Week 4 - Term 3 Newsletter 2024

Principal's Message

Dear Families and Friends,

I trust everyone has had a lovely week learning at St Joey's, please see below a number of key points of information/events:

Mrs Bailey - Prayers Requested

As mentioned earlier in the week, it is with deep sadness that we were informed of  Mrs Deb Bailey's son, Jack, passing away last weekend.  We are deeply saddened by Deb's loss and as a school community extend our deepest sympathy's to Deb, her husband Darryl and son Harry. Jack, was a much loved ex-student of St Joey's and graduated from McAuley Catholic College in 2022.

I ask that as a school community, we keep Deb and her family in your prayers and thoughts during this difficult time. Please be advised that Jack's memorial will be held next Tuesday 20th August in Brisbane, with a number of staff attending. As a result, please be aware that your child may not have their normal teacher and that there will be a reduction in the amount of staff on site this day.

Book Week  - Parade & Book Fair

Next week marks the beginning of National Book Week, a time when we come together to celebrate the joy of reading and the magic of books. To kick off the festivities, our Book Fair will be open throughout the week, both before and after school for purchases, offering a wonderful selection of books for all ages. It's a great opportunity to nurture a love of reading at home and support our school and I encourage you to pay a visit to our library.

We will also be hosting our annual Book Parade, on Friday 23rd August at 2:00pm, where students are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite book characters. It’s always a highlight of the year, and we can't wait to see the creative costumes! We look forward to seeing our families join in the fun and excitement of Book Week!

Science Week Activities  

With this being Science Week, it was great to our school buzzed with excitement yesterday as students engaged in a variety of hands-on activities that sparked their curiosity and creativity in our Science Week session. From building and testing models to conducting fascinating experiments, the afternoon session was filled with opportunities for students to explore the wonders of science in a fun and interactive way.

We were delighted to see so many parents join us and appreciate  how you all contributed to the enthusiasm and supporting our young scientists as they discovered new concepts and ideas. Your presence and involvement helped make Science Week a truly memorable and enriching experience for everyone. A big thank you to our classroom teachers for all their preparation and for helping to inspire a love of science in our students!

Father's Day Liturgy & Burger Lunch

Just a reminder that on Friday, 30th August, we will not only be holding our Father's Day Celebration for all fathers, grandfathers & other significant men in our student's lives, but we invite all parents to stay for Hamburger lunch with the students.

Our celebration liturgy will occur at 12:00 pm, followed by lunch (at approx 12:30 pm).

All students & adults (adults eat for free!) burger orders must be completed by Tuesday 27th August, through our school Compass App (canteen menu). We look forward to your attendance as this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our Dads and build community amongst our parents.

Public Speaking Competition & School Spelling BEE

Please keep an eye out for upcoming details next week about the Clarence Public Speaking Competition (Years 3-6) and our Annual School Spelling Bee (Kindergarten to Year 6). These endeavors serve as an avenue to acknowledge talents and emphasize the significance of fostering advanced literacy skills, particularly within the Speaking & Listening domain of English.

While comprehensive information will be dispatched through Compass next week, we kindly ask you to mark the following dates on your calendar: Tuesday 10th September (Public Speaking Finals) and Thursday 19th September (Spelling Bee Finals). Your support and involvement are greatly valued.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Dale

Upcoming School Dates

• Staff Development Day/Pupil Free Day (Monday 19th August)
• Term 3 Parent Forum Meeting (Tuesday 20th August 5:00pm)
• Stage 2 & Stage 3 Rep Touch Football Gala Day Grafton (Wednesday 21st August)
• Catherine McAuley Performance - Incursion (Wednesday 21st August)
• Book Week Parade (Friday 23rd August 2pm)
• Stage 3 Basketball Gala Day (Monday 26th August)
• Stage 3 Excursion - My Future CV Immersive Program Grafton (Tuesday 27th August)
• Kindy & Stage 1 Excursion - Byron bay Wildlife Sanctuary (Thursday 29th August),
• K-6 Being Brave Performance - Brainstorm Productions (Friday 30th August)
• Fathers Day Liturgy & Lunch (Friday 30th August)
• Stage 2 Basketball Gala Day (Monday 26nd September)
• Stage 3 Netball Finals - Casino (Wednesday 4th September)
• Jump Rope for Heart  - Final Activity (Thursday 5th September)
• Yr 4 Accendre Retreat (Monday 9th September)
• Public Speaking Finals (Tuesday 10th September)
• PRC Reward Day Excursion (Wednesday 11th September)

Leaders of Learning

The Five Critical Questions: Exploring "How Are You Doing?"

Continuing our deep dive into the 'Five Critical Questions' approach developed by Lyn Sharratt, this week we focus on the second question: "How are you doing?"

This question helps students reflect on their learning progress and connects closely to Success Criteria. When students are asked, "How are you doing?" they are encouraged to evaluate their progress toward the specific goals set out at the beginning of their learning. These goals, known as Learning Intentions, are broken down into clear Success Criteria, which outline the steps needed to achieve the learning objectives.

Success Criteria: More Than a Checklist

Success Criteria (SC) are co-constructed with students, ensuring that they understand what success looks like in their learning. Anchor charts developed collaboratively between teachers and students, visually represent these criteria, offering a guide for students to reference throughout their lessons. This process is dynamic; as students progress through a unit of work, the SC evolve, becoming more detailed and reflective of the depth of understanding required.

Success Criteria are often framed as "We will..." or "I can..." statements that clearly describe what students should know or be able to do by the end of the lesson. Rather than just ticking off a checklist, students are actively engaged in identifying and articulating what they have accomplished, what they are currently working on, and what they need to work towards. This continual reflection helps them see their own growth and areas for improvement.

Helping Students Assess Their Progress

By asking "How are you doing?" and guiding students to use the Success Criteria, we help them develop self-assessment skills. Students learn to recognise their strengths and areas that need more attention, empowering them to take control of their learning journey.

In next week's newsletter, we will continue to explore the remaining questions and how they guide classroom practice and student progress. 

Warm regards,

Mrs Senz, Mrs Mclennan and Mrs Mullins

Mission & Values

Mercy In Action Award

Congratulations to our Mercy In Action Award winner this fortnight, Jasper White. We recognise Jasper for his daily displays of respect in his interactions with both teachers and peers. He consistently follows his teachers' instructions and communicates with kindness and courtesy, whether in the classroom or on the playground. Congratulations, Jasper, and thank you for being a remarkable role model of respect in our school.

Sacramental Program: Reconciliation

Last week some of our Year 4 students celebrated their First Reconciliation! Congratulations to the following students:

• Jesse Bennett
• Sam Kirkland
• Sophia Wright
• Oli Ward 
• Archie Patten

The students took part in a reconciliation retreat beforehand, learning about this very special sacrament. The students learnt that God is a loving and forgiving Father, that reconciliation is about being sorry and promising to try to do better, and it is also about forgiveness. The children then met Fr Roland at St Mary’s Church where they celebrated their First Reconciliation. Thank you to Fr Roland for guiding the children through this very special sacrament.

These students, along with jack Kirkland, will now prepare for their First Holy Communion on Sunday, 8th September. Please keep them in your prayers.

Yesterday, 15th August we celebrated The Solemnity of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary by attending mass. The Assumtion is when we remember how at the end of her life Mary was taken up to heaven to be with God and to be reunited with her son, Jesus.

Mary is very special because she was chosen by God to be the mother of God’s son, Jesus. And Mary said yes to all that God asked of her.

Mary is our spiritual mother, too, because we are members of the Church. When she died, God took her straight to heaven, body and soul. In Heaven, Mary prays to Jesus on our behalf. She takes our prayers straight to Jesus and is always praying for our needs.

Class Awards

Our Principal's Award winners this week are:

Our Class Award winners this week are: 

Class News - Stage 1

Our Year 1 students have been having a fantastic time exploring positional problems in Maths. They've been designing mazes for their friends and using positional language to navigate and solve these puzzles. It's been a fun and engaging way to build problem-solving skills and strengthen our positional language!

We have also been focusing on becoming confident users of Technology. The children are honing their typing skills with Dance Mat Typing, a fun tool that encourages them to position their fingers correctly on the keyboard. They're becoming very speedy typists!

We’re excited to share that this week’s Science Afternoon was an absolute hit! Especially with our parent helpers!!

First up, students explored the mesmerizing world of suspended bubbles, and like all good science experiments, there was a lot of trial and error..

We revisited a favorite classic: the paper plane and rubber band launcher. The children crafted their own paper planes and tested their flight with rubber band launchers, learning about aerodynamics and the principles of flight.

Finally, we gathered back in the classroom for the final science challenge where our budding engineers put their creativity to the test with a marble run challenge. In teams, they designed and built intricate tracks, experimenting with angles and materials to see how their marbles zoomed and zigzagged their way to the finish line. In the testing phase, some marbles got stuck, some runs broke and needed a little more help than gravity could provide, but got there in the end. Miss Spooner was a great timekeeper and our with the winning team being the one with the run which took the longest time.

Thank you to the parents that were able to make it along, we loved having your help and are truly blessed to have you in our school community.

Mrs Mullins, Miss Stokes & Miss Spooner

School Sport

Sport as always been a priority at our school, and it’s fantastic to see our students actively participating! I want to start by acknowledging the incredible efforts of our students and families in engaging with Jump Rope for Heart. Through your dedication, we’ve already raised $3,200 by the end of Week 2, with three weeks still to go!

I’ve shared with the students that the key focus of this initiative is 'happy and healthy.' Skipping not only boosts our mood and cardiovascular health but also raises awareness and funds to help others enjoy a happy and healthy heart. It’s heartening to see students spending their free time at lunch practicing their skipping skills, always with a smile on their faces. This week, students who logged skipping time or fundraising efforts through the portal were recognized at our school assembly.

As the Olympics wrap up (what an incredible performance by Australia!), our students have also been shining in the St. Joey’s Initiative. They were recognized for their team spirit, resilience, accountability, and consistency. Congratulations to our Kindergarten cohort for earning a food party after securing the most gold medals over the three-week period! A special shoutout to Max Cook for his inclusivity in sport and Sophia Wright for her determination and courage—each earned 5x tickets to see the Brisbane Heat (BBL Cricket)!

In Week 3, our Stage 3 students displayed resilience and persistence during the Soccer and Netball Day. They gave it their all on the soccer field, coming close to scoring some a couple of worldies (world-class goals). On the netball court, Joey's finished third, showing great effort and determination. Engagement in Friday sport has been fantastic, especially with Netball under Ava’s guidance. We now look forward to transitioning into soccer for the coming weeks.

Looking ahead, we’re excited about the upcoming Grafton Touch Day and the 'Being Brave' performance, which will further foster the desirable qualities of physical and mental strength in our students.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement!

Mr Gilchrist

Creative Arts

Ahoy Creative Families!

A reminder & summary about the ‘Picture Products’ fundraiser News Feed item sent out this week - children are designing their own 25cm melamine plate (durable, BPA-free, food-safe & dishwasher safe). Waaaahooo!

411 for the fundraiser:

• Students K-6 will be completing in CAPA lessons over weeks 4, 5 & 6.

• STUDENTS CAN BRING PHOTOS/CUTOUTS ETC. FROM HOME TO ENHANCE THEIR PLATE; WITH PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE.
• Little Joeys will be completing over their Fridays.
• Children younger than Little Joeys are welcome to collect the template off Mrs Bell in the office and complete it at home.
• All proceeds will go towards the Creative Arts experiences at St Joseph's for 2025 (including the next musical!).
• These plates make for wonderful keepsakes, and gifts for family and friends as they harness a moment in time. Perfect for Christmas gifts, (delivery will be expected mid-Term 4).
• If you wish to view your child's artwork before ordering, please see Ms Zietsch before the end of Week 6, Term 3. Otherwise, leave it as a surprise!
• Ordering information and link to be in your News Feed next week.
  

  Big Artsy Love,

  Mr Zietsch

Pastoral Care - School Chaplain

SRC Funday Exciting News: Talent Show/ Handball competition

We’re thrilled to announce that our much-anticipated SRC Talent Show is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for Thursday of Week 10, when our incredible students will take the stage and showcase their amazing talents. All families are invited to join us.

So far, we have a fantastic lineup of acts, including:

• Musical Performances – Get ready to be serenaded by some of our most talented musicians!
• Dance Routines – Watch as our dancers bring rhythm and energy to the stage!
• Stand-Up Comedy – Prepare for laughs and giggles from our hilarious comedians!

We can’t wait to see the incredible talents our students have in store. If you haven’t signed up yet, there’s still time! Practice will start in week 5.

Stay tuned for more updates and announcements as we get closer to the big day.

Fathers Day Liturgy and Lunch

Along with holding our Father's Day Liturgy for all fathers, grandfathers & other significant men in our students’ lives, we invite all parents to stay for a combined "Dad Burger" lunch alongside the students. 

This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the significant males in our lives and build community amongst our parents.

• When: Friday 30th August 2024
• Time: 12:00 pm (Liturgy) & 12:30 pm approx (Lunch)
• Cost: Hamburger $6 (Gluten Free & Vegetarian Options available)
• Please note dad’s/significant males can order a ‘Dad Burger’ which is at no cost. Please place Dad orders with your child's order via the compass canteen link.
• Please note that there will be NO NORMAL CANTEEN MENU on this day.

Orders must all be pre-ordered via the Compass link by Tuesday 27th August to assist with the preparation & cooking of the burgers.

Ms Mead - Student Wellbeing Officer/School Chaplain

Pastoral Care - School Counsellor

Raising Resilient Kids

There are many pathways to resilience and identifying our strengths can be helpful as these strengths are the skills and resources we can call upon when facing a challenge.

Our focus on building the resilience of St Joey’s students has continued this term.

Last Thursday, The Family Centre visited the school and delivered the Resilient Kids Program to Stages 2 and 3.

The students completed a Resilience Doughnut which helped them identify their individual strengths and look for opportunities to combine their strengths to create ‘Doughnut Moments.’ These ‘Doughnut Moments' can be used to boost wellbeing and help build resilience in challenging times. Students also participated in some fun games and activities learning about their social and emotional wellbeing.

The Resilient Kids Program Manager Kat Fermanis ran a parent session in the afternoon outlining what was covered during the workshop and answering parent’s questions. We recorded the first section of her presentation for those parents who were unable to make it on the day. You can watch it via the following link: Resilient Kids Parent Session

If you have any questions or would like to discuss further you can contact me at the school on Thursdays and Fridays or via jessica.jones@lism.catholic.edu.au

Jess Jones - School Counsellor

Bullying & Friendships

Friendships Start with Self-concept

A child's self-concept significantly influences their social development. When children have a positive self-view, they tend to engage in social interactions confidently and resiliently, handling challenges and peer interactions constructively. A strong self-concept helps children develop greater social competence, including effective communication, empathy, and friendship-building skills. Self-concept also plays a crucial role in identity formation, helping children understand their values, beliefs, and interests, and fostering authentic connections and a sense of belonging.

What can parents do to nurture a positive self-concept?

Every child is unique, so your pathway will not be the same. Here are some tips from the Child Development Clinic:

• Demonstrate affection and love towards your child through both your words and actions. Communicate your enjoyment of spending time with them openly and frequently.
• Take the time to truly understand your child. Show genuine interest in their hobbies, friendships, and daily experiences. Ask them about their day and listen attentively to their thoughts and feelings, accepting that their perspective may differ from your own without judgment or criticism.
• Engage in quality bonding activities with your child that align with their interests and strengths. Play games and explore activities together that they find enjoyable and captivating.
• Encourage your child to cultivate relationships with other supportive individuals, such as friends, family members, and community groups, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance.
• Acknowledge and praise your child's efforts and persistence rather than solely focusing on their successes. Celebrate their progress and achievements while emphasizing the importance of trying their best without placing undue pressure on them to excel.
• Help your child reframe failures or disappointments as valuable opportunities for learning and personal growth.
• Refrain from labelling your child as either "good" or "bad." Instead, recognise and praise their strengths, positive qualities, and commendable behaviours. Offer specific compliments that highlight their creativity, effort, and kindness.
• Avoid comparing your child to their siblings or peers, as this can undermine their self-esteem. Encourage them to focus on their own progress and accomplishments rather than measuring themselves against others.

If you’re worried that your child lacks self-esteem, you can get help. Talk to your child’s teacher or call Parent Line NSW.

Technology News

Why Is Digital Literacy Important for Young Students?

Incorporating Digital Literacy from an early age—such as in Kindergarten—lays the foundation for a wide range of future skills. Engaging with technology early allows students to build confidence and familiarity with digital tools in a safe, structured environment.

In Kindergarten, students focus on developing foundational digital skills such as logging into a Chromebook, understanding the importance of not sharing passwords, and beginning to use the trackpad and keyboard. These early tasks help children build confidence and responsibility in their use of technology. These budding skills will soon be applied in creative ways, such as publishing their writing in multimodal formats that combine text, images, and sound.

Digital Literacy is a vital capability in the NSW Curriculum. It equips students with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Digital Literacy goes beyond simply using devices—it fosters the interrelated knowledge, skills, and understanding that students require to actively and safely participate in today's technology-driven society.

This capability enables students to effectively use information and communication technologies (ICT). It supports them in developing critical skills to connect, communicate, and collaborate with others in a digital environment. In addition, students learn how to gather, analyse, and evaluate digital information.

Next week, we will explore how ICT not only motivates students but also enhances their learning by making it more personalised, relevant, and engaging.

Mrs Mclennan

Library News

Bookweek - Week 6

Book Week at St Joey's is being held this year from the 20th to the 23rd of August. We spend one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children’s authors and illustrators during this time. Students will have a chance to check out the books available through our annual Book Fair when they visit the library with their class before Book Week. The library will then be open from 8.30 am - 9:00 am and 3.15 pm - 3.45 pm Tuesday to Friday during Week 5 for parents to join us in exploring the many different titles on offer and make purchases. 

Various activities and competitions will be held throughout the week, and our show-stopping event will be the Costume Parade on Friday 23rd August at 2pm.

Mrs O'Brien

Parent Forum

Parent Forum Meeting

Our Term 3 Parent Forum Meeting was postponed and will now be held Tuesday, 20th August, at 5:00 pm in the school library.

We warmly welcome anyone to attend these meetings, with no obligation to attend regularly or to hold a position.

The Parent Forum Team

Community Notices