eNews Term 1, Week 7, 2025

Dear Parents, Carers, Teachers, and Students, 

As we end a short Week 7, I hope you all had a refreshing long weekend. The extra break came at the right time in our busy term and provided a much-needed pause, especially with the warm weather.  
 
This is a reminder that the remaining weeks of the term we have a number of special events that will shorten our teaching days. See the dates below. 
 
Week 8: Wednesday March 19: ST JOSEPH’S DAY – HOUSE COLOURS DAY 
Week 9: Friday March 28: SPORTS DAY 
Week 10: Monday March 31: STUDENT FREE DAY 
Week 11: Wednesday 9, Thursday March 10: EASTER PLAYS 

Thank you to all parents and caregivers who attended last week's Parent/Teacher Meet and Greet meeting. The school was vibrant with the presence of students and their families, making valuable connections with our dedicated and caring teachers. We are all committed to continuous improvement, and your feedback plays a crucial role. These meetings are an essential way for us to listen to our community. Please ensure that if you did not take up this opportunity last week, you make an appointment with your child’s teacher before the end of this term.  

We encourage families to reach out whenever an issue arises. Often, there are measures in place that may not be immediately visible, and we can only address concerns if we are informed. Please email, use Seesaw, or make an appointment with any of our teachers or leadership team members when needed. Together, we can ensure a supportive and thriving environment for our students. 

St Joseph's School – Safe and Inclusive Environment 

St Joseph’s School is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all students. Catholic School Parents South Australia (CSPSA) shares this commitment and continues to advocate for positive school communities where students can thrive. 

In light of recent media discussions about bullying, harassment, and inappropriate behaviour, we want to highlight the vital role that families and school communities play in setting positive examples for respectful relationships—both in person and online. 

CSPSA supports families by providing guidance on navigating school grievance processes and advocating for constructive resolutions. We encourage parents to engage directly with school leadership when concerns arise, ensuring open and respectful communication. 

Together, by modelling positive behaviours and working in partnership, we can create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. 

For more information, you can read CSPSA’s full message here ​pdf icon Catholic School Parents SA advocating for safe respectful communities.pdf 
 
St. Joseph's School Celebration Week! 

Next week, St. Patrick's Day is Monday, March 17th, St. Joseph's Day is Wednesday, March 19th, and International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Harmony Day) is Friday, March 21st. 

St. Joseph's School community will have a Celebration Day, highlighting our Catholic faith and Australia's rich cultural diversity. 

Our day of celebration is Wednesday, March 19th. To begin the day, there is a whole-school Mass led by the Year 6 students at 9:30 a.m. in the Auditorium. The Mass will honour our Catholic patron saints, St. Patrick and St. Joseph, while celebrating our school community's cultural diversity. 

Students are also invited to participate in a Free Casual Clothes Day on Wednesday, March 19th, wearing their Sports Day Team Colour (refer to poster).  

MID-TERM ENROLMENTS 

In 2025, St. Joseph's School will continue to offer mid-year enrolments. If your child turns five between 1 May 2025 and 31 October 2025, they can start school at St. Joseph's in Term 3, 2025, and the school fees are free. Children starting in Reception mid-year will have a minimum of 6 terms in Reception. Please let friends and family know that enrolments are open for mid-Year 2025 starting Term 3. An information session for the parents/carers will be held early Term 2.  

 
2026 ENROLMENTS 

Enrolments are also open for the beginning of 2026. Children who turn five from 1 November 2025 until 30 April 2026 can begin school in Term 1 of 2026. Please contact the school administration to register your interest and book a Principal's tour. Our JOEY’s transition program is available from Term 3, 2025 for all children beginning school at the start of 2026. This is also a free program for those students. Information about JOEY’s will become available at the end of this term, however, registration of interest in this program is now open by contacting Luke Woods in our administration office.  

Allergy Awareness at St Joseph's School 

This week, we are reminding our families about safety considerations for students with egg and nut allergies. Our priority at St Joseph's School is to ensure that all students, including those with allergies, feel safe at all times. 

As a ‘nut and egg aware’ school, we are committed to continually reviewing and implementing feedback to minimise risks within our school environment. While we strive to minimise these risks, we acknowledge that allergic reactions can still occur within the school and the broader community. This includes not only special events but also the daily presence of food products that may contain traces of egg or nuts, whether from the canteen or brought in by other students. 

We would like to remind the school community of the importance of vigilance regarding egg and nut allergies. Please ensure you keep egg and nut products for your child/children to a minimum and ensure any products with these particular trace elements are placed in secure containers and wrapping. The teachers and staff will continue to practice daily hygiene routines with students, a practice that has become integral since COVID-19. 

If your child has a birthday and you wish to bring a treat into school to celebrate as a lovely gesture, please know that it is entirely optional and not expected. It is essential that you contact the classroom teacher prior to the event, and we encourage low-risk options, such as Zooper Doopers, lollipops, or non-food options like bubbles or stickers. If you are unsure, again, feel free to contact the classroom teachers. 

This consideration goes along with parents and carers clearly communicating and updating the school administration and teachers of any specific dietary needs (e.g., vegetarian, gluten-free) that the school needs to be aware of. 

Please know that all first aid and staff training are consistently reviewed to maintain the safety of students and staff with allergies or dietary requirements. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 

Kind regards, 

Mrs Ros Oates 

Principal

SAINT JOSEPH ~ MAN OF FAITH

Next week our school will celebrate the feast day of our school’s patron, St Joseph husband of Mary.  This is a day we plan carefully as we believe, like St Mary MacKillop who named her schools after this special saint that St Joseph is a man worthy of celebrating.

“I will not be a complainer today.  Instead, I will be a patient listener to those who are truly troubled. Amen”
This anonymous quote may be the best way to sum up St Joseph’s outlook on his life and responsibilities towards those in his care.  Having very few references in the Gospels, not one of them records a single word he spoke.

Joseph totally lived by faith – not because of his words but because of his actions.  He listened in silence…he accepted his obligations readily...he persevered in his supporting role with unrelenting commitment…he nurtured and loved unconditionally…he carried out his vocation with complete loyalty…he knew difficulty, danger, hard work and fatigue.

It has been 150 years since Pope Pius lX’s proclamation in 1870 of St Joseph as “Patron of the Universal Church”.  Pope Francis reminds us, “Each of us can discover in Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence – an intercessor, a support, and a guide in times of trouble.  St Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”

Given what the world has gone through over the past 12 months you can understand people asking the question, “Where is God when natural disasters strike or wars and other tragedies?” We probably all ask this question when things go wrong in our lives.  As we celebrate the feast of our patron, St Joseph I am sure there were times when he also wondered about the things that were happening in his life.  Instead of bemoaning and wondering, “Why me?” he trusted in God and knew he would be able to get through the difficult times.

Please join us on Wednesday, March 19th at 9:30 for our whole school Mass led by Year 6 in the school Auditorium.  After Mass the day will join together for our House Day where the students can wear their Sports Day coloured shirts and work in their teams on different activities set up by the Sports Team Captains.

See photos below of our chrildren participating in Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday:

Day 1 started with orienteering in the Aldinga Scrub and initiative games back at camp. After a barbecue tea, students spent time playing disc golf, basketball and soccer until the it was too dark to play. Dorm rooms were all quiet by 10:00pm. Day 2 is currently at the beach. While the surf is too small to ride, students have made the most of their time creating their own fun and making memories. 

Please see The Southern Cross newsletter and the online edition of The Southern Cross March 2025.