Principal's Message
Dear Parents, Carers and the St Joseph’s Community,
COVID-19 Update
ACT continues to experience no new cases of COVID-19, but we need to remain acutely aware of the challenges being faced by other states and areas. This means that we must continue to follow the advice of health officials and maintain current protocols to ensure the health and safety of all in our community. At present, the measures being taken here at St Joseph’s include:
- Any student, parent or staff member who has visited a COVID-19 hotspot must self-isolate for 14 days from the time of leaving the hotspot. Similarly, anyone having been in close contact with someone confirmed as having COVID-19. By definition, the following applies:
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- A close contact is someone who has been near enough to a person with COVID-19 while they were infectious that there is a reasonable chance they will have become infected with COVID-19. A close contact is only someone who has been officially contacted by NSW or ACT Health directly.
- A casual contact is defined as someone who has had face-to-face contact for less than 15 minutes cumulative over the course of a week, or been in the same close space for less than 2 hours, with a person with COVID-19 infection while they are infectious.
- You need to isolate yourself in your home or another suitable place of residence if you have been identified as a close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 infection. Home isolation is enforceable under the Public Health Order.
- All parents and visitors are still to limit their attendance in and around the school. This includes afternoon pick up – if you can use drive through, please do.
- All students, parents and staff who are unwell, or exhibiting flu-like symptoms are not to attend the school. If at school, they are to be collected or go home as necessary.
- Current Safety and Hygiene Protocols
In line with all ACT schools, we are currently not able to move beyond Stage 2.2 on the Easing of Restrictions Roadmap for Schools. This means that we are now looking ahead to end of year events and how we may be able to facilitate these to celebrate student and school-wide achievements and milestones.
Further information is available at on the Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn website.
ACT Election - Saturday 17 October
There are 7 weeks until the ACT Election and we are now seeing candidates from all parties at shopping centres (or even receiving phone calls from them). I encourage you to approach candidates at the shopping centres and mention or discuss the value of ACT Catholic Schools and quiz them on their party’s support for ACT Catholic Schools.
In the ACT, there are 29 systemic Catholic Schools who educate 15 000 students. In Canberra, Catholic schools are very similar to public schools, with our schools having almost exactly the same average ICSEA score (1077-1076). Our schools are inclusive, support families from all backgrounds, and operate on a modest budget.
Did you know that when you compare the total funding that Catholic schools in each state/territory receive, the ACT are the second lowest funded Catholic schools in the country? This is particularly impacted by the ACT Government’s low funding of Catholic schools.
Have a chat to the candidates and mention that you are a parent in an ACT Catholic School and funding of Catholic Schools is an important issue for you.
2020 Parent Satisfaction Survey
FINAL REMINDER - Each year parents are invited to respond to an online survey seeking feedback on the progress of our school. The responses received are included in forward planning for the following year and to identify successes and areas for growth. The survey closes today, Wednesday 19 August.
https://www.research.net/r/stjosephsoconnorparent2020
ELC Vacation Care
Each holiday break our ELC offers Vacation Care for ELC students, as well as for our Foundation and Year 1 students. Information and enrolment forms can be collected from the ELC Office.
Family Maths Week
Congratulations to Cindy and Ben L, Madeleine and Eoin S and Aidan M for the fabulous board games they created as part of Maths Week activities.
Yours in Christ,
Cameron Tarrant
Principal