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- Prayer Focus
- The Principal's Report
- Celebrating Our Faith
- Learning Together
- Parish News
- Year 7 2022 Enrolment Applications
- PBS (Positive Behaviour Support)
- Sport Spotlight
- Student Awards
- Easter Colouring Competiton
- Sunshine Cafe
- Maddyx Tour De Cure
- General Information
- Creative Corner
- What's On Next Week ...
- Advance Dates for Your Diary
- This Week's Notes
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Saint Joseph’s Day
Today we were prepared for a fantastic Saint Joseph’s Day celebration. By part way through the morning we felt that it was more like Saint Noah’s Day - all we needed was an ark!
Despite the intense weather and some new natural water features in the school, our classes engaged in learning and activities about knowing Saint Joseph, our Patron Saint. We also sadly needed to call off our school Mass in the MPA with so much water around the areas where we would move from classrooms. In true resilience and flexibility, Mr Porter engaged the assistance of the SRC students to quickly connect our classrooms to each other via zoom for a prayer service to celebrate our special day. We are especially proud of our students who submitted artwork for the celebration too.
Kinder Enrolments for 2022
The timeline for Kinder enrolments has started, with planned tours and information night upcoming. As we had a surplus of enrolment applications last year, we strongly encourage families in our school and others who would be considering applying for next year to do so early this year. A tour planned for tomorrow (Saturday 20th March) has been called off due to the weather today and that expected over the weekend. We will communicate future dates soon. The information evening on 30th March will be held for all St Agnes' Parish schools here at St Joseph’s, so we again encourage you to tell anyone who you think would like to know more about our schools to come along.
NAPLAN Practice Tests
Next week our Year 3 and 5 students will have the opportunity to have two practice tests to prepare them for the way in which they will experience the NAPLAN tests in May. These are not scored and provide no data to schools or parents, so are not to create any stress. They are accessed from the school chromebooks, so students do not need any special preparation or equipment except for headphones or earbuds. Please ensure your child has some of these at school next week.
Principal
Saint Joseph’s Feast Day
Today the school celebrated the Feast of Saint Joseph. The day was structured a little differently to a normal school day with activities around Saint Joseph and a whole school prayer service taking place via Zoom during the day. Please continue to pray for our community under the protection and love of Saint Joseph.
Sacrament of Penance
Please continue to pray for our students preparing to complete the Sacrament of Penance for the first time.
Tuesday 23rd March
Thursday 25th March
Wednesday 24th March
Wednesday 31st March
Clean up Australia Day
A big thanks to our Mini Vinnies team who inspired us all to take action and clean the school!
Project Compassion - Last week to make donations!
It is during the Lenten season that Project Compassion is run by our Mini Vinnie students. Each classroom has a Project Compassion box and several boxes have been placed in the staffroom and front office if you would like to make a donation. Boxes will be collected Friday 26th March.
Nathan Porter
Assistant Principal Mission
Communicating Effectively
Language shapes our understanding of ourselves and our world. Throughout the Primary years of schooling students develop knowledge, understanding and skills to express themselves and their relationship with others and their world. They develop an understanding about the power of effective communication using the language modes of speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing.
This week I would like to focus on the importance of developing the skill of communicating effectively and how we can support the development of our children’s speaking and listening skills. Being able to take in information, respond to instructions and share ideas, thoughts and opinions are all vital skills children need.
Some Talking And Listening Tips To Think About At Home
- Avoid interrupting your child when they're talking and listen carefully to what they have to say.
- Use everyday opportunities to talk with and listen to your child as they share things that are of interest or importance to them.
- Show your child you are interested in what they are saying when they are speaking by giving nods, smiles, sounds, supportive words and gestures. The positive feedback helps reinforce to them that what they say is important and worthwhile.
- If your child has trouble remembering things said to them, it's a good idea to encourage them to repeat in their mind what has been said, then retell it in their own words. Making notes can help if they have to do a task.
- If you are planning something such as a party or an outing, try having a brainstorming session with your child. You can do this just by listening and sharing ideas or by writing them down together.
- From the calendar, talk about days, months and years in relation to events such as birthdays and other special occasions.
- When walking or travelling together, talk about the surroundings - what can you see, hear, smell etc.
Jeannine Ucdereli
Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching
Adult Faith Formation
Kindergarten 2022
baptism for children
Year 7 2022 Enrolment Applications
YEAR 7 2022 ONLINE ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS OPENING AT ST JOSEPH’S REGIONAL COLLEGE AND MACKILLOP COLLEGE
Year 7 2022 online Enrolment Application portal will open on Monday 22nd March 2021.
Please complete your application at the links below.
St Joseph’s Regional College
https://www.pmreglism.catholic.edu.au/how-to-enrol
MacKillop College
https://www.pmaclism.catholic.edu.au/how-to-enrol
It would be appreciated if online enrolments can be submitted prior to Sunday 25th April 2021.
YEAR 7 2022 INFORMATION AND OPEN EVENING DATES
St Joseph’s Regional College Hall on Monday 26th April at 5:00pm
MacKillop College Hall (Ocean Drive) on Tuesday 27th April at 6:00pm.
Children are encouraged to attend.
PBS (Positive Behaviour Support)
At St Joseph’s we have a school flowchart that outlines the steps and consequences for choices of behaviour. Our focus is to develop greater clarity and consistency among the school community regarding behaviour management. Please find the behaviour flowchart shared below.
PBS - We strive for our best!
St Joey’s staff reward our student successes and positive choices with an MJR cross and MJR tokens.
Students receive these crosses when they initiate consistent positive, respectful behaviours.
Students who receive three MJR crosses will earn themselves a Reward Coupon and a Certificate.
These coupons can be 'cashed' in for an appropriate reward such as:
* Skip the canteen line for a week - straight to the front of the line!
* Skip the Bus Line for a week - straight to the front of the line!
* Sit in the teacher's desk for the day.
* Lunch with Mrs Koning (or choice of teacher).
* 20-minute computer voucher (appropriate games etc).
* Icy Pole.
* Lucky Dip choice.
* Sit on a chair at Monday Morning assembly for two weeks.
MJR Sports House Reward
This term we have been reinforcing positive expectations of our students through morning messages and the use of MJR tokens. The students of St Joseph's have responded enthusiastically to all opportunities to gain an MJR token for their School House. We don’t know who the winning house is yet - but the winning house will celebrate soon with a reward celebration at school in Week 10 on Monday 29th March.
Netball NSW Schools Cup
Our boys and girls in Year 5 and 6, proudly represented our school at the Netball NSW Schools Cup on Wednesday 17th March. They exhibited skills and sportsmanship, proving themselves to be true champions! Our teams came 3rd and 5th in one division and 3rd in the other division.
It was a fun day with lots of competitive rounds. Peyton thought it was a very fun day and she was inspired by the umpires by the way they led the team to play a fair match. Bronte also thought that it was an amazing day. She loved how everyone played fairly, she discovered that the rivals were hard. She enjoyed playing in the Year 5 team. After talking to everyone we discovered that everyone would love to have the opportunity to play again soon.
(Charlie Holloway, Isabella Hawkins and Zali Roberts)
Diocesan Winter Sports Trials Postponed
The Diocesan Winter Sports Trials have been postponed again, due to the weather conditions, until Friday 26th March in Grafton.
Cross Country Rescheduled
Our Cross Country Carnival will now be held on Monday 29th March for all students in Kindergarten to Year 6 in our school grounds.
Our Year 6 Sports Captains have begun holding Cross Country practice in the playground before school every morning from 8:30am. Students can bring their water bottles, sneakers and puffers if needed. If it's raining or has been raining, training will not be on.
Gymnastics
Next week is our final week of Gymnastics. We would like to thank our wonderful Dance Fever instructors who have led engaging, exciting and fun lessons every week that foster and enhance our students' gross motor skills, their flexibility, coordination and balance.
Cricket
We would like to thank Cricket NSW for the excellent sessions over the past 4 weeks. Our students have learnt so many new skills and have found a new appreciation for the sport.
Basketball
We are excited to welcome Robert Linton from the Port Macquarie Basketball Association to our school in Term 2. Robert is excited to bring his expertise in basketball to our students for sport.
As a kind gesture, Robert has given all under 10 students from St Joseph’s a free “come and try” voucher for the Port Macquarie Basketball Association Academy that will come home with your child soon.
Leah Toole and David Lynch
Sports Coordinator and Assistant Sports Coordinator
KBC | Annalise Dempsey | Ashton Wynter | Brakkx Partridge |
KSC | Leo Rushworth | Kainoa Pacey | Isabella Hoang |
1B | Hamish Brockenshire | Sarah Koning | James Thorburn |
1R | Harry Herbert | Aibel Shoby Alias | Emerence Young |
2S | Hardy Lin | Jake Kaandorp | Marcus Cramp |
2T | Layla Dobson | Nevaeh Fletcher | Sianna Karickal |
3D | Ollie McCormick | Kalani Berry | Lylah Robinson |
Dustin Clement | |||
3H | Lucas Fernando | Kyra Edkins | Ruby Gilbert |
4F | Lucy Bennett- Tonkin | Anabel Shijo | Tomas Butler |
4MG | Cooper Bell | Charli Hoitink | McKenzie Newton |
5L | Peyton Berry | Joshua Hiam | Bailey Thompson |
5S | Jackson Coleman | Millahni Moore | Lucinda Giurissevich |
6B | Laiken Richardson | ||
Mia Cameron | Jack Cremins | Savanna Cunneen | |
6H | Lawson Bentley | Ella Hoade | Millie Paine |
Volunteering in the Canteen
Thank you to those of you who have filled out the volunteer form. I will be in touch with you soon to discuss your availability to help in the Canteen.
If you haven’t volunteered in the Canteen before, but would like to, please fill out the form below:
What does Volunteering in the Canteen involve?
Volunteers perform simple tasks ranging from labelling lunch bags, making sandwiches and wraps, stocking shelves and fridges, packing lunches, and serving students at lunch time. There are no specific skills required, just a willingness to help and a friendly smile when serving the children at lunch time. And your children would love to see you at school too!
LUNCH ORDERS
The canteen is operating as usual and 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 under Canteen.
Don’t forget you can place your online orders days or even weeks in advance, making the morning rush even easier!
Kim Goldie
Canteen Coordinator
Last Sunday at Stoney Aqua Park, I participated in ‘Bald and Beautiful’, which was a fundraiser for children with cancer. Along with 30 other students from the Hastings area I had my head shaved. Collectively we raised over $16,000.
The hair that was collected will go towards making wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. The shorter hair will go towards making environmental pillows that go into the ocean and soak up oil spills. This will help protect our marine life. I was really proud to be a part of this event. It was such a simple thing to do and I feel like I have helped someone less fortunate.
If you would still like to donate to this great cause you can click on the link in last week's newsletter or your classroom teacher will have a form that you can complete.
The funny thing is that now I have less hair than my Dad.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Hair Shavings - 81% of crude oil is picked up by the hair clippings!
It is called the Hair Boom Project.
This video shows how awesome the Hair Booms are compared to conventional Booms for Oil Spills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W68L53WkIAw
And this is a cool video about Hair Booms and actual oil spills.
Student Medical Appointments and Early Departure
We strongly encourage parents to organise medical appointments outside of school hours (Start 8.55am and Finish 3.10pm) but are conscious that this is not always possible. For your convenience if you have to make a medical appointment for your child during school time please be aware of our breaks for your planning as there will be a delay in getting your child to the office if they are out at lunch play:
Lunch 1 is at 11:00am-11:40am
Lunch 2 is at 1:40pm-2:10pm
Hometime messages
If there is a change to your child's hometime travel arrangements please let your child know before they leave the house or write a note to your child's teacher. Some parents also write a "H" (homelines) or a "B" (buslines) on their child's hand. We understand that plans may change during the day and ask that you phone the office Aunties on 6583 3848 between the hours of 8.30am and 2.30pm. This enables us to ensure that your child gets the message in a timely manner. Do NOT email the school or message your child's teacher directly as it may not be seen in the timeframe you require. If an emergency occurs or there is a late change to your child's home time plan we will do everything we can to get the message to your child after 2.30pm. Please be aware that a warning school bell sounds at 3:00pm for classes to prepare to leave the class for hometime at 3.10pm which makes it difficult to guarantee that a message will get to your child.
Junkyard Beats
Our Stage 2 students were so fortunate to see a performance at the Glasshouse called ‘Junkyard Beats’ on Thursday.
Students learnt about sustainability with a high energy, imaginative music-in-education performance combining drumming, dance, theatre and comedy.
Some quotes from our students:
It was great!!! I think it’s amazing how people can make music using parts of their bodies and simple sounds from their mouths. I’m going to go home and use things from my kitchen to create beats and rhythm! (Charli H)
It very creative. I liked how they danced and made music with their bodies, It was lots of fun. (Lenny D)
I liked how it was a play, but made with just music and sounds. There were lots of cool sound effects and lights. They used jibber language and sounds to communicate. (Layla P)
Harmony Day Posters
Infants Art Club
Our Infants enjoyed painting Autumn trees at Art Club this week:
Creative Lunch Clubs
Check out our Creative Lunch Clubs at Lunch 1.
All new and old members welcome!
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Primary Art Club Mrs Howard |
Primary Drama Club Infants Drama Club |
Infants Art Club Primary Dance |
Yours in Creative and Performing Arts
Leah Toole
Creative Arts Coordinator
Week 9 - Term 1 2021 |
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Monday 22nd March |
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Tuesday 23rd March |
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Wednesday 24th March |
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Thursday 25th March |
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Friday 26th March |
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Sunday 28th March |
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Week 10 - Term 1 2021 |
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Monday 29th March |
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Tuesday 30th March |
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Wednesday 31st March |
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Thursday 1st April |
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Friday 2nd April |
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Week 1 - Term 2 2021 |
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Monday 19th April |
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Tuesday 20th April |
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Wednesday 21st April |
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Thursday 22nd April |
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Friday 23rd April |
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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 2021 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 2021
Kindergarten to Year 6 last day of classes Term 1 - Wednesday 31st March 2021
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) – Thursday 1st April 2021
Limited child minding available
TERM 2
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes Term 2 - Monday 19th April 2021
Proclaim Lismore 2021
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) - Wednesday 5th May 2021
Limited child minding available
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) - Tuesday 22nd June
Limited child minding available
Kindergarten to Year 6 last day of classes Term 2 – Friday 25th June 2021
TERM 3
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) – Monday 12th July 2021
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes Term 3 – Tuesday 13th July 2021
Kindergarten to Year 6 last day of classes Term 3 – Friday 17th September 2021
TERM 4
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) – Tuesday 5th October 2021
NO child minding available
Kindergarten to Year 6 commence classes Term 4 – Wednesday 6th October 2021
Kindergarten to Year 6 last day of classes form Term 4 - Wednesday 15th December 2021
Other Holidays in 2021
Australia Day – Tuesday 26th January 2021 (Public Holiday)
Good Friday – Friday 2nd April 2021
Easter Monday – Monday 5th April 2021 (Public Holiday)
ANZAC Day – Sunday 25th April 2021
Queen’s Birthday – Monday 14th June 2021 (Public Holiday)
Labour Day – Monday 4th October 2021 (Public Holiday)
Christmas Day - Saturday 25th December 2021
Boxing Day - Sunday 26th December 2021
2021 Year 6 Great Aussie Bush Camp - Guidelines and Gear Packing List
Church Visit - Year 5 and 6
Year 1 - Update to Seesaw
Reading in Kinder
Cross Country 2021 - Change of date
Diocesan Winter Sports Trials second postponement to Friday 26th March 2021