Principal's Message
Of the many opportunities in life, being a parent can certainly be a huge privilege and an enormous blessing. The joy, love and special bond between a parent and child is an incredible experience. However parenting can also present one of life’s biggest challenges and parenting in this day and age can be quite complex. Balancing work and family life, the huge impact of access to social media, societal pressures, family break ups, stress, budget, coping with the ‘busyness’ all add to its complexity. Sometimes there is a strong temptation to be a ‘friend’ to your child rather than a ‘parent’: maybe because parents are exhausted, perhaps they feel guilt for lack of time with their children or simply want to keep the peace and don’t have the time or energy to ‘put up the fight’ with their child/ren. I think most of us have been in this space at least at one time or another. I know I certainly have. It can be very hard to say ‘no’, to carry out consequences (especially ones that punish you as well!), to ignore tantrums and to consistently address bad or inappropriate behaviour. However I think we all know that if we want to raise decent, kind, and mentally healthy human beings, we need to be very mindful of our parenting and the effects it is having on our children.
Our counsellor, Kathy Williams recommends this program as being very a very helpful guide to parents:
The Triple P Positive Parenting program. Another article of interest from Empowering Parents might be Your Child is Not your Friend.
Here at school we are very cognizant of the huge responsibility that comes with being a parent and the impact of parenting strategies on children’s lives. We strive to work with parents to help all our students grow and develop to their full potential.
Senior School athletics coming up
In two weeks on Tuesday March 19 we are holding our Senior School Athletics Day. In preparing for the athletics day, Michelle Richards, our Physical Education specialist teacher, along with the support of classroom teachers, will promote the health and social benefits of physical activity through athletic sports and teach the specific skills for each activity. We encourage students to take risks, have a go and be proud of their efforts. As well as preparing students for the physical activities on the day, we will also be encouraging students to be ‘good winners’- show humility, encourage teammates and be happy for those who achieve great results. One of the aims of the Health and Physical Education curriculum is for students to ‘develop and use personal, behavioural, social and cognitive skills and strategies to promote a sense of personal identity and wellbeing and to build and manage respectful relationships’. We will also talk to the students about how to manage any disappointment they may feel if their results don’t match their expectations: It’s ok not to win, not to get a ribbon or come first. Trying your best and being a good sport and supportive classmate is actually more important.
Parent Teacher Interviews
Our first Parent - Teacher Interviews for 2024 will be this afternoon, Tuesday March 5 and this Thursday March 7, between 3.40 pm and 6.00pm. To provide each student with the best opportunity to grow and thrive, we need to work in partnership with parents and caregivers. If neither of these days suit, please contact your child/ren’s teacher directly to arrange another time as this first interview is particularly important.
Holy Week
Holy Week, the final week of Lent, commences in the last week of this term. It is a time when Catholics remember the Passion of Jesus Christ. The Passion commemorates the short, final period of time before Jesus’ death. On Monday March 18, at our whole school assembly, the Prep students will help us remember what Palm Sunday (Sunday March 24), the first day of Holy Week is all about. Jesus rode triumphantly on a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, with the crowds waving palm branches. On Monday March 25, the Grade 3/4s and 5/6 classes will lead us through the Stations of the Cross, which portray the Passion of Jesus, at 9.15 am, in the parish church. The Grade 1/2s will help us recall and celebrate Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Christ, at the Whole School assembly in Week 2 of next term: Monday April 22 at 9.05 am in the gym. All parents and friends are welcome to attend.
Easter Raffle
The annual Easter Raffle will be drawn on the last day of Term 1: Wednesday March 27 at 2.30 pm in the school gym. All are welcome! Sincere thanks for all the generously donated Easter prizes so far and to all those who have sold and bought tickets!
Homework
At St Joseph's we prioritise reading as the most beneficial, appropriate and effective homework for primary school students.
We strongly encourage all parents to spend time reading to and with their children and to hear them read. We provide appropriate books for your children and Reading Diaries to record their reading each school night.
Teachers check Reading diaries regularly.
Please find attached our Homework Policy for your reference and an article on the importance of reading to children.
Joanne Coldebella
Principal