1 December 2021

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Well done to our Semester 2 Academic Award winners who were recognised for their efforts on Monday morning. It was fantastic to see so many awards being handed out. Our 11 students who received Gold Certificates were also awarded QBD book vouchers to enjoy some reading over the holiday break.

A reminder that Semester 2 reports were posted to Parent Lounge today, Wednesday 1st December.

It was fantastic to see so many of our Joeys community gather together for last week’s Presentation Night. Many thanks to everyone who came along to support our students and help make it such a memorable evening. Congratulations to the worthy recipients of this year’s awards as well as all of the students who performed on the night. Many thanks also to the staff who also put in much hard work and preparation for what proved to be a wonderful event.

Presentation Night Award Winners for 2021:

Encouragement Award – Preston Clancy

Sports Girls – Ava Tranberg & Amarli Batchelor

Sports Boy – Egan Cass

Sportspersonship – Ava Tranberg & Cooper McCrohon

Luke Monaghan Award – Alex Crane

Kelvin Hill Award – Amarli Batchelor

Principal’s Recognition Award – Gustavo Da Silva

Dux – Sam Conway

Leadership Award – Sam Conway

Spirit of St. Joseph’s Award – Amelia Horton

Congratulations also to Debbie Rooney who received the Diocesan P&F Community Spirit Award and Leanne & John-Paul McCrohon who received the St Joseph’s Community Award.

In 2022, we have set some new School Improvement Priorities as a way to continually improve the opportunities we provide for our students to access the curriculum in a faith filled environment.

The 3 priorities for 2022 are:

• Increased Learning Gain and Achievement
• Family Partnerships
• Prayer

In 2022 we will also celebrate an official opening of our refurbished school with the Bishop and Diocesan Director. At this time, we will be naming our school precincts in a way that reflects our Catholic Identity and our Josephite Charism;

- The Early Years Precinct (Prep – 1) will be named Penola Precinct

- The Middle Years Precinct (2 - 4) will be named MacKillop Precinct

- The Upper Years Precinct (5 – 6) will be named Tennyson Woods Precinct

- Our Multi-Purpose Area will also be getting a new name but that will be announced at a later date.

Drawing our school year to a close will be our End of Year Mass this Friday, 3rd December. We will be celebrating with a whole school Mass commencing at 9:00am. The Mass not only provides us the opportunity of farewelling our Year 6 students for the final time, the mass will also incorporate the induction of our student leaders for the 2022 school year.

We must also be aware that we share Friday’s Mass with the Parish, so I request that we leave the parking spaces directly outside the office vacant for the use of our parishioners.

Please remember that during all of our celebrations, we must not use the parking in the mall car park during the day as retailers in the mall have previously complained that there is no parking for their patrons.

Officially school concludes at 3:00pm on Friday, though some parents have enquired about students going home early. Students are able to go home with their own parents or guardians following Mass at approximately 10:30am. Students wanting to leave with another child’s parent must have written permission to do so from their parents.

Please remember that OSHC will not be in operation on the final day of school.

Don’t Forget …

• Semester 2 Reports posted to Parent Lounge. Wednesday 1st Dec
• Year 6 Graduation Mass. Wednesday 1st December in OLHC @ 6:00pm
• Year 6 Graduation Dinner. Wednesday 1st December @ RLC after Mass
• Year 6 Fun Day. Thursday 2nd December
• End of Year Mass & Leadership Change Over. Friday 3rd December @ 9:00am
• Office Closes. Friday, 3rd December 2021
• Office Reopens. Monday, 10th January 2022
• Resource Drop-off Day. Tuesday afternoon, 18th January 2022 1:30pm – 3:30pm
• 2022 School Year Commences. Monday, 24th January 2022

I hope you have a great last week and a happy, holy and most of all safe Christmas holiday break. We look forward to working with you again in 2022.

Regards

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

St Joseph’s 2021 School Improvement Priorities:

• Writing
• Parent Engagement
• Social Emotional Learning

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congratulations to the following students who will celebrate their birthday this week. They are: Chloe Crosthwaite (Yr 5), Taylor Dives (Yr 5), Preston Livermore (Yr 4), Nate Barber (Yr 4), Cooper Kirkman (Prep), Jaxson Balderston (Yr 3), Olivia Bragg (Yr 4), Maddison Clarke (Yr 6), Izabelah Zerafa (Yr 3), Juliet Horton (Yr 3), Emilee Thompson (Yr 3), Indigo Wallace (Prep), Amelia Gray (Yr 2), Mackenzie Zanette (yr 6), Elijah Kerr (Prep), Lilly Beal (Yr 4), Braxton Kane (Yr 4), Corben Emerson (Yr 2), Amelia Pedersen (Yr 3), Emily-Rose England (Yr 2), Tayte Mooney (Yr 2), Kiara Carpenter (Yr 5), Braxtyn Pope (Prep)Noah Richards (Prep), Madeleine Watson (Yr 3), Eden Jackson (Yr 2), Connor Fulwood (Yr 4), Tauryn Schneider (Yr 5), Logan Kane (Yr 6), Jaison Henaway (Yr 3), Saba Schoneveld (Yr 5),

Have a great day.

SCHOOL RECYCLING REMINDER

KEYBOARD LESSONS

Leanne Voss will continue to offer Keyboard lessons in 2022 for interested students in grades 1 – 6.

Lessons are of 30-minute duration and will be conducted weekly at school on a rotating timetable so that students do not miss the same lesson each week.

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 using a chord bass with 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 from the office and in the newsletter for both new and continuing students.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC in 2022

Enrolments are now being accepted for new and continuing students to learn the following instruments at St. Joseph’s Park Avenue.

FLUTE, CLARINET, SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, TROMBONE, PERCUSSION, VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO, GUITAR & VOICE.

Instrumental Music provides so many benefits to a child – please watch the attached link to a fantastic video about Music and the Brain:

Please see the attached information letter for details on required year levels for each instrument, and a downloaded version of the enrolment form.

Enrolment is available online at https://emmaus.qld.edu.au/co-curriculum/instrumental-music/

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