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Dear Parents & Carers
What a magnificent Catholic Schools Week we have had here at St Joseph’s. On Monday morning we began with a liturgy that helped us to consider how, not only do we provide and receive an education here but it is also where weencounter Christ in so many ways. Our student representatives led us with great reverence in this liturgy and helped set the scene for the rest of the week. The theme for this year’s Catholic Schools Week was “Drawing from the Well: Invitation, Encounter, Witness”. This encourages us to reflect and celebrate in the unique education we receive in our Catholic School that invites us to the well of Living Water, that is God. Our learning in this place draws together faith and reason, allowing our spirit to soar in the contemplation of the Truth. We rejoice in the fact that the knowledge of God and of the world that we gain here leads us to an encounter which in turn compels us to witness through serving society in the light of the Gospel.
Wednesday saw the official blessing and opening of our new playground and the feedback has been extraordinary, along with some media coverage on NBN and in the Newcastle Herald. There was a great buzz about the school throughout the whole day. We were honoured to have our special guests Chris Northam (representing Tim Crakanthorp); Kim Moroney, Education Officer of Early Learning from the Catholic Schools Office; Tony Peterson, our P&F President; and representatives from the Newcastle Jets, Lawrie McKinna, CEO, and Joel Griffiths, Wes Hoolahan and Lachy Jackson. present for this exciting occasion.
A tossup is probably needed to decide between whether Lawrie and Wes rolling down the mound; or the impromptu soccer game with Wes, Lachy and the children, was the highlight of the day! Thank you to all the families who came along to join in the learning in our classrooms before the opening and who stayed to enjoy a picnic on the playground. There was a wonderful atmosphere about the place.
Friday morning saw an especially beautiful and moving ‘encounter and witness’ opportunity for parents in Tokooliba. I hope those parents who managed to come along and join with Steph Colvin and Helene O’Neill, left feeling a little more refreshed and connected. To round Catholic Schools Week off we were entertained and informed by our terrific Year 2 students at their sharing assembly.
A week like this one is not possible without many people quietly going about pulling things together and I would liketo extend my huge gratitude to each and every one of our staff members for all that they did in helping us all celebrate and acknowledge the great opportunities we have here at St Joseph’s and for all that they do each and every day in providing a quality Catholic education for your children. Thanks go to you as parents as well, for sharing with your children your faith and your support for our Catholic values and Catholic education system. Together we make a great team!
Coronavirus Update
Effective 1 March 2020 the Federal Government has issued a travel ban on foreigners coming to Australia from Iran. Only Australian citizens and permanent residents coming from Iran will be allowed entry to Australia and from 1 March they are required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days after departing Iran consistent with the restrictions for those entering from China. Additionally, Australians have been advised NOT to travel to Iran.
The updated advice from the NSW Government for parents and staff is:
- Any student or staff member who has been in, or transited through, mainland China (not just Hubei province) or has been in Iran is excluded from work, school or child care services for 2 days from the date they left mainland China or Iran (as the COVID-19 incubation period can be as long as two weeks).
- Any confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excluded until they are medically cleared to return.
- Close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excluded for 14 days since last contact with the confirmed case.
- Students and staff who have returned to Australia from mainland China or Iran more than 14 days ago and have shown no symptoms are able to return to school.
The NSW Ministry of Health has processes to identify any close contacts of cases confirmed in Australia. Advice about not attending school would be provided to these close contacts by the NSW Ministry of Health.
Schools are to report any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. Staff and students unwell with respiratory illness should remain at home until symptoms resolve. If any student becomes unwell, infection control guidelines will be implemented and we will follow the advice provided by the NSW Ministry of Health as appropriate. Further information on COVID-19 is also available from NSW Health.
Maintaining good hygiene standards is an important way to reduce the risk of acquiring and spreading respiratory infections. We ask parents and carers to promote
good hygiene including handwashing with soap as handwashing is the single most effective way to reduce the spread of germs that cause respiratory disease. Please view the attached links to assist with teaching your children about appropriate hygiene practices.
Afternoon Pick Up and Morning Drop Off
The purpose of a Kiss and Drop Collect zone is to quickly and safely move children on and off the site. We ask that you not get out of your cars at drop off or collection time and that your children enter and exit the car from the kerb side, not the road side.
If you do need to assist your child then it is advisable that you park in a designated parking area to do this rather than use the drop off and collection zone. Traffic officers have advised us that they would be making regular visits.
For those parents who are not using the Kiss and Drop zone but are crossing the road with your child, please cross at the crossing as a number of parents have had near misses with parents walking in between cars as drivers are about to pull out. Remember, we need to be modelling the practices that we want our children to be following and I am sure that you would all expect your children to cross at traffic lights, especially when they are so close.
A cone system is in place to further improve our pick-up procedures. There are 4 different coloured cones on the footpath. You are asked to make sure that your name card is visible to the staff on duty before you pull up. They will then call your child’s name and state a colour. As you pull up, your children will be waiting at that colour cone and they can very swiftly enter the car. All cars are then to pull out in turn. For example, if someone is at the front pink cone and you are at the next green cone, you are not to pull out and go around the pink cone car. You are required to wait until the car in front has pulled out first and then you follow. We have found that having your children ready at the cones when you pull up makes things run much faster and more smoothly. Please talk with your children about the expectations you have of them in regard to being at the cone when you pull up and in getting very quickly and independently into the car.
Remember in a school Kiss and Drop Zone you are only allowed to stop for 2 minutes. At pick up and drop off times it is a no parking zone as the signage states.
Thank you for your support in helping to keep not only your child safe but all our children safe.
Curriculum Corner - Renata Powell
Staff Professional Learning
Teaching is a vocation. Teachers share a significant responsibility in preparing young people to lead successful and productive lives. Effective teachers can be a source of inspiration and, equally importantly, provide a dependable and consistent influence on young people as they grow and make choices about further education, work and life. Developing professional standards for teachers that can guide professional learning, practice and engagement facilitates the improvement of teacher quality. The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers promote and encourage all teachers to engage in professional learning. This professional learning has a direct link to the teaching practice in the classroom.
Please find outlined below just some of the valuable learning opportunities that our teachers have been, or will be, involved in for this term.
· Whole Staff - NAPLAN Online Writing Marking Criteria
· Whole Staff – New PDHPE Syllabus Online MNLearn Skills Snack
· Whole Staff – Professional Practice and Development (PP&D) – Teacher goal setting
· Whole Staff – Growth Mindset
· Whole Staff – Positive Behaviour for Learning
· Miss McGinlay and Mrs Powell - The challenges and rewards of leadership in gifted education
· Miss Colvin – Year 12 Religious Education Syllabus Module
· Miss Colvin and Miss Carney – Successful Foundations Action Research Project – Sharing of Data
· School Leadership Team and Pedagogical Mentors – Leading Learning Collaborative
"Mrs McMillan, Mrs Charnock & Mrs Skinner - "The Impact Cycle" & Growth Coaching
“Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” - John Cotton Dana
NAPLAN 2020
All Catholic schools are expected to participate in a NAPLAN Online practice test with all Years 3/5/7/9. NAPLAN cohort students in Year 5 will sit a writing and omnibus test. Year 3 students will only do an omnibus test. The omnibus test is a combination of Numeracy, Language Conventions and Reading. The practice test provides a good opportunity for students to familiarise themselves with the test platform.
At St Joseph’s we plan to complete the practice tests in Week 9. Further details of exact dates will be included in the next newsletter. NAPLAN testing fortnight for 2020 is the 12th - 22nd May.
Why are we a Bring Your Own Device School?
Education has changed dramatically. Digital technologies that are now available to children are so vast. For the past three years St Joseph's has been a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school for students in Years 4-6. We are facilitating a workshop for parents who are interested in learning why and how these devices are being used in the classroom and how students can create a positive digital footprint. Steve Newman from the Digital Innovation and Learning Team at the Catholic Schools Office and his wife Rachel, a senior lecturer in Education at the University of Newcastle will be presenting an hour workshop looking at these topics. We invite all parents to the workshop on Wednesday, 11th March beginning at 6.30pm in the school Library. If you have any questions of Steve or Rachel, please email them through to the school office admin@merewether.catholic.edu.au. For more information, please see Mrs Powell
Celebrating our Faith - Stephanie Colvin
Prayer
Season of Lent: Pancake Day and Ash Wednesday
Thank you to all those who supported our Pancake Day last week for Shrove Tuesday! We raised $465 for Project Compassion. A special thank you to the Mini Vinnies team and the parent volunteers for making the day such a success.
Thank you to Year 5 and Fr Peter for leading us in our Ash Wednesday Mass. It was great to share the special day with local parishioners
Project Compassion Launch
Last week, on Shrove Tuesday, we the leaders, Nina, Max, Emily and Will, attended the Project Compassion launch at Sacred Heart Cathedral with Miss Colvin. During the liturgy, there was a beautiful liturgical movement where Aspire students represented each focus person from Caritas Project Compassion. This highlighted where our money will be best used to help those in need around the world. It was very creative, and each person wore bright colours and used a hoop as a metaphor for all being equal and as one in God’s family. Bishop Bill gave all schools and the diocese a Lenten Commission and blessed the Project Compassion boxes. Our favourite parts were the music, which was upbeat and everyone joined in; we also loved the pancakes and ice-cream!
Project Compassion – Week 1 - Philippines
- Around 2.8 million children in the Philippines do not go to school.*
With Caritas Australia’s support, Shirley trained to become an indigenous health worker. She has learnt to supplement her income and is able to feed her family. The program has also empowered Shirley to send her children to school. Watch a short film about Shirley’s story:
Let’s Go Further, Together! Please support the Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au
Catholic Schools Week Liturgy
Thank you to the Student Councillors for organising our Catholic Schools Week Liturgy on Monday. It was wonderful to have everyone gathered in the hall to begin our whole school celebrations for the week. Thank you to the school band and Mr Ward for leading us in the school song.
Sacramental Program
The Parish Sacramental Program has begun for 2020. It is great to see so many children, particularly in Year 4 enrolled this year. If your child is not yet registered, it isn’t too late! Please register on the Parish website https://www.newcastlecatholic.org.au/sacraments/
The information session went well on Tuesday night, if you could not attend but require the information provided, please see Mrs Pringle in the office for a copy. The next important date is Tuesday 10th March, the Commitment Ceremony at Sacred Heart Cathedral 6pm, followed by a sausage sizzle. Families are invited to formally present their children and declare their commitment to the program.
Reconciliation modules begin:
- 29th March - Reconciliation mini-Retreat @ SHC 4pm (45 mins) then Mass and sausage sizzle post Mass.
- 31st March - St Joseph’s, 1st April Stockton, 7th April SHC, 8th April Mayfield, 2nd rites with parishioners.
Confirmation modules begin after school holidays:
- 22nd May - Confirmation Retreat @SHC – school day.
- 26th & 27th May - Confirmation @ SHC all candidates together by Bishop Bill.
Holy Communion modules begin:
- 21st June FHC Mini Retreat @ SHC 4pm 45 mins then Mass and Pizza in Toohey room post Mass.
- 27th & 28th June - First Holy Communion in their parish community.
Upcoming Dates
St Joseph’s Day – Our school feast day will be celebrated on Thursday 19th March beginning with a liturgy in the church at 9:15am. Activities will follow later in the day. More information to come soon.
Harmony Day - We will be celebrating Harmony Day Friday 20th March as a school community. Lots of fabulous things are being planned for the day and details will be made available soon.
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Newcastle Inner City Catholic Community - Weekend Mass times
Sacred Heart Cathedral – Vigil Saturday 5:30pm, Sunday 9:30am and 5:00pm
St Joseph’s, The Junction – Sunday 9:00am
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Tighes Hill – Sunday 8:00am
St Mary’s, Newcastle – Sunday 7:30am
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Students from Year 3 to Year 6 have had fun composing their own ‘rhythm songs’ so demonstrate their understanding of rhythm and how syllables in different words can be matched to particular rhythmic patterns.
Here are some of Miss Parker’s favourite lyrical creations.
3 Gold – Sidney and Zion
“Price is the limit of pancakes, with fried eggs while dressing up for costume day”
3 Gold – Hannah, Frankie and Edie
“Saw a goat, on a boat, drinking coke with Santa and a little bloke”
3 Blue – Xanda and George
“Mr Brown had a frown, in the middle of the town, he saw a horse, on a porch, eating sauce”
3 Blue – Addison, Misheel, Indy and Ella
“Clap along to the beat, and the rhythm, as you see the light from the Christmas tree”
4 Blue – Skylar, Miller and Ashley
“Molly, Coco and Ellie had a picnic up a tree, up the tree they had fun, sharing food with everyone”
4 Blue – Zenon and Mateo
“Hello yellow jello goodbye, good pie good lie hello too slow, eat the yellow jello, there’s a good fellow”
4 Gold – Eleanor and Isabella
“I love fruits so, I eat them a lot, eat them soon, because they will rot!”
4 Gold – Daisy and Evie
“Daisy and Evie, we kinda like jam, it gets a little smeary, but nothing like HAM!”
5 Blue – Sienna and Abby B
“It’s wood chip time, break it down now, criss cross is not time to cry, it’s time to fly”
5 Blue – Lillian and Chloe
“I really love banana yeah! If I travelled to the moon, would you wait for me here”
5 Gold – Rhys and Christian
“Mr Kenny in his beddy, with his teddy eating henny penny, night big Mr Kenny”
5 Gold – Ella, Isabelle and Miriam
“Hail’s falling down and the sky is grey, the power went out just yesterday!”
6 Gold – Amelia and Miranda
“Chocolate pastries tasted so great, then a fat pig came running down the street, that was the end of our sweet treat”
6 Gold – Hannah F, Frankie and Chloe
“Ohh the lasagne was the meatiest, the greatest, the feastiest lasagne, oh oh oh the lasagne”
6 Blue – Ivy and Madeleine
“A waterfall flying, is a man crying, the waves are crashing and a child is laughing”
6 Blue – Austin, Xavi and Michael
“Da Potatoes went on, a magical adventure to find the potato king, little did they know, robin was in the mood for boiled potatoes”
Miss Parker congratulates all students who received merit awards over the last two weeks.
Please keep an eye out for your class to be featured in the following newsletters!
Harmony Day is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values. We will celebrate Harmony Day at St Joseph's on Friday 20th March with an out of uniform day - we encourage all students to wear something orange (the official colour of Harmony Day), rainbow colours, or any traditional clothing associated with their cultural background.
We will have a liturgy in the church at 9.15am and students will enjoy a range of cultural activities with their peers throughout the day. There will also be a brief sharing assembly in the afternoon starting at 2.05pm where each class will share their art/craft work done during the day.
You are very welcome to join us for the sharing assembly.
Jenny Bowen EALD Teacher
Important Information regarding Diocesan Sports
This year the registration process for all Diocesan sports will be undertaken online on the csnsw.sport website (you must be selected at a Regional trial to qualify for any Diocesan sport).
Should your child be selected to represent at the Diocesan level, you will now receive event information as well as instructions on how to register for the event online. It is a parent’s responsibility to register by the closing date outlined on this form. If you do not register by the due date your child will be ineligible to participate. Your registration must be approved by the school principal before you can attend the trials. Please follow up, if this is not done within one week of registering.
The information for the trials can be seen on your child’s account once you have registered.
We appreciate you support of this new system.
Diocesan Swimming
We would like to commend all of the students who represented St Joseph’s and the Central Region at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival on Thursday 27th February. All team members represented themselves, the school and the region with great pride and outstanding sportsmanship. It was a great event with very tough competition from other regions. We wish to congratulate the following swimmers, who have now qualified to represent at the Polding Swimming Carnival on Wednesday 25th March:
Harrison Coppola – 9yrs 50m Freestyle, Junior 200m Individual Medley
Liam Doyle – 11yrs 50m Freestyle, 11yrs 50m Backstroke, 11yrs 50m Butterfly, Senior Boys Relay Team
Domenic Papichio – 11yrs 50m Breaststroke, Senior Boys Relay Team
Ollie Russell - Senior Boys Relay Team
Arun Griffiths - Senior Boys Relay Team
Bronte Bowker – 100m Freestyle, 12yrs 50 m Freestyle, 12yrs 50m Backstroke, Senior 200m Individual Medley
Bonnie Petersen – 11yrs 50m Breaststroke
Diocesan Winter Sports Trials
The Diocesan Winter Sports Trials will be held on Tuesday 24th March (backup date of 31st March).
The venues are:
Soccer: Lake Macquarie Regional Football facility Speers Point
Hockey: International Hockey Centre Broadmeadow
Netball: Maitland Basketball Stadium
League: Lakeside Sporting Complex Raymond Terrace
Congratulations to the following students have qualified for these trials:
Soccer: Bronte Bowker, Sienna Friend
Hockey: Poppy Wildschut, Joey Leis
Netball: Nina Amidy, Ruby Watson
League: Ollie Russel, Chase Firman
Parents, please ensure that your child’s registration in these events is completed by Tuesday 10th March.
Diocesan Summer Sports
We wish to congratulate Max Mitchell on his qualification for the Diocesan Cricket Trails to be held next Friday 13th March. We wish Max all the very best for this event!
Swimming Ribbons Presentation
Our presentation of Swimming Ribbons for our school Swimming Carnival is scheduled for Friday 27th March at 2.20pm. Families are warmly invited to join us on that afternoon.
Cross Country
On Wednesday, 18th March, students from Years 2-6 will be participating in the Cross Country event at Empire Park, Bar Beach.
All students will be walking to Empire Park at 8.50am, where we have an estimated starting time of 9.10am.
Please see below for a schedule of the races.
1. 8 and 9 years (2kms)
2. 11 years (3kms)
3. 10 years (2kms)
4. 12/13 years (3kms)
The fastest three runners from each age category will be selected to represent St Joseph's at the Diocesan Cross Country event early in Term 2.
Please ensure your child brings their asthma puffer, hat, adequate water for the event and that they have applied sunscreen before school.
Further, considering the timing of the event, several classes may be returning for a slightly later lunch. Our canteen volunteers are aware of this and will make appropriate arrangements.
Thank you to the parents who have volunteered their time to assist on the day. We are very appreciative!
Please feel welcome to come along and also spectate on the day! We’re looking forward to a wonderful morning.
St Joseph’s Cross Country Committee
Upcoming Dates
Diocesan Cricket Trials – Friday 13th March
Cross Country - Wednesday 18th March
Diocesan AFL Trials – Thursday 19th March
Regional Touch Football Trials - Thursday 26th March
Swimming Ribbons Presentation – Friday 27th March
Enrolments
Enrolments for 2021 have now opened. If you have a child starting Kindergarten next year please contact the office for an enrolment pack.
School Fees
Kiss-N-Ride
Canteen
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