Library Borrowing

The end of term is fast approaching and NOW is the time for students to return ALL library books to the library. If you have not already done so, could ALL library books be returned to school as soon as possible. Just place them in the pink box in the library.

I encourage you to take the time to ensure that there are no St. Joseph’s School library books hiding on the bookshelf, under the bed or the lounge, behind the fridge or in the toy box – your support in locating all library books is vitally important to maintaining our current library collection of books.

“Thank you” to those students who have taken the time to locate overdue books and return them to the library, your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. The return of ALL outstanding library books will allow time for the repair and/or replacement of well-loved books to take place in readiness for the beginning of the 2022 school year.

Library Bags

Please keep your child's library bags at home once they have returned their library books for the conclusion of this school year. I would like to suggest that the forthcoming school holidays provide the perfect opportunity to give library bags a wash in readiness for the 2022 school year or a check to see if your child’s library bag needs replacing. A new library bag would make a wonderful Christmas present!

A reminder that ALL students K-6 require a library bag for library borrowing!

Book Club

Many thanks to those families who have supported this wonderful service offered to our school by Scholastic Australia. Your support this year has enabled our school to acquire Scholastic Reward Points which in turn we are able to convert into resources for the library and classrooms. Your ongoing support of Book Club is sincerely appreciated.

Holiday Reading

Unfortunately, during the Summer Holiday break, one of the things that many children tend to do is to stop reading. Lack of reading practise and text immersion can lead to a decline in reading skills and strategies; this phenomenon is often referred to as the ‘holiday slide’ or ‘summer learning slump’. Much research has been done into this phenomenon and statistics tell us that children may lose months of academic progress over the long Christmas break if they do not continue to practise their reading. One way to prevent this happening to your child/children is to encourage your child to read as part of their everyday activities.

I recommend the links below as a starting point in discovering more about this phenomenon and what we can do to alleviate it:

https://www.scholastic.com/readingreport/navigate-the-world.html

https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/reading-engagement/summer-reading

Ways to Support Your Child’s Summer Holiday Reading

SORA

SORA is an excellent resource to support your child’s summer holiday reading. SORA allows your child the opportunity to read on any device that has internet access, regardless of their location. It provides access to a vast array of titles suitably selected and age appropriate for your child. Just recently, a variety of magazine titles have been added to the collection. I am sure your child will discover something engaging to read and enjoy on SORA and what’s more, it’s free!

Download this free app to access this online reading resource provided for us by the Catholic Schools Office through our library system – Oliver. The app will ask you for your school – simply type in ACEN or choose ACEN from the drop down box to access an extensive range of books for your children. St Joseph’s is a part of the ACEN library group.

WORLD BOOK ONLINE

Our library system – Oliver – also provides access to World Book Online. This wonderful resource is free of charge and I strongly encourage you and your children to take the opportunity to browse World Book Online by clicking on the icon on the Oliver home page.

Book Fair

A huge “thank you” to the wonderful families of St. Joseph’s for the support of our Book Fair. Due to your overwhelming support, our school will receive a commission of over $1,000 to put towards new library books and classroom resources.

All reorders are back now and I thank the student’s for their patience whilst waiting for these to arrive.

Thank you once again for your generosity.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to the St. Joseph’s students who completed this year’s Premier’s Reading Challenge:

Archie Allan, Sienna Ramirez, Grace Beveridge, Mahalia Attenborough, Bella-Grace Bell, Noah Bird, Kaylee Bray, Ilah Collyer, Noah Craig, William Creighton, Levi Dawson, Christian Eldridge, Ewan Hamilton, Samuel Harris, Abigail Higgins, Ashton Hobden, Ava Howell, Synt Lanaja, Sofia Lee, Clyde Libay, Connor Mallon, Graison Manuel, April Muller, Asher Parker, Montana Richardson, Yuvraj Sohi, Isabel Stevens, Lachlan Tolmie, Philip Vo, Denver Wood, Averie Briggs, Darcy Cashen, Connor Collyer, Matilda Craig, Ruby-Jade Dang-Smale, Jake Duggan, Lainey Edwards, Cameron Faint, Marleeka Gaffney, Jorja Gardner, Maeve Gordon, Siannah Hockley, Dalton Judd, Ruby Kane, Darcy Kennedy, Arvin Lin, Jackson Mallon, Logan Pascoe, Ari Pollard, Valeria Ramirez, Pippa Richards, Rahini Rikhi, Harrison Roberts, Rocco Smith, Charlie Thompson, Lucas Tran, Nikita Verad, Luca Bamford, Aliyah Bathla, Zavier Beattie, Sophie Beveridge, Oscar Cortez, Edward Duffy, Annabelle Eldridge, Grax Gaffney, Mason Handley, Azelle Hayes, Thomas Higgins, Jessica Ho, Vivian Ho, John Lennox, Charli McNeill, Nhu Nguyen, Sullivan Pryor, Henrick Roper, Theo Rose, Neebhan Sherpa, Lucas Sneesby, Angus Steadman, Lana Tran and Mason Walsh.

A wonderful effort by all these students!

Premier’s Reading Challenge Certificates are on their way and will be distributed soon.

Christmas Wishes

To all our St. Joseph’s Families and Friends,

“May the Christmas Season

Fill your home with joy,

Your Heart with love,

And your life with laughter”…..

And lots and lots of books!

Sport Report

Mrs Lockwood, Sport Co-Ordinator