Week 2 Term 1 2024
Dear Families,
Welcome to the 2024 school year! We hope that you have enjoyed a wonderful holiday filled with relaxation, renewal and special family moments.
We look forward to a year filled with many opportunities for learning, growing and becoming connected. We talked at the beginning Staff Development Day as this being a year of journey. The journey of new learning, the journey of the implementation the new Primary English and Maths Syllabus, the journey of new classes and teachers and student leaders and the journey back to our school at Woodburn.
I want to start with a special thank you to you our parents for your cooperation with the Maths Assessment Interviews. These assessments allow us to gain invaluable information on each student so that teachers can target their Mathematics instruction to accommodate individual student needs.
It has been a terrific beginning to the School Year. I know that it is only Week 2 of the children being back in classes but their excitement at being in a new class and back with their friends is always a pleasure to witness.
A special part of our commencement of the School Year was to welcome the 2024 Kindergarten children and families to the Joseph's School community. It was wonderful to see them arrive looking so excited and perhaps a little tentative! The children have eased into their first week and are already adapting well to 'big school'. I would like to say a big thank you to their Year 6 buddies who have shown wonderful leadership skills in caring for and assisting them in many different ways. The Kinders know they have a familiar face to turn to if needed throughout the day.
WOODBURN UPDATE
A visit to the school this week showed us that the work to bring our school at Woodburn back to life has well and truly begun. At this stage, gyprock is going up in the Admin block, we are starting to look at colours for the walls and investigating signage and alarms. We will keep you updated as the work proceeds. It is very early stages but it is incredibly exciting!
BEGINNING YEAR WHOLE SCHOOL MASS
Next week, at our Beginning Year School Mass, to be held on Friday 16 February 2024, at 9.30 am, we will induct all of our School Leaders - our School Captains and Vice Captains Mission, Sports Captains, and our Student Representative Council Presidents and members. Everyone is welcome to attend.
PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT
It is our usual practice, within the first few weeks of being back at school, to hold a Parent Information night to allow parents to hear about what the children will be learning throughout the year and the expectations around behaviour, attitude, goal setting, etc in each classroom.
These meetings are then followed with individual parent/teacher interviews towards the end of Term 1 where together goals can be set for the 2024 school year.
This year I invite and encourage you to attend these meetings, it is important to keep us all informed together.
The meetings also allow our parents to meet with teachers and establish a partnership to ensure that students, parents and teachers are all on the same page regarding each student's educational journey.
The meetings will be held
Date: Tuesday 20 February 2024
Time: BBQ at 5.30
Meet with Jeanette (Principal) at 6 pm in the Library
Classrooms (Meet with the Teachers) 6.15 pm- 6.40pm.
2nd Session ( Repeated teachers meeting) 6.45pm - 7.15pm
Where: Meet with Jeanette - Library
Teacher Meetings in your child's classroom
THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS IN OUR SCHOOL LIFE
As a Catholic learning community, St Joseph's Primary School strives to be welcoming and connected, supporting the engagement of parents as partners in their children’s learning and wellbeing, and their involvement in the life and community of the school and parish.
Parent engagement is more than volunteering and helping out at the school. While we value any contribution you can make to school life, we understand that work and family commitments can make it difficult to be involved in an ongoing way. However, you can still engage in your child’s learning and wellbeing by supporting and/or attending:
- Mass and prayer celebrations with the parish and school community
- Our Parish Based sacramental programs
- Parent information nights and parent/teacher meetings
- Parent Forum Meetings and Community Events –
- School Assemblies
- School open days and special occasions
- ...and offering any other practical assistance either on-site or from home.
SCHOOL COUNSELLOR
This year we welcome back our School Counsellor, Mrs Nicole Walsh. Nicole will work with us on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Referral Forms are available at the front office for parents seeking counselling for their child/children.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS- PUPIL FREE
The following days have been set down as Staff Development Days for St Joseph's for 2024. We thank you for supporting us in our Professional Development/Learning
opportunities.
Students do not attend school on these days
|
Friday 22 March- Week 8 |
The Learning Collaborative -Lyn Sharratt |
|
Friday 12 April- Week 11 |
School Review |
|
TERM 2
|
|
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Monday 29th April |
School Review |
|
29 May |
Staff Proclaim |
|
Friday 5th of July |
Staff Retreat Day |
|
TERM 3 |
|
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Monday 22nd of July |
New Curriculum |
|
Friday 27th of September |
New Curriculum |
PARENT FORUM 2024
Therefore it is important, in our small community, that as many people as possible are involved.
This year we are looking at the new Diocesan models of Parent Forums in an endeavour to reach more people. We will be in touch over the coming weeks.
UPCOMING DATES TO NOTE
| Tuesday 13 February |
Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day |
| Wednesday 14 February | Ash Wednesday Liturgy 9.30 am |
| Friday 16 February | Beginning School Mass 9.30 am |
| Monday 19 February | National Young Leaders Day (School Captains and Vice Captains) |
| Tuesday 20 February |
Parent Information Night 5.30 pm |
| Thursday 22 February |
Richmond Zone Winter Trials |
| Tuesday 27 February |
Incitare Retreat (2x Yr 6 students) |
| Friday 1 March |
Diocesan Swimming Carnival Kinder, Year 1 & 2 Assembly |
IN WEEK 2 OF TERM 1 WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR:
- Being back together again
- Our students who have returned so full of joy and patience.
- Our brave Kinders for such a positive and confident start to 'Big School'
- Our Year 6 Buddies- we are so proud of you
- Our beautiful grounds- Thanks Paul
- All that 2024 has in store for us
- The work that has begun at Woodburn
Jeanette Wilkins
Principal
SUNDAY GOSPEL READINGS - Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year B
Mark 1:40-45 Jesus has a choice - he cures a person with leprosy, who reports his cure to everyone
SHROVE TUESDAY – PANCAKE DAY –Tuesday 13th February -
HELP NEEDED - Parents to help prepare pikelets on Tuesday from 8:30 am until 10:00 am. If available please ring Gayl at the School Office 66822468.
Traditionally Shrove Tuesday is the Celebration before ASH WEDNESDAY the first day of the Church’s Liturgical Season of Lent. As some families traditionally fasted during Lent on Shrove Tuesday they used all their eggs, milk and flour to make pancakes.
This year our pikelet sale will help raise money for our Mission Appeal - PROJECT COMPASSION. At lunchtime on Shrove Tuesday, the 13th of February students will be able to purchase plain, jam or cream pikelets for 50 cents each.
Thank you to the families who support this fundraising – your generosity is most appreciated.
ASH WEDNESDAY – Wednesday 14th February
Ash Wednesday is one of the important holy days in the liturgical calendar. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a season of fasting, generosity and prayer. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head.
The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us. The ashes are made from blessed palm branches, taken from the previous year's Palm Sunday Mass. On Wednesday 14th February our students will participate in an Ash Wednesday and Distribution of the Ashes Liturgy in the Library at 9:10 am. All welcome.
As a school family, we will support Project Compassion - Caritas Australia this Lenten season, to help support vulnerable people around the world, now and for all future generations.
With your support, Caritas Australia has been able to support communities around the world in tackling poverty, food security, education, water and sanitation and disaster risk reduction.
Project Compassion 2024 reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow for all future generations.
You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes which will be sent home on Ash Wednesday or, by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion
Please return Mission Boxes to school by Friday 22nd March 2024
SATURDAY -St John’s Anglican Church Wattle Street Evans Head at 5:00 pm
SUNDAY- St Joseph’s Catholic Church Coraki - 9:15 am
ALL WELCOME
LEGO CLUB
RICHMOND ZONE SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Wishing the best of luck to the students who will be representing our school at the Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival on Tuesday 13th February at the Alstonville Aquatic Centre.
Venue: Alstonvill Aquatic Centre
Date: Tuesday 13 February 2024
Start Time: 9:45 am
Finish Time: 2 pm approximately
Transport: Private transport
Cost: $3.00 spectators -to be paid at the pool
Competitors: Pool Entry is paid for
Warm-ups: 9.15 am
Canteen: Canteen facilities available or bring your own lunch and water
Manager: Jeanette Wilkins/ Melissa Barnes
Students are to report to Ms Wilkins by 9.30 am. Sports uniform and hat are to be worn
PARENTS WILL HAVE DESIGNATED SEATING AREAS
| Kindergarten | Frankie Pollard |
| Year 1 | Kayd Donnelly |
| Year 2 | Luca Skinner |
| Year 3 | Logan Riddle |
| Year 4 | Brooke Cameron |
| Year 5 | Lacey Foster |
| Year 6 | Sunni Reese |
CONGRATULATIONS
| Large Pies | $3.50 |
| Mini Pies | $2.50 |
| Sausage Rolls | $2.50 |
| Spinach and Feta Rolls | $4.50 |
| Big M Chocolate Milk | $1.50 |
| Apple and Black Currant Popper | $1.50 |
All orders need to be on paper bags with the child's name, class and what they would like to order clearly written on them with the money enclosed.
ORDERS ARE TO BE IN BY THURSDAY - THANK YOU
