Dear Families,
It has been so wonderful to see many families in our school and connecting with our staff and each other. We look forward to a year of reconnection and celebrating our beautiful school and
community.
2023 Vision
At the Annual General Meeting in Week 3, I shared the areas for vision for St Joseph’s Memorial School for 2023 and beyond.
The key areas of focus are:
Relationships & Culture: Co-constructing three school pillars and values.
Literacy and Numeracy School strategy and shared practices to create a shared school curriculum handbook.
Wellbeing Creating a school wellbeing policy of whole school shared practices.
Community Partnership and events.
Infrastructure: Site developments at Bridge St and William St.
Preschool and Ready for Reception Program development.
Communication: SETQA school planning, reports & parent engagement.
Catholic Education South Australia Clarity Project – Making learning visible for all students.
Graduate Leadership Program – Providing opportunities for all students to enhance their leadership capabilities.
Creating shared school values and pillars
This year we will be constructing three school pillars to guide our future direction for growth and three shared school community values that will guide our actions in everything we do. We would like all community members including staff, students, parents and the community to have the opportunity to share in the creation of the three school pillars and three school values, so we have devised a short two question survey to gain your integral input to help us in this process. The survey will ask to you to name the three pillars and three values that you feel best represent the school moving forward with the opportunity for elaboration and discussion. We sincerely appreciate your insights into this process and look forward to sharing the collectively co-constructed school pillars and values with you.
Please feel free complete the short survey by clicking the link below:
Catholic Education South Australia Clarity Project in action at St Joseph’s Memorial
As mentioned above, one of our areas of focus this year is to undertake the Clarity Project to create shared teaching and learning practices that help make learning more visible to students. We have commenced this project with teachers creating and sharing learning intentions for tasks that focus on what students would have learnt by the end of the lesson or activity, such as what is the learning they should retain and take away with them. Then next practice we have introduced involves teachers creating and sharing success criteria for tasks. Success criteria help students to know what's expected of them to know exactly what they need to know or do to be successful with their learning.
Below we have an example of Literacy learning intentions and success criteria used in our classrooms:
Another Clarity practice we have introduced is a ‘Bump It Up Wall’, which consist of linear visual rubrics presented in the classroom that clearly show students how they can progress in their learning for a specific task. The walls can be used for any subject and students use them to gain specific information to help them enhance their learning and work.
Below we have two examples of Literacy ‘Bump It Walls’ used in our classrooms that focus on narrative writing and persuasive writing progression:
I am looking forward to seeing the positive impact that introducing the Clarity practices will have to enhance student learning and achievement outcomes.
Chess Club
In recent weeks our Year 4 students initiated a Chess Club at recess and lunchtime. It has been great seeing students from various year levels play against each other whilst learning more about the game.
School Board
Our School Board has an advisory role in supporting the Principal in planning and implementing the overriding direction of the school. We formulate and approve policies and hear updates from staff. Alongside the School Board sits the School Finance Committee. Some members of the Board also sit on this committee and we discuss the specific financial situation of the school, monitor income and expenditure and plan the annual budget for each year. The Chair of the Finance Committee then presents to the whole School Board. At our Annual General Meeting the group voted in three new parent representatives to the school board. In addition, we have a new staff representative in Mr David Holmes. In future newsletters, we will be sharing information about the members of our school board for you as a community to know them.
School Sports Program
The school sports program is well underway this term with the Cricket, Basketball and Netball. We are appreciative of work the parent volunteers as coaches have been doing to help the afterschool and weekend sports program run smoothly. It brings me great joy to see the positive buzz of energy on mornings that practices are held at the school.
Southern Cross Article
Recently, I was interviewed by the Southern Cross Newspaper and was featured in the March edition. In the article I shared my passion for education, building positive relationships, and faith. Here is a link to the article if you would like to read it:
https://thesoutherncross.org.au/schools/2023/02/28/strong-faith-guides-young-principal/