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Faith in Action
You will be very aware that our local community was affected not so long ago by devastating floods that impacted on homes, businesses, families and individuals. Our recent weather has caused some anxiety in people as the feelings are close to the surface once again. We are praying that the sunshine that has appeared will continue to dry our soaked land and draw away the water that the rain has left us with.
Unfortunately, there are other communities who are now in this situation in the north of our state, many who are connected to us through our Diocesan school system. Communities who many of us know personally and professionally have been devastated, as you will have seen in the media. Around one quarter to one third of schools and their families in our Diocese of Lismore have been affected in various degrees.
As our faith calls us to understand and give to those in need (particularly in this season of Lent), we are requesting your support where possible as a faith community to assist those suffering this devastation. The effects on these communities is currently so great, that donations of basic essentials such as food, toiletries, clothes etc. from those of us who feel drawn to help is not possible. Evacuation centres and charities are working through how to receive and supply these to those in need. The most practical support that we can give at this time is financial. If you are in the position to be able to help those in need, there is an appeal coordinated through the Diocese of Lismore that we are asking support for. As you will know, our St Agnes’ Parish and Diocese respond readily to need at any time not only for those who are in our Catholic schools, but for others in communities who we don’t even know. If you are able to support the appeal, please do so in this way:
Bishop Greg's Diocese of Lismore 2022 Flood Appeal (https://www.lismorediocese.org/)
Click on the link which will provide details, or simply use the bank details below.
BSB: 037-889
Account No: 1061 5829
Account Name: DOL Flood Appeal
Please also continue to pray for those who are helping and those in need at this time. Thank you for your generosity of spirit, prayer and support.
CELEBRATING OUR FAITH
The Season of Lent - a Season to grow, reflect and find a better way of building the Kingdom of God today.
This week we began the Season of Lent with our St Joseph’s Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Thank you to Mrs Davies and the Year 2 Team for their leadership and organisation of our beautiful celebration.
Lent is a great opportunity to grow as a family. As a family, you may like to consider engaging in family Lent time. A great place to begin is simply talking about Lent as a time to grow and do good for others so we can grow closer to God.
What would doing good for each other look like in your family?
Is there a way you can engage in a community social justice or charity project together?
During Lent we are asked to practice fasting and abstinence that help us build our relationship with God, think more of others and less of ourselves. Lent can be an opportunity to walk with those less fortunate around us.Could you try giving something up as a family?
Maybe you could nominate a day of the week to just drink water through the day in solidarity with those who have no access to clean water?
Incitare
On Tuesday a group of Year 6 school leaders engaged in the Incitare program which equips students to be faith leaders in our parish and school community. The program challenges students to ‘go forth and set the world on fire’ through engagement in a range of faith formation activities, opportunities to share ideas, experiences and work with youth ministry leaders from the Parish and MacKillop College. We look forward to sharing our experiences with the school in the coming weeks.
Learning Together
Helping Your Child Read At Home
Thank you for your support in developing your child’s reading skills. You may have childhood memories of reading lessons. Some people will remember these lessons with delight, while others may remember struggles, the difficulties and the barriers that the print on the page seem impossible to read. Learning to read can be one of the most exciting experiences but it can also be filled with fear and frustration. It is important to remember that not everyone learns to read at the same time and as adults we can all support our children.
Students at St Joseph's are encouraged to bring home a combination of books from the Library as well as texts selected in the classroom from our traditional home reading sets. When Home readers are sent home, parents often comment that the book their child brings home is ‘too easy’. The readers we send home are to allow the children to be able to read for pleasure and build fluency, whilst at school their reading choices are set to enable their teacher to observe reading behaviours and teach them how to use their reading and comprehension strategies.
At school, children are encouraged to learn the sound the letter makes rather than the letter name to start with. They learn the letter sounds along with a short rhyme and an action to help make these more memorable. The students learn to recognise the letter and make its sound. As your child reads, they will be ‘decoding’ the words they read by making the sounds they see, eg: s - a - t and then blending them together to form the word, sat.
Our aim is to teach children to read for meaning where they can understand the messages in the story, as well as being able to decode the words.
Watch this quick for some helpful reading tips for home.
Whole School Prayer and Celebration Assembly
How wonderful is it that we can welcome our families back onsite. As a result of this change, we would like to extend a warm welcome to our families to join us on Friday afternoons for our Whole School Prayer and Celebration Assembly.
We would ask that if you would like to join us you arrive at school from 2:10pm and adhere to the current COVID-19 Guidelines. This requires signing in and out at the front office using the digital QR Code and maintaining 1.5m social distancing while in the MPA. The Prayer service will begin at 2:20pm and conclude by approximately 2:50pm.
We look forward to joining together as a school community each week in Prayer and celebration. We hope you can join us.
A parent’s Guide to Digital Technologies and Mental Health
The Council of Catholic School Parents and the eSafety Commission are partnering to provide a free webinar designed for parents and carers of young people aged 10 – 18 years. It will provide helpful information for parents including:
- What to do about accidental exposure to content about suicide, self-harm or eating disorders.
- Using games, apps and social media to support mental well-being.
- Digital mental health platforms.
- Strategies for young people to support friends online.
Sarah Blundell
Leader of Digital Technologies and Innovation
Swimming
A huge congratulations for Zoe Lawrence and Harry Lawrence for making it through to Polding after competing at the Diocesan Primary Swimming Carnival. They will be competing in Sydney on Tuesday 22nd March. Zoe and Harry have been outstanding representatives of our school.
Basketball
Another huge congratulations for Xavier Mat who was selected in the Polding basketball team to attend NSWPSSA State carnivals later in 2022. Xavier is an excellent and wonderful ambassador for his family, school and Diocese.
Cross Country
Our annual school Cross Country Carnival will take place on Wednesday 16th March (Week 7, Term 1) in and around the school grounds. This carnival is for all students in Kindergarten to Year 6. Children are to wear their new regular or sports school uniform and may compete in a House-coloured t-shirt if desired. There is to be no hair colouring or writing on children’s bodies.
Parents and carers are invited to attend our carnival, in accordance with current COVID-19 Guidelines. This requires all in attendance to adhere to social distancing guidelines of 1.5m, sanitise hands on entry and remain in designated areas around the track within and outside of school grounds, keeping away from the running track and class gathering areas. All visitors entering the school must complete the digital QR sign in and sign out, so will need to factor extra time into arrival.
David Lynch
Sports Coordinator
K - 2 Dance Diaries
Using Stories to Teach Dance
Children in K - 2 are just beginning to explore storytelling through books, and illustrations play an important role in them. Quality literature will form a strong basis for your child’s learning in Dance this term and I invite you to build on this at home.
I got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison describes impromptu dances
using the rhythm around you. Although this is a relatively simple story,
it has bright illustrations and is a good starting point for getting
your child to observe the rhythms in their surroundings. It is a great activity
for getting children to really listen. It also acknowledges children’s imagined
world by getting children to ‘hear’ the rhythm with their eyes. The book
explores the dance elements, primarily through the Rhythms and
Tempo, but also through the use of the Body and Space.
There are learning opportunities about shape, level, and size that
are simple and clear.
How to use it?
- Create a dance that uses the body parts and the rhythms mentioned. You could begin by doing a ‘call and response’, changing the rhythms made by different body parts and having your child copy like an echo.
- Go for a walk and listen for rhythms and then create a dance using the ones your child hears.
Further suggested books for dance activities at home:
- The Box of Delights by John Masefield
- The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Roaring Rockets by Tony Mitton
- Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
(source: https://danceteachingideas.com/books-that-connect-with-the-dance-elements/)
Happy reading and dancing!
Dancers of the Week:
Kindergarten |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Maxwell Clement |
Nakuya Gatonye |
Hamish Brockenshire |
Stay tuned for next week’s ‘K - 2 Dance Diaries’ article.
Nicola Jackson
Kinder to Year 2 RFF Teacher
Volunteers
Our new COVID guidelines now allow volunteers into the school. As we prepare to start back with volunteers, you can register to volunteer via this link - Click here for Volunteers Form. You will also need to email or drop in a copy of your Volunteer Working With Children Check and a proof of double vaccination to sjpport@lism.catholic.edu.au. After registering your availability in the above online form and sending in your supporting documents Kim, our Canteen Co-ordinator will be in contact with you to arrange your first day.
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
2023 Kindergarten Enrolment Information Sessions
Come and meet our Principals and learn about the St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Education pathway and what we can offer for your child’s schooling.
Registration is essential to attend our Information Nights for parents considering our schools for Kindergarten in 2023. Click on the link in the below flyer to register and school tour information.
2023 Year 7 Enrolments
More information on 2023 Year 7 Enrolments can be found by clicking on the link in the below flyer.
KHB | Phoebe Briggs | Levi Burleigh | Winston Dunn |
1CS | Kainoa Pacey | Leo Rushworth | Elvis Scott |
1PS | Leilani Mani | Zane Mitchell | Ariana Renton |
3MH | Archie Rex | William Mackenzie | Tilly Scott |
5BH | Blake Herbert | Tomas Butler | Violet Richardson |
2BT | Islah Kingsmith | Blake Yewdall | Ashvik Thapa |
4MM | Zoe Lawrence | Alivia Johnson | Aidan Shoby Alias |
5T | Cooper Bell | Joseph Jarvis | Bryce Tickle |
6H | Jaina Thakrani | Siya Modi | Ruby Cramp |
3B | Cailin Daley | Indii Love | Josephine Yewdall |
6L | Murphy Maher | Jaskaran Saini | Amelie Obeid |
Student Absences
Currently we are experiencing issues with the school Absent SMS system relating to student daily absences. We will be temporarily disabling this platform and to assist with this problem, please record a student absence by submitting it either via the school website, Schoolzine App (SZapp), phoning the school on 6583 3848 or sending an email to sjpport@lism.catholic.edu.
In Year 3 this week, we talked about Lenten Promises. We took time to consider what promise we would like to make during the season of Lent and how we can make a difference in our family or school community, as Jesus did. After we decided what we might like to take up or give up during this time of waiting, we recorded our Lenten Promise in a purple heart in preparation for the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.
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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 - Thursday 7th April 2022
Staff Spirituality Day (Pupil Free) - Friday 8th April 2022
TERM 2
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes for Term 2 - Tuesday
26th April 2022
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) - Friday 24th June 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 – Thursday
22nd September 2022
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) - Friday 23rd September 2022
TERM 4
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes for Term 4 - Monday
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)
Diocesan Winter Sports Trials Postponed (selected students)