Welcome back to everyone, I hope you all enjoyed the break! It is lovely to see the students’ back and ready to enjoy the last term for the year. Hopefully it will bring many proud moments and achievements to the students as well as to parents and staff on their behalf. As part of our review of our Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour: Consequences, we have been looking at more ways to provide students with feedback for exemplary behaviour. Teachers will now be using the Commendations function on SIMON to formalise this recognition. Parents will receive a notification that they can log in on PAM and view a commendation their child has received. Each commendation is worth 5 merit points. If a student receives 50 merit points, they will receive a canteen voucher. While we know that intrinsic rewards are the ideal we aspire for our students to be motivated by, we hope this practice encourages students to aim for excellence in effort or achievement. We would love to see more of our students enthusiastically pursuing academic and personal goals and dreaming big for their future!   

Parent Helpers Welcome for iHour and Lunchtime Clubs

Each term there are several Lunchtime Clubs that run from 1.50pm- 2.20pm.

Please see the table below for this term:

iHour allows students to work on a passion project, idea or new skill.

There will be four iHour sessions this term for the senior students and three for the juniors on:

Thursday October 24 (grade 3-6 students only)

Thursday October 31 (all students)

Thursday November 7 (all students)

Thursday November 14 (all students)

From 2.20pm - 3.10pm

Activities are varied and usually include some sports and art and craft activities.

Parents/Carers or Friends are most welcome to assist with Lunchtime Clubs or iHour activities. All volunteers must have a Working With Children Check and there is a process we need to adhere to before beginning.

Please contact the school office for more information via info@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au.

Specialist Showcases 2024

To celebrate and present the students’ learning in the specialist classes of Italian, STEAM and Performing Arts (Dance/Drama/Music), we will be holding two Specialist Showcase events at the end of this year, one for the Prep and Grade 1/2 students and another for the Grade 3/4 and 5/6 students.

The students will be performing an item they have been working on in Performing Arts and Italian, supported by props they have made in STEAM class. There will also be other STEAM and Italian work on display. 

This will be a great opportunity to meet the specialist teachers and see some of the children’s work and celebrate the end of the year.

The students will all be seeing each other’s performances at a rehearsal before the main event.

We are aware that families have many commitments so are seeking parent input as to the most appropriate timing of these events.

Please click on the link below to fill out a very short survey by Wednesday October 23 to indicate when you would prefer the Grade Prep and 1/2 Specialist Showcase to be:

on Wednesday December 11 between 2-3pm

or Wednesday December 11 between 5-6pm

Please click on the link below to fill out a very short survey by Wednesday October 23 to indicate when you would prefer the Grade 3/4 and 5/6 Specialist Showcase to be:

on Wednesday November 27 between 5-6pm

or Friday November 29 between 2-3pm 

We will let you know as soon as possible when the event will be based on when it suits most people.

Thank you for participating!

Specialist Showcase Survey P-2

Specialist Showcase Survey Gs 3-6

Auskick sessions

We are very pleased to invite students to Auskick sessions that will be held here on the school oval for five weeks on Tuesday afternoons from 3.35-4.35pm beginning Tuesday October 22 and finishing on Tuesday November 26. (There will be no session on Melbourne Cup Day). Please see the flyer below for more details.

Joanne Coldebella

Principal

Well done to our award winners who were presented with their certificates at our last assembly, congratulations on all your hard work.  

The 1/2s have returned for Term 4 buzzing and excited for new learning! In Wellbeing we have introduced and are beginning to use a catastrophe scale. This scale helps students identify the appropriate level of reaction for problems that arise throughout their day. Students used examples such as “the fire alarm going off” in contrast to “I cannot open my snack” to discuss reactions, before creating their own scale. 

To begin our Inquiry unit, students collected their rubbish from the two days of canteen. Students then categorised the rubbish based on its ability to be recycled. Students were amazed at the amount of rubbish collected and had a number of positive ideas for reducing our environmental impact.

1/2 Team

What's new in the 5/6 area?

In the 5/6 area, we are learning about natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, avalanches and floods. These disasters are caused by tectonic plates, where they are located and how they move. 

In Maths we are learning about fractions, how to add them together and how to figure out if they are equivalent fractions or not. People who are really getting the hang of it are learning how to multiply fractions and put them onto a number line. 

The book everyone in 5/6 is reading is called 47 Degrees by Justin D’ath. It is based on the Black Saturday bushfire in 2009 that ran from the 7th of February to the 14th of March. The author made the book about a girl named Zeelie. It has pictures of his own burnt down house at the back which shows how bad the bushfire really was.

We have a very busy Term 4 coming up. Some upcoming events are Grade 5 Activity Day at Mary MacKillop, Grade 5 camp at Rumbug, Grade 6 camp at Rumbug, Grade 6 graduation and Grade 6 fun day at Gumbuya World the following Wednesday.

Cataleya and Vivienne 5/6L 

As the process of planning and preparing for the 2025 school year has commenced, we will soon begin to work on class lists. If parents have a genuine reason for class placement requests for next year, you are required to put this in writing and submit it to the School Office. 

Please be aware that a request has to be made for this current year, we will not be referring to requests made 12 months ago as circumstances change and it is important this is requested and submitted each year. Obviously, we cannot (and will not) accommodate requests for particular teachers; we can only look at the needs of the child.

All requests are to be submitted in writing to info@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au by Friday, October 25,  2024. 

It is important to note that once classes are established for the year, no alterations to allocations will be made. While we welcome parent input about your child’s individual learning needs, please be mindful that preferences are requests only and school staff decide the final placement of children based on the learning needs of all students.

This year the school will be utilising the Class Solver program to assist in allocating students to classes. Teachers will input data into the program which will then sort the classes. It is hoped that this will make this process more efficient.

We are constantly receiving enquiries about enrolling in 2025. This is very encouraging and indicates that St Joseph's is offering something families are attracted to and want. If you know that you won't be returning in 2025, can you please contact the front office and let us know. This will help us in preparing and organising the school for 2025. We thank you in advance for letting us know.

Please find the attached orientation session schedule for Prep 2025. This is specifically for new students who have already confirmed their acceptance of offer. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the office. We are looking forward to welcoming our new Preps at our orientation sessions.

School closure dates for your diary

Friday November 1, Monday November 4, Tuesday November 5 (Melbourne Cup Day).  Students resume Wednesday November 6.

Statements for the remaining balance of this year's school fees will be sent out to those families not on a direct debit at the end of this week.  If you have any queries or do not receive your statement please contact the office or email kcarew@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au

School Fee information for 2025 will been sent to all families via PAM next week. If you hold a concession card in 2025, we kindly request you complete the relevant forms that will be attached and return them to the school office along with a copy of your card.

If you are already on a direct debit payment and there are no changes to your details, the direct debit will continue for 2025.

If you have any queries please email kcarew@stjwonthaggi.catholic.edu.au

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 Friday November 22 for processing.

Conveyance Allowance Application

Weekday Masses:

Tuesday Our Lady Star of the Sea, Inverloch 11:00a.m.
Wednesday 9:30am St. Joseph’s Wonthaggi
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: For the deceased clergy of the Diocese of sale. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. “May they rest in peace.”

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.

Mission Sunday Special Collection will be held on the weekend 19/20 Oct. Envelopes are available in the foyer this weekend.

Parish Luncheon will be held on Sunday 27th Oct 12noon at Wonthaggi Workman’s Club. Place name on list at either church or contact Denise Jeffries 0419 721 433 Maureen Maartenz 0407 055 447  or Julie DeBondt 0407 535 032

Prayer Shawl Group next Meeting: Wednesday 16th October @ 10.30 in the Inverloch Church Annex. Our group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month for a cuppa & chat while creating Rugs & Shawls that are later blessed at Mass , wrapped & passed on to those who may be struggling with life in any way. New mem-bers are always welcome. A special THANK YOU to those people who cannot make the meetings but continue to knit & crochet at home . Wool & patterns are freely available. Please also note the new storage cabinet in the Quiet Room at the Wonthaggi Church. For Enquiries: Philippa Warby 0408 331 340 Maureen Maartensz 0407 055 447

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 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

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 Ann on 03 56 72111 or 04999 15 784.

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

Now that Soccer, Football and Netball season have finished why not come and try Little Athletics in Wonthaggi.

When: starting Saturday 12^th of October

Time: 8.30am – 11am

We cater for age groups from under 6 to under 16.

Little Athletics is a good foundation for all sports and important life skills. Our aim is to provide an opportunity for children to be involved in physical activities in a fun and family orientated atmosphere where the emphasis is on individuals achieving their personal best regardless of their ability level.

The Wonthaggi Little Athletics Centre has and continues to produce some fine athletes who have competed at State and National levels over many years. Another of our aims is to continue this success and provide opportunities for athletes to pursue their athletic development beyond their childhood and early teenage years.

Like us on Facebook.  Feel free to ask any questions via Facebook messenger.

To register go to https://lavic.com.au/membership/

We hope to see you soon