2024 Week 6 Term 4

Dear Parents

As we approach the end of the school year, our students are buzzing with excitement about upcoming events, from class rewards and leadership opportunities to the momentous transition to high school and important sporting days. Let's cherish these final weeks and celebrate the daily joys of learning together.

Please continue to support your child's learning by setting high expectations and encouraging positive behavior. Discuss their goals and achievements with them daily. As Albert Einstein wisely said, "It is important to learn from mistakes, but even more important not to repeat them."

Work together to create a positive and productive learning environment for all at St Joseph's, ensuring a memorable and successful conclusion to the 2024 school year.

Rememberance Day

Last week on the 11th day of the 11th month we rememberd the moment in 1918 when World War I came to an end. On Remembrance Day, we honour Australian men and women who served in war and peacekeeping activities. We remember the courageous men and women who gave their lives during wartime and as a result of war.  As we remember the lives that have been lost, let us promise each other to work for the freedom of all who are oppressed in the world today.

Remembrance Day does not glorify war – it honours the memory of all those who sacraficed their lives for Australia. Our staff and students were very respectful of this moment and occasion, it was a reflective time for us.

Enrolments 2025

Please be advised that we are currently unable to accept any more new enrolments for the 2025 academic year.

If you have changed your plans and will not be returning to St Joseph's, please notify us in writing. This will enable us to effectively plan for the upcoming year, including staffing and class sizes,  Advance notice allows us to offer places to families on our waiting list.

Class Placements 2025

As a staff we give significant time and consideration to your child’s class placement each year. We look at the academic, social and emotional needs of all the children within our school and work on creating the most positive class groupings. This will ensure that each child will transition well into their new class and flourish throughout the 2025 school year.

Considerations include, but are not limited to, assessment data, peer dynamics, learning and behavioural needs and the ratio of boys/girls within classes. Teachers on specific classes will not be known at this time and requesting a classroom teacher for your child cannot be assured.

If you believe that teachers need to consider a specific factor for your child to be a successful learner, please submit a written response to the Principal by (Monday 25 November 2024). You can email to: brendan.kiely@lism.catholic.edu.au

Please understand that requests from previous years will not be referred to and only written responses received by Monday 25 November 2024 will be considered.

Leadership - School, Mission & Sports Captains

Student Leadership Policy

Our school is a partnership between teachers, parents, students and the community.  Student input into formal decision-making is integral to our mutual success as a school. Our student leadership is formed in a collaborative process which begins with identitfying our leaders and encouraging the behaviours we want leaders to portray at St Joseph's School. 

Our Year 5 cohort, this week, have expressed their willingness to each other to be considered as the next School, Mission and Sports Captains of St Joseph's School which is a real honour and privilege to hold. I have been fortunate enough to interview the children who have been nominated by their peers for captaincy and was extremely proud and impressed by the way these children represented themselves and their families. 

We invite our parents to join with us to listen to the nominated children of Year 5 present their captains speeches. 

School Captains speeches -  Monday 25 November 2024 

Ogilvie Hall - 9:15 am

Mission Captains speeches -  Wednesday 27th November 2024 - 12:45pm

Sports Captains speeches -  Wednesday 4th December 2024 - 12:30pm Classes only.

School Refurbishments

The school will undergo significant construction starting Sunday 1 December 2024. The MacKillop Room, currently used for teacher meetings and resource storage, will be transformed into new facilities: a toilet block,  sports room, and additional storage space. During this period, certain sections of the playground will be temporarily closed to ensure safety.

Over the Christmas school holidays, the original 1960's toilet blocks will be demolished and refurbished. This area will be repurposed into modern Learning and Teaching spaces for our teachers, including Meeting rooms, Conference room, a kitchenette, upgraded toilets, and resource areas.

To accommodate these renovations, the Library will be closed for borrowing from Monday 25 November 2025 until the end of the year. However, you may still return overdue books.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our school facilities.

Lemonade Day

Our school community came together on Lemonade Day to celebrate resilience, gratitude, and finding joy in life’s opportunities. The day’s festivities began with a lively lemon squeeze and eating relay, where students showcased teamwork and enthusiasm. Fundraising stalls supporting MND added a meaningful layer, teaching the value of giving back.  

A reflective Liturgy and an inspiring talk by Bianca Adkins encouraged us to see beauty in imperfection and reminded us that “each day is a new chance to find the sweetness in life.” 

Classroom activities focused on kindness, gratitude, and curiosity, helping students explore how they can build resilience and face challenges with positivity.  

Thank you to everyone who made the day a success, especially the Adkins and Eggert families for their support. Together, we’re committed to “squeezing the most out of every day”!

Maternity Leave - Miss Samantha Ryder

We are excited to share that Miss Samantha Ryder will soon be embarking on a wonderful new chapter in her life. She will commence maternity leave after Friday 29 November 2024. We wish her all the best as she prepares to welcome her first child.

Miss Ellie Norman will be taking over as the class teacher for the remainder of the year. Miss Ryder will ensure a smooth transition and complete all her responsibilities before her leave. Please find some time to thank Miss Ryder for her efforts and kindness towards her students and the children of St Joseph's School. 

Baby News

Congratulations to Cooper Y1 Bago on the birth of twin sisters Piper and Mila.

Congratulations to Ryan S3 Hastings and Ellie Y2 Bago on the birth of their little brother Huxley. 

Please attend to payment of any outstanding School Fees for 2024, as a priority.  It is vitally important that School Fees are paid.  Our school depends on the payment of fees for financial and economic stability.  The day to day data entry is conducted at a school level while the Catholic Schools Office, in conjunction with Mr Kiely, now oversee the collection of overdue fees as well as Pastoral and Hardship concessions.

The preferred options for payment of school fees are via BPay or the Compass app.

Children's Liturgy

Reporting

Teachers are diligently writing reports at present. They are professionally capturing your child’s learning for Semester 2 of the 2024 academic year and look forward to sharing this with you in a formal report through COMPASS in the coming weeks.

Authentically Me - Year 6 Workshop

Good Man Project - Year 6 Workshop

Whole School Write - The Missing Shoe

Stage 3 Mini Market

Stage 2 Origami

All Saints Mass

Dear Families and Caregivers

The schedule of Tuition Fees for 2025 have now been uploaded to our website for families to access.

Once again we thank those families who have ensured that their current accounts are up to date. 

Payment options

Payments can be made annually, per term or a monthly/fortnightly/weekly installment. Available payment methods are BPay, Compass Pay, Office EFTPOS.

No cash is possible.

Sibling discounts

In response to the Tell Them From Me survey (TTFM), St Joseph's Wauchope will be trialling the Seesaw App as a way to bridge the gap between home and school. Seesaw allows students to share work with their families, promoting positive conversations regarding what students work on at school. 

Each child will arrive home with a unique family login for Seesaw during Week 7. Please keep the login secure. One login page can be used for multiple parents or guardians. If you need a replacement login, please contact your child’s teacher. The attached image outlines the preparation process and home expectations for Seesaw, with suggested prompts on how to discuss work with your child.

Family access will be open from Week 7 through to Week 10. During the trial period, classes will share at least one home post. During Week 10, a survey will be shared with families to evaluate the trial and plan next steps for 2025. 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Mrs Alfina Jackson - Digital Innovator

On World Teachers' Day, four outstanding educators from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools were celebrated at the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) Awards Ceremony at the NSW Parliament House. Joining an elite cohort of 34 teachers from across New South Wales, these dedicated professionals were honoured for their exceptional commitment to educational excellence and their inspiring impact on students and school communities.

Congratulations to our HALT-certified educators:

• Kara Dewhurst (St Joseph’s Primary, Wauchope)
• Vanessa Gray (St Joseph’s Regional College, Port Macquarie)
• Jessica Wilson (St Ambrose Catholic Primary School, Pottsville)
• Megan Robinson (St James' Primary School, Banora Point)

During the ceremony, Paul Martin, CEO of NESA, highlighted the words of Megan Robinson, who shared, 'Many avenues for career advancement pull teachers away from the classroom, which contradicts my passion. HALT accreditation offers invaluable opportunities for classroom teachers to engage in continuous reflection and collaborative growth, allowing us to refine our practices and enhance our impact on students. This journey of improvement is far from over for me. I eagerly anticipate continued learning alongside my students and colleagues in the years ahead.'

The HALT certification process is both rigorous and highly respected, designed to support national teaching standards while fostering reflective practice and professional growth within the classroom. We proudly celebrate the achievements of Megan, Jessica, Vanessa, and Kara, confident that they will continue to mentor and inspire the next generation of teachers, fostering a culture of excellence and passion within Catholic education.

As a community, we look forward to the lasting impact of their work, which will enrich students' educational journeys and uplift the teaching profession for educators at every career stage

Getting to school by bus in 2025

Bus passes

• All students catching the bus in 2025 will need a school travel pass.
• Under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS), eligible students can apply for free or subsided travel between home and school.
• For more information about the School Student Transport Scheme and how to apply for a school travel pass, visit https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/ from a desktop computer.

Bus timetables

1. Go to busways.com.au/nsw 
2. Click on ‘school services’ in the navigation bar and then proceed to ‘school timetables’
3. Enter the school’s name in the field that says ‘enter a school name’
4. Select the school’s name and the timetable should open on your device. If you are unable to find or search for the school’s name, use the drop-down menus on the same web page to find the school.
5. Once the timetable is opened, you will be able to identify which school bus services are available in your area for your child to use.