Newsletter Term 3 Week 8
Principal's Report
Dear Community,
We hope this latest newsletter finds you well. The term is quickly passing us by, and the next few weeks will be extremely busy with the school musical, classroom lessons, assessment, and the delivery of our Daniel Morcombe Lessons and Sex Education Lessons.
A few reminders:
Classroom Communication- Before School
As we value the safety and well-being of our students, as well as the valuable preparation time of our staff, we want to kindly remind all parents and guardians of an important school policy.
We kindly request that parents and guardians refrain from entering the classrooms before the commencement of the school day. This is extremely valuable time for teachers who require this time to prepare their lessons and resources for the day ahead, plus provide supervision to all students.
Our teachers are more than happy to meet with parents and discuss students, but the preference is for these meetings to be scheduled in ahead of time. Small messages can of course always be emailed through to teachers, or the school office, as well as phone calls to the office. We can then pass on any relevant messages and information to our classroom teachers.
Collecting Children from School/ Dropping Off Additional Items etc: Always Visit the Office
If you need to collect your child early from school, have an appointment during school hours or simply need to drop off something for students, please always check in at the school office. Our staff will assist you in locating and retrieving your child or delivering messages etc.
Thank you for your support and assistance with this matter.
Daniel Morcombe Lessons
This week all children at St Joseph’s will be participating in The Daniel Morcombe Safety Curriculum, an educational program designed to empower students with essential life skills and knowledge to help them stay safe in various situations. It covers a range of age-appropriate topics, including personal safety, cyber safety, road safety, emergency contacts, stranger danger, risk assessment, and bullying prevention. This curriculum is named in honour of Daniel Morcombe, a young boy who tragically lost his life, and aims to prevent similar incidents by educating children about personal safety. It emphasizes the importance of parental involvement and collaboration between the school and parents to reinforce these crucial lessons. The curriculum is designed to provide students with practical skills and knowledge to make informed decisions and protect themselves in today's complex world. Please find attached to this newsletter a parent information sheet and some FAQ’s around the lessons.
Sex Education Lessons
After the delivery of important safety messages, the time is perfect for the delivery of the Sex Education elements of the Australian Curriculum. Next Thursday afternoon the teachers will be delivering these lessons to our students. It is common and normal for students to have questions and we encourage families to discuss the lessons with their children. Please see the attached letter which outlines the content of these lessons.
Until next time,
God Bless,
Mr Lawson Short.
Principal's Leadership Forum
Student of the Week
Term 3 Week 6
Prep/1: Colin Pink - Being a great help in the classroom and being kind to his classmates.
Year 2: Isabella Collier- For writing a great persuasive letter about getting a class pet!
Year 3/4: Harlen Pink – For showing so much courage when giving answers and knowing that mistakes make our brains grow.
Year 5/6: Seth Green – For his improvement across all aspects of school life. It’s great to see your confidence grow. Keep up the great work.
Learning Behaviours - Curious Cockatoo
Term 3 Week 6
Prep/1: Callie Barker - Thinking deeply in Religion and persisting with all her school work.
Year 2: Tessah Stoker- For doing a great job at finding words in the dictionary to learn their meaning!
Year 3/4: Layla Stoker – For asking outstanding questions in English that link everything together!
Year 5/6: Cooper Klein – For having the courage to ask for help this week in Maths.
Date Claimers
- Thursday 31st August - Father's Day Breakfast & Liturgy 7.45am
- Friday 1st September - Pupil Free Day - CTJ
- Thursday 7th September - Dress Rehersal day!
- Friday 8th September - Honk Jr 1pm & 7pm - It's Showtime!
- Thursday 14th September - Prep Vision screening
- Friday 15th September - Official opening of the Millmerran Aquatic Centre
- Friday 15th September - Last day Term 3
REMINDER:
Friday 1st September - Pupil Free Day
Year 5/6
Well, what a crazy busy term it has been! It seemed in the first few weeks we didn't have a week of learning without some sort of interruption, but the last few weeks, we have managed to get lots of learning in.
This term we farewelled Talon, have welcomed a new student, Rocco to our class as well as a student teacher, Miss Madison O'Sullivan.
The students have been very busy this term in Maths learning about all things fractions and decimals. This is quite a large topic area in these year levels and there is lots to cover, but the students are really starting to make some good connections.
In English we have been reading a wonderful story by Craig Silvey, called 'Runt'. Runt was just announced as the book of the year for younger readers in the Book Week Awarads. It is a magnificent story about a young girl named Annie and her dog Runt. The themes and characters of the story are very relatable to our students as Annie is from a small, country town that is suffering through a horrible drought. The students have been engaging in many activities about the book and delving into the meaning and messages that the story is trying to convey.
In Science/Design Technologies, we have been looking at electricity and have recently started investigating how electricity is made and conducted. The students will be making their own personal security device as a culminating activity for this unit.
In Health, we have been studying the different types of drinks available to students and the health benefits of these drinks. We have looked at drink labels and ingredients to try and determine which ones are best for us to consume on a regular basis.
We have even enjoyed some buddy time with the Prep/1 students making crazy monsters and taking silly selfies.
It certainly has been a big term, with many events on and we just have the musical to go. The students are looking forward to camp in Week 1 of next term as well as swimming in Week 2.
Thank you all for a great term,
Michelle Sanders
Musical Update
1 week to go!!! It is hard to believe the time has nearly come for our school musical. The students have worked so hard on putting together a fantastic show for you all. The class numbers are looking fantastics and the students are getting very excited to perform. Next week, we will conduct all rehearsals at the Cultural Centre. We are looking for people to help us move sets and props on Monday afternoon from 2:30pm-3:30pm. If you are able to help, please contact Mrs Sanders. Many hands make light work!
A note went out this week about hair and makeup requirements. Please make sure you have read this note carefully so you undertand what is required for your child next week on Thursday and Friday.
Tickets are now on sale, so make sure you go to Trybooking and secure your tickets. It's going to be an amazing show. To book- Follow this link:
From the APRE
This Sunday we celebrate Father's Day. Father’s Day is annually celebrated on the first Sunday of September, so in 2023, we focus on our Fathers (and perhaps other Father-figures in our lives) on 3 September. What, then, are the qualities of fatherhood typically valued in Scripture?
An obvious example was Joseph. He could have rejected the baby Jesus, because of the inconvenience, physical danger and social-cultural humiliation that caring for a baby who was obviously not his biological son could have brought him. But without a questioning doubt, Joseph took on the role of a father in terms of caring for the baby Jesus and his mother, Mary – and it meant trapping off through hazardous desert to Bethlehem and then leaving in haste to exile in Egypt to escape the horrors of King Herod. Selfless love for his betrothed Mary and for her baby motivated this wonderful father.
Then, there we read the story about the father of the prodigal son. After the return of his son who had squandered much of the family fortune on wine, women and song, the father of the prodigal son did not think for a moment when he ran to embrace this wayward child and he celebrated his return with abundant joy. Forgiveness was immediate, and the father’s unconditonal love for this son, along with the angry son who had dutifully remained home, was to express this in a comment obviously meant for them both: no matter what, “You are always with me.” (Luke 15:31)
Under the umbrella of love cast by God, our ultmate Father, let us be grateful for our fathers and those father-figures in our lives and their gifs of love to us.
On Thursday we will celebrate Father's Day with a barbecue breakfast and liturgy, led by our Year 2 class. Breakfast will be served from 7:45am with the liturgy starting at 8:30am.
We look forward to seeing you all there
God Bless,
Michele Sanders
Student Success
Congratulations to Harlen Pink and Heidi Sanders who competed at the Darling Downs Athletics Trials on 15th August. Harlen placed 7th ovearll in high jump with a jump of 1.09m. Heidi competed in the multi and placed 5th in long jump and 10th overall in the multi event. Congratulations to you both.
Well done also to Bella Sese who has spent the last two weekends performing in the Wizard of Oz as part of the Pittswoth Amateur Theatrical Society. Bella made a huge committment, rehearsing 1-2 times a week and some weekends since March. Well done on your performance.
Year 3/4 Airport Excursion
Tuckshop News
Wow! I cannot believe we are at the end of Term 3 already! It feels like I just altered the menu and it's nearly time do so again. I am always open to suggestions of things that you would like to see on the tuckshop menu, so please if you have any just email me at b.harber1994@live.com or be sure to put them in the survey 😊
I would like to thank everyone who has supported the tuckshop so far this year its very much appreciated as all the profits go towards helping us get new things for our beautiful school and children. Also a massive thank you to everyone who has volunteered this term every bit helps and many hands make light work. I will be sending out the survey for next terms dates in the next week or so and am hoping we can get a good response from everyone! If you have not volunteered yet but are able to please do so, I myself have done tuckshop 7 weeks out the 10 weeks for this term and whilst I am happy to do so I do still need another person on with me, without that help it would mean no more tuckshop for our kids which we do not want to see happen. So if you can help out for even 1 day in the term it will be greatly appreciated 😊
I look forward to working on the menu for next term and to continue seeing all the children enjoy the different foods available 😊
Thanks
Billie-Dee