Term 1 Week 9

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

Firstly, I would like you to know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers as you battle the very wet conditions in Grafton and surrounding areas.                                                                                                       

Please contact the school at any time if we can help your family in any way. Food, uniforms, accommodation or fee relief. We all need help from time to time and we are here to support you. Vinnies is a great support to families too and supply us with uniform vouchers. McAuley Catholic College make us very delicious frozen dinners as well. Great partners with us and the community. 

Clarity 
This week the staff started a very important journey for school improvement. It’s based on the work of Lyn Sharratt. She has formulated 14 Parameters which help schools operate at a more efficient level, improving the quality of the education we can offer our children. This was the focus of Monday’s pupil free day. 

Lyn’s work is based on many years of research and has been adopted by 20 schools in the Lismore Diocese.                                                                                                                                                                                           

Over the coming weeks I will write to you explaining what the 14 Parameters are and what this looks like at St Joseph’s. Many of the Parameters are already being used by our staff. 

With every good wish,                                                                                                                                                                Lee Denton                                                                                                                                                                                      Principal                                                                                                                                                                                        Masters of Education (Leadership)

Assistant Principal - Anne Forwell

A Beekeeper Visit 

Thank you to one of our amazing dads Mr Adam Brockwell for sharing with us his knowledge of bees. Stage 2 have been learning about bees and the positive impact they have on our environment. In the coming weeks the students will be designing and making a safe house for bees to protect them from the threats they face. Mr Brockwell demonstrated how the beekeeper suit works and showed us wax, honey and honeycomb. We also learnt that bees can only see the colours blue and green, they taste with their feet and that they dance for the rest of the hive to let them know where the pollen is. What a fantastic learning experience!   

Thank you Mr Brockwell

Staff Development Day

A very big thank you to all of our families for supporting the pupil free day last Monday. 

Our next pupil free day will be at the start of Term 2 on Monday 19 April. The first day of school for all students will be Tuesday 20 April. Again thank you.

Leader of Evangelisation- Donna Bancroft

St Patrick's Day

St Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland and of our Church in Skinner Street, South Grafton. Throughout the day last Wednesday, students explored activities and learned how St Patrick travelled around Ireland explaining the Trinity to the Irish by using a green shamrock. Each leaf on the shamrock represents the three persons in one God- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The children in Stage One celebrated during Walker Learning investigations and continued their learning of St Patrick during Religious Education. Vashti, Pippa, Tahnaya and Ruby had lots of fun and conversations while creating shamrocks using a variety of green patterned wall paper. 

St Joseph's Feast Day

St Joseph is the Patron Saint of the Universal Church and of our School. Last Friday, St Joseph's School community celebrated St Joseph's Feast Day with a Mass led by Father Joe and hosted by our School Leaders. Father Joe shared some beautiful insights on becoming a priest on this day, 24 years ago and his great fondness for St Joseph as a man of silence and strength. Father blessed medals for each student, prayer cards for each classroom and a special statue of St Joseph sleeping as a tribute to this year being the Year of St Joseph and our school being a St Joseph's School in the Lismore Diocese. The sleeping St Joseph will have a home in the sacred space in the school hall. He will rest for students to leave their prayer requests under his pillow. Pope Francis announced a Year of Saint Joseph, to honor the 150th anniversary of the saint’s patronage over the Universal Church. Pope Francis said he was establishing the year so that “every member of the faithful, following Saint Joseph’s example, may strengthen their life of faith daily in the complete fulfillment of God’s will.” Thank you Father for celebrating Mass with us and to the parents and families for your attendance and the continued support you give to our wonderful school. 

Leader of Catechesis - Joe Stewart

Sacramental Programs for 2021

Due to the cancellation of the Sacraments of Confirmation and 1st Communion last year, we have been advised by Bishop Gregory Homeming and Fr Joe Holloway that Year 3 students will make their Confirmation and Year 4 students will complete the Sacrament of 1st Holy Communion.

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation will begin week 3 of Term 2. The date and time of Confirmation is still to be finalised but will be held around  23 to 25 July.

Preparation for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion will be held in Term 3. Fr Joe is still working on the date. 

Further details will be available early next term. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you require further information or would like to discuss the reception of these sacraments for your child.

K-2 Instructional Leader - Larissa Deleiuen

Kindergarten and Stage 1 Open Classroom - Walker Learning 

Parents and Carers of Kindergarten and Stage 1 Students are invited to come and see Walker Learning in action in your child’s classroom. You will have the opportunity to observe the pedagogy in action amongst the warm, calming natural learning environment. 

Details

When: Monday 29 March

Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am 

Details: Please follow our Covid safety procedures by signing in using the QR Code at the entrance to our school, use hand sanitiser provided and keep a safe distance of 1.5m from others. If you are feeling unwell, we ask you to please stay home. Once signed in please make your way to the Junior Joey’s Investigators Room(JJI), our school leaders will show you the way. 

9am - Lee and Larissa will explain the Walker Learning Approach and what you will be observing. 

9:10am - Move to your child’s classroom where you will observe Walker Learning in action. 

9:50am - 10:00am - Make your way back to the JJI room for a brief discussion.

We hope to see you there!

Sport Coordinator-Emma Davis

School Cross Country Carnival 

Our annual Cross Country Carnival will be held this Friday 26 March. Age champion medals and place ribbons will be handed out at the school assembly on Monday 29 March at 2:15pm. Parents are welcome to attend this assembly, please ensure you sign in at the front office when entering the school, use hand sanitiser and maintain social distancing when on school grounds. These results, along with photos from the event will be in next week's newsletter. Thank you for your understanding in regards to changing of this event due to the current weather conditions. 

The Clarence Zone Cross Country Carnival will be held on Wednesday 28 April at McAuley Catholic College, Clarenza. The Lismore Diocesan Cross Country Carnival will also be held at McAuley Catholic College on Wednesday 26 May.

Gumbaynggirr Language-Liz Hegedus

Giinagay Ngujawiny -Hello You Mob,

Stage 2 have been learning about different bush healing foods Indigenous people use for sickness. One bush food they utilise as a bush medicine is honey. Aboriginal people regard native bee's as very important in their culture. Bees pollinate the flowers to reproduce again. Bees also produce honey which is  readily available depending on the season and the ability to collect it from the hives. Aboriginal people use the honey for tools, medicine, food, ceremonies, craftmanship and musical instruments. 

TOOLS: Aboriginals used the wax and resin produced by native bees for fastening implements of stone to wood. They heat the wax to bind the two objects together for use as hunting tools.

MEDICINE: Aboriginal people would smear native bees honey on open wounds to prevent swelling and bacterial infections.  There is a lot of sugar in honey, so the sugar in the honey helps draws the fluid away from the infected wound. This helps to kill any bacteria in the wound.

FOOD: Honey from native Australian bees is a popular form of bush tucker. Honey is gathered in a coolamon or billycan to be eaten later.  The honey was used to sweeten drinks, pour onto or into food when eating or just eat straight away as a beautiful treat.

CEREMONIES: Honey was an important item to the Aboriginal culture.  Men wore body paint and decorated their bodies with honey and feathers and other objects for their weddings. Honey was also seen as a much prized bush food and was often given as gifts. 

CRAFTMANSHIP: Baskets for carrying water were made by joining leaves and sealing them with bees wax.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: Musical instruments such as didgeridoos had cerumen placed around the mouth piece to act as a sealant.

Stage 2 also learnt about the 'Kombumerri' Aboriginal tribe which is situated along the NSW border at Burleigh Heads and is part of the Yugambeh group.  There are 8 tribes and Kombumerri tribe is on the Southern Sub-Region.  The 'Kombumerri' tribe have a sacred ground which is the Burleigh Headland known as 'Jellurgal' and it refers to bee's nest.  Jellurgal was created by Jabreen (the Creation Spirit).  Jabreen first appeared as a giant. He stepped out of the Milky Way and when he came down he saw the land was without form … so he threw his magical waddy out and created the rivers, mountains and hills. "Jabreen became very hungry and went hunting, looking for tucker and he came across some wild bees, so he feasted on this native honey."

A sculpture on the Gold Coast has been created depicting the Aboriginal Dreaming God, Jabreen, but with an unique twist: inside his head a buzzing noise can be heard.  This is because the statue doubles as a hive for native bees.  The large wood carving is a partnership between the Gold Coast's Kombumerri people and Griffith University, erected in the Gold Coast campus' Kombumerri garden. You can also visit the 'Jellurgal' Aboriginal cultural Centre at Burleigh Heads.

Below is the link to view the story about Aboriginal Dreaming God Jabreen.

https://youtu.be/rApxdYxGr4A

Darrundang Ngiinda -Thankyou

Miss Liz Hegedus

School Events & Dates

TERM 1

WEEK 10

• Thursday 1 April - Last day of Term 1
• Friday 2 April - Good Friday

TERM 2

WEEK 1

• Monday 19 April - Staff Development Day (Pupil Free)
• Tuesday 20 April - Students return Term 2
• Sunday 25 April - ANZAC Day

WEEK 2

• Monday 26 April-Friday 30 April - Catholic Schools Week

WEEK 3

• Wednesday 5 May - Staff Development Day (Pupil Free)
• Sunday 9 May - Mother's Day

Drama and Voice Tuition

If your child would like tuition in drama or vioce                                              please contact Maree Hickson on 0421 656 019

School Notes

                             PARENTS & FRIENDS COMMITTEE                                                                                                           of                                                                                                                    ST JOSEPH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL                                                                                             SOUTH GRAFTON                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The P&F are having an Easter Raffle and would love if each family could please donate a suitable Easter item for our upcoming Easter Raffle. Suggestions being: Easter Eggs, Chocolates, Colouring in                                                                          books, gifts, novelty items and story books. 

Donations will be accepted up until Monday 29  March 2021.

Please return your raffle tickets and money, including any unsold tickets by Wednesday 31 March. 

Thank you!

Canteen Roster