Term 4 Week 3

What's on at St Joey's

Principal's Messages

Dear Parents and Carers,

As a Catholic community we are called to pray for those in need. As we see the heartbreaking news from around the world with our brothers and sisters experiencing war, terroism, famine and homelessness it is difficult to know what we can do to help. Prayer offers us the opportunity to connect to God, to ask for God's intervention and to share our anxieties and concerns with God's power and everlasting love for ourselves and for each other. 

Please join us by praying the Our Father, the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples:

We also pray for our own community and those in need. Deepest sympathies to the Turnbull family and Ms Houlahan's family on the loss of grandparents and to Mrs Woodward on the loss of her dear mother over the weekend. We pray:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May the souls of the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God,

rest in peace. Amen

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Stage 3 camp at Point Wolstoncroft. The students were exceptionally well mannered and showed resilience and courage, as they navigated new experiences. They were also extremely encouraging of each other which was wonderful to witness. Huge thanks again to our wonderful teachers who attended and cared for our students so carefully while they were away.

This week we will celebrate World Teacher's day on Friday 27th October. I am proud of the work we do as teachers everyday and feel blessed with the hardworking, caring and positive staff we have at St Joseph's. Teaching is a vocation, and it is in the daily giving of ourselves that teachers help students thrive and grow, not just academically but spiritually, emotionally and socially. I take this opprortunity to say a heartfelt thank you to each of our teachers for all they do and Happy World Teacher's Day!

Congratulations to out Polding representatives who attended the Polding Athletics carnival last week. We are so proud of each athlete as they did their best and represented our diocese so well. Olive and Lochlan have advanced to the Polding team, competing at the NSW State PSSA competition on Wednesday. Olive achieved 1st in the high jump and broke the championship record and Lochlan came first in the Discus. Lochlan was also awarded the Maitland Newcastle Boys Age Champion for his age group in athletics. Amazing results and we wish them both all the very best for Wednesday. 

The 24th annual Mass Celebrating Diverse Learning is being held on 29 October, to acknowledge everyone's unique and God-given gifts in a celebration of inclusion and diversity. 

The Federation of Parents & Friends (P&F) Associations hosted its first Mass Celebrating Diverse Learning in 1999. 

Over the years, the Mass has remained a valued opportunity to come together in celebration of the diverse gifts and talents of each and every student, that enrich our Catholic school communities.

This year, the Federation is grateful to have Vicar General, Fr Greg Barker and the communities of St Mary’s Primary School, Warners Bay and St Paul’s Catholic College, Booragul lead the celebration with support from St Paul’s Primary School and St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead and St Dominic’s Centre, Mayfield.
Parents and families from all Diocesan schools are invited to attend.

Please see the flyer below for more details.

God bless,

Kate Drake

News from the Assistant Principal

Dear Parents and Carers  

Raising confident and happy children in a modern world can be hard work! Often one of the biggest challenges can be sourcing relevant and reliable information that you can draw on to support their wellbeing.  

As such, St. Joseph’s is excited to announce that we have recently added an award-winning resource to our school website. The resource, SchoolTV, includes evidenced-based information and practical strategies to build parent, carer and educator knowledge and confidence across a range of mental health and wellbeing topics. 

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle supported St. Joseph’s to add SchoolTV to our website in response to feedback received from parents and carers who said they are seeking greater support in understanding the challenges their children are experiencing, as well as practical strategies for ways they can assist them.   

SchoolTV features interviews with leading wellbeing experts and researchers from around the world, on topics including: 

Mental Health (encompassing grief and loss, suicide and self-harm, drug and alcohol use, anxiety, trauma and depression).  

Healthy Bodies (including mindfulness, body image, sleep, eating disorders, diet and nutrition, physical activity and exercise). 

Cyber Safety (encompassing cyberbullying, digital reputation, internet addiction, online gambling, sexting and managing screen time). 

Positive Parenting (including friendship and belonging, blended families, resilience, positive parenting and understanding adolescence). 

School Survival (encompassing school refusal, school transitions and exam jitters).  

Diversity and Inclusion (including multiculturalism, neurodiversity, respectful relationships, gender diversity and supporting disabled youth).  

These topics are presented in a variety of ways including videos, factsheets, podcasts and SchoolTV also includes recommendations for additional resources including books, apps and other websites.  

While we will continue to host parent and carer information events as a school, one of the many benefits of SchoolTV is that you can watch it pre-emptively or as the need arises, from the convenience of your own home, either by yourself or, as a family.  

From time to time, we may also promote key topics contained in SchoolTV for families either through Compass or our newsletter, when they coincide with student learning and/or matters arising in our school community.  

Importantly, SchoolTV complements initiatives already underway in our school including our Student Wellbeing and Pastoral Care Policy and the “Wellbeing Together” Student Learning and Wellbeing Framework. 

Our staff are familiar with SchoolTV, and as such, I am confident that this shared knowledge between staff and parents will assist us all in partnering together to better support children and young people’s learning, safety, mental health and wellbeing.  

If you have any questions about SchoolTV, or the topics contained within the site, please get in touch with the staff listed on the site or, me directly.  

Visit our SchoolTV site here: Home Page SchoolTV | St Joseph's Primary School - Charlestown 

with every best wish,

Nikki Norley

Assistant Principal

News from the Religious Coordinator

Sacramental Group

Sacramental group commences again this week. The sessions start on the 26^th October,  at 6pm at St. Pauls. Sessions will continue for four weeks and end with Holy Communion on Sunday the 19^th  at 9:30am at St. Paul’s. Holy Communion is the last of the sacraments of initiation and it is where students learn about the gift Jesus left at the Last Supper when he shared a sacred meal and asked his friends to do the same.

Socktober  

During the month of October, we have been learning about and raising money for Catholic Mission. Catholic Mission supports communities such as those in Timor- Leste, where access to healthcare and education has been improved by the support of the Salesian Sisters.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

1. Each unit has a class sock. Please donate what you can in the lead up to our event.
2. Bring a special donation on the 25^{th of} October. Wear your crazy socks (with your sports uniform) and participate in soccer games at lunch time.
3. Prizes will be awarded to the unit with the heaviest sock and the highest amount raised. Thank you for your support.

Dates to Remember

1^st November- All Saints Day (Early stage 1 and stage 3 attend parish Mass)

2^nd November All Souls Day

8^th December End of Year Mass and Awards, St Mary Immaculate Church 9:30am.

News from the Primary Coordinator

Peer and self-assessment are an essential aspect of ‘assessment as learning’ (formative assessment): 

• Peer assessment involves students reflecting on the work of their peers, against success criteria related to a learning goal, and providing constructive feedback.
• Self-assessment involves students applying success criteria related to a learning goal, reflecting on their efforts, identifying improvements, and adjusting the ‘quality’ of their work.

Meaningful peer and student self-assessment have the potential to positively contribute to student learning and achievement. At St Joseph’s, we use two stars and a wish to provide effective feedback. 

Conversations with your children: 

How many times have your afternoon conversations with your child sounded like this: “How was your day?” “Fine.” “What did you learn today?” “Nothing.” Yes, these types of conversations happen in my home, too. How do we get our kids to open and share about their day? Because what we really want is a deep connection with our children (this helps a LOT when they're older). And it doesn't happen if we don't get to know their world. One-word answers don’t help us reconnect with our kids after a long day apart from each other. That's why we need questioning strategies that will enable more than one-word responses. Here’s a great list to help you: 

Happy Birthday to the following students

We wish the following students are very happy birthday for the month of August.

Sports News

Congratulations to Olive, Frankie, Billie, Lochlan, Tanner and Eli who represented our Maitland Newcastle Diocese at the recent Polding Athletics carnival. We are so proud of you all. 

Good luck to Lochlan and Olive who have been selected for the Polding team to compete at NSW PSSA Athletics championships on Wednesday. Olive for first and record holder, high jump and Lochlan for first in discus. AMAZING!

News from the Classrooms

This week our Year 6 students visited their Kinder buddies to share the ways we can show God, we love him. Our Year 6 students discussed that we could show God we love him by giving Him praise, praying to Him, reading the Bible, loving those around us, caring for our environment and being hopeful.

📚🌟 Proud Teacher Moment! 🌟📚 

We are thrilled to showcase the incredible writing talent of our Stage 3 students. We've been diving deep into ‘Blueback,’ by Tim Winton. 🌊🐟 

I can't resist sharing a few blurb entries written by these young wordsmiths, each of them showcasing their unique perspectives on this amazing book. Here are some excellent blurbs penned by our talented students: 

In a peaceful costal town called Longboat Bay, there lives a boy called Abel and his crafty mother. They are very patinate about diving, but it can be dangerous! Ever since Abel’s father was killed by a tiger shark he and his mother have been living of the land and sea like generation before. But once Abel finds a curious blue groper (named Blueback) he is even more determined to find a chance to go diving. Come on this adventure with Abel, his mother, and the deep blue big-eyed Blueback to find out what happens next!  

By Lauren Sievert (Year 5) 

Ever since he could remember, Abel and his mother Dora have had a deep and indescribable connection with Longboat Bay's crystal-clear waters and the mysteries and lost memories they behold. They have never felt anything but care for the ocean and wants to do nothing to hurt it. But one day, Abel meets Blueback, the biggest and most amazing fish he has ever seen. So as quick as he saw him, Blueback catches his heart and when disaster strikes, Abel takes the responsibility to make sure Blueback and his fishy paradise is safe and protected. Dive into the mind blowing, head spinning adventure with Abel, filled with quivering crayfish, a gorgeous groper and majestic marine life in Tim Winton's, Blueback.   

By Kipp Hughes (Year 6) 

In a majestic town called Long Boat Bay, lives a boy called Abel and his crafty, courageous, and cool mum. Abel has always had a connection to the salty sea. It is like gold to him. He has been swimming and fishing his whole life, ever since he was in his mother’s belly.  

One day he comes across a giant blue groper, and he named it Blueback. Blueback is like the brother he has always dreamed of and he will doing anything to protect him and his home. Come on this cliff hanging adventure with Abel, if you are ready for a thrill. 

By Kobe Williams (Year 5) 

In the charming town of Longboat Bay, lives Abel Jackson and his mother. Ever since his fathers passing, young Abel has always had a sense of loneliness, despite his mothers company. He believes he gets his passion for the sea off his mother, but one day this all changes as his already large longing for the bay becomes even larger thanks to a mysterious creature of the reef. Blueback is a fish one could never forget. From his midnight blue scales to his knowledge of the ocean, this protector of the marine must be protected, and that's what Abel is determined to do – until the challenge of a lifetime blocks his way. Submerge yourself in this beautiful novel by Tim Winton and learn what it's really like in the deep, and who knows, it might surprise you...  

By Imogen Hartcher (Year 6) 

School Fees

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

As we are fast approaching towards the end of the year, feees are now due to be finalised. Please arrange payment by Bpay, Direct Debit, cash or credit card. All year 6 fees will have to be finalised, St Mary's Gateshead require a fee clearance from us prior to acceptance to into Year 7, 2024.

Any family experiencing  financial difficulty please email Mrs. Drake or the school office for assistance. 
Thank you to the familes that have finalised their fees or are honouring the regualr Bpay/direct debit deductions as arranged.
Amale Yi (Adminstration Officer).

P&F News

Next P&F Meeting will be Monday 13th November, 6:30pm in the staffroom.

All welcome to attend!

Canteen News

Kelly our Canteen Officer would love to see you if you have a spare couple of hours to assist in the canteen. Volunteers need to be registered with our CSO, by following this link: https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/people/volunteer/

Once cleared please sign up for a shift. The children love to see you here!

https://signup.zone/ZYkfNzsbws83p9yHM

Aboriginal Education News

Aboriginal Education 

Language is sacred and connected to Country and culture. It brings together generations and ties together spirituality and identity. When we keep languages alive, our culture thrives.

We are so excited to celebrate the first NSW Aboriginal Languages Week from 22-29 October 2023.

Australia is home to more than 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages, though many of these were significantly impacted by European colonisation.

Aboriginal Languages are a verbal manifestation of the world’s oldest living culture, connecting people to Country and Country to people since time immemorial. For Aboriginal peoples, Language is a fundamental part of identity – a physical, intellectual and spiritual connection to culture, Country and community. Through place names, songs, stories and ceremony Aboriginal Languages imbue the landscape with cultural meaning. 

NSW is home to approximately 35 Aboriginal Languages, many of which cross borders into other States. Of the top ten Aboriginal Languages being renewed (in terms of speaker numbers), six are Languages used in NSW: Wiradjuri, Bundjalung, Gamilaraay, Gumbaynggirr, Yorta Yorta and Paakantyi.

To recognise and celebrate Awabakal language, our school has begun saying a new Acknowledgement of County at Friday morning assemblies- with many parts said in Awabakal language.

To celebrate Aboriginal Languages Week, we will sing a whole school rendition of ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ in Awabakal language. I will lead this whole school ‘sing along’ following our assembly this Friday 27^th October.

Some other local catholic primary schools who are also feeder schools to St Mary’s Catholic College will sing ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ to mark this occasion as well.

Click on the link below to learn more about Aboriginal Languages Week.

https://www.alt.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/nsw-aboriginal-languages-week/

Danielle Shaw

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teacher

Uniform Shop

All enquiries to email:

chl.uniformshop@mn.catholic.edu.au

ORDER via the QKR App

OPENING HOURS: Monday and Friday 8:30am - 9:15am.

DONATIONS of 2nd Hand Uniforms Required

If you have any donations of second hand uniform items in good condition, particularly smaller sizes for the next years kindergarten please donate to the school office or the uniform shop by 9th November.

Healthy Eating Snippets

Chicken pasta bake

OOSH

The before and after school care at St Joseph’s is provided by St Nicholas OOSH, Diocese of Maitland Newcastle.  Open form 7am-8:30am and 3:00pm-6:00pm. 

Please contact Michelle for further information.  

MICHELLE BIRCH 
NOMINATED SUPERVISOR | ST NICHOLAS OOSH    
P 0429 435 571     M  0429 435 571   
Email michelle.birch@stnicholasmn.org.au   Visit us online www.stnicholasoosh.org.au