28 October 2025 (Week 3 Term 4 2025)
Dear St Joseph’s Community
It has been a calm and positive start to the term. After the rest and reset of the holidays, students have returned settled, focused, and ready for learning. Thank you for your support in re-establishing good routines at home. It has made a noticeable difference to how smoothly everyone has transitioned back into school life.
Work on the new bathrooms is progressing well and is still on track to be completed by the end of Week 5. We are very much looking forward to opening these new facilities. I want to acknowledge how proud we are of our students for the way they have adjusted to using the temporary bathrooms. This has been a small but real change to their daily routine, and they have shown wonderful resilience and maturity. They have also been looking after the temporary facilities respectfully, which speaks to the strong culture of responsibility and care in our school.
The playground has had a few welcome improvements. The sandpit has been refilled after the drainage was cleared, and we have added new seating and shade beside the old Aspect Centre.
We also farewell Mrs Wraight this week as she begins her maternity leave. We are very grateful for the love, care, and gentleness she has brought to our Kindergarten students this year. We wish her every blessing as she prepares to welcome her first child with Josh, her husband. We also welcome back Miss Holly Clark, who will take on the Kindergarten class for the remainder of the year. Miss Clark already knows the children well, and we look forward to her continuing the strong routines, learning and care established in the classroom.
You may have seen our display in the Pavilion at the Alstonville Show. This was thoughtfully put together by Mrs Graveson with support from staff and students. It reflected our school motto, Growth Through Love, and was a celebration of the learning and creativity taking place across our school. Thanks to all of our students and staff for their work in putting this together and setting it up, and to Carolyn Buchanan for her help in packing it up.
This Thursday, we will be acknowledging Catholic Mission Month. Catholic Mission supports communities around the world, especially children, to grow in hope and opportunity. Our students will take part in some meaningful and engaging activities that help develop empathy and a sense of global responsibility. More details are included below.
Congratulations to Jonty Allen, who represented our school at the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships, placing second in the 100m and fourth in the long jump. This is an outstanding achievement, and we are incredibly proud of him.
Our Term 4 School Community Group Meeting is coming up soon. Please see below to RSVP to engage in the learning and to share feedback.
Are you able to volunteer some time to help in the canteen on a Wednesday or a Friday? Or to help cover books donated to the school on Family Day? Please see below for how you can help!
Wishing all our families a peaceful and positive week ahead.
School Marketing and Video Testimonials
In Week 6, our school will be visited by the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools marketing team. They will be taking photos and short video clips of our staff, students, and families. With a growing number of schooling options in our region, it is important that we are able to share what makes Joeys such a welcoming and vibrant school community. This is a positive opportunity to highlight our learning, our relationships, and the sense of belonging that is so central to our school.
The team will be here on Monday, 17 November. In the morning, they will be inviting parents at the bottom gate to take part in a brief photo of families saying goodbye at drop off. If you are happy to be involved, your participation would be most appreciated. Throughout the rest of the day, the team will move through learning spaces and the playground to capture everyday school life.
The marketing team are already aware of our current media restrictions. If you would prefer that your child is not included in any images used for marketing, please email the school office so we can ensure this is noted.
Thank you for your support as we share the strengths and spirit of our school community.
Scripture Reflection
Later this week in our Church calendar, we mark All Saints Day and All Souls Day. These two days invite us to pause and reflect on the people who have shaped our lives with love, kindness, and goodness. They remind us that each of us is formed by those who have gone before us, whether they are family members, mentors, teachers, friends, or inspiring figures from our history.
Celebrated on Saturday 1 November, All Saints Day remembers those ordinary people who lived their lives with compassion and integrity. Many of them will never have their names written in history books, yet their quiet example has shaped families, communities, and schools. We remember that acts of care, generosity, courage, and patience all have a lasting impact.
Commemorated on Sunday 2 November, All Souls Day is a gentler and more personal remembrance. It is a moment to hold in our hearts those we have loved and lost. For some, this may bring a sense of gratitude. For others, it may stir sadness. These feelings sit alongside one another, and both are welcome. Remembering the people who have been part of our story can help us understand who we are and the values we carry forward.
As a school community, we are connected not only in the present but also in the legacy of those who have nurtured, taught, guided, and loved us. This week simply invites us to pause, to give thanks for them, and to take even the smallest step in continuing their goodness in the way we live and care for others.
May this be a time of gentle remembrance, gratitude, and hope.
Linking Home and School in Maths
Dr Ange Rogers, a leading primary maths specialist and parent of four, stresses that developing fluency is the most effective way for parents to support their child's maths journey. (Fluency is the quick, effortless recall of facts.) As the creator of our Maths Fluency Program, Dr Rogers shares her tried-and-true, practical advice for turning everyday moments into powerful maths practice.
Tip 1: Focus on Fluency, Leave the Teaching to School
Maths teaching has changed a lot, so to avoid confusing your child, it’s best to leave the formal instruction to their teachers. Instead, focus on developing fluency at home (the ability to recall basic facts quickly and accurately). This is similar to how a nightly reader helps build reading fluency; the practice should be easy and build confidence.
Tip 2: Make the Most of 'Car Quizzes' 🚙
The car ride is a perfect opportunity for quick maths practice! Your passengers are a captive audience and often happy to participate.
- Be the 'Quizmaster': Ask your child 3-5 rapid-fire questions based on what they are learning in class. Keep the questions easy! It only takes about two minutes.
- Turnabout is Fair Play: Let your child ask you questions afterwards. They're secretly doing more maths by thinking up questions!
Examples
Kindergarten: One More or One Less (1-20)
- "What is one more than 13?" or "What is one less than 16?"
Year 1: Doubles (1-10)
- "What is double 3?" or “ What is double 9?”
Year 2: Double, Double (1-10)
- "What is double, double 4?"
Year 3: Halving (up to 100)
- "What is half of 28?" or "What is half of 60?"
Year 4: Multiplication Facts
- "What are three fours?" or “What are five sevens?”
Year 5: Factors
- "What are the factors of 12?" $1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12)
Year 6: Simple Percentage Discounts
- "What is 10% off $50?"
Tip 3: Schedule Family Games Night 🎲
Playing board and card games is a fun, low-pressure way to practice maths. Games like Uno, Monopoly, Trouble, Checkers, or Spoons all involve strategy, counting, and critical thinking. Scheduling a regular family games night creates positive memories while subtly building maths skills.
Socktober crazy sock day- this Thursday!
We can’t wait for our Socktober fundraiser this Thursday, 30 October! Please wear crazy socks (be as creative as you like!) and bring a gold coin donation for each activity you would like to join in. Thank you to our Mini Vinnies, who have done a great job creating sockballs for the sockball shoot out!
Mini Vinnies
Mrs Miller and I love spending time with our enthusiastic group of Mini Vinnies! They have done an amazing job creating sockballs in anticipation of our Socktober fundraiser this Thursday.
If your child hasn’t joined us yet, but would like to, Mini Vinnies is open to students of all ages. At the moment, we are learning about the important work of Catholic Mission and are busy developing initiatives to support their work in Zambia.
In a few weeks, we will begin work on the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. There is lots of fun to be had and social justice to support. Come and join us!
Choir - Christmas Performances and Songs
Our choir are busy preparing for the upcoming Christmas concerts! Thank you to our choir wizard, Mrs Kate Webber, who comes twice a week to teach our choir.
They will be performing at Carols on the Plateau on Friday, 12 December. The songs for this will be:
- ‘Christmas where the Gumtrees Grow’
- ‘Feliz Navidad’
They will also be performing at the CASPA Christmas Carnival in Lismore on Saturday, 29 November. The songs for this will be:
- ‘Christmas where the Gumtrees Grow’
- ‘Feliz Navidad’
- ‘Jingle Bell Rock’
- ‘Who could imagine a King’
Free Online Program to Support Children’s Mental Health
Are you a parent, grandparent, carer or other adult living in a regional, rural area, or supporting a child aged 10–13 who has unmet mental health needs? Southern Cross University is offering a free online education program designed to help you better support the mental health needs of the children in your care.
The program includes flexible online learning and a weekly 90-minute group session led by experienced mental health clinicians. It has been co-designed by parents, carers, teachers, and children’s mental health experts.
Participants will also be contributing to valuable research that aims to strengthen community responses to children’s wellbeing. Those complete the program and the survey at the end will receive a $50.00 voucher.
To learn more or express interest, please email Professor John Hurley at john.hurley@scu.edu.au.
Canteen Helpers
Would you be able to lend a hand in the canteen? Our school canteen thrives with the help of our wonderful volunteers. A huge thank you to those parents who already give of their time to support us in the canteen. If you have some time and would like to assist, please contact Mrs Thrum directly via emma.thrum@lism.catholic.edu.au. We would be very grateful.
Term 4 School Community Group Meeting - RSVP
Please save the date for our final School Community Group meeting for this year.
We have the start of our agenda below and would love your feedback on additional agenda items.
The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 12 November 6:30 - 7:45pm.
The school would like to present on:
- Some small changes to school structures planned for 2026
- School Uniform Update
- Tweak to Academic Reports for Semester 2
- Improvement Plan Successes 2025
The school would love parent feedback on:
- Feedback on our Strategic Directions and Improvement Plan for 2026
We'll present a learning session on:
- The New Curriculum for 2026 - the new Science and Technology and Creative Arts Curricula being introduced in 2026 in all grades
Zoom Link: here is the link to the Zoom, if you would like to join virtually from home
Password: 581595
Thank you so much for coming along to our School Community Group meeting; we really appreciate your input.
