Principals' Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to Week 10! It’s hard to believe we have reached the end of another fulfilling school year. We are incredibly grateful for our amazing students and it has been a pleasure working alongside such enthusiastic and dedicated learners.
As this is our final newsletter for the year, we would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to all the families for their unwavering support throughout the year. Parents, grandparents and extended family members have contributed in countless ways to strengthen our school community and we truly appreciate all that you do.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank our outstanding staff for their commitment and hard work. Their dedication ensures our students receive the best possible education, while also being given opportunities to grow and shine across many areas. This exceptional team consistently goes above and beyond and your children are fortunate to be supported by such caring professionals.
We look forward to coming together to celebrate another successful year and our many achievements at our annual Presentation Night tomorrow.
Congratulations Kindergarten 2025
We are so proud of all our Kindergarten students for their hard work, growth and enthusiasm throughout the year. Today, each child received a special book in recognition of their efforts and achievements this year. Well done, Kindergarten!
Congratulations to our 2026 Leaders
Recently our Year 5 students gave their leadership speeches and they are to be commended for their efforts. While all Year 6 students are considered leaders of the school and are expected to be positive role models for the school community, some of the positions hold special responsibilities such as representing the school at events such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
Congratulations to the following students who are our Captains for 2025:
School Captains - Sarah Crittenden & Connor Collyer
Vice Captains - Maeve Gordon & Jackson Mallon
MacKillop House Sports Captains - Grace Hall & Ari Pollard
Joseph House Sports Captains - Pippa Richards & Rocco Smith
Staffing 2026
It is our pleasure to announce the 2026 staff who will be working with our students next year.
Co-Principals - Maree Holland and Greg O'Toole
AP/REC - Trish Mitchell
Kindergarten - Judy McManus (Mon-Thu) & Ellie Gillett (Fri)
Stage 1 - Judy Ryan, Melissa Buckland
Stage 2 - Aly Kellow & Phoebe George
Stage 3 - Taylor Bruce & Luke Paterson
Teacher Density - Ellie Gillett (Mon-Thu)
IST - Emily Sullivan
RFF - Mel Crittenden & Jo Wallace
Library - Emily Whitney (Thu-Fri)
Education Assistants - Kim Wadwell, Jade Hewitt, Sumudu De Silva, Megan van der Merwe, Emily Whitney & Lisa Vile
AEA - Kim Taggart
Administration - Kylie Dewhurst & Jodie Westhorpe
Canteen Supervisor - TBC
Maintenance - Mick MacRae & Chris Cartan
Cleaner - Jenny Ayres & Shanleys Cleaning Services
Farewell
This year we bid a fond farewell to Miss Eliza Nadin, Miss Parker Munro, Miss Olivia Barton, Mrs Nadine Grima, Miss Phoebe O'Shea and Mrs Marianne Holley who will be leaving St Joseph's at the end of the year. On behalf of the staff and school community, we thank all of these amazing staff members for their hard work and dedication to the students and families at St Joseph's and wish them all the best for the future.
Phoebe is a diligent and dedicated educator who has contributed greatly to the St Joseph’s School community during her nine years. Phoebe has been a great colleague who has had the opportunity to support numerous students and their families on their learning journey at our school. Her positivity and enthusiasm for teaching is obvious in her kind manner that she consistently displays towards her students. Phoebe values the opportunity to mentor and support teachers, particularly Early Career Teachers. We wish Phoebe all the best in her secondment to the Armidale Catholic Schools Early Career Teachers team on a full-time basis next year and look forward to hopefully seeing her back here at St Joseph's in the near future.
Marianne Holley has had a long association with St Joseph's and the Armidale Diocese for over thirty years. During this time she has taught a variety of classes in her numerous teaching roles. Marianne has been a valuable mentor and a rich source of support to many teachers and students guiding them in their vocation and on their educational journey. She strives to find creative ways to make learning fun for her students and always goes above and beyond for them, which highlights her care and concern for their learning and wellbeing.
Marianne’s professionalism and passion for teaching has been a hallmark of her wonderful career. We wish Marianne all the very best in her retirement and the next phase of her life journey.
Finally, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Fr Saji for his spiritual leadership, kindness and commitment to the faith life of our St Joseph’s community. His presence has been a source of guidance and encouragement and we are deeply grateful for the care and dedication he has shown to our students, staff and families. As Fr Saji moves on to his new role as Parish Priest at Moree, we wish him every blessing and continued success in his ministry.
Semester 2 Student Reports
The Semester 2 Reports have been finalised and will be accessible on Compass this afternoon. Please take the time to carefully read the reports and highlight areas of strength and success with your child, and also areas for growth and development. Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you require assistance to access your child's report or if you have any questions or queries.
Social Media Ban - eSafety Commissioner Advice
The eSafety Commissioner has published a helpful Social Media Age Restrictions Hub. This includes advice for Young People, Families & Educators. As the social media age restrictions came into effect on 10 December, we encourage you to explore this valuable online resource.
May God bless you and your family.
Maree Holland & Greg O'Toole
Co-Principals
St Joseph's School - a Faith Filled Community Where Learning Matters