Term 2 Week 7 2024
Principal's Message
Welcome to Week 7
It's been lovely to see the sun out and students being able to join in active play opportunities due to the great weather. We have started introducing alternative play activities for the students to get involved in during Lunch and Afternoon Tea time. This has been a great success. The students from 3-6 who have attended Rec Park on Wednesdays at lunchtime have enjoyed the walk and new play area. Our boys have also loved playing rugby and soccer on the large oval. We will continue to adapt and listen to student and parent voice to make changes wherever possible to ensure those students who need active play opportunities are provided with them. We still have our passive play areas and encourage students to choose the options that best fit their needs.
I thank the parents who completed the Tell Them From Me Survey. We had around 70 parents participate and we welcomed the positive feedback. I have read over the comments and I will discuss these with staff at our next staff meeting, highlighting the common areas of concern and seeing if there are working improvements we can make. One area parents are concerned about is the lack of green space, unfortunately, this is something that we can't do anything about which is why we are trying to provide other activities and options for students to feel engaged and active during their play times.
Another area that stood out was the timing of events. We do try to vary these times to suit all families but understand that our timings don't suit everyone. We will continue to welcome parents at all our events and will provide a variety of times to suit a wider range of families.
I will continue to update you through the Newsletter on actions we are taking to address the feedback you have provided, as it is together that we can continue to make St Joseph's the wonderful inclusive community that we are.
I would also like to invite open communication between myself and you as parents. I am always on afterschool duty and am happy to chat with all parents, even if it's just to say hello. My door is always open and I would like to think that all parents feel welcome and supported by myself and our whole school community. Providing opportunities for "parent voice" through the survey is one way, but there are always informal opportunities for you to provide feedback.
Our Parent Community Group is another way for parents and carers to be involved and shape the direction of the school. Our next meeting is on Monday 17 June at 5.30 pm.
Our Angela Lockwood presentation has had to be moved to Tuesday Week 9, 25th June at 5.30 pm in the Parish Hall. Sorry for any inconvenience this change may cause. I will circulate the agenda and provide a Zoom link for those parents who can't make it in person.
This year has been a focus on student well-being and we will continue to work with our staff and students on the areas of our RESPECT model.
Next week will concentrate on EMPATHY and its pivotal role in cultivating positive relationships. Our objectives for this session are threefold: to introduce students to the notion of empathy and its profound importance in fostering connections with others, to delve into various strategies for developing and demonstrating empathy, and to offer ample opportunities for students to practice and strengthen their empathetic skills.
Providing students with opportunities to explore practical ways to cultivate and express empathy towards their peers, teachers, family members, and members of the broader community should provide them with skills around active listening, perspective-taking, acknowledging and validating others' emotions, and offering support and kindness.
Students will not only grasp the importance of empathy in building positive relationships but will also possess practical tools for enhancing their empathetic abilities. This empowering approach equips students with the means to foster a culture of understanding, kindness, and inclusivity within our school community.
I will continue to provide information about our program through the Newsletter and Compass.
Kind Regards
Tracey
Assistant Principal Mission
Dear St Joseph's Community,
Attendance
I would like to draw your attention to our school's updated Attendance Procedures.
Nothing has dramatically changed, but it is always a good reminder of the importance of regular attendance at school. The Lismore Catholic Schools Office has a target of 95% attendance for all students. This seems high, but equates to an average of 19 days out of 20, or no more than one day off every 4 weeks. That is 2.5 days off a term or 10 days off in a year. We are very aware that when sickness strikes, this can become difficult. We are also aware that family events come into play, particularly those with families widespread, including internationally. And as school staff, we are acutely aware of School Holiday price surges. What this highlights is the importance to be at school whenever we are able. Regular attendance is vital not only for continuity of education, but also the development of relationships and a sense of belonging.
This requirement extends to timely attendance and punctuality. The first bell of the day rings at 8:40am and students are expected to be in class ready to begin the day at 8:45am. Regular lateness impacts the flow of the day for not only the student arriving late, but also the class teacher and rest of the class. The beginning of the day is an important opportunity to begin with prayer, welcome and a rundown of the day's structure - setting the day up for success. Missing this (or time taken to repeat elements) causes unnecessary stress and a disjointed beginning of the day. Your continued or renewed focus on this is appreciated.
Vinnies Winter Appeal
Thank you once again for your continued support of our Vinnies Winter Appeal. Thank you especially to Ms Wilkinson, Noah, Grace and the Mini Vinnies team for their leadership in this area. As I mentioned in a recent Compass Post, I was able to talk to the team at Fred's Place who told me they are feeding up to 150 people each day and the needs in our area are growing.
We are all looking forward to our Can Can and Pyjama Day on Friday 28th June. We also have our Vinnies Sleepout Experience for students in Years 5 & 6 that evening. Please continue to bring in donations for our Can Can drive, knowing how much of a difference it makes in the lives of people in our community. We often share the verse from Matthew's Gospel with students at this time, "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did to me." It is a timely reminder that our Mission of sharing the message of Jesus to all in our world is often through the actions of empathy and generosity.
Lunch time activities
Finally, I'd like to thank the Student Leaders, Sports Captains and many Year 5 and 6 students for their support in re-energising some of our lunchtime play. Based on some survey work the students did earlier in the term, we have implemented 'Hockey Tuesday' and 'Rec Park Wednesday' to sit along 'Music Friday'. Students have loved the opportunity to try some different activities and get out and about more. It is a joy to see so many smiling faces and the beautiful way our older students are supporting our younger students in the process.
I wish you all the best for the remainder of the Semester and here's hoping for a reversal of fortunes for our boys and girls in blue come the remainder of Origin games.
God bless,
Ryan O'Connor
Important Dates Term 2
Monday, June 17th, 5.30 pm Parent Community Group.
Tuesday, 18th June Combined Kindergarten Liturgy with St James at 12 noon in the church. Kinder parents are most welcome.
Wednesday, June 19th Year 1 Currumbin Wildlife Excursion.
Tuesday, June 25th Angela Lockwood Parent Presentation 5.30 pm.
Wednesday, June 26th at 12 noon Public Speaking Finals (In the Church).
Friday, June 28th Pyjama & Can Can Day (children can come dressed in their pyjamas for the day). Mini Vinnies Sleepout Experience (5:00-8:30pm).
Monday, July 1st Eisteddfod for nominated choir students.
Wednesday, July 3rd, 8.45 am Music Showcase- Students in Kinder to year 6 will showcase their musical talents with Mr Friel. Parents are warmly invited.
Friday, July 5th Last day of term 2.
Term 3 Advance Notice
School Photo Day will be held on Wednesday 31st of July. Full school uniform. No sports uniforms.
Grandparents Day and our Book Week celebrations will be held on Friday the 23rd of August. This year the Book Week theme is "Reading is Magic". St Joseph's will be transforming into Hogwarts School for the day with lots of activities around the magic theme. A big thank you to Kate Steele who is tirelessly preparing displays for us in preparation.
There's Been a Lot Happening....
It has been a busy time for both students and staff at St Joseph's Primary School. We have attended athletics carnivals, raised money, shared liturgies, been rewarded for our school spirit, and enjoyed our Family Faith Fun Night activities. Remember Miss Simone does a great job keeping us updated on our St Joseph's Primary School Facebook page.
Digital Consent & Agreement Forms
Dear Families,
The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Office (DLCS) is moving toward replacing paper consent forms with digital versions diocesan-wide. A digital version of the Reminder of the Release of Information Consent at Enrolment form and a Digital Technology Student User Agreement for 2024 is linked below.
It is a (DLCS) requirement that every child and parent MUST sign and return these documents.
THANK YOU to those families who have already completed their digital forms through Compass. If you have not already done so, please click on the jot form link below to complete. This needs to be completed by the end of this term otherwise your child will not have access to their devices nor the internet.
Book Club News
All Book Club orders are to be placed online through Scholastic LOOP.
The last date to order for issue 4 is Thursday 20th June - LOOP will be closing on Friday 21st June!
Scholastic are continuing to provide value for families and are offering this in 3 ways;
.174 items for $10 or less.
.Everyone purchasing on LOOP receives a $5 promotional credit on this issue to be used on issue 5.
.PLUS - parents can spend their $5 credit earned from issue 3.