Term 4 Week 6

Key Information

Term 4 Important Dates

Week 7

• Monday 11^th November – Remembrance Day – Whole School Prayer, 10:20am; Kick for Kids (Starlight – Year 6)
• Tuesday 12^th November – Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am; 2025 Prep Transition Day, 8:30-10:30am; First Reconciliation Meeting 2, 3-4pm
• Thursday 14^th November – Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am
• Friday 15^th November – Assembly (Year 2), 8:30am; 2025 Prep Transition Day & Move Up Morning, 8:30-10:30am; Parents Morning Tea (Library) – Speech Pathologist, OT and GO Presentation

Week 8

• Tuesday 19^th November – Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am
• Wednesday 20^th November – Year 5/6 Treasure Island Afternoon Performance
• Thursday 21^st November – Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am; Year 5/6 Treasure Island Afternoon Performance

Week 9

• Monday 25^th November – UMY End of Year Trip to Mount Isa
• Tuesday 26^th November – Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am; Rehearsals for Christmas Concert, P-Year 4 8:40am, Years 5-9 9:40am
• Wednesday 27^th November – Awards Evening & Christmas Concert
• Thursday 28^th November – SRC Christmas Free Dress; Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am; Year 9 Reflecting on the Journey Retreat, 8:30-11:30am; Year 9 Graduation Dinner, 6pm
• Friday 29^th November – End of Year Mass; Last Day for Secondary Students

Week 10

• Tuesday 3^rd December – Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am; Year 6 Graduation Ceremony & Silent Disco
• Thursday 4^th December – Chaplaincy Breakfast, 7:45am
• Friday 6^th December – Last Day for Primary Students

Swimming Carnival - 8.11.24 - Reminder

You will notice that our newsletter has been sent out earlier then normal - this is to include some friendly reminders about our swimming carnival today (Friday 8th November 2024).  

SWIMMING CARNIVAL – PARENT INFORMATION

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

The 2024 St Joseph’s Swimming Carnival will be held today, being Friday 8th November at the Cloncurry Swimming Pool. The Carnival will commence at 8:30am sharp and finish by 2:45pm. Please drop your child/ren off at the Daintree Street gates closest to the council building by no later than 8:20am. Please find an outline of the day attached to the bottom of this letter.

Important Information:

• Throughout the day, students will be required to wear full sun-safe attire (e.g., swim shirts, T-shirts, hats, sunscreen, etc.). However, when participating in their events, students may remove sun shirts and hats.
• Students are required to bring their own lunch, snacks, and water bottle for the carnival. As we won’t have access to fridges, please ensure that lunches are suitable for room temperature or, alternatively, include an ice brick to keep them cool throughout the day.
• The pool canteen will be open for light refreshments and drinks.
  
• Age Champion and Runner-Up medals will be awarded at the school assembly on Friday 22nd November 2024 (Week 8).

Junior Swimming Carnival:
The Junior Swimming Carnival (students aged 5-8 years) will conclude at approximately 12:00 pm. Parents are welcome to take their child/ren home at this time. Please ensure you sign them out with Mrs Kelley or Mrs McLauchlan. The remaining junior students will return to the Prep classroom at school, where they will focus on consolidating their knowledge (no new content will be introduced during this time).

The following rules will apply to all junior races and are at the discretion of the Head Judge:

1. For the Freestyle and Backstroke events, students are allowed to use kickboards, lifejackets, or other flotation/support equipment as needed. The use of this equipment will not affect final placings.
2. Final placings and ribbons are awarded per age group and are based on time. While students may win their heat, this does not guarantee a placing in their age group.
3. Students will be disqualified if they commit any of the following infringements:

• Start before the starting signal,
• Not finishing the race on their back during Backstroke,
• Pull on or using the lane rope,
• Take a step or stride from the bottom of the pool.

Senior Swimming Carnival:
The Senior Carnival (students aged 9-15 years) will conclude at approximately 2:45 pm. Students can be collected from this time onwards. Those not collected will be released at 2:50 pm. If you're running late or would like a message passed onto your child/ren you can phone the school during the carnival as the phone's will be diverted to a staff member at the pool.

Disqualifications and infringements will be at the discretion of the Head Judge. These rules have already been communicated to senior students during their swimming lessons. Should an infringement occur, a staff member or the Head Judge will notify the student, who will not receive a time, placing, or any Age Champion points for that result.

Thank you to the parents and carers who have volunteered to help at our carnival today. We appreciate the time that you have dedicated to assisting. 

SWIMMING CARNIVAL PROGRAM
Please be aware that these times may vary; however, we will do our best to ensure this schedule is aligned to the planned timeline as closely as possible. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility throughout the day.

Tuckshop News

Please have your orders in by WEDNESDAY 8:30 am.

REMINDER:
Please remember to pack a healthy snack for Brain Break.

To order: https://myschoolconnect.com.au/

Our special for Week 7 is: Sushi Bowl & Marshmallow Brownie Slice

Our special for Week 8 is: Honey Chicken Wraps & Cheesecake Cookie

OUR TUCKSHOP CREW NEEDS YOU

Miss Jamie-Lea is looking for some wonderful volunteers to help her in Tuckshop on Thursdays. You do not have to be a parent to volunteer. We have had grandparents, aunties, uncles, friends and cousins, as well as mums and dads. If you are interested in volunteering, please join Miss Jamie-Lea's tuckshop volunteer group. 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1525237497502563/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT

Tuckshop Menu Change

The tuckshop menu changed in Week 3. This decision was important as it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure volunteers for tuckshop we had to alter  the menu to ensure it is sustainable on the days volunteers are ot possible. We know our wonderful community love to volunteer in our tuckshop, however, we acknowledge that this is not always possible.

Please familiarise yourself with the changes and provide any feedback that you may have to the front office. If the changes will impact your child/children and any dietary requirements that they may have please phone our front office to discuss the best option moving forward. 

Uniform Shop

Our Uniform Shop is open to orders being placed via the app: https://myschoolconnect.com.au/

Please give us 24 hours to organise collection for your order; we generally contact you when your order is ready to collect.

If you are needing students to try on sizes, we are available:

Monday from 2:30-3pm and Wednesday from 8:10-8:30am.

Miss Heather 

Principal's News

Welcome to our Week 6 newsletter, 

You will notice that our newsletter has been released early this week due to the swimming carnival today (Friday 8th November). Please see some additional notices at the beginning of this newsletter for today’s carnival. If you happened to miss the above information, there is a schedule included below for your reference. 

Emerging Leaders Showcase: 
Last night our Emerging Leaders joined together to celebrate the 2024 School Year with their loved ones and staff. The Emerging Leaders Incentive Scheme is a holistic and equality-based approach to Indigenous Scholarships and student development within TCE Secondary Schools. All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across the 11 secondary schools in our Diocese are able to join the program. 

As an Emerging Leader, each student completes a Personal Leadership Agreement which is supported throughout the year. This year Mrs Toni Schneekloth has worked tirelessly to support this, and since her departure from our school Miss Leonie Ansell has been leading this space. I am very thankful to both Toni and Leonie for their dedication to not only the Emerging Leaders program at St Joseph's, but to enriching and developing our First Nations perspectives, curriculum and engagement. I would also like to make special mention of Miss Mairin Borlase and Mr James Delaney who have volunteered throughout the year as an Emerging Leaders Mentor for our students. 

In the mentoring and leadership of this fantastic program - Toni, Leonie, Mairin and James have supported students to set goals and work towards them. This program is fantastic in providing pillars that our mentors and students work towards throughout the year, being attendance (1), academic improvement (2), and engagement (3). 

I have included some photos of this event below, the remaining photos will be shared throughout our newsletter. Thank you to the students, family members and staff that joined us for this celebration last night.

Remembrance Day - Monday 11th November
This coming Monday the 11th of November our school will acknowledge Remembrance Day in a number of ways. Our classes will be completing activities to learn about the significance of the day and the sacrifice that others have made for our safety. Our whole school will join together at 9.20am on Monday to begin drawing or writing symbols or words that represent what remembrance day means to them. This is an initiative that St Joseph’s and The Cloncurry State School partake in each year, which is supported by The Cloncurry RSL. Members of the RSL will come to our school following the town’s service to capture the drawings of our students. As you pick your child/ren up from school on Monday ask them to show you their drawing and why Remembrance Day is an important part in our history. 

In addition to this our School Leaders and House Captains will be attending the Cloncurry Town Service with Mrs Kelley on Monday. Our two School Captains, Ruby and Kimberlee will be raising the flags in the ceremony. Our House Captains will also pay their respects on the day by laying a wreath on behalf of the St Joseph's community. Whilst the School and House Captains are at the Town Service the remainder of the school will participate in a whole school prayer and minute of silence. 

Staffing update:
Mrs Therese Curley
I would like to inform you that in 2025 Mrs Therese Curley will be taking some well-deserved leave for he duration of the year. You will notice that an advertisement for an Acting Assistant Principal of Religious Education will be published and circulated in the coming week. Therese Curley has shared a wealth of knowledge in her time at St Joseph’s and although this is only for a period of leave and isn't our final farewell to Therese, it is an important time to reflect and celebrate her contribution to our school. These last few years in particular Therese has been a pilar of support in the building stages of our new school, revitalised and inspired our new mission, vision, school song, prayer and values with The Catholic Identity Committee members. I am very fortunate to have had the guidance of Therese over the past few years and am excited that Therese will be able to enjoy some leave in 2025.  

 Miss Laura Cook
Our wonderful year 3 teachers Miss Laura Cook will be sadly leaving our schooling community at the conclusion of the 2024 school year. In 2025 Miss Cook will be relocating to Parkes in NSW. I would like to take this time to thank Laura for the teaching and leadership she has shown in the year 3 space this year, particularly in her initiative for sharing ideas and teaching practices at staff meetings or with colleagues. We can’t wait to hear about Miss Cook’s next adventure. Please take some time over the coming weeks to farewell Miss Cook and celebrate her time with us at St Joseph's.

Mrs Lesley Wall 
It is with great excitement that we let our St Joseph’s community know that Mrs Lesley Wall will be rejoining us in 2025 as our year 4 classroom teacher. Mrs Wall took two years of leave from St Joseph’s to open Urban Leaf Cafe and we can’t wait for Mrs Wall to re-join us next year. Mrs Wall will also be onsite next Friday for our move up morning. 

Miss Tess Motti
Miss Tess Motti will be joining our community in 2025 as a graduate teacher. Miss Motti is currently studying in Townsville at James Cook University, but has gained experience in working with children at St Joseph’s North Ward Outside School Hours Care. We’re excited to welcome Miss Motti to our school for Move Up Day next week. If you see Tess around please make her feel welcome. 

Move Up Day 
We are very excited about ‘Move Up Day’ next Friday (15th of November), which will begin after a short assembly (no awards). This is such a great opportunity for students to go into their new classrooms and meet their teachers for 2025. 

The transition to a new school year is an important milestone for both children and their families. We do however acknowledge that transitioning to a new year level, classroom and teacher can bring with it a different level of anxiety and uncertainty for many of our students and families. The ‘Move Up Day’ event next Friday is in place to foster a positive environment for students in preparation for 2024, it allows students to move into their new classrooms, meet their new teachers and establish relationships before they conclude the school year, which in return will make the transition easier for many. 

We are very excited to be welcoming our new Prep Students for 2025 to our transition morning on Friday and invite all family members to join us for morning tea following the assembly. In the morning tea there will also be a presentation from Lyndsay Miller our Speech Pathologist on ‘Tips for Prep’ and Bec Greaves our Guidance Officer.  

2025 Primary Class Allocations:

2025 Secondary Class Allocation:
Although we do our best to minimise changes to students' classes it is impossible for us to do this as we accommodate the movement of teachers towards the end of the year. If your child’s classroom teacher changes as we approach the 2025 schooling year parents and carers will be notified of this.  

You will notice that the year 3 class currently have no teacher allocated to this space. We’re currently employing for the 2025 school year. Please note that Miss Cook will complete the move up day with our year 3 students, however, in 2025 Miss Cook will be departing. 

Classes in the secondary space do however undergo changes when we build the timetable, therefore, Secondary Teachers classes will be communicated closer to either the end of the 2024 school year or the beginning of the 2025 school year. Miss Hannah McCall will be taking our year 6 students for their introduction to move up day next Friday morning. 

Students in years 7 to 9 will complete their normal classes on this day. 

2025 Intentions - ATTN Departing Families:
I can’t believe it is that time of the year, but we are starting to collect information on children and/or families that will be departing at the end of 2024. Please complete the linked google form if your child / children will be departing St Joseph's at the end of the year. 

All departing families will be presented with a candle at the end of year mass and will receive a blessing. This mass is at 8.30am on Friday 29th November in the MMS, please join us. 

Although we know year 9 students will be departing we would love for you to complete this so we know where your child is going to school in 2025. 

You don’t need to complete this if your child is returning to St Joseph's in 2025. All students are automatically enrolled for the following year.  

Buildings & Art Showcase:
As the buildings are coming to final completion I would formally like to invite our students, parents and carers to a tour of our new buildings and a showcase of artwork that students have worked on throughout the year. The evening will begin with a welcome, performance of our school song by our choir, tour of the new buildings and a showcase of artwork. The evening will go from 6 to 7pm.  

Relocation to the new building:
The new buildings are coming along really well and we’re happy with the progress that has been made. We can’t wait to show you through and for our children and staff to flourish in these spaces. To ensure the relocation goes smoothly we need your help! If you can help on the below dates please email me on skelley2@sjctsv.catholic.edu.au so we can get an idea of the amount of support that is available. 

Date Savers - Awards Evening & Christmas Concert / End of Year Mass

May God Bless you and your families for the week ahead. Goodluck to all students at the athletics carnival today.

Mrs Samantha Kelley
Principal 

Deputy's News

Welcome to the Week 6 newsletter, 

I look forward to seeing you all at the swimming carnival today, however, before I do please see some messages below. 

Over the past two weeks, our students have been involved in some fantastic excursions, bringing new learning experiences to life outside the classroom.

Our Prep - Year 2 students enjoyed a fantastic performance titled A Bee Story. This production was a hit with both students and staff, capturing everyone’s imagination with its engaging storyline and characters. The performance offered a memorable experience for our youngest learners and left them buzzing with excitement — apologies for the pun, I couldn't help myself. 

Meanwhile, our Year 9 students had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on QMEA workshop, Trades for a Day, at the state school. This workshop introduced students to various trade pathways available in our region, providing insights into the skills and requirements needed for a career in trades. It was an enriching experience, allowing students to explore potential career options and consider trade pathways as they plan their futures.  

These experiences are wonderful reminders of how learning can extend beyond the classroom, offering our students different perspectives, creativity, and, most importantly, fun. Thank you to the staff and community members who made these opportunities possible.

Term 4 is a reporting term. Teachers are busy teaching units of work in classes, assessing and reporting. We look forward to sharing your child's progress with you in the upcoming reports which will be released to families at the end of the term. We will also take time time to celebrate this in our End of Year Awards and End of Year Mass. 

At the End of Year Awards Evening students will be recognised with the presentation of the following awards:

• St Joseph the Worker Award: this award is presented to a student for their overall effort in the classroom. This student consistently participates in class discussions and activities, gives 100% effort to all their tasks and demonstrates organisational skills. They demonstrate a determination to succeed, just like St Joseph did. 

• St Mary MacKillop Christian Living Award:  this award is presented to a student for their open commitment to practising their faith and displaying Christian values. This award recognises a student who lives the motto of St Mary of the Cross: “Never see a need without doing something about it” and that has gone out of their way to do good deeds, acted justly and followed in St Mary’s footsteps.

• Academic Excellence Award Criteria: this award is presented to a student who has consistently shown academic excellence across the year in their studies. The students overall results are averaged to award this. 

• Academic Diligence Award Criteria: the recipient is a student who has diligently strived to do their best this year. They do not necessarily have to be a high achiever. 

• Year 6 Rotary Encouragement Award: this award is donated by the Mt Isa Rotary Club each year. The recipient is a student who has shown growth during the year in attitude, work ethic and positive mind set. They have shown growing confidence in their academic ability and have used strategies for assisting their own learning - seeking extra instructions and assistance. 

• Christian Citizenship Award: The citizen award is awarded to a Year 9 student who is an exemplary role model for their peers. They have contributed to our school over the years while displaying continued excellence in serving others and our community. 

Mr Dean Kelley
Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

APRE

Remembrance Day
At our Call to Action assembly this coming Monday we will spend some time reflecting on Remembrance Day, the student will watch a video explaining its history and the significance and importance of our national day of remembrance. The students will share in a special prayer service followed by a minutes silence. The students will then participate in “Draw to Remember '' an RSL initiative where we mark Remembrance Day through art, students will be able to create chalk drawings on the school pavements to show their respect of this special day.  Our school leaders will also attend the town service on Monday. Lest we forget!

All Souls and All Saints Day
In the Catholic tradition, November is traditionally a month of remembrance of the dead. The month begins with the Solemnity of All Saints on 1 November. All Saints’ Day commemorates all the saints in heaven. 

All Souls’ Day follows All Saints Day on 2 November and is also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed and the Day of the Dead. It is a day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died. While no longer holy days of obligation in Australia, the Church has consistently encouraged prayers for the faithful departed during November. On Monday our school community joined together for a special All Souls Day prayer.

Youth Mass- Sunday 17th November 
Next Sunday families are encouraged to come along to our Youth Mass. in St Colman's Church at 8:30 am. Our School Mission in Action Youth Group has been encouraged to assist in the preparations of this mass. We love to have as much participation as possible. An email will be sent home next week to seek names of students who would like to participate in this mass. All students are welcome!

Have a Blessed week!

Mrs Therese Curley
APRE

Pastoral Care

Introduction
My name is Hannah McCall and I am the Acting Pastoral Leader for the remainder of this year. I am originally from New Zealand and moved to Australia just over 2 years ago with my partner. We have lived in Ingham, Tully and now in Cloncurry. I have been teaching for 8 years in a range of different schools across many year levels. 

URStrong

Tips on Supporting Children in Fiery Friendships

One of our favourite tools for talking to kids about how they’re feeling in their friendships is The Friend-o-Meter. Although it’s normal to have a friendship dip into the Red-Zone now and again (Friendship Fact #1: No friendship – or relationship – is perfect!), what happens when a friendship is up and down A LOT?

While many kids will admit they’ve experienced this type of friendship, a friendship that goes from the Green-Zone to the Red-Zone regularly can feel very challenging. Words that children use to describe these high-conflict friendships include: unpredictable, hard, and exhausting.

These friendships can feel especially confusing for parents, as their child oscillates between “Best Friends” and “They’re not invited to my birthday party!”. For teachers, these students can sometimes cause a lot of drama for classmates who sometimes find themselves caught in the middle (what we call in our Friendology friendship skills curriculum, a Friendship Sandwich! It’s sticky and messy in there!).

So, what can we do to support a child in this type of everyday-is-different friendship?

First, identify if they are suffering. Are they upset about it? Is it deeply affecting them? Are they really struggling (*here are some signs to look for)? If the answer is no, and the child seems to be handling it quite well, then this might be a case of them simply ‘ironing out the wrinkles’. Whether it’s a new friendship or the dynamic of the friendship has changed, it sometimes takes time to get to know each other and learn how to get along.

‘Fiery Friendships’ are especially common for children with strong personalities who form friendships with kids similar to them. While they might click at first, they’ll naturally begin to butt heads. For these kids, the highs are high and the lows are low!

But, as parents and educators, we can rest easy if (1) the good times outweigh the bad times AND (2) they’re putting out their Friendship Fires® by working their way around the Friend-o-Cycle. If these two factors are present, then it sounds like they are figuring it out and it might just be a lifelong friendship in the making.

However, if a child is coming home in tears every day and really seem impacted by it, here are a few strategies to try as you coach them from the sidelines (Note: Log-in to your free family membership to access the activities):

• “How can you spend less time in this friendship?”: Sometimes these volatile friendships are simply a product of spending too much time together. Help your child come up with a plan to decrease their daily dose of this friendship. Give this activity a try: Spending Less Time
• “It’s time to get strategic in this friendship!”: Help your child get clear on what works and what doesn’t work in their friendship. When are they getting along? When are Friendship Fires igniting? Then, help them come up with a plan. Watch this video: Feel-Good Friendships
• “Are they Friendship Fires or is it Mean-on-Purpose?”: It’s important that your child understands the difference between normal conflict (Friendship Fires®) versus intentionally rude, cruel, malicious behaviour. Try this interactive tool: Friendship Fire or Mean-on-Purpose Advice
• “Did you Talk-it-Out until the Fire-is-Out?”: Has your child truly talked to their friend to tell them how they’re feeling? Are they being honest with their friend or do they keep sweeping the issues under the rug? For parents, this might be an opportunity to plan a playdate or sleepover to create that one-on-one time with their friend. Role-play with them, so they can practice what they’ll say. School is a busy place and sometimes it’s hard for kids to find time to Talk-it-Out with a friend. Watch this video: Be a Friendship Ninja
• “What colour friendships do you deserve?”: Ask them, “Let’s think about a friendship that goes from green to red, green to red, green to red on The Friend-o-Meter. What colour does that friendship average out to be?” Help your child identify that friendship would average out in the Yellow-Zone. Remind them they deserve Green-Zone friendships in their lives! Try this activity: The Friend-o-Meter: Time to Chat!

While it’s normal for a friendship to have the occasional Friendship Fire®, a healthy friendship has been proven by Dr John Gottman’s research to have at least 5 positive (green) interactions for every 1 negative (red) interaction. These tricky friendships are a great opportunity for children to master their conflict-resolution skills and learn to foster healthy, feel-good friendships.

One thing we say to kids all the time is: “You teach people how to treat you!” When kids deal with their Friendship Fires® in a kind and respectful way, it deepens friendships creating closer & stronger connections.

Written by: Dana Kerford
Founder & Friendship Expert

Feed and Succeed

I encourage all senior students to attend weekly tutoring available on Thursdays from 3-4pm!

Upcoming Events

Term 4 is always a busy one! Note these in your diary or calendar!

Best Regards

Miss Hannah McCall
Acting Pastoral Care Leader

Prep

Hello Everyone, Welcome to Week 7!

Literacy: Over the last two weeks Prep have explored the Fairy Tale Little Red Riding Hood identifying the characters and setting, and sequencing the events. Our Little Leaders have also learnt the last Tricky Words; down, out, for, or, could, should and would identifying the parts that are tricky and the parts that we can sound out. 

Over the coming weeks, our Little Leaders will be involved in lots of activities to consolidate and revise the learning they have participated in throughout our  InitiaLit (Literacy) program and also to consolidate number concepts. Excitingly, next Tuesday we will be setting up Santa's workshop. This workshop will be a designated imaginative writing space for writing. 

Reminders: 

• Swimming: Just a reminder that swimming is first up on Tuesday mornings. The classroom will be open to drop off your child’s brain break, lunch and school bag before heading to the pool. It is important to ensure that your child has their school hat and closed in school shoes to wear when walking back to school.
• Readers and Library: Week 7 will be the last week of home readers and Library books before we begin to collect them and audit for next year.
• Keep up to date with what is happening in Prep by checking out our Little Leaders Website.
• We are calling for donations of NEW and OLD toys. Please keep in mind that the toys must be in good condition  and working order. Please bring these into the classroom!
  
• Move Up Morning is next Friday.
  

Yours in fun and learning,

Miss Mae-Louise Brock, Mrs Sharon McLauchlan, Miss Rachel Adcock, Miss Kylie Warrien and Miss Josie Smith

Year 1

Hello Families, 

We hope you have had a lovely week!

In English, the students have been looking at different narrative texts and creating a character profile on the main character. They have looked at their appearance, personality traits and an event that happens in the story. They will continue to identify the beginning, middle and the end of the stories. 

In Math, the students have been busy revising all the topics they have learnt throughout the year. The students have been looking at positional language and direction. Ask your child to use their left and right to direct you around your house. 

Next week will be the last week of homework as we begin to consolidate learning in class and finish remaining concepts for the year. 

Reminders:

• Monday: Art
• Tuesday: Swimming (sport uniform)
• Thursday: Homework due and Library
• Move Up Morning is next Friday.
• We are also calling for donations of NEW and OLD toys. Please keep in mind that the toys must be in good condition  and working order. Please bring these into the classroom!

Have a wonderful week.

Miss Erin Haley and the always fun Year 1s

Year 2

Hi all,

During Writing this term we will be looking at Persuasive texts. The students have been creating their own persuasive texts based on the text ‘Hey, Little Ant’ and are convincing their audience on whether or not we should be squishing ants. 

During HASS, we are looking at important places and caring for sites of significance. In Maths, we have been working on Measurement using informal units. Next week, we will work on collecting and displaying data. In Science, we are looking into forces, particularly Push and Pull. During Religion, we are looking at prayer and how this strengthens our relationship with God. We are doing lots of assessments over the next week.

Reminders:

• Homework due Monday
• Sport (Swimming) - Wednesday
• Library - Monday Week B (Week 8 & 10)
• We are calling for donations of NEW and OLD toys. Please keep in mind that the toys must be in good condition  and working order. Please bring these into the classroom!
• Move up day - Friday Week 7
• We are on assembly on Friday of Week 8

Have a great week,

Miss Leonie Ansell

Year 3

Hi all,

Here are some updates regarding what we’ve been up to this fortnight...

English
The students have been putting their skills into practice! We have started our Narrative Project, writing a story set in the mythical world of the Dreamtime from our book study “Nerra Deep Time Traveller: The Broken Rainbow” by Tasma Walton and Samantha Campbell. The students have planned their stories and started writing using the key narrative structure (paragraphing the orientation, complication, sequence of events and resolution) and conventions (like time connectives, past tense, third person, descriptive language, dialogue rules, and figurative language).

As per routine, students have been working hard to:

• use comprehension strategies to support their reading understanding 
• enhance their writing skills with Writer’s Toolbox
• learn to write using joined letters in handwriting 
• learn new sounds each week to enhance their spelling skills

Mathematics
The students have been continuing to practice conducting chance experiments such as flipping a coin! They have also been working hard to create different types of tables and graphs (including column graphs) to present their data. 

The students have also been reviewing their learning in Year 3 maths, practicing key skills like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 

Religion
With our focus on prayer this term, students have been practicing the Our Father, The Glory Be, Christian meditation, and reading psalms of thanksgiving and praise from the Bible. They also have been reading and discussing our new school prayer: Guided by God’s Spirit! 

Reminders:

• Homework - Due Thursday
• Swimming Tuesday 
• Library every second Thursday (odd weeks - W7&9)
• Chaplain’s Breakfast - Tuesday & Thursday at 7:45am in MMS
• We are calling for donations of NEW and OLD toys. Please keep in mind that the toys must be in good condition  and working order. Please bring these into the classroom!
  
• Move Up Morning is next Friday.
  

Thank you

Miss Laura Cook

Year 4

Hi all,

This term in Health, we are focusing on building resilience and fostering positive friendships. Using The Resilience Project and URSTRONG Friendology, we’re exploring ways to strengthen our students’ emotional well-being and social skills. Through engaging lessons, students are learning strategies to better understand and manage their emotions, practice gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness, and build strong, healthy friendships.

With the support of URSTRONG Friendology, we’re also helping students develop the skills to navigate friendships, resolve conflicts constructively, and communicate openly and kindly with their peers. It’s been wonderful to see students apply these skills in real-life situations, growing in confidence as they create a supportive and inclusive class environment.

Here’s what the students have to say for this week's newsletter:

Please don’t forget:

• Homework is due every Monday. This needs to be in on Monday to then be sent home the same day for the new week. If possible, I would love for this to be completed by Friday, however I understand that with the variety of extracurriculars that the Year 4 children participate in, this can be difficult.
• We will be visiting the Library every Friday. Please make sure your child brings their homework bag and any outstanding books on Fridays.
• Children need to bring their swimmers every Tuesday. 
• Move Up Morning is NEXT FRIDAY.
• We are calling for donations of NEW and OLD toys. Please keep in mind that the toys must be in good condition  and working order. Please bring these into the classroom!
  

Have a great fortnight.

Thank you

Miss Mairin Borlase

Year 5

Hi families,

I hope you are having a great week.

We are moving through this term at an unbelievable speed. Its hard to believe it's the end of week 6 already. The Year 5s have had an extremely busy last two weeks. They have been working extremely hard on their performance rehearsals. It has been amazing to see them all come onboard with this performance and give their all whether they are saying lines or joining in with the singing. I am really looking forward to seeing you all at the performance on the 20th and 21st November.

English 
Over the two weeks the children have been working so hard on their recount writing on their camp experience. They have been putting in so much effort and dedication I can’t wait to share their writing  with you when they are finished. 

The children have also continued their weekly Soundwaves lessons. In week 5 we worked on the sound ‘z’.‘The graphemes s and se frequently represent ‘z’ (e.g. was, his, please, because). The suffix s commonly represents ‘z’ (e.g. dogs, tubs).

The suffix es commonly represents ‘z’ (e.g. lunches, peaches). The grapheme ss is an unusual way to represent ‘z’ (e.g. scissors, dessert). The grapheme x can represent the two phonemes ‘er’‘z’ (e.g. example, exact). The grapheme zz for ‘z’ is seen after short vowel sounds (e.g. fizz, puzzle).

In week 6 we worked on ‘ou’ .as in cloud. ‘ou’ is most commonly represented by the graphemes ou and ow (e.g. loud, brown).

The grapheme ough is an unusual way to represent ‘ou’ (e.g. drought, plough)

Maths 
In Maths, in week 5 we finished our factions unit. We worked on improper fractions and mixed numerals and how to convert between the two. In week 6 we moved onto our new unit on decimals. We linked this back to their work on fractions and the children seem to have connected their learning really well. I would ask that as we come nearer to the end of term that the children practice their timetables as often as possible, The IXL website is very useful for this and all children have their own login details.

Religion
In Religion we have continued our unit ‘Mary, the Mother of the Church’.  The children have been learning about Mary in the bible and how She was important not only in Jesus’ life but also to believers past and present.

Specialist Subjects:

Monday: Technology and Science
Tuesday: Drama
Wednesday: Swimming and Health  , students are to be dropped off at the pool
Thursday: Science and HASS
Friday: Japanese and HASS, 

Reminders:

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: Chaplaincy breakfast begins at 7:45am.
• Wednesday : Tuck shop orders due by 8.30am
• Monday 11th November - Remembrance Day 
• Friday 15th November - Move up Day 
  
• We are calling for donations of NEW and OLD toys. Please keep in mind that the toys must be in good condition  and working order. Please bring these into the classroom!

Hope you have a great weekend,

Miss Nicola Cullen

Year 6

Dear Families,

Treasure Island is now only 2 weeks away - if you haven’t got your tickets, they are selling fast (only a few left on Wednesday 20th November). Tickets can be purchased from the front office. We are extremely grateful to Miss Jill and Mrs Cullen for their wonderful assistance in organising what we hope will be an amazing community experience. Thanks to Tegan and Kathleen for their great support with costumes and dismantling the old piano!

In English, students have started to reflect on their schooling at St Joseph’s - writing a letter to thank a previous teacher and comments to reflect on their memories of primary school. It is a lovely time of year, where the students reflect on all of their positive experiences. We have also continued with our spelling - investigating [th] as in feather and [th] as in thong. We have inquired into words with the prefixes syn and sym (both add the meaning of together/with) and the Greek Root therm (meaning heat). In our reading, we have discussed texts which develop intriguing vocabulary and the author’s intended meaning.

In Maths, we have continued with our revision of all four operations - multiplication, division, addition and subtraction using decimals. We have also continued with the free website IXL which allows students the opportunity to practice maths skills on different topics. This website can continue to be used at home this term as our free trial allows home access.

You will have received your Graduation Invitation - please keep it on your fridge as a reminder. Our Graduation Ceremony will be on Tuesday 3rd December (WEEK 10). We ask that you RSVP with numbers attending so we can organise seating for the ceremony. On the evening, you are encouraged to proceed through the new entrance on Sheaffe Street, there will be opportunities for photos in the new courtyard and main entrance with their peers before we commence at 5:45pm. The ceremony will include a catwalk, reflections from students and several videos with highlights of their primary school life. Following the ceremony, students will stay for a silent disco, pizza and party food. Families are welcome to organise a meal out together before returning to collect the Year 6 Graduates from 8:30 pm.

Have a great week,

Mr Mike Tarleton

UMY Subject Spotlight

UMY HASS with Miss Hannah McCall

Year 8 Humanities
This term, the year 8 students finished off their Geography unit where they had to select a Landscape or Landform from around Australia and report on it. They had to research and explore cultural connections, environmental connections and the processes that created their landscape or landform. 

The second half of the term, we have been focusing on business and economics. The unit introduces students to fundamental concepts in business and economics, focusing on the factors influencing consumer and financial decision-making. Students explore the concept of the "economy" and learn about key elements that drive it, such as producers, consumers, and markets.

UMY Design with Miss Shara Humes

Technologies
In Year 7 & 8 students have been exploring the process involved in creating a printed design for a tote bag or t-shirt. They have had to research existing designs, make decisions on the colours they will use, as well as the actual appearance of the design. At this point, most students are working on creating their final design on Procreate, which will then be uploaded and taken into the final production stages: actually creating their finished product. Please note, the assessment is due next Thursday (Nov 14) - please check in with your child to see how they are going! Afterall, the option of them taking home a bag or t-shirt at the end of term required them to meet the production deadline.

Meanwhile, our Year 9 students have instead become contestants in a unit of work that was inspired by an old TV show, House Rules. To achieve this, each student has been given a room from a small home to design the interior of, and through collaborating with one another, need to present a finished house that meets the needs and wants of their client. All students have done wonderfully in the lead up to this, and are presently working on creating their final interior mock up for assessment due next Thursday, November 14. 

Youth Ministry & Chaplaincy

Important dates/reminders!

• Chaplaincy Breakfast: every Tuesday and Thursday before school @ 7:45. Due to morning prayer sessions and homeroom time for classes, we will begin to pack up from 8:10. 
• First Staff & Student Prayer morning: we met in the church on Wedneday (30/10) for our first combined prayer because of the postponement from the fires. Hopefully, we can continue this tradition on non-assembly weeks (Friday). The next one will be Friday Week 8 (22/11) - see pictures below!
• Year 4 Aged Care visit: the Year 4 students visited the aged care residents at the Cloncurry Hospital last Friday (1/11) - see pictures below!
• Mini Vinnie’s: The SJC Mini Vinnie’s met at lunch time this week to discuss our upcoming Vinnie’s Toy Appeal. We brainstormed ideas for how we would promote it, and assigned jobs! See further information on the appeal below!
• Spirit in Action (SIA): Students in Years 6 to 9 are still encouraged to join our group! Our next session will be next Monday 18/11 from 3:00 to 4:30 PM. 

SJC Mini Vinnie’s Christmas Toy Appeal
This year, our Mini Vinnie’s group will be coordinating efforts, with assistance from our local Vinnie’s shop, to collect, sort, donate, and distribute toys to families in need this Christmas. 

Whilst the students will sort the toys based on age ranges (see attached posters), we would appreciate all of the toys to be in good quality and working condition. This means that donations can be second hand, but we would also most definitely accept donations of new toys. 

Thank you in advance - we look forward to bringing joy to families in need this year!

Staff & Student Prayer
A group of staff and students met in the St Colman’s Parish church on Wednesday morning for a belated celebration in prayer for World Teacher’s Day. A special word of thanks to Olivia Curry, Chelsea Saunders and Peggy Hansen for leading and reading!

Year 4 Aged Care visit
The Year 4 students were definitely excited to visit the aged care residents at the Cloncurry Hospital last Friday. We played bingo, and had an absolute ball!

We look forward to taking the next group of students up with hang out with our senior citizens!!

Yours in faith, hope & love

Mr James Delaney

Emerging Leaders Presentation Dinner

Last night, we celebrated the achievements of our Emerging Leaders at our Emerging Leaders Presentation Dinner. It was wonderful to be joined by the Emerging Leaders, their families, members of our First Nations Advisory Committee, Fr Mick, Sr Lyn, and school staff.

The Emerging Leaders Program was born in 2018 with an idea from our very own Western Teacher, Tammi Webber. Tammi’s vision was simple, she wanted an equitable and holistic approach to scholarships that would benefit all Indigenous Students in the diocese and not just a selected few.

At the beginning of the year, the Emerging Leaders set goals based on the three pillars of the program: attendance, academic improvement, and engagement. They work at these goals across the year and participate in activities that support the three pillars of the program.

I would like to thank all of the students and their families for their participation in this program this year. All the students worked hard toward achieving their goals and it was a pleasure to present them with their certificates and incentives. I’d also like to thank Mrs Toni Schneekloth. Toni worked tirelessly as our First Nations Education Teacher and Emerging Leaders Coordinator for most of this year. The achievements of our Emerging Leaders are not only a credit to the students but also a credit to the hard work of Toni. I’d also like to thank our two Mentors, Mairin Borlase and James Delaney. They have been champions and role models for our Emerging Leaders and the delivery of this program is not possible without them.

Congratulations 2024 Emerging Leaders!

Miss Leonie Ansell
Acting First Nations Education Teacher

Guidance Counsellor

A Special Report: The Cost of Living Crisis

In our ever-changing economic landscape, parents and caregivers are increasingly faced with the task of broaching the subject of growing expenses with their children. While the instinct may be to shield young people from life’s challenges, there's a growing belief that addressing real-world issues, including financial uncertainties, can actually foster resilience and understanding. Striking a balance between protection and education is crucial for those looking to empower their children.

To effectively introduce the topic of finances, we need to be mindful of the timing and setting of the conversation. Using straightforward, age-appropriate language helps maintain transparency, and openly discussing adjustments to the family budget can carry significant weight. By encouraging children to participate in finding creative ways to save and make thoughtful spending choices, parents can nurture a sense of responsibility.

This Special Report offers a valuable opportunity to enhance children's financial literacy, equipping them with the resilience needed to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:
https://sjctsv.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-cost-living-crisis-au

Youth Mass - Sunday 17th November

Christmas Concert & Awards Night

End of Year Mass

Community Information

School Student Broadband Initiative

We can support your child’s education with free home internet.

This is an Australian Government program for families and carers with school-age children who are struggling with bills.

Eligible parents and carers have until 31 December 2024 to register for the School Student Broadband Initiative and sign up with a participating internet provider.

Contact our team to see if you qualify and for help getting your house connected Student NBN enquiry form

The goal is for all School Student Broadband Initiative households on Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Fibre to the Basement (FTTB) and Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) technology, to be provided with a broadband service based on nbn’s 50/20 wholesale speed tier. 

For more information contact the initiative provider directly on 1800 954 610 or check out the FAQs

student-internet-faqs

Supported by

School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) | Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts