WEEK 3 Term 42024
Dear Families,
What an incredible way to start the month of November!
THE BLESSING AND DEDICATION OF ST JOSEPH'S WOODBURN FRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2024
Today we came together as one to celebrate the blessing and dedication of our school. The day marked the culmination of the hard work, love, care, and support of many people. It was a day charged with emotions, stories, laughter, gratitude, and absolute joy.
We are thankful that the day began with a smoking ceremony by Afzal Khan to bring people together, to promote goodwill, blessing, and healing. Uncle Ricky Cook then welcomed us to Country.
Bishop Greg Homeming led us in a reflective and calming liturgy and blessed our children, families, visitors, and buildings with the sprinkling of Holy Water. The children sang our school song proudly to open the Liturgy and stood to close the Liturgy with a rousing rendition of 'My Lighthouse'. We thank Bishop Greg for celebrating the Liturgy and being with us today.
We were thrilled and very privileged to have Her Excellency The Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General with us to dedicate and open the school. The Governor-General acknowledged the loss and trauma after the floods and the recovery that continues throughout the Woodburn area. It was a comfort to hear that the recovery, wellbeing, and progress of our area are important to her and all Australians.
The students then presented their story of the past nearly three years in an incredibly creative and moving way, using song, dance, movement, and story. They rose to the occasion, sang beautifully, spoke clearly, and were an absolute joy to watch. Congratulations to each and every one of them and to Mrs Anne Lowrey for her genius in creating the presentation.
After the official part of the ceremony, The Governor- General joined the children for their lunchtime, engaging with many families and visitors along the way. We thank her for her time, support, and warm company.
We also thank the many parents, grandparents, parishioners, past parents and students, the Woodburn community and all who joined us in celebration.
We acknowledge and thank the following guests for taking the time to be with us to celebrate today.
- Mr Adam Spencer, Director of Catholic Schools Lismore Diocese
Member of the Board DLCSL - The Honorable John Hannaford AM Chair -Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Limited
- Sister Anne Jordan pvbm- Member of the Board DLCSL
- Mr Richie Williamson- State MP,
- Councillor Robert Mustow- Mayor Richmond Valley Council
- Vaughan Macdonald- General Manager Richmond Valley Council
- Dylan Butcher representing the Honorable Kevin Hogan MP
- Members of the Leadership Team of the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools
- Fr Max Gow, Administrator of the Coraki Parish
- Fr Peter Jones Coraki Parish
- Fr Peter Slack Parish Priest St Mary's Parish Casino
- Reverend Lenore Moules-Evans Head Anglican Church
- Lyndall Murray Richmond Valley Councillor
- Sr Bev Whitton- Sister of Mercy
As I mentioned in my thank you, acknowledging all who have contributed to this journey, let us always remember that our new school is not just a building; it is a testament to the incredible goodness of people. It embodies our shared resilience and the bonds we’ve forged through adversity.
OUR NEW MURAL WALL
We are so thankful to Dan Stuart and his workers for putting up the amazing new mural of our mosaic tiles created on the first anniversary of the flood. A wooden plaque is on it’s way to go in the centre of the mural. It will say:
"Strength in Resilience"
This mosaic, created by the staff and students of St Joseph’s Woodburn, symbolises our journey of healing and renewal after the 2022 flood. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, it reminds us that through challenges, we emerge stronger, finding beauty in the mending of our brokenness.
‘Do all you can with the means at your disposal and calmly leave the rest to God’ Mary MacKillop
Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with a lacquer mixed emphasises, highlighting the cracks as part of the object’s history and unique beauty. This philosophy views breakage and repair as part of the object's life story, enhancing its character rather than diminishing it.
Kintsugi serves as a powerful metaphor for resilience: it celebrates strength, healing, and transformation, showing that even after challenges, something can be made whole again, with added beauty and significance.
OUR PAST STUDENTS CAME HOME
A group of students from St John's College Woodlawn, who previously attended St Joseph's, came to our Blessing and Dedication day to celebrate with us and to spend an afternoon with our students. We thank Mrs Annette Reen, Principal of St John's College Woodlawn and her staff for organising to have our past students be with us and to the students themselves for leading some fun activities for our children to add to the celebration of the day. It was a joy having them back with us.
JUNIOR JOEYS FOR ONE LAST TIME
Our Junior Joeys will join us for our last day together for 2024, next Wednesday 6 October 2024 from 9am- 11am, We have loved having them with us for 8 weeks. We can't wait for them to become part of the St Joseph's family in 2025. Thank you Joeys!
UPCOMING DATES TO NOTE
IN WEEK 3 OF TERM 4 WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR:
- The Blessing and Dedication of Our School
- Her Excellency The Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General spending time with us
- Bishop Greg blessing our students, families, visitors and school
- Everyone who helped to make Friday such a special day
- The Parent Consultation Group School Leaflet
- All who came to celebrate with us.
- Our students' incredible performance
- Mrs Lowrey's creative genius
- Our past students from Woodlawn who came to be with us
- Our Regional Ministry Officers Eliza and Oliver- for all that they do
- Our Junior Joeys
Have a wonderful weekend!
Regards
Jeanette Wilkins
Principal
SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION-31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel Reading
Mark 12:28b-34
Jesus is questioned by a scribe about the greatest commandment.
Jesus teaches us that the key to the Kingdom of God is found in balancing our love for God, our love for ourselves, and our love for our neighbors.
ALL SAINTS DAY
All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1 is a special day in the Christian calendar dedicated to honouring all the saints who have lived lives of faith, compassion, and service. It’s a day to remember and celebrate these individuals who followed God’s call and often inspired others to do the same. Saints, like St. Mary MacKillop, serve as role models, showing us how to live with love, courage, and kindness. All Saints Day reminds us that everyone is called to holiness and that we can all strive to make a positive difference in our communities and the world.
It was very fitting that our Blessing and Dedication took place on All Saints Day as today’s ceremony gave us the chance to reflect on all the incredible people who have shown our St Joseph’s community so much love and kindness.
Throughout our journey back to Woodburn, we have been particularly inspired by St. Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint, who dedicated her life to education and helping others, no matter the obstacles she faced. Her commitment to hope and perseverance has been an important part of our journey. As we look to the future, we carry her spirit in our hearts, remembering her words: “Never see a need without doing something about it.”
St Joseph's SPIRIT OF JESUS AWARD
At St Joseph's we remind our students that they are the living disciples of Jesus. We also encourage our students to look for the goodness in others. Our school Vice Captains-Mission this year Aya Stahl and Cooper Bailey have been responsible for helping to acknowledge students who demonstrate the attitudes and gospel values that show the Spirit of Jesus.
If we have the spirit of Jesus in our hearts, we are kind, compassionate, welcoming, cheerful, friendly, encouraging, giving, forgiving thankful, and respectful. The Spirit of Jesus Award will be presented from Week 5 this term.
SATURDAY -St John’s Catholic Church Wattle Street Evans Head at 5:00 pm
SUNDAY- St Joseph’s Catholic Church Coraki - 9:15 am
ALL WELCOME
SLAM DUNK STAGE 3 WRITING
In Term 3, our Stage 3 students embarked on an inspiring journey through the world of poetry with the "Spotlight by Solli Raphael" unit (Year A - unit 4). Initially, some students approached the unit apprehensively, unsure of their prior knowledge or interest in poetry. However, as the lessons unfolded, it became clear that they had underestimated themselves and the allure of poetry. The mood was about to change.
The unit focused on using imagery, symbolism, and connotation to analyse and experiment with various poetry genres, aiming to evoke emotional responses from audiences. Students quickly became engaged, participating enthusiastically in every lesson to everyone's delight. They discovered the joy of playing with language devices and learned to infer deeper meanings, transforming their initial hesitations into a newfound appreciation for poetic expression. They also discovered the power of journaling. This was a time when students could delve deep into their thoughts and feelings, leading to the creation of profoundly moving poems. Also, constructing a bump-it-up wall supported the students during the writing process, allowing them to see examples of how students could improve their writing.
The unit culminated in an exhilarating slam poetry performance, during which students showcased their creativity. They collaborated and composed powerful slam poems using figurative language and diverse literary devices.
The excitement didn’t end there! After the performances, we decided to capture these moments on film using green screens. The result? A collection of remarkable recordings that not only highlight the students’ talents but also serve as a testament to their hard work and dedication.
This unit has enriched our students' understanding of poetry, built their confidence and creativity, and allowed them to find their voice. It’s a true celebration of their growth, and we couldn't be prouder of their accomplishments!
Written by Kate Duncan and Michelle Storman
We’re excited to announce that the Lego Club runs every Monday after school from 3:30 to 4:30 pm in the Library. This club is a fantastic way for students to tap into their creativity, where the only limit is their imagination! Each session allows students to socialise with friends, collaborate on builds, and solve problems in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Playing with Lego is more than just fun—it fosters critical thinking, fine motor skills, and patience as students experiment with designs and constructions. Whether building solo or working together on projects, the Lego Club offers an excellent way for students to make new friends and share ideas. We can’t wait to see what they create! All students are welcome to join.
WATER AWARENESS PROGRAM
This term, the students will participate in a Water Awareness Swimming Program at the Woodburn Pool.
There will be 5 sessions held at the pool:
- Thursday 7th November,
- Thursday 14th November,
- Thursday 21st November and
- Thursday 28th November 2024.
This program develops the children's water awareness strategies which are aligned with the PDHPE syllabus. Parent helpers are more than welcome to assist, please contact the office to leave your name. Your child's classroom teacher will be in contact. Unfortunately, younger siblings will not be able to attend if you are helping a group.
Our school Water Awareness program is a compulsory activity and all students are expected to attend. A Season Pass for Evans Head or Woodburn Pool can be used for the entry component to the pool. Please contact the office before payment if you have a season pass so, your price can be adjusted. As the pool is being opened for our water awareness program we need to play for a lifeguard. The cost of the lifeguard will need to be included for all students.
Please contact the office with the season pass details to have the cost altered.
A Compass event will be published to all parents on Monday with full details
| Kindergarten | Sage Skinner |
| Year 1 | Kai Harford-Coombs |
| Year 2 | Sonny Feil |
| Year 3 | Summer Beaumont |
| Year 4 | Brooke Cameron |
| Year 5 | Amelia Hume and Thomas Walsh |
| Year 6 | Ayla Stahl |
CONGRATULATIONS
FAMILY CONNECT IN ACTION
Hello there St Joseph’s Woodburn family, Cassie here from the Family Connect in School program. I'd like to introduce “Family Connect in Action’, a new addition to the school’s fortnightly newsletter. Each edition will give you links to information and resources to help you on your parenting journey.
My first edition is to let families know about the school Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) which can provide:
Free internet for eligible families
The Australian Government has introduced the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) to provide free internet access to eligible families. The SSBI provides internet access to up to 30,000 families with school-aged children who are currently unconnected. The free internet access will be provided until 31 December 2025.
Am I eligible?
Eligible families:
- have a child living at home enrolled in K-12 at a NSW school
- have not had an active National Broadband Network (NBN) internet service for the previous 14 days. Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility.
- reside in a premise that can access a standard NBN service
- will undergo a suitability assessment conducted by the National Referral Centre (NRC). This is just a phone call or online application.
If you require any further information or assistance with an application, contact Cassie from the Family Connect in School program at 0427620667 or contact the National Referral Centre – run by Anglicare Victoria – on 1800 954 610 (Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm AEDT), or visit: https://www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet/