Assistant Principal's Message
Dear Parents, Carers and the St Joseph’s Community,
A Parent's Prayer
Loving God,
Thank you for the gift of our children.
Help us to set boundaries for them, and yet encourage them to explore.
Give us the strength and courage to treat each day as a fresh start.
May their ears hear your voice. May their eyes see your presence in all things.
May their lips proclaim your word. May their hearts be your dwelling place.
May their hands do works of charity. May their feet walk in the way of Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord.
Amen.
Supporting the School – The P&F and School Board
As we head towards the end of 2020, both our P&F and School Board will undergo elections and renewal. At this time, we offer a great vote of thanks to all the parents and volunteers that work tirelessly to ensure our school is a great place for the children and continues to grow in excellence.
The P&F works to support and build the wider St Joseph’s community. Its key purpose is to promote the role of all parents within the school and the support of fundraising to provide resources for the students. The P&F operates and oversees the Canteen and Uniform Shop, at the same time offering an opportunity for all parents to contribute to community events and the school in general.
Therefore, please consider nominating yourself to join the P&F. All parents are members of the P&F, and can attend the AGM TONIGHT 18 November at 7pm via Zoom. All positions on the P&F are declared vacant each year, so any and all nominations are welcome.
Please email Cameron.tarrant@cg.catholic.edu.au to be sent the Zoom link for the P&F Meeting.
Thank you to School Board Chair, Dan Miller as well as Si Kayser, Pip Clearly and Kieran Fordham who finish their current two-year terms on the School Board. We also thank Nichole Hanlon (P&F Rep) and Kimberley McDonald (ELC Rep) who have been members of the School Board in 2020.
The Board plays a vital role in the functioning of the school and is an extremely worthwhile avenue for parents to assist with the success of the school. The Board’s work is dedicated to enhancing all that happens for your children at our school and we endeavour to work towards our vision of St Joseph’s being an excellent school within a Christ-centred community.
Unlike the P&F, the School Board is comprised of elected members, voted in if necessary, who take on a two-year position on the Board. Members can only serve three consecutive terms. Please see below a link to information relating to nominations and elections for the 2021 School Board.
2021 Classes
A reminder that Sociograms, which allow for students the chance to consider 3 friends that they would like to be in a class with in 2021 are due to be returned to school by this Friday, 20 November.
If there is specific information that you would like to be taken into consideration to assist the composition of classes for 2021, then this must be done so in writing to Cameron either via email or letter by this Friday, 20 November. This does not include requests for particular teachers, nor does it include considerations other than the learning needs of your child. Each year is a new start for all students, and teachers, and therefore only information provided this year is taken into consideration when putting classes together for 2021.
Working Bee
Do you have an hour or two to spare this Friday afternoon? We would love to see you at our Working Bee. Due to the unprecedented events of 2020, this is our first Working Bee for the year and is a great way to support our school as well as an opportunity to foster and build relationships with other parents in our fantastic community.
New Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Provider
As communicated with our community last Friday, after a tender procurement process, Camp Australia has been announced as the new OSHC provider at St Joseph’s from next year. We will be holding an information session with representatives from Camp Australia on Tuesday 1 December at 5:30pm and 6:00pm. Important information on Camp Australia and how to register for OSHC in 2021 can be found here.
We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank YMCA for their outstanding care of St Joseph’s students, their families, and the broader St Joseph’s community over many years.
Nacho Day
Thank you to the P&F and their band of helpers for their time and efforts in coordinating another successful Nacho ‘fundraising’ lunch which was held today. By taking the day off from making lunch for your child/ren, we were able to raise $1000. It certainly sounds like a win-win situation to me! But in all seriousness, fundraising initiatives like this would not be possible without the generous support of our wonderful families.
Kid Free Friday Night
Are you in need of a well-deserved kid-free night? The P&F, in conjunction with support from YMCA is offering you a couple of hours to yourself on Friday 11 November. Please note, the date has been changed as previously advertised, from 4 December to 11 December. Click here for further information.
Lost Property
There are currently 20 homeless jumpers without names in lost property, ranging in colour and size. If your child has lost a jumper, can I ask that you encourage them to have look through lost property. Any unclaimed jumpers will be donated to the Uniform Shop.
National Skin Cancer Action Week
This week is National Skin Cancer Action Week. Cancer Council is encouraging parents of young children to be SunSmart this summer with new data showing that 25-44 year olds have worrying sun protection habits with one in four (25%) getting sunburnt on summer weekends.
To recognise the week at a local level, Cancer Council ACT's SunSmart Pop Up will pop up somewhere along Queen Elizabeth Terrace - south side of Lake Burley Griffin this Saturday 21 November, so if you’re out walking/riding around the lake this Saturday, swing past to reapply your sunscreen and grab a flyer on how to check for skin cancer. And be #SunSmart #CovidSafe.
Have an enjoyable end to the week!
Yours in Christ,
Amy Doszpot
Assistant Principal