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Welcome back for 2022 at St Joseph’s!
It was so lovely to see students coming in through our gate this morning, ready to go and looking fabulous. Visiting the classrooms through the morning showed that students are engaged with their teachers and peers, with excited chatter and sharing of their past six weeks visible. Just quietly, we think that there were also some excited parents and carers to have their routines back in place and children back at school!
Yesterday we sent out a letter to welcome all existing and new families to school and to give some key messages that impact on these first days and the conditions we are in currently. Please have a read as this included FAQ's around COVID for families and should answer many questions you may have.
During the past two years when parents have been unable to see us, we often included Principal and school videos to enable the feeling of connectedness. These will continue throughout the start of this year, so watch out for the links in our newsletter, emails and social media. In case you missed it, here is our first one for the year:
It is wonderful to also welcome new students and families to our school for 2022. We are pleased to have the following students join our community:
All of our Kindergarten students
Year 1: Cooper Wallis and Flynn Wallis
Year 2: Liam Clarke, Jacob Lees, Faith Ojeda
Year 4: Hudson Jones
Year 5: Adrienne Arce, Lillian Hyde
Year 6: Macie Taylor
RAT Kits
As you know, we are required to advise and offer RAT kits for students to test twice a week for the first four weeks of the school year. Collection of RAT kits for the first two weeks of term took place throughout the week as families came for MAI and Best Start Interviews. The next set for students will be available with a “drive through” time, which will be advised once we know when kits will arrive. Should you not be able to collect during that time, they will be available in the following days from the office.
Celebrating Our Faith
Nourished by Faith
Welcome to the 2022 school year and another wonderful opportunity to grow and flourish at school. The start of a new school year never fails to remind us all that we are continually in the process of becoming disciples - learning, growing and practicing the art of following Jesus in faith and life.
To do this successfully we need to be nourished by and in our faith. We need to be nourished by Scripture, the Sacraments, prayer and through community.
The term ahead will provide many opportunities for us as a community to be nourished in and by our faith - Mass for Beginning of Year, Ash Wednesday, Lent and Holy Week, Incitare Retreat, Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The prayer life of our school is a fundamental element that nourishes our faith. It brings us closer to God and allows us to think of others. Our students are engaged in many prayer opportunities throughout the time at school. They lead prayer in their classrooms and for the whole school community. Each class is committed to practicing Christian Meditation whose benefits have been well documented and researched.
Evidence from within our schools and other Australian Diocese is demonstrating that Christian Meditation is proven to:
- make children calmer and more relaxed.
- help create a sense of wonder in children.
- help create a sense of God in those who meditate.
- help create a sense of community where each person is reverenced.
- allow children a chance to be silent and experience God’s presence.
- develop in children a greater ability to learn and maintain attention.
Introduction to Christian Meditation
As a family, you may like to consider being nourished by prayer too.
- Maybe your child could teach you how to engage in Christian Mediation.
- Maybe you and your child could lead prayer before your family meals.
- Together you could read about a Saint you know nothing about - do you know about Saint Isidore of Seville ~ Patron Saint of the Internet?
- Take a walk in nature and talk about the beauty of the God revealed in the things you see.
Learning Together
We are so excited to have everyone back at school ready to engage in what will be an exciting year of learning together.
This week has seen our staff engaged in learning of their own to help prepare our students for the year ahead and beyond. We were very fortunate to have Nicole Dyson from Future Anything spend one day with us. She lead us through how best to support our students by planning authentic learning experiences that connect students to the real world - the world they live in. She inspired us to lead authentic ‘future ready’ experiences that embed the necessary entrepreneurial skills that our students need beyond the gates of St Joseph’s Primary School.
Bus Flashing Lights Campaign
Thursday 27 January - Saturday 12 February 2022
Families can help keep children safe by:
- Sticking to the speed limit and following the road rules in school zones.
- Slowing down to 40km/h when bus lights are flashing.
- Looking out for children crossing the road near bus stops, in school zones or along bus routes.
- Giving way to buses when they merge back into traffic.
- Never drop off or meet children on the opposite side of the road to the bus stop or call them across the road. Always drop them off or meet them on the same side of the road as the bus stop.
- Encouraging their children to be distraction-free around buses - put down their phone and take off their headphones.
If you would like further information please visit Transport NSW Bus Safety for School Students.
Primary Swimming Carnival
Our Primary Swimming Carnival is planned to take place next Thursday 10th February at the Wauchope Memorial Olympic Pool. Please see the email sent today or the link below for permission and nominations for your child to attend. It must be completed by 5:00pm Monday 7th February. There is an option to enter your child in competitive events or non-competitive events. Only the competitive events will be timed and these students will have a chance to make it into the Zone Swimming Carnival. This carnival will include all students who are aged Under 8’s to Under 13’s.
Gymnastics
The Term 1 Dance Fever Multisport Gymnastic program for Kinder to Year 6 will run on Thursdays from Week 3 to Week 10. It is an exciting and essential area of our Sport program that will develop fundamental gross motor skills using equipment, their body weight and a partner. Please see below timetable.
grade sport uniform days
David Lynch
Sports Coordinator
K-2 Dance
Welcome to Term 1 2022!
My name is Nicola Jackson and I have been working at St Joseph’s Primary School since 2014. Since returning from maternity leave on a part time basis, I have been lucky enough to invest a lot of time and energy into teaching the Creative Arts. This is a passion of mine and there is nothing I love more than seeing the joy and awe that comes from being creative.
This term I will be responsible for teaching Dance in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2. I will also be writing a small piece each week for the School Newsletter (Joey's Jottings) so that I can share the rationale for dance in the classroom and the achievements of our students. I will also share some dance resources you can use at home to further support your child’s dance education.
Each week a student will be selected from Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 to receive the ‘Dancer of the Week’ award and this achievement will be shared with the school community in this Newsletter.
Stay tuned for next week’s ‘K-2 Dance Diaries’ article.
Donation Request
Nicola Jackson
K-2 RFF Teacher
Volunteers
At this stage we will not be having volunteers helping in the Canteen until further notice. In the meantime, if you would like to register to volunteer when we are able to welcome helpers back, you can do so via the link. Click here for Volunteers Form
Supply Issues
There are currently a variety of supply issues across the country impacting some items that I usually stock. I will update Flexischools daily however if an item you order is unavailable, I will offer an alternative or a credit.
Lunch Orders
Canteen lunch orders can be placed via Flexischools or by dropping them in the basket on the counter each morning.
Flexischools is our preferred method for submitting lunch orders.
Reminder - Cutoff time for online orders is 8.30am.
- Download the Flexischools app from the App Store or from Google Play.
Note: for iPhone and iPad please select ‘Allow’ notification - Click “Register Now” to create account
- Top-up your balance
- Start ordering immediately
- Alternatively Go to www.flexischools.com.au or you can find the link on the school website.
Don’t forget you can place your online orders days or even weeks in advance, making the morning rush even easier!
Kim Goldie
Canteen Coodinator
We are all very excited to begin band lessons and rehearsals again next week! Due to the relaxation in COVID restrictions, we will be able to see all the existing band students, brush-off their instruments and start playing again in a COVID-safe environment.
Next Tuesday, 8th February, percussion and bass guitar lessons will resume, with the brass, woodwind and guitars starting on Thursday 10th February. Our first band rehearsal will start the following Thursday, 17th February at 8:00am in the MPA.
Could all existing band families please be on the look-out for an email from Sharon with an updated timetable for the term.
We will be starting beginner players in the next few weeks, so if your child is interested in playing any of the following instruments, please keep an eye-out in their school bags for a note that will be sent home soon. We will be inviting beginners from Year 4, 5 and 6 only.
The following instruments are available to learn:
FLUTE, CLARINET, SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, TROMBONE, BARITONE, PERCUSSION (drums).
Sharon Green, Leader of Co-Curricular Music and Lydia Wills, Band Director
St Joseph’s Regional College
sharon.green@lism.catholic.edu.au / lydiawills1@gmail.com
Busways has forwarded the initial batch of bus passes (students continuing from last year together with new approvals received from Transport for NSW) directly to the student’s home address.
Any students who are eligible for school free travel and do not have a pass should complete an Application Form online at http://transport.nsw.gov.au/
Information on school runs can be obtained by visiting our website www.busways.com.au.
Week 2 - Term 1 2022 |
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Monday |
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Tuesday 8th February |
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Wednesday 9th February |
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Thursday 10th Feburary |
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Friday 11th February |
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Week 3 - Term 1 2022 |
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Monday |
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Tuesday 15th February |
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Wednesday 16th February |
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Thursday 17th Feburary |
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Friday 18th February |
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Please note these dates can change from time to time due to unforeseen circumstances and we will endeavour to advise you of any changes at the earliest possible opportunity. Our school Google calendar can be accessed via this link for additional advanced dates -
For your convenience 2022 school term dates are listed below. They are also located on our website. Click on the words “TERM DATES” on the home page.
TERM 1 2022
School Administration Day (Pupil Free) - Friday 28th January 2022
School Administration Day (Pupil Free) - Monday 31st January 2022
Year 1 to 6 Maths Assessment Interviews - Tuesday 1st February to Thursday 3rd February 2022
Kindergarten Best Start Interviews - Tuesday 1st February to Friday 4th February 2022
Year 1 to 6 commence classes for Term 1 - Friday 4th February 2022
Kindergarten commence classes for Term 1 - Monday 7th February 2022
Last day of classes for Term 1 - Friday 8th April 2022
TERM 2
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes for Term 2
Tuesday 26th April 2022
Kindergarten to Year 6 last day of classes Term 2
Friday 1st July 2022
TERM 3
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes for Term 3
Monday 18th July 2022
Kindergarten to Year 6 last day of classes Term 3
Friday 23rd September 2022
TERM 4
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes for Term 4
Tuesday 10th October 2022
Kindergarten to Year 6 last day of classes for Term 4
Friday 16th December 2022
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) - Monday 19th December 2022
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) - Tuesday 20th December 2022
Other Holidays in 2022
Australia Day – 26th January (Public Holiday)
Good Friday – 15th April (Public Holiday)
Easter Monday – 18th April (Public Holiday)
ANZAC Day – 25th April (Public Holiday)
Queen’s Birthday – 13th June (Public Holiday)
Labour Day – 3rd October (Public Holiday)
Christmas Day - 25th December (Public Holiday)
Boxing Day - 26th December (Public Holiday)
Letter from SAUS re Uniform Supply Issues
Kinder 2022 start to school COVID guidelines 2022-01-27
Year 1 to 6 return to school COVID guidelines 2022-01-27
NSW Premier - Letter to Parents
Uniforms Supply Issue - Letter from the Principals
Kindergarten Day 1 2022
FAQs COVID
Caring for your child with COVID-19 at home
Welcome back to school for 2022.docx
2022 Primary Swimming Carnival