Principals' Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to Week 4! The year is certainly flying by with still so much to look forward to as we continue learning and growing together. It’s wonderful to see our students arriving each day with such a positive attitude as they engage in their learning and school activities. Let’s continue to embrace this busy and exciting time with enthusiasm, making the most of the many opportunities it brings for our students and our school community.
World Teachers' Day
World Teachers’ Day is a day set aside to recognise the more than 170,000 primary, secondary and early childhood teachers who work in NSW. This year, World Teachers' Day was held last Friday 31st October and was celebrated at St Joseph's with a special assembly and delicious morning tea. Our amazing staff go above and beyond every day to ensure our students are supported, valued and cared for in their learning journey. We are blessed to have such a dedicated and professional team of educators at St Joseph's.
Colour Run
What an incredible time everyone had at this year’s Colour Run, held at Pirates Rugby Park on Friday 24th October! It was a fantastic event once again, and the weather was perfect - a warm, sunny day that matched the joyful spirit of our students, families, and staff. The excitement and laughter said it all as students made their way through the colourful course, navigating water sprays, obstacles, and plenty of colour. A special mention goes to the brave teachers - Melissa Buckland, Phoebe George, Aly Kellow, Phoebe O'Shea and Kim Taggart - who volunteered for the ever-popular ‘Slime a Teacher’ segment, which was a highlight of the day!
Enormous thanks goes to our incredible Parents & Friends Association for their tireless planning and dedication in creating such a memorable experience for our students. Your efforts truly make a difference in building our school spirit and community connection.
We’re also extremely grateful to everyone who supported this event through donations and fundraising. Thanks to your generosity, the P&F raised an outstanding total of over $10,000 in valuable funds which will continue to support enhancements that benefit all our students.
Thank you once again to everyone who participated, volunteered, donated, or cheered on the day — it was truly a marvellous event for our St Joseph’s community!
Kindergarten Transition Assembly
Congratulations to our 2026 Kindergarten class who completed a very successful transition program last Tuesday. Thank you to all the families and friends who were able to join us for the Graduation Assembly, where the children performed the song 'Kindness' for our school community. The assembly concluded with the students receiving a special certificate to mark their 'graduation' from the program as well as a wonderful St Joey's gift bag containing an array of helpful items to assist them in preparation for next year.
Starting 'big' school is such a special time for children and their parents. We find that our transition program is highly successful as it provides an excellent opportunity for the children to become familiar with the school setting, the teachers and their peers. A huge thank you to Miss George and Mrs Vile for facilitating the program for our newest students and their families.
We look forward to welcoming the children to St Joseph's in 2026 as they commence their primary education.
Real Talk Parent & Caregiver Session
Real Talk is a valuable agency providing values-based education on human dignity, personal identity, and relationships to students, parents and caregivers. A Real Talk Parent & Caregiver Session is scheduled to take place in Tamworth on Wednesday 12th November - 6-7pm at McCarthy Catholic College. These sessions are provided free of charge to all participants as part of the Armidale Catholic Schools' ongoing work with the Real Talk program. Please see the General Information page in this newsletter for further information.
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 take effect on 10 December, we encourage you to explore this valuable online resource.
Maree Holland & Greg O'Toole
Co-Principals
St Joseph's School - a Faith Filled Community Where Learning Matters