Lord, as we journey through this Lenten season, we offer you our hearts and minds, seeking your grace and guidance. Help us to deepen our prayer life, to fast with sincerity, and to practice acts of charity, all to draw closer to you. May this time of reflection and renewal lead us to a more vibrant faith and a deeper love for you. Amen." 

Dear parents and carers,

It has been a busy couple of weeks with our St Joseph’s Feast Day last week, we have had our Year 3 students preparing for their First Reconciliation tonight, our swimmers are heading to the regional carnival next week as well as teams in Futsal Gala Days and the Athletics Carnival, there is a casual clothes day tomorrow to raise money for Caritas Australia and a bake sale on Friday. I love the energy and variety that comes from all that happens here at school! Please keep up to date via the Compass App.

School Community Council

Last night the School Community Council Executive met for the first time in 2025. I thank the members of the Council for giving their time to this important parent committee to share ideas, form plans and to take the lead with upcoming initiatives.

Council Executive 2025

 The key discussion points from the meeting include -

• Welcome of new members and introduction to the Council.
• Acknowledgement of support from the Council in 2024 for the purchase of more sets of LEGO to support STEM initiatives in Years 3 and 4. These resources are already in place and being thoroughly enjoyed by the students!
• Parish update – Fr Thonn is working to have a children’s liturgy as part of 8.30am Sunday mass. I am meeting with him in the coming weeks to offer support and find ways to foster connections between the school and the parish.
• Building update – Things are progressing well with significant internal demolition already completed. Soon we will see the demolition of the external walls of the existing front entrance areas of the school. In the coming weeks I will share further plans and video walk-thrus of the new office and admin spaces.
• Initial discussions around key master planning ideas including oval renewal, heating / cooling in the hall, canteen upgrade. The Council will continue this process, including a request for engagement from all parents around key priorities going forward.
• 2026 is the 70^th Anniversary of St Joseph’s Primary School. This will be a key focus for all of our school community and will incorporate a number of significant events. There will be a call for planning ideas and help, and involvement from all in our school community.

What can I do at home to help my child succeed academically and socially at school?

Last week, I was asked to contribute to an upcoming publication in the Catholic Voice, answering the above question. Below is my response, providing a broad insight into just a couple of priorities I see as important.

An important opportunity to support your child’s success at school is to foster a sense of responsibility and self-reliance in your child. From an early age, and right throughout your child’s schooling, it is vital to set and maintain high expectations of taking responsibility for their belongings, their decisions, and their efforts at school.

Schools will inevitably have expectations around behaviour and effort, but this should first and foremost come from home, and the child themselves. Children who can enter school confidently, carrying their own bag or signing themselves in late when in high school, demonstrate they understand they are able to take control of how their school day begins.

Children who know their parents or carers expect they will learn and thrive at school, will feel supported to try their best and to accept when things don’t go as they planned. If they struggle with an aspect of their learning, or a friendship falters, having the strength to be self-reliant allows them to see their role in improving the situation.

Speak openly with your child about what success looks like and how they can be responsible for their part in achieving it. Share that success for your child will look different to others, and this is ok.

From these brief insights, it is clear the value I place on the students being responsible and confident, and when in class, ready to learn. I encourage all parents to consider how these messages can be supported at home and in the daily transition to school. Carrying your child’s bag into the courtyard might help in some way, but it also removes the expectation that they are very able to carry it themselves. It also means you must carry it! It might seem a little thing, but it sets an expectation.

Similarly with allowing your child to make their own way to Morning Gathering lines, either from carline or if necessary, after being walked into the courtyard. It is lovely to have parents wait and see their children move off to start their day, but it is actually not supporting some to have the best start to their day. Please consider what expectations you want to set for your child to have success here at school.

School and family Counsellor

Once again, I want to promote that St Joseph’s has a School and Family Counsellor working at the school every Monday and Tuesday. Please feel free to touch base with Michelle if you have any questions or concerns relating to the counselling service at the school - michelle.motha@mccg.org.au

Please use this link to complete a referral for Michelle to make contact with you - https://catholiccare.force.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

REMINDERS:

Carpark – Thursday 27 March the carpark is having repairs to the potholes and cracking. This will not impact morning drop off or afternoon pick up, but please be aware parking may not be possible throughout the day.

Casual Dress – Thursday 27 March is a casual clothes day for Caritas Australia. It is a gold coin donation to raise funds.

Bake sale – Friday 28 March is the Snack Shack Bake Sale. There will be lots of yummy treats available for the students to buy from the Snack Shack.