St Joseph's Newsletter

Last week I invited families to provide some feedback in relation to the four-day swimming program that has just concluded for our Reception to Year 3 students.  As you will have read last week, this program costs the school approximately $15,000 and thus is a significant investment of our resources. Thank you to those who took the time to provide comment. Unfortunately, we only received 10 responses. This does make it difficult to get a clear sense of the opinions and preferences of our community which will be taken into account in future decision making.  This survey is still live.  Please take the time to provide your valued feedback at this link.

Whilst mandated isolation periods for COVID no longer apply, please continue to be vigilant in keeping your child home from school if they are unwell. There are a number of contagious viruses in addition to COVID around at the moment.  If you suspect your child has COVID but a RAT is showing negative, PCR tests continue to be available to the community at testing sites around Adelaide.

Two significant security issues have been brought to my attention in recent times.  Firstly, the gate access code has been shared with students by their parents.  This is not appropriate as it forms a part of our access security and is for adults only. Essentially this is the equivalent to giving children a key to exit the site.  Maria Cronin will arrange for the code to be changed and this will be shared with families when it has been enacted.  Secondly, the sign in and out for students is another highly important document and again, is intended only for adult use.  Please do not allow your child to access the sign in/out iPad.   Thank you for ensuring you are not breaching OSHC security procedures which are in place to keep everyone safe and our service compliant with regulations.  

We will celebrate our End of Year Thanksgiving Mass on Monday, 12th December at 6:30pm at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 252 Port Road, Hindmarsh. Here we will come together as a school community to give thanks for the year we have had. We will also celebrate our Year 6 graduating students for 2022 in a small ceremony after Mass.

It would be great to see all our families together as a community giving thanks to God for each other, our school and staff, and the wonderful the school year we have had.

Last Wednesday we launched our Vinnie’s Christmas Appeal 2022 at the Year 3/4AB Assembly. Umes Acharya and Sandra Bahlij from St Vincent de Paul joined us to share information about how our donations will help families who are struggling. We are experiencing a ‘new normal’ in the third year of the pandemic. This year, we have enjoyed more opportunities and are reconnecting with our loved ones. But for many less fortunate than us, Christmas can be a lonely, challenging, and even stressful time as they battle with the rising cost of living. Your support of the Vinnies Christmas Appeal this year means we can help individuals and families who are struggling with living costs to experience a bit more joy, dignity and hope.

 Since Term 3, the 5/6 Unit has partaken in a Podcasting Program with James Meston from 'Arch D Radio'. Arch D is a weekly radio show on 1079 Life with the aim of engaging and showcasing as many young voices from across the Archdioces of Adelaide - currently working with 29 Catholic schools across the state, including St Joseph's! The 5/6's worked with James to develop their very own podcasts which focused on themes of either their '2022 Art Show' or their 'Term 3 Small Business Ventures'. Students worked on their scripts, rehearsed their dialogue and then got to work in the 'make shift' podcasting studio right here at St Joseph's. They got to experience using all of the professional recording equipment and devices as they worked within their groups to record, edit and upload their very own podcasts! Arch D integrates elements of the 'Living Learning Leading' framework to provide students with the opportunity to engage with the capabilities by given them a voice, showing what they have learnt in their experiences of the framework and continua. 

👉 Head over to Spotify to have a listen! 

St Joseph's School is involved in a sustainability project led by Deidre Knight focusing on planting native Kaurna flora in our community garden. The preschool children have the pleasure of working alongside Deidre to plant Warrigal Greens and Yam Daisies that will be transferred into the community garden.

The Preschoolers will make sure to visit the community garden in the coming weeks for an update on their growing plants!

Children and educators have been so excited to see caterpillars and so many butterflies visiting us to feed on the nectar and rest on the plants in our garden. We have been learning about their life cycle and have introduced a table with props and visuals featuring the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Our Sacred Heart Parish warmly welcomes St Joseph’s School Families to our Carols Night in the Church grounds on Port Road at Hindmarsh on Sunday December 11th. Food and soft drinks will be available, together with a coffee van.

For further information, speak to Mary Hemmings, School Chaplain.   

Collect your printed booking form and program from OSHC.

Bookings for Vac Care are now OPEN.
Return your printed booking and consent form to secure your place. You will not be able to place a booking online for Vacation Care.

✅ Vacation Care Open:

• Friday 16th December to Wednesday 21st December
• Monday 9th January to Friday 27th January
  
  

🚫 Vacation Care Closed:

• Thursday 22nd December to Friday 6th January
• Thursday 26th January  

 Languages courses for students in Years R-6 are available in Afrikaans, Arabic, Auslan, Chinese, French, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Nepali, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese.

These courses are based on the Australian Curriculum and are aimed at second language learners. 

Reception students who turn five on or before 30 April are eligible to enrol.

Year levels may be separate or combined depending on enrolment numbers.

If you are interested in enrolling your child, please complete the enrolment form in the R-6 Enrolment form/Information 2023 section (located to the right) and email it to dl.1802.admin@schools.sa.edu.au

Should you have any questions please contact the school on 8301 4800 during office hours.

Once enrolments are approved by an enrolment officer, students will receive a Confirmation of Enrolment email and a welcome package. 

Visit their website for more information: https://schooloflanguages.sa.edu.au/