Filter Content
Dear Parents
With three weeks of Term 2 now behind us, and even though they have been interrupted with public holidays, it is pleasing to note that students have very quickly re-settled into routines and general class work. The first few weeks back of any term are always a prime opportunity for reaping the benefits of renewed energy levels and a refreshed outlook. Once again, we are grateful to the ongoing support of parents in this partnership of education as we work together in fostering only the best of potential in our children.
The Learning Dashboard
From Semester One, St Joseph’s will be transitioning to our new academic reporting application, The Learning Dashboard (TLD). On Wednesday June 25, you will be using the new app to access your child's Semester One report and all future reports.
You will notice some differences with TLD compared to our previous reporting system. Rather than accessing a PDF report, TLD will take you to your child's report via a modern web interface, providing an improved user experience when accessing it via your mobile phone, tablet or computer.
View the video below to see how to access a child’s report via the Parent Portal.
NATIONALLY CONSISTENT COLLECTION OF DATA (NCCD)
Please read the following letter, regarding the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
FLU SEASON
Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) can spread quickly in schools where large numbers of students learn and play in close contact. ARI prevention is a joint effort. Parents, caregivers, and staff need to work together and take the necessary precautions to prevent ARIs from spreading.
- Stay at home when sick
- Clean your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- If you need to leave the house when unwell, maintain physical distance from others and consider wearing a mask when you cannot physically distance
Practice good respiratory hygiene by:
- coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the inside of your elbow
- discarding used tissues immediately in a bin; and
- cleaning your hands thoroughly.
We all know that school attendance is important, so by working together, we can limit the spread of ARIs, and keep our children healthy and well at school.
STAFF NEWS
We would like to inform our school community that Mrs. Kirsty McKean, our Leader of Diversity, will be taking leave from July, covering both Term 3 and Term 4 this year. Please join us in wishing Kirsty all the very best as she enjoys this well-deserved break. We imagine she has many wonderful adventures planned during this time, and we will certainly look forward to welcoming Kirsty back in 2026.
Recruitment for this position has commenced, and an announcement will be made once the appointment has been finalised.
STOP DROP & GO REMINDER
Parents are reminded to observe the traffic rules in and around the school, and in particular in our stop, drop and go allocated area; this will help to maintain a safe environment for all students. Thank you
A FINAL NOTE
Since becoming principal of St Joseph's, I have had many opportunities to reflect on the many aspects of life here at this school ……. so many wonderful things transpire which encompass the many facets of this school community. We have committed teachers who continue to provide current and best practice education, and students who engage and work to their fullest potential. I am fortunate to share in these achievements on a daily basis when I drop into the classrooms, or when students come down to the office to share their learnings. I am also very grateful for the many, many hours that our teachers put into preparing and delivering these quality experiences for our students.
We also have students who love coming to school, and are involved in so many activities, which not only enhance their learning, but contribute to the development of them as a ‘whole’ person.
Finally, we have parents who freely volunteer their time in so many ways in assisting with various tasks in and out of the classroom. All three facets of our school community working together is what makes us so effective in delivering a world class education, and without any one of these, our school is sure to be less effective.
I thank God each and every day for our wonderful community.
Rita Petersen
New Pope elected- Pope Leo XIV
Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!
As the white smoke came out of the chimney in Rome, we were excited to hear the news that a new Pope had been elected to lead the Church on Friday.
“The name a Pope chooses already signals to the Church and the world something of his priorities and style. By choosing the name Leo XIV our new Pope has signalled that he sees himself in line with the last century of Catholic Social Teaching. We may expect to see him speaking out on some of the issues of our day including the displacement of peoples and migration, ongoing violent conflicts in many parts of the globe, social cohesion and climate change. His first words to the world were ‘Peace be with you’. He is sure to be a Pope who will pursue peace and justice.” (Taken from Rev. Dr Brendan Reed).
Pope Leo XIV’s first greetings to Rome and to the world: “Peace be with you all!
Dear brothers and sisters, these are the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for God’s flock. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world. Peace be with you!”
Father Mathew also mentioned on Sunday, that the Pope had visited Mareeba in 2005 as the head of the Augustinian order, and Mrs P had dinner with him during his visit!
We continue to pray for our new Pope Leo XIV as he takes on the important role of leading our church.
Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians: May 24
Saturday, May 24 is the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, patroness of our country, Australia. The first Australian provincial Synod held in Sydney in 1844, placed the Church in Australia under the patronage of Mary using the title Help of Christians.
As Australians, we can turn to Mary, to help us in our need, calling upon her to pray with us to her Son Jesus. We might pray for peace and unity in our nation, and to pray for the youth of our country.
As this feast falls on a Saturday this year, we will hold prayers in our classrooms on the Friday before.
God bless,
Mary MacCallum
So, what has reading got to do with writing?
Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin, and fostering a love for reading in children can significantly enhance their writing skills. When children engage with quality reading materials, they are exposed to rich vocabulary, diverse sentence structures, and various writing styles. This exposure helps them internalize the mechanics of good writing, which they can then apply in their own work.
At St Joseph’s, during many of our curriculum lessons, teachers place a heavy emphasis on two things – background knowledge and vocabulary. Since you can only write about what you know about, it is very important to build background knowledge. This can be through rich, first-hand experiences or reading about them! We can only write about what we know about, so a limited knowledge about a topic leads to limited writing.
As for vocabulary, the richer our vocabulary, the easier it is for us to express ourselves, be it through conversation or writing.
Quality reading also stimulates imagination and creativity. As children immerse themselves in stories, they learn to visualize scenes, understand character motivations, and grasp complex plots. These skills are crucial for writing, as they enable children to create vivid descriptions, develop compelling characters, and construct engaging narratives.
Reading also enhances comprehension and critical thinking. Children who read regularly are better at understanding context, identifying what the author is trying to say, and making inferences. These same abilities are essential for coherent writing.
By nurturing the reading habit, we both can help your child become a more proficient and confident writer.
Uniform Shop Opening Hours
Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 8.20am – 8.45am.
Outside of these times by appointment only.
Online ordering of school uniforms is available via Flexischools. Order online at anytime. Orders will be packed on the next available Tuesday or Thursday morning and given to your child.
For all uniform information please contact:
Tricia Lee – plee@cns.catholic.edu.au
