develop strategies to support the children in their care based on the knowledge learnt. Staff were given the opportunity to share the strategies they used. There are several strategies which are used consistently across the school. These strategies have been identified as strategies to continue to consistently use.

Sports Day - Thursday May 1

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

Five Areas of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

SEL involves developing the ability to understand and manage our emotions, establish positive relationships, develop empathy for others, set and achieve goals and feel good about ourselves.

Be You’s approach to SEL is based on the model developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), an internationally recognised organisation in this area of research.

The model defines ?ve social and emotional skill areas essential for the development of good mental health. Each of these skill areas includes a number of specific elements. Intentional teaching of the competencies is also crucial to implementing effective SEL, as are opportunities for children and young people to practise and generalise them.

Teaching SEL works best when the focus is on helping children and young people learn skills from each domain so that they gradually and progressively build their skills and knowledge throughout early learning and school. It’s an ongoing process across all year levels.

In the next newsletter I will define each of the ?ve social and emotional skill areas in more detail.

To learn more about how you can support the wellbeing of your child, visit Be You (formerly Beyond Blue). The website also provides a range of resources and ideas to support the mental health and wellbeing of our young people. I encourage you to visit the website at https://beyou.edu.au/and have a look for yourself.

Term 3 Preschool and Reception Intake

St. Joseph’s School will once again have a Pre-school and Reception intake at the start of Term 3 this year. Our Term 3 new Pre-school children will replace those moving into Reception as part of our Term 3 Reception intake. The criteria for starting Pre-school or Reception on the first day of school in Term 3 is that a child will have turned 4 (Pre-school) or 5 (Reception) between 1 May and 31 October in that year. During Term 2 we will hold three transition visit mornings for our new Pre-school and Reception children with the aim of supporting their new start.

Important Safety Message

Students and families are reminded to be wary of approaches from strangers, especially when they are unaccompanied or travelling to and from school. If they are approached students should not respond and should not accept offers of rides or gifts. 

Students should seek the assistance of other nearby adults if they feel unsafe and should report the event to a trusted adult (parent or school staff member) as soon as possible.

SAPOL advises that taking out a mobile phone and calling police can deter the offender and they recommend the student making a formal report to their closest police station.

For guidance on what to teach your child about strategies for staying safe, view this link:  SAPOL Personal Safety | Safety for Young People

Kiss and Drop Zone Speed Limit 10km per Hour.

A reminder that the school Kiss and Drop Zone along Rosewater Terrace has a speed limit of 10km per hour. Please ensure you observe the speed limit when using the Kiss and Drop Zone as this is an area where children are entering and exiting the school in large numbers.

A reminder also that the school Kiss and Drop Zone is not a place to park your car if you need to enter the school grounds as this holds up all incoming and outgoing traffic. It also leads to children exiting their cars on Rosewater Terrace and having to manoeuvre between traffic, raising further safety concerns. If you need to come into the school grounds, parking is available along Rosewater Terrace and on Ina Avenue.

Thank you in anticipation of your support with these important safety matter.

May God’s love continue to be with us during the season of Lent.

Working in partnership with you.

Shaun O’Leary.

Diary Dates

Term 1 Concludes - 3:00pm Thursday April 10.

Friday April 11 is a school directed non-teaching day. OSHC is available for families requiring the service. See Mieke to make a booking.

Term 2 Commences - 8:45am Monday April 28.

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’s love continue to be with us during the season of Lent.

Working in partnership with you.

Shaun O’Leary.

Please make yourself comfortable and help yourself to tea, coffee and biscuits.

The room will be open most days 8:25am and 2:30pm

Caritas Project Compassion

The theme of Project Compassion 2025 is ‘Unite Against Poverty’, because together we can take action to make a lasting difference!

By donating to Project Compassion, Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, can work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

Each family will receive a Project Compassion box for their donations, or you can donate online via the Caritas Australia website at: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion

#projectcompassion

All 2025 school fees have now been issued via post to the address we have on file. 

If you require another copy, need to apply for school card or want to discuss a payment plan, please see Kali Brown in Finance. 

accounts@stjotto.catholic.edu.au

Please join our Facebook page to keep up to date with our school community!

https://www.facebook.com/stjosephsottoway

Each year we need volunteers to work in our Canteen to prepare hot and cold lunches for our hungry growing children (and staff as requested) and to serve over the counter at recess and lunch. As a canteen volunteer you can help out either for a full day, 9.30am to 2.00pm or part day to cover either the morning collation of lunch orders and recess, 9.30am-11.20am, or the lunch period, 12.00pm - 2.00pm.

Canteen Volunteer Duties 

• assisting with preparation of foods -

• serving children over the counter at recess and lunch

• general canteen tidy up after lunch

Please see Alissa in the front office to express your interest. 

Looking for some holiday fun - look no further! This website has lots of great ideas for the up-coming school holidays with lots of competitions on offer also. Definitely worth having a look prior to the holidays!

Play & Go Adelaide - Things to do & what's on in Adelaide for families. Events, Activities, Ideas, Playgrounds for Adelaide kids and familiesPlay & Go Adelaide

11^th School Directed Non-Teaching Day

28^th Term 2 Commences