Filter Content
- Principal's Report
- Prayer
- Sport News
- Class Preparations 2022
- Fathers Day
- eSafety Webinars for Parents
- Wonthaggi Theatre Group Summer Performance - Peter Pan
- Remote Learning Packs
- Remote Learning Attendance
- Parent Teacher Interviews - Term 3
- Enrolments 2022
- Prep Orientation September 1
- Italian Day
- School fee Assistance
- Book Week 2021
- National Council Of Churches Online Petition
- Hats - SunSmart
- Parish News
Dear Parents Guardians and Caregivers
Thanks to all of you, for your continued patience and understanding during this extended lockdown. The last couple of weeks have been particularly challenging for us all. I hope everyone is being kind, especially to themselves! Don’t judge yourselves too harshly if you’re struggling a bit, having a less than productive day or have eased off on things like housework, cooking or even Remote Learning. We cannot replicate at home the learning that happens at school (as it runs normally) as so much of it is dynamic, interactive, responsive to the situation, collaborative and social.
For example, in a typical reading lesson where the focus or learning intention is to extend the children’s knowledge of inferring from text (thinking about and guessing what the author is suggesting, not directly stating), an appropriately leveled text will be read aloud to the class. The teacher will model reading strategies by ‘thinking aloud’ while reading, showing the children how to infer (I wonder what that character was feeling? I think….because the text says…). Specific questions will be asked to encourage the children to infer themselves (Why do you think that happened? Do you think that was deliberate?). The teacher will ask students to Think, Pair, Share- turn to a partner and discuss the teacher's questions, thus giving every student a chance to engage actively in the learning. The teacher listens to the children’s discussions and gauges their current understanding so they can adjust the lesson accordingly. Children share responses with the group. They learn from each other. This exercise can occur a few times with the teacher making questions more complex or simple according to how the students are responding (and make mental notes of directions for future lessons to deepen the learning). Students then usually work independently or in groups on tasks to practise the skill. They read texts appropriate to their ability and respond to them through various activities. The teacher will work with a particular group on a text that presents just enough challenge for the students to interpret, with support and direction from the teacher. The teacher will monitor the other students, checking their work and giving feedback. Along with support from the Education Support Officers, they will provide assistance where needed and observe whether the tasks are at the right level of challenge for each child and make adjustments as required. Even though lessons are carefully prepared and planned, informed by formal and informal assessment, teachers need to respond to what is happening in front of them and adjust accordingly. Obviously this is very hard to replicate with young students at home!
The Remote Learning packs have been created for ease of use and management (this is not how we teach at school!). We have tried to include appropriate tasks for each student to assist them in practising and consolidating their skills, mainly in reading, writing and mathematics. Therefore students in the one class do not all have the same pack. Students onsite during lockdowns are supervised to follow the Remote Learning Program. Staff really appreciate all the efforts of parents to help the students with their tasks. We realise that it is hard to take the role of ‘teacher’ as well as parent.
We encourage you to continue to be the teacher you already are to your child/ren and to try to enjoy this time with them. Read, cook, garden and enjoy nature with your child/ren as you take a break from the ‘busyness’ of life. Make, create, sing, dance and play with your child/ren. Strive to keep being the kind, calm, role model your child needs through this challenging time. This is how you will teach them, your child is learning from you every day.
Please see attached some resources from ‘Emerging Minds’ that may be useful for some of your families wanting to talk with and support their children about the current situation.
We hope the Google Meets have provided the children with a sense of connection to the school, their teacher and classmates and encouraged them to engage with learning. We all hope and pray that we will be back together again at school soon!
Joanne Coldebella
Acting Principal
Bless our fathers, God the father of all.
And bless all those who have fathered us in the spirit.
We bless you for their gifts to us
gifts of nurture and strength,
of understanding and dependability,
of energy and decisiveness,
of gentleness and wisdom,
of peace and courage.
We bless you for all that is good in their influence on our lives.
We ask you to cherish and sustain them as they have cherished and sustained us.
Give them happiness in their relationship with us.
Give them recognition for what they do.
And may we do for others the good things they have done for us.
Amen.
The boy’s netball and girl’s football teams were lucky enough to get the chance to participate in the Division Championships right before we went into lockdown. It was really nice that our grade 6 students especially were able to get another competition in, as they have unfortunately missed so many sports days these last two years. I know a lot of time and effort was put into making sure these events could happen at a divisional level, after being rescheduled 3 times and we are very thankful for everyone making sure our students got the opportunity.
Congratulations to both the teams- the girls played fantastically, after not having a lot of time to practice due to lockdowns and half the team still training for netball, they only lost one game for the day and they finished 3rd.
Our boys netball team, who were able to get a lot of practice in against our girls netball team, really came a long way from our first practice, played with great sportsmanship and teamwork, and finished undefeated, winning the Division Championship.
Both our girls and boys netball teams were scheduled to compete at the Regional Finals, which is such a great achievement for our school. But they have now unfortunately been cancelled.
Michelle Richards - Physical Education and Sport Coordinator
As the process of planning and preparing for the 2022 school year has commenced, we will soon begin to work on class lists. If parents have a genuine reason for class placement requests for next year, you are required to put this in writing and submit it to the School Office.
Please be aware that a request has to be made for this current year, we will not be referring to requests made 12 months ago as circumstances change and it is important this is requested and submitted each year. Obviously, we cannot (and will not) accommodate requests for particular teachers; we can only look at the needs of the child.
All requests are to be submitted in writing to info@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au by Friday, 8 October 2021.
It is important to note that once classes are established for the year, no alterations to allocations will be made. While we welcome parent input about your child’s individual learning needs, please be mindful that preferences are requests only and school staff decide the final placement of children based on the learning needs of all students.
This year the school will be utilising the Class Solver program to assist in allocating students to classes. Teachers will input data into the program which will then sort the classes. It is hoped that this will make this process more efficient.
Joanne Coldebella
Acting Principal
Wishing our Dads, Grandpa’s and all the special father figures in our lives a very Happy Fathers Day on Sunday September 5.
We hope your treated to some extra TLC on your special day!
At St Joseph’s we are committed to keeping our students safe. Next week is National Child Protection Week. We have included some information families may find as useful tools.
The eSafety Commissioner provides opportunities for parents to be more engaged in their children's safety online through information and a series of webinars on specific topics that are challenging for parents to monitor and manage.
Please find below a link to a short video;
The eSafety Commissioner’s COVID-19 tips for parents
The eSafety Commissioner has also published some Online safety basics for parents, click the image below for details.
The eSafety Commissioner is running upcoming webinars;
eSafety's guide to online sexual harassment and image-based abuse
This webinar will help parents and carers to understand online sexual harassment and image-based abuse, (non-consensual sharing of intimate images).
It is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 13-18.
It will cover:
- the difference between online sexual harassment and image-based abuse
- how to report online sexual harassment to social media companies
- how to report image-based abuse to eSafety and when to report to police
- where to get support if you feel upset or worried about something that has happened online.
You can choose to attend the webinar with your teen or share resources with them afterwards from the webinar package.
Dates (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
National Child Protection Week
Tuesday 7 September 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Thursday 9 September 12.30 to 1.30 pm
eSafety's parent guide to popular apps
Learn how to help young people safely use popular apps including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
This webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 8-13.
It will cover:
- an explanation of the popular apps used by young people
- case studies, research, and targeted advice
- ways you can support the young people in your life to have safe, enjoyable online experiences.
Dates (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Tuesday 31 August 7.30 to 8.30 pm
Monday 6 September 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Tuesday 7 September 7.30 to 8.30 pm
Friday 10 September 12.30 to 1.30 pm
eSafety's parent guide to digital technologies and mental health
Dates (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Tuesday 19 October 7.30 to 8.30 pm
Wednesday 20 October 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Thursday 21 October 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Tuesday 26 October 7.30 to 8.30 pm
Tuesday 9 November 7.30 to 8.30 pm
Thursday 18 November 12.30 to 1.30 pm
eSafety’s parent guide to online gaming
Dates (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
15 November 12.30 to 1.30 pm
24 November 7.30 to 8.30 pm
Wonthaggi Theatre Group Summer Performance - Peter Pan
Dear Families,
This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to be involved, both on stage and behind the scenes.
The Wonthaggi Theatrical Group's summer production (January 2022) is going to be Peter Pan. The director is Luke Earle.
If you are interested in being part of the production or the crew then you need to attend next week's information session.
"Peter Pan" Information Session - Sunday 5th September @ 2.30pm-4.00pm
This session is an opportunity for those interested in joining the cast or crew to learn more about the show.
Given the uncertainty around COVID restrictions this event will be held online via Zoom.
Book your place at the Information Session here; https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=804742 &
A link for the Zoom session will be sent after you have booked your session - please ensure your email details are correct!
Danielle Paulson - Performing Arts Teacher
We hope you are all managing this latest lockdown well and thank you for all the assistance and support you give the school during these trying times.
As this lockdown has extended, we are preparing new Remote Learning packs. (The students should finish their current packs on Thursday).
We are asking for parents to drive through the school carline to pick up the packs between 9.30-11.30am and 12.30-2.30pm on Wednesday, September 1st. If you could display your children's names in the front window, we can get the packs to you more efficiently.
If you can't pick up the packs on Wednesday, you may collect them from the school office on Thursday between 9.00 am-3.30 pm.
If your child/ren are attending school onsite on Wednesday or Thursday, they will be sent home with the child/ren. Thank you for your continued support.
Parent Teacher Interviews - Term 3
Term 3 Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday September 7 and Thursday September 9 between 3:40pm and 5:50pm.
They will be held via a telephone call. Calls will connect via Private Number or No Caller ID. These interviews are optional and expected to be of 10 minutes duration so teachers can keep to their schedule.
If you have already had a PSG appointment you do not need to book a Parent Teacher appointment.
It is with regret that due to the current COVID restrictions that we are unable to host our Prep 2022 Orientation
Due to the current restrictions we will be unable to have the Italian Day as originailly planned.
We have resheduled the performance of "Venice in Love" to come visit us at St Joseph's in Term 1 2022.
Maestra Daniel - Italian Teacher
The Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited (DOSCEL) Primary School Fee Concession Procedures: Interim Amendment Term 2 2020 (Interim Amendment) was introduced in April 2020 to enable timely and consistent school fee relief for families experiencing financial pressures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Interim Amendment was subsequently extended to cover Terms 3 and 4 2020.
- Given the continued impact of the pandemic within our community and in an effort to ensure all affected families are aware of the school fee assistance available, the Interim Amendment has now been reintroduced for Term 3 2021.
- Any concessions granted under this temporary delegation must be limited to fee relief for families experiencing financial pressures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and must not exceed the value of the Term 3 2021 school fees charged by the school.
All families who are experiencing financial pressures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have the opportunity to apply for concession relating to Term 3 2021 school fees.
Parents/Guardians/Carers requesting consideration for fee relief are to contact the school to discuss their school fee obligation. Please contact Kaye Carew for further information, kcarew@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au
Due to the lockdown Book Week will be resheduled for when students return to onsite learning.
National Council Of Churches Online Petition
The Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service, and Bishops Commission for Christian Unity and Inter-religious Dialogue, have given their support to the initiative and have invited us to join with other Christians in calling for a special intake of Afghan refugees. Christians from across the Church, alongside a wider public movement, are being moved to speak boldly to our national government leaders to provide urgent action for the well being of Afghan refugees. This is a moment which calls for solidarity by the Australian Church as one.
The call is simple:
We, the Australian Church, are calling on the Federal Government to welcome a special intake of an additional 20,000 Afghan refugees, and support the ongoing well-being of all Afghan refugees and their families.
This is a loud and urgent call from Christians across all walks of life and perspectives, united in concern for the well-being of the Afghan community.
You are invited to take the simple step to sign up your to this call today, and show solidarity for this important issue.
It is the hope that as we unite as the Church, and show our government that we believe we are called to reach out and care for the vulnerable, that they will respond with a just and compassionate commitment to help the most vulnerable Afghan refugees.
I encourage you to review the website and to bring this invitation to the attention of our people.
With every peace,
MOST REVEREND GREG BENNET
BISHOP OF SALE
As of Wednesday September 1 students are required to wear their hats outside.
As part of our commitment over the past 22 years being a SunSmart member we acknowledge the importance in educating and encouraging our students to building lifelong SunSmart habits.
Please ensure your child/ren have their hats labeled and in their school bags.
Please pray for those who have passed due to the Covid-19 Virus and experiencing such hardship in Afghanistan. For Joy Chonkara and John Tiziani who passed away recently and the Anniversaries of Martin O’Halloran, Fr. John Kavanagh and our own loved ones. May God’s merciful love shine on them and on their loved ones left behind.
A list of live streams across the Diocese is on www.cdsale.org.au/coronavirus page. This page has listed the Mass times which occur regularly, ie. Don’t change from week to week.
JUST A REMINDER THAT MASS FOR YOU AT HOME IS AN OPTION FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR MASS ON TELEVISION (6am on Channel 10, 10am on Foxtel Aurora Channel 173) or online at www.massforyou.com.au or https://www.youtube.com/massforyouathome anytime from 7a.m. AEST
OUR ANNUAL LADIES LUNCHEON HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SEPTEMBER, DATE TO BE ADVISED!
MEDITATION GROUP: POSTPONED
LITURGY GROUP MEETING: POSTPONED
PRAYER SHAWL GROUP There are now plenty of newly wrapped and blessed shawls/rugs ready for distribution to those that you may know who are struggling with life in any way. Enquiries to Kristine in the Office or Philippa (0408 331 340) & Maureen (0407 055 447).
PRAYER GROUP: POSTPONED
Countdown to the Plenary Council 3-10 October 2021
There are only 6 weeks to go before the First Assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia!
The pandemic has certainly upended arrangements and planning for the Council, including discussion and sharing within diocesan and parish communities.
Firstly, the decision was made by the Bishops last year, to postpone the opening of the Plenary Council by one year. Then arrangements were put in place for a multi-modal Assembly, for Plenary Council Members to gather physically in 5 capital city hubs, but to be involved in on-line interaction with Members across Australia.
Now the goalposts have shifted once more. With the increasingly dynamic situation of lockdowns in many parts of the country, affecting the majority of Australian citizens, the Bishops have decided to go ahead with a totally online engagement, with one person-one device to be the mode of attendance. The bishop of each diocese has the discretion for gathering the diocesan Plenary Council Members together in a small hub arrangement, where COVID conditions permit. Despite these challenging conditions, it is important to stress that the Plenary Council is ONE GATHERING, fostering a UNITY OF EXPERIENCE.
A list of live streams across the Diocese is on www.cdsale.org.au/coronavirus page. This page has listed the Mass times which occur regularly, ie. Don’t change from week to week.
We have been emailing and sending out important communications from the Diocese and if you would like to be involved and receive this information then please contact the Parish Office on 56 721 111 or email your details to wonthaggi@cdsale.org.au.
We are a Child Safe Parish. Any children, young persons and vulnerable adults have a right to feel safe and be safe. If you are concerned about any form of abuse, or believe that someone is at significant risk, you should immediately raise your concerns with one of our Parish Safeguarding Officers. Contact Kristine McRae via the Parish Office: 03 56 721 111 or St. Joseph’s School Safeguarding Officer 03 56 721 052. Take care, we are here to help.
If you are in need of urgent assistance, please phone eithe Father Darren Howie 0356 722 923 or Kristine on 03 56 72111 or 04999 15 784.
Bishop Statement on Afghanistan
Thank you for your patience and understanding
Father Darren Howie Mrs. Kristine McRae
Parish Priest Parish Secretary
St. Joseph’s Parish Wonthaggi