Latest Newsletter Term 1 | Week 5

Key Information

Term 1 - Important Dates

• Monday Week 6 (3rd March) School Photos
• Tuesday Week 6 (4th March) Shrove Tuesday - Pancake Breakfast
• Wednesday  Week 6 (5th March)  Ash Wednesday Liturgy 2:00pm
• Wednesday Week 6 (5th March) Meet & Greet - 3pm to 4pm
• Wednesday Week 8 (19th March) Year 7 School Immunisations
• Wednesday Week 8 (19th-20th) Prep Vision Screening
• Friday Week 8 (21st March) UMY St. Patrick's Disco 5.30pm-7pm
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Week 9 (24th-26th March) - Parent Teacher Interviews
• Friday Week 9 (28th March) - Cross Country
• Thursday Week 10 (3rd April) Cross Country Presentations, Easter Liturgy and Last Day of Term 1

Tuckshop News

This Tuesday 4th March there will be a one-off tuckshop special at 2nd break. If your child would like one of the following items orders must be placed by 8am on Tuesday the 4th of March on the My School Connect Application. 

• Chips
• Icy Poles
• Frozen Yoghurt
• Frozen Orange quarter
• Glee
• Iced Tea
• Juice popper
• Milk popper
• Pretzels

We're hopeful to have the tuckshop up and running towards the end of the term as the recruitment for a new acting tuckshop convenor whilst Miss Jamie-Lea is on leave has almost concluded. 

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 would like to try on sizes, the Uniform shop will be open on Wednesday mornings from 8.10-8.30 and Wednesday afternoons from 2.30-3.00.

Miss Heather 

Meet & Greet - Wednesday 5th March

To begin the term this year we hosted a welcome back BBQ for parents and carers to meet their child's teacher and celebrate the beginning of the 2025 school year. 

As your child has started to settle into their new classroom and get to know their new teachers we would like to invite all parents and carers to come into the school on Wednesday the 5th of March from 3pm to 4pm to meet your child's teacher and have your child take you on a tour of their learning environment. This is a great way for children to take ownership of their learning as they showcase what they have been working on. 

As many of our parents and carers have already met their child's teacher, you may take this opportunity to re-introduce yourself, get to know your child's classroom teacher more or ask questions that you may have. 

We would also like to provide an opportunity for you to meet your child's specialist teacher and/or learn about some of the support services that we have at St Joseph's. Please see an outline of locations below:

School Photo Day - Monday 3rd March

Our school photo day is on Monday!

Please ensure that your child wears their formal school uniform. Check out our uniform guidelines and policies on our website:https://www.sjctsv.catholic.edu.au/.../uniform-information/

Principal's News

Welcome to Week 5, 

It is hard to believe that we're at the mid-way point for Term 1. 

I would firstly like to begin my newsletter this week by thanking the parents/carers that attended the FACE meeting on Tuesday afternoon. As you're all aware we're currently in a year of renewal, which is the first year in our next improvement cycle. Our parents and carers came together to reflect on the following five (5) questions:

• Are we true to our mission and purpose?
• Are we focused on continuous school improvement?
• Do we have high expectations for our staff and students?
• Are our learning environments supportive and orderly?
• Does effective learning and teaching take place at our school?

I will aim to hold another session throughout the term for parents/carers that couldn't make the session on Monday afternoon. Your voice is key in this cycle. 

Future FACE Meetings:
I would also love to hear from our parents and carers about topics that you would like the school to cover at information evenings throughout the year. Last week I spoke to a parent who would like a session of tips and tricks from The Student Protection Department at The Mount Isa Police station on online cyber safety and measures parents/carers can put in place or should be mindful of. Please complete the following google form with your suggestions:

• Google Form - Parent Information Session Ideas / Requests

St Joseph's Catholic School Fete:
Each year St Joseph's Catholic School have a school fete in August. This is a wonderful time for our parents/carers to come together and celebrate. We not only welcome members of our school community to this exciting event, but members from the wider Cloncurry Community. 

This year we're calling for help! 

If you're interested in co-ordinating our school fete or assisting with the fete committee please email me on skelley2@sjctsv.catholic.edu.au to express your interest or register your attendance at our upcoming fete meeting on Tuesday 11th March from 3 to 4pm in the library. 

We love putting the fete on for our community each year, however, it is a really big job and we would love your help in making this possible. 

Professional Development:
This coming Monday to Thursday I will be in Townsville joining other Principals from schools across our Diocese. Although it is challenging to be away from school to attend professional development opportunities I am eager to continually learn, develop and grow in my position as principal and look forward to sharing some learnings from this in our next newsletter. 

Facebook:
Our facebook page is a great page to like as we share reminders and events regularly. There will be a 'whats on this week' document posted each Sunday for the week ahead.

May God Bless you and your families for the weeks ahead, 

Mrs Samantha Kelley
Principal 

Deputy's News/Curriculum

Welcome to Week 5, 

Meet & Greet – This Wednesday, 3:00–4:00 PM
We invite all families to our Meet & Greet on Wednesday from 3:00–4:00 PM. This is a great opportunity for parents to visit their child’s classroom, meet teachers, and gain insight into the learning environment.

All primary school classrooms will be open along with three classrooms in our Secondary space: Freestone, Lowcock, and the Science Lab. Secondary teachers will be available to chat and answer any questions about the year ahead.

We look forward to seeing you.

NAPLAN 2025

As we move further into Term 1, our Year 3, 5, 7, and 9 students are preparing for NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy). 

What is NAPLAN?

NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) is a national test for students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. It measures essential skills in:

• Reading – Understanding and interpreting written texts.
• Writing – Communicating ideas clearly in written form.
• Language Conventions – Spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Numeracy – Problem-solving and mathematical reasoning.

Why is NAPLAN Important?

NAPLAN helps parents understand how their child is progressing in literacy and numeracy compared to other students across Australia. It also helps schools improve teaching methods and learning programs.

Please find our school NAPLAN Schedule below: 

While NAPLAN is an important tool in assessing student learning, it is just one of many measures we use to understand each child’s progress. In the following extract, I have aimed to clarify some of the common misconceptions I frequently encounter as an educator regarding NAPLAN.

1. "NAPLAN is a Pass or Fail Test"🚫

Reality: NAPLAN is not a pass or fail test. It’s designed to assess a student's current literacy and numeracy skills and track progress over time. 

2. "NAPLAN Determines a Student’s Intelligence or Future Success"🚫

Reality: NAPLAN measures specific literacy and numeracy skills, but it does not define a student’s overall ability, intelligence, or potential. Many strengths—such as creativity, leadership, and problem-solving—are not assessed in NAPLAN.

3. "Students Need to Study Extensively for NAPLAN"🚫

Reality: NAPLAN is designed to assess what students have already been learning in class. While familiarising students with the format can be helpful, excessive test preparation is unnecessary and can create undue pressure.

4. "Parents Can’t Opt Out of NAPLAN" 🚫

Reality: While participation is encouraged, parents can request an exemption or withdrawal for their child after discussing it with the school.

5. "NAPLAN Results Impact a Student’s Report Card" 🚫

Reality: NAPLAN results do not contribute to a student’s school report or grades. It is a diagnostic tool used to provide insight into strengths and areas for improvement at an individual, school, and national level.

Mr Dean Kelley
Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

Assistant Principal Religious Education

Season of Lent begins - Ash Wednesday Services
Next Wednesday 5th March, we enter the sacred season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday. This marks a time of reflection, prayer, and preparation for Easter.

We warmly invite everyone to join us for Mass at St Colman’s Church at 7:30 am. Later that day, at 2:00pm, a special school liturgy will be held at St Colman’s for distributing the Ashes to the staff and students. 

As part of our Lenten journey, children will have the opportunity to write their Lenten promises, which will be burned and used in the ashes for our liturgy.  These ashes serve as a powerful reminder that we are all God’s children and are called to live by the Gospel.  

Imagine the impact of dedicating these 40 days to focusing on what we most hope for—whether it's for our family, community, country, or the world. 

I encourage you to take a moment to reflect and write down your top three intentions and set aside time each day to pray, asking the Lord for His guidance and blessings in each of these areas. Family members are invited to participate in our St Joseph’s Lenten promise tradition, as we journey through this season of faith and renewal. If you would like to write a Lenten promise, blank promise slips are available in the office, along with a Lenten promise box where you can place your completed ones.  

This opportunity will be available until the end of the day next Tuesday, 4th March 2025.  We would love for you to be part of this special tradition!

Sacramental program begins
Last Sunday, our candidates took their first steps on their journey toward Confirmation and First Holy Communion. It was a wonderful beginning filled with faith, reflection, and community. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to prepare for these important sacraments. 

World Day of Prayer 7th March 2025
St Colman’s Church, Cloncurry, is honored to host this year’s World Day of Prayer service on Friday, 7th March, at 6:00 PM. This ecumenical gathering brings our community together in faith and unity, reflecting on the theme “I made you wonderful.” from the Cook Islands.  All are warmly welcome to join in prayer and fellowship.  

If you would like more information on world day of prayer, refer to the website: https://www.worlddayofprayeraustralia.org/wdp/

Youth Masses coming in Term 2
Youth Masses at St Colman’s Church will begin in Term 2 (dates to be confirmed). If your children would love to be part of these special gatherings, please send their details to our Youth Ministry Coordinator, Mr. James Delaney, at jdelaney@sjctsv.catholic.edu.au. 

We look forward to celebrating faith with our young people!

God Bless,

Ms Lei Nelson
APRE

Pastoral Care

Friendships and URSTRONG 

At St. Joseph’s, we are commencing the URSTRONG program. URSTRONG’s whole-school friendship strategy has improved the social climate in schools around the world, connecting over a million kids, parents, and teachers with a common language of friendship. We are proud to be a URSTRONG School and are committed to empowering your children with friendship skills.

You are invited to take advantage of a FREE Parent Membership to access hundreds of resources – including an 8 session video series. This will allow you to learn the same language & strategies being taught in the classroom through the Friendology 101 curriculum. We hope that, as a URSTRONG Family, you will reinforce the important messages of empowerment, self-compassion, & kindness at home.

As a next step, we would recommend:

• Click here to view an overview of URSTRONG.
• Activate your FREE Parent Membership and explore all the resources available to your family.
• Explore the hundreds of resources available to you!
• We believe that empowering our students with these skills will create a culture of kindness at our school and we hope that, together, we can support your children to have healthy, feel-good friendships.

Year 7 Parents - Immunisation program for Year 7 Students. 
St Joseph’s Catholic School is participating in Queensland Health’s annual School Immunisation Program. All Year 7 students will be offered free vaccinations to protect against vaccine preventable diseases. Year 7 students will be offered a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and a combined diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine. 

Please read the information booklet contained in the consent pack which was sent home with your child on Wednesday 12th of February. Vaccinations will take place on Wednesday 19th of March. 

Homework Club for Year 7-9 Students
In the Lowcock Room every Thursday afternoon 3 - 4pm. Students can use this time to receive tutoring for any subject or complete homework. Afternoon Tea is provided. 

In this edition of SchoolTV - Social Media & Digital Reputation
Social media has become such an integral part of a teenager’s life. However, many miss out on some critical social skills with most communicating whilst looking at a screen instead of another person! Statistics show that 60 percent of 10-11 year olds are using at least one social media site, with the majority using age-restricted platforms. What kids do, post and say online is permanent and most are not mature enough to manage their own digital footprint. Friendships, relationships and even future job prospects are all put at risk.

Parents need to be aware of what picture their children are painting of themselves online. Unfortunately, many parents do not see the dangers inherent of these sites, as they form opinions based on their own experience. Over the years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of primary schoolers owning mobile phones, highlighting the importance of teaching kids about the dangers of social media and the implications it can have.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn how to talk to their children about the inherent dangers of social media and how to educate their kids to be responsible users in the online world we live in.

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 Pastoral Leader Hannah McCall  for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Social Media & Digital Reputation edition of SchoolTV

https://sjctsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/social-media-and-digital-reputation 

Best Regards,

Miss Hannah McCall
Pastoral Care Leader

Inclusive Education

Free Prep Vision Screening 20th March 
Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening checks for common eye conditions that may impact your child’s ability to see and therefore impact their learning and development. 

A Registered Nurse will be visiting the school on Thursday 20th March 2025 to conduct vision screening for children in their prep year.

If you wish to have your prep child participate in this FREE vision screening program, please complete consent forms by 10th March. These will be sent home with the children on Monday 3rd March and are also available from Mrs Cullen in Joey’s Space and the school office. 

Parents do not need to be present for screening, however, if you would like to be, please contact the school office to arrange this.

If you have concerns about your child’s eyes at any time, please take your child to see an eye health professional (optometrist/ophthalmologist).  

For further information, please visit the program website or contact the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program on 1800 687 372.                                                                          

Free Hearing Screening Prep to Year 3 - Deadly Ears 24th - 28th March 
Ear disease can affect a child's hearing, language, learning and development. We are very lucky to have Sheila Armstrong -North West Hospital and Health Service providing a free hearing screen from all Prep to Year 3 students. Sheila will be coming to the school on Monday 24th March until Friday 28th March. Permission notes will be sent home on Monday 3rd March and are also available from Mrs Cullen in Joey’s Space and the school office. Please return permission letters by Monday 10th March. Parents do not need to be present for screening, however, if you would like to be, please contact the school office to arrange this. 

I hope you have great weekend,

Mrs Nicola Cullen
Inclusive Practices Teacher

Youth Ministry

Welcome to this week’s youth ministry update. The Spirit is alive and well at SJC!

Important dates/reminders:

• Little Joey’s - lunchtime Scripture: every Monday, first playtime in the library (P-3 students)
• Chaplaincy Breakfast: every Tuesday & Thursday from 7:45 to 8:10. 
• Spirit in Action: Week 6 Monday (3/03) - 3:00 to 4:30 PM
• Staff & Student Prayer: Week 7 Wednesday (12/03) - 8:10 AM in the church - all teachers, students, and families welcome!
• Mini Vinnies: Week 6 Tuesday (4/03) - just for the Year 6 students; Week 7 Wednesday (12/03) - First Lunch (playtime)

Staff & Student Prayer
What a great way to start the day this Wednesday! So many students and staff joining together for a special prayer time. Families are more than welcome to attend!

We participated in an imaginative prayer about our dependence on God in our lives. 

Mini Vinnies - Yrs 4-6
This fortnight, we decided on our fundraising activities for Project Compassion - the Year 6 students will be sharing these with the school on assembly next Friday. When lent begins, our Caritas mission kicks off. The Year 5 students will deliver the collection boxes to each class with a reminder about raising funds for the focus countries. 

Yours in faith, hope & love!

Mr James Delaney ❤️‍🔥
Youth Ministry Leader

First Nations

Earlier this week I was in Townsville connecting with teachers and school officers in our diocese who work in the First Nations space.

On Monday 17th of March from 3pm - 4pm, we will be holding our first First Nations Advisory Committee (FNAC) meeting for 2025. At FNAC meetings, we receive advice from stakeholders on items such as our Reconciliation Action Plan and work together to achieve desired outcomes for First Nations Education and St. Joseph’s School as a whole. New members are more than welcome to come along.

This meeting will be followed with our Parent Information Night (PIN) for prospective Emerging Leaders. The PIN will be presented by Emerging Leaders Project Officer, Lauren Newman, and First Nations Education Adviser, Krista Hobbs. Our program Mentors, Mairin Borlase, Lesley Wall, and Mike Tarleton will also join us. The PIN will begin at 4:30pm and is a compulsory event for Emerging Leaders students.

Upcoming events:

• First Nations Advisory Committee meeting - 3pm Monday 17th of March
• Emerging Leaders PIN session - Monday 17th of March - 4.30pm - Library  (more information to be shared soon)
• National Close the Gap Day - Thursday 20th of March

Miss Leonie Ansell
First Nations Teacher

Prep

I cannot believe next week is Week 5 already! Half way through the term.

During our literacy session, our little learners will focus on how to write the letter “m” and “s” and also the sounds that these letters make.  They will identify these letter sounds in words and also things that begin with these sounds. 

In numeracy time our Preps will continue to explore number names and numerals to 10 as well as amounts between 10 and 20.

Lots will be happening in the religious aspect next week as we will participate in Shrove Tuesday celebrations and also the Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the lead up to Lent. The Preps will continue to learn about Jesus in preparation for these events and also Easter.

Reminders:

• Stop and Go Zone: Please ensure when picking up your child that you are not parking in the Stop and Go Zone located on Ham St, which is in front of the prep entrance. This zone is designed for parents to remain in their car for quicker collection of their children after school. As prep students must be collected from the classroom the parking on George St and Sheaffe St is most suitable. 
• School Photo Day: This coming Monday the 3rd of March is school photo day. All students must be in their full school uniform for these photos. 
  
• Monday: Mrs Jill Smith will take our little learners for Art in Period 5.  
• Tuesday: Miss Pucciarmati will take our Prep students for Technology in Period 5.
• Wednesday: Miss Borlase will take our students for Sport in Period 5. Every second Wednesday we will also go to the library to borrow books (3,5,7,9). Students will be able to take borrowed books home which will be replaced fortnightly. 
• Thursday: Miss Pucciarmati will be the classroom teacher.
• Friday: Every second Friday we will have an assembly at the Mary MacKillop Shed (Week 2,4,6,8,10)

Yours in fun and learning,

Miss Brock, Miss Pucciarmati, Miss Josie, and Miss Rachel.

Year 1

Hello parents and carers,

How crazy to think we are halfway through the first term of 2025. 

The students have been very busy looking at numbers to 120. We have been using our friends Pevan and Sarah to help us sing and many manipulatives as well. The students have been busy creating number lines and filling in hundreds of boards. This week we have also started looking at skip counting. We started skip counting in the 10's. Using tens frames and our hundreds boards to help. The students have loved playing around the world and finding a new skip counting champion in the class each day. 

In English, we have started looking at one of our focus books ‘Brother Moon’. The students are busy retelling the story to their friends. We have also continued to focus on our tricky words and simple sentences.  

Lots will be happening in the religious aspect next week as we will participate in Shrove Tuesday celebrations and also the Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the lead up to Lent. 

Reminders:

• School Photo Day: This coming Monday the 3rd of March is school photo day. All students must be in their full school uniform for these photos. 
• Homework was handed out on Friday (extension words are optional), please bring it back on Thursday. 
• Monday: Library Bags 
• Tuesday: Technology and Art
• Wednesday: House Shirt
• Thursday: Sport (Sport uniform) 

Have a wonderful week,

Miss Haley and the always fun Year 1’s!

Year 2

Hi Year 2 Parents and Carers,

Throughout the last 2 weeks in Year 2 we have been busy learning about Fractions in Maths. We have learnt about halves and quarters and how they look and how students might see them in their everyday life.

In English we have been focusing on our Character Preferences writing about ‘The Lizard Gang’, and also focusing on editing skills.

We have also started to look at Sound in Science, where it comes from, how it is made and how we hear sound. The students are super eager to learn more about sound. 

It has been a busy few weeks of learning in year 2. 

There is lots happening in the religious aspect next week as we will participate in Shrove Tuesday celebrations by sharing in pancakes and also the Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the lead up to Lent. 

Reminders:

• School Photo Day: This coming Monday the 3rd of March is school photo day. All students must be in their full school uniform for these photos. 

Kind Regards,

Miss Tess Motti

Year 3

Week 5 already.

The year 3’s have been hard at work and we are slowly finding our feet in the new school year.

Congratulations to Vivienne Williams and Belinda Pavy for being elected to the SRC. 

Our focus in Math has been on place value and different calculation strategies. We have also started looking at angles.

In English we are expanding our sentence structures and getting ready to write paragraphs. We have also been focussing on grammar and spelling.

With the upcoming Naplan tests in week 7, we have been preparing our learners on not only the type of content that will be covered but also on test writing techniques to best equip them for these tests. Our homework has also been focussing on test preparation, but as it is good revision and problem solving activities, all learners will be able to benefit from these activities.

Have a great week!

Mrs Deidre Koekemoer

Year 4

Happy Week 5 everyone. 

Congratulations to Eily and Owen who were our students of the week last week. We also congratulate Christian and Erin who are our SRC representatives. They will be presented with their badges on assembly next week.

Homework
To make homework more organised I have sent home a plastic pocket with everything the students will need to complete their tasks. As I have mentioned in their books, students will not be penalised for not completing homework, however, they will receive class money for completing tasks.

Maths
Equivalent fractions have been the focus of Maths. We have been discovering how to identify equivalence by looking at number lines and models and by following number patterns. Some students have been practicing at home on IXL Maths and Prodigy.

English/HaSS
Students have shown great interest and excitement in researching convicts who were passengers on the First Fleet. After reading some engaging, and often heart-wrenching historical narratives about child convicts, students are now ready to take on the character of one of these convicts and write about their life before they were convicted and after arriving on the shores of Australia. The discussions in class have been lively and insightful.

There is lots happening in the religious aspect next week as we will participate in Shrove Tuesday celebrations by sharing in pancakes and also the Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the lead up to Lent. 

Reminders:

• School Photo Day: This coming Monday the 3rd of March is school photo day. All students must be in their full school uniform for these photos. 

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs Lesley Wall

Year 5

Hi Year 5 Parents and Carers,

I hope you have all had a great first week back at school.

Week 4 and 5
Over the past fortnight in writing, the Year 5s have been working with partners to construct their own fractured fairytales. Next week we are going to revisit persuasive texts in preparation for NAPLAN and will pick up our fractured fairytales again after NAPLAN is complete.

In maths, we have worked at the Friendly Pairs and Place Value strategies. We have also completed converting between Percentages, Fractions, and Decimals. We will begin working on Factors and Multiples in Week 6.

During Science, we are looking at states of matter. We observed some different samples and determined which ones were liquids and which ones were solids and why.

Reminders

• Sport uniform: Tuesday
• House shirt: Wednesday
• Technologies: Monday
• Arts: Tuesday
• HASS: Tuesday and Wednesday
• Sport: Wednesday
• Languages: Friday
• Health: Friday

What’s on in Week 6

• School Photo Day: This coming Monday the 3rd of March is school photo day. All students must be in their full school uniform for these photos. 
• Shrove Tuesday
• Ash Wednesday (Liturgy at 2pm)
• Friday Assembly

Have a great week!

Miss Leonie Ansell

Year 6

Hello everyone,

During the last few weeks, we have continued to develop clear expectations for both behaviour and work ethic within the classroom. We use a positive rewards system in Year 6 to encourage and promote positive attitudes. Students have developed their rewards system based on Mr T Dollars - they collectively decided what they’d use their ‘fake’ money towards. They can bank their money each fortnight and receive a higher than average interest rate of 10%.

In English, we continue to investigate the terms synonym (same or similar meaning) and antonym (opposite meaning) and have studied graphemes for the [d] and [e] sounds in words. We have looked into the origins of words with Latin Roots cess (to go), cep (take/receive) and sect (meaning cut), Greek Root pod (foot) and Latin Root ped (foot) and duc, duct, duce (all meaning to lead). The prefixes we have investigated have been - dec (10), cent (100) and kilo (1000). In our writing, our focus is on the plot and structure of good narrative texts. We have used short movie clips to identify the protagonists and antagonists, discovering more about the rising action and the climax to the story. Our reading continues to focus on a variety of texts with regular discussion about new and unfamiliar vocabulary words - endemic, simultaneous, foliage and precipitation; lucrative, barbaric and dorsal fin in the texts Stop Shark Finning and Introducing the Cushion Plant. We have tried to read beyond the text with a little research into shark-fin soup and the horrific way that sharks are treated.

So far this term, we have been rereading parts of the BFG and we have started the first Skulduggery book. This book, which is rated at 10+ can be quite intense as a fantasy adventure story, while the author builds the characters and the setting for the text. Our aim is to get students hooked into good books which will challenge their reading ability - this continues to be a work in progress for Year 6. Skulduggery is a book that several 2024 students became so engrossed in that they are well into the 5th book in the series! It may be that we read many parts of different books, rather than completing an entire novel during the year.

In maths, we completed diagnostic assessments using iXL. This identified areas for the students to investigate and improve their skills in. We have continued to investigate fractions with our focus shifting into the addition of fractions with the same and connected denominators. Fractions can be a complex concept in math.  Discussing fractions in context at home is encouraged i.e. pizza for dinner, cake slices or number of pieces left. This supports learning beyond the classroom.

In science, we have investigated the scientific terms solute, solvent, solution and saturation point when mixing salt or sugar into solutions. We have completed an investigation in teams, completing results about the number of spoonfuls that can be mixed before reaching the saturation point in both room temperature and warmer water. Future investigations continue to focus on chemical sciences and mixing/combining different chemicals under safety expectations in the lab.

School Photo Day on Monday: Please wear formal uniform and pack Y6 Polo in their bag. We will be having two photos this year!

Have a great week!

Mike and Larry

Prep to Year 9 HPE

P-4 PE with Miss B: This term in Prep to Year 4 Physical Education, students have been engaging in a variety of exciting activities designed to develop their fundamental movement skills, teamwork, and love for physical activity. From energetic warm-ups to skill-based games, our young learners have been having a fantastic time staying active and learning through play.

Prep: Prep students are developing their fundamental movement skills such as strength, balance, and coordination, movement styles such as running, walking, jumping, and crawling, and agility skills. Through fun and interactive activities, they have been improving their coordination, spatial awareness, and confidence in movement.

Year 1 & Year 2: Students in Years 1 and 2 are further exploring fundamental movement skills where they are explicitly learning and practising sprinting, jogging, jumping for height, jumping for distance, and more. With these two cohorts, our aim is to prepare these students for upcoming sports carnivals such as cross country and athletics.

Years 3 & 4: Students in Years 3 and 4 are developing their understanding of league tag in the lead-up to a league tag gala day that the Year 6 and Year 4 students can participate in. Students are practicing holding, catching, and passing a rugby league ball as well as refining their movement and tactical skills for this sport such as dodging, intercepting, and moving into space.

Across all year levels, students have also been learning the importance of sportsmanship, resilience, and fair play. It has been fantastic to see their confidence grow as they celebrate achievements, support their peers, and embrace new challenges with enthusiasm.

We look forward to another exciting term ahead filled with even more movement, learning, and fun!

Miss Mairin Borlase

5-6 PE with Mr Timms
This term in Health and Physical Education, our Year 5 and 6 students have been developing their skills both on the netball court and in the digital world.

In PE, students have been learning the fundamentals of netball, focusing on passing, shooting, footwork, and teamwork. Through drills and small-sided games, they have improved their coordination, movement, and understanding of game strategy. It has been fantastic to see their enthusiasm grow as they work together, demonstrating teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship in every session.

In Health, we have been exploring online safety, helping students understand how to navigate the digital world responsibly. Discussions have covered cyberbullying, digital footprints, and strategies for staying safe online. By learning how to make smart choices when using technology, students are developing the skills to protect themselves and others in the online space.

These lessons reinforce the importance of both physical activity and digital responsibility, equipping our students with valuable skills for both the court and the online world.

We look forward to seeing them continue to grow and apply their learning throughout the term!

Mr. Matthew Timms

7/8/9 PE with Mr Timms
This term in Health and Physical Education, our Year 7-9 students have been developing important skills both on the volleyball court and in the digital world.

In PE, students have been learning the fundamentals of volleyball, focusing on serving, passing, setting, and teamwork. Through skill-based drills and game play, they have been refining their coordination, communication, and strategic thinking. It has been fantastic to see their confidence grow as they apply these skills in friendly matches, demonstrating resilience and sportsmanship.

Meanwhile, in Health, we have been exploring online safety—an essential skill in today's digital world. Students have engaged in discussions about responsible social media use, the importance of privacy settings, and how to identify and respond to cyberbullying. By learning how to navigate the online space safely, they are developing awareness and responsibility when using digital platforms.

We look forward to seeing them continue to grow and apply what they have learned throughout the term!

Mr. Matthew Timms

Year 7 to 9 Japanese

Year 7 & 8 Japanese with Mr Delaney:
This term, our Year 7 and 8 students are developing their language skills through an exciting gakkō (school) tour video project. Aligned with the Australian Curriculum V9, students are learning key vocabulary related to school environments, directional language, adverbs, and sentence structures that will enable them to describe locations and movements effectively.

Through this task, students will engage in meaningful communication by creating scripted video tours of the school, demonstrating their ability to ask and respond to questions, give directions, and describe places with increasing fluency and accuracy. They will also explore cultural perspectives on school life in Japan, making comparisons between Australian and Japanese school environments.

This assessment encourages students to apply their learning in a practical, creative way while building confidence in spoken Japanese. We look forward to seeing their final productions!

Year 9 Japanese with Mr Delaney
This term, our Year 9 students are embracing creativity and language learning through a unique project—designing their own yuru kyara mascots for Cloncurry! Inspired by Japan’s famous regional mascots, students are following authentic yuru kyara design principles to create characters that reflect the identity, culture, and features of their chosen location/shop/event/industry unique to Cloncurry.

As part of this project, students are developing their written and spoken Japanese skills by introducing their mascots through a script, describing their appearance, personality, interests, and hometown. They will then collaborate with a partner’s mascot to create a skit using language structures for making plans and arrangements.

This engaging task allows students to apply their language skills in a meaningful way while deepening their understanding of Japanese pop culture and communication styles. We look forward to seeing their creative mascots come to life!

Mr James Delaney

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