Term 3 Week 10 - September 24th, 2024

From The Principals Desk

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a great day we had yesterday to begin the final week of what has been a very action packed term 3.

NAIDOC assembly

Our week began with a very moving assembly, organised by Mrs Heterick, celebrating our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. The year 6 girls presented a contemporary cultural dance that captivated the student and adult audience in a most respectful and reflective way. It certainly was a beautiful way to start our week. Thank you, Mrs H!

Socktober Walkathon

Our walkathon went so well yesterday! While it was hot, we managed to accomplish our 5km rail trail walk without incident and within the hour. The children should be commended on their behaviour and resilience throughout the walk. We realise there are some very committed fundraisers out there among our families and are anticipating a very healthy donation to the Caritas Socktober effort and also much needed funds for school resources. Thank you to Mrs Martin and Mrs Hughes for your organisation of a great event!

Year 5 Leadership Day

Our Year 5 students are participating in another of their leadership days today with Mrs Quinn and Mrs Martin. During these days they examine, through creative activities, the various skills, values and attributes it takes to be a positive leader through service to others. We look forward to witnessing all they learn throughout their three leadership days as they go about business here at school and within their daily lives! 

We have our Term 3 rewards day on Thursday, some well deserved fun for our wonderful, positive learners for a great term!

A reminder that this Thursday is the final day of term for students and Tuesday 15th October will be the first day of term four for students. 

May all of our students, staff and families have a relaxing two weeks away from the rigours of school life and return refreshed and energised for the final term of the year.

Peace and blessings,

Jason Clarke

Principal

Get to know your child's friends and their families. Strong connections help your child feel a sense of belonging and safety.

Building strong connections with your child's friends and their families can be highly beneficial for your child's social and emotional development. Here are some reasons why getting to know your child's friends and their families is important:

• Sense of Belonging. Knowing your child's friends and their families helps create a sense of belonging for your child. Feeling connected to a social group provides emotional support and fosters a positive sense of identity.

• Enhanced Social Skills. Interacting with a diverse group of peers allows your child to develop and enhance their social skills. Building relationships with friends and their families contributes to improved communication, empathy, and cooperation.

• Safety and Comfort. When your child knows their friends and their families well, they are likely to feel safer and more comfortable in social situations. Familiarity with the people around them can reduce anxiety and build a sense of security.
• Shared Values and Expectations. Getting to know your child's friends' families allows you to understand shared values and expectations. Consistency in parenting styles and values contributes to a more cohesive and supportive social environment for the children.

"You Can Do It!" Awards

WEEK 8 - Term 3

Kinder
Aubrey Gallard for Organisation and Setting Goals. 
Skylar Colleton-Woodford for Persistence and “I Can Do It” Thinking.

Year 1
Darcy Ahern for Getting Along and Being Socially Responsible.
Joseph Hunt for Confidence and “I Can Do It” Thinking.

Year 2
Fynn Holliday for Persistence and Giving Effort. 
Elsie McLeod for Persistence and Working Tough. 

Year 3 
Zander Gale for Persistence, Giving Effort & having a Growth Mindset.
Liv Kleindienst for  Persistence, Giving Effort & having a Growth Mindset.

Year 4 
Oscar Skennar for Persistence, Giving Effort & having a Growth Mindset.
 Aria Dunning for Confidence and Taking a Risk.

Year 5
Ace Colleton for displaying Persistence and Giving Effort.
Ruby Carter for displaying Organisation and Planning my Time.

Year 6
Violet Williams for displaying Confidence and showing “I Can Be Independent”. 
Sienna Alexander for displaying Confidence and Taking Risks. 

Week 9 - Term 3

Kinder
Florence Wilkinson for Persistence and Working Tough.
Alice Walsh for Confidence and “I Can Do It” Thinking.

Year 1
Harriet Stovold for Confidence and “I Can Do It” Thinking.
Koa Segrave for Resilience and Thinking First.

Year 2
Revie Cambridge for Resilience and Showing Tolerance of Others. 
Selene Owen for Persistence and Giving Effort. 

Year 3 
Eli Folkers for Persistence, Giving Effort and having a Growth Mindset.
Meadow Chapman for Organisation and Planning My Time wisely.

Year 4 
Pippa Bourke for Persistence, Giving Effort and having a Growth Mindset.  
Amber Milliken for Persistence and Giving Effort.

Year 5
Nakoha Heterick for displaying Organisation and Setting Goals.
Misha Reed for displaying Persistence and Giving Effort.

Year 6
Brock Sasse for Persistence and Giving Effort.
Zilli Hatton for Persistence and Giving Effort.

Sharing the Gospel

STAGE 3 CO-CREATED LITURGY

"Stage 3 has been learning about the seven Sacraments in a more in-depth way this Term. We gathered together yesterday to grow our bond with God as we celebrate being accepted into the Catholic community through the process of Initiation. When we enter into the sacraments of healing we are mended with the forgiveness of our sins. Entering the final stage of the sacraments of Communion and Mission, our bond is strengthened with the holy spirit and God. 

Stage 3 worked together yesterday developing a co-created liturgy by separating into 6 groups of different parts of the Liturgy. In 25 minutes we created a liturgy and invited Mr Clarke , Mr D and Mrs Hughes. The 6 parts of the liturgy were Sacred Space, Sacred Word, Sacred Understanding, Sacred Art, Sacred Prayers and Sacred Music. We used these parts to create a liturgy about the 7 sacraments. We spent the last part of our afternoon in Liturgy remembering what we have been learning about this Term. Thank you to Mrs Hughes for guiding us through this way of learning, we loved it."

by Kobi B & Emily P

Year 6 Guest Speaker

As mentioned above in the cocreated liturgy blurb, Stage 3 students have been diving into the Seven Sacraments, exploring their significance in the Catholic faith. One key sacrament they studied is Holy Orders, which is the sacrament through which men are ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops. This sacred rite empowers them to serve the Church and its community by preaching the Gospel, administering the sacraments, and guiding the faithful. Through their lessons, students discovered how Holy Orders plays a vital role in the life of the Church and the importance of those called to this special ministry.

Meet Joe, a dedicated young man answering the call to become a Catholic priest (and Mrs Hughes' nephew). With a deep passion for faith and service, he is committed to nurturing his spiritual journey and guiding others along their own faith journey. Joe finds inspiration in community, prayer, and the teachings of the Church, seeking to make a positive impact in the lives of those around him. As he embarks on this transformative path, he embraces the challenges and joys of a life devoted to God and his fellow believers. 

Thank you Joe for visiting with us today and sharing your story so honestly. We will keep you in our prayers. 

Socktober Walk-a-thon and Fundraiser

This September, we’re kicking off our support for the October Socktober initiative to raise funds for the most vulnerable people in Mongolia, where winter temperatures can drop to -40°C. The homeless there face extreme challenges, enduring both the bitter cold and a lack of essential resources. By sponsoring our students for the 5km walk along the Rail Trail, we aim to raise $1,000 for Catholic Missions Socktober. Every contribution helps bring comfort and hope to those struggling to survive the harsh conditions.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this important cause. Once all funds are collected (please return donations to the school office by Friday of Week 1, Term 4), we will publish the total amount raised.

Any funds raised beyond our $1,000 goal for Socktober will be used to assist in purchasing items that support the learning and wellbeing of the students at St. Joseph's.

Walking on the Rail Trail

Post Walk-a-thon - Kinder

Wellbeing Through Music Initiative

Bike Safety Workshop with CJ Shaw & Matthew Storen (Mr Motion)

NAIDOC Week 2024

NAIDOC Prayer "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud"  is the theme for NAIDOC 2024

Monday morning our school came together to celebrate  NAIDOC week for 2024.

Mrs H, the Indigenous students, and the Year 6 leaders who led us in prayer, when we prayed for the significance of the traditional custodians and the cultural heritage that is shared in our lives today and every day.

“Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud, and Proud" encapsulates the celebration of Indigenous identity, “We honour the flame of the fire, kindling the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing our cultural heritage that enriches our nation together.

We were lucky enough to witness the Stage 3 girls perform a Traditional Welcome Dance to our school. They composed the movement with Mrs H, who was taught from a young age by local Bundjalung women, to welcome everyone, and acknowledge the significance and importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling through dance. The girls welcomed students, staff, and parents to St Joseph’s Primary school with open arms, and respect for all people, of all diversities and cultures.

Library News

Book Week 2024

What a fun and magical term we’ve had celebrating Book Week!

All classes enjoyed this year's short-listed books, diving into them during library time from the start of Term 3.

The infants were treated to a theatre performance starring the lovable “Grug” from Ted Prior's stories—what a treat! Meanwhile, Magic Jake wowed us with his spellbinding magic show. Our brave volunteers helped Jake create some pretty cool tricks, with William Owen even volunteering to get cut in half! (Don’t worry—he pulled himself together in the end.)

The assembly room transformed into a bookshop for the week, raising funds to bring even more books into our library. And let’s not forget the amazing artwork based on this year’s short-listed books. Our young artists went all out, earning prizes for their creativity!

Then came the magical Dress-up Parade, where both staff and students showcased incredible outfits. We even had dancers (magicians with moves) rockin' out to Queen’s "It’s a Kind of Magic". It was quite the show! To wind down, we cozied up with our buddies and families for Read-on-a-Rug time to close out the parade.

We even had an excursion to our Murwillumbah Town Library for a behind-the-scenes tour of the library, went on a treasure hunt, and were given gifts like seeds and book character badges which made it both educational and fun for everyone involved.

And there’s more magic to come! In Term 4, all the new books from the Book Fair will be ready to borrow. Plus, primary students will get the chance to meet Dr. Karl online and ask him questions as we explore the idea that Science is REAL Magic.

Dress-up Day & Read-on-a Rug Fun!

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Murwillumbah Town Library Visit

Sports News

POLDING ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIIPS:

Recently, three students competed at the Polding Athletics Championships in Newcastle (Friday 13^th September, week 8) .  This is the highest level of competition for Catholic Schools!  The Polding competition includes all students from as far north as the Queensland border and as far south as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and everything in between!  Students who progress from here compete against all schools in NSW including Public, Catholic and Independent schools in the NSW PSSA Championships.  Congratulations to the following students who competed at Polding:

• Xavier Workman: Jnr Discus – 16^th throwing 14.78m!
• Shelby Walsh: 11Yr Discus – 10^th throwing 18.67m!
• Bailey Clarkson: Competing in the multiclass for Jnr 100m – 5^th, 200m – 4^th, Long Jump – 3^rd jumping 2.08m and Shot Put – 2^nd throwing 4.44m!!

                                  Congratulations Bailey!  Such a fantastic achievement to qualify for NSW PSSA!!

AUSTRALIAN HOCKEY TOUR – VIOLET WILLIAMS:

Congratulations to Violet Williams for being offered the opportunity to play in the Under 13/14 Australian Hockey Tour!!  Violet received the invitation after attending the Polding Hockey trials earlier this year.  This tour will take Violet to Fiji to play against the National Fijian team – a 10 day tournament playing four games in December 2025!  Congratulations Violet!  Such a fantastic achievement and an amazing experience!!

General News

              CAKE STALL FUND RAISER

At our cake stall on Saturday we raised $350 towards updating learning resources for our students.

A BIG thankyou to all those families who donated delicious treats for the stall. It made the choice very difficult for some customers!! It was great to see so many of you come down to purchase a treat, but it was equally as rewarding hearing the stories from people who previously attended our school or sent their children here many years ago.

We also thank Mrs Jacinda Kleidon, Virginia Ryan (Grandmother of James, Clara and Will Polson) and Sandra Quinn (Grandmother of Lexi and Zander Gale) for giving up their Saturday morning to help run the stall. We greatly appreciated it.

A huge thank you must also go to Cassie Gale for organising, co-ordinating and giving up much of her spare time to make sure it ran smoothly. The quiet achiever!

Congratulations to the Clarkson family.

Beau, Bailey (Year 3) Lexie (Kinder) and Evie Clarkson now have a new baby brother.

Welcome Arlo!

FOUND

If you have lost a key, an air tag or a ring, please call into the office to collect.

Canteen News

The canteen is closed for the last week of term and will re-open in Week 1 Term 4 on Wednesday 16 October.

Thank you to Elise Alley who has volunteered to be our Canteen Roster Coordinator. If you are able to assist with canteen in term 4 please contact with the School Office, then Elise will add you to the roster. If this is your first time in the canteen we will roster you with an experienced volunteer.

Compass Help for Parents

Parish News

 Tuesday  24 September            5:30 pm - Mass
Wednesday 25 September        5:30 pm - Mass
Thursday 26 September           NO 8:15 am Mass today
Friday 27 September                  St Vincent de Paul, Priest
                                                             9:30 am - Legion of Mary | Parish Meeting Centre
                                                             11:00 am - Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                                                             12 noon - Mass
Saturday 28 September             9:00 am - Rosary
                                                             5:30 pm - Rosary
                                                             6:00 pm - Vigil Mass
Sunday 29 September                8:30 am - Rosary
                                                             9:00 am - Mass
                                                            10:15 am - Baptisms

Health and Wellbeing

Parent News

School Holiday Fun

Community Sports News

Congratulations to our Soccer mums!

The women's football team for Murwillumbah have had an incredible season in Division 2. Winning every single game. We then went on to win the semi-finals a cracking 5-0. This Sunday gone, we travelled to Gold Coast Croation Sports Centre and were successful in claiming the title of grand final winners defeating Tweed Heads  2-1. 

Our team consists of 3 St Joseph's families - 
Sam Walsh : Hamish and Jayliah
Jane Casey : Annabelle and Eli
Erin Smith : Kobe and Leo Robinson

We have additional dedicated St Joseph family supporters such as the Wilkinson family, the Walsh family and many more. 

We are proud of their dedication and our commitment not only to each other but future generations in women's sport. 

Community News

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