26 April 2023
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Woo Hoo! Our Colour Explosion Fun Run is tomorrow!
Here is some important information to know ready for tomorrow-
- Fundraising will close Thursday night, however the cut out off for the highest fundraiser in each year level will be midday (Thursday) to allow us time to organise the gauntlet.
- All students will participate in the Colour Explosion Fun Run whether they have raised money or not. The only students not participating will be those who have returned the form sent home last week.
- Thursday is free dress day- please send your child in a white shirt and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Closed in shoes are essential.
- If your child is participating in the Cross-Country trials on Thursday morning, they will need to wear their sports uniform and then change into free dress on their return to school.
- Families are more than welcome to come and watch the fun. We are anticipating the day to finish at approximately 2:45pm
- This is the major P&F Fundraiser for the year and all money raised will go towards important resources for our school.
Regards
Bernard Fitzgerald
St Joseph’s 2022 School Improvement Priorities:
- Prayer
- Family Partnerships
- Increased Learning Gain & Achievement
RELIGIOUS MATTERS
3rd Sunday of Easter
Jesus greets the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:13-35
Living the Gospel – Living the journey
The story of the road to Emmaus is a perfect model for our Christian life. It reminds us first of all that none of us walk the journey alone. Even when we don’t recognise his presence, Jesus joins us in the everyday realities of life. The breaking open and interpretation of scripture is essential to making sense of our life experiences and through the celebration of Eucharist and table fellowship we are nourished to not only continue the journey but to share the good news with others. Where do you find yourself in the events of this story?
@Liturgy Help – Greg Sunter
ANZAC Day Prayer Celebration
A big thank you to those community members who joined us for our Prayer Celebration honouring those who have given their lives in defence of Australia. It was led by our senior students and offered an opportunity for us to begin our week reflecting on how fortunate we are to live in a country that offers freedom and safety.
Our regular Eucharistic celebrations at Friday’s Parish Mass and Prayer Celebrations led by classes will resume next week. Please see these outlined in the table below.
Liturgical Celebrations Coming Up
WEEK | DAY | DATE | EVENT | TIME | PLACE |
Week 3 | Fri | 5 MAY | Year 5 at Friday Mass Year 2 Prayer Celebration | 9:00am 10:30am | OLHC OLHC |
Week 4 | Fri | 12 MAY | Year 3 at Friday Mass Prep Mother’s Day Prayer Celebration | 9:00am 10:30am | OLHC MPA |
Week 5 | 19 MAY | Year 4 at Friday Mass Year 5 Prayer Celebration | 9:00am 10:30am | OLHC OLHC | |
Sat | 20 MAY | St Joseph’s School Community Parish Mass | 6:30pm | OLHC |
*SJPA – St Joseph’s Park Avenue
*OLHC – Our Lady Help of Christians church (next to St Joseph’s, Park Avenue)
*HF – Holy Family Parish Centre (next to Anthony’s School)
*MPA – Multipurpose Area (Basketball court)
PARISH NEWSLETTER
Elizabeth Carter
Assistant Principal Religious Education
CURRICULUM NEWS
St Joseph’s Learning Spaces
We often have people ask us how our rooms operate and why we do what we do. Over the term, I will share with you the reasons why we love our teaching and learning spaces and philosophy.
Reason Number One: Small group workshops allowing for target teaching according to need.
Reason Number Two: Our rooms enable students to move regularly.
Reason Number Three: Our learning spaces enable regular collaboration opportunities.
Reason Number Four: Our learning spaces help build positive relationships.
Reason Number Five: Increased level of engagement
Reason Number Six: Teacher Expertise
Reason Number Seven: Pastoral Check Ins with students.
Reason Number Eight: Consistency. Each child in the cohort receives the same messages and experiences from the same teacher, therefore, allowing all students to benefit from the particular passions and expertise each teacher brings to the room.
Competitions:
- The Independent Education Union (IEU) annual competitions are now open:
- Award for Excellence in Art Design invites entries from preschool, primary and secondary school students and teachers in non-government schools throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory. Entries close: 21st July.
- Queensland’s longest running literary competition, the QIEU Literary Competition invites Queensland and Northern Territory students and teachers to share their literary prowess by submitting either poetry, short stories or non-fiction prose. Entries close: 16th June.
- ABC Education Haiku Competition 2023 Write a haiku for a chance to have your poem published on the ABC! The theme this year is Seasons. To enter, scan or take a photo or screenshot of your poem, complete the entry form and upload your entry. The competition opens on 21 March 2023, 9am (AEDT) and closes on 21 April 2023, 5pm (AEST). The winning school will receive a book voucher, and the winning poem will be published on ABC Education.
- 2023 Premier’s Coding Challenge Students in years 3-10 are invited to enter the 2023 Premier’s Coding Challenge. The challenge aims to inspire the coders of the future. This year the theme is #digitalinnovationqld. Students are invited to help create change by examining real-world problems and responding with an innovative digital solution. The challenge in 2023 is to develop an interactive digital solution to create change in your local community or beyond. Students can develop an app, game or website and they must also submit a short video to explain and evaluate their entry. https://education.qld.gov.au/about-us/events-awards/awards-competitions/premiers-coding-challenge/get-started
Please see Mrs Senini for more information if you are interested in entering these competitions.
Regards,
Mrs Deanne Senini
Assistant Principal Curriculum
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Congratulations to the following students who will celebrate their birthday this week. They are: Eli Pearce (Yr 6), James Walker (Yr 5), Amelia Jones (Yr 2), Laythen Schneider (Yr 3), Paige Brydon (Yr 4), Natalia Gray (Yr 2), Sophie Green (Yr 2), Olivia Kaufman (Yr 3), Evelyn Boswood (Yr 5), Rosalie Castles (Yr 1), Lucas Hodgson (Yr 2) and Addison Smith (Prep).
Have a great day.
CLASSROOM NEWS
Yr 4
Term 2 is set to be busy and creative in Year 4! Following on from our successful Explorer Day in Week 10, we can’t wait to see what else we can learn!
In English, our focus will be on narrative writing. We will be exploring the elements of a story, such as plot, setting, and characters, and learning how to create a compelling narrative. Students will also have the opportunity to practise their writing skills through various assignments and exercises.
Check out this writing sample from Benson:
One day I went scuba diving and I saw a shark. Every time I looked away, it started getting closer. One minute later, it stopped and then it started to swim really fast at me. BUT there were some other sharks coming from all around me. They started going fast. There was only one thing to do: go up! And then…their heads bumped into each other!
In Science, we will be studying the properties of materials. Students will have the chance to conduct experiments and observe the properties of materials in action. In HaSS (Humanities and Social Sciences), we will be learning about the First Fleet. We will find out why the First Fleet was sent to Australia, as well as the experiences of the convicts and settlers who arrived on the ships. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about the impact that the First Fleet had on Indigenous Australians.
In Religion, our focus will be on community. We will be discussing what it means to be part of a community and exploring the different types of communities that exist. We will talk about the ‘common good’ and investigate Catholic Social Teaching.
Finally, in Maths, our focus will be on time and money. This will involve learning how to tell the time using both analogue and digital clocks, as well as developing an understanding of how to solve problems using money. Students will also have the chance to practise their problem-solving skills through various maths exercises.
We are excited to delve into these topics with our students and are looking forward to a productive and engaging term.
DRAKES SUPA IGA
Drakes Fundraiser for St. Joseph's Cathedral
I thank you for your support of this project which has raised over $40,000, of which the school community has played an important role. Please continue to support the Cathedral by shopping at DRAKES using your key tag and receiving the benefits.
If you have not been part of this fundraiser you are invited to get a key tag from your local School or Church and shop at your local Drakes, one cent in every dollar you spend will go to the Cathedral. No Fuss, only benefits.
Hoping to see you at Drakes
Stay Safe
Shirley Hopkins,
Co-ordinator, Drakes Fundraiser for St Joseph's Cathedral