Assistant Principal's Message
A Parent’s Prayer to St Joseph
O glorious St Joseph, to you God committed the care of His only begotten Son amid the many dangers of this world. We come to you and ask you to take under your special protection the children God has given us. Through holy baptism, they became children of God and members of His holy Church. We consecrate them to you today, that through this consecration they may become your foster children. Guard them, guide their steps in life, form their hearts after the hearts of Jesus and Mary.
St Joseph, who felt the tribulation and worry of a parent when the child Jesus was lost, protect our dear children for time and eternity. May you be their father and counsellor. Let them, like Jesus, grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace before God and all.Amen
InitiaLit
As primary-school educators, one of our most important tasks is helping our students master the skill of reading. There is no greater gift you can give to a child than the ability to read. At St Joseph’s, we are committed to achieving our systems’ bold gold of every student being a competent reader. As a school, we are committed to providing teachers with the opportunities to ensure that your child is being taught with the best approach and methods available to teach reading in an evidence-based way
Late last year our Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 teachers completed professional learning in InitiaLit, an evidence-based, whole-class literacy instruction program for teaching reading and writing. The InitiaLit Program is now up and running in our infants classrooms.
Yesterday we held an InitiaLit Parent Information Session which highlighted how the program is run and the process of a synthetic phonics approach to teaching reading. If you were unable to attend the information session and would like to learn more about the program please email me at amy.doszpot@cg.catholic.edu.au and I will forward you a recording of the session.
Parent / Teacher Interviews
A reminder that next week, 1 – 5 March, we are holding Parent / Teacher interviews to allow a formal opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher and to discuss the year ahead. All parents are asked to use the link below to register a time to come into school and meet the teacher. Registrations will close this Friday 26 February at 1 pm.
PARENT / TEACHER INTERVIEW BOOKING LINK
2021 School Board Members
Last Wednesday, the School Board met for the first time this year. We officially welcomed three new members and elected positions for the coming year:
Pip McRae - President
Si Kayser - Treasurer
Bec Jackon - Secretary
Rachel Whiteley-Black - P&F and ELC Representative
Kieran Fordham - Parent Represenative
Kimberly McDonald - Parent Representative
Tome Tokic - Parent Representative
Zoe Cawdron - Staff Representative
School Uniforms
A current focus for us as a school body is the correct manner in which school uniforms are worn. Wearing the correct school uniform promotes a sense of belonging for students and creates a positive identity for the school community. Follow this LINK for a comprehensive guide to the St Joseph’s School uniform requirements.
Social and Emotional Learning
Due to my role in the implementation of the InitiaLit Program, my time teaching Social and Emotional Learning in classrooms will unfortunately not begin until Term 2. However, all is not lost as this week I would like to share an activity you can use to instil mindfulness at home. Mindfulness can be defined as paying attention to the present moment with intent and purpose. This activity could be of benefit for your child if they are feeling anxious about an upcoming situation or focusing on a situation from the past. I even challenge you to give it a try. Too often we get caught up in the business of life and loose sight of what is happening in the present.
- On a piece of paper, from left to right, write the words PAST, NOW, FUTURE.
- Focus on the word PAST. With each out-breath, release any negative emotions associated with things that have already happened. Let go of any frustration, guilt, regrets or anger. With each breath out, cross out a letter of the word PAST.
- Focus on the word FUTURE. With each breath out, release any negative emotions about things that have not even occurred but are troubling you. Let go of any anxiety, worry, concern or fear. With each breath out, cross out a letter of the word FUTURE.
- Focus on the word NOW. What is it that you want to achieve now? With each breath out think about what it is you want to achieve now and how you can achieve it.
A Place for Everyone – by Miss Bonner
Last Sunday, many of our Bhutanese families celebrated the King’s Birthday. Dechen P in 4 Gold and Ugyean P in 6 Lime celebrated by dancing the Boedra Rigsar, a traditional Bhutanese dance, with members of their family and wider community.
Namgay T in 3 Navy celebrated with his family by setting up an altar in his home. Here’s a photo of the beautiful altar Namgay’s family decorated over the weekend using candles, seasonal fruits and flowers.
I hope you have an enjoyable end to the week.
Amy Doszpot
Assistant Principal