Week 3 Term 1 - 2021

Dear Families

Next week we begin the Church Season of LENT. At the beginning of Lent (Ash Wednesday— we Catholics receive a cross of ashes on our foreheads. The cross of ashes tells friends and neighbours that we know we are not perfect. We sometimes turn away from God. We hurt other people. We act selfishly. During Lent, we tell God and each other that we are sorry, and with the help of Jesus, we will try during Lent to become better people.

Today we know Lent as a season of conversion: we acknowledge the ways we have turned away from God in our lives and we focus on turning our hearts and minds back toward God.

Hence the three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These observances help us turn away from whatever has distracted or derailed us and to turn back to God. Giving up something for Lent is ultimately a form of fasting. We can deprive ourselves of some small pleasure or indulgence and offer that sacrifice up to God. Or we might “give up” a bad habit as a way of positively turning our life back towards what God wants for us.

At school, the children are encouraged to make a commitment during Lent. The commitment could be anything from a promise to help mum every day during Lent, to a promise of a kind act each day, to one of their siblings or a classmate. You could encourage your children to do this by asking questions and complimenting them when they make a special effort.

We also have Project Compassion Boxes in the classroom where the children and staff are encouraged to give to those who are struggling in Australia and the world.

This year we will have our Parent Information night, next Monday 15 February 2021 (Week 4). These meetings give parents the opportunity to hear about what the children will be learning throughout the year and the expectations around behaviour, attitude, goal setting, etc in each classroom. The meetings will be
followed in a few weeks with individual parent/teacher interviews where together goals can be set for the 2021 school year.

I encourage you to come along to these meetings as they give our parents the opportunity to meet with teachers and to establish a partnership to ensure that students, parents and teachers are all on the same page in regard to each student's educational journey.

In keeping with the current COVID restrictions, our Parent Information night will look slightly different. All parents will need to sanitise on entry to the evening and sign in, with name and contact details.  Normal social distancing guidelines are required 

A  free barbeque- sausage sandwich will start at 5.30 pm. 

6 pm- 6.35 pm    -  Information session held in K- 6 classrooms.
6.45pm - 7.20pm- Information sessions will be repeated K-6 classrooms.

PARENT FORUM 2021

Thank you to those parents who were able to attend the Parent Forum meeting held last Monday night. 

The Parent Forum plays an integral part in the life of our school-  through the financial fundraising to support our students learning and their input in relation to changes and or discussions about the day to day running of our school. 

Congratulations to our: 2021 Parent Forum Executive:

President: Tracey Bodley

Vice President: Jessie Flanagan

Secretary: Gillian O'Neill 

Treasurer: Melissa Handford.

We look forward to working together this year!

ST JOSEPH'S COMMUNITY FAIR.................... IT'S ON!

SAVE THE DATE!.......26 MARCH 2021

Our amazing fair with rides, Dodgem cars, entertainment, markets, food trucks, and culminating in a fireworks display promises to be one of our best!

We have a small dedicated group of people from the Parent Forum who are working to ensure the best possible fair. Now your assistance is needed. Please see the attached flyer listing the ways for you to be an important part of this community event.

The Fair will adhere to strict COVID guidelines with a COVID Safety Plan in place. 

• The commissioning of our Year 6 Leaders
• Our new Student Representative Council Members
• Our Parent Forum for working to bring us the St Joseph's Community Fair. 
• Our swimmers who will be representing St Joseph's at Zone Level next Monday

Have a wonderful weekend!  

Regards

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time - GOSPEL REFLECTION

Mark 1:40-45
Jesus cures a person with leprosy, who reports his cure to everyone.

In this week’s Gospel, a man with leprosy took the initiative, approached Jesus and asked for healing. In doing so, the leper broke the religious customs of the day by approaching a person who was clean. His request to Jesus can be interpreted as a courageous and daring act. While healing the man, Jesus touched him, which also violated established rules. This is an important sign of the depth of Jesus' compassion for the man. Let us always approach others and welcome them by lending a helping hand and showing loving compassion.

Ash Wednesday – 17th February 2021    This week the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to alleviate poverty, hunger, oppression and injustice. We encourage you to put your compassion into action this Lent through your prayer, fasting and almsgiving by supporting Project Compassion. Each family will receive a Project Compassion box and/or a set of envelopes for their donations or you can donate online via the Caritas Australia website at lent.caritas.org.au     Saint Oscar Romero is our inspiration for Project Compassion 2021, so in his words let’s “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” On Shrove Tuesday/ Pancake Day students will be able to purchase pikelets at lunchtime, and all money raised will be donated to Project Compassion. Plain Pikelet - 30 cents Pikelet with jam and or cream -50 cents

MAKING JESUS REAL - (MJR)

 At St Joseph’s Woodburn we encourage our students to “Make Jesus Real’” by the way they act in our school community and while at home and out in the community

MJR at St Joseph’s Woodburn encourages our students to be WEST people - that is WELCOMING, ENCOURAGING, SAY SORRY when needed and be THANKFUL.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Shrove Tuesday - Pancake Day - Tuesday 16th February.  Due to COVID we will need to cook the pancakes at school. A  couple of parent helpers would be appreciated - please contact Gayl in the school office if you are able to assist in the tuckshop that morning.

Ash Wednesday Parish Mass - Wednesday 17th February 12 noon ( Stage 2)  

Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival

Good luck to all the students representing our school at the Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival on Monday the 15th February in Lismore. We will share their results in the next week's newsletter.

Finlay Stevenson

Winter Sport Trials

Notes were issued for the winter sports trials on Thursday 11th February. The trials are only open for Year 5 and Year 6 students.

The Richmond Zone Winter Sports Trials are on Wednesday 24th February (Back Up 3rd March). All trials commence at 4:00pm. Travel to and from these trials will be via private transport.  Children participating at these trials are to wear suitable clothing for their respective sport. Protective equipment MUST be worn for specific trials. Students must take their own drink bottle. Appropriate sun protection is recommended.

CANTEEN ROSTER

If anybody is able to help out in Canteen in Term 1 Could you please call Gayl on 66822468.

THANK YOU LADIES!