Term 3 Week 2 2023
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Carers
I would like to thank the staff and students for the wonderful way in which they have embraced our lunch/afternoon tea time changes and you, the parents who have adapted to the move of assemblies to Friday afternoons. These changes have been made to benefit the students and we have received such positive feedback on both of these new initiatives.
The number of students not being picked up early on Fridays has dramatically reduced which is wonderful. We love celebrating our week's achievements as a whole school community, so please come along and join us.
Confirmation:
Congratulations to our Year 3 students who participated in the sacrament of confirmation on Tuesday night. It was a beautiful liturgy and celebration and we are all very proud of the respectful and solemn way they embraced receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Mobile Phones:
This week at assembly I will speak to all the students about the use of mobile phones at St Joseph's.
We have always expected students to hand their phones into the office each morning and collect them at the end of the day. A small number of students are doing the right thing and are following this procedure, however, there are many students who keep their phones in their school bags or have them out on the school grounds after school. As of this week, we have purchased a phone locker so students have a safe place to lock their phones away.
The requirements are as follows
- Student hands their phone to the front office. The phone will be placed in a labelled bag and locked in the locker.
- Students collect their phones at the end of the day and place them in their bags or pocket until they leave the school grounds
NO student is allowed to have them in their pocket or bag during the school day.
NO student is allowed to use their phone whilst waiting in the pickup line, bus area, or blacktop playground regardless of them being with a parent or not.
If a child needs to call home they need to go into the front office and Toni or Sue will call home. No student is allowed to call home during the day from their phone, regardless of what has happened.
If students do not hand their phone in they will receive a timeout reflection. If a student has their phone out on the playground before or after school they will be asked to hand it into the office and have it locked away. If they do not do this, the phone will be confiscated and a parent will need to come to school to collect it.
Smart Watches are not permitted at St Josephs so need to be left at home during the school week.
This is a state-wide ban and although has only applied to State Schools so far St Joseph's staff believe it is vital for positive student well-being that we also implement strict rules to protect our students.
All queries can be directed to me if parents have questions or concerns.
Art Show and Book Week Parade
On Thursday 17 August, we will have our annual Art Show starting at 3.15 pm. All Parents, families, and friends are welcome to come to our library art gallery to see the wonderful artworks the students have created. We will also celebrate Book Week by having our Book Character Parade at 2.30 pm before the art show. The theme for Book Week is " "Read, Grow, Inspire". Students are invited to dress up in a costume to represent a character out of a book ( Ideally they could bring the book in for the parade so everyone knows who they are). Parents, friends, and families are welcome to attend the parade and walk through our Story Garden Display.
Grandparents Day
On Friday 18 August we invite all Grandparents to school to spend the morning with their grandchild.
The day starts at 8.45 am, with classroom visits
Liturgy in the Parish Church
Shared Picnic lunch with their Grandchild(BYO)
A more detailed itinerary will be published closer to the event.
Parent Forum:
Our next Parent Forum meeting is on Monday night the 31st of July at 5 pm in our school Library. Please come along, even if you've never been before. It's an opportunity for parents to collaborate with the school community.
Before School Care
Please remember that students should not be on the school grounds before 8.20 am when supervision starts. If you need to drop them off earlier please contact Tabatinga for before-school care options. Students under no circumstance should be playing on the blacktop playground before supervision starts
Learning and Teaching- Leader of Pedagogy
This term, we have started a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) enrichment program. This week, we focused on computer science and the significance of computer processors. Students had so much fun using marble-powered mechanical computers to experiment with binary operations and logic gates. We had lots of fun!
Sport News
Cross Country
Noah Kotek in Year 5 travelled to Sydney last week to compete at the NSW PSSA State Cross Country Carnival. Noah represented the Lismore Diocese as a part of the Polding Team. Noah placed 23rd in the state, he was the 3rd 11-year-old Polding Team member to cross the line. Congratulations Noah, an amazing achievement to represent your school at such a high level. We are very proud of you.
Touch Football
Sam Cook will attend the National Touch Football Carnival in Darwin next month as a part of the NSW State Team. Congratulations to Sam on his selection, an amazing achievement to be selected into a state team. We wish Sam all the best at the national carnival next month.
Term 3 Important Dates
2nd August - School Photos BLUE SCHOOL UNIFORM
WEDNESDAY 2ND AUGUST CANTEEN CLOSED
17th August - Art Exhibition/Book Week Character Dress up
18th August - Grandparents Day
8th September - Year 1 Currumbin Excursion
4th, 6th, and 8th September - 9 to 11 am Kinder 2024 Orientation
GUINEA PIG REHOMING
Our small garden area next to Learning Support is being refurbished. Due to this extension of our playground, we are looking to rehome our guinea pigs. We have a mother and two small babies looking for a new forever home. If you are interested please contact the school office on
07 5536 2519
Ned's Mindset Mission
Dear Families,
Our whole school will be participating in a no-cost interactive performance next Tuesday 1.8.23.
NED’s Mindset Mission helps children discover the benefits of having a positive mindset.
Students Will Learn:
- The Power of Yet – If you’re not good at something, it just means you’re not good at it yet
- How to spark courage in others
- How to keep learning and growing, even when they think they already know something
The performers use storytelling, puppetry, illusions, and yoyo tricks to take students on an entertaining journey with NED.
Ned’s Mindset Mission works on a pay-it-forward basis. Our school is able to watch this performance at no cost because another school paid it forward with the sale of yo-yos.
St Joseph’s hope to pay it forward to another school.
Yo-yos will be available for purchase from the office from next Tuesday.
Book Club News
The final date for loop orders to be placed for Scholastic Book Club is Thursday 3rd August.
BooksPlus
For your information, our school is participating in the "Shop for Your Schools" campaign at The Strand Coolangatta for the month of August. Purchases will earn points to go in a draw for cash prizes for the school. Please help us support this initiative and increase our chances of a win if you are shopping in the area.