17 October 2023 (Term 4 Week 2)

Principal's News

Dear St Joseph’s Community

Well, we are off and running for Term Four, which is shaping up to be an exceptionally busy term! It has been excellent to have students return so ready to learn after the holiday break, and I commend all of our students for how well they have recommenced their studies this term. 

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION

This Sunday’s Gospel, Matthew 22:1-14, presents us with the parable of the wedding feast. In this heartfelt narrative, God, much like a king, invites everyone to His grand banquet. However, not all are ready or willing to attend. For our young learners, this parable serves as a gentle reminder about the significance of being prepared and receptive. Just as we prepare for our assessments or a school play, it's essential to be ready when God calls us, welcoming His teachings with an open heart. It's our mission to not only equip our students academically but also spiritually. Let’s inspire them to always be prepared, to embrace the endless opportunities for growth, and to remember that every day is a chance to respond to God’s loving invitation.

LEARNING AND TEACHING DIRECTIONS FOR 2024

Over the year, we have worked with our staff to develop our Strategic Plan and to implement the revised NSW Curriculum, introduced into K-2 this year for Mathematics and English. We have worked hard to analyse our data, to understand the realities of the new curriculum and to discern what is working well in our classrooms. 

OUR LEARNINGS FROM STAGE 1 

This journey over the year has led us to consider the current approach to learning and teaching, particularly the open-plan, flexible learning, Stage-based model that has been employed for some time at St Joseph’s. In Stage 1, the progressive nature of the new curriculum (with the content of each year level building on the learning of the previous year level) has already necessitated a change in how our classrooms look. 

In Stage 1, students are generally in year-based groups for both the English and Mathematics blocks in the morning and middle sessions, with the middle classroom door shut. This allows the learning to be targeted specifically to the learning needs of the students. It also allows students to build a strong relationship with one of their teachers, who they work with for a significant part of the day. After the Mathematics block, the middle classroom doors are opened, and students work together as a Stage on other KLAs of the curriculum, such as Religious Education, History, Geography, PDHPE and Creative Arts. 

This approach has worked very well for our Stage 1 teachers and students. It allows us to implement the new curriculum with rigour and fidelity at the right level for all students. It also allows us to engage with team teaching approaches, with more opportunities for group work, when teaching the other KLAs.

MOVING FORWARD FOR 2024

Our work in unpacking the new Mathematics and English curriculum for Years 3-6, (to be implemented in 2024), has confirmed for us that the curriculum has been designed around a clear progression of learning from one year level to the next. 

To ensure we implement the curriculum successfully, from 2024, we will be replicating the model used in Stage 1 from K-6. Each year group will have a teacher assigned to them. This teacher will take the year-level class for both the English and Mathematics blocks and also for the Personal Development and Health component of the PDHPE course (which has a strong pastoral focus). After English, Mathematics and PDH, the class dividers can be opened to allow the teachers to team-teach the other Key Learning Areas and to engage students in pedagogies where students work collaboratively. 

This decision has been arrived at after significant discernment and engagement with our wellbeing and academic data and with the research. I am confident that this approach allows our teachers to build strong, positive relationships with students in a year group and for the new curriculum to be delivered as effectively as possible while still allowing some opportunities for students to engage with other students in their Stage in a more flexible environment. We’ll review this approach in 2024. 

The image below provides an example of how this would look for Stage 2. Stage 3 would look the same, with Years 5 and 6. 

FINALISATION OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN  

We have recently completed our discernment and the development of our 3-year Strategic Plan for 2024-2026. This has been a significant piece of work for our staff, involving much discussion, data analysis and planning across a number of key domains: Mission, Catholic Leadership, Pastoral Care, Learning and Teaching and Family and Community Partnerships. We look forward to sharing this plan with our parents at an upcoming Parish School Forum meeting to consider how our parents and community members can support our improvement efforts (see below). Our next step is to consider how we can move these goals forward through our Annual Improvement Plan for 2024.

PSF FORUM EVENINGS TERM 4

We have two upcoming Parish School Forum Evenings for 2023. 

The first, on 7 November, will focus on feedback and parent engagement with our Strategic Plan for 2024-2026. We invite our parents and carers to join us to discuss our key goals and how parents and community members can support this work. 

The second, on ​​15 November, will be facilitated by Janita Thomson from the Catholic Schools Office and will be focused on discerning the new model for parent engagement going forward. This continues the conversation that began last term. You can share your thoughts on the two models which are presented in the image below. More information can be accessed about the two models by following this link. Parents and carers are invited to indicate their preference for the new model via this survey link. 

Please indicate your intention to join us for either or both of these nights by completing this Google Form. 

WRITING IMPROVEMENT

Our teachers are continuing to map and track student progress in writing each fortnight. It has been so affirming to see our students showing growth in our areas of focus: composing with confidence and competence a variety of different sentence types. Our teachers and students are working so hard to improve their writing, and we are very proud of them! 

WEEKLY STUDENT ASSEMBLY
On Monday, we introduced a new student assembly into our weekly timetable. This is a short assembly each Monday morning that allows us to come together for whole-school prayer, to explain key events that are coming up this week, and, importantly, to focus on one of our four key school themes: Respect, Effort, Self-Responsibility and Safety. Each week, our Stage 3 leaders will outline these key themes for our students and will describe how students can exhibit this throughout the week.

This week, the focus is on Respect. Parents and carers can reinforce this key message of respect at home by encouraging their children to treat one another at home with respect and particularly by using manners. As Clarence Thomas once remarked, “Good manners will open doors that even the best education cannot.”

GARDINER CHESS TOURNAMENT

The Gardiner Chess Tournament will be held on Thursday, 2nd November 2023, hosted by our school. Registration is from 8.30 am to 9.15 am. Start at 9.30 am and finish around 2.30 pm. This Tournament is open to students in all Stages. To be eligible to attend, students should know the rules of chess and be able to play confidently. The cost of the Tournament is $15. Expressions of interest are due by Wednesday, 25th of October. Please complete this form to indicate your child's interest in this event. 

FAMILY DAY FEEDBACK

We’d love some feedback from families about the day. You can share your thoughts via this form. 

Learning & Teaching News

We are continuing to engage with the new syllabus for years 3-6 in preparation for full implementation in 2024. At our recent staff development day, we spent some time learning about the progression of learning from K-6 in Mathematics and also some mathematical tools and visual representations that will be used to engage students in their development of mathematical thinking. 

Here are some great resources for you and your child to explore different mathematical tools and visuals at home.

• Toy Theater
• Mathigon

Mission News

SOCKTOBER COLOURED SOCK DAY

This Friday 20th October, students are invited to wear their favourite coloured socks and bring along a gold coin donation to raise money for Catholic Mission’s Socktober fundraiser.

This money provides health support for vulnerable children in Timor-Leste. 

SOCKTOBER SOCCER SHOOTOUT 

Just a friendly reminder that students are invited to make their own soccer ball using recycled materials for a soccer shootout next Thursday, 26rd October. It is a gold coin donation to enter and there are Catholic Mission prizes for every person who scores a goal! There are lots of great ideas online to view with your child in creating their own soccer ball. It’s a fun challenge!

Here is a video link on how to make a ‘sockball’ for the shoot out.

Stage News

Family and friends are invited to the Stage 2 Playground Project Showcase Wednesday October 18th at 2:30-3:00pm in the Hall. The students have been working diligently in their STEM and Geography lessons planning, designing and building their models. We would love the opportunity to share these as the students and teachers are truly proud of their efforts. Thank you for bringing in supplies and your continued support.

Sport News

POLDING ATHLETICS

Last Friday, four of our students travelled to Sydney for Polding Athletics. We congratulate Brenden, Zeke, Sully and Hugo for their amazing efforts, and their commendable sportsmanship on the day. We are very proud of you all. Well done boys!

• Hugo placed 4th in the 8yr boys 100m finals 
• Brenden placed 5th in the 12yr boys 100m finals
• Zeke placed 1st in 11yr boys shotput and 3rd in the discus throw
• Sully placed 5th in Junior boys long jump

SUMMER SPORTS TRIALS

Last week, a number of Year 4 and 5 children competed in the Summer Sports Trials for the selected sports at school level. We congratulate the following children for their success in selection, and wish them luck as they compete at Zone trials over the next two weeks: 

• Touch Football - Maeve Crook, Lulu Barnes, Maggie Wilkie, Zeke Kubils, Sully Mitchell, Hugh Woolley, Dannon Pucci McDermott and Harry Hosking
• Tennis - Harry Hosking, Ethan Cox and Neo McElligott
• Basketball - Chloe White, Dannon Pucci McDermott and Wyatt Burton- Schmetzer
• Cricket - Harry Hosking and Hugh Woolley. 

SWIMMING

Later this term, all children will be participating in swimming sessions at the Alstonville pool. Kinder and Stage 1 will complete a week of Intensive Swimming, and Stage 2 and 3 will complete a swim safety session. 

The Compass events for these sessions will be sent out this week to allow plenty of time for any financial planning that may be required. Please contact myself, Linsey MacDonald, or your child's pastoral teacher, if you have any questions once this Event is received. 

Wellbeing News

THIS WEEK’S VALUE FOCUS: RESPECT

The school value of respect honours the inherent and God-given dignity of every individual. Respectful behaviour fosters an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding where students feel valued.

Respectful behaviour promotes a safe space where students can express themselves freely, learn from one another, and develop essential social skills. Mutual respect boosts emotional resilience and creates a supportive environment that enhances student wellbeing. We look forward to teaching our students more about respect this week and celebrating all the ways our students show respect every day.

Some of the ways in which our students demonstrate respect at St Joey’s are identified below. 

Celebrations

Happy birthday to these students who have celebrated their birthday since the last newsletter:

• Enzo Rudenauer
• Ruby O'Bryan
• Lara Tuckett
• Ethan Cox

Parish News

MASS TIMES

6:00 pm Saturday

8:30 pm  Sunday

Coming Events

Use the link above to see all of the coming events for Joeys!

Community News

QUESTACON IN THE COMMUNITY

Questacon is coming to Joey’s Monday the 30th of October to show us their latest and greatest STEM projects! They are also hosting Pop-up events, Questacon Science Centre in the following locations:

• Lismore: Saturday 4 November, 10 am – 4 pm Goonellabah Sports & Aquatic Centre (50 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah)
• Casino: Tuesday 7 November, 4 – 7 pm Casino Indoor Sports Stadium (Jersey St, Casino)
  

Join the Questacon Science Circus for a FREE pop-up science centre experience like no other! Come along to spin yourself dizzy, test your reflexes, explore your fingertips under the microscope, and watch some of our spectacular science shows. With over 30 hands-on exhibits, the Science Circus pop-up is a fantastic STEM day out for the whole family. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to ignite your curiosity!

•  This is a FREE event, but bookings are essential.
• Most people spend 1 – 2 hours at our pop-up.
• Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

 Hurry, book your FREE ticket now! ️ https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/Show.aspx?sh=QUESTPSC23

Daughters and Dads Football is back in 2023 with a program located at Geoff Watt Oval, Alstonville. We are searching for fathers/father-figures who want to strengthen the relationship they share with their primary aged daughters through the uniting power of football. Get ready for fun and engaging sessions over 9 weeks! Term 4 sessions run weekly for 90 minutes, covering skill development and interactive activities whilst spending quality time together. The program kicks off from Monday 16th October, and we hope to see you there!