Term 4 Week 6- November 14th, 2023

From The Principals Desk

Dear Parents and Carers,

It is hard to believe that we are already into week 6 of the final term of the year.  I congratulated the students at assembly last Friday for the way that they are continuing to enthusiastically engage in learning, are respecting each other and are looking after each other. It is wonderful to come to school each day and witness students displaying positive behaviours at every turn!

Junior Joey’s Transition Program

We have our final Junior Joey’s transition session this Friday, the program will conclude with a short Parent Information session at 12.00pm in the kindergarten classroom. We express our congratulations to our new kindergarten class of 2024 for the confident way that they have participated in the program. We look forward to getting to know them better next year! 

Parent Forum Update

As you would be aware from previous information and surveys regarding the changing nature of our Parent Forum model for 2024, it was decided at the last Parent Forum meeting to dissolve the current constituted model of ‘Parish School Parent Forum’ and move to a ‘School Community Group’ from next year. The new model will still require all the support we can muster for it to be effective and supportive of student improvement and community spirit. We will be holding a special launch of the new ‘School Community Group’ early in Term 1, 2024.

Disco Cancelled  

As notified last Friday via Compass, we have unfortunately had to cancel the Forum Disco that had been scheduled for this Friday evening. We will look forward to our Welcome Disco at the beginning of 2024.

Parent Homework Survey - Excellent response!

I would like to thank those families who have responded to the Homework Survey that has been shared for your feedback. Due to the early glitches with the survey, it will remain live until the end of this week. We have currently had 52 responses, which is excellent. I am also appreciating the quality of the comments on this most debatable issue!

Christmas Carnival and Tableau - BBQ Stall helpers needed

The Parish Christmas Carnival is quickly approaching. We are still needing volunteers to assist with the set up, cooking, serving and clean up of the St Joseph’s run BBQ stall. If you can help please access the google form link on the flyer inside today’s newsletter.

Student Leadership 2024

It is that time of year when our aspiring leaders of Year 5 are nominating themselves for student leadership roles for 2024. After participating in 3 Leadership formation days with Mrs Quinn and Mr Jeffree, students are currently nominating for the positions of ‘School Captain’ (2 students), ‘Sport Captain’ (6 students, 2 from each house) and ‘Student Disciple’ (unlimited, successful nominees). I look forward to the students' speeches, for School and Sport captains on Monday 27th November. It is encouraging to see so many of the students in Year 5 nominating themselves with the confidence that they are up to the opportunity to role model and lead through service.

Busy weeks ahead! 

Peace and blessings,

Jason Clarke

Principal

"You Can Do It!" Awards

Celebrating Success

Week 4

Kinder
Delilah Cleak for Organisation and Setting Goals. 
Clara Polson for Getting Along and Being Socially Responsible. 

Year 1
Millie Anderson for Getting Along and Being Socially Responsible.
Lilly Evans for Organisation and Planning my Time.

Year 2
Beau Clarkson for Persistence and Giving Effort. 
Koen Jandura for Confidence and "I Can Do It" Thinking.

Year 3
Esmerelda Boss for displaying Persistence and Taking a Risk.
Philippa Bourke for displaying Confidence and "I Can Do It" Thinking.

Year 4 
Imogen Rudman for Organisation and planning her time wisely.
Summer Neale for Resilience, Bouncing Back & having a Growth Mindset.

Year 5
Ebony Burton for Getting Along and Being Socially Responsible.
Luke Stovold for Organisation and Working Tough.

Year 6
Asha Pahlow for Confidence and showing "I Can Be Independent".
Arielle Boustis for Resilience and showing Tolerance of Others.

Week 5

Kinder
Bronson Roe for Confidence and Taking a Risk.
Jacob Hoffman for Confidence and “I Can Do It” Thinking.

Year 1
Luca Campbell for Resilience and Accepting Myself.
Fynn Holliday for Organisation and Planning my Time.

Year 2
Meadow Chapman for Confidence and "I Can Do It" Thinking.
Eli Casey for Persistence and Giving Effort.

Year 3
Allira Smith for Getting Along and Playing by the Rules.
Amelia Bedser for displaying Persistence and Taking a Risk.

Year 4 
Jaxon Mann for Persistence and Giving Effort.
Indigo Cleak for Persistence and Giving Effort.

Year 5
Amelia Alley for Resilience and Working Tough.
Lani Smith for Persistence, Working Tough with a Growth Mindset.

Year 6
Taiis Brockbank for Confidence and Accepting Myself.
Oskar Buckroyd for Getting Along and Being Socially Responsible.

Sharing the Gospel

Year 1 Co-Constructed Liturgy

Last Thursday the 9th November, Yr 1 students invited their parents and families to celebrate a liturgy with them. The students in Yr 1 had complete control of the Liturgy. The students chose which part of the Liturgy they would like to be involved in and then took part in the organising. While some students created our sacred space, others picked the sacred music and choreographed some actions. Other students wrote the welcome to parents and prayers thanking God for the special people in their lives. Our last group shared the sacred word with us, reading from the Gospel and acting out the story. It was great to have so parents and family members turn up to support their child's spiritual journey. At the end we were able to spend some time with our loved ones creating friendship bracelets.

Well done on your successful Liturgy Yr 1!!!

Celebrating Our Year 1 Liturgy

Bottle and Plant Stall Donations

Please bring in a jar filled with goodies this week (Week 6), and plants for the Plant Stall the following week (Week 7). These can be left at the office. 

Christmas Carnival & Nativity Tableau

Curriculum News

Exuro 

Ava H. - At Exuro, we explored the idea of being a disciple and what makes a disciple. We also went in groups and talked about the challenges we face as Christians. I loved meeting new people from different schools. "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity." I am so excited to go again next year.

Eadie - I think Exuro was fun because we got to do activities such as exploring the idea of a disciple and discussing the challenges. The next activity was about how to be a disciple and how we can make a difference. We also played their fun games and stepped out of my comfort zone.

Lani - I believe Exuro was a great opportunity to connect with God and learn more about my faith journey. I had a fun experience collaborating with new people from other Catholic or Christian schools. We also had a chance to connect with God and Jesus in a fun, exciting way with new people. Another great thing about Exuro was discussing being a disciple of God, no matter what you do.

Ivy - Exuro was really fun because we got to meet students from other schools. We made new friends and said hi to the ones we already knew. It was an awesome day of learning about God and Jesus and how we can be their disciples. It was also enjoyable to greet the Year 9 students. It was an incredible experience, and I would totally recommend it.

Sienna - Exuro was awesome because we got to meet students from other schools, whether we knew them or not. I realised you don’t have to just hang out with your school buddies.

Bella - I feel Exuro was an incredible experience for me because it gave me an opportunity to be open about my ideas in our small groups and come out of my comfort zone. I connected with God, met new people from other schools, and learned a lot about my faith journey. Overall, it was one of the most magnificent and empowering experiences of my life, and I can’t wait to go to Incitare next year!

Year 5 Exuro Retreat

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Junior Joey's

Day 3

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Junior Joey's Day 3

On our 3rd Transition Day, the Junior Joey's and Year 5 buddies put their Engineering hats on and attempted to build structures from skewers, marshmallows and jellybeans. It was a very creative (and delicious for some) occasion. Some even attempted to recreate the Sydney Opera House...with GREAT success!

Well done Junior Joey's and Year 5!

Day 4

Junior Joey's Day 4 - Mini MINYMA

For our most recent Junior Joey's Transition Day, our Junior Joey's, Year 5 buddies and incoming Kinder families joined us for a Mini MINYMA. We drew self portraits, made crafts and visited the Library. It was a FANTASTIC day. Our last transition day will be this week where we will start preparing for Christmas. After that, the next time we join together will be when our Junior Joey's will be fully fledged Kindergarten students. How exciting! Well done Junior Joeys and Year 5 buddies for a wonderful transition so far.

Remembrance Day 2023

On the 11th day, of the 11th month, at 11am on Friday, Year 6 led St Joseph's in the Remembrance Day service. (We were a day early as Remembrance Day was on Saturday). All Staff and Students wore red poppies as we paused to remember those who fought and gave their lives so that our world could be a better place. We thank them for their sacrifice for peace, and recognise our role to create peace by our own actions and words. 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them". 

                    LEST WE FORGET.

Sports News

TWEED ZONE SUMMER SPORTS TRIALS

The Tweed Zone Summer trials have taken place for Cricket, Touch Football, Softball, Basketball and Tennis. St Joseph’s students in Years 4 and 5 represented themselves and our school with great sportsmanship and school spirit! Congratulations to the following students for putting themselves forward and participating in these trials:

Touch Football:

Girls: Eadie Workman, Lani Smith, Ava Hunt, Sienna Alexander, Violet Roe and Ava Bray.
Amelia Alley was successful in being selected at the school trials but unfortunately could not
attend the Zone trials due to a fractured finger.
Boys: Caleb Bourke, Misha Reed, Nakoha Heterick, Jaxon Mann, Frank Ahrens and Ace
Collecton.

Basketball:

Girls: Ivy Hunt, Sienna Alexander and Bonnie Lindsay
Boys: Blake Stuart and Nate Linkins

Congratulations to the following students who were successful in being selected into the
Tweed Zone Teams:

Touch Football:

Lani Smith, Violet Roe, Ava Hunt, Sienna Alexander and Ava Bray!!
That’s five students out of the twelve that were named in the team – almost half the team
from St Joseph’s!!

Basketball:

Ivy Hunt, Bonnie Lindsay and Blake Stuart!!

Such a fantastic result to have so many progressing through to the Diocesan Trials!! Well
done Joeys! We wish those students the best of luck as they prepare for the Diocesan trials
next week – Basketball next Tuesday and Touch Football next Thursday.

INFANTS SWIMMING PROGRAM / SWIMMING CARNIVAL:

Our first week of the Infants Swimming Program has begun with lessons running Monday –
Thursday for two weeks. A note is going home this week to students in Year 1 and Year 2
explaining the nomination process for the Primary Swimming Carnival (please see details
below).

The Primary Swimming Carnival is set for Friday 1 st December. The 50m pool at TRAC
Murwillumbah is having major works done and is anticipated to be completed by Monday 4 th
December. The indoor pool will be available for our carnival however due to the limited
space only Years 3 - 6 may attend (the competitive aspect of the carnival to determine who is
progressing onto Zone).
Any students in Year 1 or Year 2 who turns eight or older in 2024 and can confidently
swim 50m will have the opportunity to race at the Primary Swimming Carnival. These
students / parents will need to complete the nomination form that was sent out on Monday to      compete in the Primary Swimming Carnival.
Parents will need to indicate what races they are hoping to compete in and Kate Betts
(coordinator at Murwillumbah pool) will then assess their ability to swim 50m during the
infants swimming program in weeks 6 and 7. Kate will then let me know who has
qualified for the Carnival and a permission note will go out to those students.
Records will not be able to be broken in a 25m pool but students will have the opportunity to
attempt a school record once the 50m pool is up and running either at the Zone carnival or
one of the Monday night races that the pool hosts.

Parent / teacher / student races and novelty races will take place if there is any time left at
the end of the day. Running a swimming carnival with only 4 lanes compared to 8 will create
a lot of pressure time wise. We are not sure how quickly we can get the competitive aspect
of the carnival done but will do our best! After contacting all pools in the surrounding area,
the only other option is to run a carnival in the first week of Term 1, 2024 which would mean
our Year 6 students would miss out on their last primary school carnival. For this reason, we
are choosing to run the carnival this year rather than early next year. The Joey’s school
community are up for the challenge and we are sure we will have an enjoyable day cheering
each other on regardless of the obstacles!

Murwillumbah Show

Our St Joseph's students artwork was proudly displayed in Showground Pavillion at the recent Murwillumbah Show.

Thank you to our amazing Art teachers, Mrs Toni Larkin and Mrs Chanel Boyle, for all your generous time and effort in preparing these colourful creations with the students! It is clear we have some very talented artists here at St Joseph's!

General News

                                           FOUND!

If any student has lost a gold sleeper earring, found in the Year 5 room, please call into the office. 

Compass

Parish News

Tuesday 14 November                   No Mass today
Wednesday 15 November            10:00 am - Catholic Men’s Group (see note                                                                       below)   No Mass today       
Thursday 16 November                No Mass today                                                              Friday 17 November                       No Mass today
Saturday 18 November                  9:00 am - Rosary
                                                                 5:30 pm - Rosary
                                                                 6:00 pm - Vigil Mass
Sunday 19 November                     8:30 am - Rosary
                                                                9:00 am - Mass
                                                                10:15 am - Baptisms
                                                                11:00 am - Baptisms
                           

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