Dear Families and friends of St Joseph’s.

As we end week 6 it is hard to believe that we are already past the halfway point in Term Two. Students are busy completing schoolwork and teachers are busy getting prepared to write report cards, ready to be sent out in week 10.

Last week I travelled to Cairns for Principal meetings and then participated in the Senior Leadership Retreat at Port Douglas. This has been an excellent opportunity to reflect on the Catholic School difference. Being distinctively a Catholic school boils down to how we treat people and each other. The mission of Catholic Education is that “Being created in the image and likeness of God” which accords everyone an equal and inherent dignity. We believe in an innate original goodness and a universally shared dignity. This belief shapes a hope-filled and life-giving outlook on life for self, others and the created world. 

Our School community is committed to providing a culturally safe environment where all children belong and an experience respect, justice, equity, and dignity. At our Reconciliation Liturgy today, we gathered to unite our hearts with First Nations communities as we recognised and reflected on the wrongs that have been done in the past and take actions towards healing for the future.

Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. The theme for this year’s Reconciliation week is “Be a voice for Generations”. Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all of us so we can move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community and First Nations peoples.
Staffing Update - Congratulations to Mrs Amanda O’Brien and her husband Ben! Baby Cooper O’Brien arrived in the early hours of Thursday morning. Maggie is excited to have a little brother. We look forward to meeting Cooper in the weeks to come.

Next week we are excited to welcome our new teacher Mrs Julie Dore. After many years of teaching in Cairns, Julie and her two children are moving to Weipa to join her husband who is working here. Julie will be working across all classes as internal relief and noncontact teacher. I’m sure Julie and her family will feel welcomed and part of the school community in no time.

Playground After many months of patiently waiting for our new playground to go in, I’m pleased to report that it is finally about to happen within the next few weeks. All going well, earth works and installation is due to begin at some point next week.

Health & Wellbeing - As we head into week 7, we have noticed an increase in the number of illnesses among our students and staff. While we do our best to maintain a healthy and clean environment within the school, it is important that we work together to prevent the spread of sickness.

Here are some tips to help keep your child healthy:

1. Encourage frequent hand washing: Washing hands regularly with soap and warm water is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs.
2. Cover coughs and sneezes: Teach your child to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their elbow when they cough or sneeze.
3. Stay home when sick: If your child is feeling unwell, it is important that they stay at home to prevent spreading their illness to others.
4. Stay up to date on vaccinations: Vaccinations are an important part of keeping your child healthy and preventing the spread of illness.

We also ask that you keep us informed of any illness your child may be experiencing, as this helps us to monitor and prevent the spread of illnesses within the school. If your child is experiencing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, please keep them at home until they are feeling better.

The QLD Health Time Out poster states any child who has vomited once must stay home for a minimum of 24 hours, more than once 48 hours after their last vomit/visit to the toilet. Please see the Time Out poster below for further information. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community healthy and safe.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

God Bless,

Megan