Dear Parents, Students, Staff and all associated with St Joseph’s Community 

After three quarters of the academic year the students and staff are looking forward to a well-earned break.  Term Three has been a busy and exciting one, filled with the challenges of study and many achievements.  As with any time that we take a rest from the hectic pace of the day-to-day, the break provides an opportunity to take stock of our personal and collective progress.  We are blessed to have many students who excel in a wide range of activities.  We celebrate their achievements.  In addition, we applaud those whose stories are not always told, but have achieved their personal goals.  For some, these goals have been reached in the classroom where dedication and persistence has paid dividends.  Not every child at St Joseph’s will be an academic world-beater, but every child can set goals that will challenge them to improve.  To all who have taken up this challenge and stuck with it, congratulations! I hope the gratitude mindset allows students to say thank you to your teachers, your parents and to yourself.

Taking stock is not only about recalling our successes; it also involves facing up to those times where we have missed the mark; our blind spots.  As students reflect on Term Three, some will acknowledge that the effort may not have been enough.  This is not always determined by the result, but by the self-knowledge that the potential was there to do better.  As I have often told students, there is no such thing as failure at St Joseph’s but there are opportunities to learn from our mistakes and to grow through our setbacks.  For those whose results, whatever they may be, leave them room for improvement, I hope there is time for reflection over this holiday break.  Let us all commence the final Term with the determination to be grateful, to improve and to see beyond our blind spots.

2023 Planning
It is hard to believe that we have come to that stage in the year where we must start to forward plan for the 2023 school year. If parents have a genuine reason for class placement requests for next year, could you ensure they are submitted in writing to info@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au by Friday, 7 October 2021. An enormous amount of time and effort is put into the creation of class lists and many factors are taken into consideration by the staff. A written request will be considered on its merits but it is not a guarantee. At St Joseph’s we work on a whole school approach and are blessed to have a committed teaching staff who collaborate to give the very best learning opportunities to all students in our care. With this in mind, I ask that you please do not request a certain teacher for your child. Please be aware that a request has to be made for the current year, we will not be referring to requests made 12 months ago as circumstances change.

As the school undertakes the enormous process of preparations for the 2023 year, it is important that we are aware of possible movements both in and out of the school community.  The final weeks of any school year can be an enormously busy time for families insofar as transfers due to work or other personal circumstances.  It is essential that we are made aware of families who may be leaving St Joseph’s in 2023. 

Thank you for your constant support and commitment to your children's education. Your involvement makes a huge difference to their success. Remember, together we can achieve great things - Enjoy the upcoming break!

Yours in Catholic Education                                                                                     

Ronan O’Mahony 

Principal