Term 2 Week 5

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a very busy week!  Please read Anna Smidt's account of our fabulous continuous story time, a wonderful event that saw the children being read to by an astronaut in space!  

We really appreciate the efforts you made to dress the children, the fabulous volunteers in the canteen making space food and the teachers for their efforts in dressing up themselves.  A special thank you goes  to Anna Smidt (our librarian) and Katherine Davies (our art teacher).

I would also like to thank Hannah Gorman for coordinating the NAPLAN tests for Years 3 and 5 over the past two weeks. This went off smoothly thanks to her careful planning.

I attended a conference this week, meeting with head office personnel and other principals, to help write policies and procedures for our new company. Catholic Schools Office Lismore is now a company, with a director and a board.  The board will be visiting us next month for their regular meeting and to have a tour of our school. The board will be choosing a different school each month to visit, to get a first hand understanding of the needs of each school.

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

Assistant Principal - Anne Forwell

Road Safety and Traffic Management

Please find below some important procedures for road safety at St Joseph's. Let's work together to keep everyone safe! 

School Zone Flashing Lights

The 40km/h school zones are located along Bent Street before and after the Hyde Street turn off and also along Hyde Street. There are signs and two sets of orange flashing lights along Bent Street and Hyde Street indicating that the school zone is in operation. The signs show the times when these school zones are enforced.

Parking for parent pickup and drop off 

Parents who drop off or pick up their children up from school may park;

• in the carpark at the end of Hyde Street (gravel car park)
• in the pickup/drop off bay on the other side of the bus lane
• anywhere along Hyde Street where signs are posted as parking. 

We ask that families please do not park in the staff car park, however there is a disabled parking bay available in this carpark for verified users. 

At pick up time we ask that parents park their car and walk to the school gate to pick up their children. 

Children Walking or Riding Bikes

Children who walk or ride home will be walked by a teacher along Hyde Street to the pedestrian crossing on Bent Street where the students will be assisted to cross the road by a road safety officer. In the event of a storm/lightning or rain parents will be contacted to collect their children. 

Children Crossing Signs

These signs are located at the front of the school parent pickup gate and at the road near the staff car park allowing children and their families to safely cross. 

Staff Development Day (Pupil free)

Thank you to our amazing families for supporting the professional learning of our staff. These days increase our skills and knowledge so that we can increase outcomes for every student. 

Our next staff development day will be held this term in week 9 on Thursday 17 June. 

The learning for staff on this day continues our work with CLARITY where we are working towards continuous improvement in learning and teaching. Through the support of the Catholic Schools Office we have embarked on an exciting journey with Dr. Lyn Sharratt. Lyn is a highly accomplished practitioner, researcher, author, and presenter based in Ontario. She has a track-record of substantially increasing school performance. Staff members have participated in a zoom with Lyn and she will be working alongside us as we focus our efforts on increasing each student’s growth and achievement. On the staff development day we will be working on student data walls and agreed practices which will ensure a focus on the learning needs of every student. 

Every child, every day!

Leader of Evangelisation - Donna Bancroft

Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost Sunday will be celebrated this Sunday. Pentecost is known as the birthday of the Church. It is the day when Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to be with the disciples, just as he said he would. When the disciples started speaking in different languages, they told all the people about Jesus and over 3000 people were baptised that day. 

“As the Father sent me, so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Leader of Catechesis - Joe Stewart

MJR at St Joseph's. We are a WEST school. Welcome, Encourage, say Sorry, give Thanks.

At the assembly on Monday, our Year 6 Leaders gave a MJR - Making Jesus Real presentation on the theme of WEST. They explained the importance of their actions and how each of us can be more welcoming, encouraging, forgiving and thankful. Thank you girls and boys for always trying to put these words into actions. We have a wonderful school.

Our school and community is a great place to be when we feel welcomed, encouraged, are thanked and apologised to when appropriate.  It is easy to live the WEST way each day!  

Welcoming words: hi, good morning, great to see you, g’day, good afternoon, hello

Welcoming actions: smile, wave, handshake, high five, fist pump, thumbs up, good eye contact

Encouragement: amazing, good for you, well done, super job, remarkable, terrific, sensational

Sorry. I am sorry for, I apologise, (it takes strength of character and humility to admit mistakes)

Thanks: thank-you, I appreciate, I am grateful for, thanks

The WEST way is the BEST way to live.  Be a WESTie today!

Christian Meditation is a part of our prayer life and is practiced daily. It is a time to be still and be with God so that we can then focus better on the important things that shape our day. It is wonderful to see children enthusiastically setting up these prayer spaces often taking advantage of the beautiful weather and praying outside. 

K-2 Instructional Leader - Larissa Deleiuen

National Simultaneous Storytime 2021

On Wednesday, St Joseph’s dressed up to support our Space theme for National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS). In class, Kindergarten read the story and imagined they were astronauts and wrote about their adventures. Kindergarten students have also been investigating their learning areas during Walker Learning time with many of the areas reflecting space. We had so much fun exploring and learning!

Sport Coordinator-Emma Davis

Rookie Rollers

Students will participate in another three sessions of the Rookie Rollers lawn bowls program during their class sport time in Week 5, 6 and 7.  This program is designed to teach students the basic skills of lawn bowls using equipment designed for their use. Thank you to the South Grafton Ex-servicemens Club for the hire of their greens to run the program.  A big thank you to Neil from Bowls Australia for running the program.

Library/Book Club Coordinator - Anna Smidt

National Simultaneous Storytime Space Day

A fabulous day was had by all on Wedensday. There were aliens and astronauts galore. It was very impressive to see how creative students and parents were able to be without too much expense. A huge thank you to staff, parents and students who wholeheartedly entered into the spirit of the day. 

A huge thanks must also go to our enthusiastic team in the canteen who provided the students with a delicious lunch. 

Gumbaynggirr Language - Liz Hegedus

Giinagay, Ngujawingy (Hello You Mob),

Stage 1 and 2 have started to create their own songlines. They have learn't 'Songlines' are the responsibility of the Aboriginal people of Australia. 'Songlines' connect Aborignal people with their 'Dreamtime' and how they believe the world was created.  They believe  our 'Ancestral Spirits' created the 'Songlines' also known as 'Dreaming tracks.'  These 'Dreaming tracks' are the routes throughout the landscape.

Stage 1 and 2 are creating their own cultural 'Songlines.' The students are creating their history by using Aboriginal symbols to tell their story. Through this process the students create stronger bonds to their families, life journey and their own 'Dreaming Tracks.'

Durrundang - Thankyou

Miss Liz Hegedus

Weekly Merit Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received a Merit Award this week.   

Kindergarten                                                                                                                                                                            Heston Tribe for looking at the pictures and beginning sounds in words when reading.                            Mason Montford for identifying the beginning sound in words when reading.                                              Elijah Willis for helping the class to sound out the word 'instruction' during co-construction of the success criteria.                          

Stage 1                                                                                                                                                                                              Ned Scully for his enthusiasm during guided reading and for showing growth.                                            Maddison Hayes for treating others with respect and speaking kindly to all peers.                                      David Van der Vlist for helping the class to sound out the word 'instruction' during co-construction of the success criteria.                                                                                                                                 

Stage 2                                                                                                                                                                                              Aidan Knox for displaying Christian Values by assisting younger students on the playground.              Eva Davis for building self-confidence and sharing her mathematical thinking with the class.            Koby Hayes for always being a helpful and responsible student.                                                                            Aleah Jeffery for always demonstrating responsible and respectful behaviour.                                              Lara Forwell for sharing her mathematical thinking during our unit on 3D objects.

Stage 3                                                                                                                                                                                              Peter Hewitt for small acts of compassion towards his peers that make a big difference.                          Cameron Barratt for sitting in the role of a teacher when helping another student with double digit addition.                                                                                                                                                                                            Zylan Dobra Garrett for recalling efficient and effective strategies for addition with 3 and 4 digit numbers.

School Events & Dates

TERM 2

WEEK 6

• Monday 24 May 2.15pm - 2.45pm School Assembly
• Wednesday 26 May - Rookie Roller Sport

WEEK 7

• Monday 31 May 2.15pm - 2.45pm School Assembly
• Wednesday  2 June - Rookie Roller Sport

WEEK 8

• Monday 7 June 2.15pm - 2,45pm School Assembly
• Wednesday 9 June - Rookie Roller Sport

WEEK 9

• Monday 14 June - Public Holiday
  
• Thursday 17 June - Staff Development Day (Pupil free)

Drama and Voice Tuition

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

School Notes

Student Banking

As per Commonwealth Bank guidelines student deposit books are to be brought to school only on the day of banking and returned to students the same day.

Our banking day is Wednesday, therefore students are asked to only bring their deposit book in on that day.  Thank you 

Uniform Shop

U Design Schoowear                                                                                                                                                      BrewHouse Village                                                                                                                                                                      Gate 4

Opening hours from 19 April 2021                                                                                                                          Monday - Friday  10.00am to 4.30pm                                                                                                                        Phone 6643 2989

Canteen

Canteen Volunteers Needed

Our canteen cannot operate without volunteers.  If you are able to assist us between 9.00 am and  12.00 pm on any canteen day, it would be much appreciated. In particular we are looking for volunteers on a Thursday in Term 3 or the canteen will have to close that day.

Babies in prams are very welcome.  Toddlers, however, can find the canteen an unsafe place so we would recommend that they are not present. 

You may find you cannot volunteer every week - that is fine!  We are grateful for any help you can give us. Please contact the School Office if you are able to help.