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Term 2 Week 4 Newsletter 2022

Acknowledgement of Country

We would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the Wulgurukaba people. We also acknowledge their neighbouring brothers and sisters on the land, the Bindal people. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. May we walk gently and peacefully on this land together.

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, Staff and Students

Hope all of our wonderful St Joey’s mothers had a lovely Mother’s Day on Sunday, and were spoiled by their families.

Throughout last week I was doing 2023 Prep Enrolment Interviews and was showing the new families around the school. I took families who attended interviews on Thursday and Friday into the Library to have a look at our Mother’s Day Stall. They were very impressed with the whole setup, as well as the thoughtfulness demonstrated by our students when choosing a gift for their mother or the mother figure in their life. We often came across classes of excited students making their way to the Stall with a small bag of money. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our P & F Association, particularly Di Harper and Kerry Lyon who were instrumental in organising the Mother’s Day Stall, and Monique Connell for helping out where possible. A big thank you also to our many volunteers who came in and assisted with selling and wrapping gifts, and to those wonderful people who donated gifts. Without parents/carers who are willing to organise, contribute and assist, these types of events just do not happen. So thank you and much appreciation to all who contributed in any way.

I have included below an excerpt from an article in Catholic Outlook titled, ‘The Importance of Mother’s Day’:

Mother’s Day reminds us of the many and varied shapes of relationships that make up women’s lives. It honours their work in business, in music and other creative fields, their contribution to public life through committees and political allegiances, their sporting interests and all the trying, achieving, relaxing, enjoying and grieving that make each person’s life distinctive.
By definition, of course, the Day focuses on women as persons who are mothers. In doing so it also honours all the relationships which, through their motherhood, shape their lives. These include the relationships to their children as babies, children, adolescents and adults, moving from relationships of dependence to mentoring and to equal friendship.
As with all relationships, those of motherhood make their own demands and these demands are primarily of love, moving from the protective and all-embracing love of very young children, to the mentoring love of older children and the freeing love of adolescents. Each stage of love involves sacrifice. The personal sacrifice of the gradual separation of the child into an independent adult, and the sacrifice of other possibilities that they might relinquish when taking on commitments in the home.

Mother’s Day celebrates the ways in which women grow as persons through their relationships as mothers.
God bless
Tracy

APRE News

Open Your Heart

Be a Gift of Love and Compassion for One Another Mary MacKillop

Next week we celebrate Laudato Si` Week. This week marks the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on creation care. The Laudato Si is a letter written by Pope Francis addressed to every person on the planet, asking us all to protect the earth. For more information click on the link: Laudato Si' for children

Year 5 Mass

Next Tuesday 17th May we will be holding a Year Level Mass for the Year 5 students. Parents are welcome to attend. We will send information about the time later in the week.

Assembly

Assemblies take place in the Shelter Shed on Monday mornings at 8:40am. All are welcome to attend. Our next Assembly will be our Laudato Si Assembly to be held on Monday 16th May, hosted by 4B.

Christian Meditation

Christian Meditation will not take place over the next few weeks as Mrs Plant is away.

May God’s blessing be with you all, Peta

2023 Prep Final Enrolment Reminder

Diary Dates

From the Office

Term 1 fees were due for payment on 25th March.

Your prompt payment for School fees and Instrumental music is most appreciated.

Term 2 fees were issued on Tuesday. These are due for payment Friday 3rd June. Please check spam and junk mail if you did not receive your statement.

Year 6 camp will be held during week 9 of this term.

The cost of this camp is $358 and is due for payment by 27 May. Payment can be made via cash or eft at the office or by bank transfer. Please contact the office for bank details.

School Uniform

As the winter months are approaching, parents are reminded of our school uniform policy. Students can wear PLAIN bottle green jumpers - either zip up or pullover. Zip up jumpers are available with the school logo from The School Locker. (example below) Also, as per our uniform policy the following requirements are for school shoes and socks:

Black - leather shoes or joggers - no coloured trimmings (examples below)

Short, plain white, ankle-length socks - not anklets

School Uniform

Parents are reminded to return any spare school uniforms your child may have borrowed. Please ensure these are washed prior to returning to the office.

Breakfast Program - there will be no Breakfast program on Wednesday 18 May

Cross Country

Under 8's Day - Save the date

Star Students

School Sports Trials

Library News

SIMULTANEOUS STORYTIME 2022 IS NEARLY HERE!!!

Come join us and the rest of Australia and New Zealand in the 2022 National Simultaneous Storytime this year. This is a wonderful event, with students everywhere, as well as at our school and library, participating in this fantastic annual reading, with everyone at the same time. Following the amazing streaming of last year’s reading from space in 2021, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) will be reading the heartfelt book ‘Family Tree’ this year.
'Family Tree’ is written by Josh Pyke and illustrated by Ronojay Ghosh, and published by Scholastic Australia. The book is a celebration of family, community, and the seasons of life to cherish and share. The book will be read at this year’s event at 11 am on Wednesday 25 May, 2022. The ALIA chose this book for its diversity in our community! Why not join in the fun at the exciting National Simultaneous Storytime 2022. For more information contact ALIA link: www.alia.org.au/nss

Happy Reading everyone and don’t forget to join the National Simultaneous Storytime this
year !!!

KINDY VISITS FROM ST MARY MACKILLOP KINDY AND OUR NEWEST KINDY VISITORS, MINIVERSITY!

The children all loved our wonderful St Joseph’s Library and their excitement and anticipation was palpable as they looked around, read stories and borrowed their own special selection, and they enjoyed every moment! We look forward to seeing our ‘super reading kindy kids’ back visiting our library again regularly in 2022!

Our own lovely Mrs Luton here with her PREP students engrossed in storytime literacy!