St Joseph's Catholic School - Cloncurry eNewsletter

2024 Yearbook

SJCS_Yearbook_2024..pdf

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 next week from Monday to Wednesday 8.30am to 10.30am, or alternatively the uniform shop will open again the week before students return to school, being the week of the the 20th of January.

Miss Heather

Principal's News

Welcome to Week 10 and our final newsletter of the year,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support that you have given to St Joseph’s in 2024. The staff and students are incredibly thankful for the ongoing work that you do for our wonderful schooling community.

In reflecting on the year I wish to express the immense pride that I have in our students who overcame many obstacles to strive for success in all areas. At our End of Year Mass our two School Leaders, Kimberlee Davis and Ruby Hansen addressed our community for the last time and they both made reference to the challenging but incredibly successful year that we have had. What a privilege it is to be able to witness the joy that comes from students progressing in their learning. I am thankful that we could come together last week at our Awards Ceremony and End of Year Mass to celebrate the success and hard work of our students.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish our departing families, students and staff all the very best as they embark on the next stage of their schooling journeys. I strongly believe that you will achieve what you put your heart and mind to and we look forward to hearing of your stories throughout the year. You will always be a big part of our St Joseph’s Community.

As I approach the end of the term my heart is filled with gratitude and I would like to thank our wonderful team for a fantastic year, particularly to Mrs Karen Good for leading St Joseph's in Terms 1 to 3, and to Mrs Therese Curley and Mr Dean Kelley for their support.

Staffing Update
This year we will be farewelling Miss Laura Cook as she relocates to NSW and Mrs Therese Curley who will be taking a year of leave. Laura and Therese will be sadly missed in 2025, but I would like to not only wish them all the very best in their year ahead, but thank them for their contribution to St Joseph's. Laura and Therese have worked tirelessly this year to provide the very best for our students and for that we're very thankful.

We're currently concluding the recruitment process for a school officer, year 3 classroom teacher, and acting Assistant Principal of Religious Education and I am excited to make announcements about these positions to you in the coming weeks.

First Nations Leader
I am pleased to inform our community that Miss Leonie Ansell has been appointed as our First Nations Advisor from 2025 onwards. Miss Ansell has been acting in this space for the remainder of Term 4 after Miss Schneekloth's departure. Congratulations to Miss Ansell.

Pastoral Leader
Miss Hannah McCall will be continuing as our Pastoral Leader into 2025. Miss McCall has been acting in this portfolio in Term 4 and is excited to support both yourself and your child in this space throughout 2025. Congratulation to Miss McCall.

Advent
The holiday season is a time for celebration for many of us, especially as we begin to decorate our homes for Christmas and enjoy all of the festivities that come along with this magical time of the year.

The beginning of this holiday season is also the beginning of an important event in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar, being Advent. Advent is a time to help us remember what Christmas is all about. I challenge you to have conversations at home over the coming weeks about the season of Advent and the significance of Christmas to our faith.

Our prayer tables at school changed to the colour of purple this week to reflect the beginning of the Advent Season. In ancient times purple was the colour of royalty as it was costly and rare. The liturgical colour of Advent is a symbolism to welcome the coming of a King.

In the Catholic Church the beginning of the Advent Season is a period of waiting and preparation which extends over the four Sundays before Christmas. Advent is the time of preparation and waiting for the birth of Jesus. It is important to take the time to reflect and be grateful for the many blessings that we have, remembering the real meaning of Christmas.

End of School on Friday:
In Period 1 tomorrow, at 9am, our students will join together in the MMS for our Annual Joey's Got Talent Competition. Parents and Carers are welcome to join us.

We will also come back together for a short Prayer and Final Dismissal at 11.30am in the MMS. School will conclude after this at 12.00pm and students will be dismissed from the Mary MacKillop Shed.

2025 School Dates:
A reminder that school will resume on Tuesday the 27th of January 2025 for all Prep to Year 9 students.

I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

May God Bless you and your families for the holiday period,

Mrs Samantha Kelley
Principal

Deputy's News

As we conclude another year, it’s with great pride that we reflect on the incredible growth our students have shown this year, particularly in reading and writing. Throughout 2024, our students have not only improved their literacy skills but have demonstrated a genuine love for learning. Their dedication, paired with the support of our committed teachers, has fostered impressive progress. We look forward to building on these successes in the new year, continuing to inspire and challenge our young learners.

A reminder that reports will be published for Semester 2 today. These can be accessed on the Compass Application. Our front office will close at 12pm today once all students have departed the school grounds, so please phone or pop into the office today if you cannot access your child's report. The front office will also be open next week if you're unable to make it today.

If you are a departing family please be sure to download or print your reports as once your child has been unenrolled from St Joseph's you will lose access to the compass application which is where the reports are stored.

I would like to wish our staff, students and families a safe holiday period and I look forward to joining you in 2025.

Mr Dean Kelley
Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

APRE

Welcome to our final newsletter of the term,

Advent - A time to get ready
Advent is a special time when we get ready for Jesus. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. During this time, we get ready to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is a time of waiting. We wait with hope. We know that someone very special is coming.

Thank you to all our community who were able to join us for our End of Year Mass last Friday. The students were beautifully engaged in the proceedings and all came together to celebrate 2024, concluding with a whole school performance of our new school song “Guided by God’s Spirit. A special mention to Miss Leonie Ansell who led the students in singing the song.

This term has been incredibly busy, however, it’s hard to believe the schooling year is done! Please join us for our End of Year assembly at 11:30 am Our Mini Vinnies will lead us in a special prayer and present the St Vincent De Paul society with some Christmas toy hampers.

I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a restful break. I will be taking Long Service Leave next year and am very much looking forward to some time off.

For those students, staff, and families who are leaving, we send with you a heartfelt blessing and wish you all the best in your new endeavours.

May God bless all our students, staff, and families.

May we be filled with love, joy, and peace this Christmas and throughout the New Year.

Loving God, may we find joy in giving and receiving gifts this Christmas. As we celebrate the gift of your Son, Jesus, may we become present to each other as we give and receive. We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Amen

Have a Blessed week!

Mrs Therese Curley
APRE

Pastoral Care

School TV - Internet Addiction

In today’s digital environment, the internet can be viewed as a valuable tool for education, research and entertainment. Young people today tend to go from one screen to another, but how much is too much? Time spent in the ‘screen world’ has parents concerned that their kids may be missing out on real life experiences. Therefore, it is vitally important to a child’s wellbeing for parents to regulate a child’s internet use.

Internet addiction can cause significant psychological and social problems for children in years to come. The true effects on future generations is not yet known, but there are strategies that parents can implement now.

In this edition, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg discusses what causes internet addiction, who is most at risk and what parents can do to regulate the amount of time their kids spend online each day.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Internet Addiction edition of SchoolTV
https://sjctsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/internet-addiction

Forgiveness in Friendship: Extending an Olive Branch

In our Friendology curriculum, URSTRONG Schools help students spot strengths in themselves & their friends in our fun, character-building activities!

According to VIA Institute of Character, we all possess 24 Character Strengths in different degrees. Everyone has a different mixture or combination of strengths; some representing our top strengths (often called Signature Strengths).

With our theme of FORGIVENESS this month, we’re getting students to reflect on the concept of “extending an olive branch” (like the little guys are demonstrating in the image). This ties in so well with conversations around reconciliation, along with the idea of peace offerings. So many Teachable Moments!

After a Friendship Fire®, moving from Talk-it-Out to Forgive & Forget on the Friend-o-Cycle can take time. Kids also share that it can “feel awkward” for a while. One easy strategy to speed things up is by “extending an olive branch”. A few examples include:

“Hey, wanna play hide & seek?”
“Have you heard that new song by Shawn Mendes? I think you’d love it!”
“Want a cookie? I made them last night with my dad!”
“Wow, cool colours on your painting! It’s so vibrant!”

Forgiveness is such a big, layered topic and there’s so much to unpack with students! Parents can reinforce these lessons at home with this activity: What is Forgiveness? We love the ways our URSTRONG Schools & URSTRONG Families are helping kids move forward after Friendship Fires® to get their friendships back in the Green-Zone on the Friend-o-Meter!

Written by: Dana Kerford
Founder of URSTRONG & Kids’ Friendship Expert

Best Regards

Miss Hannah McCall
Acting Pastoral Care Leader

Prep

Congratulations to our wonderful Prep students on the completion of their first year of schooling at St Joseph's Catholic School, Cloncurry.

What a jam packed first year of schooling for our newest members of the St Joseph’s family!

Some of our Little Leaders highlights were; the 100 Days of Prep, Colour Run, Under 8's Day, Sports Carnival, and Swimming Carnival. During our literacy block, the Preps have participated in InitiaLit and Writer’s Toolbox. We have used music to remember sounds and vowel letters as well as the Writer’s Toolbox to learn about the parts of a Simple Sentence. We have loved learning our math concepts through interactive activities and our different songs.

I've been blown away with the growth of Little Leaders over the past year, and I am looking forward to following along on their next adventure in Year 1.

Yours in fun and learning,

Miss Brock, Mrs McLauchlan, Miss Rachel, Miss Kylie and Miss Josie

Year 1

Hello Families,

Wow! It is that time of the year already.

As we reach the end of a wonderful and busy school year, it’s time to reflect on all the amazing things we’ve achieved together in Year 1! It has been an exciting journey filled with learning, laughter, and plenty of growth.

The students have participated in many events including the swimming carnival, sports carnival, feast days and the colour run, just to name a few. The students went on many excursions including under 8’s day, many shows at the Shire Hall and to watch the Year ⅚ students Treasure Island performance.

This year, Year 1 students have made incredible progress in many areas, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements! Here are some of the highlights:

We read many texts including, Brother Moon, The Day the Crayons Quit and Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley. The students used these texts to create wonderful sentences, to sequence events and retell stories.

We had many exciting Math experiences from using manipulatives and singing our songs. The students loved incorporating craft to consolidate their Math knowledge.

While we are sad to say goodbye to this school year, we are also excited about what lies ahead. Year 2 will bring new challenges and new opportunities for learning, and I am sure the children will continue to shine brightly as they move forward.

To our wonderful Year 1 students: you’ve worked so hard this year, and I am incredibly proud of each and every one of you! Keep being curious, keep asking questions, and keep believing in yourself. You are all amazing!

I hope you all enjoy some well-deserved rest, fun, and family time over the holidays. I look forward to seeing you all again in the next school year.

With Warmest Wishes,

Miss Haley, Miss Tamara and the always fun Year 1’s

Year 2

Hi all,

It's been an exciting fortnight in Year 2! We’ve settled into our brand new classroom. Although we are only in the Year 2 classroom for a week, it's been nice to spend time in this beautiful learning space. The students are really looking forward to their Year 3 classroom.

We have been working on revising key spelling and maths concepts, strengthening our skills and boosting our confidence in these areas. We’ve added some Christmas flare to these activities and have also been engaging in some Christmas crafts.

Finally, I just wanted to thank you all for such a wonderful year. I have been blessed to have had the most beautiful bunch of children with such awesome parents! Your children have made me miss teaching Year 2 already, however, I look forward to my big jump to Year 5 in 2025!

Please remember school concludes at 12pm on Friday.

I wish you all a safe and restful holiday and I look forward to another wonderful year at St Joseph’s.

Have a great week,

Miss Leonie Ansell

Year 3

Hi all,

It’s been an exciting and busy final week of school. The Year 3s have continued to demonstrate their maturity and adaptability during the transition to our brand new classroom!

The students have been continuing to revise core literacy and numeracy strategies, as well as team up with the Year 4s to participate in team tasks that challenge their critical and creative thinking (and also to enjoy some Christmas themed tasks!).

As we finish Year 3 for 2024, I want to thank you all for a wonderful year! I am incredibly grateful to have been able to teach your children and for your continued support along the way. I have absolutely loved being a part of their learning journey, watching and supporting their incredible growth and achievements. What a kind and fun bunch of students they are!

Stay safe and have fun over the holidays. I wish you all the best for 2025 and will be thinking of the new Year 4s as they embark on another exciting year of learning.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Reminder: School ends Friday 12pm.

Many thanks,

Miss Laura Cook

Year 4

Hi all,

As we reach the end of another wonderful year, I want to take a moment to thank you for your incredible support and partnership throughout 2024. It has been such a joy to teach your children and see their growth, resilience, and achievements.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe, happy holiday season. May the New Year bring you and your family joy and new opportunities. I look forward to seeing everyone in 2025, ready for another exciting year of learning!

Thank you

Miss Mairin Borlase

Year 5

Hi families,

I hope you are having a great week.

Once again the Year 5s have amazed me! Their performance at the Christmas Concert and Awards night was fabulous. I would like to say a huge congratulations to Archer, Sam and Courtney who all won awards on the night. It is also with a heavy heart that I realise that our time together has come to an end. It has been my privilege to teach the Year 5 class this year - they are an astonishing group of children. We’ve made some great memories this year, only some of which I’ve managed to capture with the camera. I’ve posted some photos below and there will be more in the Yearbook.

Mrs Nicola Cullen

Year 6

Dear Families,

What another mammoth year. Huge thanks to everyone for attending our Graduation Ceremony. It was a night to remember for our Y6 Graduates and it was so great that so many people were there to celebrate with them. Thanks to the many people who supported us in the set up and preparation (and pack up before the storm hit), special gratitude to Mrs Cullen, Miss Jill, Mrs McLaughlin, Mr Timms, Miss Haley, Miss Brock and to all our other staff on the evening.

Here are two photos from the evening - but this was one event that I didn't really take that many photos! I hope that our families all got plenty of photos before the ceremony. Sorry Jasmine - shoes meant you missed one of our photos.

Thank you all so much for another fantastic year with your children. I have had a blast with them and wish them all well on their new adventure into High School. To Daniel and Olivia, you have been phenomenal throughout our time and you should both embrace your adventure with both hands. You are of course always welcome back to visit and we all wish you success and happiness in your future - stay in touch!

Enjoy the end of 2024 and best wishes to all our Year 6 families for 2025.

Happy Christmas!

Mike

Have a great week,

Mr Mike Tarleton

Subject Spotlight

Primary Design Technology with Miss Pucciarmati

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we are now at the end of the school year, I am excited to share some of the progress and highlights from our Prep to Year 6 Design Technology curriculum. Over the past semester, our students have been developing essential skills in creativity, problem-solving, and practical making through a range of engaging projects. They have been learning to apply the principles of design thinking to real-world problems. They have worked on a variety of projects aimed at improving their technical skills, understanding materials, and designing products that are both functional and innovative.

Here's a look at what they've been up to:

The Design Process:
Across all year groups, students have been encouraged to follow the design process. They began with brainstorming and sketching ideas, then moved to prototyping and refining their designs through iterative testing and feedback which includes:

Investigating and Researching: Exploring existing designs and identifying areas for improvement.
Planning and Creating: Drawing up plans, selecting materials, and making their ideas come to life.
Testing and Evaluating: Reviewing their designs, identifying potential improvements, and refining their work.

Working with Different Materials:
Throughout the term, they have had the opportunity to experiment with a variety of materials, including wood, fabric, cardboard, and plastics. They’ve learned about the properties of different materials and how to choose the right materials for specific purposes, considering factors like strength, flexibility, and durability.

Recent Projects:

Prep: Created a shade sail for a playground
Year 1 and 2: Researched food from farm to plate
Year 3 and 4: Created a marble run with recycled materials
Year 5 and 6: Designed a school garden

Thank you for all of the support over the year, sending in all of the materials we have needed to make our designs come to life.

Have a happy and safe holiday and we will see you again in 2025!

Miss Lisa Pucciarmati

Primary Art with Miss Jill

This term was a compilation of two of my favourite things, dance and Christmas. I was so proud of all our students performing their dances at Award’s Night. They brought joy and Christmas cheer to a wonderful evening.

In Prep, we spent the afternoons ‘Rocking Around the Christmas Tree’ and working as elves for Santa. The students learnt about their body parts, body bases, locomotor and non-locomotor moves. They created dance sequences and followed their peers’ moves. We also travelled the world and looked at traditional dances from Australia and other countries.

In Year One and Year Two, the students used their knowledge of locomotor and non-locomotor moves to create Christmas dances with their peers. They moved and they grooved to Snowflake Shuffle and Christmas Time Is Here.

Year Three and Year Four explored dynamics in dance; swinging, percussive, collapsing, suspended, sustained and vibration. These dynamics were visibly displayed in the choreographing of their own Christmas dances.

Term 4 will also fondly be remembered for the musical ‘Treasure Island’. The Year 5 and Year 6 classes worked tirelessly all year to prepare for these performances. It was a privilege to work with these classes, Mr T and Mrs Cullen. Collectively we made a great team and I couldn’t have been more proud of the Students as they took to the stage. There was so much growth in their confidence, ability to create characters and interest in the Arts. A heartfelt thank you to the staff and students for the wonderful experience.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I look forward to the creativity and fun we will have in 2025.

Miss Jill

Primary PE with Mr Timms

This term in Physical Education, our students have made a splash with their aquatic skills! Across all year levels, we focused on water-based activities to build confidence, coordination, and teamwork.

Our Prep to Year 4 students embraced the basics of water safety and survival skills. They practiced floating, treading water, and safe entries and exits from the pool. Additionally, they were introduced to foundational swimming strokes, such as freestyle and backstroke, emphasizing proper technique. It’s been wonderful to see their enthusiasm grow with every lesson as they developed essential skills for lifelong water safety.

For our Year 5 to Year 9 students, the focus shifted to water polo. These sessions encouraged strategic thinking, fitness, and teamwork in a fun and fast-paced environment. Students worked on swimming endurance, passing, and shooting techniques while learning the rules and strategies of the game. The level of sportsmanship and effort displayed during matches was outstanding!

It has been a fantastic term in PE, with all students showing great progress in their aquatic abilities. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing them continue to grow as confident, skilled swimmers and team players in the years to come!

Youth Ministry & Chaplaincy

Welcome to the last Youth Ministry and Chaplaincy newsletter entry for 2024!

This year has been filled with faith, hope, and love - our students have truly embodied our new school values of LOVE, SERVE, LEAD, and STRIVE, and they continue to inspire us each day.

Chaplaincy Breakfast continued to be a hit on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. This gave me an awesome opportunity to chat with students about a range of different topics right at the beginning of the day. The introduction of Thursday Milo days quickly became a highlight. Not to mention if the Spirit in Action students whipped up a tasty treat! A HUGE thanks to Mrs Jill Smith for her constant support and assistance.

In Term 4, our Mini Vinnie’s group welcomed some new recruits from Year 4. Their eagerness and enthusiasm was so refreshing! They were a huge help with our Toy Appeal to finish the year. It was also great to see our Year 5 students step up and take on a leadership role within the group.

As student faith leaders, the Spirit in Action (SIA) students truly led the way. This term, they volunteered to lead the first Staff & Student Prayer morning, assisted the Mini Vinnie’s, and made decorations for the Cloncurry Aged Care residents.

Speaking of the Aged Care, our visits this term have been a highlight for the students. Whether they performed, or just hung out playing BINGO, it was a fantastic way to reach our community!

Have a well-deserved rest, a blessed Christmas period, and I look forward to bigger and better things in 2025. Enjoy some pictures below…

God bless!

Mr James Delaney

Guidance Counsellor

A Special Report: Fortnite

Most parents of adolescent children would be aware of the online game, ‘Fortnite’. The addictive nature of this game is having adverse effects on children’s behaviour and affecting their mental health. With over 125 million registered players worldwide, this game encourages players to battle each other to death using a variety of weaponry.

With an age rating of 12, this game raises many cybersafety concerns. Unfortunately, it allows unmoderated chat between players, leaving children exposed to be contactable by “randomers’ online. This function alone makes it unsuitable for primary aged children.

In light of last week’s announcement from the World Health Organisation now recognising “gaming disorder” as a mental health issue, this special report will help parents gain a greater insight into Fortnite and the concerns surrounding it. Parents are encouraged to reassess their gaming allowances and better manage technology usage at home.

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/online-game-fortnite-special-report

Community Information

Carols_18_December.pdf

NWRH_CLONCURRY_OUTREACH_POSTER_DEC24.pdf

School_Holiday_Program_Flyers_Dec_2024_Jan_2025_FINAL.pdf

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.