Term 4 Week 8, 2022
From our Leadership
Welcome
Dear St Joseph's Community,
There are 11 days remaining in the 2022 school year!
There is a well-known saying that refers simply to the phenomenon that time appears to pass more quickly when engaged in something you enjoy....time flies when you're having fun!
We've certainly had a fun, busy, and successful year, but the next 11 days will see us engage in Year 6 graduation, water slide fun, end of year Mass, awards, Nativity and Christmas carols, Semester 2 reports, and our academic learning....it's not quite over yet folks!
On Sunday we enter our second week of Advent; our time of waiting and preparing for Jesus' birth at Christmas.
I pray that the final few weeks of school pass by positively in a spirit of community, joy, and learning so that everyone can experience a strong sense of belonging to the St Joseph's 'Family in Christ.'
NAPLAN Silly Season
The media sometimes does stupid things with data and NAPLAN results are not immuned. Any student growth in any school in the Clarence Valley is a great cause for celebration. We all know that education is one of the essential elements of well being.
St Joseph’s does amazing things academically every year and our data proves this. Our growth in normed assessments, which we do each term, is exceptional. Our small groups of children sitting NAPLAN each year makes averages nonsensical. This is what is being reported in the media this week.
A big 2023 Year ahead
Thanks to all our families for sharing the good news about our fantastic little school on the hill. Our 2023 student numbers will be the highest for some years.
Awards and Nativity Evening - Thursday, 8 December from 6:00pm on school grounds. This will be held on the grass area in front of the hall. Please bring a blanket and low chairs to sit on with your family. Please bring your own snacks and drink. Obviously this is an alcohol free event.
Junior Joeys Transition Graduation
End of year Mass
Please join us on Friday for our end of year Mass at St Patrick's church at 9.30am.
Year 6 Graduation - Wednesday, 7 December from 6:00pm at the Grafton Golf Club.
End of 2022 School Year
The last day of school for all students is Friday, 16 December 2022. On this day we will be conducting a talent quest which will include a mufti day.
2023 Beginning of School Year
Next year we will not have a staggered start. Therefore our school year will begin for students in years 1 to 6 on Monday, 30 January. During this week we will still conduct the student assessments that were completed as part of a staggered start in previous years. Thank you to our teachers who have been able to organise this whilst having your children at school. Please note that other Catholic Schools in our Diocese continue to have a staggered start.
Please see the 2023 school calendar for pupil free dates and other upcoming events.
We welcome Heidi Wren Hanson and her family to our St Joseph’s community.
Semester 2 Student Reports
Your child’s Semester 2 Report will be made available via COMPASS on Friday, 9 December.
Fundraising Year 5
For the next few Tuesdays and Thursdays year 5 will be fundraising for their year 6 shirts. They will be selling:
- Frozen orange quarters for 20 cents
- Small frozen fruit juice cups for 50 cents
- Large frozen fruit juice cups for $1.00
No need to pre order, just have the kids bring along their money.
Is It Possible?
It is Christmas time and some children are bringing in cards for their classmates. Can we not send in wrapped sweets such as candy canes? Teachers seem to spend an enormous amount of time getting the plastic wrappers off and picking up the non recyclable plastic off the ground.
Principal-Danny Rankin
Assistant Principal-Anne Forwell
K-2 Instructional Leader -Brooke Donoghue
K-6 Learning Intentions and Success Criteria
Kindergarten English- Phonics
Learning Intention: We are learning to know and recognise two letters that can work together to make one sound to be able to read and write.
Success Criteria: I can;
- identify the most common sound that single letters make
- identify the sound that two letter together can make
- name words have a selected sound and determine whether it is at the beginning, middle or end of the word
- blend sounds together to form a word
- break words up into sounds to write words
- break words into syllables to help read and write them
Term 4 Sounds: This term, kinder are revising vowel sounds from term 3 and learning to read and write these sounds with accuracy.
Writing
Learning intention: We are learning to compose texts that persuade the reader of our point of view
Success Criteria: I can;
- start each sentence with a capital letter and finish with a full stop
- say and write my sentence in the correct order
- organise my writing into sentences
- correctly spell known words
- write the sounds that I hear in unknown words
- write sentences to express my own point of view and give reasons
- use descriptive words to persuade the reader of my own point of view
Kindergarten Maths
Week 8 - Whole number
Learning intention: We are learning compare, order and make amounts using numbers.
Success criteria: I can;
- count forwards to a give number
- count backwards from 20
- count a collection by counting by ones
- count a collection by skip counting
- investigate where a number belongs on a number line
- place number in order from smallest to largest
Weeks 9 - 10 Addition & Subtraction
Learning intention: We are learning to count forwards by ones to add and backwards by one to subtract.
Success Criteria: I can;
- model addition
- model subtraction
- show my working using words, materials and drawing
- explain my thinking
- count forwards by ones to solve addition problems
- count backwards by ones to solve subtraction problems
Stage 1 English- Phonics
Learning Intention: We are learning the graphemes that represent phonemes to help us read and spell words.
Success Criteria: I can;
- match and write the graphemes that represent some phonemes.
Sounds Focus: Please see ‘Seesaw’ communication from class teacher for personalised sound focus.
Stage 1 English- Writing
Weeks 8-9
Learning intention: We are learning to persuade our peers by sharing our points of view.
Success Criteria: I can;
- plan my writing by writing dot points
- write my opinion about why or why not we should visit the Peach Farm
- use my dot points to create full sentences to state an opinion and support giving a reason
Stage 1 Reading/Comprehension:
Learning Intention: We are learning to use the six elements of reading to assist in becoming a fluent reader.
Success Criteria: I can;
- think-pair-share and predict what the text is about and what type of text it is
- read fluently
- use my knowledge of sounds to decode words
- record the sound focus on my graphic organiser
- record focus words on my graphic organiser
- answer questions based on the book
Stage 1 Maths
Week 8 - Time
Learning Intention: We are learning to read analog and digital clocks so that we can tell the time.
Success Criteria: I can;
- explain which hand is the minute hand
- explain which hand it the hour hand
- explain the position of the hands on a clock for half hour and quarters.
- use the terms: seconds, minutes and hours
- explain an activity that would happen in a given duration of time
- describe the difference between seconds, minutes and hours
Week 9: Revision
Learning Intention: We are learning to reflect on our assessments so that we can improve our learning/knowledge.
Success Criteria: I can;
- read a question with or without assistance
- highlight the important information in the question
- summarise the question in my own words
- read the different multiple choice options
- show my working out
Stage 2 English
Learning Intention: We are learning to create our own stories with messages.
Success Criteria: I can;
- list many reasons why stories are told.
- identify the messages from stories.
- create our own stories with a message for the reader.
- Use descriptive words.
- we are learning to spell words we do not know.
Stage 2 Mathematics
Learning Intention: We are learning to create and interpret simple grid maps to show position and pathways.
Success Criteria: I can;
- describe the location of an object
- follow directions to follow simple routes and maps
- use grid references on maps to describe position
- identify and mark locations on a map
- draw and label a grid on a map
- draw a map or plan from aerial view
- interpret and use simple maps found in informative texts
Stage 3 English
Learning intention: We are learning to identify what a digital citizen is and what responsibilities are required of a digital citizen.
Success Criteria: I can;
- state what a digital citizen is
- identify what makes a good digital citizen
- identify why people should behave appropriately in an online world
- use persuasive skills to inform people about being a good digital citizen
- identify ethical, social and technical protocols for communicating online
Stage 3 Mathematics
Learning intention: We are learning to write number sentences, word problems and create tables of patterns.
Success Criteria: I can;
- use inverse operations to solve number sentences
- complete number sentences involving fractions and decimals
- write number sentences to match word problems
- complete and describe a table of patterns created using numbers or shapes
Sport Coordinator - Emma Davis
Congratulations to Callum Tait who has been selected on the Lismore Diocesan Touch Football team.
Callum will attend the Polding Trials next year in Parkes.
Gumbaynggirr Language - Liz Hegedus
Ginnagay Ngujawiny -Hello You Mob,
We are coming to the end of the school year and the christmas festival begins.
In modern society Christmas is celebrated in many different ways. For some it's a religious holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ, for others it's a holiday to celebrate with gifts. Whether for religious or cultural reasons, the common thread for all that celebrate Christmas across the globe is the coming together to spend time and celebrate with family and friends.
In traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, Christmas was not celebrated but coming together and celebrating as a mob was, and continues to be, an important aspect of culture.
In Gumbaynggirr language we do not have a word for 'christmas' but we acknowledge the word 'gaywa-wunba' which means festival in Gumbaynggirr language.
On another note Stage 3 have been attempting a different type of art, splat painting with blown up balloons. Colours are added to the paper and then squashed down with a balloon.
The effect of the colours pressed into the art paper is absolutely amazing. After the paint dried they then had to use their imagination and transform their painting into a picture. Lets just say their imagination is out of this world. We have the night sky, fire, cyclops in flames, under water coral reef, fireworks, floating jelly fish, fish and friends, christmas baubles and tree decorations, tree branches and vines, sporting equipment, flowers of all sorts, lady bugs and singing flowers.
I have to congradulate Stage 3 on their fantastic art. I hope they continue using their imagination, creating amazing art in the future.
Darrundang Ngiinda - Thankyou
Miss Liz Hegedus
IEW Indigenous Educational Worker
School Notes
COMMUNICATION TO LEAVING PARENTS
Parents of students who are leaving St Joseph's Primary School at the end of the 2022 school year, and not continuing their education within the Diocese of Lismore will lose their Compass portal on 31 December, 2022. Therefore parents are encouraged to download their child's reports in Compass prior to this date.
Parents of students who are continuing their education in 2023 within the Diocese of Lismore will still be able to access their child's reports through their Compass portal.
REMINDER
Parents & Caregivers are reminded when dropping off or picking students up, the Staff Carpark is not a designated zone. Exception if you require use of a disabled parking space.
Please note the speed limit coming into this carpark at other times is 10 klms. Please be mindful of the school speed zones.
School Calendar
TERM 4
Week 9
Monday, 5 December 2.15pm - School Assembly
Wednesday, 7 December 9.00am - Infants Swimming
Wednesday, 7 December 6.00pm - Year 6 Graduation, Grafton Golf Club
Thursday, 8 December 6.00pm to 8.00pm - Carols and Prizegiving
Friday, 9 December - Semester 2 Reports available
Week 10
Monday, 12 December 2.15pm - School Assembly
Friday, 16 December - Final day for students
TERM 1 2023
Week 1
Monday, 30 January - Students in Years 1- 6 return
Friday, 3 February - Kindergarten's first day
Week 2
Monday, 6 February 2.15pm- School Assembly
Merit Awards
Congratulations to the following students who received a Merit Award.
TERM 4 WEEK 7
Kindergarten: Mason, Ashton
Stage 1: Lincoln
Stage 2: Hunter, Sophie
Stage 3: Brendan, Robert
TERM 4 WEEK 8
Kindergarten: Esther, Aylee
Stage 1: Heston, Meliah
Stage 2: Red, Aleah
Stage 3: Pippa, Thomas
Uniform Shop
The uniform shop is located in the Brewhouse Village.
Opening hours:
Monday - Wednesday 10.00am to 4.30pm
Thursday 10 to 3.30pm
Email: fytexptyltd@bigpond.com
Ph: 0434 025 493
Canteen
CANTEEN OPEN WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
Volunteers are always welcome, please leave your details with our School Office.
When placing canteen orders please provide a paper bag for your child with their order clearly written on the front. It is also essential that each child has their own bag please - we ask that siblings do not have their orders placed on the same bag. We appreciated your cooperation as this allows our volunteers to smoothly prepare lunches.
Community Notices
