Term 4 Week 2 2023
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Carers
I would like to announce the teaching teams for 2024. You will notice a continuation of most grades having 3 teachers to support the grade, this enables students access to multiple teachers to provide the best learning opportunities possible. We are very fortunate to be able to offer this extra teacher across most grades and it allows for team teaching opportunities and extra support for students. We will also provide Classroom Teacher Assistants across all grades. Please note that these may be subject to change as unforeseeable circumstances arise.
Kinder: Sarah Lino (Mon-Wed) Bonita Smith (Thurs-Fri) and Sara Wilkinson ( Christine Mulherin and Jacquie Wilson)
Year 1: Jolene Mitchell and Aimee Kelly (Joanne Monaghan)
Year 2: Cassy Winning and Michelle Rabula (Jacqui Robinson)
Year 3: Fiona Thompson and Mark Wilson (Maree McCarron)
Year 4: Jessica Roy and Jenny Hill ( Maree McCarron)
Year 5: Pauline McLean and Cheryl Tilley
Year 6: Jason Winning and Annette McIver (Ryan O'Connor)
The teachers have begun creating class lists for 2024. Please understand that as professionals, teachers consider many factors when creating these classes.
- an even spread of boys and girls
- even distribution of students with learning needs, high potential learners, etc
- personalities of students when working and playing with others
- friendship groups
- social and academic needs
Although you may have concerns about who you'd like your child to be with or not with, please trust that as professionals, we have taken into account all factors when creating classes. Please do not approach any of the teaching staff to make requests.
You will be notified of your child's teacher when MAI interview requests are sent out at the end of the term.
This is an exciting time as the year draws to an end, and the excitement of moving up a grade becomes a reality. We encourage you to celebrate the last term of 2023 with your child positively and to highlight the successes of their growth. Please know we consider each and every individual student's needs when we create new classes. We have scheduled planning time later this term for teachers to do a comprehensive handover to the new teacher to ensure each student is given the best start for 2024. Trust in our ability to know and appreciate your children as individuals who understand their needs in a school environment (which can often be very different from that at home).
Please continue to communicate with your child's teacher this term but understand that unlike in previous years, we will not be taking parent requests for class changes.
Kindest Regards
Tracey
Pupil Free Days- Next Week

Thursday 26/10/23 & Friday 27/10/23 are PUPIL FREE DAYS.
PARENT COMMUNITY GROUP (PCG) (Previously Called School Forum)
Our Term 4 meeting for Parents is on Monday 23rd October at 5:00 pm. The agenda has already been sent out via Compass. We will be discussing the organisation of the Christmas Carnival. All parents are welcome to attend. See you Monday!
Chris
Christmas Raffle
Christmas time is coming fast so let's get started early. Our annual Christmas Raffle will be happening again with your help. We ask you to please donate any Christmas items such as decorations, Christmas treats or food, toys, magazines, and/ or beverages to add to a giant Christmas stocking. Christmas raffle tickets will be sent home soon so you can start to sell the tickets. Let's make it a giant success and all money goes to supporting your children at school in their learning. The raffle will be drawn at the Christmas carnival on 7th December.
Cheers
Chris
Year 6 Canberra Excursion 2023
In two weeks our Year 6 students from our school will soon be undertaking an education tour of the national capital. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of eductional programs with a focus on Australia's history, culture, heritage and democracy.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national captial as part of their civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the quite substantial cost of this excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding of $90.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. This rebate has been taken off the total cost on your invoice. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.
We can't wait to visit Canberra.
Regards
Chris
SCHOOL CHOIR VISIT
Seasons greetings,
It feels like only yesterday we were hiding Easter eggs in the grass to set our kids on a mission! Alas, Christmas time is around the corner and St. Joseph's Choir has been hard at work learning a host of new songs.
Our choir at St. Joseph's has a string of four performances booked this year so far and they are gearing up to be a smashing success!
Please find the details of the shows below:
Wednesday 1st November @ 10:00am - Adventis Senior Living
Friday 17th November @ 9:00am and 10:00am - St. Joseph's Residential Care (Tweed Heads) & St. Martha's Residential Care (Banora Point)
Wednesday 6th December @ 5:30pm - Seagulls Club
These will be the first performances outside of the Murwillumbah eisteddfod and all parents and students are welcome to attend.
All students attending will receive notifications via compass regarding details and necessary information to attend.
We hope to see you there!
Mr. Friel
Sport News
Athletics
Willow Millar and Lachlan Cook travelled to Sydney last week to compete at the NSW Polding Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival. Willow placed 1st in the junior girl's high jump, with a new Polding record of 1.34m. Willow also placed 2nd in the junior girls long jump. Congratulations Willow on your outstanding results.
Lachlan placed 1st in the junior boy's long jump, congratulations on a great result. Willow and Lachlan will compete at the NSW State Athletics Carnival in Sydney next week, we wish them both the best of luck.
Swimming
A reminder to give your child permission on Compass to participate in the Term 4 swimming program, starting for all grades (Kinder to Year 6) in week 5.
Swimming Carnival
Children in Years 2-6 will participate in our school swimming carnival on Monday 4th December, at the Murwillumbah pool.

Book Club News
The final date to order for issue #7 is Sunday 29th October
- Please note, that the gift function is automatically turned ON for this issue, so please toggle this off if you want your kids to receive their book club in their classrooms when it is delivered. If you want to keep it a secret, or do some early Christmas shopping, keep “gift” on and we will phone you to collect it from the front office.

Neurodiversity Webinar
Cooloon Community Fest
Hockey
