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10 June | Central Region Athletics Carnival | |
13 June | Public Holiday - Queen's Birthday | |
18 June | Family Mass | St Joseph's Church |
20 June | NNSW Futsal - State Championships | Maitland |
21 June | AFL Paul Kelly Cup | |
25 June | World Meeting of Families Picnic | Dixon Park |
28 June | NAIDOC Week Liturgy | |
1 July | Last day of Term 2 | |
18 July | First day of Term 3 | |
Dear Parents
Last Friday our staff gathered together for a faith formation day at St Joseph’s Spirituality Centre Kincumber. It was a day where we got to escape the hustle and bustle of our regular lives and to deepen our understanding of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop and to deepen our connection with the heart and spirit of who she truly was. This is extremely important to us as we are a Josephite school and it is our desire to carry on the education of today’s children in the manner that was established by Mary MacKillop so long ago. Mary MacKillop displayed great strength and courage, made time for all, cared for people from all walks of life, stood up for what she believed in, graciously dealt with those who were unkind towards her and never let her faith waiver. As a staff we aspire to be like her and inspire and care for your children as she did for so many children.
Confirmation
Last week a number of our students received the sacrament of Confirmation. It was an honour to share in this part of our students’ faith journey with them. I particularly found it interesting to hear, not only their chosen saints’ names but the reasons why they chose these names. Their choices showed great reflection and consideration for who they had chosen and why. Thank you to the parents and families in supporting and helping to prepare your children for this special occasion and thank you also to all those staff members who came along last Tuesday or Wednesday evening to support the children.
Pentecost Liturgy
We began our week this morning with a beautifully prepared liturgy for Pentecost, by our Year 3 students and teachers. Pentecost is the celebration of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus, who were gathered together. A "strong, driving" wind filled the room where they were gathered, and tongues of fire came to rest on their heads, allowing them to speak in different languages so that they could understand each other. It was such a strange phenomenon that some people thought the Christians were just drunk - but Peter pointed out that it was only the morning, and said the phenomenon was caused by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also gave the apostles the other gifts and fruits necessary to fulfill the great commission - to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations.
Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Church - Peter, the first Pope, preaches for the first time and converts thousands of new believers. The apostles and believers, for the first time, were united by a common language, and a common zeal and purpose to go and preach the Gospel. We thank our Year 3 team for helping us to celebrate this special occasion in our church’s calendar.
Disco
The school disco was a great way to end the celebrations for Catholic Schools Week. The children had great stories to tell about the disco and they were particularly excited about working out what they were going to wear for it. As you can see by the photos, lots of fun was had by all. For those children who were unable to make the disco this time around, many due to illness, do not worry for there will be another opportunity later in the year when our second disco is held. Thanks go to Katy Mooney for organising this event and for the team of volunteers on the night. Without you, these events would not be possible. We are so very grateful for all your support.
Kindergarten 2023
We have completed our student led school tours for interested 2023 families. Thank you to the Year 6 students for doing a wonderful job at informing potential new families about our school and all it has to offer. Thank you to the Year 6 teachers for enabling this to happen as well as we know it impacts on your planned activities. If you know of any families who have a young person who is due to start school next year please encourage them to seek an enrolment pack and book in a time to meet with me. Currently, Nicole Charnock and I are meeting all families over the next few weeks in advance of offering Kindergarten places for next year. If you already have children here at St Joseph’s and have another due to start but have not yet obtained a form, please contact Ange or Jo in the office to request a form be sent home with your eldest child.
Regards
Karen
Semester 1 Reports
Teachers have begun working on the Semester One reports. These reports will look a bit different this year. The main changes to this document are:
- The strands of English: Reading & Viewing, Writing & Representing and Speaking & Listening, will be further broken down to specific skills in these three areas
- The comments for Religion, English and Mathematics will be in two sections:
- Areas of Strength
- Areas for Development
- Commitment to Learning for each key learning area now has a 3-point scale: high, developing & emerging
- Personal & Social Development and Learning Dispositions have a 5-point scale: consistently, usually, often, developing or requires support
As mentioned above the comments for Religion, English and Mathematics will be in two sections: Areas of Strength and Areas for Development. Specifically identifying strengths and areas for development are essential in the learning process. Together we can build on the strengths of your children whilst addressing areas of development which support us to identify learning goals for your children within the classroom.
It is common practice in each class to set learning goals that each student is aware of. These goals are closely connected to our learning intentions and success criteria and most if not all students will be aware of their individual goal they are working towards as the next step in their individual learning journey.
Reports will be made available to parents in Week 9 on Friday 24th June. There will be opportunities for learning conferences (interviews) with your child and their teacher/s in Week 10. Further information regarding booking interviews will be shared via Compass in the coming weeks. When reading your child’s report, celebrate their achievements with them, look closely at their commitment to learning and the ‘Learner Profile’. Talk to them about their learning goals and how they are working towards achieving them. Continue to encourage your children to be curious about learning, to develop creative thinking skills and be resilient in their learning.
Diocesan Catholic Schools Week Liturgy
Last Wednesday our school captains and vice captains had the opportunity to attend the Diocesan Catholic Schools Week Liturgy. This was a great chance to gather as a Diocesan community to celebrate the wonderful work happening across the diocese, in our schools.
Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL)
Congratulations to the Gold Sports Colour House for achieving the most tokens in the first half of this term! Students in this sports house enjoyed a movie last Thursday. The children enjoyed some time out of their usual learning schedule to enjoy ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’.
Our PBL focus this fortnight is Care for All - Care for belongings and equipment. This is a big focus area as we often have our lost property bins filled with belongings such as hats and jackets. In class, students are learning strategies that will help them take responsibility for their belongings. This includes making sure their names are on items and that they develop a routine to check they have all their belongings with them. If you have an opportunity, please discuss these concepts with your children.
Prayer – Scripture Reading
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 20:19-23
The disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and on the evening of that same Sunday they locked themselves in a room. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He greeted them and showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they became very happy. After Jesus had greeted them again, he said,
"I am sending you, just as the Father has sent me."
Then he breathed on them and said,
"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they will be forgiven. But if you don't forgive their sins, they will not be forgiven."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Many children from our St Joseph’s community and the wider Newcastle Parish received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings last week. Father Greg and Father John celebrated these services at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. The students participated beautifully and it was a joy to see them receive the Sacrament of Confirmation supported by their sponsors, families and school community. We thank Dr Anne Millard and the Liturgy team for their support and incredible effort to make these liturgies and all the preparation so special.
Please pray for these children as they continue on their journey of faith.
Special thank you to our wonderful Confirmation candidates for taking such great action during their preparation and contributing to our community with their acts of service.
‘Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.’
From a students’ perspective;
When we walked in, we saw all the red balloons and Father John greeted us all. He explained what Confirmation is. We then sat down and listened to the opening hymn. Father John asked us all questions about the Holy Spirit and how all the people that Jesus knew, received the Holy Spirit in the form of a flame above their head during Pentecost. Then Father John came around with oil and put it on our head in the shape of a cross. After, we received a certificate that congratulated us on being confirmed. Then we sang the ‘Yes Lord, Yes Lord’ song. After that we went up on to the altar to get photos with our certificates. Our confirmation was very special.
Otis, Harry and Joe
St Vincent de Paul Winter appeal and PJ Day
This winter there is increased pressure on disadvantaged families in New South Wales who are struggling to pay the rent, maintain their health and buy warm clothes for their children.
The St Joseph's Social Justice Group team are encouraging everyone to support this year’s Vinnies Winter Appeal, to help support local families during this time. Our student representatives will be collecting donations from the classroom up until the end of June, or your child can drop them into the front office. St Vincent de Paul will then sort the items into hampers to be delivered to local members of the community.
A couple of points to note when donating items:
- To uphold the dignity of those receiving the goods, please ensure that all food items are not due to expire for 6 months. All items must be non-perishable.
- Look out for packaged food with a Health Star Rating of 3.5 or above. The more stars, the better!
What an incredible success our launch to the St Vincent De Paul Winter appeal was and what a great cold windy day to be in our warm pyjamas and dressing gowns. We have raised over $900, so far, and are continuing to receive many blankets and contributions. Many class buckets are filling up fast. These are the items each class is collecting
KB |
Blankets |
KG |
Blankets |
1B |
Spreads ie; Vegemite, jam |
1G |
Packet ready meals |
2B |
Baby Food |
2G |
Canned vegetables |
3B |
Long life milk and juice |
3G |
Canned spaghetti & baked beans |
4B |
Canned or packet soup |
4G |
Canned fruit |
5B |
Crackers and biscuits |
5G |
Milo/tea/coffee |
6B |
Oats/breakfast cereal |
6G |
Dried pasta and rice |
Financial donations can be made via QKR.
Blankets are another supply that would be gratefully received this year. Please ensure blankets and warm clothes are in good condition by asking, ‘Would I give this to a friend?’
Thank you in advance for your kind support.
World Meeting of Families
Pope Francis has invited all faith communities across the world to participate in World Meetings of Families. We are excited to gather with our families for a picnic at Dixon Park on Saturday 25th June 2022 from midday to 2pm.
This will be a wonderful opportunity to socialise with families in our community and share a cuppa and a game on the grass. BYO food, drinks and any sport equipment.
Drop in anytime throughout the scheduled two hours to have a chat and for the children to have fun with friends in the open spaces.
Athletics Relay team
The Regional Athletics Carnival will be held next Friday 10th June. Anne-Maree Mantach will be attending as St Joseph’s Team Manager, along with Zoe Parish and Emma Cook attending as officials. We look forward to witnessing so many of our talented athletes take to the track for a successful day.
The Relay teams were made up of the top fastest children from the 100m sprint and are indicated below. All other results have been shared via compass or are on the notice board at school near the Buddy Bench.
Jnr Girls Relay (Years 8, 9 and 10 |
Jersey F Adelaide M Maya V Sawa H |
16.97 17.21 17.30 17.40 |
Jnr Boys Relay (Years 8, 9 and 10) |
Evan B Archie D Oliver S Leimoni P |
14.94 15.61 16.17 16.32 |
Snr Girls Relay (Years 11, 12 and 13) |
Violet L Amalia S Audrey O Mabel H |
15.92 16.15 16.32 16.47 |
Snr Boys Relay (Years 11, 12 and 13) |
Sidney M Jacob F Lucas V Theo S |
14.89 14.93 15.09 15.15 |
Basketball
Last week we began our basketball program in our PE lessons. Students were exposed to a range of skills such as passing, dribbling, catching and defense. Feedback from students was very positive and they all enjoyed the sessions.
Please be reminded that basketball will be held on normal PE days for each class.
K-Yr 2: Wednesday
Yr 3 & Yr 4: Thursday
Yr 5 & Yr 6: Friday
AFL - Boys
Jacob F, Elliot M and Theo S had a brilliant time in Coffs Harbour competing at State, vying for a spot for the NSW team. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the day and they should feel very proud of themselves for making it this far. Overall, they finished 7th out of 13 teams which is a pretty big achievement. Well done boys!
The results are below:
1st game: Polding V North Coast – 34 - 12 (won)
2nd game: Polding V Hunter - 33 - 20 (won)
3rd game: Polding V Sydney South West - 75-9(won)
4th game: Polding V Sydney North – 25 - 52 (loss)
5th game Polding V North Coast – 35 - 15 (won)
AFL – Girls
Aurelia F was really ‘doing it for the girls’! The only girl who trialed from St Joseph’s and she represented at State level with such enthusiasm and outstanding skills. She played 6 games over the two days in Coffs Harbour, winning 4 of the 6 games and kicking 2 goals herself, along with 3 behinds. You made us so proud, Aurelia. An amazing effort!
Futsal
On Monday 30 May 2022, three teams from St Joseph’s participated in a Futsal Tournament at Howzat. We were represented by a Senior Boys Team, a Senior Girls Team and a Junior Boys Team. It was a great day that culminated in all of our teams making it through to the Grand Finals! Both the boys’ teams won their Grand Final and the girls were runner ups in theirs. The girls did exceptionally well with only four players in their team due to illness.
A highlight of the day was the generosity, kindness and sportsmanship that was shown to us from other schools. At each of the girls’ games, the opposing team lent us their spare players so that our girls were not disadvantaged by their numbers. For me, as the team co-ordinator, this demonstrated the wonderful spirit that is present at these sporting events.
All the teams will now progress on to the next level which will be held at Maitland on the 20 June 2022. More details following. Please hold on to the sport shirts and socks that were allocated to you, for our next competition.
A huge thank you to the parents who took on a coaching role, as well as the parents who were there to support the players.
Looking forward to our next Futsal challenge together.
Fiona McCalden
Boys Jnr Under 10s |
Boys Snr Under 12s |
Girls Snr Under 12s |
Archie D |
Ollie C |
Violet L |
Otis C |
Kalani P |
Rosa L |
Max O |
Christian E |
Frankie L |
Felix P |
Hamish S |
Libby D |
Evan B |
Darcy W |
Eleonor M |
Antonio C |
Lukas M |
Edie C |
Joseph C |
Joey L |
Aurelia F |
Harry S |
Theo S |
Soifia H |
Hayden C |
Jacob F |
Anderson C |
Gabe F |
Mason V |
|
Cross Country
Lily G, Archie D and Ava K will test their endurance and race for a place in the Diocesan Cross Country tomorrow. These dedicated athletes have been training at school on a Thursday morning with the help of Anna Graham, working on their strategy and approach for the big day. Their motivation and desire to better themselves is quite admirable and as a school, we wish them all the success for this next event. A huge thank you to Anna Graham for giving up her time for the betterment of our students.
Rugby Union
It’s been a long time coming for these boys, with the Rugby Union for the PSSA Pathway only getting underway this week. On Wednesday, Hugh M (6B), Edward M (6G), Max L (5G), Spencer S (6B) and Sidney M (5G) laced up their boots and took to the field for the Diocesan Union trials at Marcellin Park, Lorn. The day consisted of skills-based activities, with a short game at the end. All players showed excellent skill on the day, with three students from St Joseph’s progressing to the next round playing at Polding level. Congratulations to Spencer S, Hugh Mulley and Sidney M for being successful in making Polding, and well done also to Edward M and Max L for making it this far.
Upcoming Events
AFL
The Paul Kelly Cup (AFL Primary Schools Competition) will be held in Warners Bay on the 21st June (Week 9). More information will be provided in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough interest to form a girls team, but we will be taking one senior boys team made up of Year 5 and 6 students. Information will be provided closer to the date.
The team is as follows:
Mason V, Theo S, Spencer S, Heath A, Hugh M, Lukas M, Elliot M, Harry H, Callum V, Jacob Flynn and Hamish S.
We pray for good weather, sporting success and enjoyment all round during Term 2!
Sport Coordinator
Emma Cook
Year 6 - Canberra Excursion
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of the Civics and Citzenship education. To assist families and schools in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributes $30.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards these costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.
Old and New Parliament House
The House of Representatives and the Senate are key features of the government in the old and new parliament houses. The old parliament house uses a darker green and red which is what England has in their government. But the new parliament house has colours representing the Aussie bush with light green representing eucalyptus leaves, and red representing Australian outback and landscape. The seat that the speaker sits on is an important key feature and certainly stands out. The new speaker’s chair is a bit different though because it has a different coat of arms; the old one is England’s crest, but the new house has Australia’s coat of arms. There was a massive debate whether to take or leave the speaker’s chair to the new parliament house.
I felt so privileged to be able to go for a tour in both houses and be able to be where Australia’s prime minister and other important people walk through every day. For me, the new parliament house was much more modern with architecture, symbols and colour that represents Australia. Parliament House will always be a highlight for me, and I can’t believe how intricately designed the rooms are. There are so many minor details in these rooms you don’t notice in photos or on TV. The experience of the parliament house is something I will always remember and recommend to anyone who is visiting Canberra. - Luca W
A handsome building nestled in Capital Hill, originally from 1988, New Parliament House was an astounding site to visit. Walking through the impressive entranceway into a different world was unforgettable, a time which I felt very privileged to experience. Massive pillars lead our eyes upwards to the marble staircase, and I think that everyone would agree that the grandiose feel of the almost palace-like Parliament House was awe-inspiring. Excitement bubbled up inside, and enthusiastic conversations quickly turned to eager whispers as the silence of the building filled us. We discovered the Australian landmark at its best: being guided through the corridors, past working offices, into the House of Representatives and Senate, all while listening to the knowledgeable guides. But the place was eerily quiet – like the calm before the storm.
And then, that weekend, the storm began. Thousands of people bustled through the passageways, typing furiously at their screens, analysing numbers to learn of Australia’s new prime minister ... and Parliament House was brought back to life – a marvel of modern democracy - Eleonor McConkey
Something that stood out to me in Canberra was the city’s rich history and landscape. One thing that topped all of this off was Old Parliament House, an unforgettable feature to our trip. The beautiful old architecture and the classical interior topped off with the presence of the priceless history. We were so incredibly fortunate to be able to tour this beautiful landmark as a class. We explored the halls and were so privileged to be able to sit inside the House of Representatives. We learnt so much about the building’s past along with what shaped parliament into what we have today. Personally, I enjoyed everything about this significant site especially the details that really drew you back to life in this timeframe especially the throne-like chair in which the speaker sat. It was gifted to our country by royalty, so detailed with all the small engravings and carvings. Every single detail of this history significant building was awe inspiring. I can’t wait to hopefully go back there one day - Daisy Owens
Questacon
Last Wednesday, Year 6 went to Canberra and on Thursday night we went to Questacon. After we finished our dinner at the Atomic Café (chicken schnitzel and some veggies, and ice-cream for dessert), we began to explore the science rooms and had lots of fun. In those rooms there were science games and space quests and amazing things like that. In the second room there was a machine that completed a drawing style which was cool, and the item that drew the pictures weighed a lot. The next room was my favourite. In that room was an earthquake machine, a lightning machine and a weird but cool ring launcher. The last room had a fabric launcher which pushed the fabric through a long pipe and launched it out the top. It also had a 4-player air hockey game which got quite competitive! Questacon also gave us the chance to play a game against a robot which was very cool! Something that was also cool was the gift shop. We all bought things linked with science Ms Parish got a lava lamp for the classroom too. Overall, Canberra was a great trip, a trip I will never forget - Ed Morton
The Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is where all the coins in Australia are made. Australia also makes coins for Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa. When we walked around The Mint, we learnt about the gold rush and Eureka Stockade. Australia used to use British currency such as pence, shillings, and pounds. The first Australian coin was one big coin that somebody cut out the middle so we could have two coins because when Britain was sending convicts to Australia, we were not getting money quick enough. These were the dump and holey dollar.
We also got to watch people working in a factory to make the coins and we watched Titan working. Titan is a three-meter-tall robot who lifts large drums of coins into a machine to make it easier for the coins to be made and the coins get put onto a conveyor belt which goes into a chamber and the coins get stamped. The Royal Mint stamps about two million coins per day!
There used to be lot of mints around Australia but now there is only one. The Royal Mint that is in Canberra. The Australian notes get made in Brisbane. It was amazing to see where money is made and very interesting to learn about the history. We loved stamping our own coins in the gift shop to finish off a great visit.
The Dinosaur Museum
On our exciting and adventurous journey in Canberra, one of our stops was the Dinosaur Museum! Not only did we learn about the dinosaurs, but we learnt about crystals and the Ngunnawal people who owned the land before us. Did you know, if you have ginger hair or green eyes, you have a bit more Ngunnawal DNA? The dinosaurs at the museum are fantastic to look at and learn about! There are so many interesting dinosaurs and cool facts to learn about the time that they lived! There is also a gift shop with amazing cool items!
During the tour, our guide took us to different sections. We would be shown a display of model dinosaurs, bones, fossils, and footprints. Our tour guide, Alissa would explain and give us a detailed description about the different sections and its history. She would explain what the dinosaurs might have looked like, how they would walk or act and even their diets. We also learnt about early humans and how they lived. We learnt the names of the early human species and ways that they would survive. They were said to be shorter than our everyday person but much stronger. There were a few real bones that scientists have found from old dinosaurs that were there at the museum, however they had replicas of bones on display to example what it would look like. There was a section that had non- dinosaur exhibits, it included underwater creatures that were alive at the time the dinosaurs were around. One of them included the Megalodon, they had a massive scale of its mouth which included models of its teeth. There were so many parts of the tour that we all enjoyed!
Do you know some of the most shocking facts about dinosaurs are that a chicken is closer to a Tyrannosaurus-Rex than a Komodo dragon?
Not only were there interesting and amazing dinosaurs, but there was also an amazing gift shop to go with it! The gift shop included crystals, jewellery, figurines, magnets, stuffed animals and so much more. It was so fun to look around at all the different and unique items that they have. I even saw a massive crystal for $50,000! I also saw some big shark teeth which reminded me of the huge megalodon mouth that we saw earlier. For the crystals, the amethysts were glistening and sparkling but as you looked closer you could see that in the inside, the crystal was so sharp that it could slice your finger if you touched it! The things that I bought now look really good in my room and we were all so happy with what we got.
Unfortunately, we eventually had to leave the dinosaur museum. We all learnt so much and each came out with new knowledge, a new experience, and a new souvenir. It was great to learn about extinct species and see so many old fossils and bones. Everybody had such a great time, and it was many people’s favourite part of Canberra. We were all excited to share our new experience at the dinosaur museum with our friends and family back home. - Teddy, Ashley and Emmy
Australian Institute of Sport
The AIS is a multi- functional training facility for athletes of any type. The eight founding sports at the AIS are basketball, gymnastics, netball, swimming, tennis, track and field, football, and weightlifting before extra sports were added to the program. It has a swimming pool for water polo and swimmers visiting the facility for some training before a big event like the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games. When we visited, there were big futuristic looking double doors. The gift shop had to be the most popular of all as lots of people rushed to make sure they got the best items there. We did not see any athletes training, but the Sportex experience made up for it. We played arcade style sport games with virtual canoeing and bike riding along with a few other games such as wheelchair racing, slalom skiing and a game in which you had to score against a goalkeeper (which was my favourite by far) that appeared on a screen, and it also tested your shot speed. Everyone had a perfect experience that lots of people chose as their highlight of the trip. - Jacob Urube
Premier’s Reading Challenge
Congratulations to the following students who have recently completed their challenge Amelie M, Archie D, Lawson K, Giselle S, Millie K, Matisse S, Evan T, Zara D, Joseph C, Lola M, Harriet R, Eyan T, Otis C, Charlotte H, Ava K, Haakon M, Luka Z, Anthony H, Orla M, Zaylie P, Alice K, Mila K, Harrison E, Flynn W, Grace W, Marcus Y, Louie K, Ellie V, Zac V, Haydon C, Hugo C, Beatrice F, Sabrina J, Edison O, Angeline J, Florence C, Adelaide F and Lula K. Well done everyone.
Reading lists must be finished by 19th August. Keep reading!
Overdue loans
Several children still have books on loan from Term 1. Written reminders have been given to these students. Please help your children locate and return their books. If the books are lost we ask that you notify the library in order to work out paying the replacement value.
National Simultaneous Storytime
What a fantastic afternoon we had, reading “Family Tree” by Josh Pyke. Students were surprised by a visiting teacher. The students listened to the story and then completed some activities based on the book.
We were part of a huge reading event with 2,186,347 registered participants from over 59,038 locations. A great effort!
Aboriginal Education
It was wonderful celebrating Catholic Schools Week with all our students at St Joseph’s. I was lucky to visit each class and lead them through a wonderful lesson that linked our ‘Fully Alive’ theme with traditional Aboriginal practices.
We talked about times when we feel ‘fully alive’ in our own lives and represented this using symbols. We learnt that for thousands of years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups from across Australia have used symbols to share knowledge as part of their story and Dreaming.
We explored traditional symbols used within the Wonnarua Nation (Singleton area). We then used these symbols as inspiration to create our own representation of being, ‘Fully Alive’.
Children loved making these awesome artworks!
26 May: National Sorry Day
Last Thursday 26th May was National Sorry Day- a day to remember the removal of First Nations children from their families. A chance for all Australians to recognise the pain thousands of First Nations people went through. The children affected are now known as the Stolen Generations.
Here is a link to a beautiful video linked to Kevin Rudd’s national apology and Sorry Day.
27 May: National Reconciliation Week
(1967 Referendum Anniversary)
Sorry Day marked the beginning of Reconciliation Week. The anniversary of the 1967 Referendum recognises the 97% ‘yes’ vote in the Referendum of 1967. It changed the constitution to allow First Nations people to be counted in the census and to enable the Commonwealth government to make laws for First Nations people. Prior to the 1967 referendum- Aboriginal people were counted as part of the flora and fauna and not as a human. The day also marks the start of the annual National Reconciliation Week.
We at St Joseph’s acknowledge the profound mistreatment of Aboriginal peoples in our country’s history and respect the ongoing Reconciliation journey.
Danielle Shaw
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teacher
Musical News
I love walking around the school during musical rehearsal time. I love hearing music blaring from classrooms with children’s voices singing, feeling the ground vibrate as dance steps are rehearsed with such conviction a professional dance troupe would be envious and laughter erupt as costumes are tried on for the first-time turning teachers into colourful zoo spectacles.
With every passing week excitement builds, nerves slowly creep in, and rehearsals become more of a priority as classes join and combine performance elements.
Tickets will be made available at the beginning of Term 3 for our Matinee and Evening performances.
Michael Nolan
Year 1 have been having so much fun practising their singing and almost know every word already! They have been working very hard to remember the movements which go along with their piece. We can't wait to see what it looks like when we all come together singing, dancing and moving on stage!
Miss Flaherty
Garden Club
Garden Club provides an opportunity for students to learn about sustainability, recycling, and horticulture by growing our own fruit and vegetables right here at school. The benefits of growing our own food include:
- Healthy produce from non-genetically modified seeds with no synthetic pesticide or fertilisers
- Reducing global warming by producing food locally and composting our food scraps to create fertiliser.
Our new garden beds
We have 8 new ‘wicking’ garden beds. ‘Wicking’ is the movement of water by capillary action, where water is drawn upwards due to surface tension and the interaction of adhesive and cohesive forces. Rather than watering from the top, water is added to the inlet pipe in the bed. Excess water can drain from the bottom level.
Benefits of wicking beds:
- Use up to 75% less water than the old garden beds
- Plants draw up as much water as they need, so they are healthier
- Plants can survive up to 4 weeks without extra watering, which is perfect for the school holidays
Worm Farm
We have recently installed a new worm farm to assist in composting organic waste. The worms eat the organic waste and turn it into nutrient rich plant food. We have started with 1,000 worms. As we feed them, their population will double every three months up to a maximum of 16,000 worms!
There are many benefits of using a worm farm including:
- reducing the amount of organic waste going to landfill
- reducing greenhouse gases - methane and C02
- producing nutrient rich plant food that can be used for growing vegetables and fruit
Students are on a roster to add their fruit break scraps to the worm farm. We will use the worm castings to fertilise our fruit and vegetables.
Market Days
From time to time we will harvest our crops and the students will have a stall at pick up time. Our next crop will be spinach and parsley.
Remi
The students were absolutely delighted to see Remi back this week after a 2 week break. She enthusiastically returned to work in the classrooms listening to students read; providing emotional support; and even assisting with teaching a Maths lesson in Year 4. The Learning Support Team participate in training during recess every second Tuesday. Training will continue in Week 7 as she prepares for her final assessment to become a fully certified school support dog.
The students from all year levels have enjoyed writing to Remi and drawing pictures for her each day during lunch and recess. The post box is usually overflowing with messages of “We miss you” and “Where are you?” on her days off. It is important, however for Remi to only work 3 days a week. While she is at school she is focusing on her commands, providing emotional support and is in fact working the whole time. To ensure she remains calm and focussed at school, she stays home and rests 2 days per week.
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