Principal's News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to Semester 2! It has been a busy first week back at school. I hope that you all managed to have a restful holiday period and had time together as a family and time to recharge your batteries before another busy semester.
It was a busy end to last term, and this term looks just as jam-packed. Below you will find a snapshot of key events that have happened recently and upcoming events over the next few weeks.
Recently, we announced to our Stage 1 and Kindergarten families some special news. Mrs Lucero in Kindergarten and Mrs Woodhill in Stage 1 are both pregnant! This is wonderful news, and we wish them every blessing in the upcoming months.
Both Mrs Teagan Lucero and Mrs Brooke Woodhill are due in early January, and will be with us until the end of the academic year. Please join me in praying for them as well as for Mrs Dannika Schwager, who will be having her baby early in term 4.
2023 NAPLAN
Our Year 3 and 5 students sat the NAPLAN assessment earlier this year. Students in Year 3 and Year 5 will receive their results early next week. Students will bring home an envelope that contains an individual student report (ISR), an additional student report (ASR), a letter to parents and carers, as well as a fact sheet about the new proficiency standards.
ADPSC Toni Palmer Memorial Shield
Last term, on Wednesday, 28 June, the following students in Years 5 and 6 represented our school at the ADPSC Toni Palmer Memorial Shield Rugby League in Inverell:
Ellis Allen, Cameron Baird, Sam Carolan, Jag Carroll, Joey Crutcher, Blaine Edwards, Xavier Edwards, Reggie Graham, Percy Hayes, Chase Humphries, Jack Wilson and Johnathon Wilson.
Congratulations to all the students for your efforts and sportsmanship, and a big thank you to Tom Wilson for being our team coach and Amelia Carolan for her role as team supervisor. We appreciate your time and efforts!
NAIDOC Week Celebration
On Wednesday, 19 July, we celebrated NAIDOC Week with a liturgy and shared a delicious morning tea, followed by a range of fun activities. Students enjoyed the day learning language, eating pancakes made from native grains, painting, listening to music, and dancing.
Many thanks to our AEAs, Caitlin Smith and Darcy Lang, and our special guests, Lee Lee Combo and Clinton Lamb, as well as Hannah Binge and Kerri Saunders from Native Grains, for leading us in these sessions and sharing their knowledge of language and culture with us. Also, a big thank you to the Wee Waa and District Preschool and families for joining us for the morning session.
100 Days of Kindergarten
Next Thursday, 27 July, marks 100 days of learning for our Kindergarten students.
We will be holding a small classroom celebration on this day to congratulate students on their achievements. Students are invited to dress as they are 100 years old and participate in a range of fun-themed activities throughout the day.
Athletics Carnival
This is a reminder that all students will participate in our upcoming Athletics Carnival on Friday, 28 July, at Cook Oval.
Please note that students aged 8 years and older will have the opportunity of gaining selection to represent our school at the ADPSC Athletics on 18 August in Tamworth.
Students will be required to be transported to Cook Oval by 8:50 am (supervision starts at 8:30 am) and collected by 3 pm. Forest Coach Lines will also transport students who usually take the bus to and from Cook Oval. This is an all-day event.
Students are required to wear their sports uniform or house colours. Please pack a hat, sunscreen, water bottle, snacks and lunch. Parents are welcome to attend.
Please note that if you are unsure about which sporting house your child is in, St Josephs (blue) or St Andrews (red), this can be found on their profile via Compass (by selecting/tapping their photo).
Minor = 5, 6 and 7 year-olds in 2023, Junior = 8, 9, 10 years old in 2023, 11yrs = 11 years old in 2023 , Senior = 12 or 13 years old in 2023
Minors will participate in the following events:
- 50 m
- 100 m
- High Jump
- Long Jump
- Novelty Games
Juniors/11 yrs/Seniors will participate in the following events:
- 100 m
- 200 m
- 800 m
- 1500 m (will commence at 8:30 am before the races, and this is an optional event)
- Relay (top four in Boys and Girls Junior & Senior 100 m divisions)
- High Jump
- Long Jump
- Shot Put
- Discus
All volunteers will be provided with free Morning Tea and Lunch.
Please note that the canteen will be unavailable. However, the St Joseph’s P & F are organising lunch preorders through Palmer’s Market, which are due by this Monday, 24 July (please see Compass for further information), and free slices (with an optional gold coin donation).
A coffee van will also be available on the day. Further information regarding this will be communicated next week.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Book Week Parade & Book Fair
This year it will be held on Wednesday, 23 August, starting at 9:15 am. Your child is invited to dress up as a book character or in a costume to match the 2023 Book Week theme “Read, Grow, Inspire”.
Two small prizes will be awarded in each class for Best Costume and Costume that displays the Children’s Book Council of Australia theme.
Finally, we will also be holding a Book Fair during the day for parents and children to purchase books under the COLA area. EFTPOS will be available.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Have a great weekend.
God Bless,
Alistair Stewart