Newsletter 14, 4th September 2025

Principal's Report

Hello to Families and all in the St Joseph's School Community,

Term four is quickly coming to a close, with only two weeks of school left and will culminate in our annual performance 'The Time Machine' on the last Wednesday of term. Staff and students are busy rehearsing, costume notes have gone home and we are excited to share our performance with you.

This week marks one of my favourite times on the calendar, being the beginning of Spring. The Catholic Church also celebrates The Season of Creation during this first month of Spring, recalling in prayer gratitude for creation and being reminded of actions to care for and sustain our earth. The daylight hours stretching out, the football, netball and hockey finals are building, blossom is appearing and the magpies are swooping! You can also feel a little warmth in the sun as the plants move into in growing mode.

This Sunday we celebrate Father’s Day - all the special male figures in our lives and the lives of our students whose loving care makes a big difference. We are hosting breakfast, from 8 am in the morning, to mark this occasion and hope to see a lot of our dads, grandads and special male figures there to join us.

We hold the Donaldson family in our thoughts and prayers as they have recently welcomed a precious new baby daughter to their family. We also extend our condolences on the passing of Ian's father, Matt Donaldson. 

Please check the dates on the calendar, the important dates listed in this newsletter below and keep your eye on our Facebook page for events and activities that are happening in the last two weeks of term. Please note that students finish Term Three on Thursday, 18 September as staff have a professional learning day on the Friday.

Take care and enjoy the Spring time!

Warm regards in faith & learning,
Mary

Father's Day

This Sunday we celebrate Father’s Day, a special time to give thanks for our dads, grandfathers, and all the father figures who love, guide, and care for us. We remember too those who are no longer with us, and we hold in prayer those who take on the role of father in different ways. Wishing all the wonderful men who help shape our lives and the lives of our students a restful and happy day.

Special greetings to Mr Lanyon, our one and only dad on staff! We are so appreciative of the dedication and care he is bringing to our students each day and wish him a super Father's Day! 

A REMINDER THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING WITH A FATHER'S DAY BREAKFAST FROM 8:00AM TOMORROW.
SEE FLYER BELOW. PLEASE NOTE - BREAKFAST WILL BE PROVIDED FOR STUDENTS AS WELL.

Loving God,
Thank You for the gift of fathers and all who care for us like a dad.
Bless them with patience when days are busy,
with joy when they see us grow,
and with peace when they need rest.

Be close to dads who are sick, far away, or no longer with us.
Surround every family with Your love,
and help us show our dads and carers how much they mean to us.

We make this prayer with hearts filled with love.
Amen.

Important Dates

September 5th - Father's Day Breakfast
September 11th - RUOK? Day - wear a touch of yellow!
September 12th - Flying Bookworm Show at St Joseph's (Prep-2)
September 15th - Dress rehearsal (costumes to be at school)
September 17th - School Performance "The Time Machine" at 7:00pm
September 18th - Excursion to St Patrick's St Arnaud to see their concert "Oliver Twist"
                                    Footy Colours Day (wear your favourite sports gear to school)
September 18th - End Term Three for students
September 19th- Staff professional learning - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives

October 6th - Term Four commences

DOBCEL Student-Free Guidelines and Procedures
Student-free days are days where students do not attend school within the gazetted attendance period but are designated for staff professional development, school professional development activities, planning and/or report-writing. Each year, the first day of term one and the last day of term four will be a student-free day in all schools. PLEASE NOTE THE STUDENT-FREE DATES remaining FOR 2025. 
Friday 19th September - Staff professional learning - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives
Monday 27 October - Staff professional learning - Structured Literacy
**Monday 3 November - Assessment and Reporting 
**Note added date above

Annual School Fundraiser

The annual PnF Fundraiser for 2025 is now live! Tickets are $10 each and limited to 300 entries. Funds raised are being directed to completing our Library makeover, making the space more inviting and engaging for students. We thank you in advance for your support of our school. See details below, including the link to purchase tickets. 

2026 Enrolments Now Open

A place to belong. A place to thrive. A place where every child matters.
At St Joseph's School we are proud to offer a nurturing environment where children grow in mind, heart and spirit.
Inspired by our Catholic tradition, we walk with each child on their unique journey - celebrating who they are and guiding who they are becoming!
Commitment to child safety & well-being
Learning that inspires - explicit instruction and individualised support
A welcoming community celebrating diversity
Living our values everyday- we are safe, responsible & respectful
Structured Literacy
Auslan Language Curriculum
Evidence based data-driven practices
No fees for Prep enrolments
Experience the St Joseph's difference! We invite you to discover what makes our school a truly special place.

https://www.sjcharlton.catholic.edu.au/

Students of the Week

Foundation/1 Class Report

Welcome to Week 7! 
We have had a bit more of a quiet week this week which has been great for the students to get back into routine. 
The P/1 students are working on learning about ‘syllables’ and ‘questions’ in Literacy, while still working on focus graphemes and sounds each week. 
In Numeracy, both grades are working on sharing and grouping and are having fun learning and exploring different ways to share items into equal groups. 
During Inquiry, we are learning about special and safe places. The children are enjoying sharing their safe and cosy places and why they love these places so much. It has been very enjoyable to learn about why these places are special to each student.

We are still practising our production each day and it’s great to see it progressing along.  The students are putting a lot of effort into their roles and are excited that the production is just around the corner! 
Notes have been sent home regarding costumes for the P/1 students for the production - if you didn’t receive one, please let me or the school know and we can organise one to be sent home. 
Last week we enjoyed ‘Come and Try’ day in the P/1 class for any families who wish to join us at St Joseph’s next year, or who just wanted to come and see what we do in our day-to-day learning. 
Those who joined had a great time, and we have another ‘Come and Try’ day Thursday next week for those who wish to join us again. 
Please feel free to contact myself or the school if you have any questions or concerns. 
Katie Brown 

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Grade 2/3 Class Report

Hello families! 

It has been a busy and exciting time in our Grade 2 and 3 classroom, and we’re thrilled to share some of the wonderful learning and achievements happening across our subjects!

Literacy
Students have been working hard on completing our focus text, “What makes Australia special?” Through reading, writing, and discussion, the students have been exploring regions of the world, and great to see and hear the student’s curiosity.
In writing, we have been developing strong sentence structures and learning how to ask and answer thoughtful questions. It’s been fantastic to see the students using these skills in their independent and group work.

Numeracy
We have just wrapped up our unit on 3-D objects, where students explored shapes in the world around them and their properties. We are now moving into telling the time on an analogue clock, starting with times to the hour, then progressing to half past and quarter past.

Religion
In Religion, Grade 2 students are continuing their Imagine unit, using their creativity to reflect on stories and explore their faith in new ways. Grade 3 students are working through the Hospitality unit, learning what it means to be welcoming and kind to others, both in and outside of the classroom.

The Play Is On The Way!
Excitement is building as we prepare for our upcoming school play, The Time Machine! It has been wonderful to see the students practising with such enthusiasm. Many already know their lines, songs, and dance moves without needing their scripts – an impressive achievement!

A note has been sent home regarding costumes and props. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or the school office if you have any questions or need support with anything.

We know the students are looking forward to showcasing all their hard work on stage, and we hope to see many families and friends in the audience cheering them on.

It has been such a joy to see the students showing kindness, hard work, gratitude, and inclusivity both in the classroom and out in the yard. They should be very proud of themselves – and we’re proud of them too!

Keep up the great work, Grade 2 and 3!

Miss Thompson 

Grade 4/5/6 Class Report

Grade 4/5/6 have had another exciting fortnight with students working hard on their preparations for the school concert. They have been diligently memorising their lines and performing them with excellent expression and enthusiasm. It has been great to see every student getting into their roles so enthusiastically on stage. This week students will be organising their costumes and a note has been sent home with information about this. 

In the area of Literacy, students have been reading about how to manage resources in order to meet a need. They have had to identify the meaning of new vocabulary to help them comprehend what they are reading. In the area of Writing, students have been learning to use vivid verbs, precise adjectives and the senses to create a descriptive text with some excellent results!  We have been continuing to focus on fractions in Mathematics with students making good progress in being able to compare fractions with different denominators. In the coming weeks our focus will move onto angles and location.

Well done Grade 4/5/6 for some excellent learning over the past fortnight! Below are some samples of the student’s descriptive writing.

Mr Lanyon

The Jungle

In the middle of a dark dense rainforest, wild animals roam. Piranhas infest the dark brown waters. 
Old trees tower. Wild winds whisper. Finger-like vines climb. Clouds are dark and creatures are vicious.
Piranhas in the water, hippos on land, snakes in the trees and birds in the sky. Although beautiful, the jungle is a very dangerous place.

By Patrick W 

Under The Sea

In the wistful navy sea, thousands of fish are like colourful confetti flying around me. The endless gardens of coral consume the ocean floor and the sand feels soft like a feather. It feels soothing, like being wrapped in a warm blanket. But among the beautiful coral and colourful fish, there’s a creature. Lurking. Waiting. Watching. Its eyes don’t leave yours. It bares its teeth, ready to strike.

By Eadie Ash

Safari

The hot air hit the explorers like an enormous truck as they travelled through the endless desert plains. The herd of giant elephants made the ground shake beneath them as the explorers headed towards a monstrous, green mountain where the trees looked as if they were stems of broccoli.

By Ruby Maya Wright

The Jungle

In the luscious green jungle where creatures run wild and the towering trees sway in the whispering wind, animals are immersed in the growth of the jungle. Silent, still but deadly and slowly creeping through the trees. The murky water lays in the clearing from the plants and trees peacefully sitting still. The glowing sun shines down but is blocked out by the leaves high above the surface leaving it gloomy down below. It weaves through the trees and its soft feet so silent and still hunt through the jungle. It moves like a ghost so quiet and swift. Then it freezes. Motionless. It sees something. Prey. Then in a flash it strikes.

By Maddie Lanyon   

##Mrs Hogan had some fun and asked AI to generate images to match these amazing writing pieces! Can you match them up?

Wellbeing with Mrs Wright

Rights, Resilience, Respectful Relationships

Prep - 2
Topic 1
Emotional Literacy
Activity 6: Students will learn that people feel good when others like them just the way they are. They will learn to show respect for others regardless of whether they are similar or different from them. Students will share experiences that make them feel proud to be who they are.

Yr 3 - 6
Topic 2
Activity 1: Using strengths in different situations. Students will play a game to identify skills for teamwork. They will describe ways to show respect in different situations. Students will identify how it can feel to be treated with respect and identify the strengths they can use to help them treat others with respect.

September 11th is R U OK? Day

R U OK? is a national day to start meaningful conversations by genuinely asking a friend, family member or classmate, 'Are you OK?". The goal is to build a culture where it's normal to check in with others, identify when someone might be struggling and provide support by actively listening and connecting with them.

Students will participate in a range of activities on this day.

Mrs Wright

Annual School Performance

Come along to the St Joseph's Parish Hall on WEDNESDAY 17th of September to enjoy this year's performance
"THE TIME MACHINE".

The show starts at 7:00pm. Doors will open from 6:30pm. 

Will our pair of professors get our time travellers back to the current time , all while avoiding disaster and mayhem?   Come along to find out!

Child Safety

The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a central and fundamental responsibility of Catholic Education. St Joseph’s School is committed to strengthened practice for the protection of children in line with the Victorian Government child safety reforms.

Child Safety - digital images

Taking Photos/Video Footage
A reminder to parents and family members to please ensure, when at school events, to take photos or video footage of your child/ren only. Please do NOT post photos of children, other than your own, at school events or wearing school uniform, on personal social media pages other than your own. Thank you for your cooperation in using social media respectfully helping to keep everyone in our school community safe online.  

Community News

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land.  We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We thank them for sharing their cultures, spiritualities and ways of living with the land, in this place we all now call home.