Term 2 Week 4

What's on at St Joey's

Principal's Messages

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been a busy and vibrant start to Term 2, despite the wet weather we’ve been experiencing! Rainy days haven’t dampened the energy and enthusiasm across the school, with our classrooms full of rich learning, curiosity, and creativity.

One of the highlights this term has been the focus on student goal setting. It’s been so rewarding to see students take ownership of their learning—setting meaningful goals, working towards them with determination, and celebrating with excitement when they achieve them. Even more inspiring is their eagerness to set their next goal and continue growing.

Each morning, I’m greeted at the gate by cheerful smiles and beautiful manners—it’s a genuine joy to start the day this way. I’m also incredibly proud of how our students welcome visitors with warmth and respect, showing what a special community we have here at St Joseph’s.

School Disco: We are very grateful to our wonderful staff for coordinating the venue, DJ, and all the essentials for our recent School Disco. The students had an amazing time and quickly realised that discos can be noisy and warm—yet this didn’t dampen their fun one bit! A heartfelt thank you to the staff who volunteered their Friday evening to help with setting up, supervising, and packing away. At St Joseph’s, we are fortunate to have such a committed team who always give their best for our students.

Staffing Update: We are delighted to warmly welcome Kellie Trout as our new Administration Officer. Kellie joins us today and brings a wealth of experience in school administration. We are thrilled to have her as part of our team.

Next week, on Monday 26th May, we will also welcome Samuel Foster, who will be taking on the temporary full-time teaching position in Year 5 Red for the remainder of the 2025 school year. Sam is an experienced educator, joining us from St Patrick’s, Cessnock, and we look forward to the expertise and enthusiasm he will bring to our school community.

Athletics Carnival Update:16th June- Fearnley Dawes Track Years 2-6. Due to logistical considerations and the growing number of students, the school has decided to hold the main Athletics Carnival for Years 2–6. Kindergarten and Year 1 will enjoy their own Carnival Afternoon on Monday 30th June from 2:00–3:00pm.

A reminder that Kindergarten enrolments for 2026 will close on Friday 23rd May. If you have a child ready to start school in 2026, or know someone who does, please ensure applications are submitted by this date.

Congratulations to the Hay family on the birth of a brother, Joseph, for Evie in Year 1 and Olivia Kindergarten. We wish you all much love and happiness.

It is with deep sadness that I write to inform you of the passing of Grace Macarthy's uncle.

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

Thank you for your continued support as we journey through another exciting and fulfilling term together.

Warm regards,

Kathryn Hill

Assistant Principal

As we approach the midpoint of the academic year, it’s a natural time for reflection—on our students’ growth, our shared achievements, and the journey still ahead.

In the coming weeks, teachers will be finalising assessments and preparing Semester 1 reports. These reports, which use the A–E grading scale, are designed to provide parents and carers with a clear picture of each child’s progress relative to the expected achievement standards for their year level.

It’s important to remember that these grades reflect a student’s demonstrated understanding and skills at this point in time—not their effort or character, which we continue to value deeply. We encourage families to use the reports as a springboard for meaningful conversations about learning goals and personal growth.

These conversations regarding learning goals and personal growth can be continued in parent/student/teacher conferences which will be offered in Week 9. Bookings for these conferences will be opened in Week 8.

Thank you for your continued partnership in nurturing the academic and spiritual development of every child in our care.

Thank you,

Maryanne Hacker

Office of Safeguarding

News from the Religious Coordinator

Sacramental Program

On Friday 9th May, 15 of our students from St Joseph’s were confirmed. These children were Cameron, Ellie O, Lani, Sebastian H, Jordan, Sadie I, Ashlyn, Rory, Sienna W, Louis S, Isabelle S and Eddie S. Confirmation is a sacrament of initiation into the Church where promises made at baptism by parents are affirmed by our young people. Through confirmation, the Holy Spirit is more fully released into our students lives to guide and strengthen them on their faith journey.

The next sacrament these students will receive is the Eucharist, otherwise known as Communion on the Weekend of the 21st and 22nd of June. This is when our students will be able to participate in the sacred meal which is Holy Communion. Please keep these children in your prayers.

Catholic Schools Week

From 2nd to 6th June, we celebrate Catholic Schools Week—a time to honour the vibrant communities within our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. This week highlights the dedication of staff, the growth of students, and the shared mission to nurture each child spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically. Catholic education is about helping every student flourish and become the person God calls them to be, through learning that inspires both the heart and mind.

We have much to be proud of in our endeavours to provide our young people with a well-rounded education that meets their needs today and for their future. We are deeply grateful for our thriving community, where teachers, parents and parish come together in unparalleled levels of care providing safe, supportive and inclusive surroundings which nurture students’ wellbeing, confidence and hope for themselves.

In this Jubilee Year, we are blessed with opportunities to share the love of Jesus Christ and remind ourselves that growing in faith builds firm trust in God’s promises. It is our trust in God’s promises that fills us with hope—even in our darkest moments, God's faithfulness never fades. May this week inspire us to live each day with joyful hearts and steadfast hope in the Lord.

We pray together:

Loving God,

May the God of hope fill us with joy and peace

as together we guide and nurture the minds and hearts of the young.

May the God of hope grant us wisdom to live with truth, patience to lead with compassion, and faith to inspire with love.

May we always find strength in the mission to reflect Christ’s light in our days, and may our work bear lasting fruit in the lives of those we love and serve.

Amen.

At St. Joseph’s we will celebrate this special week on the 4th June:

Open classrooms 9:15am- 10:00am

10:15am: Liturgy on tar led by Fr Tony

11am FACE Meeting in HUB

We hope you can join us for this special occasion.

Building our Religious Self Efficacy

Across the Diocese, a project led by academic Dr Greg Elliot is working on building teacher self-efficacy (confidence and skill) to teach religion as an academically rigorous subject. This also aligns with one of our school’s strategic goals. In our classrooms, we are focusing on content specific vocabulary to build understanding as well as making learning intentions visible and working together as a staff to discuss teaching practices. Already, we can see improvements in

student engagement and knowledge. 

Welcome to our new Pope,

Last week we welcomed our new Pope Leo the X1V. We pray for his term of leadership that he may positively impact all followers as well as the wider world through his message about Jesus.

Primary Coordinator

Week 4 and 5: Maths and Spelling Bees
In the next fortnight, students in Year 1-6 will be participating in class and stage-based Maths and Spelling bees. The Maths Bee requires students to answer a range of mental arithmetic questions in their head with accuracy, in a 10 second time frame. These include addition, subtraction, multiplication (…groups of…), division (… shared by…) and problem-solving questions. The Spelling Bee requires students to accurately spell words aloud without any visual assistance. You can practise these skills at home if you wish. https://www.ozspeller.com/
We will let you know the successful Maths and Spelling students in each stage who will represent our school at a Regional level.

PB4L Focus: Make Good Choices – Being In The Right Place At The Right Time
Our wet weather has meant we have had a few days indoors, but our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) conversations have been around ‘being in the right place at the right time’. This is an important part of school life because it helps everyone stay safe. Here’s a summary with a PB4L focus:

Safety: We are a school on large grounds, so being where you’re supposed to be means the staff know you’re safe. We are encouraging students to not return to their bags during lunch and recess times, and to
remember their hats and canteen money before play time.

Respect: It demonstrates good listening and respect for your teachers, staff and classmates when you follow the school rules and routines. It means students are ready to learn and play.

Responsibility: Being in the right place helps you take charge of your learning and be organised for class, which builds trust and independence. During eating time, staying seated allows everyone to focus on their food and conversations.

Learning: Being on time and in the right place means you don’t miss out on important learning or disrupt others. Keeping unnecessary movement in and out of the room helps the class remain calm and focused.
Or focus areas last week were morning arrival and afternoon dismissal, and eating time expectations. This week we will discuss play areas, canteen, assembly and classroom routines.

Green Day & Toy Sale

Green Day & Secondhand Toy Sale – Coming Soon! We’re excited to announce Green Day and our Secondhand Toy Sale on Wednesday 21st May to raise money for our Environmental Committee’s new Recycling Project! Students are invited to come out of uniform and wear something green to show their support for the environment! We’re calling on our school community to donate any pre-loved toys in good condition. Donations can be sent to school from now until the sale. Let’s work together to give old toys a new home and support a greener future for our kids!

Please bring Gold Coins to purchase a Pre-Loved Toy from our Sale on Wednesday! Thank you!

Walk to School Day Friday 30th May

We’re taking it in our stride on Friday, 30th May 2025

Due to the immense amount of rain, we had to postpone our walk to school day from 16th May to our New Date: Friday 30th May! We thank Mrs. Brands in our canteen for making the students a healthy breakfast of fruit and yoghurt last Friday.

Walk Safely to School Day asks that we all consider our transport habits and try to incorporate more walking as part of a healthy, active way to get around. And although walking all the way to school isn’t realistic for many of us, it’s quite easy to figure out how you can build a walk into your family’s daily routine.

You can teach your child the healthy habit of walking more by:

• Walking with them the whole way to school
• If they get the bus or train, walk past your usual stop and get on at the next stop
• If you have to drive, park the car a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest of the way.

Regular exercise like walking with your child not only helps them (and you!) beat chronic problems like obesity, heart disease, behavioral and mental health issues and diabetes. It also gives you a great opportunity to teach your child safe ways to behave around roads and traffic.

Remember, Active Kids are Healthy Kids so we would love to have you join us for our SJC Walk Safely to School journey on Friday 30th MAY 2025!

Students, parents and younger siblings of SJC are welcome to either join teachers at Kahibah Park Playground at 8:00 OR the Charlestown Netball courts carpark at 8:00am for a walk to school.

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.

Gifted Education

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

In Term 2, students in Year 2 & 4 will participate in the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). This test evaluates students' reasoning abilities in three key areas essential for success in school: 

1. Verbal Battery: Assesses students' ability to reason with words and concepts, crucial for reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, and verbal learning tasks.
2. Quantitative Battery: Measures students' ability to reason with quantitative symbols and concepts, which are vital for problem-solving in mathematics and other disciplines.
3. Nonverbal Battery: Evaluates students' ability to reason with geometric shapes and figures, requiring them to implement strategies for solving novel problems.

These batteries provide a comprehensive view of each student's learned reasoning abilities, identifying both strengths and areas for improvement. CogAT aims to support differentiated practice in education by helping teachers adapt instruction to meet the unique needs and abilities of each student. 

It's important to note that CogAT scores are not integrated into report grades or other conventional measures of school achievement. The focus is on tailoring instruction and fostering a supportive, inclusive learning environment based on each child's ability. 

If you have any concerns or questions about your child's academic progress or specific educational needs, please schedule a meeting with your child's teacher. They will discuss your child's strengths and areas for growth based on various assessments. Additionally, you can contact our Gifted Education Mentor Project Officer (GEM PO) Carol Paterson (carol.paterson@mn.catholic.edu.au)  or Leader of High Potential and Gifted Education, Maree Karaka (maree.karaka@mn.catholic.edu.au), for further assistance. 

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring the best educational outcomes for our students. 

School Camp

 Stage 3 School Camp: Point Wolstoncroft 

Sailing  

The wind howled in our sail as we steered our little bravo across the lake speeding around the little bio then... Frankie fell off then followed by Ruby turning around was a nightmare. How do you turn a boat against the wind it's impossible! Soon we were back again sailing very, very slowly. Suddenly the wind pushed us, we were all screaming at the top of our lungs, flailing around not knowing what to do. It was so fun! We were called to shore, so we slowly went back. We had to pack up the boats then we realised not all boats had come back. We looked back out on the water and there was a boat capsized, we all laughed until our sides hurt. It was really funny. We were allowed to jump off the jetty before we went back for a shower.                                                                                    By Evie 

The salty lake was churning in the breeze, the sun occasionally peeking out of its hiding place behind the clouds. The wind was in our sail, the boat racing across the water. Adrenalin was pumping through us, changing course so that we didn’t run into other boats. All of a sudden, a giant gust of wind swept over us, and the rain was so heavy! The rain was pounding into us as we went into shore, the fog blocking our vision from far ahead. Sailing was so fun, and I would defiantly do it again! 

By Daisy 

Hub News

PRC 2025

The  NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely. The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is available for all NSW students in Kindergarten to Year 9, in government, independent, Catholic and home schools.

At St Joseph’s, the PRC is not compulsory for all students but is strongly encouraged by both class teachers and the library staff. The challenge is promoted regularly, and students are rewarded for their achievements.

Student Logins

Please reach out to Mrs Gibson or Mrs Hoffmann if you would like your child to bring home their PRC login details and if you experience any issues with logging in.

An update of students who have completed the challenge so far in 2025:

Congratulations to the following students who have recently finished the PRC. These students have had their names added to the PRC display in the library and received their Gotcha ticket.

Lachlan A 4R, Layla J 4B, William F-J KB, Abigail S KB, Israel C 4B, Alexander B 5R and Maya G 5R.

Library Bags

Unfortunately, we have had quite a few books returned to the library that were damaged and ruined due to being wet. Please ensure your child (all students K-6) brings a library bag on their library day to avoid drink bottles being leaked onto the books. If a student returns a damaged book more than three times, parents will receive an account and will be charged, which will go towards buying replacements. Thank you all for your support.

Happy reading!

Mrs Gibson – Teacher Librarian

Mrs Hoffmann – Library Assistant

School Fees

Dear St Joseph’s Family,

We hope this message finds you well.

Just a friendly reminder to families who selected the annual payment option, your fees will be due in the coming weeks. An invoice will be sent shortly, but this is a friendly heads-up to allow time for planning.

Thank you to all families who are continually making payments. Your commitment is deeply appreciated and plays a vital role in helping us create a strong, thriving community.

For any questions or assistance regarding payment, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you

Amale Yi

Happy Birthday to the following students

We wish the following students a very happy birthday.

Hunter iF festival.

Hunter iF are inviting your students to design the Hunter Innovation Festival tee shirt and there are loads of cash prizes and art supplies to win!
🌞🌏💡
Design to the theme of Energy of the Future - think about sustainable energy sources, innovative technologies and the greener future for our planet. This might include solar power, wind energy, hydrogen, energy efficiency and what role they might play for our region.
🏆
Entries close 30 June. Email art@hunterIF.com.au to register your intent & get more information.

ASPIRE

Choir News!

How beautifully did our choir sing for Mother's Day?

We hope their special song lit up your day and made for a special Mother's Day.

The choir will be performing during our Catholic School's Week liturgy and are working hard towards our Celebrate Concert which is a vocal showcase from school choirs across the Diocese.

This event will be held at the CIVIC THEATRE on Tues 10^th June at 6pm. Please see the flier attached for ticket information and refer to the compass letter that all choir students received. We would love to have as many friends and family from our community come along and support us for this special occasion. Please note that St Joseph's will be performing on Tuesday the 10^th ONLY.

Karyn Savage

Music Specialist Teacher

FACE- Family And Community Engagement

Our next Family and Community Engagement (FACE) meeting will be held on Tuesday 4th June, straight after our Catholic Schools Week Liturgy—approximately 11:00am in the HUB. All are warmly welcome to attend. We’ll be sharing our Learning Goals and Vision, and we’re keen to hear your input on these, as well as upcoming fundraising initiatives. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to support our school community.

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

Subway day will be held on Tuesday the 27th of May.
Please place your order via QKR by Friday 23rd at 11.00am.

Uniform Shop

As we begin the Winter Uniform Transition Period tomorrow, we understand that some uniform items and sizes are currently out of stock at our uniform shop. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Please be assured that we will be flexible and understanding for those students affected during this time.

We continue to emphasise the importance of wearing the school uniform (including hats) with pride, as it reflects our shared identity and belonging to the St Joseph's community.
 

Save the Date: MSP School Photos: Week 9: 25th June.
Thank you for your ongoing support.

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: 

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 Taylor for further information.  

Taylor Richardson  
NOMINATED SUPERVISOR | ST NICHOLAS OOSH    
P 0429 435 571     M  0429 435 571   
Email taylor.richardson@stnicholasoosh.org.au Visit us online www.stnicholasoosh.org.au  

Swap it.