Of the many opportunities in life, being a parent can certainly be a huge privilege and an enormous blessing. The joy, love and special bond between a parent and child is an incredible experience. However parenting can also present one of life’s biggest challenges and parenting in this day and age can be quite complex. Balancing work and family life, the huge impact of access to social media, societal pressures, family break ups, stress, budget, coping with the ‘busyness’ all add to its complexity. Sometimes there is a strong temptation to be a ‘friend’ to your child rather than a ‘parent’: maybe because parents are exhausted, perhaps they feel guilt for lack of time with their children or simply want to keep the peace and don’t have the time or energy to ‘put up the fight’ with their child/ren. I think most of us have been in this space at least at one time or another. I know I certainly have. It can be very hard to say ‘no’, to carry out consequences (especially ones that punish you as well!), to ignore tantrums and to consistently address bad or inappropriate behaviour. However I think we all know that if we want to raise decent, kind, and mentally healthy human beings, we need to be very mindful of our parenting and the effects it is having on our children.

Our counsellor, Kathy Williams recommends this program as being very a very helpful guide to parents:

The Triple P Positive Parenting program.  Another article of interest from Empowering Parents might be Your Child is Not your Friend.

Here at school we are very cognizant of the huge responsibility that comes with being a parent and the impact of parenting strategies on children’s lives. We strive to work with parents to help all our students grow and develop to their full potential.

Senior School athletics coming up

In two weeks on Tuesday March 19 we are holding our Senior School Athletics Day. In preparing for the athletics day, Michelle Richards, our Physical Education specialist teacher, along with the support of classroom teachers, will promote the health and social benefits of physical activity through athletic sports and teach the specific skills for each activity. We encourage students to take risks, have a go and be proud of their efforts. As well as preparing students for the physical activities on the day, we will also be encouraging students to be ‘good winners’- show humility, encourage teammates and be happy for those who achieve great results. One of the aims of the Health and Physical Education curriculum is for students to ‘develop and use personal, behavioural, social and cognitive skills and strategies to promote a sense of personal identity and wellbeing and to build and manage respectful relationships’. We will also talk to the students about how to manage any disappointment they may feel if their results don’t match their expectations: It’s ok not to win, not to get a ribbon or come first. Trying your best and being a good sport and supportive classmate is actually more important.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Our first Parent - Teacher Interviews for 2024 will be this afternoon, Tuesday March 5 and this Thursday March 7, between 3.40 pm and 6.00pm. To provide each student with the best opportunity to grow and thrive, we need to work in partnership with parents and caregivers. If neither of these days suit, please contact your child/ren’s teacher directly to arrange another time as this first interview is particularly important.

Holy Week

Holy Week, the final week of Lent, commences in the last week of this term. It is a time when Catholics remember the Passion of Jesus Christ. The Passion commemorates the short, final period of time before Jesus’ death.  On Monday March 18, at our whole school assembly, the Prep students will help us remember what Palm Sunday (Sunday March 24), the first day of Holy Week is all about. Jesus rode triumphantly on a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, with the crowds waving palm branches. On Monday March 25, the Grade 3/4s and 5/6 classes will lead us through the Stations of the Cross, which portray the Passion of Jesus, at 9.15 am, in the parish church. The Grade 1/2s will help us recall and celebrate Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Christ, at the Whole School assembly in Week 2 of next term: Monday April 22 at 9.05 am in the gym. All parents and friends are welcome to attend.

Easter Raffle

The annual Easter Raffle will be drawn on the last day of Term 1: Wednesday March 27 at 2.30 pm in the school gym. All are welcome! Sincere thanks for all the generously donated Easter prizes so far and to all those who have sold and bought tickets!

Homework

At St Joseph's we prioritise reading as the most beneficial, appropriate and effective homework for primary school students.

We strongly encourage all parents to spend time reading to and with their children and to hear them read. We provide appropriate books for your children and Reading Diaries to record their reading each school night.   

Teachers check Reading diaries regularly.

Please find attached our Homework Policy for your reference and an article on the importance of reading to children.

St Joseph's Homework Policy

Reading to Young Children

Joanne Coldebella

Principal

The Grade 5/6's have settled into their new classes and are in the swing of learning.  

In Maths, we have been learning all about Place Value and its importance.  It tells us the value of a digit in a number and we use it in all areas of Maths.  We have had a revamp in our Reading lessons, and are discussing more of the technical language used in reading.  In Writing, we have started writing Narratives and are now in the process of up-levelling our work with the specific feedback we have all been given.

Our knowledge of the Australian Government is increasing as we have been learning all about it during Inquiry and in our Reading lessons.  Each class has also had a private session with Kids Helpline and the focus was on online safety.  

Unfortunately, we missed the Ash Wednesday Mass due to the storm power outage, but Father Darren blessed the Ashes for us, and we were able to host class liturgies and all students were able to receive their Ashes.  The ashes were created by burning palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration and remind us to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.  

Our Grade 6's have had an exciting start to the year in their official role as Buddies to our Prep students and getting their Grade 6 jumpers.  

 5/6 Team

Third Week of Lent
(Week beginning Monday 4 March)

Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result.

Leaia lives with her five children, husband, brother and sister-in-law on the island of Upolu in Samoa. Not having access to a reliable source of clean water caused Leaia a lot of worry.

Their home is not connected to a piped water system, so they had to rely solely on rainwater collected in old fridges. When their water ran out, Leaia had to walk with her young children to collect water in buckets and containers from a neighbour down the street.

With the support of Caritas Australia's local partner, Caritas Samoa, a water tank was installed at Leaia's home. She and her family now have a steady supply of clean drinking water at home. Next year, they will also have a toilet built, with the support of Caritas Samoa, which will further improve their health and living conditions.

“We are very thankful and grateful for the water tank. It has helped us so much and made our daily life easier,” Leaia said.

Fourth Week of Lent
(Week beginning Monday 11 March)

Memory is 26 years old and lives in rural Malawi. As the eldest child in a low-income farming family, Memory had to take on many household chores and farming activities to support her parents. They struggled to pay for Memory’s school fees and school supplies, and Memory often had to walk to school barefooted. 

With the support of Caritas Australia and its partner the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), Memory was able to enrol at a technical college where she learnt technical skills in carpentry. She undertook a three-year carpentry course, with CADECOM supporting part of her tuition and boarding fees.

Memory became the first female carpenter from her village. Today, she works as a carpenter at one of Malawi’s largest hydroelectric power stations. With the income from her job, she can provide financial support to her family and inspire other young women in her community so that they may have the opportunity to succeed in a male-dominated industry.

Please donate to Project Compassion.

Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow, for all future generations.

You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes, these can be returned to school by Monday, March 25, or online by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion

Once again it is time for our Annual Easter raffle, raffle tickets have been sent to all families.

In past years this has been an excellent fundraiser for the students of our school.  It has always been greatly supported by the families and school community, which has contributed to the purchasing of books, sports equipment, and much more while benefiting our children.

For this fundraiser, we are asking families to donate an Easter egg or chocolate bar to the school, which will enable us to make up Easter prizes to raffle.

Raffle tickets will be sent home with your child to sell at .50 per ticket (selling both sides) which needs to be returned to the school with money no later than Monday March 25.  Make sure you clearly write the full name and phone number of the person purchasing the ticket.

CDFPay is also a payment option for this fundraiser, just return the cover with your tickets and tick your payment option.

Raffle prizes will be drawn on Wednesday March 27. Good Luck and thank you for your continued support.

Please ensure your child/ren have their hats labeled and in their school bags, lots of students have been forgetting to bring their hats recently.

As part of our SunSmart policy students will require hats until the end of April and again from September 1.

If you need to change the pickup arrangements for your child/ren, please contact the office via 5672 1052 or email info@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au before 3 pm, so we can ensure the message is delivered on time.

Administration

What is Conveyance Allowance ?

The conveyance allowance is a form of financial assistance to help families in rural and regional Victoria with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest appropriate school/campus. The conveyance allowance is available to eligible students travelling by public transport, private car and private bus. The conveyance allowance is also available to eligible students whose nearest school is not serviced by a free school bus.

Students attending a government or non-government school must:

• attend their nearest government or non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level at which admission is permissible
• be enrolled at a school/campus outside Melbourne’s metropolitan conveyance boundary
• reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from that school/campus attended
• be of school age (5 to 18 years old at time of application) and reside in Victoria.

Forms are available at the school office or download below. If you have any questions please contact the office or email kcarew@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au

Applications are to be submitted to the school office by Tuesday, March 6 for processing.

Conveyance Allowance Application

Statements for Term 1 have been emailed to families.  For those not on a direct debit Term 1 fees are now due. 

If you are entitled to a concession, concession paperwork and CSEF Applications can be forwarded along with a copy of your current concession card to the office or email kcarew@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au

If you have any queries or have not received your statement please contact the office or email kcarew@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au

We will be conducting tours during first term for all prospective 2025 Prep families who have submitted an expression of interest form.  Enrolment information can be found on our website or call the office on 5672 1052 to book a tour or for further information.  

A reminder that If your child/ren will be away from school for a family holiday outside of the school holiday period time that applications for holidays should be submitted prior to your holiday. Correspondence must be sent through to the school office informing us of the dates that your child will be absent for approval of this absence.  This information can be sent via email to info@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au

Absence notes must be submitted via PAM each day your child is absent, before 9:30am on the day of absence.  You can also email the office via info@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au or call 5672 1052.

Friday March 8 will be a school closure day for staff professional development.
Monday March 11 is the Labour Day Public Holiday.

Wednesday March 27 is the final day of Term 1 for students, school finishes at 3:25pm

Thursday March 28 will be a school closure day for staff professional development.

Weekday Masses:

Tuesday Our Lady Star of the Sea, Inverloch 11:00a.m.

Wednesday 9:30am 

Friday 9:30am St. Joseph’s Wonthaggi

Weekend Masses Our Lady Star of the Sea, Inverloch Sunday 9:00am

St. Joseph’s Wonthaggi Saturday 6:30pm, Sunday 10:30am

PLEASE PRAY FOR; Anniversaries: Fr Peter Dawson

Parish Office will be open on Wed & Fri 8.30am-4.30pm. All items for the bulletin or Mass intentions to be received by 5pm on Thursdays.

Prayer Group will resume at the beginning of the School Term.

Lenten Group will meet at 1.15pm at Wonthaggi Church each week during lent season.

Prayer Shawl Group: meet on the 3rd Wednesday of the Month. For any enquiries please call Philippa Warby ( Inverloch ) 0408 331 340 Maureen Maartensz ( Wonthaggi) 0407 055 447  Wanted wool: If anyone has any wool or acrylic in 8 ply they don’t want, please leave at either church and the prayer group will make great use of the donation.

St Mary's Maffra Church Centenary: Join us in celebrating the St Mary's Maffra Church Centenary on Sun- day, April 28, 2024, with a Mass at 11 a.m. in Maffra, fol- lowed by lunch at the Parish Hall. Kindly RSVP to 51471921 for catering purposes.

Come and See: Bishop Greg has called for the young men of our Parishes of the Diocese to come to St Agatha's Parish, 129 Sladen St, Cranbourne VIC 3977 on Sunday, 7th April 2024 at 2:00pm particularly those who sense a call from God to life as a priest. Or, who simply want to come and enquire. It will be an op- portunity to meet and greet those living the life, to pray with them and have all your questions answered. And, remember, "the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it" Mt13:45

Project Compassion Boxes/Envelopes are available at both churches.

Our Parish is committed to the safety, well-being and dignity of all children, young people and adults at risk. Find out more at: catholic.org.au/childprotectionsunday and www.catholicregligious.org.au/safeguarding

St Joseph’s Wonthaggi Cuppa after Mass held on 1st Saturday & Sunday of the Month

Our Lady Star of the Sea—Inverloch Cuppa after Mass held on 1st Sunday of the Month

Our Lady Star of the Sea—Inverloch

• CWL Meeting will be held on Monday 4th March at 10.30am.
• Cake and Produce Stall will be held on Sunday 10th March
  DONATIONS very welcome!

Reminder all signed Code of Conducts to be returned to the Parish Office as soon as possible. Thank you

If you are concerned about any form of abuse, or believe that someone is at significant risk, you should immediately raise your concerns with one of our Parish Safeguarding Officers. Contact the Parish Office: 03 56 721 111 or St. Joseph’s School Safeguarding Officer 03 56 721 052.   Take care, we are here to help.                  

If you are in need of urgent assistance, please phone either Father Darren Howie 0356 722 923 or Kristine on 03 56 72111 or 04999 15 784.

Father Darren Howie                                                              Ann Hemming  
Parish Priest                                                                          Parish Secretary
                               St. Joseph’s Parish Wonthaggi