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Dear Parents,
It’s extraordinary to think how our lives have changed so much in such a short time due to the outbreak of COVID-19. I’m sure that you have all been reading the updates that are being shared with you from both the school and the Catholic Schools Office (Daily updates form 4pm are found at https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/news-events/covid-19-update/). From reading this information you would be aware that the decision has been made that schools will continue to be open and operate as ‘near to normal’ at this time. The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has met to consider the issue of school closures in relation to the community transmission of COVID-19. Their advice is that pre-emptive closures are not likely to be proportionate or effective as a public health intervention to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 at this time.
It has been heart-warming to hear how many children don’t actually want our school to close and have expressed either to myself or their teachers that they hoped this wasn’t going to happen as they like coming to school to learn and to be with their friends.
Both the staff and students are to be congratulated for adapting to necessary changes in the school day including such things as no assemblies, increased breaks for hand washing and lessons to teach and remind one another about safe hygiene practices and social distancing. Thank you to the parents who have also been explaining and reinforcing these practices at home.
It is important that our own anxieties and concerns around the ongoing situation are not transferred to our children. We are surrounded through the media, our conversations with families and friends, and social media with images, dialogue and comments about Covid-19 however it is important to be mindful of how much of this your children are being exposed to. Once again, I include some sites that you may find helpful:
Kim Moroney, our CSO Education Officer in Early Learning, shares with us the following:
Here is a message from the children of Reggio Emilia in Northern Italy.
From windows, balconies, parks, city terraces children say with words and drawings that the Coronavirus will be defeated.
They tell us….
TUTTO ANDRA BENE!
EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. THE RAINBOW WILL WIN!
Children have desire for knowledge and for life. Children are competent in relating and interacting with a deep respect for others and they are capable at building relationships of solidarity. Children are reaching out at a time of unrest, fear and uncertainty. They are asking us to listen to their theories and wonderings, provide them opportunities to express their thoughts and reassure them of their safety and wellbeing. To educate means building together identity, belonging, future and hope. For this reason schools, in an educating community, play a primary role in recognising children not only as citizens of a community but also citizens of the world. Our schools not only transmit culture but create it by encouraging critical thinking, creativity and relationship. Schools are places where children and adults construct knowledge and understanding of the world together. This is also crucial to our own wellbeing as adults at this difficult time.
Currently, a great deal is expected of schools in our nation and you carry a heavy toll. Like the children of Reggio Emilia, I’m sending rainbows to each of our schools and your children and families.
The children of Reggio Emilia are reaching out to us across the waves. I invite you to share this message with your children! The Coronavirus will be defeated! The rainbow will win!
There is an inner voice that pushes children on, but this force is greatly multiplied when they are convinced that facts and ideas are resources, just as their friends and the adults in their lives are precious resources. It is especially at this point that children expect – as they have from the beginning of their life adventure – the help and truthfulness of grownups.
Loris Malaguzzi
I pray that all your family and friends remain healthy, that our leaders make informed decisions and that the medical and science world are able to overcome this crisis in the not too distant future.
CONGRATULATIONS
Last Sunday, Mrs Nicola Matheson and her husband celebrated the birth of their twins, a little earlier than expected. The boys, Chris and Luke, were in a hurry to enter the world at 32 weeks. Nicola and the boys are all doing well, with the boys spending a little extra time in hospital before coming home. What exciting times they have ahead of them!
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Last Thursday and Friday, Renata Powell, Nicole Charnock, Stephanie Colvin, Leanne Skinner and I, joined with the leadership teams from many of our diocesan schools to commence an exciting learning journey with well-respected Canadian educator, researcher and author Lyn Sharratt. Lyn focused her presentations and workshops on what research confirms matters most in learning, teaching and leading.
These workshops focused on the need to know all our students through the use of data walls. Our learning also focused on how we can best support all teachers to meet the learning needs of students through regular case management meetings. We felt inspired and excited by the various strategies we were introduced to and are currently working on how to implement them here at St Joseph’s to help bring about student improvement for all. We are looking forward to continuing our learning with Lyn when she, hopefully, is back here working with us in October.
CLASS PARENTS
Thank you to all those parents who have volunteered to be our Class Parents for this year. The purpose of our class parent network is to encourage all families in their class/grade to offer pastoral support to one another and to provide opportunities for parents and families to socialise and form connections with one another.
Our class parent volunteer list as it stands at the moment is:
GRADE |
BLUE |
GOLD |
Kinder | Chloe Ware (Indiana) Rachel Leonard (Henry) Donna Mansour (Ruari) | |
Year 1 | Katy Mooney (Christopher) | Jodie Bruce (Max) Adeline Peh (Harrison) |
Year 2 | Renee Mantle (Lola) Trudy Glasgow (Hamish) | |
Year 3 | Bernadette O’Connor (Xavier) | |
Year 4 | Peter Shrewsbury (Emma) | |
Year 5 | Bernadette O’Connor (Lucia) | Megan Webber (Lucy) |
Year 6 | Kelly Reid (Georgia) | Katy Mooney (Lachlan) Meg Sessions (Charlotte) |
The aim is to have two class parents for each class if we can. It is not a time consuming or onerous role. If your child is in one of the orange highlighted classes and you would like to be a class parent for their class please contact the office by next Wednesday, 25th March.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Due to restrictions on the size of gatherings ribbons for Swimming Carnival and Cross Country place getters will be distributed in class rather than at an assembly.
For the same reason we will not be attending Parish Masses for the remainder of this term, the Year 5 Sharing Assembly will not take place this term, and nor will we gather for the Easter Raffle Draw on the last day of the term.
The Easter Raffle will still go ahead, however the draw will be conducted in a different manner.
Term 1 Attitude Reports will be sent home, after school, via Compass on Tuesday 7th April.
Thank you for your understanding with these changes to what was shared earlier this term on the school calendar.
Curriculum Corner - Renata Powell
BYOD Parent Workshop
Last Wednesday evening a small number of parents and staff attended a BYO Device meeting run by Steve Newman, Digital Technologies and Learning Education Officer at the Catholic Schools Office and his wife, Dr Rachel Buchannan, Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Newcastle. Steve presented firstly on why schools are implementing BYOD.
The three reasons he gave were
- Digital Transformation – In the last thirteen years, our world has changed dramatically in regards to technology. It is predicted that any job that is repetitive or follows a regular sequence will be replaced with automation. Jobs of the now and the future require collaboration, problem solving, creation, and communication skills. Using digital platforms is one way we can develop these skills.
- Curriculum - Digital Technologies is a new strand in the K-6 Science and Technology Syllabus. It continues into High School in the Mandatory Technology subjects. The K-6 Science and Technology syllabus has the objective for students to have knowledge and understanding of digital technologies including digital systems and how digital technologies represent data.
- Access to Technology - Students need access to technology to develop the skills required by the curriculum and the future. 21st Century Learning means developing skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity (Four Cs). Having access to an electronic device at any time is one way to develop a child’s capacity in the Four Cs and their knowledge and skills of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) capabilities. In a 1:1 (student to device ratio) environment the intensity and length of experience increases significantly with technology so students can master the key skills much easier.
Rachel then provided information around research she has undertaken in children’s access to devices and shared how, parents and educators can assist in promoting a child’s positive digital footprint. Please click on the link below for more information.
During the meeting it was acknowledged that in some situations children now have access to devices before their parents would have liked. This does mean that conversations around setting boundaries into the use of these devices at home are important. Guidelines about children using their devices in public spaces in the home (not in bedrooms) and balancing their time with activities that are device free is crucial. Steve and Rachel both identified that there is possibility to further support parents in this area. Once this is created, we will share it amongst our community.
We thank Steve and Rachel for facilitating our information session.
Celebrating our Faith - Stephanie Colvin
Prayer for the World
Jesus Christ, you travelled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness”. At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the Coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.
Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.
Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbours from helping one another.
Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders. Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.
Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.
Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare.
In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.
Jesus Christ, heal us.
Amen.
St Joseph’s Day
The Feast of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was celebrated a little differently this year. Each class held their own classroom liturgy reflecting on the faith, peace and trust Saint Joseph emanated. Instead of a whole school celebration and playground activities, each class participated in a creative activity about Saint Joseph. Here are some pictures from Year 4 and Kindergarten who created St Joseph’s 3D Altar and a Saint Joseph’s Shrine.
Parent Faith Walk
You are invited to join us for our first parent walking retreat. Next Friday 27th March, Helene O’Neill and Stephanie Colvin will lead a parent and carers group faith walk.
We will meet at Merewether Baths at 9:15am and walk around the coast to Glenrock. This walk will be approximately 90 min in total. We will stop along the way to enjoy the beauty of Creation. This is meant to be a fun, relaxing and casual walk where parents in our community can catch up, get to you know others in our school community and reflect on the spirituality that can be found in nature.
When we return, we will have the opportunity to recover and “shout” each other a coffee or cool beverage at the Merewether Surfhouse (downstairs).
We encourage you to wear comfortable clothing and footwear for the walk. Also consider hydration, sun protection and mosquito repellent.
Please RSVP to the office by Thursday 26th March.
It would be great to see you there!
Changes to Masses and Liturgies for Term 1
All whole school Masses and Liturgies have been cancelled for the remainder of Term 1.
- There will be no classes attending the Friday Parish Masses. This impacts Kinder, Year 1 and Year 2 who were scheduled to attend Week 8, 9 & 10.
- This week, St Joseph’s Day and Harmony Day whole school Mass and Liturgy were changed to in-class liturgies and activities.
- Holy Week Liturgy planned for Week 11, will similarly be changed to a class liturgy and prayer service.
Sacramental Program Cancelled for 2020
A message from Sacramental Program lead, Dr Anne Millard:
Dear Parents,
We cannot be too careful, can we? Therefore, we've decided to cancel this year's sacramental program. We will see you all next year! Be safe and well.
Peace and all good,
Anne
Important Letter from Bishop Bill regarding COVID-19
Please find attached the Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Confronting COVID-19 Pandemic Event released by Bishop Bill yesterday, Thursday 19th March. Acting on Government changes to the Public Health Act, the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has cancelled ALL Masses and Church events including Holy Week and the Easter Triduum as of Wednesday 18th March until mid-June at this stage. This is confronting for many during this unprecedented global crisis. Please read the whole letter and additional attachment titled Keeping Sunday Holy. Please consider the points that invite people to still be prayerful with their family at home during this time and ways to reflect on scripture to maintain Sunday as a holy day. There are regular updates on the Diocesan website https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/.
Project Compassion - Fourth Week of Lent - India
- In India, over 70 million people live on less than US$1.90 per day.*
Sakun lives in a village in central north India. She developed polio as a child and has difficulty walking. Until now Sakun, an indigenous Gond woman, has been isolated in her community, unable to earn a livelihood and without knowledge of government schemes that could help her.
In 2018, Sakun joined a Caritas Australia-funded program which is implemented by Caritas India and its local partner, Samarthan. With your help Sakun now earns her own income and makes a small profit which goes
towards her family’s basic needs. She is more resilient, more confident and more independent.
Let’s Go Further, Together! Please support Project Compassion:
*Source: https://worldpoverty.io/
Cross Country
Thank you to all parents, staff and students involved in ensuring that a modified version of our Cross Country could go ahead this Wednesday 18th March. Special mentions go to Nicole Doyle, Amanda Vickery and Priscilla Emmet, who assisted with Wednesday’s event. We greatly appreciate all the time and effort that Nicole and Amanda put into preparations for the event prior to it’s modification, along with all of the parents who so willingly volunteered their time to support.
We had several experienced runners compete in each event and all entrants are to be commended on the mature and enthusiastic way that they approached the changes to this event.
The qualifying times for this year are substantially lower than previous years, which made the event very challenging for even our most experienced runners.
Students who have now qualified for the Diocesan event, based on their times are as follows:
Event | Boys | Girls |
8 & 9 yearsQualifying Times –Boys 11 mins /Girls 13mins |
1. Jacob Flynn 2. Sidney Maxwell 3. Archie Doyle |
1. Isabelle Gill 2. Hannah Webber 3. Stella Childs |
10 YearsQualifying Times –Boys 11 mins /Girls 13mins |
1. Elliot Mole 2. Spencer Smith 3. Edward Morton |
1. Edie Callinan 2. Mabel Hainsworth 3. Aurelia Francis |
11 YearsQualifying Times –Boys 14 mins /Girls 16mins |
1. Eli Wasley |
1. Eden Buxton 2. Oliva Halverson 3. Madeleine Lusby |
12 YearsQualifying Times –Boys 14 mins /Girls 16mins | 1. Kyle Burr | 1. Bronte Bowker 2. Madeleine Gill |
NB: We are awaiting further confirmation from the CSO and CSNSW Sport whether the Diocesan event will go ahead as scheduled in early Term 2. We will update families as soon as this information comes to hand.
Swimming Carnival Ribbon Presentation
Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions we will be cancelling the upcoming swimming ribbon presentation, scheduled for next Friday 27th March.
Students will now receive these ribbons during class time on that date.
Sporting Cancellations
In light of the World Health Organisation’s declaration of a pandemic and subsequent federal, state and health organisations’ directives, Catholic Schools NSW Sport have suspended sports events for the rest of Term One.
CSNSW Sport notes the expert medical advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, Commonwealth, State and Territory who have provided advice against holding non-essential, organised public gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday 16th March 2020.
In relation to our school, regional and diocesan sporting events the following action has been decided:
PSSA Polding Swimming Championships have now been cancelled.
The remaining Term 1 diocesan sports will be cancelled-
PSSA Diocesan AFL and Winter Sports Trials
SSSA Diocesan Tennis
SSSA Junior Football knockout
Regional Touch Football Trials
We will notify you of any further cancellations should they arise.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
This term in Music, students have been exploring the concept of Duration. Duration refers to the lengths of sounds and silences in music and includes the aspects of beat, rhythm, time signatures and tempo. During the last four weeks of this term, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will be further developing their knowledge of duration through the implementation of the Upbeat Music Program. This program has been used at St Joseph’s in the past and allows the students to further apply their knowledge of beat, rhythm and tempo.
Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 have been exploring beat and rhythm through ‘Orff’ movement activities. Orff-Schulwerk (German for “school work” or “schooling”) is a developmental approach created by the renowned composer Carl Orff in the 1920s. It combines music, movement, drama and speech into lessons and units that are similar and mirror a child's world of play. This way of teaching has been hugely successful this term. Be sure to ask your child to demonstrate some of the movements we have learnt!
Last week, Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 explored aspects of Australian Music by participating in an activity called the Silent Card Shuffle. They were required to match the correct cards to the music that was playing. Some of the styles we explored were soft rock, Aboriginal, film and folk. Following this activity, students experimented with the site Incredibox where they composed their own electronic pieces using musical loops.
Xavier Mulley in Year 5 Gold, played a concert in the Quad last week. He performed a number of Violin pieces from the Grade 4 Suzuki Violin book and had a supportive audience attend. Well done Xavier!
Miss Parker congratulates all students who received merits over the past two weeks.
Please keep an eye out for your class to be featured in upcoming newsletters!
News from 6 Gold
6G have hit the ground running this term and have enjoyed the learning that has taken place. Miranda, Max, Amelia, Luca P and Hannah H are here to tell you all about it! Year Six would love to share more about what they have been learning about so please ask!
Science
So far in Science we have been learning about different kinds of energy. One of the experiments that we have done is to make a light bulb light up using only a battery, some wires and an on and off switch. Some of the energies we have learned about are kinetic energy, potential energy and gravitational energy.
Potential energy is the energy that is stored inside an object. When force is applied, it is turned into another form of energy. Kinetic energy is energy where an object is moving whereas gravitational energy is energy that is inside an object but the more you lift it up, the more it gains.
In the next couple of weeks, we will be consolidating our knowledge and understanding of how energy and electricity is used. We will be making an amusement park ride and creating a circuit which will power this ride. We can’t wait to show you what we have created!
HSIE
In HSIE we have been learning about the laws within Australia. We have learned about the Magna Carta which was a law invented because King John was not being fair to his people. A group of English citizens wanted King John to obey the rules, which was the reason for the creation of the Magna Carta law.
In addition to the Magna Carta, we have been learning about the different Governments we have here in Australia.
The main Government is the Federal Government. The Federal Government controls the whole of Australia making decisions for our State Government. They control things such as postal services, immigration, trade, tax and laws. This is headed by the Prime Minister Scott Morrison {Sco Mo }.
The State Government controls just the State of New South Wales. They control things like education, police, real estate and public transport, which is led by the Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
The smallest Government sector is the Local Government which in our case supports the people of Newcastle. They control things like rubbish collection, pet control, local roads, parks and swim centers. This is led by our mayor Nuatalia Nelmes.
We are looking forward to our Canberra trip so that we can further explore our government.
Specialists
At St Joseph’s, we have specialists' lessons like Library and Music. The teachers are Mrs Dee Milgate (for library) and Miss Grace Parker (who just came to the school this year for music).
In Library we have been learning about input and output devices. Input is what goes inside/into the computer and output is the information which is given back to the user.
In Music, we have been exploring the use of symbols e.g. bass clef, crochet, and learning the rhythm to beats within songs like Bohemian Rhapsody and recording notes of beats in songs using musical symbols. It has been really fun delving deeper into how to make music and what is involved.
Miss Parker sometimes plays music for us and she is extremely talented. She even used to play professionally!!
English
This term we have been learning about predicting when reading. We have been making predictions about some of the books we have read so far. For example, The Burnt Stick, Ziba Came On a Boat, Too Many Captain Cooks and We Were All Born Free.
We have also been doing persuasive writing and learning about which devices to use when trying to convince the reader.
Another skill that we have been exploring is summarising. We are using the strategy SWBST (somebody, wanted, but, so and then) to help with our writing. Another strategy is the TAAMIO strategy (text type, author, action, main idea, important or key ideas, and organisation). The use of these strategies has been helpful in being able to structure our ideas when planning.
Miranda, Max, Amelia, Luca P and Hannah H (6 Gold)
Premier’s Reading Challenge
Students in Kinder, Year 1 & 2 and new students in other years will receive a card with their login name and password and instructions on how to complete the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) next week.
Login information for Years 3 to 6 is the same as previous years. Students who have forgotten can request information in the library.
All students at St Joseph’s are encouraged to complete the challenge each year.
Congratulations to the following children who have answered the challenge already: Audrey Johnson, Sofia Halverson, Miller Charnock and Christian Escobedo-Chateau. Well done!
Happy reading.
Enrolments
Enrolments for 2021 have now opened. If you have a child starting Kindergarten next year please contact the office for an enrolment pack. If you know of any families with a 2021 school-age child please ask them to contact us to arrange a school tour and to obtain an enrolment pack.
School Fees
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