Year Level Information and Parent Teacher Interviews
This year, our teams will be pre-recording their Information evening and this will be sent to you as a link through Compass next Thursday 11th February. You will be able to watch these in your own time. If you have any questions following the presentation, you will have the opportunity to ask these at the parent teacher interviews which will be held the following week.
Parent Teacher interviews for students in Years 1-6 will be held on Tuesday 16th February from 2:00-7:00pm and Wednesday 17th February from 3:40-5:00pm. Please note that Kellie Batson (JKB) will be running interviews on Monday 15th February instead of the Wednesday. At this stage, we are able to hold these interviews on site. Under current restrictions, face masks will need to be worn. We will be following Department guidelines regarding the wearing of face masks and visitors to school. Should the restrictions change, we will keep you updated as to how the Parent Teacher interviews will run.
Bookings via Compass will be open from 10:00am Monday 8th February and close at 4:00pm Monday 15th February.
Morning drop off
A reminder that students should not be entering classrooms prior to 8:45am in the morning. There is a bell at 8:45am to signal when students may come inside. Prior to this time, teachers are preparing for the day or in morning meetings. The yard is not supervised until 8:45am, therefore, students without an adult should not be arriving at school prior to 8:45am. When dropping off your child, we ask that you do this at the classroom external door to prevent congestion in the open spaces of the Learning Centre and BER.
Pick up
As we currently have limited space for social distancing around the portables and Learning Centre due to construction works, students in Years Prep-4 will continue to be dismissed from the basketball court. We ask parents to please leave the basketball court and pergola area clear to allow students to assemble. A reminder to parents that when in the school grounds to practise social distancing of 1.5 metres.
Face Masks
You may be aware that the Victorian Government have changed the restrictions regarding the wearing of face masks. All visitors to the school are now required to wear a face mask when inside any of the schools buildings.
Student attendance to Sick Bay
We have changed the way we record and notify families if their child has attended the sick bay whilst at school. This is now recorded in Compass instead of the paper slip. If your child attends sick bay for any reason, this will be recorded in Compass and the information will come up in the news feed for your child. As always, if they experience a serious injury, head knock or are ill, we will always contact you by phone as well.
Student Attendance
Daily school attendance is important for all children and young people to succeed in education and to ensure they do not fall behind both socially and developmentally. All students should be attending school each day unless they are unwell. Please see vital information regarding our student attendance procedures attached to this newsletter.
What the first few weeks of 2021 will look like for students
Following the challenges of 2020 and the limited on-site learning for our students, the beginning of 2021 will look a little different. Upon students returning to school in Term 4 last year, we noticed a significant need to support students socially and emotionally and to support them to develop the work habits, learning stamina and independence required of onsite learning. For the first few weeks of this year, we will have a heavy focus on forming connections with peers, teachers and the school, establishing positive expectations both academically, and behaviourally, and supporting students socially and emotionally to ensure that we are setting students up to be ready to learn and have a successful year.
During our curriculum days at the beginning of the year, prior to students coming back, our teaching teams spent time delving into student assessment data from 2020 to form a good understanding of the entry point and needs of students in the grade and level and to plan as a team how all students will be supported in 2021.
Canteen
A huge thank you to Simone Heywood and Pam Paton, who are stepping down from their coordinator roles this year, for their tireless efforts in setting up and coordinating the canteen over the last few years. They managed to turn the whole canteen program around into a very popular (and profitable) component of the school. Although they would not have been able to achieve this without their wonderful volunteers, they were an integral part of its success.
We are very happy that we already have a number of parents who have volunteered to assist with the canteen this year. However, for the canteen to be able to go ahead this year, we do need a volunteer (or two) to coordinate the program.
If you are interested in coordinating the canteen or wish to find out how much time, work, etc. is involved, please contact the office.
Learning Support in 2021
This year, we will continue to offer Literacy Support using the Multi-Sensory Structured Language (MSL) approach for students identified as requiring additional Literacy support. We are also in the process of identifying students and developing the Governments Tutor Learning Initiative program for 2021. If your child is selected for either of these support programs, you will be provided with further information in the coming weeks.
regards
Ken & Lisa
Dear Mums and Dads,
St Joseph’s School in conjunction with neighbouring Schools is again embarking on its annual Dads day football match against St Louis Aspendale. Over the years, this event has grown to be a collection of dads from the Chelsea/Bonbeach region competing against a collection of dads from the Edithvale/Aspendale region.
The dads from both regions will embark on a day of fun in footy as we seek to turn back the clock and enjoy a light-hearted (modified rules like no tackling etc) football match.
The aim of the day is to use footy to bring dads together and get to know one another. This day will be used to strengthen our commitment to the community and embrace the society in which we choose to raise our children in.
The only pre-requisite for this day is a jovial and friendly attitude (serious competitors need not apply). We welcome all varying skill levels and participating efforts. Thus, ruling out any excuses for not joining in, in what has become a fun event for the entire family.
This year we have a particular interest of getting the parents from grade one involved as COVID-19 meant that we were robbed of getting to know them last year and obviously the incumbent Prep parents of this year 2021. These new parents are the future of this whole event as eventually the current leaders of this match will step away as their kids grow older and we need to be continually be passing the baton along to ensure this day continues to grow, prosper, and build new relationships. So, for those who are only learning about this for the first time, please understand that your involvement to this day and spreading the word makes a positive, long lasting contribution to the community that you are a part of.
In the lead up to the day we will have training sessions which will mostly be about getting to know one and other and enjoying some cool refreshments post training. Training will take place at 6:00 PM (most likely) at the Chelsea Football club (still to be confirmed subject to ground availability) on the following dates:
The event of the football game is normally held in September to ensure all families can get down to the oval to cheer on their real hero’s. However, this date is still to be finalised as we are also consulting with players about their availability and football ground acquisition.
There will be no limit put on the players as we can extend the bench or have multiple teams should numbers permit. At the end of the match, we will have a trophy presented by the winning Schools Principal and awards will be handed out to various players.
On the day we will aim to provide trainers however we will need volunteers for field umpiring, goal umpiring, running water, cooking the BBQ and many other duties which will make this day one of the more enjoyable days of the year!!!
We need to stress that this day caters for all various age, skill and fitness levels. So, Mums and friends, if you know of a Dad who needs some encouragement please pass on our details (at the bottom of this page) and like an aggrieved wife who has asked her husband to mow the lawns for the last 3 months, we will persist until they are on board for this fun day!!!
Other members that are available to be contacted for information about the day:
Rohan Anstey 0402 327 511
Trevor Clancy 0405 109 321
Martin O’Donnell 0407 666 116
Reece Murphy 0425 855 585
Patrick Donnellan 0438 757 850
Kind regards
Troy Harvey
0412 474 936