6 August 2024 (Week 3 Term 3 2024)

Dear St Joseph’s Community

We had some tremendous success last week when a number of students participated in the Zone Athletics Competition held at Woodlawn. Many students achieved success in their various events and Hugo McCall and Jordy Thompson were named as runners up age champions for their age divisions. Our school placed second overall; which is a huge result considering there are 9 schools in the region, most larger than Joeys. Thank you to Miss MacDonald for organising and attending and for Mrs Jones and Mrs McCall for also attending.

We also had our Indigenous students attend Woodlawn’s NAIDOC week celebrations. This was a terrific day of activities and learning for our students and I thank Mrs Murgha for taking our students and for representing our school at the official ceremony on Friday afternoon at Woodlawn.

This week, we celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. We are really looking forward to the opportunity to engage our students in some meaningful social justice activities in the community. One of our whole school improvement goals for 2024 is to help our students to understand why we do what we do as Catholics and this initiative provides us with rich opportunities to engage our students in these conversations.

Family Day is fast approaching and we hope to see families there! This is a wonderful school tradition and we have been planning the activities and liturgy for the day. A BBQ lunch is provided (RSVP below), morning tea is BYO but we will have some items for sale in the canteen. We are really in need of volunteers to help cook the BBQ and serve at points during the day. You can nominate in the RSVP form above!

On Friday, we celebrated another group of students being awarded their gold awards! These are terrific opportunities to acknowledge students who are working very hard and doing their best. 

We have some wonderful opportunities for students to showcase their talents at the moment, with the Talent Time with Mrs Moran on Thursdays and Gift of the Gab in weeks 6 and 7. I encourage students to consider involving themselves in these great activities!

Finally, our Parent Assembly Team, collaborating with the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools, has organised an excellent parent learning event, hosted here at St Joseph’s. We have invited Angela Lockwood, Occupational Therapist, author, podcaster and parenting guru, to present a session titled: Parenting in the Age of Distraction: Raise resilient, focused and connected kids. The session will be held in the hall on Monday 9th of September. Refreshments will be available from 6:00 pm and Angela will speak from 6.30 pm - 8.00 pm. This promises to be an excellent session and I encourage families to come along if you are able. A flyer is below but you can register for the event via this Google Form. 

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION 

In the Gospel of John (6:24-35), we read about the crowd seeking Jesus after the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. When they find Him, Jesus challenges them to look beyond their immediate physical needs and seek the "food that endures for eternal life." He declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

As parents, we can draw profound insights from this passage. Our daily lives are often consumed with providing for the physical needs of our families—meals, shelter, clothing, and education. While these are essential, Jesus reminds us of the importance of nurturing our families spiritually. The "bread of life" that Jesus offers is a spiritual nourishment that sustains us in ways that material things cannot. Reflect on how you can incorporate spiritual nourishment into your family's routine. This could be through prayer, reading Scripture together, attending Mass, or simply having conversations about faith and values. Jesus invites us to come to Him and trust that He will provide for our deepest needs. Let us pray for the grace to prioritise our spiritual lives and to lead our children to the "bread of life." May we find ways to feed their souls, ensuring that they grow not just physically, but also in faith and love. This week, let us seek Jesus earnestly, knowing that He will satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst.

You are invited to listen to Bishop Greg’s Homily from Sunday’s Mass. 

FAMILY DAY 2024 - SAVE THE DATE 

We are in the midst of planning for Family Day 2024, which is scheduled for Friday 23rd of August. We would love you to save the date and join us for this special day of community building and celebration. The theme for 2024 is Reading is Magic. We will begin the day with a liturgy, share a BBQ lunch and engage in a number of fun activities. You will find below a form to RSVP for lunch and to volunteer to help out. We look forward to sharing this day with you!

MARY MACKILLOP FEAST DAY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AFTERNOON

Mary of the Cross MacKillop is Australia’s first, and currently, our only saint. She was an incredibly strong woman who stood up to the hierarchy of the church and braved excommunication from the faith she loved in order to serve poor children through the order of nuns she founded, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. These were the same sisters who founded our school 105 years ago, and so Mary MacKillop holds an important place in our school.

On her feast day, Thursday, August 8, we will celebrate and engage in acts of service. This aligns with our school improvement goal by helping students make connections between what we do as a Catholic school and what we believe as Catholics. 

We will begin the day with Mass in the church for students in Years 3-6. Normal lessons will continue until after Maths. We’ll have an early recess before heading off to do some good work in the community from 1:20 pm until around 3:00 pm. We’ve outlined these below. We would love some parent volunteers, especially for K-2, to come and assist if you are available from 1:20 - 3:00. Here is a Google Form to register your interest. All activities are within walking distance from the school. 

The Compass Event has been released.

If you haven’t yet, please provide permission  for your child through the event. This is an exciting initiative which will make genuine connections in the community.

ACTIVITIES:

• Kindergarten - Making cupcakes in our hall with the Parish Hospitality Group (parent helpers needed). We’ll sell these cupcakes at family day and raise some money for the Sisters of St Joseph.
• Year 1 and 2 - Making bookmarks with kind messages to hand out to community members in Alstonville and at the Alstonville shops. (Parent helpers to join us would be wonderful).
• Year 3 - Will walk to Maranoa and share some of their work with the residents and build relationships with them.
• Year 4 - Will be working in our garden; weeding and replanting. 
• Year 5 - Will be visiting local Child Care Centres to read with and play with students: Possum Place, Alstonville Community Preschool, Alstonville Early Learning.
• Year 6 - Will be splitting up to provide leadership to the other student groups. 

SCHOOL COMMUNITY GROUP MEETING TUESDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER

Our next School Community Group Meeting will be held in the staffroom at 6:30pm on Tuesday 3rd September. 

Here is a link to RSVP and to propose any items for feedback. 

The draft agenda, based on feedback from last term’s meeting, is below.

GIFT OF THE GAB 2024

Click the link below to view the Zone Public Speaking Competition Guidelines. You will find:

• Schools and schedule
• Outline and processes 
• Choosing a topic
• Judging criteria

2024 Zone Public Speaking Guidelines

NSW STUDENT LIBRARY 

Year 2 English - Building Vocabulary

Build your vocabulary and learn how to use descriptive language in sentences.

Year 1 Mathematics- Different ways to make 5 and 10

MARY MACKILLOP FEAST DAY CELEBRATIONS

All families and parishioners are invited to join us for Mass to celebrate the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia’s first saint at 9.15am in the Church. 

As mentioned by Mr Challinor, all classes will be participating in service activities after recess. The motto of St Mary of the Cross was to “never see a need without doing something about it”. As a school founded by the Sisters of St Joseph (St Mary’s order of nuns), we look forward to living her call to love and serve others in our community. Our students are all looking forward to these experiences! Any parents interested in joining us, please let us know via this quick jotform. We would love you to join us!

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION

Next Thursday, 15th August is the Feast of the Assumption. Years 3 - 6 will be attending this special Mass with their teachers and school leadership team at 10am. All families are warmly invited to join us at this parish Mass

ZONE ATHLETICS 

Last Thursday, 42 students travelled to Woodlawn to compete at the Richmond Zone Athletics Carnival. All students showed determination, skill and exceptional sportsmanship throughout the day. We congratulate Jordy Thompson and Hugo McCall who were the runner-up JNR girl and boy Age Champion on the day. 

We congratulate the following students who were successful at Zone, and will compete at Diocesan level on Friday the 16th of  August in Coffs Harbour:

• Spencer Birkwood - JNR boys 4x100m relay 
• Jack Kubils - JNR boys shot put and discus
• Hugo McCall - JNR boys 4x100m relay, 100m, 200m, 800m and 1500m
• Layla Vu - 9yr girls 100m 
• Rory Quinlan - JNR boys 4x100m relay and 100m
• Orlando Speidel - JNR boys 4x100m relay
• Jordy Thompson - 10yr girls 100m and long jump
• Jonty Allen - 11yrs Multi 100m and long jump
• Henry Buchanan - 11yrs long jump
• Sully Mitchell - 11 yrs 100m and 200m
• Maeve Crook - 12 yrs 100m
• Zeke Kubils - SNR Boys shot-put and discus

Due to the enormous efforts of all our students, our school placed 2nd overall! This is an incredible achievement as we are considered a small school!

FAMILY DAY - WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT

Family Day is our annual celebration of our school village. Family and friends join with our students and staff for a wonderful day of fun and frivolity. We understand it can be difficult for parents to attend a whole day like this, even if you can come for part of the day that would be wonderful. Grandparents, family friends, relatives or anyone you consider family are welcome to join us (but no pets sorry)!

WHEN: Friday 23 August 

• 9:15am Liturgy in the hall (including Kevin Hogan MP Book Awards)
• 10.15 -10:45 Morning tea
• Bring your own picnic morning tea for your family or buy a treat from the cake stall, coffee cart or canteen. 
• 10:50 activity rotations 
• 12.15 - 1:00 BBQ lunch
• Fr Max is kindly supplying us all with a BBQ lunch. Please make sure you complete the catering form (below).
• Classrooms will be open for you to visit, your students can show off their learning spaces and their work.
• 1:05 activity rotations
• 2:00 Rotations finish. Students may go home with family at this time.

THEME: ‘Reading is Magic’

• Students and visitors are encouraged to come dressed in the theme “Reading is Magic”. This theme lends itself to a myriad of costumes, the skies the limit! Remember, students must have covered shoes and be sun smart.

BOOK FAIR

• Our annual book fair is a true highlight of Family Day. Please come along to the library to see magical decorations and the great range of books, which have been carefully handpicked from the Book Warehouse Lismore. You are invited to purchase a book as a donation to the school library, your name will be displayed on a book plate inside the book and your student will be the first to borrow.  We will have EFTPOS and cash payment facilities available.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

2023 FAMILY DAY - A REMINDER OF THE FUN!

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 13

Next

DR BECKY HAS A NEW APP - GOOD INSIDE: PARENTING

We’re excited to support the launch of Dr. Becky’s Good Inside app, providing a series of short videos to support parents in nurturing their child’s emotional and behavioural well-being. Created by renowned child psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy, this app offers a wealth of resources including expert advice, practical strategies, and interactive tools. Parents can access personalised guidance on managing challenging behaviours, fostering positive relationships, and enhancing emotional resilience. With features like 5 minute daily tips, video content, and a supportive community forum, Dr. Becky’s Good Inside app empowers parents with the knowledge and confidence to strengthen their parenting skills. Download the app today to join a supportive network of parents and equip yourself with proven techniques for creating a positive family environment. Enhance your parenting journey with Dr. Becky’s Good Inside – where every family can thrive!

ONLINE PARENT WORKSHOP - CONSENT AND ONLINE BOUNDARIES: HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR PRIMARY-AGED CHILD 

The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT in partnership with the E-Safety Commissioner, is running a workshop designed to support parents to navigate the complexities of the online space with their children. This is targeted at the parents of upper primary and secondary school age students. 

The workshop is online on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 from 7:30 PM - 8:00 PM AEST.

Parents can register via this link. 

COMMUNITY INVITED TO DOG PARK OPENING CELEBRATION

Ballina Shire Council is inviting the community to celebrate the opening of the new dog off-leash park on Gap Road, Alstonville.

Dog owners and their pooches are invited to unleash the fun and come along between 9.30am and 12pm on Saturday 10 August 2024 to try out the new agility park.

“We are inviting local residents to come along and test out the new agility equipment, chat with our friendly rangers, learn dog training tips from a local dog trainer, try out the agility equipment, and grab a free coffee and a puppuccino treat,” said Kerri Watts, Manager of Public and Environmental Health.

Community members attending this doggy day out can look forward to:

• Meeting our friendly rangers and learning more about their important work in our community.
• Enjoying a free mini-session with a professional dog trainer, offering tips and advice for better training and behaviour management.
• Trying out the new agility equipment, designed to challenge and entertain dogs of all sizes and skill levels.
• Collect free desexing vouchers, supporting responsible pet ownership in our community.
• Treating themselves to a free coffee and puppucino.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, 10 August 2024
• Time: 9.30am - 12pm
• Location: Gap Road Dog Park, Alstonville

Ballina Byron Gateway Airport Flight Path Changes - Community Information Sessions this week

The airspace and associated flight paths around the Ballina area are changing to enhance safety and efficiency. A reminder that a series of community information drop-in sessions are taking place this week across the region where you are invited to come by at any time within the 3-hour period to view preliminary design information and speak to Airservices staff regarding the proposed changes.

Details of the drop-in sessions are as follows:

• Tuesday 6 August, 4pm-7pm at the Lennox Head Community Hall, 7 Daybreak Way, Lennox Head
• Wednesday 7 August, 4pm-7pm at the Woodburn Memorial Hall, 127 River Street, Woodburn
• Thursday 8 August, 4pm-7pm at the Goonellabah Community Centre, 27 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah
• Friday 9 August, 1pm-4pm at the Alstonville Anglicans Ministry Centre Hall, 6-8 The Avenue, Alstonville
• Saturday 10 August, 9am-12pm at the Coraki Youth Hall, 77 Bridge Street, Coraki 

To register to attend a session or for further information go to https://engage.airservicesaustralia.com/ballina-controlled-airspace.