30 April 2024 (Week 1 Term 2 2024)
Principal's News
Dear St Joseph’s Community
Welcome back after what we hope was a restful holiday break. After an eleven week term, a couple of weeks of rest before we recommence for Term 2 is welcome for staff and students alike.
I would like to thank our staff and students for the way they finished Term 1. Week 11, celebrating what it means to be a part of our large system of Catholic Education, was a lovely way to finish the term and a reminder of the hard work and sacrifices of those Catholic educators who started and staffed St Joseph’s over the years. We managed to complete our Cross Country on our third attempt (thanks Miss MacDonald and our many parent helpers). We were also fortunate to still have a revised format Community Celebration Day (thanks for organising this Mrs Jones). We look forward to finishing each term with a community celebration throughout the year.
We look forward to a term full of fun, learning and community spirit and thank our families for their support.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
In this Sunday’s Gospel, John 15:1-8, Jesus uses the powerful image of the vine and branches to illustrate our need to stay connected to Him for growth and fruitfulness. This analogy is a beautiful reminder of the importance of our connections - both with each other and with our core values. As we navigate through our school year, let's focus on strengthening these bonds. Just like branches that flourish when firmly attached to the vine, we thrive when we are rooted in our community and principles.
You are invited to listen to Bishop Greg’s Homily from Sunday’s Mass.
ANZAC DAY
On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers were part of the allied expedition seeking to capture the peninsula of Gallipoli. These soldiers became known as Anzacs, and it is these soldiers and all others who have sacrificed in service of our country in wars and conflicts that we commemorated on Thursday last week when we marched to the Alstonville War Memorial.
These moments of sharing and ritual are what binds our community together and they are important to share with our children. I thank our students and their families for giving up their time to march with our school on Thursday to mark this occasion. It is such a proud moment for our students to see how well-represented they are in the community at this event.
Congratulations to Eve Aveling from Year 2, whose poem was selected from among all the entries from all local schools, to be the winner of this year’s RSL Poetry Competition. Eve’s beautiful and haunting poem, describing the experiences of the first Anzacs, was recited at last week’s Anzac Day Service in Astonville.
On Monday, we held our school Anzac Day Ceremony. This was an important time to pause and remember the sacrifices of these soldiers so many years ago. We were fortunate to have Mr John Gordon and Mr John Porter from the Alstonville Sub Branch of the RSL attending to share his thoughts on the significance of Anzac Day. A huge thank you to Ms Kingsford for her work in preparing our Anzac Day Ceremony.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ANZAC DAY WRITING COMPETITION WINNERS
~ Eve Aveling and Tyler Webster~
EVE AVELING - ANZAC POEM
They were soggy.
They were tired.
They had barely any energy left.
Stepping in squelchy mud.
Standing in cold water.
Sweating everywhere.
Friends on the way, carrying the load.
Unsafe.
Distressed.
Anxious.
Terrified.
Friends beside them every day.
Foggy in the forest.
Trying to find their way.
They felt disgusted.
Burning hot sun.
On this mission trying to stick together but they already lost a friend.
Our soldiers fought for our country so we could be safe.
Thank you for a wonderful place to call home.
TYLER WEBSTER - ANZAC DAY
Buildings injured and torn, smoke filled the sky, painting it black, debris swallowed the ground. Rain falls filling the trenches that were dug by soldiers. It used to be perfect here till they came. They came with tanks, they came with planes, they came with men. We stood no chance. Our men fought with great honour. Through storms and heat they tried to protect our country but it was worthless. Every time we drove them off they came back with double the reinforcements, still our men fought. Soon they had eradicated our defences and they claimed our land. But we still didn’t give up. We eventually gained the help of other countries and swore that we’d fight for our country if it’s the last thing we do. So we led our allies to the battlefield and it started all over. It began to rain, making it hard for the men to hold onto their weapons. Gunshot echoed around the battlefield and men fell. The chaos that was brewing between countries began to seize and the countries agreed to end the war. Men were cheering and celebrating at the sound of the bugle. The war was finally over.
PARENT ASSEMBLY CONFERENCE
The Parent Assembly Team from Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools is currently advertising their conference - Your Child: Our Schools, scheduled for Saturday June 15 in Coffs Harbour. The agenda looks excellent and this event is sponsored by the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools. I encourage all families to have a look.
SCHOOL COMMUNITY GROUP TERM 2 MEETING AGENDA AND RSVP
Our Term 2 School Community Group Meeting is scheduled for Monday, 3 June from 6:30 - 7:45 pm in the school staffroom. A huge thank you to Wendy Sawan for volunteering to chair the meeting and to Simone Green for taking notes. A have Anna Moloney presenting on the Zones of Regulation pastoral learning program all of our students are undertaking this year. We also have Julie Parker, Digital Learning Specialist and consultant presenting on how parents can manage screen time with their children; thanks for organising this Wendy. The school will share student feedback on the changes to classroom structures and the whole-school approach to pastoral care and wellbeing being undertaken at school this yeas. There is also an opportunity for parents to share their thoughts on the uniform.
Here is a link to RSVP for the SCG Meeting.
TELL THEM FROM ME PARENT SURVEY
In the coming weeks we will be inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole-school evaluation and planning process.
We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at St Joseph’s.
The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and will be open from Monday 6 May (Week 2, Term 2) through to Friday 24 May (end of Week 4, Term 2). We will share the survey link early next week.
PRINCIPAL’S APPRAISAL
The Catholic Schools Office has scheduled my first-year contract appraisal as Principal for Tuesday, May 28th. Below you will find a detailed letter from the Appraisal Chair, Mr. Michael Mullaly. Additionally, a survey will soon be distributed to parents through Compass. Your feedback is invaluable to me and will greatly assist in my ongoing development as a leader.
Mission News
MOTHER’S DAY (VERY) SPECIAL ASSEMBLY
Please join us for a very special assembly to celebrate the extraordinary women who love and inspire our students every day. Our assembly begins at 2pm on Friday, May 10th. We hope you can make it!
THE YARNERS
We were delighted to begin our intergenerational group, ‘The Yarners, ’ during Catholic Education Week last term. We look forward to returning next Thursday, 9th May, at 10:55am (the start of lunch). Everyone is welcome to come along and join the fun! Our focus this term is knitting, as we are knitting squares that will be joined together to make blankets for the Vinnies Winter Appeal. Thank you to all our community members who have been busy knitting. All donations of knitted squares are greatly appreciated to add to our blankets! The squares are 30cm x 30cm (or between 45 and 50 stitches) using 8ply on size 5 needles. Squares can be dropped into our school office. Thank you!
CONFIRMATION - TUESDAY 21ST MAY
This is a friendly reminder for all our Confirmation candidates to return their enrolment forms, including the $15 contribution and pizza form, and to continue working on their preparation booklets in their family groups. We look forward to deepening our understanding on Formation Day in preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation that evening.
Canteen News
A reminder that the canteen is not open Wednesdays for Weeks 1 and 2 as Ms Thrum is on leave.
Library News
Sport News
POLDING WINTER SPORTS TRIALS
We wish Lulu Barnes, Sully Mitchell, Tyler Webster, Harry Hosking, Emma Quinlan, and Zeke Kubils luck as they represent our Diocese at the Polding Winter Sports Trials in Tamworth this Friday.
ZONE CROSS COUNTRY
The Event for Zone Cross Country is active on Compass. Permission and payment must be received for your child to attend this event. All resources can be accessed in the resources tab. This week children will be allocated a singlet for the day, though they will not be sent home until next Monday in collections.
SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY HOUSE RESULTS
The school cross country trophy was awarded to Cawley house at our last assembly for term 1. Our year 6 students were delighted to receive it on behalf of the green team! Our winning students also received their awards and ribbons.
- First - Cawley (green)
- Second - McCarthy (red)
- Third - Dara (yellow)
Cawley received the 2024 Cross Country trophy!
Cross Country Champions!
Wellbeing News
REALTALK SUBSCRIPTION
Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS) has purchased a subscription to the RealTalk online parent resource centre for all parents in our Catholic schools.
All parents can now access a comprehensive online resource created by RealTalk Australia that provides access to a collection of resources to support parents and caregivers explore a diverse range of topics including:
- Puberty and personal development and identity
- Online safety
- Friendships
- Consent and respectful relationships
Please see the flyer below to create an account and access these excellent resources.
eSAFETY PARENT WEBINARS TERM 2
A number of eSafety Parent Webinars are available to parents this term. We we encourage interested parents and carers to register.
eSAFETY 101: HOW ESAFETY CAN HELP
This webinar provides an overview of the eSafety Commissioner and supporting programs and resources for parents and carers, children and young people.
Suitable for parents and carers of children and young people in primary and secondary school.
Tuesday, 14 May: 12:30 pm
Thursday, 6 June: 12:30 pm
Register here for eSafety 101
CONSENT AND ONLINE BOUNDARIES
As children begin to navigate the online world, they need to know how to make decisions around consent and boundaries. This webinar will outline strategies for parents and carers, as well as support those hard-to-have conversations.
It is suitable for parents and carers of children in primary school.
Tuesday, 28 May: 12:30 pm
Tuesday, 18 June: 12:30 pm
Register here for Consent and Online Boundaries
SETTING YOUR CHILD UP FOR SUCCESS ONLINE
An overview of having conversations about tech and online interaction, putting boundaries and rules in place, using parental controls, and monitoring your child online.
It's suitable for parents and carers of primary school children.
Thursday, 30 May: 12:30 pm
Thursday, 20 June: 12:30 pm
Register here for Setting your Child up for Success Online
SEASONS FOR GROWTH PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT - 16TH MAY
Seasons for Growth is a small group education program that supports children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to understand and respond well to experiences of change, loss and grief.
Seasons for Growth supports children and young people who have experienced change and loss, including, although not limited to friendship changes; family separation; loss or death of someone they care about; relocation and forced migration or living away in out-of-home care. It is recommended that children and young people impacted by bereavement wait 6-12 months before participating in a Seasons for Growth program, which we offer throughout each year.
This year, our Parent Information Night will be held on Thursday, 16th May, at 5.30pm in the staff room. Kate Jones is a trained companion for this program and will facilitate the groups this year. Babysitting will be provided for any students or siblings who will be in attendance, and pizza will be offered for dinner.
Please register your interest in your child participating in this program, and your attendance at our information session, via this quick Google Form link.
Attendance Matters
ABSENCES ADD UP
5 days absent per term means that your child misses 10% of their learning.
The impact of school absences, even seemingly small ones, can accumulate and affect a child's learning significantly. The cumulative effect of absences over time can lead to gaps in knowledge and understanding. Consistent attendance is vital for academic success, as each day in school provides valuable learning opportunities. If your child is expressing reluctance to go to school regularly, it's essential to address the issue promptly.
For Your Information
SCHOOL FEES ACCOUNTS
Term 1 School Fees and annual levies should now be paid in full (unless you have nominated and had confirmation of an instalment plan commitment).
Please be advised that Term 2 School Fees have been billed and (unless you are on an instalment plan) are payable by May 31st, 2024.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please contact Caroline McInnes in the first instance alstp@lism.catholic.edu.au to discuss your payment plan options.
Celebrations
Happy birthday to these students who have celebrated their birthday since the last newsletter:
Jonty Allen
Zeke Kubils
Elkie Hinton
Jordy Thompson
Kalahni Mossman
Henry Brady
Matilda Hollows
Josie Crook
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD WINNERS
Kindy: Isla Harper, Louis Hutley
Year 1: Olly Lowe, Edward Watson, Maggie McCall, Alby Matley
Year 2: Charlotte Miller, Noah Faifaise, Riley Iverson
Year 3: Elaina Battaglia, Charlotte Dyson
Year 4: William Brady, Eloise Watson, Zara Towns
Year 5: Indy Vu, Ethan Cox, Melodi Nolan
Year 6: Finlay Baker, Zeke Kubils, Addison Clifford
Library: Emma Quinlan, Millie Webster, Eloise Watson
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GOLD AWARD WINNERS
Maddi Layland, Lachlan Thorpe, Sophie Gonzalez-Yule, Hugo McCall, Tess Jones, Daniel Collins, Addi Bambrook, Kalahni Mossman, Chloe Carr-Hambly, Ruby O'Bryan, Maggie McCall, Olly Lowe
BAPTISMS
Congratulations to Elkie and Scarlett Hinton and Remy and Jonty Allen who were all baptised on Sunday in Our Lady of the Rosary Parish by Fr Max. Please know our prayers are with you as you enter the church!
KEVIN HOGAN LEADERSHIP GATHERING
Well done to four of our school leaders, Emma, James, Harry and Roman, who represented St Joseph's by attending Kevin Hogan MP's annual School Leadership gathering in the holidays.
This year's presenter was Lyn Larsen AM, the youngest Australian Cricket Captain and home-grown athlete from Tuntable Creek.
Incredibly humble, Lyn shared her extraordinary experiences in leadership and how she worked to grow herself as a leader through the process. Her advice to students to be persistent and hard-working and to 'wear the leadership hat' they are given hit home for our young leaders. Thank you to Lyn for being an inspiration and off the pitch.
Emma, James, Kevin Hogan, Lyn Larsen, Harry and Roman
Coming Events
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