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Dear Parents,
This year’s Book Week, inspired by the national “Book an Adventure!” theme—invited students to embark on imaginative journeys through storytelling, art, and play. Our school Book Week celebrations began with a holiday challenge for families to capture photos of their children reading in unique, exotic, or unusual locations. These wonderful photos were displayed around the school, and I must admit, I was a little envious of some of the incredible places our students found to enjoy a book!
The week was launched at assembly where each class received the gift of a new book. Students pledged to read regularly, and several teachers shared an extract from their own favourite stories.
Throughout the week students enjoyed a variety of activities, including:
- Treasure Hunt around the school to spot hidden book characters
- Boarding Pass Challenge with tickets hidden in classrooms that led students to winning a book prize
- Kahoots based on books and characters
- Digital Author Talk with Sophie Beer, who spoke about her journey as an author and illustrator, her debut novel Thunderhead, and how life experiences – including her journey with hearing loss – have shaped her storytelling
- Lunchtime Library fun such as bookmark making, colouring, and word finds linked to the Book Week theme
- Book Fair browsing, wish lists, and purchases
- Reading Picnics with students bringing cushions, blankets, and their favourite books to enjoy around the school
The week concluded with our much-loved Book Parade. While the weather prevented a whole-school parade around the field, we adjusted our plans so that all students were still able to showcase their costumes to families and friends. The creativity and colour were outstanding – from classic characters to modern favourites – and it was wonderful to see both students and staff getting involved.
A big thank you to families for helping with costumes and for joining us to celebrate. Book Week 2025 was a fantastic celebration of reading, imagination, and community.
Public Speaking
This week our school has been alive with confident voices, creative thinking and wonderful ideas as students from all grades participated in our annual Public Speaking Competition. Each stage held its own competition, with students impressing us all with their ability to communicate clearly and courageously. Our judges had the very difficult task of selecting the finalists who will represent our school at the Regional Competition next Monday at St James. We congratulate all participants for their effort and enthusiasm, and we commend Heidi (K), Siena (Year 2), Clara (Year 4) & Lula (Year 6). We wish our stage representatives the very best of luck for the next round!
Building Project Update
Our building project is progressing brilliantly! The new stairwell is nearing completion, and its relocation has created more open space for our playground. The stairwell dazzles with its striking glazed blue bricks, adding a vibrant feature to our school. This week also saw the posts for the new shelter go up, along with wiring and insulation works in the Library. It’s wonderful to watch our school evolving right before our eyes!
Staff Formation and Mission Work
On Monday’s pupil-free day, our staff gathered to deepen our understanding of the mission of Catholic schools. We then continued our important work on reviewing and renewing our school Mission Statement. We had the pleasure of working with Anne Thurgate from the CSO, and Rosemary Merz, one of our parents, who’s skillset is working with communities on Vision and Mission statements. The involvement and level of engagement from all staff throughout this year, as we have been focusing on what we identified as a priority for the year, has been incredible. This Vision and Mission work will be finalised over the coming term, and we look forward to sharing the fruits of this process with our community soon.
Possible New School Jacket
In conjunction with our P&F, we have been exploring the idea of adding an optional jacket to our school uniform. This discussion began after some parents requested a warmer, waterproof option during the colder, wetter months last term.
After reviewing a range of styles, we believe the most suitable choice is a fleecy-lined, waterproof jacket featuring the school crest. A sample has been made and is currently on display in the school foyer (near the noticeboard) and outside the office each morning and afternoon. It will also be available to view at next week’s Father’s Day Breakfast.
We welcome your feedback and invite you to share any thoughts with us.
Best wishes to all those students and families who will be celebrating First Communion this weekend.
Karen
Principal
Student Representative Council
The Student Representative Council met during the week. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss ideas students have included in their class suggestion boxes. As a result of the meeting the school bell music has been changed, potato gems will shortly be available to order in the canteen, the basketball backboard will be replaced, and students shared their evaluation of Book Week. Thank you to all students for a productive meeting!
Positive Behaviours for Learning (PB4L)
Congratulations to the Blue Sports Colour House for achieving the most tokens in the first half of Term 3! Today they were able to celebrate with an out-of-uniform day! We will continue to give tokens out for this second half of the term to support our focus on our four PB4L expectations
- Act Safely
- Be Respectful
- Care for All
- Do Your Best
This last fortnight our focus has been Care for All: Care for yourself and others. Students have used this time to consider how they can care for themselves and others physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Safeguarding - ‘Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’
National Child Protection Week (7th - 13th September)
Child Protection Week 2025: Every Conversation Matters
This year’s theme, “Every Conversation Matters: Shifting Conversation to Action,” reminds us that protecting children starts with open, honest dialogue. At our school, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where every child feels heard, valued, and protected. Throughout the week, in class, students will explore how to speak up, seek help, and support one another. We encourage families to continue these important conversations at home. Together, through small but meaningful actions, we can build a culture of safety and care—because every child deserves to feel safe, every day.
For further information please see https://www.napcan.org.au/ncpw-theme/
Important Security Update for student BYOD Devices (Years 4-6)
Action is required for students with BYOD Windows 10 devices as Windows 10 will soon no longer be supported by Microsoft.
To ensure your student device security you should upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible.
Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will end on 14 October 2025, meaning it will no longer receive critical security updates.
To stay protected and ensure optimal performance, it is strongly recommended that all students with BYOD Windows 10 devices follow Microsoft’s instructions and upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible. There is no charge for this upgrade.
Why this matters:
- Windows 10 will no longer receive Microsoft updates after 14 October 2025, leaving devices exposed to threats.
- Upgrading to Windows 11 helps reduce security risks.
- Student Work Protection: Staying current helps safeguard assignments, projects, and personal data.
Ways to install Windows 11 - Microsoft Support
Upgrade to Windows 11: FAQ - Microsoft Support
How do I check what version of Windows am I running?
Select Start > Settings > System, then select About. You then see Edition, Version, and OS Build information.
We encourage all families with Student Windows 10 computers to begin the upgrade process now to avoid last-minute disruptions. If you need assistance or have questions about upgrading, please reach out to the IT support team in our school.
Aspire Wow! Gallery Competition – Check last week’s Connect
This event returns after the success in 2024, where the special program had 354 artworks submitted from students from Year 1 up to students in Year 12 from around the diocese. Entries are currently open if students are interested. This year’s theme is ‘FINDING WOW IN THE EVERYDAY - How ordinary moments can be extraordinary.’
Submissions can be made via: ASPIRE WOW Gallery 2025 Submissions
Tickets for the exhibition are also on sale now via: ASPIRE Catholic Schools Diocese Maitland Newcastle | Humanitix
Exhibition will run for 2 days only, so get your tickets now!
For more information or any questions please email lara.crockett@mn.catholic.edu.au
School Water Safety Education Program
On Wednesday, our students had the valuable opportunity to participate in a Water Safety presentation delivered by local Lifeguards. This engaging session, offered by Newcastle City Council, aimed to educate children about staying safe in and around water. The interactive program covered key safety messages for the beach, swimming pools, and open water environments such as rivers, lakes, and dams. It was a practical and informative experience that reinforced the importance of water awareness and personal safety. Below are some student reflections.
“The Water Talk was good and clear. It instructed children on how to be safe around water. My favourite part was when we learnt about Slip, Slop, Slap and Slide.” Harry and Benji - Year 6
“One thing I liked about the Water Safety Talk is that they shared information that we needed to be safe around water. The show was entertaining.” Joyce - Year 5
“The Water Safety Talk was good because it taught us how to be safe around water. My favourite part was when you were able to ask questions because it helped us better understand.” Pip - Year 2
“The presentation helped us learn the safety rules when we are swimming at a pool or beach. It was interesting too to learn about the creatures which are poisonous like the blue ring octopus.” Isla and Amira - Year 2
Joey’s Got Talent
Renata Rozenfeld
Assistant Principal
Curriculum Spotlight
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Year 3: Encountering God’s Forgiveness and Healing |
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Forgiveness and healing are signs of God's love. -forgiveness and healing are important for human flourishing. Forgiveness is one of the great characteristics of the Christian faith. -as we are forgiven, we must also forgive others. -forgiving others, as God forgives us, restores the bonds of friendship and love between people and with God. Forgiveness and healing are celebrated in the Sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick. |
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Year 4: Called to be People of Justice |
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The work of justice is important in bringing about the Kingdom of God.
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First Communion
We are delighted to share that many of our students have recently received their First Holy Communion. This is a very special step in their faith journey, and we are so proud of the reverence and joy they brought to this sacrament.
We warmly invite families to join us this weekend as more of our students receive their First Holy Communion. Your presence and support will make this celebration even more meaningful for them and for our whole school community. We have students receiving their First Holy Communion at the following Masses:
Saturday 30 August – 5:30 pm Christ the King Mayfield
Saturday 30 August – 5:30 pm St Joseph’s The Junction
Saturday 30 August – 5:30 pm Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton
Sunday 31 August – 9:30 am Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton
Sunday 31 August – 5:00 pm Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton
St Joseph’s Social Justice
At St Joseph’s, we are committed to living out our call to care for others. This term, our classes are supporting two wonderful charities. Blue Class will be donating to The Mission to Seafarers, while Gold Class will be donating to Mums Cottage.
Donations are greatly appreciated and will go directly to support people in need. Thank you for your generosity and for encouraging our students to make a difference in the lives of others. Donations will be collected during Week 7 and 8 and distributed in Week 9.
Diverse Learning Mass
You are invited to join us for Mass on Wednesday 3 September to celebrate diverse learning.
Term 3
Week 7: Diverse Learning Mass 5:00 pm Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton
Week 7: Father’s Day Liturgy 9:00 am in the COLA
Parish Bulletin: https://www.newcastlecatholic.org.au/weekly-bulletins/
Leanne Skinner
Religious Education Coordinator
Little Joeys Merewether Play and Stay
Our fortnightly Play and Stay sessions have continued to be a raging success. It has been such a joy to see future Joeys children engaged in learning through play with their families, exploring, experimenting, and discovering in ways that support their development and spark their natural curiosity.
One of the key aims of our Play and Stay is to support a smooth and positive transition to school. As children grow more familiar with routines, spaces, and staff, they are developing confidence and a sense of belonging that will help them feel ready and excited for the next step in their learning journey.
Perhaps most heartening of all has been the strong relationships that are forming. Children are connecting with peers and educators, while families are building supportive relationships with each other and with our staff. These connections are at the heart of what makes our community so special.
Thank you to all the families who have joined us! Your participation, warmth, and enthusiasm help make Play and Stay a welcoming and nurturing space for everyone.
Early Learning Visit
We were delighted to recently welcome a group of preschoolers from a local early childhood centre for a special visit to our kindergarten space. It was a wonderful opportunity for connection, play, and community building.
From the moment the preschoolers arrived, our Kinders took great pride in showing off their learning environment, confidently guiding their new friends around the space, sharing their favourite activities, and engaging in play together.
One of the highlights of the visit was the chance to meet our much-loved therapy dog, Remi. Our Kinders were beaming with pride as they introduced Remi to the preschoolers, explaining her role in our community and demonstrating how we care for and interact with her. Remi, of course, enjoyed the extra attention and played her part perfectly.
Visits like these are such a valuable way to support positive transitions, foster peer relationships, and help our Kinders build a sense of responsibility and community. It’s also a wonderful reminder of the confidence and growth we’ve seen in our students this year.
Risky Play
We are passionate about creating learning environments that support the whole child, including their growth, independence, confidence, and creativity. One important element of this is allowing children to engage in risky play.
But what is risky play?
Risky play refers to activities that involve a level of challenge and risk, such as climbing, balancing, jumping from heights, using tools, or exploring natural environments. It doesn’t mean unsafe or careless play. Rather, it’s about giving children the opportunity to assess and navigate risk in a supported, supervised environment.
Why is risky play important?
Research shows that risky play offers a wide range of benefits for children’s development, including:
- Physical development – building strength, coordination, and motor skills
- Cognitive growth – developing problem-solving, decision-making, and risk-assessment skills
- Emotional resilience – learning how to manage fear, build confidence, and recover from setbacks
- Creativity and curiosity – inspiring exploration and imaginative thinking
- Social skills – encouraging collaboration, negotiation, and communication with peers
In primary school, risky play also helps students develop autonomy. They learn to trust themselves, understand their limits, and make informed choices. These are life skills that extend well beyond the playground.
We provide opportunities for safe, age-appropriate risky play through structured outdoor learning, nature play, climbing equipment, loose parts, and guided experiences that allow children to challenge themselves and grow.
Father's Day
As Father’s Day approaches next week,
we take a moment to acknowledge the significance this day holds for many in our school community.
For some, Father’s Day is a joyful opportunity to celebrate the love, support, and guidance of fathers, grandfathers, and other father figures. It’s a time for appreciation and special memories. To those marking this occasion with happiness and gratitude, we wish you a beautiful celebration with your loved ones.
We also recognise that for others, Father’s Day can be a difficult time. Whether due to loss, absence, or challenging personal circumstances. Whether this day brings celebration, reflection, or a mixture of emotions, our thoughts and prayers will be with you next weekend.
Chloe Coe
Wellbeing Coordinator
Father's Day Breakfast
Father’s Day Breakfast will be held on Friday 5th September from 7:30–8:30am. To help with catering, please RSVP by Monday 1 September by clicking here
Father's Day Raffle
Thank you to all of the amazing families and individuals who have donated raffle prizes. Tickets are on sale now via QKR
With this year's Book Week celebrations, we have proven that St Joseph’s students love reading and love an adventure. With treasure to find, boarding passes hidden in classrooms, the book fair and of course the parade, we celebrated all things books and reading. Unfortunately, the weather curtailed some of our activities and displays, so I am including photos showing our students reading in unusual locations as well as photos of activities around the school last week.
Keep enjoying your reading and don’t forget that you still have a few weeks to complete the Premier’s Reading Challenge.
School Photos - 2 September
We ask that you take note of the points below
- Please ensure children arrive at school on time to assist the photographer's with their schedule and are dressed in full winter uniform.
- Polished black shoes must be worn. Hair needs to be tied back if it is shoulder length or longer and any hair that hangs across children’s eyes also needs to be pulled back and fastened. Any accessories like ribbons etc must be in the school colours as well and no jewellery.
- The Student Leadership Team must ensure they wear their badges to school on photo day. Unfortunately we do not have spares in the office to give them out for photos.
- Please ensure that you have completed your order and payment online prior to the day to avoid paying a late fee. Shoot key code is 520474
Your cooperation is appreciated.
Unless otherwise stated, the advertisements placed in this newsletter are placed by independent third parties who have no legal relationship with the Diocese. The activities or services of the advertisers are not supervised or controlled in any way by the Diocese. The Diocese is not in a position to endorse the advertisers or the services provided and makes no representation about those matters. Accordingly, the Diocese cannot accept any responsibility for the advertisers or the activities or services that are the subject of these advertisements.
