St. Joseph's Primary Penshurst.

ISSUE: Week 1, Term 2, 2024.

School Vision

St Joseph’s Penshurst, as partners in Catholic education and with our school community, pursues fullness of life for all.

Acknowledgement of Country

At St. Joseph’s Primary School we pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land, the Kolorer gunditj people and pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

The area around Mount Rouse is the country of the Kolorer gunditj clan of Aboriginal people. Their title is derived from their name for Mount Rouse which is Kolor. The permanent spring that is now located within the Penshurst Botanic Gardens was a traditional meeting place for Aboriginal people in the region.

Principal's Message.

Welcome back, everyone! We hope you had a fantastic Easter break filled with joy and relaxation. As we return to school, let's embark on another exciting journey of learning and discovery together.  Let's make this term memorable by embracing new challenges, fostering friendships, and exploring the wonders of learning.

The foggy chill in the mornings and the crisp evenings can certainly farewell Summer and indicate the change in the season. It would be easy to focus on the changing colours of our Penshurst tree lined streets to say Autumn is here, but the inquisitiveness of our children have discovered the cocoons left behind by the Rain Moth.

All these significant changes around us remind us that the Church calendar is in change also. The season of Easter long after Jesus' death symbolising new life and resurrection, much like the Rain Moth leading up to Pentecost on the 19th of May, taking place 49 days after Easter Sunday.

Hopefully we get to see each other ANZAC Day and please remember that Friday 26th is a School Closure Day for staff learning.

We look forward to going on this eleven week term journey together, full of tradition, love and learning.

Warm regards, 

Darren.

Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education Week will be celebrated across the Diocese from Sunday 28 April to Friday 3 May.

Catholic Education Week is an annual opportunity for the 63 Catholic schools across the Diocese of Ballarat to celebrate their achievements and distinctive ethos with their school and wider communities.

The week takes on special significance this year as our community of schools acknowledges the 150th Anniversary of the formation of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat with the theme:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

On Tuesday the 30th April, our Year 3 to 6 students will be joining student leaders from many western district catholic schools to recognise the anniversary of 150 years in Catholic education in the Ballarat Diocese. We will be gathering in Casterton for a school ran Liturgy, a lunch with all the schools and some sporting fun activities catered by Kaboom Sports.

Condolences

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of Brendan's Father Kevin (Jack) Clifford over the holiday break.Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Brendan and his family during this difficult time.As a close-knit community, let us offer our support, kindness, and understanding to the Clifford Family as they navigate through this period of grief.Brendan and his direct family held a private ceremony on Monday to celebrate Kevin's life.Naturally the students were curious as to where Mr .C was showing how much he is loved within the school.This sad news was shared with the students on Monday, as we chatted about how a funeral is a sad time, however should be a happy time of celebrating the stories of a loved one's life.Brendan often spoke openly of his father and asked that this information was shared with the school community once his family had their Monday ceremony.

The prayers and thoughts of our St Joseph's and Penshurst community are with you and your family Brendan.

Catholic School Culture

An Easter Prayer.

During Mass this week we are called to reflected upon the tragedies in the world, in particular the violent attacks in Bondi as well as the worsening situation in Gaza. We are reminded that Catholics are people of hope. Jesus' own life took him to the depths of human suffering and as Easter people Catholics see beyond pain, the darkness and hard times, as people who live in faith, hope and love. With these thoughts we offer this prayer for Easter and for all of those suffering.

An Easter Prayer

(Adapted from, Prayers for Progressive Christians Michael Morwood)

This Easter season, we rejoice that his life and all that he lived for all that he believed and taught leads us to see beyond death and darkness and to believe in transformations beyond our imagining.

In his memory, we gather once more as a Catholic school community committed to hospitality, friendship and learning.

We share his stories, committing ourselves to be Easter people, people who see beyond the barriers, that pain, the darkness of hard times, people who live in faith, hope and love in all the seasons of our lives whatever the ups and downs.

Our Diocesan Community Magazine.

Please find below the link for the March 2024 edition of “Our Diocesan Community”

Click on the link below to access good news stories of our schools, parishes and agencies across the diocese.

https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ODC-March-2024-web.pdf

FINAL DAYS for completion - Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Survey

If you wished to participate in the ECSI Survey, there is still time. You have until Thursday to login and complete the survey.

Your participation will assist us in better understanding how our Catholic identity is expressed in work and practice here at St Joseph’s Primary School.

The online survey may take up to an hour to do. Try not to get caught up in the questions, simply respond intuitively. 

Keeping a record of your individual user code and password will allow you to complete the survey over two or more sessions.

Information about how you can access the survey was shared with you via email and a hard copy prior to the holidays.

The survey is only available through the project website; please refer to the Instructions for Survey Completion for Parents. Your responses to this survey are guaranteed to be kept anonymous.

If you have any questions, please contact me through the school office.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your anticipated participation.

Yours sincerely

Darren Lloyd

Principal

Learning and Teaching

Vic Kids Eat Well.

Monique Sobey from Vic Kids Eat Well visited our students this week. She talked about superpower fruits of different colours. The students got to make a fruit kebab, many going back again. 

We also have a lot of fruit left over which we will supply to the students next week. Anything that could be frozen we will use in cooking in the next few weeks. 

Ask your child/children about what each colour - red, white, orange, yellow, blue/purple and green does to help our bodies. All the students enjoyed this session greatly. Monique will revisit us in 4 weeks to discuss the benefits of vegetables.

Regards Miss Forbes.

Busy Beginning Term Two

It was a delight to see all the students embrace the beginning of Term Two this week with a passion for learning and an eagerness to play with mates once more.

All students have been combining for story writing this week as they prepare for their Narrative cold write. Throughout Term One, writing sessions were exploring the structure of successful narrative writing and the techniques authors use to engage their readers. With some recap, it was time for the students to place this learning into action writing a narrative themselves. The 'cold write' is an unassisted and unrevised piece of writing about a given topic which will hopefully provide a quick gauge of the student's mastery of the characteristics needed to write a narrative.

The Junior room measurement skills snapped into action this week as they broadened their vocabulary connected to length. These mathematicians measured varied lengths, compared formal and informal styles of measurement and explored sequential or ordinal number.

Busy beginning Term Two.

Community Engagement

Special Community Events.

ANZAC DAY

This year Penshurst have announced that an official ANZAC Day ceremony will take place at 6am, the first time since the disruption of COVID.

St Joseph's have been invited to lay a wreath at the ceremony to pay our respects to past and present service men and women.

If any school families have a service member who they wish to lay a wreath for, you are welcome to do so. This year the RSL are asking  for school students to lay the wreath in memory of a service member they connect with and this person will be announced by the MC.

Our school will make our own native wreath and any other for this purpose. If this is something your family would like to do, please let the school know before Wednesday afternoon so that all can be organised.

 All children are invited to come along. They must be accompanied by an adult and are asked to wear their school uniform. We will meet in front of Cottrill's Plumbing on Martin Street at 5.45 am.

This is an opportunity for our school families to pay our respects together, and I thank the Penshurst community for their efforts.

Please read the flyer for more details.

ANZAC DAY SERVICE

Lunch Orders

Lunch Orders are available once again this week. Please make your order by Thursday at the latest.You can order by bringing the money and order into school Thursday morning or by contacting the bakery yourself. Either way, please make your order by Thursday. Phone call orders on Friday morning place pressure on the bakery staff on an already very busy Friday morning.Thank you for supporting your community.

Leadership and Stewardship

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY - Wednesday 15th May 2024

This is a reminder to families that Frank Monger from MSP Photography will visit our school on Wednesday 15th May. Students will be required to wear their Winter uniform.

Photo envelopes were sent home during Week 1. Family envelopes are available for those who would like sibling photos.

You can order online by going to www.msp.com.au or pay by cash.

Please return them by Friday, May 10th.

Working with children checks.

There are many opportunities for parents and carers to get involved in our school community and volunteering is one of those.

It is a requirement under our Child Safety Policy that all volunteers must have a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC). We recommend that anyone who is thinking they may like to volunteer in classrooms or maybe even on a camp at some stage apply for a WWCC. They are free for volunteers and can be found at https://www.vic.gov.au/working-with-children-check

When you have received your WWCC card just bring it to the office so that we can take a copy of it and add it to our files.

Newsletters.

Newsletters are distributed fortnightly on Tuesday afternoon. They will come out in Week 3, 5, 7 & 9 of each term.

Our newsletters are sent out digitally via ClassDojo or can be accessed via the homepage of our website.

Calendar Dates

  Term Four - Special Dates to Remember:

April:

  • Thursday 25th - ANZAC DAY - Public Holiday
  • Thursday 25th - ANZAC DAY 6am Ceremony - Penshurst Cenotaph.
  • Friday 26th - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY.
  • Tuesday 30th - Catholic Education Week Gathering.

May:

  • Wednesday 1st - St Joseph the Worker Feast day activities.
  • Wednesday 15th  - Photo Day.
  • Sunday 19th - Pentecost.
  • Week 8 (27th - 31st) Swimming Week at HILAC.

June:

  • Thursday 6th - Hamilton Whole School Eisteddfod.
  • King's Birthday Public Holiday
  • Thursday 28th - Last Day of Term (1.40pm Lunchtime finish).

Wellbeing & Child Safety

RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

In this edition of SchoolTV - RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.

Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.

Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.

In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Respectful Relationships edition of SchoolTV

https://sjpenshurst.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships

Healthy Lunch Ideas.

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Victoria

Please visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria website (link below) for all up-to-date information about the response to COVID-19.

  • All staff, students and visitors to schools should undertake regular hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet.
  • Hand sanitiser will continue to be available for staff, students and visitors.
  • The most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is to ensure that any unwell staff, parents/carers and students do not attend school sites, even with the mildest of symptoms, and get tested.

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-victoria?redirectSrc=coronavirus.vic.gov.au

*Six simple steps to protect yourself and those most at risk
  • Wear a face mask
  • Take a test
  • Stay at home
  • Meet outdoors
  • Talk to your GP about COVID medications
  • Get vaccinated

    • *coronavirus.vic.gov.au