Principal
Dear Parents
A warm Term 3 welcome.
I hope you and your family enjoyed a restful holiday, full of fun, family times and relaxation. It is nice to see the children at school, ready and enthusiastic to commence the 2nd Semester of learning.
To all our students, welcome back to an exciting 10 weeks of ‘driving your learning’, making new friendships and achieving your personal best. For parents of little ones who have experienced some distress in the mornings, regarding children returning to school following the break, can I suggest that you continue to reassure them that all will be OK. The change in routine from comfy, warm ‘sleep-ins’ and extended time with family, to early morning routines and returning to school, can sometimes make them feel a little nervous. Adults can feel the same when they are returning to work after time away. Two weeks is a long time for young children. Remember, be strong and keep smiling. Students learn from our confidence and trust that all will be well.
School Review
From Monday 12 August to Wednesday 14 August 2024 during Week 5 our school will undertake a School Review. The school review will be conducted by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) with support of the Catholic Schools Office. ACER Reviewer - Roberta Barbe, Lead School Improvement & Performance - Nathan Trezise and Jenny Trigalone.
Each of the following nine areas will be the focus for the Review:
Domain 1 – An Explicit Improvement Agenda, Domain 2 – Analysis and Discussion of Data, Domain 3 – Culture that Promotes Learning, Domain 4 – Targeted Use of Resources, Domain 5 – Expert Teaching Team, Domain 6 – Systematic Curriculum Delivery, Domain 7 – Differentiated Teaching and Learning, Domain 8 – Effective Pedagogical Practices and Domain 9 – School–Community Partnerships.
Staff, students and parents will be a part of the review process and are welcome to speak with the reviewers on this date and contribute to the conversations around St Joseph’s School.
Bain Park
It has been brought to our attention that a number of students from St Joseph's Primary School, Wauchope, are enjoying their time playing in the newly opened Bain Park. We are delighted to see our students being active and spending time with their friends in one of our beautiful local parks. From all accounts, our students have been conducting themselves well, and we are proud of their positive behaviour.
However, we have noticed that the number of primary school students gathering at Bain Park is increasing along with the number of minor injuries occurring. While we encourage outdoor play, we are concerned that some students have come to school with minor injuries and there has been no adult supervision, which increases the risk of accidents.
We strongly encourage families who drop their children off or allow them to go to Bain Park to supervise the play, helping ensure their safety and well-being. Your presence and guidance will ensure that our students continue to enjoy the park safely.
NAPLAN Reports
The Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN reports will be distributed this week. Parents will receive their child's individual student report and an information sheet about the NAPLAN results.
Since 2023, NAPLAN results have been reported against proficiency standards, with student achievement shown against four levels of proficiency. This replaced what were previously numerical NAPLAN bands and national minimum standards.
We are delighted with the students' results and the significant learning improvements they have demonstrated. Our staff will use this valuable data to inform and enhance future learning programs for our students.
Holiday Maintenance
Several maintenance projects were completed during the holidays, ensuring our school is safe and compliant. The total works for this was estimated at $300,000.
Here are the updates:
- Roofing restructure and new tiling on the Stage 1 and Stage 3 building
- Roof repairs and structural improvements on the Kindergarten building
- Playground surface repair on the Infants playground
- New plants and mulch for gardens
- A false wall erected in the Speech and Counsellor room
These improvements reflect our ongoing commitment to providing the best possible environment for our students' and staffs’ learning and well-being.
School Enrolments
Kindergarten Interviews for 2025 are going wonderfully, and we’re thrilled to see that this ES1 is already at full capacity! We’ve also welcomed a growing number of families who are choosing to join St Joseph’s School, Wauchope by enrolling their children in other grades. We extend our warmest wishes to all our new families, confident that they are joining a school culture that is both inclusive and welcoming, dedicated to creating the best possible learning environment for their children. We eagerly anticipate strengthening our school community with their involvement and participation. Please make these families welcome to St Joseph’s school.
- Daly
- Goldby
- Shute
- Meki Tuakalau
Thank you St Joseph’s school community
Thank you to everyone for the heartfelt cards, emails, and phone calls of support following my dad’s passing last Term. Your thoughts and prayers have provided much-needed comfort and strength, during this challenging time, for my family and I. I am truly grateful for your kindness and for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
I’m thrilled to be back after some time away overseas and I am excited about the fantastic learning opportunities that the Term ahead has in store. I’m eager to reconnect with our amazing students and dive back into supporting their growth. A big thank you to Mr Nigel Toole for stepping up as Principal while I was away—his efforts, along with the outstanding work of our school leaders, Ms Sonia Solares and Miss Sophie Anderson as Assistant Principals, Mrs Gemma Leonard as Leader of Learning and Mrs Brooke Saville in the Mission role have been truly commendable for the school to run seamlessly. You were all in very good hands while I was away.
Here’s to a great Term ahead!
Peace be with you
Brendan Kiely