Term 4 Week 9

What's on at St Joey's

Principal's Messages

Dear Parents and Carers, 

What a delight it was to see so many of you at our Christmas Carols night last Thursday! The children were absolutely amazing, filling the evening with joy through their beautiful performances. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff, and especially Mrs. Savage, for their hard work in preparing and organising such a wonderful event. 

This is indeed a special time of year, with the Church season of Advent in full swing. Many of the songs from the evening reminded us of this sacred period of waiting and anticipation for Christmas—a time to celebrate the extraordinary gift of Jesus coming into the world as a newborn baby. As parents, this season invites us to pause amid the busyness, reflect on our hearts and lives, and remove anything that might block God’s love from shining through us. Let us pray that this Advent becomes a time of renewal, hope, and preparation as we open our hearts and homes to welcome the light of Christ. 

We look forward to celebrating our Thanksgiving Mass on Wednesday at 9:30 am at St. Mary Immaculate Church. Due to limited seating, we are inviting parents of our Year 6 students and those of Year 5 students being elected as the 2025 student leaders. This Mass will be a special opportunity to pray together and give thanks for the many blessings of 2024. 

We extend our gratitude to: 

• Our students for their commitment to learning and the joy they bring to our community. 

• Our staff for their unwavering dedication and care. 

• You, our parents, for your continued support and partnership in your child’s education. 

• Our volunteers for their generous help with events, the canteen, excursions, our P & F and Story Dogs. 

• Our parish and Father Tony for their spiritual guidance and encouragement. 

Last week we received the exciting news that St Joseph’s won a Commended Award in the 2024 Roger O’Sullivan Memorial Award for Family, School and Community Partnerships for Learning from the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW, ACT. 

Our St Joseph’s Writing Fair was submitted as an example of excellence in teaching and learning and engagement with our community. The involvement of our ex students from St Mary’s High School, parent attendance and effort with the writing stimulus, thanks to parent Mrs Manning, are all contributing factors to the success. We will receive a certificate and $250 for school resources. Thanks to our staff, especially Mrs Flanagan, Mrs Hill and Ms Nolan for their work in leading this initiative. 

Congratulations to the many students who have been involved in extra curricula activities these past few weeks. Well done to our band students who performed at the Newcastle City Hall in the ASPIRE Vivace performance. Mrs Savage and Mr Bryn Wilson Kelloway are to be thanked for their assistance and preparations. Also well done to our guitar students who performed at Muso’s Corner for their parents and friends, organised by Ricky’s Music Tuition. We love hearing and seeing the developing skills of our talented musicians. 

Congratulations to the Yr 5 students who nominated for 2025 student leadership positions. They nominated for the positions in an application process, shared outstanding speeches describing why and how they will be leaders and a voting process has taken place for all staff and students in Yr 2-5. I am extremely proud of each of the nominees who have demonstrated great courage in putting themselves out there and for their wonderful speeches too. Each student should be proud of themselves! The successful applicants will be announced at our mass on Wednesday. 

Last Friday we celebrated the amazing Mrs Catherine Schumacher who is retiring after 50 years in education. Many ex-staff and students attended to join in the farewell, and it was so lovely to hear of the fond memories and lasting legacy that Catherine leaves behind. We wish Mrs Schumacher much happiness as she moves into this next phase of her life. We wish good health, many travel adventures and some rest time with a nice ‘pineapple drink in her hand’ (as said by Kinder!).  

Mrs. Schumacher has been more than a teacher—she’s been a mentor, a guide, and a source of inspiration for so many. Her dedication to her students, her kindness, and her tireless energy have left a lasting impact on us all. With decades of service to our school, Catherine has become the keeper of its history, holding cherished connections with generations of students and their families. She has witnessed and shaped the growth of St Joseph’s, fostering a legacy of love, learning, and faith. We will miss her greatly! 

Staffing is nearly finalised. There are many pieces to the puzzle! I congratulate Ms Masie Duff, Ms Caitlin Morris and Ms Isabelle Peacock who have secured fulltime temporary teaching roles for next year. We are sad to say goodbye to Ms Sophie Perkins but congratulate her on her appointment to St Bridgid’s Raymond Terrace. Sophie has made wonderful contributions to St Joseph’s, especially to Year 1 and Year 3 these past 18 months. We wish her all the very best and hope to see her return in the future. 

We will also say farewell to our EAL/D teacher, Mrs Anne Turner who has worked at St Joseph’s these past 2 years. Anne has accepted a Learning Support teacher position at St Francis Xavier Belmont. Anne has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role and a dedication and care for our students that has been very special. Thank you, Anne! 

We thank Bek Henshaw who has worked at St Joseph’s for the past 18 months as our Gifted Education Project Officer. We congratulate Bek on her appointment to the Catholic Schools Office as Education Officer - High Potential Gifted Education. Bek has been a wonderful support for our students and teachers, initiating programs and professional development opportunities to enhance teaching and learning in this area. We will be appointed a new GE Mentor in the coming weeks. 

As mentioned in previous newsletters, we will also farewell and thank Mrs Stephanie Tranter who has accepted a position at St John Vianney Morisset, which is a bit closer to her home on the Central Coast. Since joining us at St. Joseph's in 2018, Steph has shared her many talents and expertise, leaving a lasting impact on both our students and staff. Steph’s skills in technology and library management have been invaluable, but what truly sets her apart is her dedication to creating a vibrant, welcoming space in the Hub. She has transformed it into a true centre of learning and fun, where students feel welcomed and inspired. We will miss you Stephanie! 

After a successful recruitment process with a great number of qualified applicants applying, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Candice Gibson to the Teacher Librarian role in 2025. Candice brings eight years of dedicated experience in primary school libraries, most recently serving as Teacher Librarian at St Paul’s Primary School, Gateshead. We look forward to welcoming Candice next year. 

We also officially farewell Mrs Emma McGlynn who has been on extended leave these last 2 years studying to be a paramedic. Emma has now relinquished her position to finalise her studies. Emma has worked as a teacher at St Joseph’s since 2015 and has been a wonderful teacher, colleague and friend to many. We have missed Emma these past 2 years but are lucky to have her as a parent as well as a casual teacher on occasion. We wish Emma continued success and happiness in her new career. 

Please see our 2025 class list below. Students will participate in a Step-Up afternoon on Friday 2pm-3pm when they will move to their new classroom and meet their teacher for next year. We will also welcome many new students from other schools who will be joining St Joseph’s in the new year. If your circumstances are changing, please let the school office know asap, with change of address and change of school name. This will help finalise administration of classes for the end of the year. 

Semester 2 reports are being finalised and will be released on Friday afternoon on your child’s Compass dashboard. These are a great tool to gauge your child’s progress throughout the year. Please use them as a talking point to congratulate your child on their efforts and development. 

We look forward to seeing many of you at the last events: 

Thanksgiving Mass – Wednesday 11th Dec 9:30am St Mary Immaculate Church 

SJC Talent Show – Thursday 12th Dec 1:30pm COLA 

Kinder Play & Learn – Friday 13th Dec 9:30-11:00am 

Swimming Carnival – Monday 16th Dec Charlestown Pool 

Year 6 Farewell (Yr 5 & 6 attend) – Monday 16th Dec Charlestown Bowling Club  

End of Year Awards – Tuesday 17th Dec 9-10am COLA 

Students Last Day and Yr 6 Clap Out – Wednesday 18th Dec 2:30pm COLA 

May this season of Advent continue to fill your hearts and homes with peace and joy. 

There will be brief and final newsletter next week.

God Bless,

Kate Drake

Assistant Principal

A Time for Reflection and Gratitude 

As we approach the final days of the school year, it’s hard to believe how quickly the time has passed. This season offers us a unique opportunity to pause and reflect on the journey we’ve shared throughout the year—one filled with growth, learning, and countless moments of joy and connection. 

Together, we’ve celebrated achievements big and small, faced challenges with resilience, and supported one another as a vibrant school community. From the dedication of our teachers and staff to the enthusiasm and determination of our students, this year has been a testament to the strength and spirit of our school family. 

As we prepare for the Christmas season, I want to express my deep gratitude to all of you—parents, carers, students, and staff—for your contributions. Each of you plays a vital role in making our school a place where learning thrives and every individual feels valued. 

Christmas is a time of hope, joy, and connection—a chance to step back from the busyness of daily life and focus on what truly matters. It is a season to gather with family and friends, to reconnect and share the simple yet profound gift of time together. 

I encourage you to embrace this season not only as a time of celebration but also as a moment to reflect on the blessings of the past year and the possibilities of the year to come. Let’s carry the spirit of gratitude into our homes, relationships, and community, and remember the importance of compassion and kindness during this special time. 

On behalf of all the staff at our school, I wish you a peaceful and joyful Christmas. May the holidays bring you cherished moments with loved ones, rest, and renewal for the year ahead. 

Thank you for being part of our school community. I look forward to continuing our shared journey in the new year. 

Warm regards, 
Kathryn Hill

Office of Safeguarding

News from the Religious Coordinator

Advent

We are now in the second week of Advent. On Sunday the second purple candle was lit. The candle of peace. As a school we will light our second candle at our Tuesday assembly. Join us if you can. When we light our second candle we will be thinking about peace and preparation. Our preparation helps us get our minds and souls ready for Jesus’ birth and our peace helps us to be positive beacons of light for others. We will also be thinking about how we can be peaceful people and use this gift of peace to help our friends and family to find their peace.

End of Year Mass

On Wednesday the 11th we will celebrate our final school Mass for the year. We will thank God for all the blessings of this year and also formally farewell our year 6 students. Mass will begin at 9:30am at St Mary Immaculate Church, Charlestown.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

Thank you St Joseph’s community for your incredible generosity. We have received an abundance of non-perishable items for our Christmas Appeal. So much that one of our school offices is filled to the brim! These items will be presented to Josephine Mitchell, President of the local St Vincent de Paul Society at our Tuesday assembly in readiness to be made into Christmas hampers.

Mass times this Christmas

At this most Holy time of the year it is beautiful to spend some time with God in community. Below are Mass times in our local Parish.

Primary Coordinator

This term I would like to take the opportunity to recap on the PB4L focus areas of Term 4:

Weeks 1-2: Strive High - Do Your Best. A great way to start the term by discussing giving our best effort, believing in our ability to grow/improve, and embracing a positive growth mindset.

Weeks 3-4: Live Like Jesus – Include Others. Being proactive in creating a community of ‘includers’ in which all students feel a sense of belonging.

Weeks 5-6: Strive High – Make Good Choices. Positive choices help you learn, grow, and build positive relationships.

Weeks 7-8: Practising Gratitude – reflecting on what is good in our lives and being thankful for the things we have. These skills help us develop a positive outlook and build meaningful relationships with others.

Weeks 9-10 Care for Our Environment – Keep Our School Clean

As we approach the end of the school year and the season of Advent, we are reminded of the importance of preparation—not just for the holidays but for leaving our school in a state of care and respect. Advent encourages us to reflect on hope, renewal, and responsibility, and these values that align closely with PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) principles of Keeping Our School Clean.

We teach the students that they are ‘stewards of creation’ - this means the responsibility that God entrusted to humanity to care for and protect the Earth and all life on it. We foster a culture of environmental responsibility by tidying and cleaning classrooms, turning off electrical appliances and lights, disposing of rubbish and recycling properly, bringing books and resources home, and working together to maintain a clean school environment ready for the new year. It encourages shared stewardship responsibility of all students and staff every day, but also demonstrates gratitude and respect for the amazing spaces we have at St Joseph’s.

Thank you for supporting our PB4L journey. Have a blessed Christmas and relaxing holiday.

Frances Courtney – Primary Coordinator

Class News

Learning Hub

Achievements

Darcy has had a great 2024 competing in Enduro & Moto Trials - placing 1st for JTDBC Enduro series, 2nd place for Northern Inland Cross Country series, 1st place for Trials Denman MCC club championship and 3rd at NSW State Titles. 

What an incredible achievement, Sofia Greelees for Winning a gold medal in gymnastics.

Congatulations we are so proud of you.

Garden Group

As we move into summer students are enjoying the fruits of their labour from throughout the term.

In Winter we planted onion seeds, and they are now being pulled from the ground and enjoyed by the children.

Stage 3 students have been helping out undressing our old scarecrow, ready to make a new one in the new year.

We have spent our $250 sustainability voucher from Lake Macquarie City Council on compost ready to create new garden beds, generously purchased by Mrs Drake and The Catholic Diocese.

Senior students have worked alongside our infants kids painting rocks to decorate the fairy garden,

Lastly, we had a special visitor to the garden this week, Santa Claus! He is living amongst the fairies for the month of December.

Thank you to all our wonderful garden group members for helping make the garden such a special place.

An Extra Thankyou!

During the hot weather some very helpful and hard working students helped build a new garden bed with the grant money we received this term from LMCC.

Thank you Oscar, Sam, Archer, Eddie and Ari.

Your commitment to helping in the school garden is commendable.

Aboriginal Education

1. Aboriginal Education 

   Recently a few of our students braved the heat to compete at a Mini Electronic Vehicle Challenge Day at Tighes Hill TAFE. Leading up to the day, students worked as a team to build and experiment with their own solar powered car kit, with support from myself, Mr Fox and Mr Durston from St Pius High School.

   Racing a solar powered car at the Mini EV Challenge Day which the students had built themselves certainly added an element of excitement and enthusiasm! They loved competing against teams from various other local schools.

   We didn’t come away as finalists but did enjoy a few wins. It certainly was a wonderful opportunity, even if we had to cut it short to escape the sweltering heat.

   Significant Cultural Dates

   10th December: International Human Rights Day

   International Human Rights Day is the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 10 December 1948.

   The Declaration sets out a set of basic human rights and freedoms for all citizens

   Click HERE for more information.

   Danielle Shaw

   Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teacher

Happy Birthday to the following students

We wish the following students a very happy birthday.

School Fees

School Fees

Dear Families,
As the term is coming to an end, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the families who have already paid their fees for 2024. We appreciate your cooperation.
Just a reminder that all fees were due on November 30th.
 If any family is experiencing financial hardship, we encourage you to reach out to our admin staff. We are here to assist and support you in any way we can.
If any family would like to set up a direct debit for next year, please find the necessary form attached. You can also begin making payments for next year, which will put you in credit. Other payment options include BPay or setting up a Direct debit from your personal account.
Please return the completed form to the school administration office.
If any family has a Centrelink Heath Care card, please bring it into the school office for a concession off your fees for 2025.
 
Thank you once again for your cooperation and continued support.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Amale Yi

P&F News

Our P & F Committee has held it's last ever meeting. Many of its members have children heading to high school next year and with no new members we will be moving to the FACE group forum model in 2025 as endorsed by the Parents Federation and Catholic Schools Office. More information will follow in 2025.

Huge thanks to our dedicated volunteers, many who have been involved since their children started Kindergarten. They have not only attended meetings, volunteered in the canteen or clothing shop but have assisted, led and organised a great many fundraisers over the years contributing to many wonderful resources for our school. 

We thank our outgoing team:

President & Treasurer - Lisa Evans

Vice President - Kim Smith

Secretary - Katie Turnbull

Uniform Shop - Lindsey Dragosavljevic

Fundaraiser Organisers - (Subway Days, Bunnings BBQs, Easter & Mother's Day & Father's Day) 

Brooke Sievert, Anna Wadwell & Nicola Gillies 

Canteen News

This week is the last week of canteen operation with the canteen closing for stock take and clean after Friday 13th Dec.

Thank  you to all our volunteers who have assisted Kelly throughout the year! We appreciate each of you and so do your children! Please come back to help out next year. We all love seeing you at our school!

LAST DAY FOR CANTEEN - FRIDAY 13th December

Uniform Shop

Normal shop hours - Every Tuesday and Thursday 8am-10am

See Elaine and Ian from Wearitto for all your Uniform needs.

WEARITTO UNIFORM SHOP - ADDITIONAL HOURS 2025

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. 

If you are interested or are needing care for your child at our St Nicholas OOSH during their Vacation Care on these dates please contact Michelle on 0429 435 571 or via email michelle.birch@stnicholasmn.org.au. Please get in contact with Michelle by 8/11/24, to ensure adequate planning time and assessing if the days can go ahead. If you have never attended our OOSH and would like to attend our upcoming Summer Vacation Care, please use this link to enrol your child: https://prodadmin.myxplor.com/enrollment_v2/centre/gTr8nZwuUlNdmk942311gtyslw. 

2025 kindergarten students are also able to attend our Summer Vacation Care, once the New Year clocks over.
Families can also use this link: https://forms.gle/GeVBioU8iC2p3kv47, to have their input into our program!

MICHELLE BIRCH
NOMINATED SUPERVISOR| St Nicholas OOSH CHARLESTOWN
P <> 0431 570 981 W <> 0429 435 571
32 Shelton St | Charlestown NSW 2290 

Email michelle.birch@stnicholasmn.org.au Visit us online www.stnicks.org.au

Healthy Lunch

Holiday Academy