WEEK Term 1 2025
Dear Families,
It has been a big week this week, with lots of learning, the Parent Information Night, Sports Trials, Sausage Sizzles, Beginning School Mass and Pie Day Friday.
We celebrated the beginning of our 2025 School year at our beautiful Opening School Mass today. School Captains, Amelia Hume and Thomas Walsh and Vice Captains Mission Lotte Duignan and Thomas Bailey received their leadership badges and made a special pledge to live the Gospel values in the leadership of others.
The Sports Captains, Student Representative President and Council Members were also commissioned and received their leader badges. It was a wonderful Mass and a very proud congregation witnessed the leaders' commitment pledges and the receiving of their badges.
We extend our warmest congratulations to the newly appointed student leaders! As they step into their roles, we wish them all the best in their journey of faith, growth and leadership. May they inspire their peers with dedication, empathy, and a vision for positive change. We look forward to seeing how they will contribute to our school community, bringing fresh ideas and a spirit of collaboration. Here's to an exciting and successful year ahead!
Our 2025 Student Representative Council:
| President | Jake Cutler |
| Year 2 | Bonnie Jett and Lenny Johnston |
| Year 3 | Ilaria Morgan and Odyn Wimbus |
| Year 4 | Poppy Parkinson and Archie Martin |
| Year 5 | Eve Davey and Isabella Salmi |
2025 Sports Captains
| Buruubi House | Amahli Harford and Caleb Doran |
| Garghun House | Chase Martin and Maxx Mercer |
| Guruuman House | Lacey Foster |
PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT
Thank you to the parents who were able to attend the Parent Information Night this week. It was a great community night starting with the Sausage Sizzle get-together and ending with the individual class information presentations. Thank you to our teachers for their efforts and preparation for the night.
A few of the important points that I mentioned in my meeting with parents at the commencement of the night were:
- Our goals for school improvement in 2025 include:
Enlivened Catholic Identity We will empower students and teachers to maintain the tradition and culture of our school e.g. prayer, acknowledgement of Feast Days, school masses/liturgies, service to others, social justice initiatives, and discipleship. Thriving Learners Strengthen our understanding that student well-being underpins every aspect of a student's schooling, including their learning, engagement, and social relationships.
We will aim to improve student learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy.
Engaged Communities By 2027, we will enhance parent education and engagement opportunities across Mission, Learning and Teaching and Wellbeing.
Sustainable Futures All teachers will engage in observation, mentoring, and coaching - The Student and Family support services available at St Joseph's
- The importance of staying connected and up to date - through the Newsletter, Compass, Seesaw and the Office.
- Parent Involvement-Parent meetings, Masses, Liturgies, Assemblies, Canteen, Athletics/Swimming Carnivals, Parent Assembly, Parent Education Nights
- Parent Forum Models for 2025
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School Uniform: Our full uniform is listed in the Parent section on the school website. It is an expectation that all students wear the correct uniform.
A few reminders:
Black lace-up shoes only, these may be leather joggers that can be worn each day, including sports days. Please note: Dunlop Volleys are not acceptable school shoes. Nor are joggers with brand names or boots. White fold-down socks for girls (and boys on sports days), no ankle socks. Grey fold-down socks for boys on non-sports uniform days.
Jewellery- a watch, silver or gold studs (earrings), plain flat ring- no stones. Hair bands, clips and ribbons in the school colours- green and white.
THANK YOU FOR ASSISTANCE IN THIS AREA
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS
The following days have been set down as Staff Development Days for St Joseph's for 2025. We thank you for supporting us in our Professional Development/Learning
opportunities.
Students do not attend school on these days
TERM 1
| Friday 11 April | Spriituality/ New Curriculum |
TERM 2
| Monday 28 April | Spriituality/Learning Collaborative |
| Friday 4 July | Spriituality/ New Curriculum |
TERM 3
| Monday 21 July | Learning and Teaching |
| Friday 26 September | Learning and Teaching |
WHATS HAPPENING IN TERM 1
IN WEEK 3 TERM 1 WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR
- Our new Student Leaders.
- Our parents for joining us at the Information Night.
- Our teachers for their efforts to keep our parents informed.
- Our Beginning School Mass and Fr Peter
- Our incredible Kindergarten for completing 3 weeks at Big School.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Regards
Jeanette Wilkins
Principal
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2025
Sacrament of Penance - Preparation for First Holy Communion
In the coming weeks, we will begin preparing students for the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation). At St Joseph's, we believe the journey of faith is a shared experience between parents and children. As such, we invite parents to walk alongside their children during this important preparation.
We will be holding three sacramental family meetings to help guide the students, typically in Year 4 and above, through the process of Reconciliation. The schedule for these meetings will be shared with you soon.
A letter will also be sent to the parents of students who were confirmed last year. If your child has been Baptised and Confirmed and you would like them to participate in the preparation for Reconciliation, please contact the school office.
We look forward to journeying with you and your child during this special time.
The celebration of the Sacrament of Penance will be held on Wednesday, 2 April in our church at Woodburn. Everyone is welcome to join us for this special occasion.
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Sacrament Of Reconciliation Year 4 - 6 (for those who have been confirmed) |
Wednesday 2 April 2025 |
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Sacrament of Confirmation Years 3-6 (for those who have been Baptised) |
Wednesday 11th June 2025 Woodburn 6 pm |
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Sacrament of Eucharist (Years 4-6 for those who have been confirmed and received the Sacrament of Reconciliation) |
Date to be advised (Term 3) |
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THE SEASON OF LENT- LENT BEGINS IN 2 WEEKS
The season of Lent is just around the corner, beginning in two weeks with Ash Wednesday, which falls on 5 March. This is a special time for reflection, prayer, and growth in faith for our school community.
We will mark Ash Wednesday with a Liturgy, where students will receive ashes as a symbol of repentance and humility.
Lent is a special time when we try to grow closer to God. During Lent, we think about the ways we can be better and make up for times when we’ve made mistakes. This is called repentance, which means saying sorry for the things we’ve done wrong and trying to do better.
Humility is about being kind, not showing off, and remembering that we need God’s help. It’s about being thankful for what we have and helping others, even when it’s hard.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, a 40-day period leading up to Easter.
Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is traditionally a time for feasting and preparing for the fasting and penance of Lent. Families may recognize this day with pancakes, as it’s a time to use up rich foods before the fasting season begins. More information to follow about Pancake Tuesday
Lent is a time for deepening our relationship with God, focusing on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It’s an opportunity for personal growth, helping others, and reflecting on how we can become better followers of Christ.
We encourage families to participate in the Lenten journey together by reflecting on these themes at home and engaging in acts of kindness and service.
CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
Each month, this year we will focus on one aspect of Catholic Social Teaching. For February, as we begin the new school year and welcome our new students we will d highlight "The Dignity of the Human Person" and remember how each individual is created in the image of God, deserving of respect and love.
This Catholic Social Teaching reminds us that every person has inherent dignity and is worthy of respect. This month, let us strive to see the face of Christ in every person we meet.
UPCOMING SCHOOL MASSES AND LITURGIES
- Ash Wednesday 5 March - Whole School Liturgy
- St Joseph's Feast Day 19 March- Mass with St Joseph's Coraki students- Evans Head
ST JOSEPH'S CORAKI PARISH MASS TIMES
SATURDAY -St John’s Catholic Church Wattle Street Evans Head at 5:00 pm
SUNDAY- St Joseph’s Catholic Church Coraki - 9:15 am
ALL WELCOME
Stage 1 Students Dive into Coding
Our Stage 1 students have been having an exciting time exploring the world of coding! They started with a fun and engaging activity—using a "make a sandwich" code. This simple exercise introduced them to the concept of giving step-by-step instructions, much like how a computer follows commands. By sequencing actions such as "spread butter," "place lettuce," and "add tomato," students learned how to organize instructions clearly and logically.
Over the last two weeks, students have been working closely with Mr. Sandral, following a structured learning sequence designed to equip them with foundational coding skills. Building on their understanding from the sandwich activity, students then transfered their skills to using Bee Bots. These friendly robots allowed them to program step-by-step instructions to navigate around obstacles, further enhancing their problem-solving abilities. It’s been fantastic to see their skills grow in such a hands-on way, and we can’t wait to see how they continue to evolve their coding expertise!
RICHMOND ZONE SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Richmond Zone Swimming
On Friday 14th February, Mrs Jett and Mrs Wilkins took a small but dedicated squad of 14 swimmers to the Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival. All swimmers performed superbly and the support given to each other was fantastic to see. With only 14 swimmers our school clearly had the loudest support, with the chanting and cheering for each other. We had four swimmers progress to the Diocesan Carnival which will be held at Murwillumbah Swimming Complex on Tuesday the 4th March. Congratulations to Indi Martin, Chase Martin, Archie Martin and Phoebe Jett who will represent the Richmond Zone. They will be competing in:
Indi Martin - 8 year Girls 50m Freestyle
Phoebe Jett - Junior Girls 50m Breaststroke
Chase Martin - Senior Boys 50m Backstroke and Senior Boys 50m Butterfly
Archie Martin - 10 year Boys 5om Freestyle, Junior Boys 50m Backstroke, Junior Boys 50m Breaststroke and the Junior Boys Individual Medley.
WE WILL SHARE THEIR RESULTS IN A FUTURE NEWSLETTER
RICHMOND ZONE WINTER SPORTS TRIALS
Hockey
Congratulations to Chase Martin and Thomas Bailey who will trial in Grafton on Monday 3rd March to gain selection into the Diocesan Hockey team. We wish Chase and Thomass the best of luck.
Rugby Union.
The Richmond Zone Rugby Union Trials that were scheduled for Thursday 20th February have been postponed until later in Term 1. The Diocesan Rugby Union Trails aren’t until early Term 2.
Netball
Congratulations to Indi Stahl, Katy Hull, Eve Davey and Eva Flanagan who attended the Winter Sport Trials for Netball on the 20th February.
ST JOSEPH'S CROSS COUNTRY
St Joseph's will hold our school cross country in our school grounds on Thursday 6th March - Week 5. The races will commence at 10:10am and finish at approximately 12pm.
Distances for the Cross Country are:
- 3000 metres (3 kilometres) for 11, 12 and 13 year old boys and girls
- 2000 metres (2 kilometres) for 8,9 and 10 year old boys and girls
- 1000 metres ( 1 kilometres) for 7 year old boys and girls
- 500 metres ( 0.5 kilometres) for 5 and 6 year old boys and girl
We will present medallions, ribbons and the winning colour Sports House at a special sports assembly on Thursday 5th April afternoon at 3pm.
If you have some spare time we would love some parent helpers for the cross country. If you can assist please call Gayl at the office on 66822468 or email Melissa Barnes - melissa.barnes@lism.catholic.edu.au
RUGBY LEAGUE SKILLS
On Wednesday the 12th February, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 had the opportunity to experience a rugby league skill session delivered by Maxwell Bear, the Game Development Officer - Northern NSW. The students had a wonderful time and enjoyed themselves.
IMPORTANT SPORT DATES
| 3 March | Diocesan Hockey Trials | Grafton |
| 4 March | Diocesan Swimming Carnival | Murwillumbah |
| 6 March | St Joseph's Cross Country 10am | St Joseph's Woodburn |
| 7 March | Diocesan Netball Trials | Grafton |
| 28 March | Richmond Zone Cross Country | Goonellabah |
| TBC | Richmond Zone Rugby Union Trials | |
| 16 May | Diocesan Rugby Union Trials | Grafton |
| 20 May | Diocesan Cross Country | Grafton |
JOEY'S MORNING MEETING- A POSITIVE START TO OUR DAY
Each morning, our classes begin the day with Joey's Morning Meeting – a special time designed to foster connection, well-being, and a positive mindset. The meeting starts with a fun and friendly greeting, encouraging students to engage with one another in a warm and inclusive way.
Every day, the meeting features a different well-being focus, helping students build social-emotional skills, resilience, and a sense of community. To finish, students participate in a calming practice, such as a prayer, mindfulness exercise, or yoga pose, setting a peaceful and focused tone for the day ahead.
Joey's Morning Meeting is a cherished part of our school routine, ensuring that every child feels valued, supported, and ready to learn.
Week 3
Magic Advice Monday
✨ Glossy shared some wisdom today: "Be a bucket filler. Do kind things for others to make them feel good—it fills your bucket too!" Ask your child: Did you fill someone’s bucket today?
Taking the Open Roads Tuesday
We explored the Supporting Road and how we can be supportive of ourselves and others Ask your child: What’s a way you’ve supported a friend? How did it make them feel?
Wonderfully Wired Wednesday
Today we learned about Emma Watson, wonderfully wired with ADHD. Ask your child: What did you find inspiring about her?
Thriving on the Open Roads Thursday
Another great Choice Theory lesson today! Ask your child: How can helping others make friendships stronger?
Feelings Friday ❤️
This week’s emotion: Anger. Ask your child: When did you feel this way today? How did you handle it?
Stay tuned for more Joey’s Morning Meeting updates! Let’s keep building a positive, connected school community together.
| Kindergarten | Rocko Feil |
| Year 1 | Dieaaline Ladignon |
| Year 2 | Kayde Donnelly |
| Year 3 | Ilaria Morgan |
| Year 4 | Archie Martin |
| Year 5 | Brooke Cameron |
| Year 6 | Lacey Foster |
The NSW Council of Catholic School Parents has a number of free parenting education sessions this term.