10 June 2020

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents & Guardians

Following on from last week’s newsletter item addressing flexible seating in our open learning areas, I have included another link to an article titled, ‘Cultivating a Growth Mindset in the Classroom.’ The students have often heard me talk about the power of ‘The Positive’ and how we need to put more emphasis on the many good things that happen to us each day and less focus on the small negative aspects of the day. As you all know, life is full of challenges and it can be human nature to dwell on the negative. Developing a ‘growth mindset’ gives us extra tools in which we can deal with the many and varied events in our lives. Developing characteristics of determination, resolution, a will to succeed, hard work, resilience and persistence will all serve us well in many facets of our lives. Developing a ‘growth mindset’ from an early age will only benefit our children as they begin to navigate their own life journey. Later this year we still have hopes for the staff to attend some presentations from James Anderson who will be visiting Rockhampton to speak about the power of a ‘Growth Mindset’ within the school community.

I hope you enjoy it. The addresses the following areas;

• What is the Growth Mindset?
• The Difference Between a Fixed Mindset and a Growth Mindset.
• How to Support a Growth Mindset in the Classroom.
• How a Growth Mindset Influences Creativity

I have also included the link to last week’s article again for those who may have missed it. It is most certainly worth a read.

Through the week, the Catholic Education Office was notified that the Rockhampton Show Holiday that was scheduled for this Thursday the 11th of June has been rescheduled to Friday the 14th of August in Term 3. With that being said, I look forward to greeting the Joey’s students (and staff) with a smile and some hand sanitiser tomorrow morning.

Catholic Education has released a Promotional Video for Prep. Please click on the link below to view the video.

As we are getting ready to prepare interviews for Prep 2021, if you haven’t already enrolled you child, please do so. Also, if you know of any friends or family that are considering and education at St Joeys, please encourage them to enrol now also.

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

Happy every day. Learning every day.

Queensland Health COVIDSafe Survey

Earlier this week, all members of the school community were emailed information and a link to a short Queensland Health survey collating information about the Central Queensland public’s interaction with Federal Government’s COVID-19 tracing app. This information is valuable to Queensland Health and they would appreciate as many community members as possible completing the survey.

With the aim of moving towards a COVIDSafe Australia, it is requested that all parents assist Queensland Health by completing the short survey.

APRE REFLECTION

The Most Holy Trinity

God sent his Son to save the world through him.
John3:16-18

This feast, first celebrated in monastic communities in the 9th century as an expression of praise to the triune God (consisting of three in one), was extended to the entire western church in the 14th century. It celebrates the mystery of gods self-revelation through the experiences of the people of Israel, the disciples of Jesus, and the Christian people since Pentecost.

Every time we bless ourselves or begin prayer with the sign of the cross, we reaffirm our belief in the Trinity. That seemingly simple prayer, ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,’ is, in fact, a confirmation of our belief in a triune God – three in one. The earliest use of the sign of the cross only involved tracing a small cross with the thumb or finger on the forehead as it is still done in baptisms or blessings today. Later, describing the shape of the cross on forehead, abdomen and shoulders became the common practice.

@Liturgy Help & Daily Mass Book

CURRICULUM NEWS

Important Curriculum Dates:

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

All students are invited to participate in the Queensland Premier’s Reading Challenge again this year.

Reading plays an important part in students’ lives during their school years and beyond. It allows children to actively engage their imagination and opens up a world of educational opportunities.

Last year, 168,000 students from 937 schools took part in the challenge, reading an astounding 2.31 million books. What an incredible result.

The reading period for the 2020 Premier's Reading Challenge commences on Monday 11 May and closes Friday 28 August.

This year the Premier has invited all state and non-state school students to take on the challenge:

• Prep to Year 2 should read or experience at least 20 books,
• Years 3 and 4 should read at least 20 books, and
• Years 5 to 9 should read at least 15 books.

Experiencing books can include shared reading, listening to stories, or reading picture books. The aim for the 2020 challenge is to engage more students reading more books than ever before.

Every student who completes the challenge will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier. Students who participate but don’t complete the challenge receive a Certificate of Participation from the school.

Attached to this newsletter is the form to be used to record the books read during this period. Once completed, please send this form back to the school office.

For more information about the Premier’s Reading Challenge, please visit:

To download a reading record form click on the following link:

You can play a big part in your children’s future by encouraging them to be part of this positive initiative.

I look forward to seeing as many of our students as possible take part in the 2020 Premier’s Reading Challenge.

COMPETITIONS

Literary Competition:

Students in Years 5 and 6 are invited to enter the 2020 Independent Education Union literary competition. To enter this competition, you need to write a poem or short story. This competition closes on Friday, 19th June.

Art Competition:

Students from Prep – Year 6 are invited to enter the 2020 Independent Education Union Awards for Excellence in Art Design competition. The task is to produce a piece of artwork that best reflects the theme: Perfect Places.

This competition closes on Friday, 24th July.

For more information and an entry form for either of these competitions please visit the following link:

ICAS COMPETITIONS 2020

St Joseph’s Park Avenue will be participating in the world-renowned ICAS Assessments again this year. ICAS is developed by UNSW Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of UNSW Sydney, with over 35 years’ experience in educational assessments.

ICAS is designed to target students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling and Digital Technologies.

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition. Every student will receive a printed certificate and an online result report. Top performers will be eligible for medals and are invited to attend special award ceremonies to have their academic excellence publicly recognised.

I encourage you to consider entering your child into ICAS this year. The assessments are suitable for students wishing to extend themselves academically and take up the personal challenge of competing in an international assessment. Your child will be presented with high-quality, expert-developed questions, allowing them to apply their learning without the need for prior study or revision.

ICAS Assessments are now online, a move that reflects a sector-wide transition to computer-based assessments. This allows greater accessibility for students and faster delivery of results.

In 2020, students have the opportunity to participate in the following subjects:

Cost per test: $15.95 including GST

Please note: The ICAS writing test is not being offered in 2020.

In 2020, all payments for the ICAS tests are to be made by parents online. These assessments will take place during the school day as per the above schedule. If you would like your child to participate in any of the subjects listed above, please visit the new online Parent Payment System to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. The Parent Payment System is a simple and secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments.

The web link is:

Our school’s unique access code is: XRM723

Online payment closes Friday, 17 July 2020.

IMPORTANT: Please enter your child’s name accurately into the System as it will appear on their ICAS certificate.

Privacy notification

UNSW Global stores, uses and modifies the ICAS Assessments data in order to generate reports, conduct research and analysis, and improve its products and services. UNSW Global will not hold or use ICAS Assessments data that constitutes personal information for longer than 15 years. As the parent or guardian of a student who intends to sit ICAS Assessments, you consent to the school collecting the ICAS Assessments data that relates to the student, disclosing it to UNSW Global and to UNSW Global’s use of it in the manner outlined above. You also consent to the school assigning this consent to UNSW Global.

We are proud to partner with UNSW Global in offering the ICAS Assessments and look forward to some fantastic results later in the year.

Learn more about ICAS here: unsw.global/ICAS

Please do not hesitate to contact me on deanne_senini@rok.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions.

Regards,
Deanne Senini
Assistant Principal Curriculum

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congratulations to the following students and staff who will celebrate their birthday this week.

They are: Madelyn Lynam (Yr 1), Blake Fulwood (Yr 1), Abby O’Sullivan (Yr 4), Candice Bates (Yr 2), Remee Horstman (Yr 2), Lilliana Littleboy (Yr 1), Quinn Rooney (Yr 4) and Mrs Brosnan (Office)

Have a great day.

P & F NEWS

Our next P&F meeting will be this afternoon, 10th June at 6:30pm, however this will now be held in either the Grade 5 or Grade 6 classroom. We will be abiding by social distancing and hygiene rules throughout the duration of the meeting. If you have any suggestions or matters you’d like to discuss, please come along. We’d love to see you there.

Have a great week!

Reminder:

Wed June 10th: P&F Meeting 6:30pm in Grade 5/6 classroom

Thanks,
Joeys P&F

Jabbering with Joeys

This week we chat with another long-term Joeys classroom teacher, now Inclusive Curriculum teacher, Brooke Black. We hope she’s loving her new role.

Name: Brooke Black
How long have you been at Joeys?: 16 years
Favourite Food: Cheese
What did you want to be when you grew up?: Milliner
Favourite Music: Country
Coffee or Tea: Coffee/Coffee/Coffee
Favourite subject at school: Modern & Ancient History
Hobbies outside of Joeys: Hanging out with my friends & family
Favourite book/movie: Harry Potter
Favourite colour: Leopard Print everything
Best “Dad” joke: How do you get a mouse to smile? Say cheese!
Favourite thing about Joeys: Building relationships with students, families and colleagues over the years, that when you enter the Joey’s community you join the ‘Joey’s Family’. It feels like ‘home’.

FRIDAY PIZZA

Due to the current situation we have had to change the way we run pizza and icy cups on a Friday. The following changes have been made:

• Pizza and Icy Cups to be ordered and paid for from outside the Year 6 room in the morning from 8:15 – 8:35am.
• Brown bags not required for pizza – students simply bring their money ($2 per slice) and tell the Year 6 students what you would like to order.
• Pizza slices will be delivered to classes in provided brown bags in tuckshop boxes at lunch time.
• Icy Cups will be delivered to the classrooms at approx. 2:55pm ready for home time.

Please note: There is a pizza order form available if you think this will be helpful to assist your child with the ordering process. Also, Icy Cups can sell out, so it is first in best dressed when ordering in the morning.

DRAKES SUPA IGA

Simply scan your Drakes Supa IGA key tag at 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