School Photos and Video

We have a new provider this year for our school photos, Newcastle School Portraits. Our school photos will be taken on Tuesday, 15th September (Term 3, Week 9).

Newcastle School Portraits produced a video for our school. It captures our school community in a very special way. Our Facebook page has a shorter version, but when you have a moment, please check out our school website for the extended version www.merewether.catholic.edu.au

Refugee Week

Refugee Week actually started in Australia, in 1986, and is now a global celebration. It provides an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful ways in which people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds enrich their new communities. Refugee Week is a chance for ordinary people to welcome, thank and celebrate their neighbours who have come seeking safety. As part of the History unit, Year 6 have been learning why and how people are displaced from their homeland and what we, as a community can do to welcome them and support them. For more information please see Refugee Week

Refugee Week is important because we are encouraged to continue to welcome refugees from other countries into our own. People who are refugees make our community stronger because they bring a wider variety of culture. For many refugees they have had many challenges in their lives and Australia is welcoming and provides for their needs. As a country we should continue to support those families so that they can feel safe and welcome. - Eleanor Phillips

Refugees choose to come to Australia because they know it is safe and nothing bad will happen to them here. In our History lessons we have been learning about where refugees come from and the treacherous journeys they have had to take. For many, there is such desperation to find safety, they are even willing to risk losing their own life. Australia celebrates Refugee Week because it’s an opportunity to recognise how they have made many positive contributions to our communities. - Kaden Stewart

Student Council

The Student Council had a meeting on Thursday. It was an opportunity to discuss what life back at school was like and what improvements we could continue to make. These are always great discussions! Students had suggestions over new music for the bell, playing games other than soccer on the field and adjustments to bike racks so the wider tyres can fit.

There has been a renewed love for skipping across the school and the Student Council supported the idea of a skip-off in Week 10. Each class is going to pick their top three skippers. This is based on how long a person can skip for. On the last day of term, students will gather in three stage groups (Years K,1,2 and 3,4 and 5,6) and watch these class skippers compete in a skip-off. We wonder who will be crowned the champion skipper in each of our stages?

ICAS

ICAS will return to St Joseph’s this year. We encourage you to consider entering your child in ICAS. This fantastic assessment program allows students to challenge themselves and be recognised for their academic efforts. The assessment is now fully online and sitting dates will commence in Term 3. Further information will be posted on Compass next week