NAPLAN Update 

We have received an update from Carmel Tapley, a CSO Education Officer, that due to a number of data irregularities NAPLAN results will be released next week.  Once we receive results, we will send them home with the students.  Our school executive and writing coaches, Leanne Skinner and Nicola Matheson, will be attending an afternoon NAPLAN analysis workshop to identify our school strengths and areas to focus on based on our 2019 data.  Please consider that your child’s results are representative of one test on one day.  If you have any questions about the report, please arrange an appointment to see your child’s teacher.  To assist with understanding your child’s report, please visit https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/individual-student-reports-faqs.pdf?sfvrsn=2  

Public Speaking 

Public Speaking continues to be a focus in Term 3.  By now students have participated in class, grade and stage competitions.  Early next week we will know which five students from each stage will present at the school based Public Speaking Competition.  Our school competition is going to be held on Tuesday, 24 September.  Parents, particularly those who have children speaking, are welcome to join us.  Once our talented public speakers are finalised, more information will be passed on to their parents. 

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) 

Our journey towards becoming a Positive Behaviour for Learning school is well underway.  PBL is a comprehensive, integrated whole school approach to student wellbeing and behaviour.  PBL is a process that supports school leadership teams to create positive learning environments that enable student learning and wellbeing.  All St Joseph staff, in particular our PBL committee, have spent many hours laying the foundation for our school wide approach to positive behaviour.  We hope to shortly formally introduce all students to our school mascot, Dash the Dolphin.  Dash will help us unpack our four behavioural expectations: 

• Act Safely 
• Be Respectful 
• Care for All  
• Do You Best 

We are currently receiving quotes for visual signage of Dash and the four expectations around the school.  Students will also shortly receive information around how we are going to be using tokens to reward positive behaviour as we see it.  These tokens will be collected in colour house groups and special rewards will be given throughout the term for leading houses.  In regard to supporting students who make poor choices we have developed a framework that is comprehensive and explicit around the procedures we will follow.  This will help ensure consistency when working through particular incidents.  This too will be shared with students and parents in the near future.  Introducing a new initiative like this is a lengthy process as we would like to make sure it is implemented correctly to ensure it is sustainable over time. 

Student Council

Our Student Council had a very productive meeting last week! It was great to have the Semester 2 Councillors together to brainstorm different initiative ideas they

have.  Students suggested ideas such as  

• A pump for the sporting equipment
• Changing the bell music
• Including an electric piano in the school band
• More stable soccer goals
• Bringing back Fan Dangles in the school canteen

Student Councillors have formed small teams to work on the above ideas and will report back to the group at the next meeting. 

At the meeting students also had a look at the PBL Response Strategies Flowchart and suggested very reasonable ideas for ways we can encourage all students to do the right things at school.  Overall, a very productive meeting.  Thank you Councillors!

Term 3 Progress Reports 

As we are coming towards the end of Term 3, class teachers are filling out Progress Reports.  These Progress Reports aim to give parents an understanding of their child’s effort and application as well as their child’s interest and motivation across all Key Learning Areas.  Progress Reports will be made available to parents on Friday, 20 September 2019.  Please take the time to read over the report with your child and discuss their strengths and possibly areas of focus.  If you would like to discuss a particular area of your child’s effort and application at school, please arrange an interview time with your child's class teacher.

Year 6 St Pius X Sports Day 

On Thursday, the 5th of September Year 6 went to St Pius X for a sports day. There were a lot of different schools there and we were all assigned Year 10 leaders to help and guide us around the school. Throughout the day we did 12 different sports. All the sports were really good, but my favourite two sports were dodge ball and golden child (a modified basketball game). All the teachers and student made us feel very welcome. I had a really good day at St Pius X and I am very excited to go there next year! - Daisy Breasley

On Thursday the 5th of September Year Six went to St Pius X for a fun day of sports, an opportunity to make new friends and a chance to eat yummy food from the Pius canteen as well as having a delicious sausage sizzle and a juice popper. There were many different schools from around Newcastle and we were each put in school groups with a Year 10 student to show us around the school and walk us to each different tabloid sport. Throughout the day we got to play 12 different sports but the 2 sports that stood out the most to me were street netball and beach volleyball. 

With each sport we played a group from another school played with us and throughout the day we each met new people that we might go to school with next year. All the teachers and the students at St Pius X made us all feel welcome. I had a great day at St Pius X and can’t wait to go to school there next year. - Avalon Amodio