10th April, Week 10, Term 1

From Our Principal - Mrs Kristie Coster

Dear Parents and Families,

As Holy Week and Easter draw near, we prepare for a time of reflection and spiritual renewal, commemorating the final days of Jesus Christ. This sacred journey invites us to walk alongside Jesus through his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, his crucifixion on Good Friday, and ultimately, his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

I’d like to congratulate our students who, supported by their teachers, have been reenacting the events of Holy Week to deepen their understanding.

At the end of what has been a very productive term focused on the learning, faith and wellbeing of our students, there is one thing that has become very clear to  me. That is the dedication, commitment and willingness of the St Joseph’s staff to go above and beyond to support our students and their families. Every child is known, cared for and loved as part of our St Joey’s school family. I extend my deepest gratitude to our staff who arrive here at school everyday, performing actions that are beyond their roles and responsibilities. I feel blessed to be a part of this team. 

St Joseph’s Day

Following its earlier postponement due to Cyclone Alfred, Monday saw a joyful celebration of the Feast Day of St Joseph, shared with our friends from St Joseph’s Woodburn. This special day honours the life and enduring significance of Saint Joseph, recognised for his virtues of humility, obedience, justice, faithfulness, courage, and his role as a dedicated worker. It also beautifully underscored the strong connection and community spirit between our two schools. The morning commenced with a moving liturgy, after which our students integrated into mixed groups to enjoy a variety of engaging activities and a shared meal. Our students and staff deeply appreciated the thoughtfully organised and enjoyable experiences, and it was heartening to witness the genuine connections and shared joy between the students from both Woodburn and our school.

Parent Teacher Conferences

We extend our sincere gratitude to all our wonderful parents who took the time to attend our Parent-Teacher Conferences this week. Your active participation and engagement in these meetings are invaluable to your child's educational journey. We truly appreciate you partnering with us to discuss their progress, celebrate their achievements, and collaboratively plan for their continued growth and success. Your commitment to your child's learning makes a significant difference. 

I’d also like to acknowledge the tremendous effort and dedication of our teachers in preparing for and conducting these insightful meetings. Their thoughtful feedback and collaborative spirit are essential in fostering a strong partnership between home and school, ultimately benefiting the growth and success of each student. Thank you all for your time and collaboration.

Easter Hat Parade

Our recent Easter Hat Parade was a resounding success, filled with creativity, colour, and joyful smiles! It was wonderful to see the incredible effort our students put into crafting their imaginative and festive hats. Our students put on a great show as they paraded (and danced - Bodhi and River!) around our undercover area showing off their beautiful designs. Congratulations to the winners of our Easter Egg Raffle (Violet Hicks, Pip Maher & Layla Johnson) and to our students who won, by default, the Teachers/Parents vs Students Challenge: Bobbing for Easter Eggs. 

A huge thank you to all our parents, families, and friends who assisted students in making their hats and who came along to cheer on our students and share in the fun. Your presence truly made the event a special occasion, and we appreciate your ongoing support in making our school events so memorable.

Anzac Day March

As ANZAC Day approaches, we encourage all students to gather and participate in the commemorative march. This is an opportunity to come together as a community and honour the courage, sacrifice, and enduring spirit of the ANZACs and all those who have served our nation. By marching, we will be demonstrating our respect and understanding for their legacy, connecting with a significant part of our history, and joining a collective act of remembrance that resonates deeply within our community. We hope to see you there, proudly representing our school!

When: Friday 25th April, 9:30am

Where: Corner of Richmond Terrace and Grenfell St

Please wear the full school uniform.

School Uniform

A friendly reminder to all our wonderful St Joseph’s school families to please ensure students wear the correct school uniform each day. Wearing our uniform demonstrates pride in belonging to and representing our school community. Our uniform includes our red school shirt, navy shorts, navy socks and black shoes. Coming into winter, please ensure students have a navy blue jumper, preferably without a hood. Good quality navy blue jumpers are available for purchase at the front office for $18

Thank you for your support.

To our St Joseph’s school family and community, we wish you a safe, joyful and peaceful Easter! 

Kristie Coster

Student Awards - Week 9

Mission News

The branch is meant to serve as a reminder of Christ's victory over death.

Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches (or the branches of other native trees), representing the palm branches which the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. It is a custom to weave the palms into a cross.

Holy Week Celebrations

This week the students have presented the events of Holy week. It has been a wonderful expression of our connection to Jesus' life and sacrifice. Congratulations to the teachers and students on the preparation of these celebrations. 

Sacrament of First Reconciliation

Congratulations to Braxton, Isabelle, Jacob, William and Patrick who completed the Sacrament of Penance for the first time on April 8th. 

We look forward to walking with you on your journey to completing your Sacraments with the reception of the Eucharist later in the year. 

Stage 1 News

Stage 1 were making 2D shapes using skipping ropes, thanks to Will McElligott for organising the lesson.

Sports News

Zone Cross Country - Tuesday 29th April

As you are aware, the Zone Cross Country was postponed a few weeks ago due to the wet weather. Please be aware there are some changes to the arrangements for this event that are outlined below.

New date: Tuesday the 29th of April. This is the first day that children return to school for Term 2.

Venue: Hepburn Pk, Goonellabah.

Transport: Due to the date change and supervision availability, staff will no longer be available to transport students to this event. Each family will need to make their own transportation arrangements. Students should report to Mrs Manning upon arrival at the ground (look for our school tent).

What to bring: Students should wear their school uniform and shoes that are appropriate for cross country. Students must have a hat, lunch, plenty of water and sunscreen. 

Times: All students should be at the venue between 9.15 and 9.30am. Event times / order are listed below.

9:45am Warm-up/ Walk the course

10:15am Welcome/Prayer/Welcome to Country

10:25am 11/12/13 Boys and Girls  - 3000m, 8/9/10 Boys and Girls  - 2000m

Dio Rugby League Trials

Today Jack Powell & Blake Charters are attending the Diocesan Primary Rugby League Trials in Grafton. We wish them well.

Library News

Canteen News

Reminder, No Canteen Friday 11th April.

We are looking for canteen volunteers for Term 2, mainly on a Wednesday all are welcome, parents, grandparents, friends please contact the office 66832248 for more information.