It is lovely to be back at St Joseph’s after my mid term break. I thoroughly enjoyed a week of warm weather down the coast and then a week of catching up with family and friends and keeping warm by the fire at home!

Staff Absences

While I was away and again this week we have had a number of staff absences due to illness. We are very fortunate to have the staff who can be flexible and teach split classes to ensure the students are not missing out on quality teaching and learning. There is a severe teacher shortage and relief staff are very hard to find.

Semester 1 Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews

Teachers are currently completing assessments and the Semester 1 Reports. Reports will go home on Friday of Week 9. Parents will be able to log onto Compass next week to book an interview time in Week 10. I would strongly encourage parents to make time for the parent/teacher interviews as this is a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with their teacher.

Acting Principal Semester Two

Interviews were conducted yesterday to appoint an Acting Principal for Semester Two. I am sure we will be notified shortly as to who was the successful candidate. Before the end of this term I will invite the new Principal to visit St Joseph’s for a handover and Meet and Greet with staff, students and parents.

New Building

The architect visited this week to discuss the plans for the new school building. Mrs Beaven was well enough to join the meeting to discuss the plans and any possible modifications. We have also had an electrical engineer and a representative from IT to map out requirements. No word yet on when it will start but at least pre-building preparations are underway.

Enrolment Time

St Joseph’s is open for enrolments at any time but at this time of the year we look to enrolling students for Kindergarten 2023. From next week you will notice advertising materials in various shops and businesses in Adelong. I have always maintained that our parents are the best advertisement for our school. I would encourage you to talk about the positive experiences that you and your children have at St Joseph’s to any families who may be interested or who have children ready to start next year. Encourage them to make an appointment to talk to me about what we have to offer. It is particularly exciting that as of 2023 we will be able to offer a K-12 Pathway for students who enroll at St Joseph’s!

Pupil Free Days

This Friday the students will have an extra day of rest while the staff engage in professional learning. Garreth Wigg from CE will lead the staff through Catalyst resources that are available on our Teams platform. This professional learning and the resources that are available will directly impact on teaching and learning. Then on Friday 1 July staff will be interrogating academic data that is collected regularly. This data provides valuable information that provides guidance as to what areas of need there are amongst our students. Staff will also receive some professional release time to replace time they may have missed throughout Terms 1 & 2.

Year 11 2023

A reminder that tonight at 6pm on the High School campus of McAuley, there will be an information session regarding the extension of McAuley Catholic School to Years 11 and 12 in 2023 and 2024. This is an exciting prospect for McAuley and all the Catholic Schools of our region. It is an opportunity for parents and those who are interested to show support, ask questions and voice concerns. There will also be representatives present from Catholic Education in Canberra.

Tell Them from Me Surveys

A gentle reminder if you haven’t already done so to complete the Tell Them from Me Survey. An email was sent out yesterday via Compass with the link. This format is an anonymous way for parents to provide feedback about what we are doing well and where we can improve. Constructive feedback is how we continue to grow, change and be the best we can be!

Have a lovely week,