Term 1 Week 4

What's on at St Joey's

Principal's Messages

Dear Parents and Carers,

It is wonderful to see our students and staff thriving as we settle into Week 4 of the school year. The beginning of a new year is always a time of excitement, growth, and new opportunities. Establishing consistent routines at home helps children feel confident and prepared for each day, setting them up for success. Encouraging independence through small responsibilities—such as preparing for the day ahead the night before—can make mornings smoother and more positive for everyone. Thank you for your continued support in fostering a nurturing and structured environment for our students.

We have also been inundated with enquiries for Kinder 2026. If you have a child starting Kindergarten in 2026 can you please complete the enrolment form using this link: Enrol online | Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle 

Our Kindergarten Open Day will be held on Tuesday 11th March. We will hold an information session and take families on a Tour of our school. Our morning session is from 9:30-10:30am and our evening session is 6-7pm.

Home – School Communication Strong home-school communication is essential, as we deeply value our positive partnerships with parents and families. Please keep up to date with all school information via the Compass app, SeeSaw (K-4) and our newsletter. We are looking forward to our Beginning of the School Year Liturgy this Wednesday 19th Feb, 10:15am on the Tar where our Yr 6 student leadership team will be commissioned with their badges. All parents are welcome. Also, our Welcome BBQ on Wednesday 26^th February 6pm-7:30pm. We are after volunteers to help with the BBQ and serving of food. Please contact the office if you are able to assist. More information will follow but lock these dates in your diaries as we’d love to see as many of you as possible.

Our School Values and Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

At St Joseph’s, our school values—Strive High, Live Like Jesus, and Care for Our Environment—guide everything we do. We are committed to fostering a positive, respectful, and supportive learning environment both in the classroom and the playground.

Through our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) framework, we promote positive behaviour by setting clear expectations, reinforcing them regularly, and celebrating student achievements. Each week, we focus on a specific school value, integrating it into lesson plans and recognising students through weekly merit awards.

When students need support in making positive choices, we use strategies such as community service, reset time, and reflection time. If a student requires reset time, they will meet with an executive staff member to discuss their behaviour and reflect on ways to move forward. A reflection sheet will be sent home for parents to review and discuss with their child, reinforcing our shared expectations. Teachers will also communicate with parents regarding any behaviour concerns.

We recognise that children are always learning and growing. By working together—home and school—we can support our students in developing responsibility, resilience, and respect, ensuring their success both academically and personally.

BUS INFORMATION - NEWCASTLE TRANSPORT                                                                

For parents and/or students that have questions about school services or need help planning their trip, they will need to contact our Customer Service Team on 131 500, or using our customer portal on our website at newcastletransport.info, so we can follow up immediately.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind schools and parents to encourage school students tap on and tap off when using school bus services. This data is important in determining the school bus services provided to schools and low patronage could prompt a review of the service.  
Students and parents can follow these three easy steps to check their timetable:

1. Visit: http://newcastletransport.info/plan-your-trip/school-services

2. Type your school name into the search field (search by suburb- Charlestown)

3.Select your school bus route to download the PDF timetable  

For school bus safety tips, head to:
https://newcastletransport.info/primaryschools/

Congratulations to the Quinlan family on the birth of a brother, Montgomery, for Olivia in Year 1. We also Congratulate the Palmieri family on the birth of a brother, Rome, for Levi in Kindergarten. We wish you all much love and happiness.

It is with deep sadness that I write to inform you of the passing of Daniel and Emily Boulton's 14-year-old cousin Lilly. Lilly had DMG which is the teenage version of DIPG. Please keep the Boulton family is your thoughts and prayers.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen. May almighty God bless us with his peace and strength. Amen

May God bless us all as we embark on this new school year together.

Kathryn Hill
Principal

School Improvement Plan

2025 School Improvement: At St Joseph’s, we are committed to continuous improvement and growth in all areas of school life. In 2025, we will be focusing on our three School Improvement Goals, which will guide our efforts to enhance student learning, well-being, and engagement, ensuring the best possible outcomes for all.

Assistant Principal

Thank you to the students, parents and staff of St Joseph’s for the warm welcome you have extended to me in my first few weeks as part of your school community. I am filled with optimism and enthusiasm for the wonderful experiences and learning opportunities that lie ahead this year, and look forward to getting to know you better.

Starting a new school year can be both exciting and challenging. While the break from the routine of school, and the opportunity to spend time with family is welcomed and important, the extended absence from school can sometimes make the beginning of the year a tricky time for students and their families.

Here are some tips to help your child settle in smoothly:

1. Establish a Routine: Consistent daily routines help children feel secure and manage their time effectively. Set regular times for homework, meals, and bedtime.
2. Stay Positive: Encourage your child with positive affirmations and show enthusiasm about the new school year. Your attitude can greatly influence their outlook.
3. Get Involved: When possible, attend school events and meetings to stay connected with the school community. This helps your child feel supported and engaged.
4. Open Communication: Keep the lines of communication open with your child's teacher. Regular updates can help address any concerns early on.
5. Healthy Habits: Ensure your child gets enough sleep, eats nutritious meals, and stays active. A healthy body supports a healthy mind.
6. Prayer and Reflection: Encourage your child to take time for prayer and reflection. This can provide comfort and guidance as they navigate new experiences.

We are committed to providing a nurturing and supportive environment for all our students. Together, let's make this school year a memorable and successful one.

Blessings,

Maryanne Hacker

Office of Safeguarding

News from the Religious Coordinator

A Year of Hope- Celebrating the Jubilee Year

Welcome to 2025, a year of Hope. In the words of Pope Francis:

Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love (Pope Francis:2025). 

2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church. A Jubilee Year is celebrated every 25 years as a time to reflect on our faith and focus on our spiritual life.

This year, we have been invited by Pope Francis to become ‘Pilgrims of Hope,” - to embark on a journey filled with hope that is felt by us, recognised by others and spreads throughout our world.

Across the Diocese, including at St. Joseph’s, we will celebrate this Jubilee Year. The official launch will be on Sunday the 2nd March. Bishop Michael has invited all Catholic schools to join our Diocesan Launch. It begins with a pilgrimage walk from Foreshore Park all the way to the Sacred Heart Cathedral (4km) at 8am with Bishop Michael. Mass will then be celebrated at 10am. Following this you’re invited to a family festival of fun, free food trucks and ice cream, amusements, entertainment, and an obstacle course taking over the Cathedral Precinct.

This event doubles as our Launch of Project Compassion and collection of resources for this year’s campaign.  Please watch below for further details:

https://youtu.be/oruV5XWUI2M 

Beginning of the Year Liturgy, Wednesday 19^th February 10:15am

You are invited to join us for our beginning of the year liturgy which will be held at school on tar. Here we will pray for our school community and officially commission our 2025 school leaders. We hope you can join us.

St Joseph’s Cares Meal Train Launch

In recent years, the St Joseph’s community have had a committee to support families in our community doing it tough for a range of reasons by providing a meal.

This year we would like to improve our ability to meet needs within our community by launching the online St Joey’s Cares Meal Train.

To be involved, you do not have to be available all the time.  Volunteers provide a meal when it suits them.

How it works?

1. 1. Interested volunteers email Clare Paff to register their interest to become a member of St Joey’s Care Meal Train at clare.paff@mn.catholic.edu.au with your name, and child's name as a reference.
2. When a meal request arises, members will be alerted to the need via email with relevant details such as when the meal is needed, if there are dietary requirements and how many people are in the family.
3. Only if the request suits the volunteer, would you accept the meal request.
4. Meals made by volunteers are brought to the school for transfer to the family in need.
5. The confidentiality of volunteers and families in need is maintained in our secure St Joseph’s Cares Meal Train.

Thank you for your consideration

Events for Your Calendar

4^th March- Shrove Tuesday- Children can purchase pancakes/piklets (50c/$1) at school to raise money for Project Compassion.  

5^th March- Ash Wednesday. Years 3-6 will attend the Parish Mass at 9:30am Mass at St. Mary Immaculate Church. Families welcome to attend.

19^th March- St Joseph’s Day. Come and join us at school for a liturgy on tar at 10:15am including our annual St Joseph’s Day art contest and picnic following.

2^nd April- Stage 1 will attend the Parish Mass at 9:30am at St. Mary Immaculate Church, Charlestown. Families welcome to attend.

Primary Coordinator

Prioritising Wellbeing At St. Joseph’s Charlestown

At St. Joseph’s, we are committed to nurturing the wellbeing of our students and fostering a supportive, positive learning environment. To further this mission, we are proud to introduce two exceptional Australian wellbeing initiatives this year: Body Bright Schools and Grow Your Mind Schools. These programs are designed to empower our students with the knowledge and skills they need to cultivate physical and mental wellbeing, ensuring they thrive both inside and outside the classroom. Where possible, they will align with our Positive Behaviour For Learning (PB4L).

Body Bright Schools: Encouraging a Positive Body Image

Body Bright is a school-wide initiative that promotes healthy body image, self-esteem, and resilience. It equips students with the tools to challenge societal pressures and embrace their unique selves with confidence. Through engaging activities and discussions, students learn to appreciate their bodies for what they can do rather than how they appear. By fostering a culture of acceptance and kindness, we aim to build a school community where every child feels valued and empowered.

Grow Your Mind Schools: Cultivating Mental Wellbeing

Grow Your Mind is an innovative mental health program that introduces students to the fundamentals of social-emotional resilience and self-care. Using a playful and engaging approach, this program teaches children about the brain, mindfulness, gratitude, and kindness. By incorporating simple yet effective strategies into daily routines, we help students develop a toolkit for managing stress, building strong relationships, and maintaining a positive outlook on life.

Why These Initiatives Matter

The wellbeing of our students is at the heart of everything we do. By integrating Body Bright and Grow Your Mind into our school culture, we are equipping our students with lifelong skills that support their mental and physical health. These programs align with our SIP Goal that ‘All students feel safe and supported at school through consistent implementation of whole-school Wellbeing strategies and processes’.

We encourage parents and carers to support these initiatives at home by engaging in conversations about these wellbeing initiatives. Together, we can ensure that every child at St. Joseph’s Charlestown feels confident, supported, and ready to take on the world. More information to come!

Kind regards,

Frances Courtney

Sporting News

Congratulations to our swim team representing St Joseph's at the Lake Regional Carnival at Wallsend Pool Today:

Regional Swimming Team

Girls 100m Freestyle Billie, Leni and Aria    BOYS 100m Jeremy, Daniel and Oliver

Girls 8 Yrs 50m FREESTYLE Maisie and Koa     Boys 8 Years 50m FREESTYLE Leo, Sebastian and Finn

Girls 9 Years 50m FREESTYLE Leni, Emilia and Bronte   Boys 9 Years 50m FREESTYLE Zachary, Callum and Kai 

Girls 10 Years 50m FREESTYLE Mia, Airlie and Sienna  Boys 10 Years 50m FREESTYLE Spencer, Darcy and Levi

Girls 11 Years 50m FREESTYLE Aria, Isla and Lila    Boys 11 Years 50m FREESTYLE  Leo, Huon and Jesse

Girls 12 Years 50m FREESTYLE Billie, Neva and Charlotte Boys 12 Years 50m FREESTYLE Jeremy, Daniel and Oliver

JNR Girls Breaststroke Mia, Leni and Wilhemina   JNR Boys Breaststroke Zachary, Spencer Nall and Nash

11YRS Girls Breaststroke Lila, Isla and Frankie      11YRS Boys Breaststroke Leo, Jesse and Finn

SNR Girls Breaststroke Billie, Charlotte and Stella   SNR Boys Breaststroke Jeremy, Oliver and Daniel Boulton

JNR Girls Backstroke Leni, Wilhemina and Airlie   JNR Boys Backstroke Darcy, Zachary and Spencer

11 YRS Girls Backstroke Aria, Isla and Lila     11 YRS   Boys   Backstroke Leo, Huon and Sebastian 

SNR  Girls Backstroke  Billie, Charlotte and Stella    SNR Boys Backstroke Jeremy, Daniel and Lachie

JNR Girls  Butterfly Leni, Mia Collins and Airlie   JNR Boys Butterfly Spencer and Lachlan

11 YRS Girls Butterfly  Aria and Isla    11 YRS Boys Butterfly  Leo 

SNR Girls Butterfly Billie, Charlotte and Stella SNR Boys Butterfly Jeremy, Daniel and Bodhi

JNR Girls  200m IM Leni, Airlie and Mia

SNR Girls 200m IM  Billie  SNR  Boys 200m IM Jeremy and Daniel 

Jnr Girl Relay Leni, Mia, Airlie Wilcher and Sienna   Jnr Boy Relay Spencer, Zachary, Darcy and Callum

Senior Girl Relay Billie, Neva, Charlotte and Aria    Senior Boy Relay Jeremy, Daniel, Oliver and Lachie

Hall Of Fame

We love celebrating the achievements of our students both in and out of the classroom! If your child has recently accomplished something special in sports or any extracurricular activity, we encourage you to share their success with us. Whether it's a competition, performance, or personal milestone, we'd be thrilled to feature their accomplishments in our school newsletter. Please let us know so we can celebrate their hard work and dedication!

Cora Phillips (Year 6): Congratulations to Cora on her selection for the Polding basketball team! We wish her all the best as she competes at the next level.

Happy Birthday to the following students

We wish the following students a very happy birthday.

Family And Community Engagement News

This year, St Joseph’s, along with other schools in the Diocese, will transition from the Parents & Friends (P&F) model to the FACE (Family and Community Engagement) model. FACE focuses on strengthening partnerships between schools, families, and the wider community to support student learning and well-being. This new approach encourages meaningful collaboration, open communication, and shared responsibility, creating a more inclusive and connected school environment.

One of the major changes with the FACE model is the opportunity for parents to form a group to help organise various school activities. This could include a team coordinating events such as our Easter Raffle, Mother’s and Father’s Day gifts, and community social events. Participation is flexible—there’s no commitment to organising everything, just helping when you can.

By actively engaging parents and community members, FACE aims to enhance student outcomes, foster a strong sense of belonging, and build a positive school culture. More details about this transition will be shared in the coming weeks, and we encourage all families to get involved in whatever way suits them best.

Fundraising

Charlotte Drelincourt (Year 6) is raising money for the Mark Hughes Foundation by shaving her head.

Here is the link to her fundraising page here:
https://challenge.markhughesfoundation.com.au/page/CharlotteDrelincourt

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

QKR APP
This app is used for the canteen purchases. For existing parents please remember to change your child’s class for 2025 otherwise their lunches and other orders will go to last year’s class.

Uniform Shop

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

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

Our uniform shop is run by Wearitto: St Joseph's Primary School - Schools - Wearitto

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  

Meet Our Staff

In each Newsletter we will share information about each staff member. In this edition we meet the principal and our Years 5 & 6 teachers:

Healthy Lunch.