St Joseph's, Tara - Term 3 Week 6 2024 Newsletter!

Our Vision & Mission Statements

From the Principal

Welcome to the Term 3 Week 6 Newsletter!

Enrolments 

It has been encouraging to see that our overall student enrolment numbers have increased. We are currently sitting with 52 students across the 3 classes. Next year’s Prep numbers are proving to be another big intake of students and, given we are only losing two Year 6 students, this will again increase our overall numbers.  

I ask that any of our current families who may know members of our community who are interested in sending their children to St Joseph’s in 2025, to strongly encourage them to submit an application as soon as possible. This can be done either online through the school’s website or by dropping into the office to collect an enrolment pack.  

If numbers continue to increase in a similar way to these past six months, we will begin to look at a waiting list for some classes and year levels. This will ensure that class numbers remain manageable by the teachers and to ensure that we can continue to provide quality teaching and learning, and pastoral care needed for each student.  

If there are any current families who know that they will not be returning to St Joseph’s in 2025, could I please ask that you let us know in writing as soon as possible.  

Attendance 

Unfortunately, our attendance percentages have begun to drop again this term. The Toowoomba Catholic Schools required attendance percentage is 85%. Anything below this is considered a “cause for concern”. You can find your child’s attendance percentage in the Parent Portal.  

We understand that there have been many students with sickness, which has prevented them from attending school for a number of consecutive days. However, we ask that you please be mindful of taking your child out of school for reasons which can be avoided or for appointments which can be easily scheduled for after school. Even a late arrival or early departure eventually adds up to many hours of work missed across the term. Please also remember that our Prime Learning Time is from 8.45am to 12.15pm. This is where all our intervention, Literacy and Maths blocks of learning occur.  

Below is the “Every School Day Counts” which outlines the effect of children missing days of school. Our staff work hard to ensure that students who have missed days of school are caught up on what they have missed; however, please be aware that this is not always possible. Students coming back to missed schoolwork are often anxious and feel unsuccessful with their learning due to the quantity of work they have missed.  

A reminder of our absentee procedures:- 

1. Please inform the school of an absence via the Parent Portal by 8.45am. 

1. If a child is needing to be absent for 3 consecutive days (this includes across a weekend), a medical certificate is required. 

1. If a student is unexplained for three or more consecutive days (this includes across a weekend), the school will contact the family to ensure that everything is OK and to find out when the student will be returning to school. If a reasonable reason and/or timeframe is not provided by the parent, the school will proceed in making the absence more formal.  

We thank all our parents for their support in this matter as we strive to continue to make our students’ learning and wellbeing at the forefront of everything we do.  

Guidance Counsellor 

Sadly, our School Guidance Counsellor, Jacinta Jensen, has requested leave for the rest of Term 3 for personal health reasons. I am working with other principals in our area – Dalby, Chinchilla and Oakey – to source another counsellor willing to support our students and staff for the remainder of the term. I will keep you posted via the Parent Portal as soon as I have more news on this.  

I ask that you keep Jacinta in your prayers over the coming weeks and we hope to see her back with us in the future.  

God bless,

Kylie Williams

"Always remember to help and be of service to others." ~ Mary MacKillop.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12

From the APRE

Mary MacKillop Fest Day

What a wonderful day of celebrations we had last Friday (9th August) to celebrate Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day which was officially on Thursday (8th August).  

The students are certainly developing a knowledge of Mary MacKillop and a wider understanding of how she lived her life to help those who needed it the most. They are also making some great connections to how we embed Mary’s values and ways into our school community and into how they live their own lives.  

Mary believed in the power of education to lift communities out of living on the margins. When she saw injustice, she was fierce to act so that children wouldn't miss out on fair access to education. Mary and the Sisters of St Joseph went wherever the need was greatest. They gave up everything to live amongst the people they served, and they taught with love and compassion. And despite facing enormous challenges, they continued to walk with people every step of the way. 

We are certainly blessed to have staff at St Joseph’s who are very much following in Mary’s footsteps every day and providing a quality education to our students which is equal to other Catholic schools in the Toowoomba Diocese. 

Learning at St Joeys

From Year 4 - 6 Classroom

English

During English this term students have explored the poem “The Jabberwockey”. Students explained the way authors use sound and imagery to create meaning and effect in poetry. They used different text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. Students expanded vocabulary by exploring a range of synonyms and antonyms, and using words encountered in a range of sources. They explored and recognised poetic language features including topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices such as alliteration, rhyming scheme, quatrains and stanzas. Students planned, created and edited their own poem using topic specific vocabulary, literary devices and ideas to entertain their audience. 

Mathematics

In Term 3, students compared, ordered and represented fractions, decimals and percentages. They identified unknown values in numerical equations. Students performed and recognised tessellations, transformations and reflections of shapes. They recognised and located points on a Cartesian plane. Students applied their knowledge in multiplication and division to solve problems. They represented fact families and identified Powers of 10. Students identified and made connections between equivalent fractions and how to add and subtract them. 

Religion

Students recognised the significance of the key people and events in the Australian Catholic Church. They sequenced key events and people in the Australian Catholic Church and described the experiences of these people. They created a historical narrative about an Australian Catholic.  Students located information about how Australian Catholics have contributed to the community. They identified ways in which Mary MacKillop helped people from the past and in the present. Students explained how Mary MacKillop’s wisdom is lived by today’s community of believers.   

Science

 In Science this term, students explored solids, liquids and gases and how they have different observable properties and behave in different ways. Students discussed the properties of materials that can be investigated scientifically and posed questions for investigation. They used predicting, planning, questioning and examining to conduct fair tests of how properties of materials can vary. 

HaSS

In HASS this term, students explored questions through the inquiry process regarding: types of resources, including natural, human and capital, and how they satisfy needs and wants. Students analysed the needs and wants of an island community and determined potential solutions to meet these needs and wants. Students reflected on efforts and outcomes during their Island community assessment.

Health

During Health this term, students proposed strategies for managing the changing nature of relationships in respectful and empathetic ways and compared the behaviours people demonstrate when treating others in respectful ways to those that are disrespectful. They proposed strategies to help others understand points of view that differ from their own, explored initiatives that sporting groups use to celebrate diversity, counter discrimination and racism and support the wellbeing of their communities and discussed the role bystanders can play in promoting respectful interactions and challenging disrespect. Students explored a range of emotions, including those that trigger intense or unpredictable responses and analysed situations where emotions influence decision-making. They described the steps of effectively communicating their intentions when seeking, giving or denying consent, refined strategies for interpreting verbal and non-verbal cues related to consent and discussed options for coping when they are denied permission to do something.

From the PEN

PEN forum has been postponed until August 28, 3:15pm in the school library.

From the Parish

St Mary Of The Angels - Tara

Mass Times

Tara: Sunday: 9am

on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month

Meandarra: Sunday: 11am

on the 3rd Sunday of the month

St Joseph's Awards

Bronze Awards

Lorenzo Welldon-Taylor

Certificates of Recognition

Week 5 - Eliza Adhikary, Isabella French, Jaxson de Boeck, Alexia de Boeck, Bentley Tucker, Nate Callaghan, Nateesha Laird and Havoc McLuckie.

Week 6 - No assembly due to Local Holiday (Tara Show Holiday)

CONGRATULATIONS to Damon Grose for receiving the Tara and District Athletics Carnival 2015 Boys Aged Champion medal!

From the Administration Officers

Thank you everyone for being persistent with your customer accounts. Monthly statements have been distributed via email today please check your junk folder. 

If you need any financial assistance, be sure to come in and see myself or Kylie to see how we can help. It is completely confidential!

HOW TO PAY YOUR SCHOOL FEES:

*Cash / Cheque, at the office.

*BPoint, in person at the office or over the phone.

*Direct Deposit:
Bank: ADF
Name: St Joseph’s School
BSB: 064-786
ACC: 100-025-583
Reference: Your Name                         

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

*Direct Debit: COMING SOON!!

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

Term Dates

2024

Term 1 2024 – Tue 23 Jan (Public Hol 26 Jan) - Thur 28 Mar

(Good Friday 29 Mar)

Term 2 2024 –(Student Free Day 15 Apr) Tue 16 Apr - Fri 21 Jun 

Term 3 2023 – (Student Free Day 08 Jul) Tue 09 Jul - Fri 13 Sep

Term 4 2023 –(Kings B'day 07 OCT) Mon 30 Sep - Wed 04 Dec

(Travel Day's Thur 5 Dec & Fri 6 Dec)

Wellbeing Matters

Student Safety

EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE

It is a legislative requirement that all non-state schools have at least two nominated staff members to whom a student can report the behaviour of another staff member that the student considers inappropriate.  We call these specially trained staff members School Student Protection Contacts, or SSPCs.  Each SSPC has been nominated by the principal in recognition of their integrity, approachability and knowledge in the area of student protection.  Whilst students are encouraged to speak up to any trusted adult in the school community, it is important that they know they can access these specific staff members at any time should they have worries, queries or concerns. You will have noticed posters throughout the school depicting our current SSPCs.  The SSPCs are also published on our school website along with information about our student protection processes.  In everything we do at St Joseph's Tara student safety is our highest priority, therefore the SSPCs at our school are key personnel in our overall safeguarding processes.  Please see the poster below depicting our current SSPC team.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT