November 19 2024 (Week 6 Term 4 2024)
Dear St Joseph’s Community
We are in an incredibly busy run-in to the end of the year. We have some important dates for your calendar below and some important messages, too:
UPCOMING DATES
- Friday, 29th Nov - Christmas themes casual clothes day $ to Vinnies appeal
- Wednesday, 4th Dec - Community Celebration Day
- Friday, 6th Dec - Step up, transition day: Middle session on
- Tuesday, 10 Dec - Christmas Concert
- Wednesday, 11th Dec - Advent retreat for all students in the afternoon
- Thursday, 12 Dec - Swimming Carnival
TERM 4 COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
We have scheduled this day for Wednesday, 4th December. We have booked an inflatable slide for students to enjoy with some water play on the playground; it should be a lovely day! A Compass Event will be distributed soon for a contribution to the event and permission to be involved.
FAMILY HOLIDAY PLANNING 2025
This is often the time of year when families are considering family holidays for the next year. It is important that holidays coincide with school holiday times. This ensures that students have the maximum opportunity to engage in their learning. Missing even one or two weeks of school has a significant impact on students’ learning and can lead to challenges when they return from the break, both academically and socially.
CHRISTMAS HAMPER APPEAL
Yesterday, we launched the Vinnies Christmas Hamper Appeal with students. Each classroom has a hamper and we encourage you to give what you are able in the form of non-perishable items. These hampers will be distributed by our local Vinnies Conference to families in our community who are in need. Thank you for your support of this important initiative!
PARISH OFFICE SECRETARY ROLE
Please see below the advertisement for a part-time secretary role at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
RECESS STRUCTURE CHANGE
Recently, via the newsletter and Compass, I indicated our intention to trial a new recess time structure where students went straight out to play and then returned to have some seated eating time. We have trialled this over the past two weeks. Thank you for ensuring your children are well-equipped with plenty of food for them to eat at recess time.
I have sought feedback from the teachers who also sought feedback from their classes.
Teachers indicate that:
- Students have adjusted to the new routine very quickly (it is the same as what we do at lunch)
- Students enjoy going out to play at the start of the break.
- They are eating more at recess time.
- The structure allows them to return to class cooler, well-fed and having had a drink, and they are ready to get back into learning for the final session of the day.
We will continue with this structure for the remainder of the year and into 2025.
STAFFING FOR 2025
We are blessed to have amazing teachers and support staff at St Joseph’s. The classroom roles for 2025 are as follows.
- Kindergarten - Mrs Jenna Wraight (Teacher), Mrs Tammy Moran (Enrichment Tutor)
- Year 1 - Mrs Ros McElligot (Teacher), Mrs Nat Graveson (Enrichment Tutor)
- Year 2 - Mrs Tammy Bakeberg (Teacher), Mrs Allana Tonkin (Enrichment Tutor)
- Year 3 - Mrs Linsey MacDonald (Teacher), Mrs Ali Hall (Enrichment Tutor)
- Year 4 - Mrs Carissa McCall (Teacher), Mr Justin Pearson (Enrichment Tutor)
- Year 5 - Mrs Jess Lewis (Teacher, returning from Maternity Leave), Mr Liam Seymour (Enrichment Tutor)
- Year 6 - Mrs Georgie Miller (Teacher), Mr Victor Murgha and Mr Lewis Trickey (Enrichment Tutors)
- STEM - Mrs Moloney and Mrs Crosby
- Intervention - Mrs Emma Keough
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
In this week’s Gospel, Mark 13:24–32, Jesus invites us to pay attention to the signs of God’s presence, using the image of a fig tree to show how we can recognise when something important is unfolding. Just as the tree’s new leaves signal a change of season, God’s work in our lives can often be seen in the small, everyday moments that bring hope, joy, or connection.
As parents, we are often the first to notice these moments in our children—their growth, their kindness, and their achievements. This Gospel reminds us to celebrate these signs of God’s grace and to trust in His promises.
At St. Joseph’s, we are grateful to partner with you in nurturing this growth, helping each child discover the gifts they have to share with the world. Together, we can keep watch for those moments where love and learning flourish, knowing they reflect God’s ever-present care.
You are invited to listen to Bishop Greg’s Homily from Sunday’s Mass.
TERM 1 2025 COMMENCEMENT DATES
For your calendars for the start of 2025, please see the commencement dates below.
Year 5 Podcasts
Last week, Year 5 created and recorded podcasts to inform an audience of the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, focusing on Dreamtime stories and Songlines. A lot of their learning has come from their shared texts in class. They investigated how authors used symbols and imagery to share cultural perspectives in literature and analysed how figurative language enhances meaning.
Check out the episode here: St Joey’s Podcast Channel
Information, advice and activities for families to help their child’s numeracy learning at home.
- help your child to learn mathematics and numeracy at home
- explain the difference between numeracy and mathematics
- identify and address some common myths about mathematics
Families will find helpful suggestions on activities that have a numeracy focus that they can participate in together, along with a number of resources that they can access to develop numeracy understandings.
Vinnies Christmas Appeal
This year, we are again collecting donations for the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Every class has a hamper to collect food or household consumables.
Examples are:
- Biscuits or crackers
- Chips
- Bottles of drink or poppers
- Noodles
- Dry pasta or pasta sauce
- Sweet treats
- Toothpaste or toothbrushes,
- Hand soap or body wash
- Shampoo and conditioner
These hampers go to individuals and families in our local community who are doing it tough this Christmas. The hampers don’t just provide items to help make someone’s Christmas special but are a reminder to people in our community that they are cared for at a time when many people feel lonely. We are grateful for all donations that are received.
We will also have a fun ‘Christmas colours’ dress up day at school. Students and staff are invited to wear all things ‘Christmassy’ and bring a gold coin donation.
Family Mass - 1st December
A special reminder that we have a parish-school Family Mass on Sunday, 1st December at 8.30am. All families are invited to attend! We are excited to have Kindy leading special parts in this Mass. If your Kindy child is able to attend please let Mrs Wraight and Mrs Jones know via this quick googleform.
STRUCTURED PLAY ROSTER
The structured play roster is below for parents to have conversations with their children about the exciting sporting and cultural activities we have on offer at break times this term.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB ISSUE 8
The final Book Club catalogues for 2024 were sent home last week with students. All orders must be received by 9am Thursday 5 December. We recommend ordering through Scholastic LOOP. This is a great way to purchase books as Christmas gifts, as the school library receives rewards for every purchase. Scholastic offers the option for ”Gift Orders”, simply tick the “Gift Order” box on the left of the screen and your order will be held at administration for collection, not sent home with students. Thank you to the families who have supported Book Club throughout 2024.
