22nd February, Week 4, Term 1

From Our Principal - Mr Brendan Moloney

Dear Families,

It was wonderful to have so many families able to attend our Welcome BBQ this week. There was a very relaxed feel to the evening with families and staff taking the opportunity to catch up. Evenings like this provide us opportunity to communicate and strengthen our partnership, aimed at achieving the best possible outcome for each child ‘the roots to grow and the wings to fly’. It is also an important opportunity for you as parents to ask questions and to have a voice to support our wonderful educational setting.

Congratulations to the children for their fantastic efforts with trivia, we have some very clever trivia buffs!

Parent Representative Group

During our welcome BBQ we were very fortunate to have with us Janita Thomson who is on the Family Partnership Team at the Catholic Schools Office. Janita is supporting us in our review and renew of our Parent Representative Group at St. Joseph’s. We currently have a P&F, but this structure posses some challenges for us based on its constitution and the accountabilities that come with it. Janita shared with us two options for this group moving forward. In the newsletter is a summary of these along with a link to further information. We ask parents to have a look at these and consider which they feel is the best option for our community. Parents will be asked to select their preference in the near future to support our decision on this very important representative structure.

If you have any questions about the two models provided, please come in and ask.

Draft Homework Policy

We aslo shared our Draft Homework Policy with families. This was shared via COMPASS this week. We ask families to have a look and provide any feedback on this draft to us.

On Wednesday you would have received a letter asking your preference for additional homework. This is homework above the expected reading, this choice simply needs to be selected and the form returned to school. This process is outlined in the policy for your review.

Staff Development Day - Monday 4th March 

Monday 4th March  will be a Pupil Free Day as staff will be undertaking professional learning. We will be led by Nicole Ricketts who has been working with out school over the last two years to support students. Our next step in this support is for Nicole to provide training to staff on TORA (Teachers Optimal Relationship Approach). This training focuses on 8 skills that teachers will implement in the classroom to support the enhancement of wellbeing and further develop positive relationships in the classroom.

TORA recognises that teachers play an important role in the lives of each student at school. TORA is an early intervention Mental Health and Well Being strategy that is evidence based and school based. It provides play therapy skills to teachers to be able to integrate these therapeutic qualities and bring playfulness into their relationships on a daily basis.

School Uniform

Our school Uniform Policy was also reviewed with families highlighting a number of points for families to be aware of, these include:

• Hair that is collar length or longer needs to be tied back
• Earrings – Sleepers or studs only
• Nail polish and makeup are not to be worn
• All clothing must be labelled with the child’s name.
• Black Shoes-Leather type or runners

God Bless,

Brendan Moloney

Student Awards Week 3

Mission News

Lent

Lent is a season of prayer, reflection and renewal. Beginning with Ash Wednesday, Lent lasts for 40 days and ends on Holy Thursday. This year we are commemorating Lent at school in a variety of ways. We began with Shrove Tuesday when the students supported fundraising for Project Compassion by purchasing pancakes. We continue our learning about Lent and fundraising as the Term continues. We will have a culmination of our celebrations on Holy Thursday with a presentation of the events of Holy Week. 

Gospel Reflection

In this week's Transfiguration story, we are told not only that Jesus is God's Beloved Son but also that we are to 'listen to him. God loves us so much that he does not spare his own Son.There are different accounts of the Transfiguration in the Gospels, one in each of the 3 Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. 

Sacrament of Penance

We keep Jack, Blake, Sam, Chase and Maxx in our prayers as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation on March 18th.

Save the Date

 Monday March 18th Sacrament of Reconciliation

Tuesday March 19th St Joseph’s Day

Library News

Week 5 in the library will bring new displays and we also have quite a few new books as well. Library books are returned on a weekly basis but can be reborrowed if children are still reading them. If there are any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Sports News

Zone swimming carnival

On Tuesday the 13th of February three students, Philippa Maher, Saoirse Magee and Paige Gollan, represented our school at the Richmond Zone swimming carnival at Alstonville.

Nine other schools from the Richmond Zone were in attendance with approximately 200 students involved.

All three students were nervous but competed wholeheartedly and represented our school brilliantly.

Pip won her heat for the 10 years girls 50m freestyle and came 4th overall, only 40 hundredths of a second behind 3rd place and the chance to represent the zone at the Dicoesan Swimming carnival in Macksville. Pip also featured in close finishes in the junior backstroke and breaststroke (3rd place). Great work Pip.

Saoirse finished second in her heat in the Junior butterfly and breaststroke which was a great effort also. Well done Saoirse.

Paige, in her final primary Zone swimming carnival, won her backstroke heat, came second in her freestyle heat and 3rd in her breaststroke heat. You were a fantastic leader at the carnival Paige, well done.

Rugby Union Trials

Last Thursday, the 15th of February, Macen Hickling, Kyden Bolt and Paige Gollan represented our school at the Richmond Zone Rugby Union trials. Mr O'Brien convened these trials and it was his job to select a team to take to the Diocesan Rugby Union trials in a few weeks time. Mr O'Brien was enormously proud of the way our students represented our school at this trial and was impressed with the way they played throughout the trial. Congratulations go to Macen and Kyden who were both successful in being selected in the Richmond Zone squad. We now wish them well for their Diocesan trial. Macen and Kyden will also be attending the Richmond Zone Rugby League trials today so we wish them well at this trial also and look forward to hearing how they perform.

Save the Date, Cross Country Friday 5th April.

Stage 1 Writing

Once  upon a  time   there   was  a  fun, fun school.

In  this  school  there   was  a scary, scary office.  

In the office there  was a pretty,   pretty  Principal.  

By Kelsi

An Excellent, Excellent Tale

Once upon a time there was an excellent, excellent school. 

In this school there is an excellent, excellent playground. 

In the playground there are excellent, excellent teachers.

With these teachers there is an excellent, excellent bin. 

In the bin there is an excellent, excellent Principal.

By Tokobi

A Cheeky, Cheeky Tale

Once upon a time there was a cheeky, cheeky school.

In this school there is a cheeky, cheeky office.

In this office there is a happy, happy Principal.

By Rayan

A Fun, Fun Tale

Once upon a time there  was  a  fun, fun  school. 

In this school was a creepy, creepy office. 

ln this office was a fun, fun Principal.

By Leo

General Business

Happy Birthday to the following who have celebrated their birthday since our last newsletter: 

Tyler Carbery, Cally Powell,  Violet Hicks

Welcome BBQ & Info Night

P&F & Canteen News

Canteen

We are still on the look out for some canteen volunteers. We are also looking for volunteers for our upcoming school cross country BBQ on Friday 5th April.  If you are able to help out please contact the school office.

Impetigo (school sores) are out in our School Community, please read the information sheet below on treatment and prevention.