13 March 2019

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Our St Joseph’s whole school Feast Day Mass followed by our Grandparents Morning Tea will be held this Friday, the 15th of March commencing with the mass in OLHC Church at 9:00am followed by the morning tea in the MPA till 11:00am.

As we share Friday’s mass with the Parish, I request that we leave the parking spaces directly outside the church vacant for the use of our senior parishioners.

Also, please remember that during all of these celebrations, our school community should not use the parking in the mall as retailers have previously complained that there is no parking for their patrons. In an effort to try and alleviate these parking issues we will be making parking available on the grassed area beyond the end of the Multi-Purpose Area for this Friday’s celebration.

We have also nominated Joey’s to take part in this Friday’s National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. Even though this topic is tremendously important, as you know the date is also the biggest on our calendar for the year. After the Grandparent’s Morning Tea, our upper school students will still be participating in inter-school sport while our Prep to Year 3 students will be taking part in age appropriate activities to both support this important cause and continue to educate our children in respecting, loving and caring for each other just as Jesus did.

I have also included the following image about Bullying that you may wish to share and discuss with your children.

Catholic Education’s St Patrick’s Race Day will be held at Callaghan Park on Saturday, March 16th. Raffle tickets for this event. These books of tickets will need to be returned to our school office, sold or unsold for collection. Proceeds from this event are distributed to all the Catholic schools in the Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast area.

School Fee reminders were sent out last week and would now be overdue by three weeks. Can I please ask that this is dealt with as a matter of priority and have this sorted before the end of term. If this will not be the case and you are experiencing some form of difficulty with fee payment, contact should be made with myself through the school office as soon as possible.

Although not ideal timing, our commitment to having our entire teaching staff trained in Classroom Profiling Practices as per our St Joseph’s School Improvement Plan, will see myself and a few of our classroom teachers take part in intensive Classroom Profiling Training early next week.

Finally, it is my pleasure to welcome Mrs Rachael Duncan to our Joey’s staff. Rachael was successful in securing the vacant role of Year 5 Teacher Assistant. Rachael is a current parent at St Joseph’s who has a long history of working in Catholic Education. I am sure you will join me in welcoming Rachael into our lovely community.

Don’t Forget …

• Safeguarding Children & Young People Intensive Study (Mr Fitzgerald & Miss Black) March 14th–17th
• St Joseph’s Grandparents Day Mass, Friday 15th March @ 9:00am in OLHC
• National Anti-Bullying & Non-Violence Day, Friday 15th March
• St Patrick’s Race Day, Saturday 16th March
• Classroom Profiling Training, March 18th-20th (Mr Fitzgerald, Miss Hamilton, Mrs Mooney & Miss McLeod)
• St Joseph’s Cross Country/Fun Run Day, Tuesday 19th March
• School Board meeting, Wednesday 20th March @ 5:30pm
• St Mary’s Grandstand Classic Race Day, Saturday 13th April

Have a great week.

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

APRE REFLECTION

Life wasn’t easy for twelve-year-old Thandolwayo. Every morning she would walk seven kilometres to collect water for her family from the river. Thandolwayo would then go to school feeling very tired. It was hard for her to listen and learn at school when she was so tired and sick from drinking unclean water.

Thandolwayo’s community worked together with Caritas to get a tap with clean water in the village.

Mass times

Weekday

Tuesday 9.00am Holy Family
Wednesday 12.00 Noon St Mary’s
Thursday 8.00am Emmaus College (Yaamba Rd)
Friday 9.00am Our Lady Help of Christians

Weekend

Saturday - Vigil

5.00pm Holy Family
6.30pm Our Lady Help of Christians

Sunday

7.00am St Mary’s
9.00am Holy Family

Bernadette Brennan
APRE

RELIGIOUS MATTERS

Liturgical Celebrations for Term 1

*OLHC – Our Lady Help of Christians church – next to school
*MPA – Multipurpose Area (Basketball court)
*LOW – Liturgy of the Word

St Joseph’s Feast Day/Grandparents Day Mass – 15th of March

Our annual St Joseph’s whole school Feast Day Mass followed by our Grandparents Morning Tea will be held this Friday, the 15th of March commencing with the mass in OLHC Church at 9:00am followed by the morning tea in the MPA until 11:00am.

Families are asked to contribute to the morning tea and celebrate this very special day as a whole community.

• Eldest child in Prep to Year 2: plate of biscuits, cakes or other sweet to share.
• Eldest child in Year 3 – sliced fruit
• Eldest child in Year 4 – 6: plate of sandwiches to share

Hope to see you there.

Project Compassion

On Monday, the Year 5 and 6 students provided a social justice activity for the school. To help students recognize the struggles of poor and to empathise with the challenges these young people face daily. Students were given the challenge of carrying a 5 litre container of water a considerable distance. This is a chore the child in this week’s Project Compassion video had to do on a daily basis prior to the aid of Caritas Australia. Our goal is for our students to recognize how fortunate we are to live in the community we are in.

This week’s Project Compassion video can be found here.

Bernadette Brennan
APRE

SPORTING MATTERS

Rockhampton District Selection Trials

Term 1

Below are the Rockhampton and District Trials (RDS) for the following Primary School sports happening in Term 1. If your child has the prerequisite skills and you wish for them to trial in the following sports, you can contact me through the school office to obtain the appropriate trial forms. Alternatively, the forms can be downloaded in the Parents Notes section of the Skoolbag App.

Please be aware that for your child to attend these trials as a 10-year-old student that they would need to be exceptional as they will be competing against students up to 12 years of age.

Run4Fun / Cross Country

The School Run4Fun is next week! Tuesday 19th March

The first race will start at 9:00am at Tom Nutley Oval off Knight Street(Colts Rugby.)

It’s your last chance to raise funds for our great school. Jump online to the website below and share your Profile Page using the share buttons. You’ll achieve your fundraising goal in no time.

HOW TO ORDER YOUR PRIZE? EASY!

You have two options to order your prize – either by completing and returning the back page of the Sponsorship Form to classroom teachers or login or create a Profile Page at the link below. You have 7 days from the carnival to order your prize.

Sporting Success

Rockhampton District School Sports Selection

Congratulations to the following students for their selection in the Rockhampton teams. They will all be trialing for Capricornia selection in the upcoming weeks.

Hannah & Breanna U12 Touch Football

Friday Sport

Soccer

Yr 5 boys St Joeys Navy v Mt Archer at Mt Archer 12:40
Yr 6 boys St Joeys Maroon v Mt Archer at Mt Archer 1:35
Yr 6 girls St Joeys v Gracemere SS 6 at Norbridge Park 6A 12:40
Yr 6 Blue (mixed) St Joeys v Lakes Creek SS 1 at Pilbeam Park 12:40
Yr 5 White (mixed) St Joeys v Lakes Creek SS 2 at Pilbeam Park 1:35

Softball/Teeball

St Joeys Navy v Berserker 3 on field 4
St Joeys White v Mt Archer on W2
St Joeys Maroon v Frenchville on 4C
St Joeys Blue v Glenmore on 2A
St Joeys Gold v Frenchville on 3A

Softball/Teeball games commence about 12:30

CURRICULUM NEWS

NAPLAN 2019

In 2019, St Josephs will be participating in NAPLAN online. All students in Years 3 and 5 will be completing all NAPLAN assessments online with the exception of the Year 3 writing assessment which will be completed on paper. Last year we participated in a practice NAPLAN online test in order to ensure our technology infrastructures and equipment were sufficient. This year, we will participate in another practice test which is designed to allow for any complications to be identified and resolved before the official test occurs in May. The practice test for St Josephs will occur on Wednesday, 3rd April while the official testing period will occur in week 4 of Term 2 (14th – 17th May).

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child sitting either the practice test or the official tests, please make an appointment to discuss these concerns with either myself or Bernard Fitzgerald.

ICAS - 2019

Students are invited to participate in ICAS assessments in 2019. This year the ICAS assessments have moved to an online format and are occurring later in the year. These assessments are designed to recognise and reward academic excellence. The assessments are based on the curriculum for each relevant year level. These assessments are designed to allow students to demonstrate a deeper, integrated and thorough level of learning.

More information about how to sign up for these assessments will be made available next term.

Write4fun Competition

The 2019 Schools Writing Competition is now open. Write4fun encourages students to read and write through fun competitions. School students across Australia battle it out for the great cash and prizes on offer. First prize is $500 cash for the winning student and $500 cash for their school plus their choice of an Apple iPad 32GB, Xbox One X, $500 Rebel Sport Gift Card or a Playstation 4.

To enter this competition you need to write either a Poem consisting of 16 lines or less OR a short story consisting of 500 words or less. You can choose any writing style and any topic. The competition is open for any student in Kindergarten through to Grade 12.

For more information and details on how to enter please visit this website:

Entries close on Sunday 31st March 2019.

Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum

Throughout Semester One, our school will be implementing the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum with students in all year levels. The curriculum is based on principles of best practice in child safety education and centres around three key messages: Recognise, React and Report. Through a series of lessons, students will learn how to recognise, react and report when they are unsafe or find themselves in situations that can have a significant detrimental effect on their physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing.

The Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum has been mandated by our Diocese to be actively taught in all of the Rockhampton Catholic schools each year. In 2019, classroom teachers will teach these lessons on a Friday morning as part of the Health Curriculum.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this program please don’t hesitate to contact either Mrs Senini, Mr Fitzgerald or your child’s classroom teacher.

More information about the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum can be found at this website:

LITERACY CORNER

Reading:

Learning to read involves children learning skills in comprehension, fluency, accuracy and expanding on their known vocabulary. This week’s skill comes under the heading of accuracy.

Strategy – Cross Checking

Do the pictures and /or words look right? Do they sound right? Do they make sense?

Cross Checking is a strategy for ensuring the words (and sometimes pictures) make sense and match the letters on the page. When a word doesn’t make sense in the sentence, students cross check the word with the pictures and look at the letters and sounds in the word. This concept is usually used for beginner readers.

Spelling:

Strategy: Definitions

Knowing and understanding the meaning of a word is an essential part of any spelling program. Whether your child looks up the word in a dictionary, asks you for the meaning, draws a picture to illustrate the meaning or writes out the meaning, it is important that they understand what their spelling words mean. They can then confidently use any new words in their speaking and writing.

Mental Computation:

Knowing strategies to assist students to recall number facts quickly is essential for success in mathematics. Each year level will be focussing on particular number facts strategies throughout 2019. Please contact your child’s teacher to find out the strategy your child should be practicing this week.

Game – Cards

• Using a pack of cards, turn over two cards and race your child/ren to mentally calculate the sum of both cards. This game can also be used for subtraction, multiplication and division. You could also extend the game by using more than 2 cards.

Regards,

Deanne Senini
Assistant Principal Curriculum

FINANCE NEWS

Fee Accounts for Term 1 are now 3 weeks overdue and need your URGENT attention.

If you have not received your Fee statement or are unable to make any payment, can you please make immediate contact with Bernard or Megan to advise your current situation?

Fee Accounts are now being published to Parent Lounge and will no longer be posted out in hard copy. You will need to Login to Parent Lounge to access your Fee Statement.

Please remember to update your Concession Card if it has expired, as you are unable to get the Concession without a new card being presented.

If paying by Direct Deposit, please use your Account Number as the reference (this is the 6 digit number on your Fee Statement).

CLASSROOM NEWS

3T

We have had a fantastic start to the year in 3T. We have been very productive in all our subject areas. In English each week we focus on a different sound pattern using the Sound Waves phonemic approach strategy of sound-to-letter which acknowledges that sounds can be represented more than one way in written form, our genre focus is narratives with lots of reading happening it helps us to focus on our reading goals.

Sound Waves - Sound practice

In Mathematics we count each day and complete daily math mentals as well as problem solving and Imaths topics with a focus on Place Value this week. We have been learning about Australia’s states and territories and our neighbouring countries in Geography. Our Prayer Assembly in Week 8 is focusing on Lent and forgiveness as we have been learning about Reconciliation in Religion this term.

Lenten promises on our Prayer Table

We are hoping for some nice warm weather this week so we can test out our Solar Ovens that we have been constructing as part of our Technology unit.

Solar Ovens

From Mrs Tennyson and the students of 3T

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congratulations to the following students & staff who will celebrate their birthday this week. They are: Lachlan Bragg PG, Tyson Arnold PG, Heidi Nembach 3T, Blair Andjal 3M & Miss Sloan PG.

Have a great day.

P & F NEWS

EASTER RAFFLE

This term the Year 6 major fundraiser is an Easter multi-draw raffle that will be drawn on Grandparent’s Day (Week 7 – Friday 15 March). Tickets are $1 each and to be sold before and after school in Weeks 5, 6 & 7:

• before school - in the undercover area
• after school - outside the Year One & Learning Support rooms

Thank you for your support, it is always a great event!

BOOK CLUB

LOOP Platform for Parents

St Joseph’s participates in Book Club, sometimes up to twice a term during the school year.

The Book Club catalogue offers a different selection of books for all ages (kindy to 12+). These books span a wide range of children’s reading levels and interests, including award-winners, best-sellers as well as old and new favourites. Some for as little as $2. (However there is never any obligation to order).

Ordering is very easy via the Book Club LOOP platform for parents. This allows orders to be submitted online directly to the school and books delivered to your classroom. See the website below or download the LOOP app from the App Store or Google Play. You can even earn FREE books with consecutive LOOP orders – see the link below for more information!

Due dates for Book Club orders will be displayed around the school near classrooms, for your convenience.

A percentage of all orders is given back to St Joseph’s in the form of Scholastic Rewards. This is used to purchase new resources for the Teachers Resource Room/Classrooms as well as for the purchase of range of brand new Fiction and Non-Fiction titles for your children to access each week during their Library Time.

Happy reading and thank you for your continued support.

Michelle Roberts

FROM THE SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

Spending time with your child, fills your heart and grows their brain.

Our children’s brain literally grows with every connection and interaction a child has each day. It can be a smile, a joke, reading a book, singing in the car, eating dinner together, talking or a simple hug. You as the most significant people in their lives can influence and shape the pathways and connections in their brains.

I came across this video and found it inspired me to remember, the influence we all have in a child’s life.

Have a super week

Michelle Hoffman
School Counsellor
Emmaus College - Monday Tuesday - (07) 4923 5700

St Joseph's Park Avenue - Wednesday - Friday - (07) 4994 8205

PARENT LOUNGE

Changes to your address, phone number or work phone number can be made in Parent Lounge. Simply log in, go to the Parent Details tab, make your changes, and then submit.

ABSENTEES

Absentees can be done through the Skoolbag App. Click on our School Logo, eforms and then Absentee Form.

All notifications from the school are done through this app. Our weekly Newsletters are also posted to this app.

Please make sure that you have downloaded it.

SCHOOL BANKING

School banking happens every Thursday.

If you wish to start school banking, you need to open a Youth Saver Account at the Commonwealth bank, make no deposit and they will provide you with your banking book and details.

Please send your child’s banking book in so they can place it in the grey classroom-banking bag.

VOLUNTEERS INDUCTION SESSIONS

WPH&S Volunteers Inductions are necessary for the safety of your children. Therefore, we ask that all parents who generously volunteer their time to the school, either in a classroom or in the tuckshop, attend a very brief induction regarding maintaining a safe environment for the children of St. Joseph’s.

These sessions do not take long and are available after assembly on a Monday morning with Deanne Senini, and on Wednesday afternoons from 2:30pm - 3:00pm. Debbie Rooney will conduct induction sessions in the tuckshop, if you are helping in there.

Thanks

UNIFORM SHOP

Our uniform shop is run by VOLUNTEERS of the school and is open

Monday morning from 8:15 - 8:45 and Wednesday afternoon from 2:45 – 3:15.

Please feel free to drop any uniforms you no longer need so they can be put out to sell. Proceeds can go back to you or you can donate it back to the P & F.

The Uniform Shop has quite a lot of good second hand uniforms. Please feel free to pop in (at the opening times above), and have a look.

There are second hand Emmaus uniforms also.

FRIDAY PIZZA

Meatlovers and Hawaiian Pizza are available every Friday for $1.50/slice. Please have your order in a Brown Paper Bag with your name, class and order on it, with the money inside.

Please use a brown paper bag with child’s name and class written on the front.

TUCKSHOP IS UNAVAILABLE ON FRIDAYS

DRAKES SUPA IGA

Simply scan your Drakes Supa IGA key tag and the checkout with your groceries, and automatically 1 cent of every dollar you spend goes to the Cathedral Conservation Fund.

Key tags are available from the office; local church or Drakes stores. Put it on your car keys so you remember to use it.

Key tags can be used at any Drakes Supa IGA supermarket in Queensland. Currently in our Diocese Drakes stores are located at

• Glenmore (North Rockhampton)
• Emu Park