St Joseph's Catholic School - Mundingburra eNewsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

We respectfully acknowledge the past and present traditional owners of this land on which we stand, the Wulgurukaba and neighbouring Bindal people who are the custodians. We pray that we can walk together to a better future.

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, Staff and Students

Our Centenary Celebrations have come and gone, and what an amazing time was had by all. If I am to believe the feedback I have received from a multitude of people connected to St Joseph’s Mundingburra, then our 100 Year Celebrations were a resounding success.

As I sit and reflect on the four days, 22 - 25 August, I have to say I am immensely proud of the way our school and wider community contributed to and participated in our centenary events. The dedication, enthusiasm and collective efforts of all involved made this milestone celebration truly memorable and a testament to our shared commitment and Joey’s Spirit.

Celebrations such as these do not just happen. There are so many people who have selflessly given their time and energy into making our milestone event one that could be universally enjoyed by so many in our community and as such, one we could be extremely proud of.

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge our Musical Artistic Team, the much respected and talented trio comprising Adriana Di Bella, Jacinta Hutchison and Alyssa Oliveri. The beginning of the school year saw these ladies present a proposal for a school musical based on the history of St Joseph’s Mundingburra. I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off our Centenary Celebrations, however nothing could have prepared me, or anyone else for that matter, for the cleverly written script, attention to detail and overall quality production which was showcased on the evening of the 22 and 23 August. ‘Centennial Chronicles: The St Joseph’s Story’ was an amazing show which will stay with us all, particularly the cast and crew involved in its creation.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Clare Plant for her support of the Musical Artistic Team and for agreeing to be involved in the first and last scenes. Thank you also to the staff who made up our Musical Committee. Without their assistance at rehearsals and backstage during performances, we could not have had a show. Thank you to Tania Melick for the musical backdrops, and Shauna Martel for sewing the costumes. Many hours of work were involved in both of these endeavours.

If you entered our world of Memorabilia in the Library, you would not only have been taken back in time, but also taken back by the sheer amount of memorabilia on display. Thank you to Clare Plant, Linda Pether and members of the Memorabilia Committee for the hours of work which went into making this space so special for our past and present staff, students and families. Anne’s beautiful flowers certainly enhanced the room.

Much gratitude to Emma Mooney who is part of our Townsville Catholic Education Marketing team. The marketing and branding played a big part in how our Centenary Celebrations were advertised and the events showcased. Thank you also to Gerard Marano from the Parish and Rachel Harrison and the crew from St Margaret Mary’s College for setting up stalls at our Centenary Family Fun Day. The College ran a bake sale, with all proceeds going to the Thiele family. A huge thank you to our parents/carers who donated baked goods which were sold at this stall. $796 was raised for the Thiele’s which is terrific. In addition to this, our P & F sold tickets in a Raffle over three nights, raising $4570 for the Thiele family. They also contributed $5000 towards the cost of our milestone celebrations and P & F members assisted with bin duty throughout Saturday evening. Their contribution is much appreciated.

A huge thank you to Penny Mealing, Jacqui Gage and Todd Jordan for volunteering their time and expertise. Penny and Jacqui have experience in events management and did not hesitate in offering their help at the beginning of this year. Their advice, support and connections were invaluable. Todd owns Heightened Security and volunteered to assist with security at Saturday evening’s Fun Day. We are so lucky to have people such as these in our community.

It was wonderful to have Sun’s Dumplings, Spiral Spud, The Real Burger Co, Sweethardies, Expresso Benvenuti and the Lions Club of Townsville selling food at our event. The Picnic Bay Surf Lifesaving Club did a great job running the bar, while the 1RAR Band impressed with their music. Children did not miss out, enjoying numerous rides provided by Amusements Plus.

Thank you to Brenton Creed from Wulguru Walkabouts for his Welcome to Country. We were also delighted to welcome Sister Joan and Sister Valerie of the Sisters of St Joseph, the order who established our school 100 years ago. Both sisters spoke so well at Saturday’s formalities. We are grateful to the members of the Josephite Companions who we share a strong connection with, and who contributed to the beautiful prayer at the beginning of our formal proceedings.

Finally, I would like to thank the staff of St Joseph’s Mundingburra. Each and every one of them played a part. Peta and Cath were wonderful sounding boards and co planners. There was much brainstorming as well as endless meetings and lists. Jo, Katie and Elizabeth in the office started early with a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ preparation which continued throughout the event. Likewise our Staff Committees have been collaborating and planning for months. Dave and Jeff worked hard to ensure our school looked its best, and our staff were present in the morning setting up and at night packing away. We are blessed with our St Joey’s staff.

If I have missed a group of people, I apologise. Please know that we are grateful for everything everyone has done in assisting us pull our Centenary Celebrations together.

Let us continue to honour our past, celebrate our present, and look forward to another fabulous 100 years.

God Bless

Tracy

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS - THANK YOU!

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS - THANK YOU!

P & F Association - $5000 donation and monitoring bins on Saturday evening
All families who donated baked items to the Bake Sale
Emma Mooney from the Townsville Catholic Education Marketing Team for organising the marketing and branding of our 100 Year events
Penny Mealing and Jacqui Gage whose advice and support was so valuable
Todd Jordan (Heightened Security) for volunteering to look after Security Saturday evening
Gerard Marano from Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish for setting up a stall at the Fun Day
Rachel Harrison and St Margaret Mary's College for running the Bake Sale. All proceeds were donated to the Thiele family - $796 was raised
Lions Club of Townsville - BBQ
Picnic Bay Surf Lifesaving Club - Bar
Food Trucks - Sun's Dumplings, Spiral Spud and The Real Burger Co
Expresso Benvenuti - Coffee Van
The 1RAR Band - Music
Amusement Plus - Rides
Sweethardies - Chocolate strawberry cups and freeze dried candy
The part each and every one of our St Joseph's Mundingburra staff members played in making our Centenary Celebrations a truly memorable event.

If I have missed a group of people, I apologise. Please know that we are grateful for everything everyone has done in assisting us pull our Centenary Celebrations together.

Please read this week's Principal's message for a more detailed list of staff and community thank-yous.

Thanks

Tracy

APRE News

2024 Prayer Theme: Blessed to Serve

Bear with one another, help one another, and ever strive to serve God in a generous spirit. ~Mary MacKillop

Year Level Mass

Yesterday our Students in Years 2,3,4,5 & 6 attended Mass in the church. The opportunity to gather together in prayer is always something that we are very grateful for.

Father’s Day

We hope that all of our Fathers, Grandfathers and Father-Figures have a wonderful day celebrating with family this Sunday.

Assemblies

Our assembly is held on Monday morning at 8:45am in our Shelter Shed. Parents, families and friends are all welcome to join us. Our next assembly will be:

Week 9: Father’s Day hosted by 1B

Week 10: Eisteddfod Poems Showcase

Christian Meditation will take place each Thursday morning at 8:00am in the Library. Meditation is a form of sacred and silent prayer, known as prayer of the heart. It is a lovely way to start the day!

May God’s blessing be with you, have a wonderful week.

Peta.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish

CHILDREN’S LITURGY

Children's liturgy takes place every Sunday mass at 7:30 am (during the school term) Members of our parish take the children out and complete activities related to the weekly gospel. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to engage with and understand the meaning of the gospel. All children are welcome.

PARISH FEAST CELEBRATIONS:

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish Colouring Competition Results -

Prep

1st - Claira

2nd - Gian

Year 1

1st - Harvey

2nd - Jack

Year 2

1st - Ari

2nd - James

Year 3

1st - Rosa

2nd - Scarlett

Year 4

1st - Lucy

2nd - Amani

Year 5

1st - Isla

2nd - Isabella

Year 6

1st - Daniela

2nd - Ava

The Joey's Way

100 Year Celebrations!

To view the full gallery of our 100 year celebrations head to our Facebook Page by clicking HERE

Centennial Chronicles Musical

Father's Day Breakfast

From the Office

Fees

Term 3 school fees are now overdue. Please ensure prompt payment is made.

Stop Drop & Go

A friendly reminder to all our parents and caregivers: Please remember that our Stop, Drop & Go zone is strictly for dropping off and picking up your children. We ask that you do not park in this area, as it’s essential to keep traffic flowing smoothly for everyone's safety and convenience.

Crazy Camel

Students have been working hard on their artwork for Crazy Camel! Order forms will be sent home with families early next term.

Diary Dates

Library News

BOOK WEEK 2024 continued...

Last week the Shortlisted Best Book of the Year Awards for Australian Authors and Illustrators was announced. The winners in each category, announced by the CBCA are as follows:

WINNER CATEGORIES:

Book of the Year – Younger Readers: Scar Town by Tristan Bancks

Book of the Year – Early Childhood: Gymnastica Fantastica! by Briony Stewart

Book of the Year – Picture Books: Timeless by Kelly Canby

Book of the Year – Information Books/Eve Pownall Award: Country Town by Isolde Martyn & Robyn Ridgeway

Book of the Year – New Illustrator Award: Hope is the Thing by Johanna Bell & Erica Wagner

The annual Book Week, like all literature promotions St. Joseph’s Library encourages, create a reading culture that supports the act of the value of reading. Statistics shows even leisure reading develops good readers who enjoy literature throughout their lifetime. Even light reading, serves as a building block to future heavier reading by students.

AUTHOR VISIT – Mrs Belinda Walker, author of ‘Monsoon’ will be visiting our school on Wednesday to talk to Grade 5A and 5B. Mrs Walker will be assisting students to develop good writing styles with tips on writing stories and essays.

100^TH ST JOSEPH’S CENTENARY LIBRARY DISPLAYS – Last weekend, the library hosted the ‘Memorabilia’ collection for displays at the Centenary Events. Hundreds passed through the library doors to view the amazing history of St Joseph’s Catholic School’s development, staff and students. The collection displayed was truly enjoyable and memorable. Great job to Linda and Clare who made the displays happen!

FATHERS DAY STALL IN THE LIBRARY – This week our library will host the annual St Joseph’s Father’s Day Stall, with students eagerly buying gifts for their fathers.

BOOK CLUB ISSUE 6 – Please ensure all book orders are placed through the Scholastic LOOP system which closes on the 28 August, 2024.

“A word is a small magic, a spell that can unlock the world.”

Jane Yolen

Happy Reading!

Resilience is so important for a child’s mental health. When a child is armed with resilience, they are able to bounce back from failure, challenges, adversity and stress. Resilience is not something that a child either does or does not have, but something that develops and grows over time. Once a child is able to develop this resilient mindset, they will have the skills and confidence to deal with challenges later on in life.

The following School TV resources provides parents with tips on ways that they can support their children to develop resilience, confidence and set them up for success.

https://sjmbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/resilience

Inclusive Education

🎉 Celebrating Speech Pathology Week at Our School! 🎉

This week, we proudly celebrate Speech Pathology Week, honouring the incredible work of Australian speech pathologists who support over 1.2 million Australians with communication and swallowing needs.

🔑 The Importance of Communication

Communication is essential for building connections and understanding. During this special week, let's recognise the vital role speech pathologists play in helping people of all ages communicate effectively, whether through speech, sign language, digital platforms, or other methods.

🌟 Theme: "Communicate Your Way"

This year’s theme, "Communicate Your Way," highlights the diverse ways people express themselves. Communication goes beyond spoken words; it includes signing, writing, and using digital tools, all of which help bridge gaps and strengthen relationships.

🗣️ How Do Speech Pathologists Help?

Speech pathologists do more than just work on speech. They support language development, assist with swallowing, and provide tools like AAC devices or teach sign language to help people communicate in their preferred way.

🌍 Who Benefits from Communication Support?

In Australia, over 1 million people rely on communication support, including individuals with disabilities, stroke survivors, and children with language delays. Speech pathologists are university-trained professionals dedicated to helping these individuals achieve their communication goals.

Please note the Inclusive Education Meeting has been postponed to Tuesday, 3rd September.

LOTE

On Thursday August 15th, students from St.Joey’s participated in the Japanese Speech Competition held at St. Clare’s Catholic School. They had to practice and memorise a Japanese speech to present in front of a panel of judges and they all did a fantastic job!

Congratulations to these students:

Year 6- Naia, Kobi and Sophia

Year 5- Adelaide, Patrick and Audrey

Year 4 - Olivia B, Olivia S and Harriet

Year 3: Emily, Emiliano and Rachael

Emily and Olivia B placed first, Olivia S placed 2nd and Audrey placed 3rd in their categories.
Well done everyone- your Sensei is super proud of you!👏👏

Music

Bottle Cap Mural

We did it! After almost 12 months in the making, our whole school bottle cap mural is complete. And isn't it something?!?It all started in Term 3 last year when two Yr 5 students expressed a frustration that we couldn't recycle the lids in our Containers for Change bins. This whole school project involved every student from Prep to Year 6.

For six months students and staff collected bottle caps from home, work and school.

Our Earth Warriors sorted them into colours.

Year 5 students; Maggie, Liana, Daisy and Maeve came up with a design which embraced our faith (sun & cross), call to care for creation (Earth, heart, turtle) and our Traditional Owners, the Wulgurukaba people (white cockatoo - totem).

Mrs Odendaal transferred their design onto the marine ply.

All students in Prep to Year 2 painted the background using water based exterior paint.

Then the drilling began - all Year 3 - 6 classes drilled and drilled and drilled. What fun they had!

The original plan was to hang it on the brick wall in our JOSEPH's Garden, however after discussions we decided to hang it on the side of the shed - where it shines and can be seen from so many spots around the school.

We'd love to know what you think!

Mrs Bortignon

Year 2 students come dressed to school in their pirate outfit and parents are invited to dress up and stay and join in our rotations! If you could please bring a small plate of food for the children to have as a shared morning tea. The plate of food can be left at the tuckshop.

Thank you!

Mrs Herlihy, Mrs Mythen & Mrs Rogers

Zooper Doopers

Year 6 students will be selling Zooper Doopers every Friday starting the 6th September! Students can purchase Zooper Doopers after school for 50c at the Tuckshop.