Dear Families

It has been an eventful week in Week 9

We started last Monday with a visit from their Excellencies the Governor-General Mr David Hurley and Mrs Linda Hurley. This is our second meeting with the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley. Following the floods, they visited St Joseph's Woodburn, meeting with some of the local SES volunteers, Business owners, and families. They then took the time to look into every classroom and office of our school and survey the damage done by the floods.

 This week they visited our current site at Evans Head to check in on how we were all going and to listen to our story following the floods. Guided by the School Captains, Lorena and Caleb and Vice-Captain Clancy, their Excellencies visited each of the classrooms speaking and interacting with our students and teachers.

Before they left, they spent time with some of the Year 5 and 6 students who shared their personal experiences of the flood. 

We feel extremely privileged and very grateful to them for taking the time to visit and listen, and for their kind and uplifting words of support. 

Last Tuesday night, we held our Parent Information evening for Kindergarten 2023. We were pleased to see many interested parents and appreciated them taking the time to learn about our school on the current site, our journey as we continue to grow and the many things that make our school the wonderful place that it is:

• First and foremost we are Catholic. We work to make Jesus real every day in the way we speak, interact and care for others. WE LIVE OUR VALUES
• We have nurtured a beautiful culture over 108 years 
• Our learning is individualised, engaging and empowering
• Our staff are committed, caring and dedicated to providing the best possible learning for our students
• Our family community are supportive, enthusiastic, involved and caring.
• Communication is open and encouraged through Compass, Newsletter, text, email, Facebook  and SeeSaw
• Parental involvement is welcomed and encouraged
• Our growing learning spaces and resources 
• OUR STUDENTS!

The video created last year in celebration of 200 years of Catholic Education highlights what our students love about St Joseph's. Regardless of the filming of our school at Woodburn, the children comment very little about the spaces or resources but more about the people, the learning and the opportunities. 

We thank the parents who attended the meeting and look forward to spending time with them again at the interviews next term and Junior Joeys Transition.

If you know of anyone who is interested in attending Kindergarten (or any other class) next year, please ask them to contact the school on 668224.

An adapted Semester 1 report has been sent out via Compass.

Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held this Monday and Tuesday (27 & 28 June)  to give you the opportunity to discuss the reports and your child's learning.

Booking can still be made via Compass. 

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

Our Student Representative Council (SRC) Presidents Ariella, Ella and Jai have asked me to let you know that the SRC has organised a special day this Thursday where the students are able to wear pyjamas or cosy clothes. During the middle session of the day, the students choose the activities they will do in the classroom. It is a nice relaxing day to end the term. That day is the student's last day for Term 2. They have also asked me to let you know that the day is NOT a fundraiser. 

A Professional Learning Day for staff (Pupil Free day) will be held on the last day of Term 2- Friday 1 July 2022. 

Have a wonderful weekend 

Regards

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Year C - The 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Reading  - Luke 9:51-62

We live in a culture that tells us that we can have it all. The truth is, however, that when we say yes to one thing, we are saying no to something else. Life involves making choices and making commitments to those choices, even though other options continue to look attractive. In this week's Gospel Jesus is making an important point that helps us understand what it means to be a mature disciple: to make a commitment is to embrace certain choices and to let go of others. for energy, we also need the proper nourishment for our emotional and spiritual needs. Ways we can attain spiritual strength are in prayer, meditation and reception of the Sacraments.

YOUNG MARY - STARRS PRODUCTION

We are very appreciative of the opportunity to enjoy the Young Mary performance by the Sydney-based STARRS Production team. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the lively and colourful performance. The humour and sense of fun throughout the performance had the children and their teachers roaring with laughter, yet all were able to understand the significance and impact of the life of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. 

Mary was Australia's first Saint and she was a brave, courageous and faith-filled woman whose determination and love of Jesus aided her to start the first Sisters of St Joseph. Her Sisters started our school at St Joseph's Woodburn at Swan Bay. She was an advocate for the poor and oppressed especially women and children.  She also has been the inspiration of many today wanting to be living disciples of Jesus.

The performance ended with a quote from Mary: "never see a need without doing something about it"

We thank the Lismore Catholic Schools Office and Gemma Ballantyne for ensuring that our school did not miss out on this wonderful opportunity to learn more about Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

STORMBIRDS: Growing through natural disaster 

Because of the recent floods, we have all experienced various change and loss issues. Some of our students we feel would benefit from participating in the small group program called Stormbirds: Growing through natural disaster. This program was successfully implemented in Victoria following the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. It was developed by Good Grief Ltd, an Australian organisation that has had long experience in grief and loss education, particularly through their Seasons for Growth program which is used extensively throughout Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The Stormbirds small group program of 4 sessions (50-60 minutes) aims to support children

• Manage the personal impact of the changes they have experienced
• Understand that their reactions are normal
• To “take charge” of their attitudes, feelings and behaviours
• Develop skills for coping, problem-solving and decision making
• Build their support network with families, friends, teachers and others

 Resilience building and strengthening supportive relationships are vital aspects of recovering from such large-scale change events as natural disasters and the challenges that have had to be faced in their wake.

Stormbirds: will commence in Term 3 Stormbirds will be organised and facilitated by Ms Danielle Nilon, Mrs Amy Bolkum and Mrs Megan Boyd

If you think your son or daughter would benefit from participating we would encourage you to talk to him/her about this. Should he/she decide to participate please complete the information section of the Stormbirds parent letter sent home last week and then return it to school by Wednesday 29th June 2022.

St Joseph’s is pleased to be able to offer this important program and we are confident that it will be a valuable learning experience for those who request to be involved.

Important Dates

NAIDOC Week 3rd  – 10 July 2022

School NAIDOC activities - Wednesday 29th June

we are celebrating with the students and staff from St Joseph's Coraki 

Venue: Evans Head Chinamen's beach and park

Guest Speakers Simone Barker., Solid Mob 

Ash- plants and bush tucker, Marcus - face painting

Steve Trotter: Book Reading, The Magpie and The Snake

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL 2022

Congratulations to Burrarbi ( Blue) Colour house on their win at the Athletics Carnival. This was one of the closest point scores in recent years.

Point score results:

Burrabi: 387

Gahgun: 379

Guruman: 353

 2022 Age Champions

There are no trials at the school or Richmond Zone level for either of these events. Students wishing to compete at the Lismore Diocesan Carnival on Thursday 10th August in Coffs Harbour, are required to self-nominate. Nomination forms are available at the school office and must be returned to school by Wednesday 3rd July. All nominations must be endorsed by your accredited athletics coach.

The 1500m is a new event which has been introduced as a representative pathway in Athletics. Participation in this event will be by nomination only.  Only two students (boys and girls) in each age group can be selected. If you wish to nominate for the 1500m at the Richmond Zone Carnival please see Mrs Barnes and write your name on the clipboard into Kindergarten. Age groups are as follows: 8/9/10 year old, 11 year old and 12/13 year olds Boys and Girls. Students are encouraged to nominate if they have displayed excellence in Cross Country. If we have more than 2 nominations we will hold a school trial. Nominations were due TODAY.

If needed our school trial will be held on Tuesday 28th June 2022, at Stan Payne Oval

The Richmond Zone 1500m will be held at 4:00 pm on Monday 25th July at Hepburn Park, Goonellabah. If your child is successful at our school level, private transport will need to be arranged for your child to attend.

Monday 25th July 1500m event  at Hepburn Park starting at 4:00pm 

Thursday 28th July Richmond Zone Athletics at Geoff Watt Oval Alstonville

Wednesday 10th August Diocesan Athletics - Coffs Harbour

CONGRATULATIONS