16 October 2024
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Welcome to Term 4, Week 3
Dear Parents & Guardians
Last night I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the Emmaus College annual Academic Awards evening. Each year I am privileged to be invited to present some of the awards on the night and I am very proud to see many of our past Joey’s students receive awards. Well done to all of those students who were awarded academic awards.
Last Friday evening a number of our Joey’s students were nominated and attended the Darumbal Community Youth Services Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Awards Night for 2024. Well done to the following students who received awards on the night:
Sportsmanship Award
- Paige Toby
- Lilliana Littleboy
Academic Award
- Zara Malone
- James Walker
Citizenship Award
- Amelia Gray
- Jaison Henaway
Well done to these students for their hard work and the recognition of their achievements across the year.
Well done to Miss Hitchen, Mrs Farr and the Year 6 students for hosting a great disco last Thursday evening. It was a wonderful event with lots of dancing, smiles and laughter. Thanks to all of the staff who attended and contributed to making this event such a success.
Tomorrow we will be hosting our Prep Orientation sessions for the Prep students and their families for 2025. The day is always a wonderful opportunity to welcome students from both new and existing families to our Joey’s community while also showing off our wonderful facilities and student body.
Last Wednesday evening, Round 2 of the QAMT (Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers) quiz was held at Heights College. The Joey’s team had a fantastic night and finished tied for second place with St Mary’s only 0.5 points behind the Rockhampton Grammar School. This, along with a first placing earlier in the year in Round 1, is a fabulous achievement for our little school, our students as well as Mrs Farr and Mrs Wayman.
The competition consisted of mathematical questions round the themes of, Estimation, Speed, Written Problems, Individual short answers as well as General Knowledge.
Don’t Forget….
October
- 15th Emmaus Academic Awards @ 6pm
- 16th Board Meeting
- 17th Prep Orientation Day (Two Sessions: 9am-10am & 12pm- 1pm)
- 22nd Day for Daniel (Wear Red)
- 25th World Teachers (Staff) Day
- 25th Canteen Day
- 31st Swimming Carnival
November
- 1st All Saints Day
- 2nd All Souls Day
- 5th Melbourne Cup Day
- 8th Leadership Team Offsite Strategic Planning Sem 2
- 14th Emmaus Graduation Mass
- 14th P&F AGM (due to Leadership Gathering & Mass)
- 20th Board Meeting
- 21st Emmaus 2025 Year 7 Orientation Day
- 25th Semester 2 Performing Arts Assembly
- 27th Board & P&F Executive Meal
- 28th Presentation Night
December
- 2nd Semester 2 Academic Awards Assembly
- 4th Graduation Mass and Dinner
- 4th Semester 2 Report Cards posted to Parent Lounge
- 5th Year 6 Fun Day
- 6th End of Year Mass & Leadership Handover
- 6th Term 4 Concludes
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
Maths Quiz
Congratulations to Jake, Ella and Spencer who represented Joeys at Round 2 of the Regional QAMT maths quiz. There were a variety of questions presented to our team including estimation, speed questions, written problems, individual short answer questions and general knowledge questions. Our team tied for second place. First place winners were only a half point ahead of second place. A very tight competition. We are very proud of our students. They represented our school extremely well and certainly did us proud. Thank you to Mrs Catherine Farr and Mrs Alice Wayman for preparing the team.
Prep Orientation
This week we welcome our incoming 2025 Prep students and their families for our annual Prep Orientation Day. We look forward to welcoming our new families and new students to the school.
Regards
Deanne Senini
Assistant Principal Curriculum
RELIGIOUS NEWS
The 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
A man asks Jesus what he has to do to enter the Kingdom.
Mark 10:17-30
Gospel Focus – Sacrifice
Sacrifice is a term that gets used quite a lot in religion and yet it’s a term with which modern society is very uncomfortable. We’re not really ‘into’ sacrifice. We’re much more into feeling good about ourselves and comfortable in our existence. Jesus called on the rich man to make a sacrifice – to let go of what he really loved and valued. What Jesus really called the man to do was to place his trust in Jesus and not in material wealth – that was the sacrifice he was called to make. Ultimately, the man couldn’t do that! He couldn’t let go of certainty and security and entrust his life and soul to Jesus.
@Liturgy Help – by Greg Sunter
Honouring Our Spirits
In our Catholic school, emotional wellbeing and mental health begins with respect for the dignity of each person. We cannot pour from an empty cup and to honour the dignity of others we must first honour our own.
Each Friday of this term, the entire Joeys community gathers in groups to Honour Our Spirits. Identifying our emotions and how our bodies respond to these is our focus over the next few weeks. Developing the ability to identify and regulate our emotions is central to emotional wellbeing and dignity. We can all learn and talk about how our body gives us clues to how we are feeling and how we can use strategies to regulate these feelings.
Today, the secular world is embracing mindfulness and the dignity it brings to each person through improved mental and emotional wellbeing. This practice is not new to Catholics. We can look to Christian Meditation for strategies. The goal for each prayer is to hear God speaking to our heart. Quiet and mindful contemplation makes this possible.
Be with us Holy Spirit as we Honour Our Spirits.
Liturgical Celebrations Coming Up
*SJPA – St Joseph’s Park Avenue
*OLHC – Our Lady Help of Christians church (next to St Joseph’s, Park Avenue)
*MPA – Multipurpose Area (Basketball court)
Elizabeth Carter
Assistant Principal Religious Education
Day for Daniel
Next Tuesday (22/10), Joey’s will recognise Day for Daniel. Students and staff are encouraged to wear red and donate a gold coin. All funds raised will be going to The Daniel Morcombe Foundation.
This day is annually recognised throughout Australia, honouring the memory of Daniel Morcombe. All Australians on this day are asked to Wear Red, Educate and Donate. A day where schools, early learning centres, businesses and the community come together to raise awareness of child safety issues.
Educators, parents, and carers are encouraged to start conversations about personal safety with children and young people. At Joey’s, in class, students will be working through safety lessons.
Day for Daniel is the Daniel Morcombe Foundation’s biggest fundraiser each year. Your fundraising support helps the foundation continue developing free resources and programs for parents, carers, and educators to teach children how to stay safe.
Please follow the link below to the Daniel Morcombe website for access to fabulous free resources:
JOEYS GALACTIC ENCOURAGEMENT AWARDS
This week, the Encouragement Awards for Joeys Touch goes to the following students: -
Reuben B, Matilda H, Braxtyn P, Clayton V, Ella P, Ethan E, Olive O and Layla W
CLASSROOM NEWS
Yr 6
Hunter A My favourite memory from Year 6 is when
we were at camp because I got to do
activities with my friends including Thomas,
Flynn, Koby and Jaxson.
Isabella A My favourite memory is playing at lunch
time.
Jake B My favourite memory from Year 6 is the bus
ride to Friday sport when we sang the
whole time.
Jaxson B My favourite memory from Year 6 is when
the Year 6 football team went to Challenge
Cup. We did our best to win but we still lost.
Koby N hyped us all up by saying we still
made it, we almost won and then started
jumping around.
Tasharn B My favourite memory from Year 6 was
when the boys from the footy team made
grand finals for Challenge Cup.
Nate B My favourite memory is football.
Evie B My favourite memory at camp was being in
a cabin with my best friend Remee.
Audrey B My favourite memory from Year 6 is my
team leading our school successfully in
netball this year by winning the Challenge
Cup and winning the Inter School Sport
Netball Competition. Everyone together
working as a team. Everyone was crying
from happiness and we did our final cheer
with pride and joy.
Chevy B My favourite memory is that we won the
finals in football and the girls won netball.
Jett C My favourite memory from Year 6 is playing
footy, being in a moon boot and adding
Hudson into our family.
Harper C My favourite memory from this year is when
Scarlett and Eugenie joined the class and
we became amazing friends within a few
weeks.
Scarlett C My favourite memory from Year 6 is first
meeting everyone, making friends and
meeting the teachers. It was really fun and
all the students and teachers made it really
fun to come here. Meeting the teachers,
Emily S, Eugenie, Harper, Audrey, Mia,
Kelsey, Paige, Izzy, Charlotte, Matilda and
Maddy W was the best part of me being
here.
Ella C My favourite memory in Year 6 was winning
the Challenge Cup with all my friends. I
also loved having fun with all my friends at
school events and lunch times.
Rhalf D My favourite part about Year 6 is when we
did activities at camp, it was fun. All the
activities we did this year have been fun.
Koby G My favourite memory of Year 6 was the
flying fox at camp.
Maddi H My favourite memory from Year 6 was
when we did the flying possum at camp
with my friends, the night disco and going
to netball and versing people.
Thomas H My favourite memory in Year 6 was playing
rugby with all my friends and playing chess
with my friends.
Jaison H My favourite memory from Year 6 is being
with a great class and great teachers with
lots of memories made together as one
family. Thank you Grade 6 Seniors of 2024.
A highlight was being the captain
throughout the footy season with Mr Fitz as
our coach.
Charlotte H My favourite memory of Year 6 was going
to Year 6 camp. It taught me to trust myself
and my peers, and especially having great
teachers and friends along the way really
helped in my growth into a better person.
I’m really grateful for my friends Audrey,
Scarlett, Emily, Eugenie, Harper and a few
others. The self-respect I have now is really
helping me in school touch football (Even
though we’re losing miserably).
Remee H My favourite memory from Year 6 is when
we went to camp and got to try out all
different activities and facing challenges.
Juliet H My favourite memory from Year 6 was
when the senior A team went to Challenge
Cup and won netball. We all celebrated,
even though I was there for only one day,
the girls and Mrs Chapman made it
memorable and special for me. Thank you,
Ella C, Maddy, Audrey, Pippa, Amelia,
Kelsey and Ella S for helping us get to
victory.
Callum J My favourite memory in Year 6 is when the
6A Rugby League team won the Friday
sport grand final.
Wesley J My favourite thing in Year 6 was getting to
go to camp because we stayed in the same
cabin with my friends.
Blake J My favourite memory from Year 6 was
winning Challenge Cup, Year 6 Friday
sport, Math club and the bus ride to camp.
Pippa K My favourite memory from Year 6 was
being able to go to Challenge Cup for
netball with all my friends and winning
together as a team.
Kelsey K My favourite memory from Year 6 is when
we all went to camp. My favourite activity
was the flying fox, canoeing and also
hanging out with my friends. Also one of my
favourite memories is winning the
Challenge Cup with my friends. I also loved
the discos.
Lilah K My favourite memory from this year was
mostly camp because of the nature,
activities and cabins. I will forever miss our
little class parties and discos. I will definitely
not miss Math but still cherish those times I
learnt new things. Lunch was quite funny
because of my friends and I making jokes
and telling stories. Leaving will be sad yet
fun to start a new adventure. I loved sharing
this with my friends.
Flynn K My favourite thing that happened this year
was winning the Friday Sport Football
finals.
Jax M My favourite thing in Year 6 was when I
went to camp and I got to go on the flying
fox. It was really fun.
Frankie M My favourite memory was when Zara and I
did a belly bump with our bags on and we
fell over and we laughed.
Rhyver M My favourite memory of Year 6 was winning
school footy.
Saxon M My favourite memory was Challenge Cup.
Zara My favourite memory of Year 6 was the Country School Disco.
Mason M My favourite memory of Year 6 is at camp
when we were canoeing, we went to the
beach and some of the boys and I started
tackling each other in the water.
Kaison M My favourite part of Year 6 was playing
chess in the morning with the boys and
canoeing at camp with Koby.
Adam N My favourite memory of Year 6 was having
fun with our teachers, all of the discos and
camp because of the activities with my
friends and teachers.
Koby N My favourite memory is winning the
Challenge Cup with the team.
Nathaniel O My favourite thing is winning the Challenge
Cup.
Amelia P My favourite memory from Year 6 is when
we were at camp and Miss Hitchen jumped
in the water with us when we were
canoeing.
Cooper P My favourite memory from Year 6 is when
we went to camp and had all the fun
activities, though I didn't go on some
because they were too high for me. Another
thing that will make me remember Year 6 is
when we did Friday sports (first term was
the best because of soccer) I got to meet
my friend from my old school at hockey.
Emily S My favourite memory from Year 6 was
going to camp and being with my friends,
and finding Mr T’s sunglasses in the river. I
also was very excited when Scarlett and
Eugenie came to school and we became
best friends after that.
Ella S My favourite memory in Year 6 was winning
Challenge Cup with the girls and showing
good sportsmanship with them. Camp was
very fun too. It was very fun and my
favourite part of camp was the flying
possum and canoeing. My challenge that I
got past was canoeing because I was
scared at first but Juliet helped me through
it.
Mia S My favourite memory in Year 6 was when
we all went to camp and overcame new
challenges like the flying possum.
Emilee T My favourite memory from Year 6 was when
we were having a mini disco in the class
room singing the Sofia The First theme
song, Beautiful Things and a couple other
songs. Also at camp overcoming fears,
especially doing the flying possum. I’ve
made some great friendships this year! Best
SJPA Year 6 class!
Paige T My favourite memory from Year 6 was Leah
winning the most points on Sports Day and
also winning the Sportsmanship Award.
Getting an award (trophy) for being the
most aboriginal sportsmanship.
James W My favourite memory from Year 6 is winning
Challenge Cup with my friends.
Jacob W My favourite memory was when we won
Rugby League for Friday sport undefeated
and being with my friends before we split
up.
Maddy W My favourite memory was school camp and
all the activities of camp including,
Canoeing, Flying possum, Centipede etc.
Plus Challenge Cup.
Izzy Z My favourite memory from Year 6 is when
we went canoeing at camp and after we
finished we all jumped in the river and all
had fun.
Matilda C My favourite memory is going to the school
disco with all my friends.
Harry C My favourite memory was the school disco.
Eugenie NM My favourite memory was when I met all of
my new friends on my first day here at St
Joseph's Park Avenue and dancing at the
disco.
Keyboard lessons
Leanne Voss will continue to offer Keyboard lessons in 2024 for interested students in grades 1 – 6.
Lessons are of 30-minute duration and will be conducted weekly at school. Keyboards will be provided at school for lessons.
Students will be required to have access to a keyboard for practice and purchase a music tutor book and theory book. Lessons will generally be given to groups of 2 or 3 students with some individual lessons available when it is not possible to match students of similar musical ability. The lessons will focus on developing note reading and counting skills and using a chord bass accompaniment. There will also be an emphasis on utilising keyboard features such as different tones and rhythms.
Playing keyboard is an excellent extra curriculum activity to develop not only musical skills, but creative thinking, hand-eye coordination, concentration and commitment to task.
Enrolment forms are available for both new and continuing students.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Congratulations to the following staff and students who will celebrate their birthday this week.
Madilynn H (Yr 6), Georgia W (Yr 1), Leah Z (Yr 1), Sachin I (Yr 2) and Mrs Cowley (Yr 1).
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
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