School News

Happy Birthday

Wishing all our students a very happy birthday who celebrated their special day over the last fortnight.

Thank You for Celebrating Learning!

A big thank you to all our parents who took the time to engage with your child's English books! We loved seeing the wonderful and encouraging comments you wrote on the Parent Reflection and Celebration Slips. Your thoughtful feedback and acknowledgment of your child's efforts are invaluable in fostering their love for learning and celebrating their progress. We truly appreciate your partnership in their educational journey and look forward to sharing books from other Key Learning Areas in the future. 

Kylie Grose

Middle Leader - Instructional Coach 

NAIDOC Week - 6 July 2025 –  13 July 2025

NAIDOC Week shines a light on the incredible contributions Indigenous people have made, and continue to make, across science, sports, arts, and community work. It also serves as a powerful reminder of their remarkable strength and resilience, even in the face of adversity. Ultimately, it's about respecting their incredible ability to keep their vibrant cultures alive and thriving.

This year's theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," highlights the vital role young people play in carrying forward the rich traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

At St Joseph's we are celebrating NAIDOC week with immersion activities in our classrooms, followed by a whole school liturgy at 12:30pm. All welcome.

Aboriginal Cultural Immersion Visit

On Tuesday, Helen (Ngunnawal country) and Sam (Dharawal country) Aboriginal Educational Assistants from Holy Spirit came to our school to visit St Joseph's Aboriginal students and their friends. They taught us about their culture: how they hunt, what they use to make music, what they wear and what females and males can and can't do. In the emu dance, boys and girls must do the actions a different way according to their gender. 

Sam and Helen also taught us some words in their native language and how they communicate with other tribes. Sam played the didgeridoo. He showed us how you do circular breathing, how you make animal noises like a kangaroo hopping, a snake slithering and many other animals he spoke into the didgeridoo. Helen explained that a girl playing the didgeridoo is like a curse and can make the girl really sick. A way to fix this is a smoking ceremony. It cleanses your mind, body, and soul. On Friday, Helen will be coming back to our school to teach the same students a dance for the Naidoc week liturgy. By Pria and Harper

I think the part that really stood out to me was when Sam and Helen taught us about the instruments they made out of wood and seeds from trees. It was a really fun experience!

By Nieve

Holiday Hair Cuts

Thank you to parents and students who have heeded the school’s requirements for hairstyles at St Joseph’s. We remind parents to please ensure any holiday haircuts will see students return to Term 3 with hair that aligns with our School Uniform Requirements.

Hairstyles

• Students are required to wear their hair in a neat and tidy manner. 

• Long hair, or hair that touches the shoulders, or covers the eyes, is to be tied back off the face.

• Haircuts should be blended and uniform in appearance. Extreme haircuts and excessive variations in length are not acceptable, including undercuts, steps, mullets, mohawks, rat’s tails, lines, extreme fades. 

• Hair should be natural in colour. Bleaching, colouring and dyeing of hair is not permitted.

• Haircuts should not draw negative comments or attract undue attention.

• Navy blue headbands (no sweatbands), ribbons and scrunchies may be worn in the hair.

ICAS Assessments

Years 3-6 students at St Joseph’s have the opportunity to participate in the University of New South Wales ICAS Assessments this year.

ICAS is designed to target students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Spelling and Digital Technologies and is not compulsory.

If your child is interested, parents must register and pay online by  28 July 2025 through the Parent Payment System, NO payment will be taken via the school office.

Access details for parents: 

2025 Premier Reading Challenge 

Premier's Reading Challenge 2025 has begun. If your child would like to participate in the challenge this year, there are two options available for how you can log your children's reading.

Blank Reading Logs are available for pick up from the library any morning before school starts. You can fill these in at home as books are read and then drop back off at the library and Mrs Pirie or Mrs Parker will enter these books into your child's online reading log.

Alternatively, you can email the school to request your child's digital login details and enter their reading at your own convenience.

For any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Pirie.

Sport

SJB Athletics Carnival

Years 2-6 Athletics Carnival

Arrangements have been finalised to hold an Athletics Carnival for Years 2-6 on Thursday, 24 July 2025 (Term 3, Week 1), at Campbelltown Athletics Track, Leumeah. Due to the increased travel distance, all students in Years 2-6 will be required to be at school by 8:20 am for an 8:30 am departure.

Kindergarten and Year 1 will attend school as normal on this day. 

Due to the date and venue change, a new Compass Event will now be required for Years 2-6.  We kindly request that all parents complete this promptly by tomorrow Friday, 4 July so that we can amend the carnival organisation as soon as possible.

Parent support at this new venue will be crucial to the day's success, so it would be appreciated if all volunteers could indicate their availability in the new Compass Event. As always, your support is greatly appreciated. 

We appreciate your understanding and flexibility, and thank you in advance for your prompt response to the updated Compass Event. 

Kinder and Year 1 Athletics Mini Carnival

A mini Athletics event will now be held specifically for Kindergarten and Year 1 at Bulli Park on Friday, 1 August, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, allowing them to participate in novelty rotations and complete their 80m sprint in front of their Kindergarten and Year 1 buddies. Parents and carers are most welcome to attend, or we will do our best to capture these moments to share with the school community as always. 

Please note that Kinder and Year 1 families will receive a refund for the cost of the carnival, which will be a credit on your 2025 School Fees.

Multiclass Sporting Pathways & Opportunities are available for students who meet the criteria and wish to pursue this pathway. Students are welcome to participate in the school sporting carnivals and diocesean carnivals without classification. However, to progress through the pathways in the multiclass categories to the MacKillop and PSSA levels, athletic classification is required. We have put together an information sheet with some resource links in this attachment. 

Kylie Grose / Christine Smith 

Sport Co-ordinators 

Sports Days - Term 3 (updated 3 July 2025)

Canteen

Open Monday to Friday for recess and lunch.

Cash purchases for snacks and drinks can be made at recess and lunchtime. Snacks and drinks can also be ordered via the new platform FlexiSchools.

Lunch orders

Orders for lunch can only be made through Flexischools.  Please note that orders close at 9.15am daily.  Orders cannot be placed after this time.

Flexischool Parent Support Line - 1300 361 769 (Hours: 7.00am-12.00 noon)

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Handbook

2024 Bus Timetable (Premier Charters)

PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning)

Ask your child about the weekly focus for students.

This week's focus:

I am responsible! When I am responsible I - listen the first time; stay on task; use equipment the right way; use respectful words in conversations; disagree respectfully; stay in designated areas