School News

 Happy Birthday

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

12 September - Harrison B Year 3 and Isabella N Year 3

14 September - Ayla W Year 1

15 September - Ivy B Year 4

16 September - Hugo M Kinder, Zane N Year 5 and Zachary C Year 2

17 September - Bowie H Kinder

18 September - Aria S Year 3, William H Kinder and Max P Year 3

20 September - Mason K Year 2, Kodi L Year 1

21 September - Patrick M Kinder

22 September - Aspen G Year 3

23 September - Darcy W Kinder and Annie W Kinder

24 September - Ewan H Kinder

25 September - Alyssa H Year 1

Multiplication Maths Cafe - TOMORROW!

SJB Public Speaking Competition

On Tuesday 16 September, our Year 4, 5 & 6 students gathered in the hall to watch 12 selected peers present their public speaking speeches. Each student demonstrated their unique speaking style, captivating the audience with well-prepared speeches. The competition celebrated the students' hard work, showcasing their developing public speaking skills and encouraging their peers to take on similar challenges in the future.

We congratulate the following winners:

Year 5

• 1st – Louie B

• 2nd – Ashby S

• 3rd – Toby M

Year 6

• 1st – Wes P

• 2nd – Layne B

• 3rd – Curtis VG

A special congratulations to Wes and Louie, who will now represent our school at the South Eastern Regional Competition at Nazareth Catholic Primary School, Shellharbour City on Thursday 23 October.

We extend our sincere thanks to Jim and Tony from Toastmasters for generously giving their time and expertise in adjudicating the competition. Their feedback and encouragement were invaluable, and we are grateful for their support of our students.

Christmas Story Art Exhibition & Competition

We're delighted to announce that St. Joseph's students from Stage 3 have submitted some beautiful and creative artworks for this year's Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong Christmas Story Art Exhibition and Competition. The students showed incredible enthusiasm and talent, making it a very difficult task to choose our school finalists. We are so proud of everyone who participated!

This year, the St. Joseph's finalists were:

Year 5 - Archer T, Taj A & Cristiano H

Year 6 - Curtis VG, Curtis T & Aasha P

These talented students' artworks have now been presented to the Wollongong Catholic Education Office for judging. We are eagerly awaiting news to see if any of our SJB students will be shortlisted for the public exhibition at the Wollongong Art Gallery.

In the lead-up to Christmas in Term 4, we will be showcasing the artworks and their written reflections from our finalists in upcoming newsletters, so please stay tuned.

We also strongly encourage all families to visit the exhibition and view the amazing talent from across the diocese. The exhibition is open to the public from 4 October to 30 November at the Wollongong Art Gallery.

A Conference for Parents and Carers of Children in Catholic Schools in the Jubilee Year of Hope

On 25 October 2025, the Council for Catholic School Parents (CCSP) is hosting a special anniversary celebration conference for all NSW/ACT parents and carers with children in Catholic schools! It’s going to be a value-packed day of connection and collaboration where their expert presenters will provide specialist advice on parenting in a modern world.

Dr Justin Coulson: co-host and parenting expert on Channel 9's Parental Guidance and the founder of happyfamilies.com.au 

Michelle Mitchell: sought-after author and speaker on parenting tweens and teens

Daniel Principe: a passionate youth advocate and educator, and nominee for Australian of the Year.

This conference will cover areas such as managing technology with young people, consent and respectful relationships, cybersafety, building your child’s resilience, sleep, managing anxiety, screens and brain development, supporting your child’s learning at home and at school and more!

Parking is available at the venue, Novotel Parramatta, for a day rate. Please contact the hotel for more information: (02) 9630 4999. Other options include Eat Street Parking. Novotel Parramatta is offering special rates for conference guests. Please call the reservations team on 02 9890 0850 or email novotel@nmsp.com.au to book and advise them that you are attending the conference. Valid until 9 October 2025, subject to availability at the time of confirmation.

Find out more information here.

Buy a ticket here: Supporting Families: Working Together in a Modern World Registration.

2025 Grade Spelling Bee Competition

What is a Spelling Bee? 

A spelling bee is a contest in which participants are asked to spell words in a round-robin format where each person gets a turn to spell a word.

Students will receive a list of words to practise at home. Students will be tested on these words in a written test to source the top ten spellers per class. Each class will hold an oral competition with their top ten spellers to determine the 3 participants for the Junior/Senior School Spelling Bee Competition.

The School Junior/Senior Spelling Bee Competition will be held on Friday 7 November Week 4. An unseen word list will be used for the Junior/Senior School Spelling Bee Competition.

Say it, spell it, say it! 

In the Grade Spelling Bee competition, the teacher will pronounce the word and use it in a sentence then repeat the word. The competitor (participant) will then say the word, spell the word, and say the word again. For example, “Snowflakes… S-N-O-W-F-L-A-K-E-S….. Snowflakes.” A scribe will write the letters as the competitor says them. 

Rules  

• A participant is eliminated from the grade oral spelling bee competition as soon as they incorrectly spell a word.

• Once the word is said at the end of a participant’s attempt, they cannot go back and self-correct. 

• Upper case letters are required  as in Wollongong – Capital W-o-l-l (double –l-)

• If a competitor spells a word incorrectly but “self-corrects” within 15 seconds (junior) or 20 seconds (senior) or self corrects before saying the word the second time that participant remains in the game. 

• The timing begins once the participant has said the first letter of the word he/she is attempting. If a word is not spelled out within the 15 seconds (Juniors) and 20 seconds (Seniors), that competitor no longer remains in the competition.

• It is required that a competitor says the word at the end to show they are finished spelling. For example: “fuel   f-u-e-l   fuel”

• If a competitor spells a word correctly, he or she remains in the competition, waiting for his or her next turn. If the competitor spells a word incorrectly, he or she is eliminated from the competition and the next participant is given a new word from the list.

• The teacher’s decision is final.

   

Spelling Bee Timeline

Term 3 Week 10

Word lists sent home for students to prepare for the class written test. 

Term 4 Early Week 1

Students participate in a class written test to determine top 10 spellers.

Term 4 Early Week 2

Students participate in a class oral spelling bee to select 3 participants for the school junior/senior spelling bee competition.

Term 4 Week 2

Junior/Senior Spelling Bee Competition finalists published in the newsletter. 

Term 4 Week 4

Junior/Senior Spelling Bee Competition Friday 7 November 2025

Junior 9:30am

Senior 11:30am

Term 4 Week 6

Junior/Senior Spelling Bee Champions listed in the newsletter.

menALIVE Growing Good Men Weekend 2025

A powerful weekend experience for fathers and their teenage sons (ages 12–17), supported by Bishop Brian Mascord. Strengthen your bond, explore the journey into manhood, and share in engaging activities, reflection, and a meaningful Rite of Passage.

Places are limited, so register early to secure your spot at a weekend that has been a life-changing experience for hundreds of dads and lads. The cost is $500 per father–son pair, which includes accommodation, meals, adventure activities, and resources. For more information and to register, see here. 

Sport

2026 Diocesan Sporting Pathways for Representative Sports 

A reminder that 2026 Diocesan Sporting Pathways Representative sports nominations are due on the last day of Term 3 Friday 26 September via link or QR code available on previous communication (note sent home to Year 4 and 5 students 2025).

MacKillop Athletics Trials

Congratulations to Harriet V, Saul O, Chloe M and Indi P who represented the Diocese at the MacKillop Athletics trials yesterday 24 September. Well done to Indi P and Chloe M who were selected in the MacKillop Team and will compete in the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships on 22–23 October. We wish both these talented athletes the best of luck!

2025 Basketball Gala Day

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Basketball Gala Days on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 September at Beaton Park Stadium. Students showed great skill, determination and school spirit as they worked together and respected officials. 

A huge thank you to all the parent volunteers who supported the students as coaches and managers. Your time and energy was greatly appreciated. Thank you also to the staff who supported the students on the day - Mrs J Parker, Mrs N Parker, Mrs Mitchell and Mrs Rutledge. 

MacKillop Girls Rugby League Pathway Development Day

Registrations are now OPEN for individual students via the CSNSW Sport website. 

Registrations for this event close: Thursday 23 October

Event

MacKillop Girls - 10-12’s years Rugby League Pathway Development Day 

Date 

Thursday 30 October 

Aim and overview of the day 

2026 will see the introduction of the girls stand alone rugby league pathway and team selection for PSSA Sport. In preparation for this exciting new pathway, we are inviting primary catholic school students in Years 4 -6 to attend the MacKillop Girls Rugby League Development day to build skills, raise awareness and be prepared for this opportunity. Please see below the eligibility criteria for those best to attend. 

Eligibility - Students must meet all of the following 

Students must be turning 10, 11, 12 in 2025* 

Years: 4 - 6 

Encouraging students who currently play rugby league, league tag or those interested in becoming tackle ready to attend the day. Students who demonstrate skills and ability of being ‘tackle ready’ on the day will have the opportunity to trial for the 2025 MacKillop exhibition team via a 9 a side round robin (students in Year 5 & 6 only). 

All other students will be engaged in a Rugby League development program, skills, tackle ready session and league tag round robin in preparation for the 2026 pathway. 

All students when registering will be required to self-nominate into one of two key groups: 

Group 1: Rugby League experience* The student has had experience in training, playing in regular competition and is skilled and has some experience tackling as a rugby league player. 

Group 2: Rugby League development * The student has played touch, oztag, league tag and has foundational skills in footy but have not engaged in tackle rugby league and has not yet acquired tackle skills. 

What to bring

• Appropriate gear for game conditions - boots, socks and shorts 

• Mouth guard is compulsory for all participants 

• Medication eg Asthma inhaler

• Strapping tape

• Water Bottle

• Healthy Lunch and snacks

• Numbered Jersey will be provided to participants on the day 

•  

Further Representation

An exhibition MacKillop team will be selected from the Year 5 and 6 students able to compete in the tackle component of the Pathway Development Day. The selected team will be involved in a day development camp where they will play against the selected Polding representative team. 

Kylie Grose / Christine Smith 

Sport Co-ordinators 

Sports Days - Term 3 

Canteen

Open Monday to Friday for recess and lunch.  

NOTE : Commencing Term 4 Canteen will NOT open on Mondays-

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:

Is your uniform correct? 

Let’s be proud to be a St Joseph’s student!

Hats on heads before and after school and during break times; Winter shirts tucked in, top buttons done up and tie neat and tidy; Small plain studs and sleepers only in the ears ; Nail polish and makeup kept for non school events.

Thank You for a Great Term!

Well done Blue House! Your respectful, responsible and safe actions this term have helped to make the playground a positive experience for everyone. 

Blue house will have blue mufti on today along with some extra free play. Keep up the good work Blue House!

1st Place: Blue House (243)

2nd Place: Green House (215)

3rd Place: Red House (192)

4th Place: Gold House (122)