NEWSLETTER

Term 3 has been a very busy one for the R/1s! We kicked off the term by celebrating 100 Days of School, with the children dressing up in fun and creative outfits. We also marked STEM Open Day by making our very own volcanoes. Book Week was another highlight, full of exciting activities. In addition, the R/1s had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Farm Barn in Hahndorf, where they got to learn about animals and farm life.

Catholic identity 

In the last newsletter I provided the school community with some background information on our school Josephite Tradition. Below is further information on what it means for us here at St Joseph’s to be a part of the Josephite Tradition.

Being part of a Josephite Tradition means that as a community everyone is treated with dignity. Mary Mackillop believed that God, in Jesus, called her and the sisters of St Joseph to show reverence for the dignity of all people. Mary MacKillop’s reverence for all people meant she was incapable of ’giving up’ on anyone.

Today in our school community, we support families by reducing fees if required, helping with uniforms and providing lunch for children whose families may be experiencing financial difficulties. School canteen coordinator Rebecca Allen makes pasta sauce each fortnight for St Vincent DePaul Fred’s Van. The sauce is delivered by APRIM Simon McCullough and used to provide meals to the homeless in the city centre. 

Being part of a Josephite Tradition means that as a community we most support the people who are poor and marginalized. For Mary MacKillop those who were the most ‘Needy’ in our world come first. Mary Mackillop and the sisters established “bush schools” and later as needs arose, orphanages, refuges, and other services for those most vulnerable in the society of their time. Mary MacKillop was an extraordinary woman of action and her response was a practical one. Small acts upon small acts make a big difference over time. 

Today in our school community, we teach children to reach out and support those in need. To grow into people who have a sense of the common good in our society. We teach them that we use our gifts and talents to support people who are poor, people who are less fortunate. We do this through Project Compassion, St Vincent De Paul and Walk a Mile in My Boots to name a few.

Curriculum News

I have included two mathematical tasks which you might like to have a go at with your child/children.

This week’s Mathematical tasks:

Reception to Year 3

Draw a clock and show on it the time you wake up each morning.

What are some things you do each day between 5:00pm and 6:30pm?

Years 4-6

The time is now 35 minutes after 8 0’clock. Show this time in as many ways as you can.

A round of golf takes 4 hours and 10 minutes to complete. What might be suitable starting and finishing times? List as many possibilities as you can.

Happy inquiry.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

This year many of our children have once again taken up the opportunity to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. The challenge closed on Friday September 5 with children needing to have their Premier’s Reading Challenge Student Reading Record forms handed into the front office by this date.

Later this year Premier’s Reading Challenge medals and certificates will be presented to all children who participated in the challenge as part of our whole school assembly.

Happy reading.

Multicultural Day

On Wednesday September 10 we held our annual multicultural day. The day provided the school with an opportunity to celebrate our Multiculturalism. Children had the opportunity to come to school dressed in their traditional cultural dress as part of the celebration. Several activities were planned for the day by a group of our senior students and supported by APRIM Simon McCullough. A big thank you to all the Parents and Carers who joined our celebration.

Father’s Day Breakfast

On Friday September 5 we held our annual Father’s Day breakfast adjacent to the Parent Centre from 8:15am. APRIM Simon McCullough, and I prepared breakfast for all dads and granddads to enjoy before heading off to work. It was great to see many of our fathers and even some grandfathers join us.

Touch Rugby Carnival

On Friday 5 September, 46 of our children had the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Catholic Schools Touch Rugby carnival. Specialist PE teacher Daniel Nguyen has been preparing children for the event. Our children enjoyed the experience.

Catholic Schools Music Festival Choir

30 of our children have been preparing since Term One for the upcoming Catholic Schools Music Festival Choir to be held at the Festival Theatre on Monday September 22. Choir coordinator Janine Meyer and classroom teacher Matt Pick have spent many hours working with the choir throughout the year in preparation for the event. The Catholic Schools Music Festival Choir is held during the last week of Term Three each year. It is a wonderful advertisement for Catholic Education in South Australia. A big thank you to Janine and Matt for all their efforts in preparing our children for this year’s event.

Water the Original Cool Drink

Soft drinks, fruit drinks, cordial, flavoured mineral waters, sports drinks, energy drinks and fruit juice all contain water. But they also contain sugar and sometimes caffeine, so they are not good choices for kids to have everyday.

If kids regularly drink these sugar sweetened drinks instead of water it may cause tooth decay and they could put on excess weight. So limit sweet drinks and choose water instead.

• Water, as a drink is good for:-
• Your teeth - most tap water in South Australia has added fluoride and that helps to prevent tooth decay
• Your budget - tap water is free.
• Your health - replacing some sugary drinks with water reduces overall kilojoule (calorie) intake and helps to avoid excessive weight gain

We know that plain tap water as a drink is healthy and free and important for our bodies to function, but what other healthy drinks can we try? Some ideas include:

• Add slices of cucumber or mint leaves to water jugs for a different flavour
• Plain milk contains calcium which is good for teeth and bones and important for growing children
• Add ice or straws to water for crunch and fun

To learn more about how you can support the wellbeing of your child, visit Be You (formerly Beyond Blue). The website also provides a range of resources and ideas to support the mental health and wellbeing of our young people. I encourage you to visit the website at https://beyou.edu.au/and have a look for yourself.

Kiss and Drop Zone Speed Limit 10km per Hour.

A reminder that the school Kiss and Drop Zone along Rosewater Terrace has a speed limit of 10km per hour. Please ensure you observe the speed limit when using the Kiss and Drop Zone as this is an area where children are entering and exiting the school in large numbers.

A reminder also that the school Kiss and Drop Zone is not a place to park your car if you need to enter the school grounds as this holds up all incoming and outgoing traffic. It also leads to children exiting their cars on Rosewater Terrace and having to manoeuvre between traffic, raising further safety concerns. If you need to come into the school grounds, parking is available along Rosewater Terrace and on Ina Avenue.

Thank you in anticipation of your support with these important safety matter.

Audiri App

To keep up to date with what is happening within our school along with upcoming school events why not download the AudiriApp from the App Store on your mobile phone. Once downloaded simply search St Joseph’s School, Ottoway and add to your Audiri page. Many of our families currently use the Audiri App to keep up to date with what is happening across our school.

Diary Dates

Term 3 Concludes - 3:00pm Thursday September 25.

Friday September 26 is a school directed non-teaching day. OSHC is available for children requiring care. See Mieke to make a booking.

Term 4 Commences - 8:45am Monday October 13.

May God continue to bless all our families throughout Term 3.

Working in partnership with you.

Shaun O’Leary.

Parent Centre - near the office entrance

Please make yourself comfortable and help yourself to tea, coffee and biscuits.

The room will be open most days 8:25am and 2:30pm

As part of our Multicultural Day celebrations, students enjoyed an energetic and engaging Indian and African Cultural Dance Workshop. Led by talented instructors Marc and Mudra, the workshop introduced students to traditional rhythms, movements, and the rich cultural significance behind each dance.

It was a fantastic opportunity for students to learn, move, and celebrate the vibrant cultures of India and Africa.

Celebrating Educator’s Day at St Joseph's Ottoway

Last week, we celebrated Educator’s Day - a special occasion to honour the heart and soul of our school: our amazing education support staff. It was a moment to pause and reflect on the dedication, care, and passion our educators bring each and every day.

To show our appreciation, each educator was gifted a coloured Fressko cup - a stylish, sustainable way to enjoy their favourite drinks - and a hot chocolate stick for a well-deserved sweet treat. These small tokens were a warm thank you for the big difference they make in the lives of our students.

We hope they enjoyed the surprise and felt the gratitude of our entire school community.

Thank you to all our educators for the incredible work you do. You inspire, lead, and shape the future - one student at a time.

Today, our school celebrated Multicultural Day with vibrant cultural dance performances and a shared lunch. Students and staff came together to honour the many backgrounds that make up our community. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate diversity, learn from one another, and enjoy a sense of unity through food, music, and movement.

Thank you to all who contributed to this meaningful and enjoyable day!

A friendly reminder that school fees are due by the end of Term 4 2025.

Please see Kali Brown our Finance Office if you require assistance with this.

Goodstart Angle Park currently have vacancies in the Nursery (0-2), Toddler 1 (2-2.5) and Toddler 2 (2.5-3 years) rooms.