Week 8, Term 3 2023

Dear Saint Joseph's Memorial Families

There has been so much happening at St Joseph’s Memorial this term and it is wonderful to report that there are more experiences and events ahead as we approach the end of term. In our school, we strive to provide a range of experiences and opportunities for children to learn inside and outside of the classroom.

Events and Excursions

In recent weeks our students have been on a range of excursions and undertaken some new learning opportunities.

In week 7, our Reception and Year 1 students went on a Nature Play Park excursion. The children enjoyed working in teams to use natural resources to tell stories and create art.

Also in week 7, 60 of our students from Year 3 to 6 participated in a Touch Football carnival. Well done to all the students who did a great job in their teams and enjoyed representing our school.

In week 8, the Preschool and Ready for Reception students enjoyed a delightful walk to the nearby Heyne's Garden Centre. The aim of the excursion was for the children to learn more about plants, herbs and vegetables to select and plant in our school garden areas. Thank you to the educators, volunteers and the staff at Heyne’s for their wonderful help today.

Also in week 8, the Reception and Year 1 classes went to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. They learnt about ecology, sustainability, plants and even had the opportunity to plant some seeds to grow.

To finish week 8, we organised Judo4Kids to lead sessions with the students at William St on martial arts, and TriSkills to lead lessons with the students at Bridge St. The children thoroughly enjoyed these sessions and are looking forward to more in the coming weeks.

Our school community is excited about two upcoming events. The first is the school disco that will be held on Friday 22 September at our William St campus.

The second, is the Catholic Schools Music Festival that will be held in week 10. We have approximately 20 students that will be participating in this event on Thursday 28 November. As the chair of the Catholic Schools Music Festival committee, this event is a wonderful opportunity for 1800 students from 73 Catholic Schools to work together to share their wonderful musical talents. It is sure to be a wonderful event!

Uniform survey

Currently, we are seeking feedback on the school uniform in relation to potentially adding an optional school jacket for students to wear. Please find below, the link to the survey to provide your selections and thoughts on this possible addition.

https://forms.office.com/r/s00U3FKLdE

The holistic picture on learning and building partnerships with families

Thank you for your continued commitment to the home and school partnership. At St Joseph’s Memorial we value the home and school partnership that we enter into from enrolment, as we know it has a significant impact on each child's learning and wellbeing outcomes throughout their time at school.

In Catholic Education, we believe that each and every person has their own unique strengths and ways of learning. This means that educational opportunity isn't only about cognitive development it also emphasises physical coordination and capability, spiritual development and social emotional learning.

Catering for children's social emotional development is fundamental to each child's success as a learner, as this aspect of learning gives children real life opportunities to learn resilience, self-awareness, empathy and responsibility, all of which lay a strong foundation for them to be a successful student of life.

In this way, each child's education is also about working with parents to discuss how each child is learning about our school values of kindness, care and love. These core values are fundamental to the learning opportunities we provide and very often relate to children's decision making. As is the case with other areas of learning, children need our support and feedback and the opportunity to reflect, try again, and learn to build their social emotional capability. This learning is what guides and shapes the type of people we become and how we contribute to our class, our family, our community.

As part of the outstanding daily work staff commit to each child's learning development, social emotional learning features strongly, as we know that children need ongoing additional support in this area because it not only impacts how they see themselves and others it also impacts their learning in other areas of development. Fundamentally, success in this area of development is a precursor to effective learning throughout life.

Thanking our Quiz Night Sponsors

In addition to the thanks provided within this edition of the newsletter, coupled with their respective logos, I would like to acknowledge all the sponsors who supported our recent Quiz Night:

Platinum: Surreal Hair

Gold: Taarnby, ElectraSol, Fernwood St Agnes, Linden Park Pharmacy, Numberworks n’ Words

Silver: Big Egg Media, GetDisplays, Sportitude, Rio Coffee, Astora Handmade

Bronze: Adelaide Oval, Gin Long Canteen, Make Up by Wanda, Norwood Football Club, Norwood Swim School, One Lonely Barrel, Switched on Kids, Tusmore Trader.

We are extremely blessed to have so much support for our school community. Thank you to the P & F Committee for their incredible work to seek out and collect sponsorships for the event.

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Last week, children from our School and Parish celebrated Reconciliation for the first time. What a wonderful thing to be loved and forgiven. This is what God wants for us.

A few years ago, I was privileged to attend a conference in Los Angeles where I attended a session called Why does God want to forgive me:  The Sacrament of Reconciliation for Teens – Fr. Paul Farren

Although the title said it was for teens the message, Fr Paul shared was for everyone. 

Fr. Paul began his session by describing the Media’s influence on our lives.  That much of what we see or read is about revenge or vengeance.  It is about beating your enemy or control and having power over others.  We hardly see words or images about mercy and forgiveness and yet this is what we need to rebuild fractured relationships in our lives.

He went on to talk about independence.  This is something that we often talk about especially in the school environment but Fr. Paul pointed out that this doesn’t really exist because the reality is that we are not self-sufficient.  We engage with others every day and most of us can’t live life on our own. 

The word independence can imply competition between others and the need to be the best.  God didn’t teach us this though.  God wants us to work with others and achieve goals together. 

God made each and every one of us a unique human being.  We are made in the image and likeness of God.  Our beauty comes from deep within us where God lives, not skin deep.  God loves us so much she pitches a tent in our lives and whispers to us.  Each one of us is united with God and each other.

Jesus entrusts us to make his love, compassion and mercy real.  He depends on us to be his body in our world today.  We remember that we are all parts of the Body of Christ and as such we need to see each other as a brother or sister not a competitor, threat or enemy.  We are dependant, on one another and God.

We often say to children when they do something wrong, ‘What would Jesus do’ but maybe we need to ask the question differently with the focus on Jesus and what he wants, so the question might then be, ‘What does Jesus want me to do?’  Jesus wasn’t anti-joy; he wanted us to live life to our fullest.

Deep down within ourselves, we know what is right or wrong.  At times we choose what is wrong and we sin.  Sin is the breaking of God’s laws.  We sin when we deny our faith and when we refuse to make space for Jesus in our lives. 

However, God is willing to forgive us.  Forgiveness is the most profound gift we can give one another.  It leads to resurrection and freedom and it frees us from guilt.  It is difficult but forgiveness is ours if we ask it of God. 

From the very beginning God confesses God’s love, trust and confidence for us first.  In confession we confess our need for God.

There are 4 parts in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and they are:

Contrition:  to recognise when we deny God in our lives. 
Confession:  we need to confess to liberate and free us.
Absolution:  this is the time we restore our relationship with God.
Penance:  not payment for the sin but a revelation to us of a new way of living.  A conversion to be the MERCY we have received. 

Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we realise that we are beautiful creations of God and God loves us always.

As we congratulate and pray for the students who celebrated Reconciliation last week, let us all make an effort to ask ourselves when we are unsure, or angry, or defensive: ‘What does Jesus want me to do?’

 

"PlayStart Soccer is kicking off our Sensational Spring Term 4 program at our 5 locations around Adelaide. Focused on getting kids active, we have a heap of fun teaching 2 - 10yo’s the basics in order to gain confidence to progress in their sporting journey. Call us to book a trial class on 0401 410 465 or enrol for the term (8 weeks) https://playstart.com.au/soccer-programs/ SA government Sports Vouchers accepted."

Our classes are run by fully trained coaches and all hold Working With Children Checks. 

Thanks and we hope to help get as many new faces out there as possible following the buzz around with the recent completion of the Women’s World Cup and the great performance of the Matilda's. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call.

Andrew Davidson, PlayStart Soccer ph 0401 410 465

We would like to inform you of the dates for Pupil Free Days (PFD) for this year. Please note that OSHC will be available for families that require this service on these days.

• Monday 16 October 2023
• Thursday 14 December 2023
• Friday 15 December 2023

We are trialing a new Assembly format for the year.

In Term 1 to Term 3 we will have 3 Assemblies per term and in Term 4, 2 Assemblies. All Assemblies will be held in the Performing Arts Studio at William St on Friday afternoons at 2pm.

Students from Bridge Street will walk across to William Street to participate in Assemblies, face to face.

Term 3

22 September - Year 2/3B Assembly

Term 4
10 November - Year 2/3G Assembly
1 December - Mid-Year Reception Assembly

We will ask for help from our wonderful parents and caregivers to help walk the Bridge Street students across on these dates. Please look out for the form on Skoolbag, next week.

Please remember to check the school calendar regularly for any updates.

Come see our Preschool in action, contact us for a tour or enrolment information.

St Joseph's Memorial School provides a safe environment for all while valuing the partnership between school and home.

As a Catholic community, we welcome and value volunteers. To be able to volunteer, and/or attend at other times throughout the school year, we ask that you hold the following:

1. A current Catholic Police Check (parents/caregivers attending excursions, reading in class, helping in class, attending community events);
2. A current Responding to Abuse and Neglect in Education and Care for Volunteers certificate (please click here to view how to complete this requirement);
3. Completed the volunteers application.

A Catholic Police Check for volunteers at SJMS are free for our current parents and caregivers. Application Forms are available to download here or at either school office.

We ask that you present your completed form with verification ID to the front office, and we will submit the application on your behalf. You will then receive an email link to complete the process online. Once all cleared you will receive a Catholic Police Check ID card in the post, please bring this in to the front office and we will take a copy of your clearance.

This process ensures we maintain a child safe environment. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to apply for a Catholic Police Check through either school office as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at either office.

Thanking you
The SJMS Admin Team
info@sjms.catholic.edu.au

For more information on how Catholic Education SA provides a safe environment for all, please click here.

Summary of what is needed to volunteer at SJMS:
Valid Catholic Police Check
Responding to Abuse and Neglect Education and Care Volunteer Certificate
Completed application form