Dear Families and Friends,

The 8th of August is St Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day – a wonderful opportunity to reflect and give thanks for this brave Australian woman. Last week, leaders from St Joseph’s schools across South Australia gathered at Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre and Museum, in Kensington, where we reflected on Mary MacKillop’s life and how we can continue her legacy in leading our Josephite Schools.

Mary MacKillop opened schools and welcomed all. She fought tirelessly for the Sisters to continue their work. Her faith and vision gave her the courage to persevere even in the face of adversity.

As we gather this week during Catholic Education Week, I feel fortunate to work in a Catholic school. Being connected to a tradition and a core belief – In all things, Charity – brings a strong sense of purpose. This motto, originally written in Latin as Omnibus caritas, is often translated to In all things love. We draw on this motto when supporting children with behaviour, helping them understand why and how our Catholic schools are places of kindness, respect, and compassion.

Concussion Awareness Session – Protecting Our Kids

Luke Ivens – a parent, former SANFL player, and advocate for concussion awareness – presented a highly informative session on smart ways to prevent injuries, reduce risks, and build a safer sporting culture. Concussion is a hot topic in AFL and other sports, and many parents share concerns. Luke’s goal is to reduce concussions through awareness, prevention, and protection, while encouraging sport to be played in a safe environment. Click here for more info.

The conversation after the session was very positive, with many parents eager for their child to wear protective headgear. One of the most valuable discussions centred on what to do after a child sustains a concussion. At St Joseph’s Kingswood, we have clear guidelines to support a child’s Return to Learn following concussion. This may include avoiding PE and/or some playground activities for 21 days, monitoring concentration levels, and making adjustments to support learning.

As a parent of a young AFL player, I’m encouraging Jackson to wear the SWAARM Halo, and I hope it will become as common as the mouthguard – a standard part of the kit for contact sports.

Farewell to Vanessa Saccardo

Yesterday we farewelled Vanessa as she begins her maternity leave in preparation for the arrival of her little bundle of joy. We will miss Vanessa’s vivacious determination and her dedication to enabling every child to succeed. She has set us up for success and even left a checklist to keep us going while she is away!

Christine will be working full-time, continuing in the APRIM role while also leading Inclusive Education. Josh and Michael will carry forward our work in curriculum development.

We wish Vanessa all the very best and look forward to hearing her wonderful news in the coming weeks.

I hope like you, these sunny days are bringing some smiles to your day. Yesterday I spotted blossoms – a sure sign spring is on the way.

In all things Charity,

Jodie