Dear Parents and Caregivers
St Joseph’s Feast Day
On Monday 19th March we celebrate a feast day of our patron, St Joseph, who is dear to our community. To mark this occasion we will be participating in various activities. On the day we will celebrate the life of St Joseph with a whole school Mass at 9:45am followed by a day at the Norwood Pool.
St Joseph was often portrayed as a simple carpenter within the Scriptures. However, our students could tell us through their learning, he was anything but this. The little we know about Joseph from the Scriptures shows us a man of faith, honour and courage. He believed Mary even when he might have chosen to reject her story about the angel. He stood by her. Joseph was a man of integrity and truth. We live in a society obsessed with rights and a world that seems to reward the brash, pushy, and selfish. Joseph stands in stark contrast. He was a man characterised by strength, self-sacrifice and courage.
Loss Within our Community
It was with a saddened heart that I was informed of the passing of a much loved student’s father. Georgina Chumak’s father Robbie passed away late last week after a long fight against illness.
Our Prayers and thoughts are with Nicol and Georgina at this time as they mourn the loss of Robbie.
The school extends its heartfelt sympathy to Georgina and her family - and gives thanks to God for the privilege of sharing a part of his creation in Georgina with our community.
Nicol asks that in Robbie’s passing that each one of us takes time out to appreciate those family and friends who are close to us and to acknowledge the love of our families as they are absolutely everything.
May Robbie rest in peace.
Mrs Vassallo-Wakefield, Georgina, her Year 2/3 peers and myself will prepare a Liturgy of the Word in the coming weeks in memory of her much loved Dad.
Debra Machnik’s Retirement
Last week Debra requested, due to unforeseen circumstances, that the commencement date of her retirement be brought forward to the last day of this term.
I would like to thank Debra for her dedication and committed service to the community at St Joseph’s Memorial School for the past 23 years. Debra has been a well-respected teacher within our community and has made a significant contribution to St Joseph’s Memorial since 1995. I’m sure you will all find time to farewell Debra and wish her every continued, health, happiness and a well-deserved rest in retirement. We intend to have a community farewell for Debra at the conclusion of our St Joseph’s Day Mass on 19 March, 2018.
Communication and Resolving Grievances
There are times when issues that arise from time to time need to be addressed. The beginning of the year is a good time to remind ourselves of how to appropriately address these concerns/issues. Student learning is at the heart of everything we do at St Joseph’s Memorial School. Teaching and learning is most effective where there is an active, positive relationship, between you and the preschool or school. Your views, compliments, suggestions or issues are important to us because they help us to improve our service to children. If you ever have a concern or grievance we would be happy to meet with you because it is very important that we work together to resolve any concerns. The process outlined below is for use to resolve a concern or grievance.
The school will make every effort to address concerns and resolve issues as quickly as possible.
Step 1: Identify the concern. Keep an open mind. You may not have all the facts. The first task is to seek clarification.
Step 2: Take your concern directly to the appropriate person. If the issue relates to the class program, routines or a situation that occurred in class, speak directly with the teacher. If it relates to a whole of school policy or practice, make a time to speak with the principal. Please do not approach other parents or children other than your own in relation to concerns. Going over a person’s head will make it difficult to maintain a trusting partnership.
Step 3: Organise a time to meet/talk In order to best resolve an issue, time is needed. The best way to do this is to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet by contacting the School Office or writing a note in your child’s diary. It is helpful to advise your concern at this time. The most convenient time to contact staff is after 3pm except on Tuesdays when there is a staff meeting. Before school, teachers need to welcome children to the school day and so this is not the best time to initiate an in-depth discussion. Be aware of the impact of your emotions. Reflect, plan and rehearse what you need to say before approaching the teacher or Principal. It may help to jot down a few points before the meeting. Attempt to keep your emotions in check. This will minimise the possibility of acting or speaking inappropriately. Approach the teacher or Principal in a polite, objective manner that shows a commitment to resolving the issue together. Try an opening statement such as “There is a misunderstanding that we need to clear up” or “There is a problem we need to solve together”. Remember that you both have one thing in common and that is a commitment to the learning and wellbeing of your child.
Step 4: Issue not resolved? Please arrange a time, through the School Office, to meet with the Principal who has overall responsibility for all activities on the school site. It is helpful if you provide information which will enable the conversation/ meeting to be as useful as possible in resolving the concern.
NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy)
This week I have begun receiving details of the NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 takes place from May 15th to May 17th which is Week 3 of next term. All schools in Australia participate in the assessment program at the same time. There are four components: Language Conventions, Writing, Reading and Numeracy. All students in Years 3, 5 and 7 will participate in the assessment program. If your child is absent during this period, there is the possibility of completing the assessments upon their return to school on Friday May 18th. Student work is marked by a panel of external markers with results being returned to the school and parents later in the year, usually September. If there are parents who have questions regarding their child sitting the test, please contact me by March 16th to discuss this. This includes parents wishing to withdraw their child from the test. If you would like more information please visit the NAPLAN website at http://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/the-tests
Year 7 post 2019
Please find attached a letter (click here) about the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) endorsed move of Year 7 from primary to secondary settings at the commencement of 2020. Please also find attached a letter (click here) from the four Catholic Colleges in the Eastern Region.
God Bless
Brady Stallard
Photo: Reception children participating in School's Clean Up Day 2018