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Hello families & friends,
As we approach the end of Term 3, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible St Joseph's School community. I've been in the role of Acting Principal for just five weeks, and during this time, I have been deeply moved by the warmth, support, and dedication I've witnessed from every part of our school.
St Joseph's and the wider community have welcomed me with open arms, and I can genuinely say that this experience will hold a special place in my heart for many years to come. It's been my privilege to assist in leading the school, and I hope that in these weeks, I've brought a sense of consistency and a touch of light-heartedness to our school.
As we prepare to enjoy two weeks of well-deserved holidays, I urge each one of you to proudly share the remarkable attributes of our school with the wider Weipa community. Shout it from the rooftops – let everyone know how truly incredible St Joseph's School is.
From the smiles and assistance at the front desk by Kathy Mitton to the care and hard work put in by our groundsman, Jason McNamee, who keeps our school looking its best, and everyone in between School Officers, Tuckshop Convenor and Teachers we are truly blessed with a dedicated team.
St Joseph's has the potential to welcome even more students into our family. With your continued support, we can share the many wonders of our school with others, increasing our enrolments and further enhancing our community.
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone for your unwavering commitment to working together for the betterment of our children and ensuring they receive the best possible education. Your dedication and involvement are the lifeblood of our school.
Looking ahead to Term 4, I'm pleased to announce that Mrs Kath Porter will be taking on the role of Acting Principal. Kath is an experienced educator and principal who I know will provide exceptional support to ensure St Joseph's continues to thrive through the remainder of 2023.
As we embark on an action-packed 8-week term to close out the year, let us continue to work hand in hand to make St Joseph's the best it can be. Together, we can achieve remarkable things, I encourage you to continue supporting our school values of Humility, Compassion and Justice in your children.
Wishing you all a wonderful, restful, and safe holiday break.
God Bless
Brendon
End of Term Prayer
At the end of the school term,
We give thanks to God:
For all the teaching and learning that has taken place in our school,
both in and out of the classroom.
For the talents and gifts that have been shared and the challenges that have been faced;
For the respect and care that has been given.
We give thanks for the friendships that have just begun and for those that have grown.
For the faith that has been lived in our daily struggles, For the hope that has lifted our hearts, and for the love that has kept us going.
We give thanks to the St Joseph's community that we are, and we ask you Lord -
Bless our students as they sit for their exams: may your Spirit inspire them with confidence and calmness.
Bless our families as we take our holidays, may our time together leave us with memories to cherish.
Pour out your love on us that we may return in Term 4 renewed and refreshed
to continue our journey together.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen
New Playground
The students in Prep to Year 6 had a wonderful time on Wednesday afternoon playing on the new playground equipment. Parts of the playground which seem to be the most popular are the flying fox, spiders web, rock climbing wall and the ninja jumps. It was great to see so many children enjoying the playground, big and little kids. We are in the process of getting quote for a shade sail over the playgound, we will keep you updated on this process.
Farewell Mr. Brendon Napier
Today we said farewell to Mr. Brendon Napier who has been with us for the past 5 weeks as Acting Principal. We give thanks for the guidance and support he has given the staff in such a short time and the positive presence he has had among students in their classes. Some things that we have learnt about Mr Napier since he has been here
- He loves his coffee
- Bacon and egg every morning is a must
- Soda water in the day is a must
- He is a mad Broncos fan
- He is happy to have Lamb Shanks (if they are on sale) for Lunch and Dinner three nights in a row
- Has a great sense of Humour
As we say farewell, we wish Mr Napier all the best on his new appointment at St Joseph’s, Parramatta Park and hope that he will always have fond memories of his time at St Joseph’s.
Farewell Nicole
We also farewell Miss Nicole Young in the Tuckshop today, who has shared her culinary skills by providing delicious lunches and snack to many students and staff. Thank you Nicole for you time at St Joseph’s we wish you all the best for the future.
The Tuckshop will remain open in Term 4, with Miss Kim Wallace (Week 1) and Miss Kim Woods (Week 2-8) continuing the service. Please be aware that it will be closed on Monday 2nd October and Tuesday 3rd October. Service will resume for Term 4 on Wednesday 4th October 2023
Farewell Students
Today we bid farewell to some students, the Collins Family- Charlotte (Year 4), Kimberly (Year 2), and Albert (Prep), Aria (Prep) and Kaylee (Year 5). We wish them all the best at their new schools and please remember that you are always welcome at St Joseph’s.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to Week 10. It has been a very busy Term and the students have worked very hard and we are almost heading into holidays for a well-earned rest.
Visitors
This week we welcome Ms Lillian Miller - Consultant First Nations Education from Cairns Catholic Education to our School. Lillian will continue to provide her service to St. Joseph's School throughout the week.
Social Emotional Learning
Second Step
In Term 4 in SEL in the Seconds Steps Program we will be focusing on Emotional Management and Problem Solving for Prep to Year 6. Second Step SEL is research-based, teacher-informed, and classroom-tested to promote the social-emotional development, safety, and well-being of children from Early Learning through Grade 8. Children learn and practice vital skills for listening and paying attention, having empathy, managing emotions, building friendships, and solving problems with others. The 25-minute interactive lessons and discussion-based activities with distinct grade-level experiences.
The lessons focus on Social-Emotional Learning:
- Mindsets & Goals
- Recognising Bullying & Harassment
- Thoughts, Emotions, & Decisions
- Managing Relationships & Social Conflict
Positive Behaviour for Learning
Our school community has identified the following school wide expectations to teach and promote our high standards of responsible behaviour:
- Be Respectful
- Be Responsible
- Be Resilient
- Be Ready for Learning
MTSS-E assemblies take place on Mondays at 1.45pm followed by Second Step lessons.
Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs)
The teachers are in the process of writing Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) and will be meeting with Parents over the next few weeks. Personalised learning is a process that supports a wide range of students with additional learning and support needs. This includes students who may require support in one or more of the following areas: learning (including high potential learners), behaviour, social/emotional, cultural/language (including international students, boarders and learners of English as an Additional Language or Dialect) and those who have educational support needs arising from disability. Teachers, with the support of the Leader of Diversity, and in consultation with parents, collaboratively decide which adjustments and/or goals are to be targeted and determine appropriate strategies and supports to be implemented. It is the teacher’s responsibility to implement these planned strategies in order to support students to meet their goals. Teachers will direct School Officer support and plan for adjustments on a weekly basis. Teachers communicate weekly with School Officers regarding student progress and make adjustments as needed. Evidence is collected regularly and uploaded to ENGAGE. PLP meetings are set 6 monthly and will determine if current goals have been achieved before setting further goals.
Term 4 Visitors
In Term 4 Week 2 we have Lorraine Carroll- Speech Language Pathologist from Cairns Catholic Education visiting and supporting teachers and students from Wednesday the 11th October to Thursday 12th October, 2023.
In Week 3 we will have Ms Heather Alison our School Counsellor visiting Joseph's School from Monday 16th October – Friday 20th October 2023. Also in Week 3 we have Sandra Van Rooyen (Consultant of Inclusive Education) visiting as well and supporting teachers and students at St. Joseoh's School.
Joe Clark - EALD Consultant for Diversity Multilingual Learners (EAL/D) will be visiting Monday 30 October and Tuesday 31 October, 2023.
In week 6 Heather Alison - Dee our School Counsellor will be visiting us again in Weipa providing her service to St. Joseph's School from Monday 7th November – Friday 10th November 2023.
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
I would like to the opportunity to wish you and your family a relaxing holiday and I look forward to catching up with you in Term 4.
Kind regards,
Melanie Turner.
I hope everyone is well and is getting excited for a well-deserved break for our students. Please ensure that you travel safe this school holidays and I am looking forward to working with families and the community in term 4. Just a change in reporting for semester 2. Please see below the changes that can be expected in the coming term.
Changes in end of semester reporting
We would like to bring to your attention some important updates regarding end of semester reporting.
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.
What is current practice?
St Joseph’s Parish School, Weipa provides end of semester reports, using a five point scale, subject comments and a general comment.
What are the upcoming changes?
To align with other schooling sectors, end of semester reports will continue to use the five point scale to indicate achievement and a general comment. Comments for each subject however will be omitted.
How do I access more information regarding my child’s learning?
St Joseph’s Parish School, Weipa continues to provide feedback on students’ learning throughout the term via email and SeeSaw. To complement this information, Parent-Teacher interviews are also held twice per year. If you would like more information regarding your child’s progress, please contact the school to make an appointment with your child’s class or subject teacher.
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. Please direct any questions to Tiffany Barber, Acting Leader of Learning and Curriculum at tbarber1@cns.catholic.edu.au.
Thank you for your ongoing support and happy holidays.
