Principal's Report

Dear Parents, Carers and Community Members,

As we move into the final weeks of Term 2, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible professionalism, care, and commitment of our staff here at St Joseph’s. Our teachers continue to demonstrate great skill in using assessment and student data to identify next steps in learning, ensuring that every student is supported and challenged in meaningful ways. As they prepare semester reports, our teachers are carefully interpreting each child’s progress to provide an accurate and personalised reflection of their growth. Reports will be made available to parents via Compass on Monday 30 June. 

Beyond the classroom, our entire staff, including teachers, education assistants, administrative staff, cleaner, groundsman and the leadership team work with unwavering dedication to ensure that every young person feels safe, valued, respected, and cared for, and is set up for a successful day. Our students also benefit from the wide range of extra-curricular experiences made possible by this commitment, including recent excursions such as Kindergarten’s visit to the History House, Stage 1’s trip to McCrossin’s Mill Museum in Uralla, Stage 2’s Cathedral tour and attendance at the Mary Poppins Musical in Armidale and Stage 3’s insightful excursion to Myall Creek. These learning opportunities enrich the curriculum and allow students to connect their learning to the world beyond the school gates.

We’ve also had a busy few weeks in sport, with a wide range of opportunities made available to our students. A highlight has been the Netball Schools Cup, where 67 students from Years 3 to 6 represented our school with great enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Each week, students across all grades have benefited from athletics coaching sessions led by Athletics Australia coach Jay Stone, helping to develop their skills and confidence ahead of our school carnival. We also celebrated the efforts of Cotton, Clayton, Charlotte, and Sophia, who recently competed at the NSW Polding Cross Country Championships. Looking ahead, 16 students will represent St Joseph’s next week at the Toni Palmer Rugby League Shield in Inverell. These opportunities reflect our commitment to nurturing well-rounded learners and giving every child a chance to shine. Please refer to the Sports Report section of this newsletter for further details.

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to our dedicated team of skilled, helpful adults who give so much of themselves each and every day. Their commitment to supporting the faith, learning and wellbeing of our young people is evident in all that they do. 

Finally, a special thank you to our three Year 10 work experience students Mia, Clare and Airlee, who joined our community this week. As past students of St Joseph’s, it was a joy to welcome them back and see them contribute so positively to our school life. Thank you Mia, Clare and Airlee!

May God bless you and your family.

Casey Chard

Principal

General Information: 

2025 Pupil Free Days

Please note the following Pupil Free Days (Staff Professional Learning Days) in your diary:

Monday 21st July 2025

Friday 22nd August 2025

Monday 13th October 2025

Thursday 18th December 2025