Wellbeing Week

Spelling and Maths Bees

Reports

Reports will be made available to parents on Friday 28th June (Week 9).  Please see the information below regarding booking for Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews

You are invited to book your parent teacher interviews via the Compass App or a computer by following the attached instructions.

Bookings are now open on the Compass App and will close on Friday 28th June.

Wednesday, 3rd July is our designated Parent/Teacher interview evening, however, you will see that other times during Week 10 are also available. Due to staff leave and study commitments, families in Year 3 Blue and Year 6 Blue have completed their interviews this week, while families in Year 1 Blue and Year 4 Gold have interview times available for Week 9 and 10 of this term. 

Please come to these meetings to listen, acknowledge your child’s efforts and progress at school. We also ask that prior to the conference you have read and discussed the report with your child/children.

This year, interviews will take the following format:

Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 2 – Parent/Teacher Interview

Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 – Parent/Teacher Interview. Student attendance is optional (parent choice)

Year 6 – Parent/Teacher/Student Conference: This approach includes the parent/s, teacher and student in the conference. During this time students will share 3 goals. These goals will align closely to the ‘areas for development’ within the student reports. Students will select one of these goals as their main area of focus for development in the coming weeks. Parents will then be asked to select a goal for their child. This could be one of the outlined teacher goals, or one that the parent has identified as a further area of growth for their child.

Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL)

Our final PBL focus this term is Do Your Best – Be A Team Member. This is an important focus area as children learn the importance of contributing to a group goal, rather than an individual goal. They will be discussing the qualities of being a good team player such as sharing tasks equally, being fair, including others, encouraging others, demonstrating focus and displaying a commitment to the task. By evaluating several different scenarios, students will identify how they can become even better team players. If you have an opportunity, please discuss these concepts with your children at home.

Being halfway through the token 5-week block, we look forward to giving students a progress report on a token count in our next newsletter. 

Safeguarding

Refugee Week

Refugee Week runs from Sunday 16 - Saturday 22 June. It is a unique opportunity for us all to experience and celebrate the rich diversity of refugee communities through theatre, music, dance, film and other events which take place all over Australia and highlight the aims of the Week, as outlined in this link.

Nicole Charnock

Assistant Principal

Understanding Religious Literacy 

Religious literacy is important for helping us understand different cultures and making everyone feel included. In schools, it means learning about different beliefs and customs so that we can respect and understand each other better. When students learn about different religions, they become better at seeing things from other people's perspectives and being kind to everyone, no matter what they believe. 

Just like we learn English, Maths, and Science to understand different subjects, learning about religions helps us understand the core teachings and beliefs that are important to people around the world. At our Catholic school, Religious Education is a special part of our learning because it helps us grow in our faith and understanding. The Diocese has made it a priority for us to learn about different religions as part of our education plan. 

Religious Literacy is important to develop an understanding our core beliefs of our Catholic faith. Religious literacy in this diocese uses a three phase model to define the key components to be embedded in the RE curriculum: 

• KNOWING about the Catholic tradition 
• UNDERSTANDING what it means to be Catholic 
• APPLYING the Catholic worldview 

In Term 3, our students will embark on a fascinating journey through the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, also known as the Old and New Testaments. These sacred texts offer a wealth of stories and teachings that are central to our faith. Our children will learn about the rich history and beliefs of the Hebrew people through the Old Testament. These stories include important events and figures that have shaped our religious heritage. 

The New Testament will introduce our students to the life and teachings of Jesus, as well as the beginnings and growth of the early Church. Through these stories, they will discover how Jesus' message has inspired and guided Christians throughout history. 

By studying these scriptures, our students will see them as special works inspired by God. This will help them deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith and develop a stronger spiritual connection. They will also learn how to find specific passages in the Bible and understand the important lessons they contain. 

Moreover, our students will explore how these scriptures show God's relationship with the Hebrew people and His ongoing guidance throughout history. This will help them appreciate how God continues to lead us towards a deeper spiritual awareness and a closer relationship with Him. 

Ms Donna Morgan 
REC 

Regional Athletics Carnival 

Last Thursday our athletic stars shone at the regional athletics carnival. They gave it their all and left nothing in the tank. A big thank you to Miss Cook, Mrs Charnock and Mrs Mantach for being our officials and team managers on the day, looking after our Joey’s students and all the pre-carnival work you put in. 

We recognise all our amazing athletes and congratulate those who have been selected to go through to the diocesan carnival on Wednesday 7th August at Glendale Sports Centre. 

We also offer huge congratulations to our senior girls and boys and junior boys 4 x 100m relay teams! Well done to all those who gave it their best shot.

Diocesan Discus 

As you may be aware, discus is not run at school, regional or diocesan events. If you wish to nominate your child for polding you must fill out the attached application form and return by the 5th of July. We do not accept any applications that do not have validated, supporting documentation from an official meet.  

Last Thursday and Friday Miss Parish and Toby B, travelled out to the picturesque, but freezing Parkes for the Polding Touch Football trials. Toby made the tough choice to attend both days of the trials instead of competing at the regional athletics carnival. The competition was fierce, and we congratulate Toby on his selection into the Polding team. Well done and well deserved!  

NSWPSSA Championship Rugby League 

A big congratulations to Vinnie M, who has spent the
last couple of days in St Mary’s at the NSWPSSA Championships. Vinnie faced adversaries from all over the state and not only played fabulously but had a great time. Showing his adaptability, he played centre, fullback and wing for his team. Sadly, the team narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth but we know that through loss comes growth and he will be back stronger next time. Well done Vinnie. 

Celebrating a Successful Wellbeing Week!

We are delighted to share with you the wonderful events, experiences and activities that made our recent Wellbeing Week at St Joseph’s such an amazing success. The week was filled with joy, learning, and positive energy, all aimed at nurturing the physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing of our students and staff.

Mindful Monday

On Monday we kickstarted Wellbeing Week at St Joseph’s with an interactive growth mindset performance from The Wellbeing Show, that promoted the attitudes and behaviours that each child should acquire in order to be successful academically, in social interactions with others, and to generally experience happiness and wellbeing within themselves.

Quotes from students regarding their key takeaways from the show:

“Work as a team, think before you act and finish what you start” - Evan B

“Set goals and stick to them” – Christian B

“Be kind to myself and others” - Bailar G

“If someone doesn’t have a smile, give them yours” – Chester C

“Have positive encouraging thoughts” - Grace C

“Instead of saying I can’t, say I can tomorrow” – Giselle S

“Help others” - Louella D

“Treat others how you want to be treated” – Sebastian B

“Make an effort, not an excuse” - Jack J

“Be a termite, don't give up until you’re finished” - Hayden C

“When you say hurtful things, it leaves scars like lines on a scrunched-up piece of paper” - Katie M

Together Tuesday

On Tuesday the whole school gathered outside to immerse themselves in nature and practise mindfulness. Students were given the opportunity to engage in journaling, reading, sensory observation, and mindful walking, which allowed the children to reflect, focus on the present moment and connect with their feelings and surroundings.

Wellbeing Wednesday

Wednesday was certainly a highlight of the week for many where a range of fun and engaging wellbeing workshops were led by the Student Wellbeing Team. As students moved around the different activities in their ‘uniquely me’ outfits, they were exposed to the different ways we can be proactive and positively contribute to our own mental health.

On Wednesday we also celebrated Mrs Samuels and Mrs Pringle for Admin Appreciation Day. Students made a lovely video expressing their love and admiration for the two special ladies that keep our school running smoothly. On behalf of the entire school community, we truly appreciate the countless ways you both contribute to making our school a wonderful place to learn and work. Thank you for being a constant source of help and encouragement to staff, students, and parents alike.

Thoughtful Thursday

By Thursday it was time to spread the joy from inside the school gates out into the wider community. Some classes ventured out onto Union St to decorate the sidewalk with positive affirmations while other classes decorated the concrete inside the school. The students were delighted to think that their actions may have contributed to making someone smile and possibly changed the whole discourse of their day.

Family Friday

We ended the week with some quality time with our loved ones. In our busy lives, moments like these remind us to pause, appreciate each other's company, and be grateful for this amazing community we are part of.

Each day this week was filled with smiles, laughter, and moments of personal reflection. Thank you to everyone in our community who had a hand in making Wellbeing Week at St Joseph’s such a memorable and impactful event.

Chloe Coe 
Wellbeing Coordinator

Reflecting on a Successful Educational Event: The Amazing Maths Race and The Maths Show

We are delighted to share the success of our recent educational event that was both exciting and enriching for our students in Years 3 to 6. On Tuesday, 11 June, our school hosted a fantastic maths incursion called "The Amazing Maths Race", facilitated by Felstead Education.

What was The Amazing Maths Race?

The Amazing Maths Race was a dynamic and engaging event designed to make mathematics fun and interactive. Inspired by the popular television show, this incursion transformed mathematical learning into an adventurous race, encouraging teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking among students. Participants navigated through various stations, each presenting unique mathematical challenges that they solved to progress to the next stage of the race.

Benefits of The Amazing Maths Race:

• Enhanced Engagement: By incorporating physical activity and competition, students stayed engaged and enthusiastic about learning mathematics.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: The race format encouraged students to work together, fostering essential social skills such as communication, cooperation, and leadership.
• Real-World Application:The challenges presented in The Amazing Maths Race showed students the practical applications of mathematical concepts, making learning more relevant and meaningful.
• Critical Thinking: Each station required students to think critically and solve problems efficiently, enhancing their analytical skills.

The Maths Show

To conclude the day, students in Years 3 to 6 enjoyed a performance of "The Maths Show”. This show was packed with mathematical history, puzzles, magic, and fun—designed to entertain and engage students while increasing their interest in mathematics.

We are pleased to share the thoughts of some of our students:

• I liked it because we got to go to different areas of the school and solve interesting problems.
• I like it because it was fun, and we got to solve problems with our friends.
• I liked it because instead of sitting in a classroom we got to explore and run around while working on maths problems.
• I liked the fact that it was based on countries and you had to run around it was fun because we were working in groups.
• I really liked how we solved puzzles in order to go to the next country.
• I enjoyed how we were playing with our friends but it was also helping us learn.
• I liked that it was maths based.
• I liked how it was a challenge to get to each sections.
• We preserved, we kept trying and worked together to share our knowledge to solve problems.

Here are some photos from the event:

Leanne Skinner 
Primary Coordinator and Pedagogical Mentor

In Week 10, we will have the opportunity to celebrate NAIDOC Week at St Josephs. This year’s theme is Keep the Fire Burning! Black Loud and Proud. During the week, the community will be engaged in a variety of different activities that will help them to develop a greater understanding of the importance of learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and the way in which our modern society would benefit from learning about and implementing traditional cultural practices and the positive impact that this would have on our environment.  

NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee), was established in 1955 as a day of celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and is now celebrated across a whole week. During NAIDOC Week, the community celebrates the oldest continuing cultures in the world, the achievements of Indigenous members of the community, like our own Professor Kelvin Kong, NAIDOC Indigenous Person of the Year for 2023/24 and this year, to keep the fire of culture burning for future generations of Australians. There is so much to celebrate, and I look forward to sharing with our community in Week 10.  

Final preparations and timetables are being prepared and will be shared with the community once finalised.  

Leah Temple. 

Disco

Saddle up, put your boots on and enjoy a boot scootin’ night at the Country & Western Disco. Each ticket includes a Hotdog, a glow stick and a zooper dooper!

Before the event please:

· Book your tickets on QKR. $12 per student (includes hotdog, glow stick & zooper dooper).

· Ticket sales will close at 3pm on Monday 24 June.

· There will be no cash sales on the night.

Make sure each student brings a labelled, refillable water drink bottle, as they get very hot and thirsty.

We’re also looking for volunteers to help supervise and pack up at the end of the night. If you can help and have volunteer clearance, contact the office.

We look forward to seeing all the Cowgirls and Cowboys at the dance. Yee Haw!

Spring Ball

You’ve got the spring ball save the date, now get ready to buy your ticket!

The St Joseph’s P & F events committee have been busy planning the Spring Ball to be held at Ravella on Saturday 14 September.

Tickets go on sale 9am on 1 July via QKR and are $180 per person. We’re mixing things up this year with long communal tables so you don’t have to pre-organise a table of ten. But get in quick as tickets are limited!

All the information you need to know is included below. 

Do you or your business have an item to donate to the P&F for the silent auction or a promise for the fundraising games?  Please email sjpandf@gmail.com

St Joseph's P&F Committee

St Joseph’s Merewether Productions Presents…

Ladies and gentlemen, gather 'round as we unveil the magical tale that has captured the hearts of St Joseph's Primary School!

On a crisp Monday morning, a mystical letter graced our classrooms, heralding the arrival of our 2024 Musical Production. Picture yourselves transported to a whimsical forest, where the Legend of Mythical Creatures convenes after a century's slumber to share their wondrous tales of adventure and intrigue!

Discussing the exciting announcement with sisters Sofia and Alex, Sofia bubbling with excitement, said, "I can't wait to perform with everyone on stage!" With Alex echoing the sentiment, "It's an incredible chance for our school to come together and showcase our creativity to the world!”.

Don't let this enchanting evening slip away! Mark your calendars for Thursday 19th September and be part of an unforgettable experience, where talent and camaraderie illuminate the stage like never before at The Factory Theatre in Adamstown. Prepare to be dazzled as every student takes the stage in a spectacle that will leave you spellbound!

If you have indicated you are settling your 2024 fees via a lump sum annual payment - this is due and payable by 30th June 2024. If your circumstances have changed and you cannot meet this due date please contact the school to make alternate payment plan arrangements.  

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