1 May 2024

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to Week 3 of Term 2.

I was blown away by the number of staff and students that were present at both the Dawn Service and ANZAC March last week.  Thanks for all those who came along and participated for Joey’s or other community groups.  I also noticed many community members who were in the crowd supporting the events.

The P&F were wonderful in their effort to make sure the students (& staff) all had something to drink and snack on after the march. It was very thoughtful, and I am sure a considerable amount of work went into making the special ANZAC biscuit packs.

Thanks for your ongoing commitment to the school community and the ANZAC Spirit.

Well-done to the Joey’s Readers Cup team led by Year 5 teacher, Mrs Jessica Trounson.  The team competed in their first inter-school competition last Wednesday having a very successful day coming in second place.  What a wonderful way to celebrate the importance of literacy at Joey’s.

Both Challenge Cup netball and rugby league teams were named this week.  Congratulations to the students involved. Mrs Chapman and I will detail training times this Term before we compete in Week 1 of Term 3.  Challenge Cup dates for this year are 10^th – 12^th July at St Brendan’s College Yeppoon.

As mentioned last week, the Engagement and Wellbeing Framework at St Joseph’s aims to demonstrate the virtues of Dignity, Responsibility and Respect through compassion, reconciliation, and justice for all. Part of this Framework will be implementing a new Behaviour Support Process. This process will involve establishing a room to provide a safe and caring environment to support student regulation and their ability to return to learning within the classroom successfully. To assist in this process, the school specialist lessons in PE and the Arts will be moved from Tuesday and Wednesday to Wednesday and Thursday. 

PLEASE NOTE: 

The new PE / Arts days will be as follows:
Wednesdays: Years 3, 4, 5, Prep
Thursdays: Years 1, 2, 6, Prep

The Reflection Room will replace students sitting in the office when they have been issued with a consequence for behaviour requiring them to be removed from the classroom, as the office often carries negative connotations and isn't always equipped to provide the support required.  This room will be a safe and supportive space for students to reflect upon their actions, de-escalate, make amends when necessary and become ready to re-engage in their classroom learning.  It will be manned at all times (on a rostered basis) by a member of the leadership team or a member of the inclusive curriculum team. 

Don’t Forget …

• Commencement of Student Reflection Room (Engagement & Wellbeing Framework). Week 3, Term 2
• Week 3 – Permanent change of Tuesday PE & Arts lessons to Thursdays. (details above)
• Beef Week. 5^th – 11^th
• Labour Day Holiday. Mon 6^th
• P&F Meeting. Wed 8^th May in Library @ 6:00pm.
• CQ Capras Challenge Rugby League Gala Day. Friday, 10^th May @ Kele Park.
• Mother’s Day. Sunday 12^th
• School Photo Day. Monday the 13^th of May.
• School Board Meeting. Wed 15^th May in Library @ 5:30pm.
• Mr Mike Kelso Term 2 visit. Tues 21^st
• OLHC Feast Day Mass. Fri 24^th May in OLHC @ 9:00am.
• Children’s Mass/Sacraments Celebration. Sat 25^th May in OLHC @ 6:30pm.
• 10^th Anniversary Mass of Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Michael. Wed 29^th May 10:00am @ St Joseph’s Cathedral.
• Athletics Field Events Day. (9-12yrs) Mon 3^rd June @ SJPA Oval.
• Athletics Track Events (Whole school) Tues 4^th June @ Emmaus Brosnan Oval.
• Semester 1 Cultural Assembly. Mon 10^th June in MPA @ 8:35am.
• Show Holiday. Thurs 13^th
• Children’s Mass. Sat 15^th June in OLHC @ 6:30pm.
• Semester 1 Academic Awards. Mon 17^th June in MPA @ 8:35am.
• Semester 1 Academic Reports posted to Parent Lounge. Wed 19^th
• Under 8’s Day. Thurs 20^th
• Semester 1 Concludes. Fri 21^st

Have a great week.

Regards
Bernard Fitzgerald
Principal
St Joseph’s Catholic School, Park Avenue

St Joseph’s 2024 School Improvement Priorities:

• Christian Virtue – Dignity
• Increased Learning Gain & Achievement
• Learning Dispositions

CURRICULUM NEWS

Readers Cup

Last Wednesday, a group of Joey’s year 5 and 6 students travelled to Frenchville State School to compete in the Reader’s Cup competition. Students had a selection of five novels to read and study. They competed against approximately fifteen other teams from schools across the Rockhampton region. Students worked in teams to answer quiz questions from the novels they had read. This was the first year that our students competed and one of our teams placed 2^nd overall. Well done!

Congratulations to Ms Jessica Trounson and the students who participated in the annual Readers Cup. 

Rotational Activities last week

Last week so that class teachers could hold some parent teacher interviews during class time, Prep – Year 5 students participated in rotational activities revolving around dance, STEM and nature. Below are some photos of the students enjoying some of these activities.

ICAS

Once again, St Joseph’s will be offering ICAS assessments for students who wish to participate.  ICAS continues to lead the way in international academic competitions. Over 10 million school students from 16,000 schools across 41 countries have been inspired, celebrated and challenged since the annual event began over 40 years ago.

ICAS recognises academic performance in a way others celebrate achievements in sport or the arts. Students can sit up to six literacy and STEM papers including English, Mathematics, Science, Digital Technologies, Writing and Spelling Bee. The questions are engaging and fun and have been designed by psychometricians, education measurement experts and experienced teachers to push students to their academic limits, as well as test higher-order thinking and problem-solving abilities.

More information on these assessments can be found at icasassessments.com

Purchases must be made before Monday, 29^th July

To sign your child up for any of these assessments and to pay for the assessment please log onto the following link and use the below school access code:

Your school access code is: WSO834
Your parent page link is: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps

Regards
Deanne Senini
Assistant Principal Curriculum

CLASSROOM NEWS

Yr 1

We are delighted that our Year 1 students have settled back in nicely to the start of Term 2 and have been working hard on developing their literacy and numeracy skills.

In English, we have been very busy learning about narrative texts by exploring different characters in books and building our vocabulary skills by describing them.

We have been learning all about addition strategies and place value in Maths through a range of fun and engaging activities.

Singing has been a regular occurrence in preparation for our Mother’s Day Prayer Celebration next Friday 10^th of May, we can’t wait to see you there!

Please enjoy some photos of us using our new sensory path outside the classrooms!

Prep Celebrates Limb Difference Awareness Month

April is limb loss and limb difference awareness month.  We would like you to join us in raising awareness and celebrating the remarkable journeys of people in the limb loss & limb difference community. In particular, our very own classmate Thomas. 

Hand differences refer to congenital hand or upper limb differences ranging from the absence of one or all fingers on a hand and in some instances, the absence of part or the entire arm.

For more information about limb differences in Australia please visit:

SPORTING ACHEIVEMENTS

Season 1 Interschool Sport

Well done to all our students who participated in Season 1 sport.  Congratulations to our two teeball teams who competed and won their divisions in the grand finals last week. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congratulations to the following students who will celebrate their birthday this week.  They are: Paige B (Yr 5), Ami C (Prep), Natalia G (Yr 3), Sophie G Yr 3, Matilda G (Prep), Olivia K (Yr 4), Evelyn B (Yr 6), Rosalie C (Yr 2), Lucas H (Yr 3), Addison S (Yr 1), Jackson L (Yr 3), Leohan C (Yr 5), Addison M (Yr 4), and Kyle R (Prep).

Have a great day.

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