St Joseph's Primary School South Grafton eNewsletter

From our Leadership

Welcome

Dear St Joseph’s Community,

Welcome to the 2024 school year! Our students have returned to school happily and it's been tremendous to see them reconnect with their friends and teachers.

We are grateful that our holiday break was peaceful and safe for our families and community and we pray that 2024 is joyful, safe, and healthy year for us all.

Gracious God,

We come to you at the beginning of this academic year
with our many feelings, expectations, and hopes.
Help us to remember that we have the comforting
assurance from you as you told us: "I will always be with you."

Give us a new perspective to see persons, events, and academic work as an
invitation to develop the many gifts you have given us to be used in service for others.

Grant us peace, joy, safety, and great learning opportunities as we journey together through the 2024 school year.

Amen.

We especially welcome Kendall, Jasmin, Portia and Patrick who have joined St Joseph’s as new students in Years 1-6 and we welcome our new teachers and staff: Mr Green [Stage 2], Ms. Lucy Greenwood [Stage 3], Mrs Davina Green [Canteen Manager] & Mrs. Tai Florian [Term 1 School Counsellor].

We of course welcome our new Kindergarten children who have started their 13-year journey of Catholic education; may their beginning of school be fun-filled as they make many new friends and explore their new surroundings.

We welcome our new students- Portia, Kendall, Jasmin and Patrick

Kindergarten's First Day

We have set new goals for our 2024 school improvement journey, which are:

Our Patron Saint - St Joseph will be evident in the life of our school community.
Improve writing standards for all students in the domains of grammar and punctuation.

More about these goals in our next newsletter.

Family/Teacher Evening

This year we will trial an afternoon opportunity for those parents who wish to meet a teacher of their child. The purpose is for YOU to share information about them. What are your goals for them, do they like school, secret tips on how to engage them etc. An invitation has been sent out via COMPASS.

This does not replace our family/teacher meetings later in the term where teachers share your child’s learning progress to date.

Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday 14 February, students in Years 3-6 will visit St Patrick’s church to mark Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Students will receive ashes in the form of a cross on their forehead to symbolise repentance. Students in K-2 will participate in a small liturgy at school.

Beginning Year Mass

Our whole school Beginning of Year Mass will be held at St Patrick’s Church on Wednesday, 21 February. This will be an opportunity for our school community to welcome our new Kindergarten students and acknowledge our Year 6 students as School Leaders for 2024. Everyone is welcome to join us for this special celebration.

Year 6 Incitare

Our Year 6 students will join other year 6 students from across the Clarence Valley on Friday, 1 March at McAuley Catholic College to engage in the Incitare Student Discipleship Day. Incitare means to stir up, incite, urge, spur - when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives we are invited to spread the good news to all we encounter. Students will experience faith nurturing activities and skills for being faith leaders at their school. Further details regarding this day will be shared via Compass in the coming days.

Road Safety is a Back to School Essential

As children return to school, it is essential to keep safety in mind. Talk with your children about safely getting to and from school.

Keep children safe getting in and out of the car. Always use the door closest to the kerb.
Keep children safe by walking distraction - free. Expect your child to take off their headphones while walking.
Keep children safe getting on and off the bus. Wait at the bus stop and stand at least one step back from the road's edge. Always meet your child at the bus stop. Never meet them on the opposite side of the road and call them across. Wait until the bus has gone before crossing the road.
Keep children safe while using wheeled transport. Children must where a helmet when riding a bike in any public place - it is the law. Foot scooter, skateboard and rollerblade riders should wear helmets and protective equipment.

Be a positive role model when you are a pedestrian, passenger and driver. Children learn from what they see, as well as what we say.

School Uniforms

We have been informed that our new school uniforms will be arriving in the very near future. Information on how to purchase in the interim and prices can be found below in the 'Uniform' section of this newsletter. The order form will be sent home today. Thank you for assisting us with the black shoes. Year 6 have their new shirts designed by them! These can be worn each Tuesday and Friday - one less shirt to purchase!

Parent Community Group

All are invited to attend this meeting on Tuesday, 13 February in the Library. We will be discussing fundraising opportunities for the year and the ways families can assist the school throughout the year. Our meetings run for 60 minutes and children are most welcome.

Introducing our School Captains for 2024 - William and Lara

Teaching and Learning

In 2024, we will continue to inform you of each group's Learning Intention and Success Criteria in Writing for each learning cycle beginning with the next newsletter. The Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are created or reviewed each fortnight at our Professional Learning Team (PLT) meetings where we analyse student work samples and record both growth and achievement. Each student's next instructional step for growth is then noted and added to the Success Criteria for the next learning cycle. Teachers then differentiate their next Unit of Work to ensure that all students have an individual goal that they are working toward in the next learning cycle. This goal is then shared with students and each child is provided feedback during the course of the next learning cycle for reflection and individual goal setting.

Our educators are continuing their learning with the work of Dr Lyn Sharratt for improving writing practise within our school and we look forward to sharing this with you.

Principal-Danny Rankin

Assistant Principal-Anne Forwell

Leader of Learning - Brooke Donoghue

Sport Coordinator - Caitlin Crispin

The Clarence Zone Swimming Carnival will be held on Monday, 26 February at Maclean Olympic Pool. Notes will be sent out in Compass next week.

Key Sporting Dates for Term 1

Week 4 - Clarence Zone Winter Sports Trials for Stage 3 students

Monday, 26 February - Clarence Zone Swimming Carnival, Maclean

Friday, 1 March - Lismore Dioeasan Swimming Carnival, Kempsey

Friday, 8 March - Lismore Dioeasan Winter Sports Trials for Stage 3 students

Friday, 22 March - School Cross Country Carnival

I look forward to a great year of sporting events in 2024.

Gumbaynggirr Language - Liz Hegedus

Ginnagay Ngujawiny -Hello You Mob,

Wecome back to St Joseph's 2024. This year I will be teaching Indigenous Studies to Kindergarten and all other stages. The students will learn all about the local Indigenous tribe 'Gumbaynggirr' and also about the Indigenous culture including how they hunt, eat, made shelter, dancing, music, medicine and language. We will also celebrate our Indigenous yearly events such as 'Apology/Sorry Day,' 1967 Referendum, National Reconciliation Week, Mabo Day and NAIDOC Day.

Coming up on 13 February, is 'Apology Day' also known as 'Sorry Day.'

On 13 February 2008, the Parliament of Australia issued a formal apology to Indigenous Australians for forced removals of Australian Indigenous children (often referred to as the Stolen Generations) from their families by Australian Federal and State Government Agencies. The apology was delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

What did the 2008 apology achieve? It recognised and acknowledged the historical and ongoing harm done to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and its ongoing impact in contemporary Australia.

The first National Sorry Day (Apology Day) was on May 26, 1998. It was commemorated as a collective response to the 'Bringing Them Home' report. The day aimed to raise awareness, express remorse, and demonstrate solidarity with the Stolen Generations and their families.

So why did Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologise? The apology was focused particularly on the Stolen Generations, and the pain and trauma caused by the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families and communities.

To this day many Indigenous families still suffer from the impact of been stolen from their family.

https://youtu.be/xiLnsFyAVqE?si=c6rN9DuTABRZr-c9 (Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Sorry Speech)

Darrundang Ngiinda - Thankyou Miss Liz Hegedus IEW Indigenous Educational Worker

School Notes

SCHOOL FEES

Thank you to those families who have made the change from Direct Debit to BPay for fee payments. BPay is the preferred payment method for school fees. Scheduled payments can also be set up using BPay, the Biller Code and your personal reference number can be found on your Fee Statement.

Paying through BPay ensures that your payment goes directly to your account. Any enquireies please contact the School Office.

ABSENCES

Please notify the School Office if your child will be absent for an extended period of time, Principal approval may be required.

Only full day absences are to be entered into Compass, for partial absences - arriving late or leaving early please phone the School Office to notify.

Change to afternoon travel arrangements may be emailed to the school if before 12.00pm sjpgraf@lism.catholic.edu.au

After 12.00pm please phone the School Office on 6642 2899 with any changes.

Uniforms

School Calendar

TERM 1 2024

Week 3

Tuesday, 13 February - Parent Group Meeting 6.00pm - 7.00pm

Wednesday, 14 February - Ash Wednesday

Wednesday, 14 February - Family Teacher Meetings 2.00pm - 6.00pm

Week 4

Monday, 19 February - School Assembly 2.15pm

Wednesday, 21 February - Beginning of Year Mass, St Patrick's Church

Week 5

Monday, 7 February - Zone Swimming Carnival

Friday, 1 March - Year 6 Incitare at McAuley Catholic College

Week 6

Monday, 4 March - School Assembly 2.15pm

Week 7

Tuesday, 12 March - Parent Group Meeting 6.00pm - 7.00pm

Week 8

Monday, 18 March - School Assembly 2.15pm

Friday, 22 March - School Cross Country

Week 9

Thursday, 28 March - Easter Celebration

Friday, 29 March - Good Friday (Public Holiday)

Week 10

Monday, 1 April - Easter Monday ( Public Holiday)

Week 11

Thursday, 11 April - Last day of Term 1 for students

Friday, 12 April - Staff Development Day

Canteen

Canteen

Re opening on Wednesday, 21 February

Open every Wednesday and Friday

Online orders are placed through the Compass app. before 8.30am. Lunch orders may still be brought in with your child, please write their name and class on the front of the paper bag along with their order.

Volunteers always welcome, please leave your details with the School office if you're able to assist.