Term 4 | Week 8 Newsletter

Key Information

• Friday 26th November - End of year Mass & Awards Presentation  @8:30am 
• Wednesday 24th November - Christmas Concert  @6:00pm
• Thursday 25th November - Year 9 Dinner  @6:00pm
• Friday 26th November - Last Day Year 7-9 Students
• Friday 3rd December - Last Day Prep - Year 6 Students
• Friday 10th December - School Oval Turf Day

Students and/or Families not returning in 2022:

If you haven't formally notified our office yet if your child or family will not be returning in 2022 please do so as soon as practicable.

Our End of Year Mass is scheduled for the 26th November commencing at 8:30am and we would love families to be able to attend this special event for a formal farewell and celebration of your time at our School. Formal invitations will be sent through at a later date.

Tuckshop Menu:

Uniform Shop

As advertised, all uniform items with the old logo are being sold at 50% off normal price. There are limited sizes as shown. If ordering online your discount will be applied when you collect your order from the Uniform Shop or office.

Uniform Shop Days:
Wednesdays & Thursdays: 8:10am-8:30am
Any requests for uniforms outside these days MUST be done via the link below. 

Homework Club

Our last Homework Club is this Thursday from 3-4pm in the MacKillop Room for Years 5-9.

Principal News

Welcome to Week 8, 

This is a very exciting but emotional week as we celebrate the end of schooling at St Joseph’s Catholic School for our Year 9 students. The end is in sight for so many of our students as our Year 7 to 8 students are also celebrating their last week of school for 2022.

Today we welcomed representatives from Glencore to perform their annual Book Giving Ceremony. Books in Homes is a foundation that provides books to those living in remote communities to assist children in engaging with literature to develop skills in reading for lifelong learning. We are so appreciative to have this for our students. 

Christmas Concert

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at St Joseph’s. Don’t forget that our Christmas concert is this Wednesday at 6pm. Each class has been working super hard on their Christmas performances which will be presented on Wednesday.

Families can start arriving from 5:30pm. Please check in on the QR barcode which will be advertised in the Mary MacKillop Shed on the evening. 

As this is a seated event the playground will be closed for the evening. As there won’t be any food/drinks sold on the evening you are welcome to prepare a picnic/plate for your family to share.

If there are any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our office.

Student Elections

Our 2022 student leaders will be held this Wednesday morning (tomorrow) from 8:30am in the Mary MacKillop Shed. I am so excited to hear the speeches and goals of our students for the 2022 schooling year. Parents and carers are invited to join us for this assembly in the morning.

End of Year Mass & Assembly 

Our End of Year Mass and Assembly will be held this coming Friday at 8:30am in The Mary Mackillop Shed. The assembly in previous years has been held in the St Colman’s Parish, however, as we would love for our families to join us for this special occasion the decision was made to move it to the Mary MacKillop Shed to cater for a larger audience.  

We do however ask that Parents, Family Members and Invited Guests follow our COVID Restrictions to ensure this is a COVID Safe Event by remaining home if unwell and signing in with the QR barcode at the event. 

Parents will be seated at the right hand side of the stage with special guests to the left. 

Year 9 Farewell 

This Thursday evening we will be acknowledging the work of our Year 9 students at a celebratory dinner. Year 9 - we thank you for your contribution towards our schooling community. You have shown great leadership for our School and will be very dearly missed. We wish you all the best on your next adventure and strongly believe that you will achieve what you put your heart and mind to. 

May God Bless you. 

Samantha Kelley

Principal

APRE News

End of Year Mass and Awards

On Friday we will be celebrating our end of year mass in the Mary MacKillop Shed at 08:30 am. We will also be acknowledging the work of our students by having our Awards Presentation. We will be hosting a morning tea after the mass and awards presentation in the library for our parents and invited guests.

Gospel Reading

Luke 21:25-28,34-36

Jesus teaches his disciples to be vigilant so that they will be ready when the Son of Man comes in glory.

In today's Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples against the fatigue that can emerge if one becomes consumed by the anxieties of daily life. Many families are too familiar with the kind of fatigue Jesus refers to here. We may be concerned about a family member's health, our job security, our children's education, or any number of other concerns. All these are important matters. Jesus does not promise an end to daily worries and fears, but he does teach his disciples that they will have the strength to withstand anxiety if they stay focused on him, remaining vigilant for his return and praying for strength to endure all tribulations. Through prayer, God helps us stay focused on that which is most important in our lives.

As you gather as a family, recall the tradition of making New Year's resolutions in preparation for the new calendar year. Observe that today is the first Sunday of Advent, which is the beginning of the new Church year. During the season of Advent, our Gospel readings ask us to consider what is most important to us as we prepare for Jesus' coming, at his birth and at the end of time. Read today's Gospel, Luke 21:25-28,34-36. Jesus describes signs that may disturb many people, but he says that these should not disturb his disciples. Why? (because these signs indicate that redemption is near) What does Jesus say that his disciples should do? (Be vigilant and pray for strength.) At this start of the new Church year, consider as a family what “Advent resolutions” your family might make to help you stay focused so that you will be prepared to receive the salvation we celebrate at Jesus' birth and anticipate at Jesus' second coming. Pray together for God's help in following through on these resolutions. Pray together with today's psalm, Psalm 25.

Pope calls on youth to ‘swim against the current

Published: 22 November 2021

Pope Francis called on young Catholics to “be the critical conscience of society” as he celebrated a Mass marking the 36th World Youth Day. 

Offering the Mass in St Peter’s Basilica yesterday, the feast of Christ the King, the Pope encouraged young people to swim against society’s current, but without turning into “perpetual victims and conspiracy theorists.”

“Friends, we are not here to be enchanted by the sirens of the world, but to take our lives in hand, to ‘take a bite out of life,’ in order to live it to the full,” he said.

“In this way, with the freedom of Jesus, we find the courage we need to swim against the current. I would like to emphasise this: swimming against the current, having the courage to swim against the current.”

“Not the daily temptation to swim against other people, like those perpetual victims and conspiracy theorists who are always casting blame on others; but rather against the unhealthy current of our own selfishness, closed-mindedness, and rigidity that often seeks like-minded groups to survive.”

He exhorted young people to avoid “ambiguous compromises.”

“Be passionate about truth, so that, with your dreams, you can say: ‘My life is not captive to the mindset of the world: I am free, because I reign with Jesus for justice, love and peace!’”

The Church has celebrated World Youth Day annually since the event was established by Pope John Paul II in 1985. WYD is observed in local dioceses, with an international event taking place every two to three years.

Source: CNA.

May God bless you and your family this week

Shadley Davids

APRE

Pastoral Care

Whether it is starting school for the first time, moving up to a higher grade or embarking on a journey through secondary school, there is no doubt that any school transition is a very exciting time for children and parents. It means your children are growing up!

However, transitioning is an ongoing process. It can continue long after students have entered their new environment and may encounter difficulties at a number of different stages. These stressors may appear as anxiety and frustration and result in negative or disruptive behaviours. Such behaviours can become problematic making the transitioning process even more difficult for children and parents.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn practical strategies to assist your child during the transition process and reduce stress and anxiety levels.

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 School Transitions edition of SchoolTV

https://sjctsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/school-transitions

One week to go!  What a term!

Kind regards,

Mrs Schneekloth

Prep

We have a fun filled and busy week for my last week with this class.  

Thank you to all the Prep students that contributed at Mass on Sunday. It was a beautiful service.

On Monday the Gingerbread Mob (that is what the class chose to name them) was once again used as our writing stimulus. The "mob" came into  Prep on Sunday night and left a note to apologise for coming into our class uninvited last Wednesday. They also explained that they are heading to the North Pole to help Santa. The Gingerbread Mob asked the Preps to write down any questions/messages they had for Santa.  

On Tuesday morning Glencore employees will visit classes to give out Books in Homes packs and to read a story or two. The students love receiving their books. Swimming will also be on Tuesday.

On Wednesday evening Prep will be performing The Happiest Christmas Tree at our school Christmas concert. The students will be given a Christmas tree costume to put on over their clothes. You are encouraged to bring a picnic type dinner to eat while you watch the performances. Each class has put a considerable amount of time into their performances and students and siblings are encouraged to sit quietly and watch each act. This is not a time to be playing and students will not be allowed on the playground.

On Thursday we will start to send home the end of year gifts that students have made as Friday will be my last day at school. Miss V will be teaching Prep in Week 9. This week is also a time to return any outstanding library books and home readers. No readers will be going home this Friday.

On Friday morning we have our End Of Year Mass in the Mary Mackillop shed at 8:30am. It would be great to see some of you there. 

I can't believe that this is my last 2021 Prep Newsletter item. I am feeling sad about passing my amazing class onto Miss Brock next year! They truly are a wonderful group of children who are very "ready" to take the step into Year 1. Thank you for all of your help and support in making 2021 an educational and fun year in Prep. I hope you have a restful Christmas break which is filled with love and family time.

Yours in fun and learning,

Mrs McLauchlan

Year 1

Hello and welcome to Week 9!

This week we are excitedly waiting for our class Elf to arrive. Students have written a letter to Santa as well as a procedure on how to catch the elf. We have continued to practise our Christmas song and are all VERY excited for the Christmas Concert.

We are continuing to revise math concepts as well as learning about Christmas in different countries.

Reminders:

Tuesday: Sport with Mr Murray, we are swimming!

Wednesday: Christmas Concert

Thursday: Library with Mrs Chaplain

Have a fantastic week,

Miss Brock and the always fun in Year 1’s!

Year 2

Hi all,

We have finished all of our assessments and are now revisiting skills we have learned across the year. In maths we are revisiting place value and addition and subtraction. We are also working hard at making smart spelling choices and are also developing our comprehension skills through our comprehension box and InitiaLit Read and Discuss activities. We have also been starting to do a few Christmas crafts!

Our SRC is seeking donations of non-perishable food and essential living items for our Christmas Appeal. The items will go to families in need.

There will be no homework this week!

Reminders

PE day is Wednesday. We are doing swimming so remember to pack swimmers and a towel!

Library Day is Thursday

Miss Ansell

Year 3

Hi everyone!  

Our assessment tasks have now been completed for this term. This week we will be consolidating and revising content in preparation for Year 4, as well as starting our Christmas art! 

Some of the learning highlights will be:

• Spelling - finishing the last two pages  in our Soundwaves Spelling textbook. These books were sent home on Monday. 

• Maths - revising odd and even numbers and consolidating our addition and subtraction strategies.

• English - using colourful semantics to write sentences containing who (noun/pronoun), doing (verb), what (item/object) and where (noun).

Christmas art - we will be starting our magazine Christmas trees this week! If you have any old magazines at home, could you please send them in. Each student will need one magazine to create their Christmas tree. We still need a few more magazines before we can get started.

Christmas concert - The St Joseph’s Christmas concert  will be on Wednesday evening, all are welcome to attend! As you may notice in the homework this week, Year 3 will be singing 'Rockin around the Christmas Tree.’ We have been practising the song over the last few weeks and are looking forward to performing it to parents and friends. Students are welcome to wear a Christmas hat or reindeer ears, and a Christmas shirt. 

This will be our last week of homework for the year. With this in mind, I have kept homework to a minimum - students are asked to do their spelling words and to practise our class Christmas carol for the Christmas concert. ‘Books in Home’ will be handed out on Tuesday - students are encouraged to read these instead of home readers. Please start sending any home readers or library books back to school for the end of year. 

Reminders 

• Library: Wednesday 

• PE: Thursday (swimming) 

Have a great week ahead. 

Miss Coombs 

Year 4

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are having a wonderful week.

Christmas Concert

I am so looking forward to our Christmas Concert item this Wednesday night! We have been practising all term and it’s all the smaller parts that make up an orchestra, so it would be great if all students could attend. The night will not be a long one and it is a great way to finish off our artistic year!

End of Year Mass

This will be held this Friday- Please see more information in this newsletter. We will be presenting our Mary MacKillop and St Joseph the Worker Awards at this Mass.

Looking forward to seeing you all at these events,

Lesley Wall

Year 5

Welcome to Week 8.

This week students are finishing off their final pieces of assessment for HASS, Digital Technologies and Religion. 

Digital Technology: The students have been working hard to master their understanding of Binary numbers - which can be quite tricky to get a hold of at first! 

Religion: Students will be analysing a letter from Mary MacKillop and discussing how communities of believers, past and present, come together to share faith.

HASS: Students will be making an informative poster about the Australian legal system, including information about our PM, QLD Premier, Governor-General and the democratic values our country possesses.

Once all assessment is done, we will do some mild revision work and try to get some fun activities in the mix as well!

REMINDER: We have our Christmas concert on Wednesday evening! Please make sure your child comes dressed in Christmas attire! The more OTT the ‘merrier’!

Have a fantastic week everyone!

Year 6

Welcome to Week 8!

How is it nearly Christmas holidays!?!

This week’s learning focuses:

Religion: In addition to participating in some more meditative prayers from this term, the students will be adding the final touches to their recontextualised Our Father posters. 

English: We will be utilising self, peer, and teacher feedback to finish our fantasy stories. 

Mathematics: We will be spending our maths time with some target teaching identified areas from the PAT-M test. 

HaSS: Students will finish their comparative infographic posters based on Australia and another country’s system of government and legislative process. 

Science: We will be constructing our seismographs and testing them before completing a series of reflections. 

Health: We will be spending the next couple of weeks learning about change and high school transitioning. 

Digital Technology: Students will complete a reflection on their games before having the opportunity to let the preps test them. 

Library is on Thursday and Physical Education is on Monday. The students head to the pool around 10:00am. They can wear their swimmers under their uniform if they would like to, otherwise, they will have a chance to get changed during Brain Break time. 

I am still chasing some pictures of students from Prep to Year 3ish - if your child has not been at St Joseph’s since at least Year 3, please email me some photos at your earliest convenience. A massive thank you to those who have forwarded some ripper photos!

Our end of Year 6 celebration will be on Thursday 2 December from 4 pm. Thank you for participating in the vote!

Have a great week ahead!!

Mr. Delaney and the Year 6 Legends!

General News

SCHOOL CHOIR AT CLONCURRY COUNCIL STREET CHRISTMAS PARTY

Our choir has been invited to perform at  Cloncurry Community Christmas Party on Friday 3rd December at 6:15pm. I will be sending letters home with students who are in the choir. I understand that many might be busy, being the last day of school, but it would be great to have a strong group of voices on the night!

Lesley Wall. 

Library

We are delighted to let you know about an education resource that is available to your child  at home as part of our school subscription – Story Box Library.  

Your child can watch favourite stories, read aloud by fabulous storytellers, at home as well as in the classroom.  

Reading aloud to children, in particular by diverse and engaging storytellers, greatly  improves language and literacy skills, especially in the early years of a child’s development. Story Box Library is committed to supporting and engaging the practice of storytelling. It is  intended for use as a complementary form of delivering the precious experience of being  read aloud to, in order to improve children’s lives. Connecting children with literature  through the complementary medium of film, providing a vibrant, interactive experience via  a diverse range of storytellers sharing the best of our local children’s picture books.  

To access Story Box Library at home:  

1) Visit www.storyboxlibrary.com.au 

2) Choose Log In from the top right corner of the screen 

3) Log in using the username and password provided below 

4) Enjoy the library of stories on any device with internet connection 

USERNAME: cloncurry

PASSWORD: stjosephs

Please note the following features:  

• Story Box Library regularly adds new stories, so is an ever-growing library
  ● Content is aimed at Prep/Foundation through to Year 6 students 
• Includes a range of short films to inspired by our stories, creators and storytellers
  ● Resources are provided for each story, including Classroom Ideas, Activity Time and Student Task Sheets – all designed to assist at-home learning 
• Captions can be turned on or off for each story 
• Story Box Library is a safe online space free from advertising

Chris Chaplain 

Librarian 

Student Awards - Week 7

Congratulations to our Students who received awards for Week 7!

OWOW AWARDS!

STUDENT OF THE WEEK AWARDS!

Up Coming Events at St. Josephs!

Please note that food will not be provided at the Christmas Concert... Please bring a pinic to share with your family!

Rural Health Connect

School holidays are almost upon us and this means people are starting to relax, enjoy fun events and plan exciting trips away. While for most people this sounds like fun and a break from the stress of the normal hustle and bustle of our daily lives, for some people holidays can bring on a whole new load of stress and anxiety. 

Some people find it difficult to cope with the lack of routine or the amount of unfamiliar people that they have to spend time with (including family who they only see once or twice a year). Others do not like having to be away from home, their familiar, safe and comfortable place. While for others, Christmas is a time that reminds them of the people who are no longer in their life. 

If you, or any of your loved ones, are struggling over the break, it can often be hard to access support, especially if you are away from home or the usual supports in town have left for their own holidays. Rural health connect (https://www.ruralhealthconnect.com.au/) is a platform that links people in rural and remote Australians with psychologists via phone calls and video calls. To access this service at little or no cost you can get a referral from a local GP. 

Have a wonderful break and take time to relax. See you in 2022, Miss Bec!

Severe Weather Event Advice to Parents

This information is also included in TCE Term 4 “Our Catholic Schools” magazine.

In the event of a cyclone or severe weather impacting on our Catholic schools, regularly updated information will be available on the following:

• Townsville Catholic Education website www.tsv.catholic.edu.au LATEST NEWS section on homepage.
• Twitter – you can follow us on www.twitter.com/tceo.
• Facebook – you can follow us on www.facebook.com/TownsvilleCEO.
• Listen to local radio stations (ABC in all regions) plus various local commercial stations for updates.
• Instagram – Townsville_Catholic_Education.
• School’s web page

If a decision is made overnight to close schools, this message will be broadcast from 7am or earlier, if possible, through the local radio stations. Please refrain from calling schools as this causes disruption to vital communication networks, ask parents to be patient, information will be broadcasts as soon as practicable.

Please refer to the above methods of communication as your first source of information. Please use your best discretion in the interests of safety at all times.

School Oval Update

As you are aware, St Joseph's have been working hard this year to renovate our oval at the end of the year. The turf is being layed on the 10th December!! This means that the oval will be closed from Friday 12th November, so we can complete the prep work necessary in this time. 

Chaplaincy Breakfast - Term 4

In Term 4 St Joseph's Catholic School will be introducing a Chaplaincy Breakfast program each Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30am - 8:00am. 

All staff, students, parents, carers and family members are welcome to join us! 

Our aim is to ensure students are provided with the best opportunity to make the most of their education and develop healthy eating habits. We also aim to bring our community together through this breakfast program. Research suggests that eating breakfast in the morning sets our students up for a day of learning by maximising their behavioural outcomes in the classroom, while assisting them in engaging with learning tasks in the classroom. 

We would love if you help us spread the word! 

Spare Pallets and Wheels !

Mr Brown, would like to make Billy Carts with the students. He needs pallets that can be taken apart and wheels. Old pram wheels would be suitable.

Drop off outside the Workshop or phone the office for directions.

Guitar Lessons

Jill Fisher will be holding guitar lessons for any children interested! These will be occuring at St Joseph's Catholic School. Please contact Jill directly if you would like more information.  

Casual Employment Opportunties

We are seeking casual School Officers and qualified Teachers to cover sick and leave days.
For more information please contact our office.
Teaching staff will need to apply here > https://tceo-portal.applynow.net.au/jobs/TCE679-supply-teacher-registration-2021

Community Notices

Advertise your Community Event or Notice here!