Dear Parents and Caregivers
It is hard to believe that the end of the school year is just around the corner. In the last newsletter I alluded to the fact that this would be an action packed term. This past week has lived up to the billing!
First Reconciliation
Congratulations to the students who celebrated their Reconciliation last Tuesday.
Emily ~ Andrew ~ Harry ~ Orla ~ Cormac ~ Rohan ~ Harry ~ Luke ~ Da-Yun ~ Gu ~ Grace ~ Lucy ~ Eloise
Sports Day
Congratulations to the Joseph Team who won the John Partington Shield for the first time since 2008. While the MacKillop Team did a wonderful job displaying team work and cooperation to win the Spirit Cup.
Thank you to Mr Martin who did a wonderful job preparing Sports Day last Friday. The day was filled with excitement and many great moments. It was wonderful to see so many parents supporting the day, creating a lovely sense of community. Thank you to Daniel Faraonio for setting up the sound system, also a big thanks to Norwood Oval curator Barry Solomon for preparing the oval for our use.
Catholic Traditions
November has traditionally been the month when we remember the dead. Throughout its thirty days, requiem masses are frequently offered, lists of the dead placed at the foot of the altar or the paschal candle, and prayers for the faithful departed encouraged. As a community of faith none of this is gloomy or morbid. It is realistic and a strong countercultural statement to values that are pervasive in today’s society which wants us to pretend that we can live forever in this world. One day we will leave this world and we hope that we will enjoy eternal happiness. We pray that others receive that gift too - hence our prayers for the dead.
Throughout November may we remember the deceased in our community and pray that the faithful departed rest in peace.
Remembrance Day
This coming Monday morning we will gather for Remembrance Day Liturgies at both campuses at 10:45am. This is an age appropriate, simple and meaningful experience for all of the school community, when we will recall the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month when the guns fell silent on the Western front in 1918. Generations of Australians as part of the ANZAC forces answered the call and paid the ultimate price. Their selflessness, then and now, provide us with the enduring freedom and liberty that we continue to enjoy today.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
(Binyon, l. (1914) For the Fallen.)
2020
I am currently finalising our class structures for 2020. Although there may be some minor changes to class numbers, I offer the following class structures as a guide for 2020. At this stage of planning the school structure will consist of: 2 Reception classes, 2 x Year 1 classes; 3 x Year 2/3 classes; 2 x Year 4 classes; and 2 x Year 5/6 classes (constructed as per our Year 6/7 class this year).
Teachers have constructed groups of children, while over the coming weeks I am working on interviewing, appointing and finalising teachers for these classes, which involves determining the best fit to ensure the optimum learning for children at each year level. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful, dedicated group of teachers here at St Joseph’s, so I am sure that 2020 will be another great year for all our children. Families will be informed of class allocations and teachers after the whole school transition on Monday 9 December.
End of Year Performance (Norwood Town Hall, Monday 25 November 2019)
It has been an action packed week both in and out of the school. Rehearsals are in full swing for our Preschool to Year 7 performance, ‘SJMS Tonight’ A Christmas Special. I have managed to snatch glimpses of these over the past fortnight and I’m not betraying any secrets when I tell you that you are in for a treat.
I have always subscribed to the belief that the visual & performing arts, sport and music are disciplines that any student can experience success in. The sense of achievement, satisfaction and pride in a job well done is always palpable, during and after such enrichment activities. These are the aspects of school life which see growth in persistence, resilience, the ability to get along with others, self-organisation and confidence. These qualities are always hard to quantify and often easier to spot when they are lacking but they are also key components to continued academic success. Through these enrichment activities many memories are created and again these can’t be graded in an A to E context.
God Bless
Brady Stallard
