The season of Advent

Advent is the time before Christmas, starting around the beginning of December and ending on Christmas Eve. It is a time of waiting and preparation for Christmas, a celebration of the birth of God’s son Jesus. Advent begins this year on Sunday December 1. We believe it is also a time for prayer and a chance to reflect on the times we have made the right choices and the times we could have made better decisions. The students will be learning about Advent across the school and using Advent wreaths in their prayer times. The Advent Wreath has different meanings for different people.  Some believe the wreath is circular because it represents the season's ending and the beginning of another year. Others believe that the circle represents God’s love lasting forever.  Advent wreaths are made using the leaves of evergreen trees. They represent eternity. The candles represent light in the darkness and Jesus being born into the world to bring people hope and love in their lives in times of sadness and sorrow. The word ‘Advent’ means ‘coming’. When we light the candles on the wreath, it symbolises the coming of light (Jesus) into the world.

Candle 1 (violet): represents hope

Candle 2 (violet): represents peace

Candle 3 (rose): represents joy

Candle 4 (violet): represents love

The central white candle is lit on Christmas Day and represents Christ.

School Advisory Committee

Last Monday The School Advisory Committee Annual General meeting was held and our final meeting for 2024. We farewelled two members: Sara Donohue and Phil Dynes and thanked them for their contribution to our school.

Renee Bourne, mother of Layla in Gr 3 and Emma in Gr 1 has been nominated to join the committee. Thank you for accepting the nomination Renee, we look forward to you beginning your term on the committee in 2025.

AGM Report 2024

Staffing

Staffing for next year has been finalised:

Education Support Officers:

Susanna De Santis, Janelle Cole, Analise Mesch, Kerri Osbaldeston, Louise Alexander, Rikki Cant, Kym Sleeman, Annie Michael, Marion Bals, Aimee Tessari, Clare Guilford, Claire Lewis, and Courtenay Rigby.  

We are excited to welcome Elicia Garnham and Nathan Dunn, two new teachers to our school and community. Elicia has been working in Melbourne and is making the move ‘home’ and Nathan has been working elsewhere locally. We also welcome two additional Education Support Officers to our staff for 2025: Mrs Kym Sleeman and Miss Analise Mesch. Kym comes to us with much experience from Child Care and Analise has been working here this year in a replacement role. We hope they all enjoy their time at St Joseph's and we look forward to working with them. 

Please note that it is too late to submit class requests for 2025 as this complex process has been finalised.

Transition/Orientation

Next week on Wednesday December 4th, students will meet their 2025 teachers. Teachers will prepare students for the transition, reinforcing that every child will be with someone they have nominated that they work well with and while they may not be with their first choice, they will still be able to engage with them at recess, lunchtime and during various activities. Parents can help by reminding students that even though change can be confronting, over time we can and do get used to new things and that it is good to meet and get to know other people and have new experiences.  

End of Year Grade 6 Graduation Mass

The end of year whole school/ Gr 6 Graduation Mass, will occur on Friday December 6 at 12.00 pm. We are really looking forward to celebrating this as a school. Parents and the wider community are very welcome to attend!

A reminder about our Specialist Showcases

The Prep and Grade 1/2 Showcase will be held on Wednesday December 11 and the Grade 3/4 and 5/6 Showcase will be held this Friday, November 29, both will occur between 2-3pm in the parish hall. Doors will open at 1.30pm.

The students are asked to come to school, on the day of their Showcase, dressed in colourful, casual clothing. Students must wear a pair of runners/closed in shoes on stage.

Please note all the students will have already seen each other’s performances.

Joanne Coldebella
Principal

SRC news

On Monday the 2nd of December, we will be having a Topsy Turvy day. Topsy Turvy day is a day where teachers dress as students and students dress as teachers. Students get to teach the lessons for the day and if you don’t want to, just make sure to tell your teacher. 

If you don’t want to wear teacher-like clothes, you can just wear free dress. Please remember to wear sun safe clothes and remember to wear sunscreen and a hat.

Sincerely,
The SRC

Well done to our award winners and the students who received their ICAS certificates at our last assembly, congratulations on all your hard work.

It has been a busy week in 1/2! We had the pleasure of watching Meerkat Productions 'Reindeer Recruits’ on Thursday afternoon. It was an interactive experience and some children had the chance to be a part of the show. 

In our integrated studies unit 'Earth Ambassadors' we have been learning about seed germination and had the chance to plant our own alfalfa seeds. Some of them have already started to sprout! We have loved watching our seeds germinate and grow. 

We have also been preparing ourselves for our swimming program that starts next week! We are all very excited to improve our water safety skills. 

1/2 Team

It has been a very busy term for our 3/4 students.

To start the term, we went to the Art Gallery in Wonthaggi. Everything in the Gallery was extraordinary but our favourite was the blue, wavy, plate. After a bit of a look around and a quick quiz sheet, we headed for a look around Wonthaggi to see the town's fabulous street art. We started off at Connells bakery. In the painting the birds were the white eared honeyeater and the yellow tailed black cockatoo. After admiring the bird mural, we went to Laneway Revival and saw the bee on a flower, also the blue whale as well as the octopus.

After seeing all that artwork, in class we started making our own. The students all researched different art styles and elected the style they would like to create. The first was pop art which is actually popular art. We looked at the artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. We have also looked at Street Art and Cubism. Our classrooms are looking fantastic.

Last week we went to Cape Paterson Bay beach. When we got there we got put into three different groups. They had different sections like dry and wet. One of the dry games was running races. It was loads of fun and everyone got covered in sand. For one of the wet groups the activity was boogie boarding and everybody had a blast catching waves. It truly was a great experience.

The past few weeks have been very busy getting ready for our specialist showcase. We are very excited to show all our parents and guests all the work we have done this year.

Pyper, Liam, Alana and Tyra

Our Gardening Club is excited to use the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant in collaboration with Mrs. Gin to design and cultivate a vibrant Spring Edible Garden. This project is enhancing our gardening skills and also teaching us the importance of sustainability and fresh produce.

Grade 3/4 and 5/6 Specialist Showcase will be held on Friday November 29th, beginning at 2pm and concluding at approximately 3pm.

Grade Prep and 1/2 Specialist Showcase will be held on Wednesday December 11 beginning at 2pm and concluding at approximately 3pm.

Students are encouraged to wear colorful clothing on the day of their performances. Please ensure that clothing is SunSmart (no singlets, please) and footwear is appropriate for playing outside.

State Basketball was on Tuesday the 19th of November, at the State Basketball Centre. After a long drive to get there we finally arrived and were all really excited to play our first game against Bacchus Marsh Primary School. It was a really hard game and we lost by a fair bit, but were all really excited for our next game. Next up we played Myrtleford, they were an easier team and we ended up winning comfortably. In our last game we played Ashburton Primary and we were all really tired. It was our closest game of the day but we ended up losing. We had a great day and ended up finishing in the top 5 teams in the State. Thank you to Mrs Richards and Alyce for coaching our team and helping us make it to the State level.

Maya and Sophie

Last week, students in Grades Prep to 4 enjoyed an incursion presented by Meerkat Productions titled "Rudolph's Recruits." The show focused on the wonderful native flora and fauna of our Great Southern Land. Students accompanied Rudolph as he encountered various Australian animals, including kangaroos, koalas, emus, and kookaburras. At the end of the show, students asked some insightful questions about the puppets and costumes used in the performance.

Danielle Paulson

Performing Arts

Thank you to the View Club, for attending our most recent assembly and presenting The View Award.  This is an award given to two students in honor of Lyn Donohue, the founder of View (Voice, Interest and Education of Women). It was awarded to Brylee Shepherd and Cataleya Kelly. 

As part of our end of year Christmas celebrations all students will be involved in a class Kris Kringle.

Soon the children will randomly draw the name of a child who will be their Kris Kringle.

We ask that you purchase and wrap a gift up to the value of $5 for your child's Kris Kringle.

Please bring this gift to school labelled with the recipient's name but not the gift giver's name.

Students in Grade 5/6 are asked to bring their gifts by Thursday, December 5. Students in Prep to Grade 4 should bring their gifts by Wednesday, December 11, for the gift exchange.

Thank you

Classroom Teachers

Please return all Library Books by Friday, November 29. There will be no further borrowing this Term. 

Library Team

Please find the attached orientation session schedule for Prep 2025. This is specifically for new students who have already confirmed their acceptance of offer. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the office. We are looking forward to welcoming our new Preps at our orientation sessions.

Please note that due to Grade 6 Graduation celebrations, the school canteen will not be operating on Friday December 6. The final day of canteen for 2024 will be Friday, December 13 (students final day).  

We thank families for their support and patronage over the year.

The Canteen Team

We are constantly receiving enquiries about enrolling in 2025. This is very encouraging and indicates that St Joseph's is offering something families are attracted to and want. If you know that you won't be returning in 2025, can you please contact the front office and let us know. This will help us in preparing and organising the school for 2025. We thank you in advance for letting us know.

School Fee information for 2025 has been sent to all families via PAM. If you hold a concession card in 2025, we kindly request you complete the relevant forms and return them to the school office along with a copy of your card.

If you are already on a direct debit payment and there are no changes to your details, the direct debit will continue for 2025.

We request you complete the forms and return them to the school office by Friday,  December 6, 2024

If you have any queries please email kcarew@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au

School Fee Schedule 2025

Direct Debit Form

Concession Application

CSEF Application Form 2025

School Fees Payment Arrangement 2025

School closure dates for your diary

Monday, December 16 - Friday, December 20

Last Day of Term 4 for students is Friday, December 13, 3:25pm

Weekday Masses:

Tuesday Our Lady Star of the Sea, Inverloch 11:00a.m.
Wednesday 9:30am St. Joseph’s Wonthaggi
Friday 9:30am St. Joseph’s Wonthaggi

Weekend Masses Our Lady Star of the Sea, Inverloch Sunday 9:00am

St. Joseph’s Wonthaggi Saturday 6:30pm, Sunday 10:30am

PLEASE PRAY FOR; 
Anniversaries: Marie Black, Margaret Daly, Fran Hanily, Daniel Bowler For the deceased clergy of the Diocese of sale. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. “May they rest in peace.” We pray for the sick, lonely and those suffering from illness and pain. May God’s merciful love shine on them.

Parish Office will be open on Wed & Fri 8.30am-4.30pm. All items for the bulletin or Mass intentions to be received by 5pm on Thursdays.

Prayer Group will be held at Wonthaggi Church on Mondays at 1.15pm. All Welcome

Prayer Shawl Group Plenty of wool & patterns are freely available . Come along to enjoy a cuppa & chat while knitting or crocheting! For enquiries: Philippa Warby 0408 331 340 or Maureen Maartensz 0407 055 447

St Joseph’s Wonthaggi Cuppa after Mass held on 1st Saturday & Sunday of the Month

Our Lady Star of the Sea—Inverloch Cuppa after Mass held on 1st Sunday of the Month

Our Parish is committed to the safety, well-being and dignity of all children, young people and adults at risk. Find out more at: catholic.org.au/childprotectionsunday and www.catholicregligious.org.au/safeguarding

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 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 either Father Darren Howie 0356 722 923 or Ann on 03 56 72111 or 04999 15 784.

Father Darren Howie                                                              Ann Hemming  
Parish Priest                                                                          Parish Secretary
                               St. Joseph’s Parish Wonthaggi                                                                        

Amy has signed up for a 3rd year, committing to swimming 30 kms during the month of February 2025!  She is aiming to raise $3,000 and has even donated $30 of her own pocket money.