Dear Parents, Carers and the St Joseph’s Community,

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten period, a time of taking pause and considering others in our decisions. Actions such as abstaining from meat on Fridays, fasting, going without something we enjoy, and giving to those in need are grounded in the desire to be selfless, so as to become closer to God. Through prayer, and hearing the whisperings of God in our lives, we truly open ourselves to rejoice in the risen Lord at Easter. During this Lenten period, lets pray with and for each other in our St Joseph’s community.

Today the 2022 NAPLAN and school data has been released as part of the My School website - https://www.myschool.edu.au/ . While this data and information only tells a small part of the story of a school, it is very pleasing to see the growth and progress in recent years in relation to NAPLAN results compared to similar schools. St Joseph’s continually performs above national and state averages and from 2021 to 2022, has significantly improved results in all areas compared to like schools. We are excited to see this growth continue in 2023, as current priorities around explicit teaching and consistent engagement norms ensure all students are learning all the time.

Staffing

Unfortunately Katie Jenkin in the Canteen will finish at St Joseph’s at the end of Term 1. Katie has been at St Joseph’s for 2 years and has done a great job and we wish her all the best in the future. The Canteen Manager position is currently advertised and will be filled for the start of Term 2.

Our efforts are continuing to appoint a Language teacher. At the School Board meeting last week, a summary of the process was further explained, and reassurance given that all options are still open for consideration. We are engaging with the Dante Alighieri society here in Canberra to investigate the possibility of having an Italian assistant work with a teacher, to continue delivering the Italian Language Program. I will keep the community informed of any progress.

Parent / Teacher Interviews

All parents are asked to book a time to meet with their child/ren’s teacher next week. Interviews are either online via Teams on the Monday, or in person across other days through the week. Please see the Compass alert sent out Monday with full details.

Sip and Swap

Today a flyer is attached to the Newsletter, inviting those in our wider St Joseph’s community to an evening of fine fashion and an opportunity to socialise. The purpose is to reduce the amount of clothing that sits unworn in cupboards, while at the same time raising funds for the work of Mary MacKillop House in Lyneham. MacKillop House provides support to women in need, offering temporary housing and respite. Please consider getting involved in this important event. Tickets will go on sale via Qkr! by the end of the week.

Contact Ryan McGee if you have any questions – ryan.mcgee@cg.catholic.edu.au

Year 6 Camp

This morning our Year 6 students headed to Jindabyne Sport and Rec for three days. They will complete team activities, ride slider bikes (I may have crashed one last time…), canoe on Lake Jindabyne and build their leadership skills to support the school throughout the year. I am looking forward to joining them tonight and spending the day Thursday doing some of the activities. We hope they all have a great time!

Upcoming Events

• Week 5 – Parent / teacher Interviews
• Wednesday 1 March – Canteen BBQ sausage sizzle – orders via Qkr!
• Tuesday 7 March – Swimming Carnival Year 2 – 6
• Wednesday 8 March – P&F Meeting 7.00pm