eNews Term 2, Week 7, 2024

Dear parents, carers, teachers, and students,

Winter has arrived, and including a pupil-free day last week to extend the long weekend was perfectly timed—Happy Birthday to King Charles. Additionally, the Australian Nation’s weekend's focus on raising vital funds for MND was truly inspirational. This week’s newsletter is inspired by Neil Daniher's theme, "Don’t say, Do."

In our inclusive school community, the valuable efforts of our staff and the implementation of specific learning and well-being programs are not always known or promoted beyond our immediate environment. This week's newsletter aims to bridge that gap by providing detailed information about the significant initiatives our school is involved in, which you can share with friends and family. While we regularly celebrate achievements on our school's Facebook page, the content on this platform is limited. If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact the Principal or the relevant staff members involved.

Supporting Community

At St Joseph's School, we are dedicated to fostering a strong sense of community through active participation in various activities and initiatives. Several meaningful programs and events demonstrate our commitment to supporting our school and the wider community.

One key way we engage with the community is through our close collaboration with the local parish. We regularly host and participate in prayer services and class Masses, where we warmly invite community members to join us. Our staff also plays a significant role in supporting the Sacramental programs, ensuring that students receive the guidance and encouragement they need. Additionally, our staff attendance at parish council and church events further strengthens our bond with the parish community.

Our students also contribute to the school community by preparing café-style hot beverages to staff and parents. This initiative provides a service to our school and allows students to develop valuable skills and foster a sense of responsibility and teamwork.

Furthermore, we actively support local businesses and improve the well-being of Middle Years students through volunteer work. Our students participate in volunteer activities that benefit local enterprises, by using a local gym, classroom support and community projects, helping them develop a strong and positive impact on the community.

Our students have the opportunity to be involved in an exciting program: ‘Children’s University Australia’ (CUA). CUA aims to encourage high-quality out-of-school hours activities for children aged between 7 and 14 years, engaging the wider community as learning partners in this process. The most important principles of CUA are that participation is voluntary and activities must occur outside the normal school day during lunch, after school, weekends and holidays.

Through these initiatives and more, we believe these efforts enrich our student's educational experiences and contribute to our local community. 

Literacy Enhancement Programs at St Joseph's School

St Joseph's School introduced the updated MultiLit Programs in 2024. A literacy improvement program developed using scientific, evidence-based research on phonics and vocabulary. MultiLit, short for "Making Up Lost Time in Literacy," encompasses various programs designed to address literacy gaps through direct, systematic, and intensive teaching. This data-driven approach fosters confident readers and writers, laying a solid foundation for academic success in future years of learning.

Our school has adopted three key programs from the MultiLit system:

1. InitiaLit is a whole-class literacy program in all classes Rec-Year 2 aimed at building essential core knowledge from the outset and minimising the need for intervention and remedial education.
2. MiniLit: A small group reading program for students in Years 1 and 2 who need intensive support to develop decoding skills.
3. MacqLit: A program providing specialised word recognition support for students in Years 3-9.

In the classroom, teachers from Reception to Year 2 implement the InitiaLit program daily, sharing best practices to ensure quality outcomes for our students. We have identified those students who require support at all year levels and are involved in the intervention programs MiniLit and MacqLit. 

Additionally, leaders within our Primary and Middle years regularly meet to discuss their journey into the science of reading and their plans for implementing best practices in learning across all curriculum areas. This collaboration has been a great success, with staff feeling supported and more committed than ever to delivering the best possible education for their students.

IMPORTANT NEWS! 

SACPPA24 Conference – Leading a High Performance Culture Now and in the Future.

From May 22, Ros Oates and I attended the three-day SACPPA (South Australian Catholic Primary Principals Association) 2024 Conference in the Barossa Valley. The theme of the conference was ‘Leading a High Performance Culture now and in the Future.’

After working as an APRIM (Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission) for the last 7 years, before joining the St Joseph’s School Community, I was very excited to attend my first SACPPA Conference, for CESA (Catholic Education South Australia) Principals and Deputy Principals.

Leaving straight from school, I arrived at the conference just in time for the Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country by the Conference Chair, Jason Mittiga, who was the principal, during my first CESA leadership role, as Acting APRIM, at St Catherine’s Stirling, in 2017.

Our first presenter of the conference on Wednesday afternoon was Gus Balbontin. The former Executive Director and CTO of Lonely Planet is now thought of as a ‘futurist.’ As an investor, advisor and Director at Neu2, Gus encourages people to focus on what you control to deal with any future. Gus was very candid and full of energy. Definitely not the presenter I had pictured in my head to open my first ever SACPPA conference.

Newly appointed Acting Head of SACPSSA, Ros Oates, introduced the director of Catholic Education South Australia, Dr Neil McGoren who addressed the group, before Archbishop Patrick O’Regan led us in Mass. The first day concluded with a welcome reception BBQ dinner.

Day two opened with keynote presenter, Dr Paul Kidson, Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership at the Australia Catholic University (ACU), followed by Glen Savage, Associate Professor of Education Policy and the Future of Schooling in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne.

The final presenter of Day 2 was Madeleine Kelly, Communications, Alumni and Service Learning at St Aloysius College and author of the novel, ‘The School Hope Built.’

The highlight of the conference for me was listening to keynote presenter, Adam Voigt, Founder and CEO of Real Schools. Real Schools aim to bring a renewed focus to School Culture, Working Restoratively and Teacher Wellbeing. Adam was appointed to his first Principal position at the age of 35 and has personally led full school turnarounds.

Adam Voigt started working with St Joesph’s School in July 2022, helping us lead and implement Restorative Practices in our school as a fundamental platform for a strong, sustainable and relational School Culture, helping to improve School Behaviour and Classroom Practice.

The final keynote presenter was Jacqui Bell, who is an accomplished ultra runner who has shattered records and defied expectations with her remarkable achievements, becoming the youngest female to conquer the Racing the Planet’s 4 Desert Grand Slam, covering 250 kilometres across four of the world’s toughest deserts.

I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to network with other CESA Leaders, share and listen to stories of both success and struggles within our school’s and as part of school leadership. To listen to national and international presenters and spend some quality time with my Principal, Ros Oates, out of the school setting.

Jamie Mulcahy – Deputy Principal

THE EUCHARIST – HOLY COMMUNION

Meals occupy an important place in most cultures, even in our current busy lives where families are often battling with the competition of television and other digital technology.  In some families it is the only time that all members of the family are present at the same time due to work or sporting commitments.  

In Jesus time the meal was also a very important part of their culture.  In the Gospels there are many stories related to meals Jesus had with his friends.  He often used the meal to make a very important point.  

As the journey OF Jesus life ends in Jerusalem, Jesus prepares himself to suffer and die on the cross.  Jesus “earnestly desired” to share this last meal with the disciples.  The words and actions of Jesus over the bread and wine make present his service and sacrifice for others.  No longer are the gifts simply bread and wine but the flesh and blood of the new covenant.  Those who share this new covenant meal participate in Jesus’ saving mystery and pledge themselves to serve as Jesus served.

Jesus commanded the disciples to continue to do what he had done in the meal “in remembrance of me”.  The disciples had to do what Jesus had done and he would be present among them to serve.  The Sunday Eucharist continues the encounter with the risen Jesus.  

This weekend and later in June some children from our school and Parish community who were Confirmed a few weeks ago will be fully initiated into the Catholic church and will receive the BODY OF CHRIST for the first time.  We congratulate and hope and pray that these children will continue their journey of faith enriched by this gift from Jesus and try to live their lives true to the Word of God.

Max, Noah, Sierra, Riccah, Ryker, Jazz, Ingrid, John, Spencer, Lucy, Sophia-Rose, Arabella, Matilda, Lucy, Ruby, Eve, Estelle, Molly and Lottie.

Ngregi Morning Project

This term, the Middle Years students have had the opportunity to engage in learning skills in an area they are passionate about. The Ngregi groups run every morning for 55mins and it has been great to see our students entering school, excited about staring their day- some even come to school early!

The groups include:

Barista training

Art and Jewellery making

Gardening and growing vegetables

Minecraft, drone flying and VR

Attending Snap Fitness Gym

Being a Junior Helper in classes

Sports Training

This week students have completed a survey regarding the group they wish to engage in for the next 6 weeks and have provided feedback regarding the group they have been in.

We look forward to providing you with some of their feedback.

Kind regards,

Annette Lamont - Middle Years Leader

In the morning gardening group for the past 7 weeks the middle years students have been actively getting the school garden up and running. They have planted winter veggies (broccoli, silverbeet, beans, peas, spinach, radish and beetroot) as well as germinating from seed parsley, coriander, sunflowers and basil. The students have been able to assist with the garden layout and choosing which coloured flowers they would like to grow as well. They have been very busy at getting the school garden beds up and running with the group currently working on setting up a herb garden outside the food technology classroom. In Term 3 the school garden will be able to produce copious amounts of veggies, herbs as well as cut flowers that will be available to the school community via a stall. There are also grand plans to enter some of the garden produce into the Royal Adelaide Show to showcase the hard work the student have put in.

In Middle Years one of the morning Ngregi groups selected to use IT for a collaborative project. We accomplished mapping out and building the exterior of the school buildings on Minecraft Education. Our next project is mastering the use of our school drones to record and explore the inside of the building. So far we have had successful take-off and some great stunts, watch this space!

On Wednesday the 5th of June, the year six cohort and one of our year five classes took part in an excursion to the Murray Bridge High School’s production “School of Rock.” The students walked from school to the town hall and were exceptional models for our school and our values. All that attended enjoyed the upbeat and humorous production, with some student's claiming it was the best day of school ever.