We acknowledge the First Nations peoples of Australia, the traditional custodians of the land, seas, skies and waterways on which we reside, work, travel and meet. We pay our respect to the Alngith elders and all elders, past and present, and support the Uluru Statement From The Heart. We cherish the continued deep spiritual attachment and relationship between our people and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation.

Fundraising

As proposed by our Student Council our fundraising efforts this term will be donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). In Week 7 our Fishing Shirt Fundraiser raised $188 and in Week 10 our Wear your Jersey Wednesday Fundraiser raised $87. So, in total we have $275 to donate to the RFDS! Thank you to everyone who donated, we appreciate your generosity.

Sacramental Program

Our Sacramental Program runs every two years. This year we have 11 candidates from Year 3 to Year 6 preparing to receive their Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Eucharist (Holy Communion). Lessons and preparation began in Week 7 this term and continue until Week 4 next term. Students meet each Thursday after school to learn about and prepare to receive these Sacraments in August. If your child is baptised Catholic and is currently in Year 1 to Year 4, you may be interested in them receiving these Sacraments in 2027.

Events to reflect on from the end of this term...

Reconciliation Week

In Week 6 we recognised Reconciliation Week. The theme for this year was ‘Bridging Now to Next’ and our students embraced this through completing activities and discussions to understand what this theme meant to them. We also had a Reconciliation Week Colouring in Competition. Congratulations to Hadley and Jayden for their ‘Bridging Now to Next’ winning entries.

National Sorry Day

On Monday the 26^th of May it was National Sorry Day. This annual event in Australia commemorates the Stolen Generations — the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly separated from their families in an attempt to assimilate them into Australian culture. The event remembers this mistreatment of the country's Indigenous peoples as part of an ongoing process of reconciliation between the Indigenous peoples of Australia and the settler population.  As a community we recognise this day of significance and work together for reconciliation. Year 5 shared a Sorry Day prayer and song on assembly to help us better understand the importance of this day.

The Ascension of Jesus

We remembered the Ascension of Jesus on the 29^th of May. This event took place 40 days after the resurrection of Jesus. The ascension literally means that Jesus ascended (was taken up) to Heaven. This is a significant event as it shows that Jesus returned to Heaven after completing his mission on Earth. Christians believe that Jesus is in Heaven with God, until He decides to send Jesus to Earth for the final judgement. In the Bible, the Ascension of Jesus (Luke 24:50-53) says: When he (Jesus) had led them out to Bethany, he lifted his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up (ascended) into heaven. Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with immense joy.And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Mabo Day

Mabo Day was on Tuesday the 3rd of June. It commemorates Mer Island man Eddie Koiki Mabo and his successful efforts to overturn the legal fiction of terra nullius or ‘land belonging to no-one.’ The Mabo decision was named after him as he led the fight to change land laws to recognise Indigenous connection and traditional ownership of land in Australia. Year 6 made some amazing artworks of important milestones in Eddie Mabo’s life and shared with us the work he did to help First Nations people.

 Pentecost Sunday

Sunday, the 8th June was Pentecost. Pentecost is fifty days after Easter Sunday. It marks the coming of the Holy Spirit. Symbols of Pentecost are wind, fire, water, a dove & the colour red. The word Pentecost is Greek, and it means ‘50th day’.

This is the story of Pentecost:

Jesus promised his disciples he would send the Holy Spirit, but he did not tell them when this would be. The Holy Spirit descended on the disciples as they gathered in a room in Jerusalem. The men heard a violent wind, and tongues of fire appeared upon their heads. Each disciple was filled with the Holy Spirit and was then able to speak in different languages. The disciples went out to preach the word of God to people of diverse cultures. They also baptised thousands of people, receiving them into the new, Christian church.

Trinity Sunday

The 15^th of May was Trinity Sunday. This day celebrates the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the three Persons of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity, in its great mystery, is the perfect representation of a beloved community. We talk about the idea that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one, just as much as they are individuals—three-in-one. Trinity Sunday is a solemn celebration of the belief in the revelation of one God, yet three divine persons. Year 4 has been learning about The Trinity in Religion and shared with us different ways to help us understand The Trinity in their assembly prayer.

We love welcoming new additions and celebrating the success of our students. Please let us know of any accomplishments your child or your family have, as we would love to acknowledge these with our St Joey’s Community.

It has been another busy, productive, and fun term. Enjoy your holidays, stay safe and we will see you all back in Term 3!

Mrs  Julie  Dore

Assistant Principal Religious Education (APRE) - Acting

Dear Parents and Guardians,  

Welcome to Week 10 and it has been another very busy few weeks and the children have been working hard during this time with lessons and end of Term 2 Assessment. What an amazing last few weeks we have had with the Athletics Carnival, the Weipa Fishing Classic, Mr Matt visiting from Australian Athletics, Ms Trish from Queensland Cricket and the AFL Crusaders Cup. We are looking forward to the holidays and a well-earned rest. 

AFL Crusaders Cup 

On Monday Year 5 and 6 completed in the AFL Cape York Crusaders Cup. 60+ players from St Joseph’s Parish, Western Cape College, Napranum, Old Mapoon, Aurukun and Lockhart River played in the annual Crusader Cup at the Weipa Cricket Oval.  

It was a massive day of AFL in the region to showcase the skills learned in school against other schools and communities. It was an amazing effort and all the students made their schools and community proud. St. Joseph’s Parish School Weipa went through undefeated to take home the trophy. 

 NCCD - Nationally Consistent Collection of Data 

The NCCD is an annual collection of information from all Australian schools on the numbers of students with disability and the adjustments they receive. All Teachers at St. Joseph’s School will be expected to understand their obligations to students with disability under the DDA and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 and consistently collect and provide evidence which is recorded on ENGAGE. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to make contact with myself at a convenient time that suits. My email address is  mturner@cns.catholic.edu.au   

Kind regards,   

Melanie Turner.  

From Learning and Curriculum

Thank you to all the community for coming together to celebrate all our events this term. The students and staff worked very hard to put together some fantastic learning experiences. As we are coming into the final week of term, just a reminder that parents will receive report cards this week.

What are reporting requirements? 

The Australian Government requires all schools to provide parents with feedback on their child’s academic progress and achievement twice per year using a five-point scale. In prep to year 2, the five-point scale is well below, below, expected, above and well above and for year 3 – 6 is E, D, C, B & A.

It is important to note that the achievement standard for each year level is set for what students should be achieving by the END of the year and at this point this report card is an update on how they are travelling towards that goal. This means that it is NOT bad to be receiving an ‘expected’ or ‘C’ grade for a subject. This means that your child is working right where they should be for this stage of the year. If your child receives a ‘below’ or ‘D’ mark, this does not necessarily mean they are failing, but rather that they are still developing the skills they need to master at this stage and there is room for improvement, as well as working towards the expected achievement standard.

What is current practice? 

St Joseph’s Parish School provides end of semester reports, using a five-point scale and a general comment. 

We are committed to enhancing the overall reporting experience and providing you with clear and meaningful insights into your child’s academic journey. We appreciate working with you in partnership in your child’s education and will continue to keep you updated on these important developments.

St Joesph’s Dance Showcase

Please join us on us in Catholic Education Week (Term 3: Week 3):

Dance Showcase: St Joey's does the 90's

Date: Thursday 31st of July

Where: St Joesph's Basketball court

Time: 5:45 for 6pm start.

Could parents please provide the following clothing for students to attend the dance:

Prep: Bold, block colours with an animal ear headband/hoodie/beanie

Year 1: Dark bottoms and white tops with sunglasses.

Year 2: Safari theme - khaki/animal print

Year 3: Think 90's boy/girl band - Girls (pinks and purples) vs boys (blues and greens) colours

Year 4: Clothing that is Blue, white and red.

Year 5: Think 90's cowboy/cowgirl - Demin, boots & hats.

Year 6: 1999 New Years Eve clothes - lots of black, white, silver, gold and sequins! 

Accessing Report Cards

Hello parents,

My name is Sandi Brown and I’m the school counsellor at St Joeseph’s. I am at the school in week 2, 4, 6 & 8 each term.

My role is to work with students, families and teachers on issues that may be affecting student learning, engagement and wellbeing.

If you have a concern for your child, please speak to your child’s teacher first, and they will put in a request for support if required.

I hope you have a great school holiday, whatever you are doing.

Holiday fun idea

• Jazzy Jenga - Create your own set of Jazzy Jenga. All you need is a cheap set of Jenga blocks from Kmart and a packet of sharpies. Spend time creating a unique set of blocks with the kids then play away. This is a good camping activity.

• Get to know you Jenga – if you are not the creative type, try this one. Write one reflective question on each block, the person who pulls the block, needs to read out the question and share their thoughts. You can make up the questions to suite your family or use the attached example.

Sandi

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Wow it really is hard to believe that we are now halfway through the year. It has been a very busy term with lots of learning and fun had in Prep! We have had many fun days including our first Sports Carnival, Under 8’s Day and National Simultaneous Storytime as well as dressing up in our Fishing Shirts and favourite sports team colours to raise money for charities. Sadly, we say goodbye to Oliver Arkell and his family as they venture to Canada next term. Oliver has been a wonderful addition to our Prep class and we will be very sad to see him go.

In English we have been learning new initial sounds and lots of new tricky words. We are learning to blend and segment these sounds and form simple sentences. We are continuing to work well in our literacy “rotation stations” and I am so proud of how far we have progressed with our reading. We are now beginning to work on our fluency and comprehension as well as decoding CVC words. In writing we have been working hard to form sentences using a capital letter, full stop and finger spaces. We are also learning to draw some detailed pictures to match our sentences.

In Maths we have been learning to measure using informal units. Students have measured different objects in the classroom using connecting cubes. We have also been counting objects up to 20, writing numbers and working with 10 frames.

In Religion students have been continuing to learn about Jesus and his friends and family as well as different ways to pray. We especially enjoy praying through song each morning. In Technology and Science students made ramps and slid and rolled items down them. They also looked at what materials are used to make items waterproof and what can float and sink. In Health students have continued to learn about different emotions and have recognised all the unique ways they are special. This term students have been lucky enough to participate in AFL, cricket and athletics PE lessons with some special visitors to our school.

Some gentle reminders:

• PE day – Thursday with Mrs Turner (Your child will need to wear their sports uniform and shoes).
• Library day – every Wednesday (Students now borrow 2 picture books. Please return books in library bags).
• Homework folders to be brought in on Wednesday’s.

As always, please feel free to contact me via e-mail ttapper@cns.catholic.edu.au or on SeeSaw. Thank-you for your continued support in your child’s learning in Prep this year so far!

Kind Regards,

Mrs Tapper and Miss Chelsie

Week 10 Newsletter

As we reach the end of Term 2, it's been wonderful to reflect on all the fantastic learning that has taken place in our classroom.

Maths:
We explored both 2D and 3D shapes, sorting and classifying them by their features such as edges, vertices, and faces. The students enjoyed using hands-on activities to deepen their understanding.

English:
We focused on writing 5-star super sentences using capital letters, punctuation, and adjectives to add detail. Students also adapted the story Possum Goes to School by writing their own creative page about an animal visiting the park.

Technology:
A highlight was designing and building our own arks. Students considered how to make them float and provide shelter, ensuring the animals were protected from the flood, wind, and rain—just like in the story of Noah's Ark.

HASS:
We learnt about natural, managed, and constructed features in Weipa and discussed how we can help care for these environments in our everyday lives.

Religion:
Through stories such as Noah’s Ark and Moses parting the Red Sea, students discovered that God is always present with us, especially during times of challenge.

Health:
We explored healthy eating and learnt how food packaging is designed to persuade us to buy products. Students became more aware of marketing techniques and how to make healthier choices.

Science:
We investigated how the sky and landscapes change over time. The students learned about the phases of the moon, how they affect the tides, types of clouds, and how these can help us predict the weather.

Athletics Carnival:
Our Athletics Carnival was a huge success! It was wonderful to see all students giving their best effort, cheering on their classmates, and showing great sportsmanship and teamwork. Their encouragement and support for one another made it a day to remember.

As this term comes to an end, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all families for your support and partnership. I will be going on maternity leave early next term and Miss Fielding will be the Year 1 teacher from the beginning of next term. It has been a joy to teach your children, and I wish them all the best for the rest of the year.

Warm regards,
Amanda Peters

Hello families and friends of Year 2,

Thank you for a great term and wonderful semester! We have come such a long way from the beginning of the year, and it is fantastic to see each and every student growing and learning.

Over our English learning area, the students completed their information reports on an Australian Animal. We have been learning about compound sentences and how to use coordinating conjunctions to give more information in our sentences.

Towards the end of the term the students have been exploring multiplication and using equal groups, arrays and repeated addition to find answers to times tables. Students have also practiced using number lines and adding/subtracting numbers to 1000.

Over the past few weeks, we have been looking at the different regions of the world, including the 7 continents, 2 hemispheres, and neighboring countries of Australia. In Science the students investigated forces such as push and pull, and the different toys that move with force. We also explained how gravity works and items like parachutes.

The students have been. Next term we will have some changes to our specialist teachers. Mrs Turner will be teaching PE and AUSLAN and Mr Kippen will be teaching SEL and The Arts. We will have our Dance performance on Thursday of Week 3. Please see the email sent from Mrs Barber regarding outfits for the event.

A new curriculum letter will be sent home next term indicating the learning areas and content for each subject. Please keep a look out for this and if there are any questions please do not hesitate to ask.

I wish you all a fun, safe and happy mid-year break! I am looking forward to another great semester with these wonderful kiddos.

Thanks,

Emily

Dear year 3 Families,

I hope you have enjoyed this term as much as we have. I wanted to take a moment to update you on all the exciting things we have been doing in Year 3.

In English, we have finished our narrative stories and have been adding images to add more depth to our stories and make them more exciting. We plan to print out our books and send them home to read at the end of term.

In Maths, we have been learning all about the exciting world of fractions and how fractions are a part of many of the things we do in every life like cutting an apple into halves or giving a quarter of a packet of marbles to someone else.

Our Religious Studies have been about how the Catholic Church has rituals that welcome newcomers to the Church and reinforce the connection Catholics feel to God and the Church. We have been learning about the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.

In Science, we have been exploring the science of heat. To finish our unit on heat transfer, conductors, and insulators, we have been busy building Solar Ovens. Students have used what they have learned about heat conductors and insulators to help trap the Sun’s heat in the oven.

In Technology, we have been learning about how food gets from the farm to our plate. We have learned about the food supply system, the challenges Weipa faces in getting our food delivered, and about how far our food travels to get here. We have built micro greenhouses out of recycled materials and are growing our own food plants.

In Physical Education, we have had a fun time learning about cricket, AFL, and athletics. The students have been having lots of fun developing their skills.

It has been a busy and fulfilling term, and I am so proud of all the hard work and enthusiasm the students have shown.

Warm regards,

Year 3 Teacher,

 Mrs Hamilton.

Year 4 Update.

We have all enjoyed and embraced each student sharing their “About Me” task in the last few weeks. Parents sent in photos and each student has talked about their family, their interests and what they would like to learn about in the future. It has generated heaps of interesting conversation, and we have learnt about each student along the way.

In English we are wrapping up our Maritime Catastrophe unit. We finished off researching about the “Titanic” and found out so many interesting bits of information. Students are presenting these this week in a digital format. Cannot wait to hear what they have discovered about after a lot of research!

In Maths we have been designing different types of graphs and making up our own data about the interests of Yr 4 students. We have constructed tally marks, pie graphs, bar graphs, dot plots and written questions to analyse the data we constructed. Very beneficial in everyday life skills for the class.

Overall, with the support of school officers and other teachers we have gained so much as a cohort. So many different experiences and development as learners is happening. Looking forward to Term 3!

Regards,

Libby Lange

Dear Parents and Carers of Year 5,

What a fantastic and action-packed term we've had! We've wrapped up our units of learning and proudly showcased all that we've achieved.

One of the highlights this term has been Science, where students had a blast building their own solar systems. Coming in a close second were Geography and English, where we explored extreme weather events such as floods, fires, cyclones, tsunamis, and more. The students demonstrated a great understanding of these topics through their detailed reports and engaging presentations.

As always, sports brought a lot of excitement! This term was filled with opportunities to get active and show great sportsmanship, with events like Athletics Day, Athletics Australia, AFL, Cricket, and more.

Just this week, our Year 5 and 6 students participated in the Crusaders Cup. We had two teams—The Eagles and The Bulldogs—each playing four games against Mapoon/Lockhart, Western Cape College, and Aurukun.

• The Eagles played with heart, securing a win against Mapoon/Lockhart, finishing their final game with a score of 26–19.
• The Bulldogs remained undefeated, taking out the cup for St Joseph’s! Their final match against the also-unbeaten Western Cape College ended in a thrilling 26–17 victory, securing our overall win.

As we look ahead to a new term and some changes in staff, I’m sad to be saying goodbye to the Year Fives. However, I’m confident they’re in great hands with Miss Bell, and they have many exciting things to look forward to. From what I’ve seen of next term’s learning, I’m a little jealous I won’t be part of it!

Thank you all for your continued support throughout the term. I wish you a safe and restful school holiday and look forward to seeing you in the second half of the year.

Take care and thank you!

Warm regards,
Lyndsey Fielding

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we approach the end of term, Year 6 students have completed their literacy unit focused on non-fiction texts, with particular emphasis on information reports. Throughout the unit, students explored the push and pull factors that influence the journeys of refugees and asylum seekers. They examined Australia’s visa options and migration policies over time and investigated the personal stories behind individuals’ decisions to migrate. The unit concluded with a meeting with Dr Karl, who migrated to Australia following WWII.

In Maths, students have been exploring different forms of graphs and analysing data to make inferences. Much to the delight of many in the class, this included looking at State of Origin statistics and comparing current performances to those from the famous 'Queensland Dynasty' era.

Our Science unit wrapped up with students investigating how the surface of the Earth changes over time. They discovered that, on average, a volcanic eruption occurs somewhere on Earth each week. While these eruptions can cause devastation, they also play an essential role in forming new islands, enriching soil, and contributing valuable mineral deposits to the Earth's surface.

Looking ahead to Term 3, we’ll begin the term briefly before heading off to Year 6 Camp. Please refer to the packing list provided, as the upcoming holidays offer a great opportunity to gather anything your child may need in preparation.

Finally, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the Year 6 students for continuing to role model what leadership looks and sounds like. They have set a high standard for themselves, and we expect this to continue throughout the remainder of the year.

Thank you for your continued support.

 Matthew Bakes

As part of their ongoing commitment to safeguarding children, the Professional Standards and Safeguarding Office is pleased to offer access to a selection of three Maggie Dent webinars. These webinars are available to members of the Diocesan community, including carers, parents, and staff. Please note that places are limited, and each webinar will be accessible via a unique link, free of charge.

JUNE / JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS 

Get ready, Weipa! StarWars Laser Tag is blasting into town for the June/July School Holidays!

Session/Booking Options

• Snag a 10-pass for $135.00 and let your imagination run wild! Use all 10 tickets in one legendary battle with your crew, or spread them out over the holidays. Bookings launch on Tuesday, June 10th.
• Host a private showdown for just $200.00 with your pals! (Perfect for the ultimate birthday bash!) Bookings open on Tuesday, June 10th.
• Dive into a casual session for only $15.00. Bookings kick off on Monday, June 16th.

What’s Included & Need-to-Know Fun Stuff

• The arena will be located at the Storm Surge Shelter.
• Battle it out with up to 16 players per match!
• Dive into over 30 action-packed sessions during the 2-week holiday bonanza.
• Each session is a 1-hour duration (with 2 epic games)!
• 10-pass holders & casual bookings score a snack of popcorn and a zooper doper - plus, the kiosk will be open for more munchies and cold drinks!
• Private sessions get the arena all to yourself with a trusty staff sidekick!
• All ages are welcome! Tiny troopers need a parent if they can’t handle the laser tag gear solo.
• Feel the force! Star Wars costumes are encouraged but not a must.

Stay glued to the Weipa Aquatic and Sports Precinct Facebook Page for the freshest news! Bookings will be through our system, Xplor. If you haven't yet, whip up an account for a smooth booking ride when they go live! https://weipaaquaticsportsprecinct.perfectmind.com/

May the force be with you.

REGISTER NOW:  WWW.WEIPARUNNINGFESTIVAL.ORG.AU