ST JOSEPH'S INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC COLLEGE
MESSAGE FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Dear St. Joseph's International Catholic College Community,
It gives me great privilege and honor to join the St. Joseph's International Catholic College family as the new Primary School Principal. Our primary school is rich with different cultures, nationalities, religious affiliation and learning abilities. Converging into a lovely yet vibrant community of Pre-Schoolers to the lively and energetic grade sixes, the community of primary school is full of action and active learning.
With all the dynamism and uniqueness in our primary school community, we have a team of 42 committed staff members including the two Deputy Principals ensuring effective teaching and learning is delivered to over 600 primary school students.
Our college motto is ‘Courage to Act’ and we are a college of ‘Faith and Family’ hence, we are committed to prioritize learning areas that prepare students for life after school. As an international college with a respectable standing in the community, our students are required to conduct themselves with the highest level of discipline through their appearance and behavior. The community should see in our students the values they learn in school. ‘Courage to Act’ tests our resolve as staff and students to do the right thing even if we are a minority in the community where the status quo is widely accepted.
As a college of ‘Faith and Family’ we are challenged to teach basic values that we see missing in our society today. The values of respect, responsibility and resilience are foundational family principles that our students need. In many cases families find themselves in crowded homes living with extended families taking away the opportunity to have important family routines and values taught. This affects students’ development and leaves a lasting impact for life. As teachers and students, our actions and decisions have to align with the core values of the college and the Catholic church.
Catholic institutions like schools and health facilities are established to enhance the evangelization mission of the church. At St. Joseph’s International Catholic College, our mission is to teach essential Catholic values and beliefs centered on Christian living. In doing so, we ensure Catholic students in Grades 3, 4 and 6 are better prepared for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation respectively. In a society festered by acts of violence, crime and lack of respect for others and the rule of law, our Catholic institutions need to take the lead in forming and educating minds and hearts that will make a difference in the community. At St. Joseph’s International Catholic College we want to make this a reality under my leadership in the primary school.
May I also highlight a few very important notices for your information and action as we move to the final 6 weeks of
Term 1.
1. School drop off and Pick Up
It is now end of Week 6 Term 1 and I would like to request all parents and guardians that you drop off and pick up your children from the school gates except for Preschool. We will appreciate if you respect the staff and students learning space by abstaining from entering the classroom areas including corridors and allow the teachers to perform their duty in the mornings and afternoons. However, during wet weather we will still follow our wet weather procedures of drop off and pick from the classroom.
2. College Weekend Sports
Our College Weekend Sports will commence in Week 6 every Saturday and will be running for six weeks. Our first games will commence tomorrow Saturday 9th of March 2024. Thank you to parents who have given consent for their children to take part in the games. Please take your children along to enjoy the games and allow them to develop important social skills needed for their growth and learning progress.
3. School Uniforms
We have received a number of concerns from parents with regard to the difficulty in purchasing school uniforms for students. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience but we are working with the supplier to address this issue soon. I would like to seek your understanding and, in the meantime, continue to allow your children to come in uniforms they may have from last year.
4. Absences
I am appealing to everyone to be mindful of the absences of the children from school. Before a child moves to the next grade, it is important that they fulfill the required number of hours per subject in an academic year. Students who miss up to 30 days from school simply have not met the required instructional hours required to move to the next grade. High absences cause huge gaps in the students learning and eventually catches up with them in secondary school when fundamental topics are covered. As such, I encourage all parents and guardians to ensure your child comes to school every day so that they are properly prepared before moving to the next grade.
5. Punctuality
Being punctual is a fundamental value of life that says a lot about a person’s integrity and character. As a learning institution, we want to teach our students to learn the value of time in their life now and in the future. Therefore, it is important for our students to be at school by 7:45 a.m. so that they take part in important morning routines. These routines are part of our learning activities and students are required to be part of it.
I thank everyone for your continuous trust in St. Joseph’s International Catholic College and I look forward to working with you all this year and beyond.
Faithfully yours,
Victor Piniau
Principal Primary School