FROM THE PRINCIPAL
It continues to be my absolute privilege to be Principal, at St. Joseph’s School, Kingswood and I have enjoyed every minute of the successes and challenges we have faced this year. 2020 has been a year of continuing to develop and grow our school community. In addition to a very comprehensive curriculum program and outstanding teachers, we have offered such a huge diversity of co and extra curricula offerings that enrich your children’s life and learning, in Music and the Arts, in Sport, enrichment, TOEP, camps and excursions, our new STEM program, etc. I believe that the opportunities offered by our school are outstanding for a school of this size. What makes an education at St. Joseph’s Kingswood so special, though, is the Catholic community in which we all come together in life and faith. I am proud of our school community, and excited by the opportunities the future holds, as we look ahead to exciting new developments in 2021.
I am extremely proud of the achievements in our school community during 2020. We have been able to respond in an agile and professional manner to the demands of the COVID-19 Pandemic, maintaining a strong and safe learning and well-being program for all children and, importantly, keeping the trust and cooperation of the whole school community. An important aspect of the management of this pandemic has been our response to those families experiencing financial hardship, with full remissions given for those who needed, Tuition free term 3 enrolment, and an overall fee reduction for the whole community for 2021 and the foreseeable future.
During the upheaval of COVID, we have been able to deliver two major infrastructure programs, which have and will profoundly change the overall running of our school community for many years. Like everybody, I am very excited about the beginning of 2021 and the opening of our new Library, classrooms and administration centre, and the nature playground has been a huge hit!
In a year of uncertainty and change, we have managed an overall net increase in enrolments. This has been an outstanding result and both reinforces the decision to support the employment of a Marketing and Enrolment Officer and is validation of Bianca’s hard work over the past 18 months. Our projected enrolment for 2022 is also strong, and this is encouraging for our long term planning.
From a learning perspective, I have been very impressed with the capacity of our staff to respond to the demand to create the capacity for remote learning experiences, as well as continuing to deliver excellent teaching and learning for all children. We are very blessed here at St. Joseph’s to have high quality teaching and support staff.
This year, we introduced a dedicated STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths) curriculum for the first time. I want to acknowledge and thank MsKirstiee Wicks for her efforts in bringing the STEM curriculum to life and creating a strong platform for future years. The children all very much enjoyed this new opportunity, and I am pleased to confirm the program will continue in 2021.
Our teachers have continued to develop their professional skills as educators through a range of learning opportunities which, ultimately lead to better outcomes for your children. This year, we continued to focus on improving the quality of our teaching through a strong focus on the teaching of phonics, including the continuation of the MultiLit Tier 3 Intervention program. We also continued our focus on making learning visible, through work with Corwin Australia.
The students of our community are a real credit to you as families. They are polite, respectful, dedicated and hardworking and they make a wonderful contribution to the school in so many ways. We are very proud of all of our students and we look forward to continuing with them on their learning journeys next year. I want to particularly acknowledge the leadership of our year 6 children, who have taken on many roles in the community this year. These young people are an inspiration to us all, with their generosity, helpfulness, goodwill and leadership. We are privileged to have such wonderful young people in our midst.
Thank you to all families who have made such an important contribution this most difficult of years. We have enjoyed getting to know you all both formally and informally in so many ways. A dedicated group of parent volunteers has led the community in a variety of fun and fundraising initiatives this year and these events have strongly contributed to the community feel of our school. My thanks to Makella Holden, Katie Routley and all the members of the P&F for their continued support of our school community-even in challenging times.
The school Board have done a brilliant job once again this year. It has been a privilege to work with a committed and professional group of people throughout the year as we took responsibility for the effective governance of the school. I would like to particularly acknowledge the continuing positive leadership of Board chair, Mr Jon Fox. Jon’s experience and capacity for leadership, and his personal support of my leadership have been greatly appreciated. Jon’s tenure on the school Board comes to a close this year, and while Jon will continue as interim chair until our AGM next year, he will then step down, as his children move on to Secondary School. Jon and the whole Fox family have made an indelible impression on the St Joseph’s Kingswood community for many years and we sincerely thank them for their service.
I would like to acknowledge also, the fantastic work, and support of Mr Jamie Deverson as Deputy Principal and both Mrs Emma Begg and Mrs Christine Farrugia who performed the role as APRIM during 2020. Jamie, Emma and Christine are highly capable leaders, and innovative and contemporary thinkers and enthusiastic and energetic people who have made a very strong positive impression in our community. I am very much looking forward to our continued work together. My sincere thanks also to the other members of our leadership team – Ms Basia Stecuik – Early Years Director of Learning and Mrs Emma Beggg-Primary Years Director of Learning. Both Basia and Emma have worked very hard in their roles this year, and have provided outstanding support to Jamie, Christine and myself.
For many families, this will be their last year at St Joseph’s Kingswood. Firstly, to all year 6 students and families who are leaving us and moving on, it has been our pleasure to have you as a part of our community and we wish you every future success and happiness. There are also a number of other families who will be finishing their time with us this year. Your contribution to our community is greatly appreciated and we wish you every happiness in your future endeavours. Please know that you will always have a home at St Joseph’s Kingswood.
To Fr Michael, Fr Bob, Sister Jasmine and all parish leaders and parishioners, thank you for your wonderful support of all children and families, and your support of the school. To the staff, I sincerely thank you for your professionalism, genuine care for the children, as well as your friendship and good humour. To our wonderful children-thank you all for being the best versions of yourselves all year!
This week, we say goodbye to Mrs Elizabeth Bello, who will take up a teaching position at St Raphael’s Parkside for 2021. We sincerely thank Elizabeth for her contribution to St Joseph’s Kingswood during 2020 and wish her every future happiness.
In other staffing news, as some of you are aware - we are having a third Reception class next year (in what is currently the Office for a few more days) and we are thrilled to welcome Mrs Tania Montin as the teacher of our additional Reception class. Tania is joining us from St Thomas School, Goodwood - with a wealth and passion for Early Years education. Please make sure you introduce yourself next year when you see Tania in the yard.
On behalf of everyone at St Joseph’s Kingswood, we wish you a very Happy and Holy Christmas and all of the joy and new opportunities a New Year brings. We look forward to what will hopefully be a far more settled year in 2021!
God bless,
Phil