General Information
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 & Melissa Crittenden
Stage 3 - Taylor Bruce & Luke Paterson
Teacher Density - Ellie Gillett (Mon-Thu)
IST - Emily Sullivan (Tue & Thu)
RFF - Jo Wallace & Sharne Eddy
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
Cleaner - Jenny Ayres & Shanleys Cleaning Services
Maintenance - Mick MacRae & Chris Cartan
Enrolling Now for Kinder 2027
Our enrolment period for Kindergarten 2027 is now open! Please visit https://stjosephstamworth.catholic.edu.au/enrolment/ for enrolment details or contact the office on 6765 4079 for further information. Enrolment applications must be accompanied by the relevant supporting documents as listed on the cover page of the application form. Applications close on the last day of Term 1, 2nd April 2026. If you know anyone who has a child wishing to start Kindergarten at St Joseph's next year, please share this information with them.
P&F Welcome BBQ
Canteen
Due to changes in staffing our Canteen will not be operating until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
P&F AGM
The P&F plays an important role in building community by organising social events and supporting the school through fundraising activities. We encourage everyone to become involved in the P&F Association. The next meeting is the AGM and will be held on Tuesday 10th February 2026 in the library where all positions will be declared vacant. Nominations are called for President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer with voting taking place at the meeting.
Book Club
Book Club Issue 1 for 2026 is now live, and we are accepting orders! Orders need to be completed and returned by Friday, 13th February.
Orders can be:
Returned to the school office, or
Placed online directly through the Scholastic website at:
https://scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/ (see below information)
How Parents Order from Book Club Online (LOOP)
Log in, or create a new account at LOOP.
New parents can follow the setup wizard to create their child’s profile.
Click the ORDER tab and select your child’s school and the Book Club Issue.
Select your child’s name.
Enter the product item number from the Book Club catalogue.
Apply any promotional codes your child may have earned from previous issues.
Make payment via credit card (please note a 1% surcharge applies to all card payments).
Feel great knowing that your order helps earn Scholastic Rewards for our school!
Morning Drop Off
In the interest of safety, please avoid arriving at school before the gates open at 8:15am. If you are unable to wait until this time and are using the Denison Street entrance, please remind your child/ren to sit on the steps until the gate is open. Also, with parking spaces limited, we kindly ask that you avoid parking for extended periods unless you need to liaise with office staff. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep everyone safe.
Afternoon Pick Up - Crown Street
If you pick your child up from school in the afternoons via the back gate, please do so in a timely manner to allow for efficient use of the parking areas in Crown Street during this busy time. Students who are being collected from school in the afternoon are to wait inside the school gate for their parent/carer. Students are not permitted to walk to parked cars for safety reasons. Parents/carers may wait in the church grounds and, when sighted by the teacher on duty, students may walk to their parent/carer. A reminder that school finishes at 2:50pm with Esteem Kids after school care available for those children unable to be collected at 2:50pm. Please contact William Wong, info@esteemkidsgroup.com.au or 0410 841 628 for further information.
School Uniform
Just a reminder that students should wear their summer uniform Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Sport uniform is to be worn Wednesday and Friday. Each day, students need their school hat, a water bottle, morning tea and lunch. Please ensure all belongings are clearly labelled with your child's name.
Clothing Pool
The clothing pool is open Monday - Thursday 9am - 2pm. Parents/Carers are more than welcome to come in and look at the clothing pool during these times. Please note that administration staff are unable to source uniforms on behalf of families.
Application for Extended Leave
Family holidays and travel are no longer considered under the Exemption from School Procedures. Travel outside of vacation periods is now counted as an absence for statistical purposes. Please see the office if your child will be away from school for 10 days or more as an application form will need to be completed and approved at the discretion of the Principals or delegate.
Change in Routine
Can you please advise the school office before 2:30pm if there is any change in your child's afternoon routine so we have time to let them know.
Library News
Following recent news reports regarding serious legal charges brought against the author Craig Silvey, our school—in alignment with our Armidale Catholic Schools office—has removed all titles by this author from the library. Should you have any questions, please contact the school as soon as possible.
Student borrowing will begin this week. All students will require a library bag on the following day:
Thursday - Stage 3
Friday - Kindergarten, Stage 1 and Stage 2
Sporting News
Get ready for a splash of fun at our upcoming Swimming Carnival on Thursday 5th February. This is a fantastic day for students to showcase their swimming skills, cheer on their friends, and enjoy some friendly competition. Whether you're in the competition events or novelty section it's sure to be a great event.
Congratulations to Matilda Craig, Connor Collyer and Cameron Faint who will be representing St Joseph's and the Armidale Diocese at the Polding Summer Trials (Basketball) in Tamworth this Friday 6th February 2026. The entire St Joseph’s community is cheering you on and wishing you the best of luck!
We would love to showcase your child’s special sporting achievements in the newsletter. Please email detailed information and a photograph to sjtadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au or Mr Paterson at lpaterson1@arm.catholic.edu.au. Please ensure photographs do not contain students from other schools as we are unable to publish them.
Art Show
We are absolutely thrilled to announce our St. Joseph’s Student Art Show! We ask our budding artists to work on this at home if they wish, experiment with everything from vibrant watercolours to intricate clay sculptures, all inspired by their interpretation of our 2026 theme: Hope.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together, celebrate the diverse talents of our students, and witness the "creative spark" that makes our school so special.
2026 School Fees
The Board of Armidale Catholic Schools has made the decision to increase all school fees for 2026 by 5.0%.
This decision to increase has not been made lightly and is mindful of the cost of living pressures we are all experiencing. Schools are experiencing cost escalation pressures as well and this increase is a contribution towards the resourcing required to provide your child/children with an excellent Catholic education.
Armidale Catholic Schools recognises that all students are entitled to access educational opportunities that nurture the Catholic faith and allow students to reach their full potential. Armidale Catholic Schools work together to ensure literate and numerate students for a hope-filled future.
Armidale Catholic Schools endeavours to offer an affordable Catholic education of the highest quality. There is a deeply held commitment at all levels (Diocese, system, parish and school) that no Catholic family should be denied a Catholic education due to a genuine incapacity to pay all, or part, of their children’s school fees. New and existing parents should discuss this with the school Principal who will treat the matter confidentially and respectfully.
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, we encourage you to contact the school in which your child/children are enrolled to discuss an arrangement that will assist you meet your commitments.
1 Child $1,686.00 (10 monthly installments $168.60)
2 Children $3,017.94 (10 monthly installments $301.79 approx)
3 Children $4,113.84 (10 monthly installments $411.38 approx)