Pastoral care is grounded in the Gospel and Scriptures, finding strength in the person of Jesus Christ. The responsibility of care is entrusted to all members of the school community. It is integrated into all areas of education, including the PBL approach outlined above, and operates with a sense of love, justice and fairness to all.
The Pastoral Care Policy at St Joseph’s, Charlestown reflects our Mission and Vision Statement and is guided by the following principles.
- Parents are the first and foremost educators of their children. The staff can support parents and provide positive reinforcement to the family as the true context of the education process.
- We nurture the whole child towards achieving full potential. The pursuit of academic excellence is not our only goal. The development of the spiritual, social, emotional and intellectual dimensions of each child is sought and encouraged.
- The person of Jesus Christ is our model. Our challenge is to strive to emulate Jesus in our personal example given to students and to develop and maintain structures that respect the value of the human person.
- We recognise that Gospel values should be reflected in the practices, structures and procedures.
- We must actively live the values of Christianity in our interpersonal relationships so that the correct values are passed on to our children.
At St Joseph’s we aim to provide a climate of pastoral care committed to:
- Catering sensitively for the needs of all children
- Offering a caring and safe school environment where quality relationships and wellbeing are encouraged
- Encouraging positive attitudes towards discipline and responsibility
- Operating reflectively, gaining perspective and centring on human values and aspirations
- Providing quality pastoral care programs (Seasons for Growth)
- Fostering effective networks of care at school, parish, community and diocesan level
- Providing and coordinating supportive structures in terms of organisation, policies, procedures and practices.
As a Catholic school, St Joseph’s shares in the mission of the Catholic Church. Christ’s commandment, “to love one another as I have loved you” is the basis of all faith communities. Pastoral care gathers all the qualities and practices within a community that seek to make this commandment real.
Our Staff
Executive Team
Our school’s executive team consists of the principal, assistant principal, Religious Education co-ordinator and the primary co-ordinator.
Class Teachers
There are 12 classes from Kindergarten to Year 6. Among the teachers is a wide range of experience and skills. We also have a specialist music teacher who provides relief from face-to-face teaching for all members of the teaching staff.
Support Teachers
We have other teachers allocated to our school who provide further support to the classroom teachers. These include a teacher librarian, and an English as a second language (EAL/D) teacher.
Pastoral Care Worker
As of Term 2 2020, St Joseph’s will employ a Pastoral Care Worker (PCW) three days each week. This role is available due to funding through the government’s National Chaplaincy program. The role of the Pastoral Care Worker is to support the staff and students during the school week. The Pastoral Care Worker will support programs such as ‘Seasons for Growth’, the Mini Vinnies group, ‘SJC Cares’ Meals Committee as well as Parish outreach activities. The Pastoral Care Worker is available to nurture and care for all involved in the school and wider community.
Learning Support Team
St Joseph’s Primary School, Charlestown provides students with a learning support teacher, and six learning support assistants. The learning support team work to support the pastoral and academic needs of the students.
Clerical Staff
Our clerical staff members are available from 8.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday to ensure your enquiries to the office are dealt with as efficiently as possible.
Clinical Psychologist
St Joseph’s has the services of a clinical psychologist, provided through the Catholic Schools Office. The psychologist provides support with academic and social assessments. Recommendations are made to assist parents and teachers to cater for the ongoing educational needs of the students.