Dear Parents,

In reflecting on things over this last week one word that keeps circling around in my head is ‘gratitude’.  I feel very strongly that there is so much that I have to be grateful for and I would like to share with you some of these things that are connected to our St Joseph’s community

• I am so grateful for our school being the recipient of the My Community Project Grant. What a difference this money is going to make to our school and the children’s daily life at school!

• I am grateful for Vanessa Shrewsbury, mother of Emma (Yr3) and James (Yr2), who initiated the application for this grant and for the team of parents and staff who are part of the playground committee and who have been tirelessly working behind the scenes.

• I am grateful for our Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Diocese for sponsoring our application and helping us to get all the necessary documentation required for us to proceed with the application.

• I am grateful for the children going home and ‘badgering’ you all to vote and I am extremely grateful to you for listening to their request and going to the trouble of voting for the project.

• I am very grateful for all the people in the community that you reached out to and also encouraged, cajoled and enticed to vote for us and I ask that you pass on our thanks to all those families, friends, colleagues and acquaintances that supported us.

• I am extremely grateful for those who have gone to extraordinary lengths to organise Friday night’s Ball. It is sure to be a memorable evening and an event that will be instrumental in raising the additional money required to fulfill our playground vision.

• I am grateful for the community that I am now very much a part of and for the many big and little, open and discreet things that people do for me and for others in our community.

I will leave you now with the following quote and prayer and encourage you to reflect on what you are grateful for at this point in time.

“There’s always something for which to feel grateful.

If you can’t find a reason to say thank you, recite this powerful gratitude prayer.

-Thank you for all that I am, all that I have and all that I receive.

My Community Project Grant

Throughout New South Wales there were over 61,000 votes for the various My Community Project grant applications. In our local Newcastle electorate our project

received the most votes with an overall point score of 2 759. Our vision of a multi-purpose all-weather greenspace for kids was successful in the public vote and will receive funding of $143,000 to help support healthy communities in the Newcastle electorate.

This grant has been made possible through the New South Wales government who are investing a total of $24.7 million in projects that will help improve the wellbeing of people and communities across NSW.

My Community Project has been made possible by the NSW Generations Fund. This fund helps keep the state’s debt at a sustainable level, while sharing the benefits of its returns with the people of NSW by funding community projects.

The students and staff have been consulted in regard to the design of the playground and the results of this are being used to formulate the final design plan. We will continue to update you about the project as we progress through the next stages.

Protective Behaviours Resources

There is nothing so awful that we can’t talk about it. Everybody has the right to feel safe all of the time.

When we think about the safety of children, we need to look at two keys areas:

1. that children understand and recognise when they are not feeling safe
2. that children know who to turn to when they don’t feel safe.

In light of National Child Protection Week, the Office of Safeguarding: Prevention and Response Service has developed a number of online resources specifically designed for each age group to help educate parents, and children and young people about protective behaviours including healthy relationships, sexual development and risk taking.

These websites can be accessed by using the web addresses below:

HIGH SCHOOL AGE padlet.com/ZS_2/pb_high_school

PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE padlet.com/ZS_2/pb_primary_school

PRESCHOOL AGE padlet.com/ZS_2/pb_preschool

Canteen

If you’ve got some time to spare on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday and would like to help out in the canteen as well as connect with other parents and help to provide a service to our children then please consider signing up for volunteering in the canteen for Term 4. Please do not worry if you have never done this before. It is quite simple and Kellie, our canteen manager, and the experienced volunteers will support you all the way. If you have managed to prepare a sandwich, heat up something in the oven or find ice blocks in the bottom of the freezer then you are well qualified for this role. 

To sign up as a volunteer all you need to do is:

• Go to https://signup.zone/Z8qkYDgjntkNmz78S - This is our Sign Up Zone Term 4 roster.
• Enter your name in the boxes for the dates and shifts that you can volunteer for.
• This link will be locked at the end of Week 1 Term 4 so that names cannot be deleted. We ask that you do not delete or move anyone’s names as they will have recorded their shift/s and be expecting to be on.
• Once the roster is locked any swaps or replacements required need to be done by the individual.

Please remember that all volunteers at St Joseph’s are required to have a Working With Children Check number and to have undertaken a Volunteers Induction session. If you would like to volunteer but do not meet these requirements, please contact the office.

In our next newsletter we will provide you with an easy to follow canteen menu for Term 4. Please note that from next term the canteen will be open from 11:05am to 11:20am for the children to purchase over-the-counter snacks such as ice blocks, fruit and rice crackers. For the volunteers this means that the lunchtime shift will finish after this serving period.

All canteen information from now on will be via Compass, the official school Facebook page or the school newsletter.

Refugee Hub Request

CatholicCare/DARA Refugee Hub in Mayfield, who support local refugee families resettling in the Newcastle area need our support. They require donations of some very specific items:
 

• Two double prams suitable for a newborn and a toddler
• New or high quality second-hand baby clothes for newborn (onesie suits for warm weather especially)
• Two small baby cots that meet current safety standards
• Two baby carriers
• Baby wraps and lightweight blankets
• New milk bottles and teats suitable for newborns
• Nappies for newborns
• Formula for newborns

 
They would be very grateful if anyone is able to help in supplying these items. Unfortunately they can ONLY accept the items above. If you would like to donate additional items, this needs to be done through Vinnies. The Hub has a working relationship with Vinnies and refers their clients there for additional support.
 
If you have any of these items please contact the office and/or drop them off at school and we will arrange collection.

Uniform

Just a reminder that from next Monday 16th September all children will be required to wear their summer school uniform. Please remember that black school shoes are part of the uniform as opposed to black trainers. It has been noticed that quite a lot of jewellery is being worn by a number of the students including bracelets, friendship bands and inappropriate earrings.  Please check each morning that your children are not wearing to school items that are not part of our school uniform. A number of our boys, in particular, are in need of a haircut or of tying their hair back. If your child’s hair is falling across their eyes it is a sign that it needs to be cut as this impacts upon their learning, particularly when reading.

Photos

On Monday 23rd September school photos will be taken. Students need to be in their full summer uniform for this. Please remember to send in your photo envelopes with payment on the day. 

School Musical

We are very excited about the upcoming musical,  “Just One More” next week.  Judging by the ticket sales we believe you are equally as excited as us.  If the tunes, moves and props that I have been hearing and seeing over the last few weeks are anything to go by, we are in for a sensational treat.   I look forward to seeing many of you at either the matinee or evening performance.  If you haven’t yet purchased tickets and would like to, you will need to get in fast as there are only limited seats left.

Save the Dates

We ask that you put into your diaries the following dates:

• Working Bee, BBQ & Barefoot Bowls day-Sunday 27th October
• High Tea @ Rydges  Saturday 19th October 1pm-4pm

Further information will come your way shortly.

Important Dates