Dear Parents and Carers,

A very special welcome back to our school community for Term 2, 2024.

I trust our families had quality time over the holidays with their children and that our staff are well rested ready for another action packed term ahead.

Congratulations Halliburton Family

It is with great excitement that we congratulate Katrina and Mark Halliburton on the birth of their baby daughter Eleanor Jane. Eleanor is a new baby sister to Molly (Yr 2) and Miller (Kinder) who are very proud siblings. We look forward to meeting Eleanor when she visits St Joey’s and also catching up with Mrs Halliburton.

Welcome

We welcome Mrs Louise Blanchard to our school community. Mrs Blanchard may be familiar to some families as she was the Instructional Literacy Teacher at St Joseph's in 2020 -2021.

Mrs Blanchard will be filling Mrs Halliburton’s maternity leave for Terms 2 and 3 and she will be working Wednesday’s and Thursday’s. On Wednesday’s, Mrs Blanchard will be relieving teachers including Mrs Salmon for Sports Administration and Mrs Kerr for her new role in Curriculum Support. The majority of Mrs Blanchard’s teaching will be in Stage 1.

When Mrs Halliburton returns in Term 4, Mrs Blanchard will continue to work on Wednesdays until the end of the year.

We also welcome the Imrie family to our St Joseph’s School Community. Pearl (Yr 3) and Bertie (Yr 1) have come from Cootamundra and they joined their new classmates at St Joey’s yesterday.

The Feast Day of St Joseph the Worker

Wednesday 1st May was the official Feast Day of St Joseph the Worker, Patron Saint of our school. We celebrated it today with a whole school mass this morning and the annual school Hammer Hunt in the afternoon. This was followed by a parade of the students dressed as their favourite worker.

St Joseph is a wonderful role model for our students with his humility, hard work and the loving care he provided for the Holy Family.

‘ St Joseph the Worker, Pray for us.’

Anzac Day March

ANZAC Day has become an increasingly significant event in the lives of Australians. It was wonderful to have a large number of our students take part in the march and wreath laying for the Junee and Junee Reefs Anzac Day Commemorative Services. Thank you also to the staff who joined the march with the students. The support and reverence upheld by our current generations is so humbling to see.

It was interesting listening to the stories students told me about the medals they were wearing. They were all so proud. We appreciate the support our families gave by bringing their child/ren along to the march and our student leaders so capably lead the school group in the march and laid the wreath.

‘Lest we Forget’

Curriculum Reform Day

The Pupil Free Day on Monday 29th April was dedicated to teaching staff working on Curriculum Reform. Over the last two years and in the next few years there will continue to be ongoing curriculum reform from NSW Education Standards Authority. The K-2 Maths and English syllabus’ were implemented last year and this year the 3 - 6 syllabus’ this year

The implementation is staged by schools rather than all at once so teachers can take their time to develop deeper understanding. The teacher’s watched Dr Simon Breakspear, an educational leader, researcher and renowned speaker on evidence-based practice and educational change. Dr Breakspear has been working with both Catholic Schools NSW and Public Education to guide leaders and teachers through this curriculum reform process.

Teacher’s spent time with one another sharing ideas and wonderings, planning and reflecting.

The next Curriculum Reform Day will be held on Monday 22nd July, 2024 which will be a pupil free day at the start of Term 3.

Mother’s Day High Tea

Mrs Brady, Mrs Moloney and the Kinder parents have been busy organising our annual SJJU Mother’s Day High Tea which will be held next Friday 10th May starting at 1.15pm in the hall. This is our way of letting the mothers, grandmothers and special women in our students lives that we appreciate you and give thanks for all that you do.

Whilst enjoying the high tea, there will be student entertainment all afternoon and the class awards will be given out after each class’ performance. This special event will begin at 1.15pm and will include a special address from one of our own St Joey’s mums. It is a truly beautiful afternoon and I look forward to seeing you all there.

Next SJJU Social and Fundraising Committee Meeting

We apologise for having to cancel the SJJU Social and Fundraising Committee meeting which was to be held this Wednesday evening.

All are welcome to attend the SJJU Social and Fundraising Committee Meeting which has been moved to next Wednesday 8th May starting 6pm at Merv’s Cafe. Children are welcome and you can have a meal whilst the meeting is on.

This Committee has been so well supported and we look forward to parents coming along, offering their ideas and their time to ensure the planning and success of events.

God Bless,

Angela Scott

2024 Open Day

'A Big Heart In Our Little Town'