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

I wish all of our students, staff and families a warm welcome back to school for Term 2. Even though we are halfway through the second week of term, our school community has come together in prayer to celebrate and commemorate three significant events. On Tuesday last week we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus. This was followed by our special Anzac Day Liturgy on Thursday and, on Monday this week, we remembered Pope Francis who sadly passed away on Easter Monday.

We at St Joseph’s Mundingburra, along with Catholic communities worldwide, are deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis. His life, marked by humility, compassion, and unwavering faith, has been a powerful example for us all. We are grateful for his gentle leadership, his love for creation, and his advocacy for the poor and vulnerable. His teachings on the environment, particularly his encyclical Laudato Si, have inspired our students and teachers to take concrete actions to create a better world.

Pope Francis will be remembered for his ability to inspire hope and foster respectful relationships. He encouraged us to live the values of the Gospel with courage, especially towards those in need. When we reflect on the life of Pope Francis, we are reminded of our school motto, ‘Love is Service’, as his was a life of service, justice and love.

We pray for God’s guidance as the Church prepares for the election of Pope Francis’s successor, and that the Holy Spirit inspires the new leader to continue the important work of Pope Francis. We approach this time of transition with reverence, hope, and a deep sense of gratitude for the life and service of Pope Francis.

Congratulations and thank you to those students who represented St Joseph’s Mundingburra in the ANZAC Day Parade last Friday. Thank you also to the families who made it possible for their children to be involved and to the staff who came along to march and assist with supervision. The students participated reverently and respectfully during the march, and certainly gave us cause to be extremely proud.

During our Anzac Day Liturgy last Thursday, students who were nominated by their teacher as demonstrating the Anzac Spirit of endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship, received a special Anzac Day Award. We congratulate these students, and all those in our school community who cultivate the Anzac Spirit attributes in their own lives, living responsibly and willingly making sacrifices for their community.

The Anzac Spirit is not just about soldiers who fought for their country but also about the communities that supported them. We can promote unity and inclusivity in our school by learning about, and acknowledging, the sacrifices of soldiers and their families. Students can develop a sense of solidarity and empathy for those who have gone through challenging times. This, in turn, can help promote a more inclusive and united school community.

While this week is another short one, there is still a lot going on. Mr Feaver and a team of students attended a Futsal Competition yesterday (please continue to scroll down to read about their day), and our Year 6 staff and students headed to Magnetic Island for their annual camp this morning. We wish them a wonderful three days on the island, and hope this beautiful weather continues during their stay.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

God bless

Tracy

The Joey's Way

Anzac Day

Last Thursday, we held a special ANZAC Day Liturgy to honour the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women. Congratulations to Leon, Ilija, Zahlee, Max, Lily, Nash, Charlie, Franklin, Emily, Madaline, Harper, Harriet, Luciena, and Harley for receiving ANZAC Day awards. These students were recognised for truly exemplifying the ANZAC Spirit—showing courage, endurance, self-sacrifice, and a heart full of gratitude. A huge thank you to Captain Alex Bluck for joining us and sharing his inspiring message with our students, and to all the families who attended.

Our school community also proudly participated in the ANZAC Day March along the Strand. Our students and staff walked with pride and respect for those who served. Thank you to the students who participated and the families who attended—it was a lovely morning filled with remembrance and community spirit.

James and Alistair represented our school at the ANZAC Day March and Service in Woodstock. Alistair rode on horseback during the march, while James marched on foot, and together they laid a wreath on behalf of our school. Thank you boys!

Lest We Forget🌺

Congratulations to our U12 Boys Team for an incredible effort at the North QLD Schools Futsal Championships! The boys made it all the way to the grand final and took home 2nd place. What an amazing achievement, well done boys and thank you to Mr Feaver!

Pupil Free Day!

Star Students

From the Office

2026 Prep Sibling Enrolments

Thank you to the families who have submitted a sibling prep enrolment for 2026. Please be advised that a compass notification was sent to you last week regarding your child's enrolment. If you did not receive a compass notification please contact our office. We look forward to welcoming another member of your family to St Joseph's!

Project Compassion

Thank you so much for your generous contribution to Project Compassion. We kindly ask that all boxes be returned to the office at your earliest convenience.

School Photos

School Photo Day is happening on Friday, May 16th. You can place your order online by HERE.
If you prefer to pay with cash, please collect an order form from the office and return it, along with your payment, on school photo day. Sibling photo envelopes are also available from the office.

Cross Country

Mother's Day Breakfast & Liturgy

Tuckshop

Library News

This year we honored the International ‘World Book Day’ held on the 23^rd April 2025, which is aimed at promoting the joy of reading with children all over the world. This particular day in the library literature calendar, is another great opportunity for students to develop their literacy skills and enjoy their favourite literature. Reading books teach us about other worlds, characters, stories and our very own extraordinary world as well.

LEST WE FORGET

The library commemorated our most important national day, annually held on the 25^th April 2025, ANZAC Day, with lessons, displays, information and literature, honoring the soldiers of the ANZACs and those who died during the 1915 Gallipoli Campaign.

Spelling Bee

If your child is interested in participating in the Spelling Bee on August 14th, nomination forms are available at the school office. Please note, only students in Years 3–6 are eligible to enter.

Guidance Counsellor

Welcome back to term 2! Hopefully our students and families had a lovely break from the busy school routine and everyone enjoyed settling back in last week.

Parenting Ideas

Parenting Ideas is an online platform that provides evidenced based research to help people successfully raise confident, happy and resilient kids. The website provides resources for parents, including tip sheets and webinars, to help in different areas throughout the parenting journey. To access information on anxiety, resilience, technology, relationship and friendships, stress management and many more visit https://parentingideas.com.au/

Teaching Kids to Navigate Friendships

School TV has a great segment available on Teaching Kids to Navigate Friendships. Dana Kerford (Founder of UR Strong Friendology Program) unpacks the importance of assisting young people to navigate friendships by teaching them a variety of skills. At St Joseph's Catholic School Mundingburra our students learn these skills via the Friendology curriculum. The link to the article can be found here:

https://sjmbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter-article/7192/8074

Digital Technology

Students Step Up to the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge

This week, some of our students participated in the global Bebras Challenge, an international competition that engages over 2.9 million students from 60 countries. The challenge is designed to support the Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum and is coordinated locally by the Australian Maths Trust (AMT) with support from CSIRO.

The Bebras Challenge encourages students to explore the world of information and communication technology (ICT) through engaging, problem-solving tasks. It aims to spark interest in ICT and potentially inspire future careers in this dynamic and growing field.

Working in small teams, our students tackled 15 thought-provoking problems known as "Bebras tasks." These tasks—named after the beaver (Bebras in Lithuanian), a symbol of teamwork and diligence—were created by Professor Valentina Dagiene from the University of Vilnius. They challenge students to apply logical thinking and concepts related to digital technologies, computation, data processing, and algorithms.

We’re proud of our students’ efforts and look forward to seeing their results once the competition is marked!

This month on SchoolTV - Cybersafety

Young people today are growing up in an increasingly connected world where technology is part of their everyday lives –– for learning, socialising, and entertainment. While the digital world offers enormous benefits, it also comes with serious risks. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and screen time concerns, navigating the online environment can be challenging for young people and their families.

Cybersafety is not just about blocking access –– it's about empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes understanding privacy settings, recognising scams, and developing healthy digital habits. At the same time, it's important for parents and caregivers to stay informed, have open and judgement-free conversations with their children, and lead by example through positive online behaviour.

In today's digital age, safeguarding a child's wellbeing must also include protecting their online life. This edition of SchoolTV will help you better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating and offer practical strategies to help them stay safe, confident and in control online.

Please find the Edition HERE

Inclusive Education

Working Together to Support Every Learner

At St Joseph’s, we are committed to providing the best possible support for every student. To help us cater for individual needs and ensure consistency between home, school, and external services, we kindly ask parents and carers to inform us if their child is currently seeing any external therapists or specialists. This could include a speech therapist, psychologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, or paediatrician.

If your child is receiving external support, please forward any relevant reports, diagnoses, accommodations, adjustments, or recommendations to your child's classroom teacher. Having this information allows us to work collaboratively and tailor our teaching strategies, supports, and programs to best meet your child's needs.

Our Inclusive Practice teachers also play a key role in supporting both families and classroom teachers. They can help interpret reports, suggest appropriate adjustments, and provide guidance on best practice strategies to support students with diverse needs. By working together, we can ensure that every student receives the support they need to thrive.

Thank you for partnering with us in supporting every learner’s journey.

Reminder - Our Inclusive Education committee meeting will be Tuesday 6th of May - Week 3 at 3:15pm in the office. All are welcome.

Christian Meditation

First Nations' News

Friendology

P&F News

Mother’s Day Stalls are next Thursday & Friday! We have a wonderful range of gifts starting at just $3, perfect for Mums, Nans, Aunties, and all the special women in our children’s lives. Please see the schedule below and don’t forget to send some money with your child so they can choose something special