Newsletter Term 2 Week 3

Principal's Report

Newsletter

Dear Community,

Welcome to our newsletter for Week 3 of Term 2! Due to staff illness in the earlier weeks of this term, the St Joseph’s Newsletter will be sent out in the odd weeks of Term 2.

This week I am attending the Principals Forum in Warwick, where all 31 principals from the Toowoomba diocese meet to discuss current educational initiatives, system directives and engage in collaboration and shared practice.

What has really stood out during this forum is the high-quality teaching and learning that is taking place in our schools and this is evident through the high levels of academic success within our Catholic schools, including at St Joseph’s.

Strategic Plan

I am very pleased to be able to present to our community the final copy of our updated Strategic Plan. This document outlines the clear direction for St Joseph’s moving into the future and has been derived directly from student voice, staff voice and community voice. Our school SRIP which was conducted in 2021 provided recommendations for St Joseph’s moving forward, many of which you will see have been used within our strategic plan and many of which have already been actioned.

Thank you to our PPF for your feedback and endorsement of the St Joseph’s Strategic Plan, 2022-2025.

Invoices / Statements

The Term 2 school fees have been emailed out this week. Please note that these are invoices only and do not reflect any payments already made / credits applied to accounts. This information can be found in your account statement, which you should have also received. Please contact the school office if you have any questions at all around invoices, accounts and statements.

Until next newsletter,

God Bless,

Mr Lawson Short

From the APRE

Welcome to Term 2!  It seems we have been going for a long time already and there is so much happening.  Last week we celebrated the Easter season with our Easter Liturgy that had to be postponed at the end of last term.  It was a lovely celebration that told the Easter story to the students.

Last Sunday, we also had a small group of students attend our Family Mass for this term.  Thank you to those students who were involved.  There were many comments about how well you all read and what a beautiful mass it was.

Congratulations to our Mary MacKillop award winner for the month of March, Fletcher French.  Fletcher was acknowledged for being tolerant, patient and understanding with his friends and other school members.

Today, our Prep/one students led us in our Mother's Day Liturgy.  Our Mothers and Grandmothers enjoyed their day and a wonderful time was had be all!

Michele Sanders

Awards

Students of the Week

Upcoming Dates

Prep/ 1 News

What a crazy couple of weeks we have had in Prep/One jumping straight back into learning! We have been so busy that these last three weeks have absolutely flown by. It is great having everyone back on board after lots of sickness and isolations.

In English, Preps have been learning about what a sentence is and how to write one. They have been doing an amazing job at working together to write some sentences. Check out the pictures to see their great writing! Year Ones have been working really hard on editing and what it means to edit. They have had the opportunity to edit Miss Grant’s very bad writing as well as had a look and try to fix their own.

In Maths, we have been learning all about addition and adding numbers together. We have really enjoyed having our new interactive board to play lots of addition games on!

In Hass, we have been looking at old and new things. This week we have been talking all about old toys and games that our parents/grandparents used to play. We even learnt how to play blindman’s bluff. It was lots of fun!

During Health this term we will be learning about how to keep our bodies active through dance. Get ready to see lots of dancing Prep/Ones!

Prep/One have been working really hard on their Mother’s Day liturgy, wish wish all our Mothers and Grandmothers a wonderful Mother's Day! 

• Lauren Grant and Catherine Folker

My New Gallery

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News from 2/3

Hi parents, friends, and St Joey’s community.

Hope you have had a great couple weeks and enjoyed a relaxing Easter break. We have had a very busy start to the term, and with all these shortened weeks, it has made it even more jam packed!

We have already had a range of events and special occasions this term. The students who competed in the Gore Highway Cross Country in week 1 did a terrific job. Our school came first overall in points which was awesome.

Thankyou to all the students who marched on ANZAC Day, it was a great morning and the respect shown by all who attended from St Joseph’s was amazing. The 2/3 class engaged in a range of activities and stories leading up to the weekend that would inform and enhance their ability to understand the importance of the day.

The students were very lucky and excited to hear from an Olympian guest speaker earlier this week. Emily Boyd is an Australian 10m platform diver who has battled injuries and setbacks her whole career. The students loved listening to her, and they had a pile of questions for her at the end. It was great for the students to hear that while setbacks are disappointing, they can be overcome with a positive attitude and drive to be successful.

We are close approaching NAPLAN for the year 3 students, and our work in all subject areas is ramping up also. It will be a busy next few months!

I hope all the mother’s of 2/3 and the school community have a wonderful Mother’s Day and get spoiled rotten!

Have a great couple of weeks,

Mitchell Albury

4/5/6

Term 2 has definitley begun with a bang!  We have finally got everyone back after many disrupted weeks with Covid wreaking havoc on our classroom.

This term we have begun studying persuassive texts as well as how an author uses different tools to make their point.  We are specifically looking at online and multimodal texts this term and are investigating different forms of animations.

NAPLAN will be held next week for our Year 5 students.  This will take part over the course of the week and involves a number of standardised tests across the areas of Reading, Maths, Writing and Language Conventions.

In week one we had most of our class attend the Gore Hwy Cross Country Carnival in Cecil Plains.  The students all competed extremely well and did themselves and our school proud. We have Darby, Felicity and Heidi off to Highfields today to compete in the Inner Downs Trials.  Good luck!

Singfest is happening this term and we have begun our rehearsals.  This activity is compulsory for all students in 4/5/6 as we use it as part of our normal curriculum activities.  If you haven't, can you please return the forms and money for this ASAP.

Looking forward to another great term.

Michele Sanders

The Riddle of the Black Panther

Olympics Unleashed Visit

On Wednesday we were lucky enough to have a visit from Emily Boyd, an Australian diver who is hoping to one day discover her olympic dream.

Emily spoke to the students about how she got into the sport of diving, how she has perservered through rejection and injury and how she keeps positive after so many years in the sport, training every day.

She showed us some footage of her diving and what a normal day looks like for her in the gym and pool.

She was truly inspirational and we will be following her journey in the lead up the the Commonwealth Games this year and the Olympics in the next few years.

Thank you Emily!

Emily Boyd

Anzac Day

My New Gallery

PPF News

PPF Executive Committee:

President / Co-Chairs – Katie Battisson and Kass Clark

Secretary – Fiona Andrews

Finance Coordinator – Marg Gaske

Vice President / Events Coordinator – Kelsee Huth

Thank you to all who attended the PPF AGM in March, as well as the April PPF meeting, which was held in the school hall last Tuesday.  Lots of important upcoming events have been discussed, as outlined in the minutes attached to the newsletter.

Our first PPF event for the year was the “Meet the Teacher” night, and a big thank you needs to go to those parents who catered, organised food and drinks and generally made the running of the evening go smoothly.  It was great to get to know our teachers and some of our new families in a less formal setting.

We have a few PPF events that will be coming up in the next few months. 

You should have received information this week about the Pie Drive.  With the weather cooling off it is a great time to stock up your freezer with pies and yummy treats!  Pie Drive orders are due by the 7^th of June (paper orders) or 9^th June (online), and the pies will be available for collection on Friday the 17^th of June.

We will be catering breakfast at the Millmerran Show Campdraft on the 14 / 15^th of May.  Thank you to DA Hall and Co, Millmerran Bakery, Mort and Co and the Millmerran Butcher Shop for their generous donations towards this event.

We will be holding a Working Bee at St Joseph’s on Sunday the 22^nd of May, starting at 9am.  We have lots of green waste and other rubbish to be carted to the dump, so would appreciate as much help as possible.  If you have a trailer, please bring it along to help cart the rubbish away.

Christmas in the Bush (that was cancelled at the end of last year due to flooding) will be held in July.  We will be helping to run the bar so will be looking for volunteers closer to the date.

Exciting News – We have recently purchased a Thermomix, which we will be raffling off in the next little while – keep an eye out for more information!

Our next meeting will be held in the school hall on Tuesday the 17^th of May, all welcome!

If you have any questions or queries about the upcoming events, would like to help, or would like to know more about what the PPF does, please do not hesitate to have a chat to any of the executive.

Have a great day!

St Joseph's Parent Partnership Forum

Agenda

Date: 15.03.22

Meeting Opened: 6.00pm

Attendees: Bruce Wise, Lawson Short, Catherine Folker, Fiona Andrews, Kelsee Huth, Marg Gaske, Katie Battisson, Adan Sanders, Lindsay Sese, Kass Clark

Apologies: Brett and Tanya French

Opening Prayer: LS

Previous Minutes:

• Moved: CF
• Seconded: BW

Issues arising from previous meeting:

1. Presentation Evening wrap up – LS – great feedback from all who attended, it was a very successful event. Try the same set up etc again next year.  Was great to have the catering outsourced, however there may need to be more volunteers for next year. 
2. Ham Drive wrap up – move discussion to next meeting – wrap up on costing etc from TF.
3. Mowing – Christmas Holidays – thank you Eddie for keeping the grass maintained over the break. The school paid him extra for his time.  Suggestion for PPF to put money aside to pay Eddie over the holidays so that we don’t have to worry about a roster.

Principal’s Report: LS

PPF Principal’s Report 15/03/2022

Enrolments:

• 56!! Special welcome to all our new families.
• Staffing Implications (Possible of moving back to 3 ½ or 4 classrooms if numbers continue to rise.)

Staffing

• We farewelled Jenny in the administration role.
• Welcome Lisa Crellin

PD Undertaken

• ‘Big Ticket Items’
  • Inspire Mathematics
  • Ignite RE
• Code of Conduct
• Student Protection Training
• Learning Behaviours/Dispositions
• Lawson- Leading Learning Day
• Lawson- Data Literacy Day
• Lawson- Leadership Forum 1 day
• Michele- APRE Day

Activities:

• COVID delayed start
• Speech Visit
• OT Visit
• Inclusion Coach Visit
• Minnie Vinnie Fundraising Efforts- Ice Cream Day, Games Day
• Day 8 Final Numbers Census
• School Maintenance Audit
• Mathematics Coach Visit

Discuss:

• Community Benefit Fund Grant Application
• EFTPOS
• Classroom Renovations- TCSO proving extra funding ($85 000). School $30 000
• Donation Request- Interactive Panel
• Annual Action Plan
• Strategic Plan
• PPF Financial Report
• Other Grants- Inland Rail, CRT / RAFF.

Blessed are you, Lord God, Creator of body and mind and heart; you have sent the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge to guide your people in all their ways. At the beginning of this new school year we implore your mercy: bless the students, teachers, and staff and families of St Joseph’s, that together we may grow in faith, hope, and love as we learn from you and each other how to follow your example. Expand the horizons of our minds, that we may grow in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge; deepen our commitment to seek the truth.

We pray for those children around the world who cannot access education, especially those in Ukraine.

• Bruce moved that we donate $15000 towards new Interactive Whiteboards at this stage, pending grants to be applied for.
• Working Bee Report to be received from Roberta.

Correspondence IN: NIL

Correspondence OUT: NIL

Chairperson Report: Kass and Katie – Thank you to previous committee, looking forward to a great year.

Team Coordinator – Finance Report:   Discussed and passed as true and correct.

Committee Reports:

Maintenance:    Working Bee report to be received from Roberta.

Tuckshop:  Marg

• $300 - $350 each week.
• Lots of families ordering.
• Enough helpers at this stage, and some grandparents have also volunteered. Grandparents need a blue card. At this stage volunteers need to be vaccinated.

Agenda Items:

1. Roles to assist executive – suggestion by Catherine that specific roles would help to define who needs to do what etc. Kelc as Event Manager will delegate jobs, people to help with different events etc. Lindsay volunteered to help Kelc with the Catering / Events management, and offered the help of the Philipino community with events.
2. 2022 Calendar of Events
   1. Social BBQ 22^nd April – Marg and Kelc to coordinate. Adan and Bruce to cook BBQ.
   2. Stanthorpe Wine Tour – 25/26^th June
   3. Marg to compile a list of Fundraising Events, money made etc – next meeting discuss and come up with a list of events for the year.
   4. Pie Drive Term Two – Kelc to investigate.
3. George Street Entrance/working bee
   1. George St entrance – suggestion that it would be more usable and presentable if it was concreted rather than gravelled – approach Keenan Kirby about doing it with some help from parents. Ask RAFF’s or Mitre 10 for a donation of boxing materials.
   2. Organise working bee for next term – on a Sunday – 15^th
4. Chip Cooker – Matt has returned the chip cooker to the Golf Club – we need to give them a donation ($200) as we have had it for quite some time. If we wish to buy one, it would be about $2700.  Possibility of asking the Power Station, Mort and Co, Doug Hall Foundation to help with donations. Ask TF about the letter that was sent to the Power Station to buy the oven for the Tuckshop.  Letter / invoice needed from Golf Club with banking details etc. FA and LS to write letter to Power Station.
5. Screen Donation - Bruce moved that we donate $15000 towards new Interactive Whiteboards at this stage, pending grants to be applied for.

Agenda items for next meeting:

1. Next meeting date: Tuesday 26th April
2. SRIP – Strategic Plan
3. Calendar of Events
4. Stanthorpe Wine Tour Meeting Closed: 7:15pm

St Joseph's Parent Partnership Forum
General Meeting Minutes - 26.4.22

Date: 26.04.22

Meeting Opened: 5:33pm

Attendees:     Lawson Short, Kass Clark, Katie Battison, Fiona Andrews, Marg Gaske, Tanya French, Kelsee Huth, Catherine Folker, Pat Lunney, Leticia Tolson.

Apologies:     Adan Sanders

Opening Prayer: LS

Previous Minutes: 
•    Moved: CF
•    Seconded: KH

Issues arising from previous meeting: 

Principal’s Report: LS 
PPF Principal’s Report 26/04/2022

Enrolments: 
    59!! Special welcome to all our new families and students. Aleeah Year 1, Van Dyk Year 1, Amelea Year 2 
    2023- 65-70 predicted. 
    Staffing Implications (Possible of moving back to 4 classrooms if numbers continue to rise.) 
Staffing  
    New School Officer position being finalised- Will be announced soon. 
PD Undertaken
    Student Protection Symposium- Mr Short, Ms Grant, Mrs Fenn

Activities: 

    Chronicle Prep Photo’s Taken- Will be in the May 25th Edition of the Chronicle. 
    EFTPOS Machine- Very well received. 
    School Photos
    Mayoral Morning Tea- Year 6 Students and Mr Short. 
    Parish Trivia Night
    St Joseph’s Day Celebrations.
    2/3 Class visited the Millmerran Museum.
    Cross County
    COVID / Flood impacts in Week 10 
    Smart Board Installation!
    Easter Raffle 
    Auskick PE Lessons 
    Gore Highway Cross Country
    Meet the teacher night. 
    ANZAC Celebrations 

Discuss: 
St Joseph’s Learning Dispositions 
Thanks for organising the Meet the Teacher BBQ Night- was a great success
Thank you for the donation towards the interactive boards 
Classrooms to be renovated during Christmas holidays. 

Correspondence IN:  Cadbury Fundraiser – will look at it again in 2023.

Correspondence OUT: Nil

Chairperson Report: Kass and Katie
Big thank you to Marg and other helpers for a great Meet the Teacher Night BBQ.  It all went really well and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Team Coordinator – Finance Report:
•    $200 paid to Golf Club for use of Chip Cooker.
•    All true and correct.  Moved TF, Second CF. 

Committee Reports: 
Maintenance:  To be discussed within Agenda items.
Tuckshop:  Marg
Tuckshop has been a little bit tricky due to Covid, lots of orders have had to be cancelled and refunded.
Marg ordered an update of consumables and has sorted, labelled etc in the tuckshop.

Agenda Items:

1.    Millmerran Show Society Campdraft – Pat Lunney – 
a.    We will be providing breakfasts at the Campdraft on the 14th / 15th May. 
b.    Other community groups providing other food.  
c.    Approx 300 runs.  Daylight start – 6:30am start for breakfast, until 9am or so.  
d.    Last year was slow to start with, then got busier after the draft started.  
e.    Will use the RAFF trailer to cook and use the canteen facilities to clean up etc.  Hot food will be sold over at the Campdraft arena where tables will be set up to serve food and drinks etc from. Also may walk around selling food if it is quiet.
f.    Kelc to approach James Sinclair and ask about borrowing Golf Buggy to shuttle food across.
g.    Bacon and eggs on sandwiches.  Mort and Co to donate voucher to go towards bacon, Halls to be approached for eggs, Bakery for bread.
h.    Water and poppers in eskies. Kelsee has organised a roster and donations.  
i.    Decision to go ahead and cater.  Moved LS, Second: LT.

2.    Horse Sports – not likely to run this year.  Pat will let us know if any other events happen throughout the year that may need catering.

3.    Christmas in the Bush (July) – We will be helping with the bar, will need some volunteers.  Scott Folker to coordinate.

4.    Hereford Catering – Kass has been contacted by Debbie Reid about catering for the event in Pittsworth.  Decision made that it would be too labour intensive for us to manage.

5.    George St Entrance and Working Bee – Change date from 15th May due to Campdraft catering.
a.    Need to approach concreters about doing quotes to concrete the area.  Will leave shovelling gravel until quotes are done and a plan is organised.  Kelc to approach Zac Haslam for a quote.
b.    Jobs to do – take loads of trees to the dump.
c.    Ask people to bring trailers.
d.    Sunday 22nd May 9am.
6.    Parent Group – Facebook – Lawson and Fi to investigate – discuss at next meeting.

7.    SRIP – Strategic Plan – info available if needed, ask Lawson.

8.    Calendar of Events:
a.    Marg has done a breakdown of figures from last year’s fundraising.
b.    Camp Oven will happen again this year.
c.    If we are going to do the Trivia Night again, we need to let Katrina Grundon know ASAP.
d.    Decision to go ahead with Trivia Night.  Kass to email Katrina to let her know that yes we would like to go ahead with the Trivia night on the Wednesday night (28th September).  Catherine to organise the bus and Cultural Centre booking. 
e.    Pie Drive – Kelsee to organise.  Start ASAP and organise pick up for the second last week of this term.

9.    Stanthorpe Wine Tour – cancel. Have a think and at the next meeting discuss a social event for next term.

10.    Chip Cooker – Quote from Matt, Lawson and Fi to draft letter to Power Station asking for donation.

Agenda items for next meeting:

1.    Parent Group – Facebook.
2.    Social Event.
3.    Concreting quotes.

Next meeting date: 17th May at 5pm.
Meeting Closed: 7.00pm