2021 Newsletter Term 3 Week 1

From the Principal

Dear parents and carers,

Welcome back to Term 3 and the second half of the year. The students have returned energised and ready to learn. On Monday's Pupil Free Day, our teachers participated in professional learning and shared their  classroom practice in the Key Learning Area of Mathematics inspiring other teachers in the diocese. 

Blanket Drive

I thank St. Columba's Primary School, Wilston (Brisbane) for their generosity in delivering a mountain of lovely soft warm blankets to our school and local community to keep us  warm this winter.                                                                          Please collect these beautiful blankets on Friday after the Athletics Carnival.

NAIDOC WEEK

Over the holidays the nation celebrated NAIDOC Week from the 4-11 July. The theme was HEAL COUNTRY! The week celebrates more than 65000 years of history, culture and achievements, acknowledging the need for further work to be done in creating a just future through education. This special week gives us the opportunity to grow in awareness, celebrate successes and walk and work together to care for and heal country, land and sea. Learning and healing go hand in hand.

Part of the week's learning  and healing was guided by guest speaker, Mr Ken Riddiford, who spoke to the school community about our 'On Country' language, Barunggam, describing the geographical  land forms and boundaries for this language. Ken highlighted the ways indigenous people had healed country over the generations, caring for their totem animal, cool burning the grasses to encourage new growth, as well as recording and communicating information through  artwork and story. Further history and culture learning experiences will occur throughout the next two weeks.

Curiosity- our first learning super power

During assembly the whole school was introduced to the learning super power of  curiosity building on the last term's community collaboration on learner dispositions. Students and teachers will upack the learning intention and success criteria through explicit teaching and connection to real life. Each child will have a bookmark for  reference and self reflection about being a curious learner. Parents are encouraged to use the being a curious learner language at home to extend your child's learning.e.g. 

Q. How can a mouse fit through that tiny hole?

A. that's a great question. I'm curious like you. Let's find out together...Wow! Mice have collapsible hip bones that let them get through tiny spaces.

This term is  going to be an exciting one with lots of events happening.

Athletics Carnivals

This Friday 16th July, Penola (yellow) and MacKillop (red) compete for the  Athletics trophy. I wish everyone the very best. Next Wednesday 21st July Prep to year 6 students  travel by bus to Moonie to participate in the Small Schools Athletics Carnival. Please refer to the attached carnival letter and return your permission note by Monday 19th July.

Be a Joey Day

Students  interested in attending St. Joseph's School in 2022, are invited to participate in the first of four transition days. Please see the calendar for future dates. The first term 3, Be a Joey Day will be on Tuesday 20th July from 8.40-10.45 a.m. Please bring a hat. You will love it! 

Catholic Education Week

In week three we celebrate the Catholic Education Week (CEW) theme of 'A spirited tomorrow'. During this week parents, staff and students are invited to complete a Radii survey to provide feedback for the future direction of the school. Catholic Education Week starts off with music and the week concludes with the Bishop's Inservice holiday for students! Singer song writer, Josh Arnold, returns  to St. Joseph's School  in CEW to launch the combined Tara schools video on Monday 26 July at 2 p.m. Come along and  see the first viewing of music video. It is truly amazing!

Mary Porter
Principal

Pictures of the Week

I have selected a few of my favourite pictures from this week's learning experiences. I hope you enjoy them!

From the APRE

Mary MacKillop Pilgrimage

An important aspect of my professional learning plan as a principal and APRE is continuing to develop my understanding of the charism and history of our Josephite school. 

Over the holidays I  travelled to South Australia and  became a pilgrim. As part of my Mary MacKillop pilgrimage, I visited Adelaide churches and schools connected to Mary MacKillop and  travelled to Penola.

At the site of  Mary MacKillop's stable school in Penola, I reflected on her  tenacity and passion for providing education and knowledge of Jesus to  children in  poor isolated rural areas of Australia. At St. Joseph's Tara, our school community is carrying on this  tradition by focusing on providing academic success for all students within a distinctive Catholic environment. Like Mary we are inclusive and welcoming. I took time to contemplate Mary MacKillop's wise sayings, that are  linked to scripture, and I imagine the  vibrant young Mary galloping from across the beautiful but isolated landscape to provide education and  a knowledge of Jesus to others. 

The St. Joseph's church, MacKillop Centre and stone house brought Mary's teaching and  trust in her good God to life. Mary prayed and turned to God to  guide her when life was tough and for Mary life was very tough at times. She prevailed and her compassionate work and miracles led to her becoming Australia's first saint.

When Covid 19 is more manageable I will continue my pilgrimage into Victoria visiting Portland and  NSW to visit  Mary MacKillop's resting place in Sydney.

I leave you with one of my favourite Mary MacKillop sayings  that always helps me to be positive and  see the good/God in others.

'There where you are you will find God'(Mary MacKillop 1871) ... might I add that you do have to stop and look with an open heart to find it!  Breathing and praying makes this seeing and finding easier.

Mary Porter
APRE

Spiritual Gallery

From the Parish

Please keep Father Jack in your prayers. He will be away for another two weeks due to illness.

From the Learning Environment

Inspired Maths at Home

Try these curious learner questions for Jumbled Hopscotch at home. (If you like, you might want to share your family’s hopscotch drawings and thinking with me in person or via email.)

First, we can ask ourselves: How many ways can we reorganize the numbers in hopscotch? This can be a tough question, so we might want to start with a hopscotch that goes up to 4 or so and then follow the pattern from there.

But we can also wonder: Out of all the ways of reorganizing the numbers, how many can we still jump through? If the 1 is too far from the 2, it might not work out! What does this depend on? How many jumpable hopscotches can you make?

Jumbled or not, you can still ask other hopscotch questions, such as: If you add up every number you hopped on, how many ways can you jump through your hopscotch such that your numbers add up to 15? How many different totals can you make? Are there totals that are impossible to make? What about ones that come up a lot? Your answers might be different depending on how jumbled your hopscotch is!

(YouCubed.org)

Number Representations & Doubles

St. Joseph's Awards

                       Bronze Award Recipients

                                                                   Kandice Nystrom  

                         Pen Licence Recipients

                                                                       Ella Sinclair

                                                                      Keira Furniss

Students of the Week

                                                              Watch This Space…

Student Safety

                                                        THE 2021 STUDENT PROTECTION CONTACTS:                                                                                                                                          Sue Whelan                                                                                                                                                                                      Mary Porter                                                                                                                                                                        Susan Rodd (Counsellor)

Keeping students safe is the responsibility of adults however research shows that teaching children personal safety skills can play an important role in the prevention of harm.

This term we will be giving students strategies to help them be safe. The activity below is one such strategy.

Please talk about the lesson and encourage your child to share what they have learnt. If they bring home activity sheets, look at these together and put them up on the fridge or a wall in the house. Having conversations about personal safety should not be scary for children. Being open and approachable is the most important thing.

• Discuss who they could talk to if they felt unsafe and what they could do
• Practice using stories and scenarios to problem solve. Do not always make these about strangers
• Reinforce basic safety messages and ensure children know the phone numbers of people they can call on for help or to talk to
• Explain that it is ok to say no to an adult or child if they are doing something that is not ok or makes    the child feel unsafe. Let the child know they will not get into trouble if they tell you about an unsafe secret someone has asked them to keep
• Remind your child that it is always ok to talk to you, no matter what the issue, you care about them and want to help them to stay safe.

Keeping Kids Safe

My safety network Activity

List your safety helpers. They must be adults and should include someone who lives at home, males and females, as well as people who live outside the home.                                                        Suggestions: Mum, Dad, Carer, Grandparent, Uncle, Aunt, Teacher, Principal, Friend of Mum or Dad, Police

-Colour in and cut out your hand.                                                                                                                                      -Take home and show the adults on your list.

EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE

From the Administration Officer

School Fees                                                                                      

HOW TO PAY YOUR SCHOOL FEES:     

*Cash                                                                           

*Direct Deposit:                                                                                                                                                                                            Bank: ADF                                                                                                                                                                                        Name: St Joseph’s School                                                                                                                                                        BSB: 064-786                                                                                                                                                                                ACC: 100025583                                                                                                                                                                            Reference: Your Name.                               

*Centrelink Centrepay Deduction Payments can be made fortnightly or monthly.                                     The School’s CRN: 555075545A                                                                                                                                       

Not Sure how it’s done?  Ask at the office for Assistance.                                                                                                                                 

Thank you to those making regular payments and/or have their account up to date.                      With Term 3 fees around the corner, could I please ask everyone to check how their account is travelling.  If it doesn’t seem to be reducing as quickly as you would like, I recommend increasing or begin making regular fortnightly payments or Centrepay deductions to help manage the fees more comfortably.

ABSENCES: Please notify the school whenever your child is absent. 

Term Dates

2021

*Term 3 2021 – Tue 13 Jul - Fri 17 Sep

*Term 4 2021 – Wed 6 Oct - Fri 3 Dec

2022

*Term 1 2022 – Tue 25 Jan - Fri 1 Apr

*Term 2 2022 – Wed 20 Apr - Fri 24 Jun

*Term 3 2022 – Tue 12 Jul - Fri 16 Sep

*Term 4 2022 – Wed 6 Oct - Fri 2 Dec

Tuckshop

ROSTER

Term 3 

Wk 1 -15 Jul: Craig Riddiford & Sara Shields

Wk 2 - 22 Jul: Lesley Truebody & Tash Anthony

Wk 3 - 29 Jul: Anne Furniss & Annie Stapleton

Wk 4 - 5 Aug: Monica Moran & Dan Cole

 Wk 5 - 12 Aug: Sara Shields & Luisa Camenzind

Wk 6 - 19 Aug: Tash Anthony & Lesley Truebody

Wk 7 - 26 Aug: Anne Furniss & Sara Shields

Wk 8 - 2 Sep: Craig Ridiiford & Annie Stapleton

Wk 9 - 9 Sep: Monica Moran & Dan Cole

Wk 10 - 16 Sep: Sara Shields & Luisa Carmenzind

If you are unable to attend on your rostered tuckshop day please contact another person on the roster to arrange a swap of days.

Tuck Shop Menu

School Athletics Carnival - Fri 16 July 2021

Due to the wet weather cancellation last term, we will be holding our Athletics Carnival this Friday. Thanks to the P&F a $10 food pack will be available to order for lunch on the day. 

Come along and cheer on your team!

Penola Team are to wear yellow and MacKillop are to wear red.  

P & F News

$10 Food Packs for the Athletics Carnival will be again be available on the day. Order forms need to returned to school on Thursday (tomorrow). This order form will be separate from the normal Tuck Shop routine.  If your are able to assist on Friday in the Tuck shop it would be greatly appreciated.

Father's Day - Stall & Fun Day

Our Father's Day Stall will be held on Thursday 26 & Friday 27 August. Our Dads and significant others are invited to come along and join in our Father's Fun Day on Friday 27 August.                          More details to follow - watch this space.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

LOURDES HILL COLLEGE, BRISBANE - REUNION – All students who attended Lourdes hill College, Brisbane in:  

1966 – Year 8, 1967 – Year 9, 1968 – Year 10, 1969 – Year 11 and 1970 – Year 12, are invited to attend the Reunion of the 1966-1970 Cohort on Saturday 16 October at Lourdes Hill College.  

For enquiries, please contact:  

Maree Foley (Stanton) maree_foley@hotmail.com ,  events@lhc.qld.edu.au or phone Mary at LHC on 3399 0411.