Filter Content
- Message from the Principal
- Catholic Identity and Mission in Our School
- Learning & Teaching in Our School
- Student Awards
- Learning Support in our School
- News from the Enviro Team
- Sporting News
- The Wellbeing Team
- School Fee Statement
- eSafety Parent Guide - Free Webinar 8th March
- Pancake Day
- School Terms & Pupil Free Days for 2022
- School Canteen
- St Joseph's OOSH & Vacation Care
- How to Purchase your child's School Uniform
- Applying for a Bus Pass
- BILLBOARD
- Newsletter Sponsors
Despite several interruptions due to staff and students being absent due to illness, we have seen three good weeks of learning at St Joseph’s. Our students, including our new Kinders, have settled into the routine of school very quickly. I love seeing happy and eager faces walking into school each morning.
I will regularly wander in and out of learning spaces and just watch a lesson in progress. Here I am seeing engaging lessons and engaged students every day. Our fantastic teaching staff are doing a great job ensuring our children are learning across all aspects of the school, creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment, where student spirituality, social & emotional wellbeing and academic success is always the focus. We certainly have our ‘A Team’ in 2022!
Excellent instruction, Every day, in Every class for Every child is the expectation.
A Strong Parent-School Partnership
All staff at St Joseph’s continue to ensure a strong parent–school partnership is at the forefront of what we do. Most families will have been contacted by the Class Teacher in order to introduce themselves and talk to parents about how their children have settled into the Year. Please know that parent-teacher contact is always welcome. This can occur through staff email, Class Dojo app (K,1,2 & 3), phone calls and face-to-face meetings.
We look forward working with you throughout the Year in the continued growth and progression of your children’s education.
As always, I thank you for your ongoing support.
Guy Campbell
Driving Excellence in the Macleay
GOSPEL REFLECTION
Not to Judge
This week’s Gospel passage is rich in messages for us as Christians. The parables in this section both comfort and challenge us to live our lives more fully. The theme that permeates these sayings from Jesus, is awareness. Firstly, we need to be self-aware. We need our eyes open, looking ahead to see life and others as they really are, not blind to the realities around us, or to be led by the blind, without reflection and insight. We need to be like our teachers, the people who have mentored, inspired and formed us as individuals and also collectively, in the footsteps of the founders.
Part of this self-awareness, is also to recognise our faults; the planks we have in our eyes that obstruct what we see, hear and do in life. None of us are perfect. We are all sinful. And so Jesus asks us to deal with our own sinfulness first and foremost. In being honest about who we are, we become more human, and a bit more like Jesus. In society today, the tendency to focus on the splinter in another person’s eye is quite widespread. Correcting, judging and being critical of others is so common especially in both social media and in mainstream media. It is almost like a form of self-defence, attacking the other so that the focus isn’t on us.
As Vincentians, we are called to be non-judgemental, to see Christ in the poor. To be able to do this requires us to firstly to examine our own planks, whatever they might be. Acknowledge them, offer them to God and then, be present to others and to the people we assist, without the barriers of our own ego and sense of righteousness.
The passage ends with a simple statement. “For a person’s words flow out of what fills their heart.” And as we are told in this week’s First Reading, “Do not praise a person before they have spoken, since this is the test of all.”
(Adapted reflection by Greg Ryan)
Reflect on the times in life that I have been aware of the planks in my own eyes and how it might have affected my view or opinion of others.
PRAYER
Open my eyes Lord
Help me to see your face
Open my eyes Lord
Help me to see
Amen.
Sourced from:
https://www.vinnies.org.au/icms_docs/329242_Spiritual_Reflection_Guide_Jan-April_2022.pdf
Read LessCatholic Identity and Mission in Our School
WITH MRS ERIN MCGOVERN
Lent is a forty day period of preparation for Easter. It reminds us of the forty-days that Jesus spent in the wilderness before he took up his ministry. During this time he fasted and prayed. Lent is a time of self-denial and prayer for us as well. During this period, we are called to focus on becoming closer to Jesus by praying a little more, doing good deeds for others, going without something we like and giving generously to others in need. Ash Wednesday is a good time for us to think about what we can do to grow closer to Jesus over the lenten period. (Cathfamily.org)
On Tuesday our school canteen is helping us celebrate this tradition by selling Pikelets during first lunch break.
Ash Wednesday and Lent in 60 seconds with Lego click here - Explained in a fun and entertaining way, Trideo Media uses Lego to break open Ash Wednesday and Lent in 60 seconds.
Congratulations to our newly elected members of our SRC, voted in by their peers.
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Libby Coade Maya Browne |
Camille Pereira Max Delforce |
Evie Brady Chelsea Mainey |
Lachlan Betts Idabelle Tamblyn |
Sienna Rooney Baylin Flanagan |
Family Connect in Schools
The wellbeing of our students and their families is paramount here at St Joseph’s and we are lucky to have some extra support built into our school community through a Program Worker from Family Connect in Schools. If you have any concerns about or need assistance/support with being linked into specialist services such as, Housing, Domestic Violence, Centrelink, Disability/NDIS, counselling services, culturally appropriate supports etc, please contact the front office.
Learning & Teaching in Our School
WITH MRS KRYSTAL BRADY
READING
At St Joseph’s Primary School, we are deeply committed to delivering a quality education to every child and ensuring that all children have the ability to read -- and read well! Learning to read is such an essential skill to not only find success in school and to thrive in society, but to also experience the joy that reading brings to life. We want every child to be successful in reading! We are learning more about what research says about how children learn to read, how to make sure every student learns to read, and what to do when a child encounters difficulty in learning to read. The research that we’re learning about and implementing is called the ‘Science of Reading’. These changes to instruction have also been informed by the new K-2 NSW English Syllabus.
If your family has been a part of St Joseph’s Primary School for some time, you’ll notice some changes in how we teach reading; if you’re new to our school community, jump on board, it’s going to be a fantastic journey!
We need your feedback! Please complete the following form about supporting your child at home. https://forms.gle/iCtEK7Soonau37LK6
ART ROOM
STEM ACTIVITIES AT LUNCHTIME
STEM CLUB @ Lunchtime ~ Our beautiful space is always a hive of activity during lunchtimes.
P&F THANK YOU!
Thank you to the St Joseph’s P&F who have purchased lots of new items for our school at the end of last year. These have been arriving slowly over the holidays and beginning to the School term. We will post some photos of our new resources in our next newsletter.
STUDENT AWARDS FOR WEEKS 3 & 4, TERM 1
CLASS |
MARY MACKILLOP AWARD Recognises Catholic attitude, behaviours & helping those in need |
ST JOSEPH Recognises positive actions witnessed within our school community |
CATHERINE McAULEY Recognises a growth mindset & effort in learning |
KTruth |
Sophia Reichel | Jaya Richards | Hendrix Berrigan |
KHonour |
Lennox Nolan | Abigail Watson | Alisha Meeudnoon |
1Truth |
Tony Jerin | Flint Barnett | Maya Browne |
1Honour |
Archer Tulk | Aurora Rylance | Jay Toomey |
2Truth |
Sophia Downing | Tyler Sang | Camille Pereira |
3Truth |
Brooke Collingwood | Ann Susan Sam | Brax Matheson |
3Honour |
Quinn Woods | Jamie Pollock | Bryson Jones |
4Truth |
Hope Kenah | Sianna Dickson | Jake Potts |
4Honour |
Ethan Shore | Chayse Jones | Anabel Smee |
5Truth |
Ivy Miller | Dhanish Lingameni | Honorah-Jane Akee |
5Honour |
Lily Vickers | Alastar O'Donnell | Ryan Reynolds |
6Truth |
Levi Williams | Matthew Collins | Lilli Cameron |
6Honour |
Jayden Van Kal | Abbey Spokes | Aiden Rudder |
Learning Support in our School
WITH MRS TRACEY DUNCAN
2022 Harmony Day
Harmony Day, held on the 21st of March every year, is a time to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity and promote inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging with its key message being ‘Everyone Belongs’.
At St Joseph's, while fostering a sense of belonging in the Classroom happens on a daily basis, there are some special dates throughout the School Calendar, such as Harmony Day, that provide a further opportunity for us to celebrate the rich diversity of our amazing country.
Keep your eye out for the special pre-order Harmony Day canteen menu in our next newsletter.
COMMUNITY GARDEN CHALLENGE
TerraCycle has partnered with Colgate® and Chemist Warehouse to bring an exciting new Community Garden Challenge. This year the focus is on pollination and Australian plants! We can win everything we need to create a
Earn Garden Points between 24 February - 31 October by collecting toothpaste tubes and caps, manual toothbrushes, electric toothbrush heads, toothbrush and toothpaste tube plastic packaging, floss containers.
RECYCLING AT ST JOSEPH'S
Listed below are items we currently recycle at St Josephs:
- Printer cartridges
- Used stationary (plastic whiteboard markers, textas etc)
- Mailing bags
- Used Batteries
- Preloved glasses
- Oral care products
- Used stamps
- Mobile phones
- Return and Earn 10c containers
PDHPE IN THE RAIN
Mr Watts and Kindergarten went exploring the school on a balance walk with bean bags. There was also some great juggling happening!
ZONE SWIMMING CARNIVAL - YEARS 3-6
The organisers were full of praise for all children at the Zone Swimming Carnival held in Macksville, for their cooperation and the way they moved promptly to and from events. Our students also impresssed with a fantastic effort in the Pool with our School coming 4th overall.
Well done to our three runners up and five selected for Diocesan Trials:-
Ethan Layton - runner up Senior Boy
Ruby McLeod - runner up 11yrs Girl
Ethan Shore - runner up 11 yrs Boy
Peyton-Maree Moor - runner up Junior Girl
Selected for Zone at Murwillumbah are: Petyon-Maree Moor, Ethan Shore, Ruby McLeod, Ethan Layton and Dane Fisher.
ZONE SUMMER SPORT TRIALS - Touch & Cricket (YEARS 5 & 6)
This postponed event was well attended with 14 Touch Teams, boys and grils and 16 cricketers from across the Zone.
From this day children were selected to attend the Diocsan Touch and Cricket Trials in Lismore on the 8th March. Congratulations to the following students who were selected from our school:
Lakyah Bell and Marcus Scott for Touch
Danish Lingamneni for Cricket.
ZONE WINTER SPORT TRIALS - Rugby League, Rugby Union, Netball, Soccer & Hockey (YEARS 5 & 6)
These Trials were held in Port Macquarie on Monday, 21st February. After a very hot day of Soccer, League, Union and Netball the following students were selected in their various sports to attend Diocesan Trial in Grafton on 11th March.
Congratulations and good luck to:-
Ethan Layton & Dane Fisher - Soccer
Finn Eakin & Hamish Davies - Union
Isaac Weston, Pierson Kemp, Alastar O'Donnell, Jagger Hudson - League
Lakyah Bell, Ruby McLeod - Netball
DIOCESAN SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Well done to all that competed and for some great swimming.
Read LessSchool Fee Statements were sent home via email to families last Friday. If you have not received your statement please contact the School Office on 65 62 5501.
eSafety Parent Guide - Free Webinar 8th March
Don't forget to order online at Flexischools prior to 8.55am.
Workers Needed
We need volunteers to help in our canteen once a week, fortnight or month. No special skills required. If you can make a salad wrap, toastie or put some drinks in the fridge, your help will be greatly appreciated. All welcome - mums, dads, nannas, pops, aunts and uncles. Should you be able to spare just a few hours, please contact one of our canteen team members; Angie Hagger or Nadeen Crowe
E: angela.hagger@lism.catholic.edu.au
P: (02) 6562 5501
St Joseph's OOSH & Vacation Care
Joey’s welcomes students from Kindergarten to Year 6 from all schools in the Macleay Valley and surrounding areas. We provide high quality Before School, After School and Vacation Programs.
Joey’s is located in two dedicated classrooms on our St Joseph’s Catholic Primary Campus. The Program is headed by a qualified teacher and is supported by dedicated and experienced staff who plan and manage programs that offer both fun and educational activities.
The Before and After School Care may cost as little as $3 per day after the child care subsidy and Vacation programs as little as $8 per day. You can make both casual and permanent bookings.
To find out more and to explore the enrolment process visit our website at https://www.kmpplism.catholic.edu.au/out-of-school-hours-care