Week 8, Term 3 2024

Ananda, the beloved disciple of the Buddha, once asked his teacher about the place of friendship in the spiritual journey. “Master, is friendship half of the spiritual life?” he asked. And the teacher responded, “Nay, Ananda, friendship is the whole of the spiritual life.”

-from 40 Stories to Stir the Soul by Joan Chittister-

Love is something learned only by the long, hard labour of life. It is sometimes over before we’ve ever known we ever had it. We sometimes destroy it before we appreciate it. We often take it for granted. Every love, whatever happens to it in the long run, teaches us more about ourselves, our needs, our limitations, and our self-centeredness than anything else we can ever experience. As Aldous Huxley wrote: “There isn’t any formula or method. You learn by loving.”

But sometimes, if we’re lucky, we live long enough to grow into it in such a way that because of it we come to recognise the value of life. As the years go by, we come to love flowers and cats and small infants and old ladies and the one person in life who knows how hot we like our coffee. We learn enough about love to allow things to slip away and ourselves to melt into the God whose love made all of it possible. Sometimes we even find a love deep enough, gentle enough, tender enough to detach us from the foam and frills of life, all of which hold us captive to things that cannot satisfy. Sometimes we live long enough to see the face of God in another. Then, in that case, we have loved.

Let us be grateful for the gift of Love.

As we near the end of Term 3, there is a familiar feeling of fatigue setting in among both staff and students. With the weather beginning to warm up, the end of the term is slowly coming into view. Last Thursday, September 12, we marked R U OK? Day, this National Day of Action is dedicated to encouraging conversations that can change lives. However, we are reminded that asking "R U OK?" is not just for one day but every day of the year. At St Joseph's School Barmera, we are deeply committed to the wellbeing of our community. We use trauma-informed practice to strengthen relationships and foster a supportive environment. Our staff, trained in the Resilient IMPACT program through our partnership with the Life Buoyancy Institute, are dedicated to being mindful teachers who intentionally respond to the unique growth needs of each student.

The month of September is the Church’s season of Creation. The Season of Creation, which began on September 1 and concludes on October 4 with the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, is a time for Catholics and all people to reflect on the sacredness of our environment and our shared responsibility to protect it. Initiated by Pope Francis in 2015, highlighting the urgent call for ecological stewardship as articulated in his encyclical Laudato Si'. The 2024 theme, "To Hope and Act with Creation," inspires us to cultivate hope and take concrete steps for our planet’s future. By educating ourselves and engaging in activities that promote environmental care, we fulfill our duty to shine our light in caring for our Common Home, ensuring a healthier future for all.

At St Joseph's School in Barmera, our Laudato Si' goal during this Season of Creation is to reduce rubbish from our lunchboxes by encouraging everyone to bring "nude food." Nude food is simply food that is not wrapped in foil, plastic, or commercial packaging. It is a wonderful way for students to think about their impact on the environment and their health. The best nude food is fresh, healthy, nutritious, and environmentally friendly. Preparing and bringing nude food helps children reflect on what they eat and how it affects the world around them. By sending nude food in your child's lunchbox, you help reinforce the positive learning experiences we provide at school and support our shared commitment to caring for our Common Home.

On Sunday, September 1, St Joseph's School Barmera came alive with joy and excitement as we celebrated our 70th Birthday! The day was filled with gratitude and reflection, honouring seven decades of faith, learning, and community. The celebrations began with a special mass, led by Bishop Karol, where students and staff played an active role with live music, readings, and prayers. Following the mass, the festivities continued with a gathering filled with laughter, stories, and a shared meal that brought together past and present students, staff, families, and friends. There were displays, photographs, and anecdotes that captured the rich history and spirit of our school. A heartfelt thank you to all the students who participated in the mass, the members of the organising committee for their hard work and dedication, and everyone who joined us to mark this special day. It was a beautiful testament to the enduring legacy of St Joseph's School Barmera and the vibrant community that continues to make it a special place for all.

In week 9, our Minnie Vinnies group is hosting a sleep-out fundraiser to support Barmera's St Vincent de Paul and assist locals in need. The event aims to raise vital funds and awareness for those less fortunate in our community. To extend the impact of this fundraiser, we are having a special casual day on Friday, featuring a free lunch organised by our Parents and Friends, followed by a fun and vibrant colour run. This exciting event not only supports a great cause but also fosters school spirit and community engagement. Looking ahead to Week 10, we will come together for Sports Day at St Francis of Assisi College, celebrating athleticism and teamwork in a day full of competitive and cooperative activities.

We’re also excited to share that our Whole School Musical, Robin and the Sherwood Hoodies, will be performed on  Thursday October 24. Students have been working hard on this production all year under the guidance of Ms Petty, and every student and staff member is involved. We look forward to performing for you and showcasing our student's talents and hard work.

As we approach the final two weeks of the term, I encourage all parents and caregivers to support your children in taking care of themselves during this busy period. Ensuring that they get enough rest and eat nutritious food will help them stay energized, focused and committed to their learning goals as we finish strong before the holidays. Your support in these final weeks before the holidays is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your continued partnership.

Nanda de Winter

Principal

At St Joseph's School Barmera we value the strong engagement between parents, caregivers, and our school, recognising it as essential to our students' wellbeing and success. Productive communication is a cornerstone of our positive school culture, supported by digital tools like Seesaw, social media, and the school website. However, while these tools have made communication more efficient, they can also create an "availability creep," where school employees become more accessible outside of regular working hours, on weekends, or even during periods of leave when they should have the opportunity to disconnect from work. Recent updates to the Fair Work Act have introduced a new "right to disconnect" for school employees, which allows them to decline contact outside their working hours. While emergencies will still warrant after-hours contact, employees are not required to monitor, read, or respond to communications from employers or third parties, in our case parents and caregivers, outside of their designated working hours.

To respect our staff's right to disconnect and promote healthy communication, we are implementing the following protocol during term time:

• Staff will endeavour to respond to parent and caregiver communications within 48 hours, understanding that urgent matters may require a shorter response time.
• For general information, we encourage parents and caregivers to contact the school front office first.

We kindly ask for your understanding and support in respecting these guidelines, ensuring that our staff can maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives. Thank you for your cooperation and continued partnership in supporting our school community.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a survival response, and in general it is normal and helpful – anxiety is what tells us to look both ways before crossing the street, or to leave situations that aren’t good for us. When anxiety becomes a problem, our minds start to think that our feelings are dangerous and we react to them as if they were a life threatening emergency that we need to avoid. So when we feel something uncomfortable – if we’re nervous or disappointed or sad – our mind focuses on finding a way to make those feelings go away. This is why when we’re anxious, we become fixated or worried about something that needs to happen, or we start dwelling on what we could have done differently. 

Signs of anxiety in primary aged children

Source The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne

How can I support my child if they are anxious?

We want to help our children see that anxiety fall on a spectrum, that most people experience it to various degrees throughout their lives, and that they can help themselves by soothing their own emotions in the moment. We want to focus on being their coach, not their rescuer. If we fix the "problem" for them, they won’t learn this skill of responding supportively to their own feelings. When we help them soothe their emotion and do things for themselves that boost their mood, they become more empowered with their experiences, and this will help them cope with any future hurdles they may face.

If your child is showing ongoing signs of anxiety, you can support them at home in the following ways:

• Encourage your child to talk about their feelings and let you know when they get overwhelmed. It might help to explain these feelings are common – we all feel worried or scared sometimes.
• If there is a particular situation your child finds challenging, support them to gradually do the thing that makes them anxious.
• Make a practical plan together for coping with anxious feelings in the future, such as breathing techniques or reassuring phrases to focus on.
• Take time out to have fun together and take the focus off feelings of anxiety.
• Help your child to have healthy routines that include enough good-quality sleep, regular outdoor exercise, eating well and avoiding excessive screen time.
• Prioritise your child attending school. Attending and participating in school will help your child develop important skills and knowledge to help them learn, as well as building their social and emotional skills.