St Joseph's Primary School Port Macquarie eNewsletter

Father's Day Breakfast

Your Parent Community Group (PCG), supported by the school, are hosting a Father’s Day Breakfast to celebrate our special Dads and Lads on Friday 1st September from 7:30am. Areas to sit and enjoy breakfast with your family will be available in several places in the School. We hope you will share this memorable experience with us whilst enjoying a yummy breakfast before school and work.

Orders for your family can be placed online by logging into your account at https://www.flexischools.com.au/ OR download, print and complete the order form below. Return it in an envelope marked ‘Father’s Day Breakfast’ to the school office together with payment by Friday 25th August (for catering purposes we are unable to accept late orders).

Father's Day Breakfast - Order Form

Please feel free to invite all family members including Fathers, Grandfathers and Uncles – and remember to order their breakfast on Flexischools or the order form below also.

Following the breakfast, there will be a Father’s Day prayer service hosted by Kindergarten in the MPA, beginning at 9:15am.

Colour Run Spectacular

We have paired this fun and colour filled day with our Father’s Day Breakfast and extend a special invitation to our fathers and father figures to join in at 9:45am to kick off the Colour Run on their very own lap of the obstacle course on the school oval.

To help ensure our Dads and Lads can fully enjoy their experience, we are asking for Mums and friends to lend a hand in hosting these events. If you are available to help please let us know by completing this online google form - https://forms.gle/GDtYcwJ8Y6gVhRVu8 and one of our wonderful PCG volunteers will be in touch with you in the coming week to confirm the details for you.

Poll is closed

Web Article

Year 2 Pray and Play

It was lovely to share in the Liturgy of the Word with Year 2 students and families. Thank you for a special afternoon together.

Year 4 Walking Rosary

Year 4 have been exploring the way in which Mary listened and responded to God in the events of her life. They have studied the importance and challenge in the Christian life of listening and reflecting and trusting in the ways of God, exploring Marian prayers such as the Rosary.

Year 4 loved exploring this prayer with the walking rosary this week.

Kindergarten	Taylah Clogg	Sonny Frith	Quinn Gray
Kindergarten	Amelia Waller-Shaw	Arlo Hillier	Zoe Jones
1 Blue	Olivia Currall	Angus Freeman	Elise Johnson
1 Blue	Sanuli Jayasekara	Kelsey Franklin	Henry Preston
1 White	Lola Jarvis	Deakin Kennard	Clayton Long
1 White	Annmary Sefin Vallooran	Jacob Van den Boom	Indianna Ross
2 Blue	Remy Collier	Morgan Marlowe	Keneesha Abhayarathne
2 Blue	Eliza Steadman	Nakyua Gatonye	Noah Lynch
2 White	Sienna-Maree Canty	Claire Leonard	Sequoia McCarthy
2 White	Frederick Agland	Leo Rushworth	Charlize Miller
3 Blue	Hudson Bruen	Matihias Bridger	Harper Maher
3 Blue	Faith Ojeda	Emerence Young	Islah Kingsmith
3 White	Cleo Gawith	Grace Gluckstern-Hill	Maddy Isaacs
3 White	Liam Chand	Ethan Tony	James Thorburn
4 Blue	Emelia Stoner	Talon Swaysland	Hudson Young
4 Blue	Eden Lawton	Angelrose Sefin Vallooran	Rafael D'Souza
4 White	Ivy-Lea Harris	Sonny Hancock	Heidi Lawrence
4 White	Kooper Salan	Wynter Stewart	Livana Lijo
5 Blue	Lucas Single	Jade Hanks	Lilly Chapman
5 Blue	Toby Smurthwaite	Ayla Moss	Ruby Gilbert
5 White	Hannah Tony	Taz Gawith	Layla Porter
6 Blue	Hudson Alexander	Sophie Hollis	Charli Hoitink
6 Blue	Charli Robinson	Oscar Peirce	Tomas Butler
6 White	Cooper Bell	Eli Collier	Chloe Widdison
6 White	Misty-Lee Bennett	Zada Robinson	Violet Richardson

Futsal - Champion of Champions

Congratulations to our boys and girls futsal teams for their exceptional performance at the 'Champion of Champions' tournament held on Monday 14th August. Both teams displayed unparalleled determination, skill, and teamwork throughout the competition, making us immensely proud. Our boys team went down in a tough grand final, whilst our girls team won the tournament!

AFL Nationals - Xavier

We're so happy to say a big "Well done!" to Xavier Mat for his great job at the 2023 School Sport Australia 12 Years Australian Football National Championships. Xavier represented both our school and NSW exceptionally well.

We are excited to see what you do next Xavier, keep up the hard work!

PSSA Girls Soccer Championship - Lailah

A big round of applause goes out to Lailah Watson for her fantastic effort at the PSSA Girls Soccer Championship. Lailah, you've shown great skill and dedication by earning a place in this championship.

Representing Polding is a remarkable achievement and we're proud of you for giving it your all. Who knows … we may even have a future Matilda from our school!

David Lynch
Sports Co-ordinator

As a parent, you play a vital role in helping your child develop digital intelligence, which encompasses the social, emotional, and practical skills needed to navigate the digital world successfully. To start the conversation about kindness, ask your child how they would like to be treated by others face-to-face and online. Have they witnessed someone being mean either online or in person? Discuss the values they should remember when they are online, such as compassion, empathy, and doing the right thing.

Take the time to talk about what constitutes mean behaviour. This could include saying hurtful things, sending hurtful messages, deliberately excluding someone, spreading lies, or being unkind while playing games.

To help your child recognise if they are being mean, ask them how they would know if they are hurting someone's feelings. They may mention outcomes such as the other person being upset, telling a teacher, crying, or refusing to play with them anymore. It's important to help them understand the concept of getting personal, which involves making comments about someone's appearance, speech, race, disability, or family background. Explain why this is never acceptable.

Here are some ways you can support your child:

Sit with them and review their online conversations, as well as their interactions with friends and family face-to-face. Discuss what they are saying and help them understand the impact of their words.
Encourage and praise their kind behaviour at home and beyond.
Talk about accepting differences in others and discuss strategies for dealing with people who annoy them. Openly coach them through specific situations.
Guide your child to imagine being in someone else's shoes, promoting empathy and understanding diverse perspectives.
Explain that there are consequences for mean online behaviour, even if it occurs outside of school hours. Emphasise that schools may intervene and address such behaviour if it is towards a school peer.

By having these conversations and providing guidance, you can empower your child to navigate the digital world with kindness and respect.

Resources to use with your child

esafety kids Someone is being mean to me online
esafety kids How do I know if I have been mean to others online?

Read Less

Week 6 - Term 3 2023
Monday 21st August	3 White Parent/Teacher Interviews all week
Tuesday 22nd August	9:15am ICAS Science 3:15pm - 5:00pm Infants After School Drama
Wednesday 23rd August	Red/Blue NRL Program K-2 - Session 2 Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm- Peer Support (Kindergten to Year 6) 3:15pm - 5:00pm Primary After School Drama 3:30pm - 5:00pm Staff Meeting 5:00pm Parent Community Group (PCG) - All welcome
Thursday 24th August	8:00am Band Rehearsals 8:15am Staff Prayer 9:15am ICAS Spelling Guitar, Brass and Woodwind Music Lessons Boys Group Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1
Friday 25th August	Bass Guitar and Drum Lessons Stage 3 Todd Woodbridge Cup, West Port Macquarie Tennis Club (selected Year 5 and 6 students) Stage 1 and 2 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm-3:10pm Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals Book Week Celebrations 8:15am Community Connect Cafe at Joey's Hub - Share a book 9:15am Dress up Book parade, new Primary Courtyard 1:15pm Parents bring a book and share 1:40pm Shared Play and Lunch - Where's Wally Scavenger Hunt 2:20pm Whole School Prayer and Assembly, Year 1 hosting

Week 7 - Term 3 2023
Tuesday 29th August	9:15am ICAS Mathematics Primary NRL All Schools Cup and Girls League, Stuart Park Port Macquarie (selected Year 5 and 6 students) 3:15pm - 5:00pm Infants After School Drama
Wednesday 30th August	Bravehearts Day Stage 2 Todd Woodbridge Cup, West Port Macquarie Tennis Club (selected Year 3 and 4 students) 'Hiccup' at the Glasshouse Excursion (Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2) Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm- Peer Support (Kindergarten to Year 6) 2:10pm - NSW CPR Program (Year 6) 3:15pm - 5:00pm Primary After School Drama 3:30pm - 5:00pm Staff Meeting
Thursday 31st August	8:00am Band Rehearsals 8:15am Staff Prayer Hastings Zone Catholic Primary Schools Netball and Soccer gala day, Laurieton Oval (selected Year 5 and 6 students) Guitar, Brass and Woodwind Music Lessons Boys Group Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1
Friday 1st September	Father's Day Breakfast, Prayer Assembly and Colour Run Bass Guitar and Drum Lessons Stage 1 and 2 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm-3:10pm Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals

Week 8 - Term 3 2023 CHILD PROTECTION WEEK
Tuesday 5th September	3:15pm - 5:00pm Infants After School Drama
Wednesday 6th September	Rugby League 'Red Blue' in-school gala day (Kinder to Year 6) Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm- Peer Support (Kindergarten to Year 6) 3:15pm - 5:00pm Primary After School Drama 3:30pm - 5:00pm Staff Meeting
Thursday 7th September	8:00am Band Rehearsals 8:15am Staff Prayer Boys Group Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 Guitar, Brass and Woodwind Music Lessons
Friday 8th September	NAIDOC Week Celebration 8:15am Community Connect Cafe at Joey's Hub Bass Guitar and Drum Lessons Stage 1 and 2 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm-3:10pm Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals 2:20pm Whole School Prayer and Assembly, Year 5 hosting

Week 9 - Term 3 2023
Tuesday 12th September	3:15pm - 5:00pm Infants After School Drama
Wednesday 13th September	Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm- Peer Support (Kindergarten to Year 6) 3:15pm - 5:00pm Primary After School Drama 3:30pm - 5:00pm Staff Meeting
Thursday 14th September	R U OK Day? Year 5 Retreat, The Francis Retreat Bonny Hills 8:00am Band Rehearsals 8:15am Staff Prayer Boys Group Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 Guitar, Brass and Woodwind Music Lessons
Friday 15th September	Year 5 Retreat, The Francis Retreat Bonny Hills 8:15am Community Connect Cafe at Joey's Hub Bass Guitar and Drum Lessons Stage 1 and 2 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm-3:10pm Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals 2:20pm Whole School Prayer and Assembly, Year 2 hosting

Week 10 - Term 3 2023
Tuesday 19th September	3:15pm - 5:00pm Infants After School Drama
Wednesday 20th September	Stage 3 Girls Dance Eisteddfod Rehearsals, Lunch 1 1:10pm- Peer Support (Kindergarten to Year 6) 3:15pm - 5:00pm Primary After School Drama 3:30pm - 5:00pm Staff Meeting
Thursday 21st September	Last Day of Classes for Term 3 8:00am Band Rehearsals 8:15am Staff Prayer Guitar, Brass and Woodwind Music Lessons Dance Eisteddfod, The Glasshouse
Friday 22nd September	STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY (PUPIL FREE)

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 -

Click here to view the Calendar

For your convenience 2023 school term dates are listed below. They are also located on our website. Click on the words “TERM DATES” on the home page.