Week 10 - Term 4 Newsletter 2023
Principal's Message
Dear Families and Friends,
It has been a busy couple of weeks to finish off our year, from our Year 5 Leadership Speeches to our Christmas Concert performances and this week where we held our Year 6 Graduation Dinner & our End of Year Prize Giving. Thank you to all of our families for your support this year. It has been a wonderful year of learning where we as a school have continued to strengthen our Vision for Learning - "Learning Begins with Me - Head Heart & Hands".
End-of-Year Awards & Prize Giving
On Tuesday, we held our End of Year Awards & Prize Giving, which was a wonderful time as a school parish community to acknowledge our school leaders for 2023 and recognise students in all classes under the following categories: Academic Achievement, Faith in Action and Learning Begins with Me.
Our 2022 Award Winners:
- Year 6 - St Joseph's Award - Billy Opalniuk
- Year 6 - Faith in Action Award - Gabbie Quarello
- Year 6 - Leadership Award - Olive Ardrey
- Year 6 - Sportsmanship Award - Reef Crofton
- Year 6 - Dux - Harry Cook
- Year 5 - 'Academic Achievement' Award - Reece Bennett
- Year 5 - 'Faith In Action' Award - Jacob McIntyre
- Year 5 - 'Learning Begins with Me' Award - Amelia Green
- Year 4 - 'Academic Achievement' Award - Owen Moss
- Year 4 - 'Faith In Action' Award - Roman Hickling
- Year 4 - 'Learning Begins with Me' Award - Oskar Bailey
- Year 3 - 'Academic Achievement' Award - Sam Kirkland
- Year 3 - 'Faith In Action' Award - Lila Salter
- Year 3 - 'Learning Begins with Me' Award - Isaak Bailey
- Year 2 - 'Academic Achievement' Award - Lawson Bell
- Year 2 - 'Faith In Action' Award - Oliver Want
- Year 2 - 'Learning Begins with Me' Award - Isabella Camilleri
- Year 1 - 'Academic Achievement' Award - Erin Murtha-Clough
- Year 1 - 'Faith In Action' Award - Rose Mclennan
- Year 1 - 'Learning Begins with Me' Award - Tamike Cleary-Walker
- Kindy - 'Academic Achievement' Award - Will Martin
- Kindy - 'Faith In Action' Award - Luna Wood
- Kindy - 'Learning Begins with Me' Award - Ahlia Connor
2024 School Starting Dates
- Years 1 - 6: Wednesday 31st January
- Kindergarten: Monday 5th February
Just a reminder for all families to please note our starting date for students (Year 1 - Year 6) next year will be Wednesday 31st January 2024. The preferred and suggested model from Catholic Schools Office is for schools to have a staggered start for 2023 school year, with students to come in for a scheduled Maths Assessment Interview. However, we are conscious of the stress & complications this model places on our families (particularly after a lengthy summer holiday).
Similar to this year, during Weeks 1/2, students will be withdrawn from classroom learning to participate in a Maths Assessment Interview. Teaching staff will schedule these interviews during normal school hours. Please note that for this to occur, students may not have their regular classroom teacher for the full day.
Please note the starting date for all Kindergarten students will be Monday 5th, February.
Early Term 1 Dates to Remember
Swimming Carnival (Years 1-6) - Week 4, Monday 19th February
Parent Information Night - Week 4, Tuesday 20th February
Beginning School Mass - Week 4, Friday 23rd February
Departing Families
Lastly, I would like to thank and farewell the following departing families who will be leaving our school community at the end of the year. A couple of these families, who have Year 6 students moving onto to secondary education, have been with us for over 10 + years. We wish all of them well in their new school communities and thank them for their involvement and partnership with the school : Murtha-Clough family (Erin - Year 1), Davis family (Alice - Year 3), Ardrey family (Hudson & Olice - Year 6), Corcoran family (Kavanna - Year 6), Coulter family (Lachie - Year 6), Crofton family (Reef, Year 6), Frame family (Alexander - Year 6), Harris family (Noah - Year 6), Hourigan family (Tom - Year 6), Marchant family (Reece - Year 6), and the Opalniuk family (Billy - Year 6).
Staff Farewells
It is also with mixed emotions that I inform our school community that this year we farewell Mrs Deb Bailey, Mrs Bel Chapman & Mr Luke Hitchings, who will all not be continuing at St Joseph's in 2023. All three of these staff members have decided to take up other professional opportunities elsewhere, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours. Whilst Luke has been on leave for most of this term, Bel recently informed me of her decision to take up a position as a School Counselor at McAuley Catholic College, Grafton in 2024 and am thankful at the very least that we will still see Bel around our school community, albeit in a parental capacity.
I would also particularly like to thank Mrs Bailey who has been instrumental in our school community and has fulfilled a number of leadership roles including the role of Acting Principal. We wish her all the best in taking on the role of Acting Principal at Mount St John's Dorrigo next year and would like to thank her for all the efforts and passion she has put into our school community over the years and for her to know that she will be sorely missed. At this stage, this role is for 12 months and whilst we may see her return in 2025, I know that will be wonderful experience leading another catholic school community.
Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable Christmas break with your familes & I look forward to working alongside everyone in 2024.
Kind regards
Dale
Leader of Learning
THANK YOU!
It is with a strange mix of sadness, excitement and anticipation that I say farewell to St Joey’s for 2024.
I am looking forward to the challenge of working somewhere new and taking on the role of Principal at Mt St John’s Dorrigo. We have such a special community here, and I speak with pride of the strong sense of family that permeates all we do.
Thank you so much to Dale, our amazing staff and you, our wonderful families, for your support. I will carry your well wishes with me as I embark on my new adventure!
Mrs Bailey
Mission & Values
As we enter our final days of school, I would like to wish our Year 6 students all the very best as they leave us and commence the next part of their education at high school.
On Tuesday we celebrated their milestones, their achievements, and the relationships and friendships they have formed with staff and most importantly, each other. It was evident at the Graduation Dinner the strong connections between families, and it was very special to celebrate the culmination of the student's primary school years together. Congratulations to all our graduating students and their families.
Christmas Mass Times
Lastly, I would like to wish all our families a happy, safe and fun-filled Christmas and I look forward to seeing everyone next year.
Mrs Senz
Class News - Year 6
Well, Year 6 crossed the finish line in this last week, ticking off all their finalities as leaders at St Joseph’s in 2023.
- Christmas Concert
- End-of-Year Awards
- Graduation Dinner & Speeches
- Our 3 End of Year Fun Days
19 beautiful souls who will go on to high school, destined for greatness and success. Whatever you do, know that your St Joeys family loves you very much, and we are so proud of the young adults you became in our care and the growing you have yet to do.
Mrs Senz
School Sport
Dear St. Joseph's Families,
A huge thank you for your incredible support and engagement in sports this year! Special gratitude to the generous Parent Forum whose donation allowed us to purchase new soccer goals, netballs & AFL balls. Your support enhances our sporting community, and we look forward to an even bigger year in 2024.
Mr Gilchrist
School Band
Another successful year for our school band: Reef Crofton, Jack Kirkland, Lachie Coulter, Dayla Chapman, Olive Ardrey, Asher Nichols & Huon Mclennan. Absent: Roo Coulson
Pastoral Care - School Chaplain
Community Connect
A huge thank you to St VIncent De Paul for your generosity that you have given towards our Breakfast club throughout the year. This has provided ongoing work to ensure all students can fully participate in their learning at school and build happy and healthy lives. You have made Thursday mornings such a wonderful time for our students to gather together and serve others.
Thank you to all our amazing students that have given up their playtime to volunteer in our Breakfast Club. Without your service this would not have been possible. You are so appreciated by our school community.
LAP
Thank you so much to our wonderful LAP volunteers for your kindness, time and effort you have shown to our students this year. We are so fortunate to have you as part of our school family and we hope to see you next year.
We wish you the Merriest Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.
A special thankyou to Sue Winter for your expertise in teaching us Spanish every Tuesday at lunch. We have thoroughly enjoyed learning another language with you. You are an absolute treasure.
Thank you
Juana Mead
Ms Mead
School Chaplain
Parent Forum
What an amazing 2024 with the highlight being our School Spring Festival!
Our Festival raised a whopping $9074 and together with funds raised from previous, The Parent Forum have decided to contribute $16000 to the school canteen refurbishment.
On behalf of the parent community, I’d like to extend a big thank you to the whole of our school staff- the amazing teachers, the wonderful teachers' assistants, our leadership team, the library staff, the essential and dynamic administration team and the pastoral care team.. You all make our school great and a wonderful place for our children to grow and learn.
A special thanks must also go to our wonderful canteen volunteers: Felicity Hockey, Lauren Kirkland, Deanne Dalton, Jody Coulter, Jenny & Paul Hyland, Katie Forrester, Sharon Grayson, Dec Upston, Lynsay Foster, Belinda & Daniel Davis, Lillian Schwager & Tasmyn Norris.
Thank you so, so much to the parents who have been involved in the parent forum this year as well as all of the families that have supported our initiatives throughout the year. As they say- many hands make light work. It’s been a lot of fun to work and learn together and whether you had a role in the events we held or whether you came to meetings to listen, your contribution is greatly valued. Can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in 2024.
As we will sadly be losing some Year 6 parent representatives, we would LOVE to see some new faces next year - our term 1 meeting will be held on Tuesday 27th February 2024 - Everyone is warmly welcomed (and encouraged!) to attend.
Merry Christmas everyone and have a safe and happy new year!
Lauren Kirkland
On behalf of the Parent Forum