Principals Message
Dear Families,
It has been a challenging week as we’ve navigated the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. While our school was closed for seven days due to the impact of the cyclone the evacuation process and reestablishment went smoothly. It was a lot of work in a short time however it ensured that the children return to school as it was, and without any losses. A big thank you to our staff, the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Office staff, our parents and the tradies who worked with us through both moves.
We are incredibly grateful for the support and understanding shown by all members of our school community during this time. Your patience, assistance and cooperation in these circumstances have made a huge difference.
We are pleased to announce that school will resume as normal on Monday. We are eager to welcome all of our children back to school and continue our journey of learning together.
STUDENT WELLBEING
As we prepare for our students’ return to school next Monday, we recognise that the recent events surrounding Tropical Cyclone Alfred may have been unsettling for many children and families. In these times, maintaining routine and normality is essential to help our students feel secure and supported.
Our staff is committed to ensuring a smooth and safe transition back to school. We will be closely monitoring the well-being of each of our students, especially as they process any feelings or experiences related to the cyclone. Our teachers will be implementing trauma-informed practices in the classroom to create a compassionate and supportive environment for all children.
We understand that some children may be experiencing heightened emotions or anxiety, and we encourage parents to reach out to the school if they have any concerns. We are here to support you and your child during this time.
To further support our students, our new school counsellor Sangita Pyle will be available starting Wednesday. If you feel your child may benefit from speaking with the counsellor or would like additional support, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
CHANGE OF DATES
We have had to adapt some of our upcoming and missed events due the impact of the cyclone.
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Naplan for Years 3 & 5. |
The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) has been in discussions with the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Office about NALAN and our delayed start. At this stage, we are looking to the following dates for NAPLAN
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Cross Country |
Please see the Sports section of this Newsletter for the plan for changed dates. |
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Parent Teacher Interviews |
The parent-teacher interviews have been moved to Week 8 Wednesday 26 March 2025. Further information will be sent to parents via Compass. |
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St Joseph's Day celebrations |
The St Joseph's Day celebrations scheduled for Wednesday 19 March 2025 have been postponed until Week 10. We will still join together with St Joseph's Coraki but the day will be celebrated at St Joseph's Woodburn. |
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The Sacrament of First Reconciliation- Family Meetings |
This year, due to missed days, the preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be covered at school with the students. We are looking to have a parent meeting on Monday 24 March 2025 at 3.45pm to discuss the process of the First Reconciliation Liturgy on Wednesday 2 April 2025. Parents will be emailed next week |
LET THE CANTEEN BEGIN
We are excited to share some good news – our school canteen will be reopening for lunch orders starting Friday, 21 March 2025! Based on the results of the completed surveys, the two most popular days selected by families, and those we can cover, will be Tuesdays and Fridays.
We are thrilled to be able to offer this service again and look forward to providing healthy and delicious meals to our students. Please see the menu below
We can’t wait to see our canteen up and running once again!
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS
The following days have been set down as Staff Development Days for St Joseph's for 2025. We thank you for supporting us in our Professional Development/Learning
opportunities.
Students do not attend school on these days
TERM 1
| Friday 11 April | Spriituality/ New Curriculum |
TERM 2
| Monday 28 April | Spriituality/Learning Collaborative |
| Friday 4 July | Spriituality/ New Curriculum |
TERM 3
| Monday 21 July | Learning and Teaching |
| Friday 26 September | Learning and Teaching |
WHATS HAPPENING IN TERM 1
IN WEEK 6 TERM 1 WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL
- We all made it through
- for our Community- we're so happy that everyone is okay
- for our supportive and helpful parents
- for our students- we can't wait to see them.
- for our staff who have gone above and beyond in the last 2 weeks
- for our beautiful school
Have a wonderful weekend!
Regards
Jeanette Wilkins
Principal