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Principals Message

Dear Families,

This weekend we begin the Season of Advent. The Scriptures in Advent encourage us to think of the Way … preparing the way, making the path straight, levelling out mountains and hills and filling in valleys to make a smooth pathway to get where we need to go!

How do we find wise and healthy ways of connecting to each other on this path in an age where there is so much rush, hurry, stress and pressure?

Traditionally, we lighten our hearts with the hope that all can be ‘home for Christmas’.

In this Advent Season, we can pause as we walk towards the Christmas Manger. Week by week, we reflect on the kind of road that God desires to shape, its destination, and our part in enabling it, so that God’s desire can come to birth.

Then, on arriving at the Manger, we will be at one with the Christchild, who modelled this Way for us – in his time, and for all time: the way of light, joy and peace.

LEADERSHIP SPEECHES

As Year 6 2024 start to prepare to enjoy and celebrate their last couple of weeks at Primary School, we begin to look to the Year 5 students and their potential for leadership for 2025. We are also mindful of how grateful we are to the 2024 School Leaders for their leadership this year.

In Week 9 ( Monday 9 December 2024) following an Advent Liturgy, the Year 5 students will present their leadership speeches to the whole school. Students in Years 2-5 will then participate in voting for their 2025 School Captains and Vice
Captains. The announcement of the Students chosen for those positions will take place in Week 10.

We wish all of the Year 5 students the best of luck with their speeches for Week 9. It takes a lot of courage to present to the whole school but it is a great beginning step-up to their roles for next year. We are very proud of their efforts.

CAROLS IN THE COLA

As we have already had a whole school performance at the Blessing and Dedication of our school on November 1, we will celebrate our Christmas wrap-up for 2024 with a BYO picnic and Carols in the COLA (Covered Outdoor Learning Area) at St Joseph's on Monday 16 December 2024 from 5.30 pm.

Please accept this as a welcome invitation to attend. Families are invited to bring their food, drinks (NO ALCOHOL), blankets and or seats. There will be Christmas songs and music playing, the children will present some carols and hopefully, a very jolly person in a red suit will make an appearance.

We hope this will be a great opportunity for us to get together, to celebrate all that has been this year, and to eat, talk, laugh and say goodbye to 2024.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE ON Monday 16th.

LEADERS THANK YOU AFTERNOON

Wednesday 11 December (Week 9) we will hold a leadership thank you afternoon for our Year 6 Leaders and SRC representatives. It is important to acknowledge their leadership role throughout 2024 and their impact on students and staff.

As in the last couple of years, the afternoon will be held during school time. It inncludes some games, a snack, reflection and acknowledgement (certificates) of the students' leadership this year.

MRS JETT GETS US A GRANT- THE COLES AND PLANET ARK SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS GRANT FOR ST JOSEPH'S

We are excited to announce that St Joseph’s Woodburn has won the Coles and Planet Ark Sustainable Schools competition. As one of the winners, we will receive a $5000 grant. We will use this funding to establish a comprehensive, sustainable waste management system, including compost bins and recycling stations for every classroom and raised bed vegetable gardens. This initiative will reduce waste, promote environmental education, and encourage students to engage with sustainable food production and waste management practices.

Mrs Jett is currently working with a dedicated team of Stage 2 and 3 students who are giving up their playtime to create school-wide waste management signage on Canva. We look forward to embarking on our greener school mission and seeing the difference we can make as a community.

Thank you Mrs Jett for all your work to ensure our success in gaining this grant.

THE FINAL PARENT FORUM MEETING FOR 2024-

THANK YOU DINNER

The final Parent Forum Meeting for 2024 will be held as a thank-you get-together for all the support and work done in 2024. The dinner will be at the Rod & Reel Woodburn next Monday 2 December at 6 pm. All are welcome to join us.

REVIEW OF PARENT REPRESENTATIVE GROUP FOR 2025

All schools in the Diocese of Lismore are required to review and renew their parent representative group by choosing one of two new models. At a Parent Forum meeting earlier this year the two new models for parent representation were presented and we would like to ensure all parents have the opportunity to indicate their preference. The two models are outlined below. Please read through the information and click on the links below for either more information or to access a short 2-question Google form where you can indicate your preference.

St_Joseph_s_Primary_Woodburn_Overview_of_Two_Models_of_Parent_Groups_1_.pdf

St_Joseph_s_Primary_Woodburn_Overview_of_Two_Models_of_Parent_Groups_1 pdf 59.83 KB

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Letter_for_parents_guardians_carers_1_1_.docx.pdf

Letter_for_parents_guardians_carers_1_1 docx _pdf 105.24 KB

CONTINUED CONFIRMED CASES OF WHOOPING COUGH AT ST JOSEPH'S

We continuing to have confirmation of further cases of Whooping Cough at our school.

If your child develops symptoms, please take them to your family doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor can advise whether the whooping cough is likely and arrange for testing and early treatment if needed. Treating people who have whooping cough with antibiotics can stop the infection from spreading, but is more effective if started early.

Thank you for your vigilance and for ensuring the safety of our students.

whooping_cough_pertussis.pdf

whooping_cough_pertussis _pdf 354.87 KB