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Dear Parents, Carers and the St Joseph’s Community,
With the closing of the Winter, help us to reflect on the places in our hearts where we have hunkered down, where we have closed ourselves to the bitterness around us. May we let go of the biting comments of the past, so they not fester in our minds. May we make room for the coming Spring, and for the seeds of the spirit –that are striving to bud. Bring us to your living water, may we drink in your possibility. The seasons remind us that all things are temporary. All pains have a way of passing, with new joys only a grasping hand away. Let us not fixate on what is past, rather, making it ever and always in our present. Teach us to learn what is to be learned, mourn for what is gone, to live brightly and sharply from those lessons and craft new stories for our lives.
Amen
End of Term 3 COVID-19 Safety Protocols
We ask that all members of the school community carefully read the protocols and adhere to the expectations in order to help keep everyone safe and healthy through a ‘risk averse’ approach.
Father’s Day Celebration
In line with our updated COVID-19 protocols, we are disappointed to inform you that we are unable to hold a Father’s Day Breakfast this year. Although we are unable to host all of our amazing father’s at school, we thought you could join us in an alternative way. As such, we invite all students to come to school next Friday (4 September) dressed up as their father or a significant male in their lives. We will also be holding a Zoom prayer celebration and invite all of our community to join us to celebrate the many gifts our fathers and significant males bring to our lives. A zoom invitation will be sent out next week.
Social and Emotional Learning
Continuing with our work on emotional intelligence, my next focus in classrooms will be on empathy. An important aspect of emotional intelligence is noticing, understanding and influencing the emotions of others. By using the metaphor of the ‘bucket and dipper’, I will provide students with concrete skills in perspective-taking and thinking things through from different points of view. The ‘bucket and dipper’ theory states that each of us has an invisible bucket. This bucket is constantly emptied or filled, depending on how we treat others and how they treat us. We also have an invisible dipper that we use to fill or empty other people's buckets.
The simple question, ‘How full is their bucket right now?’ prompts students to step into the mindset of others and think about how other people may be feeling in the moment. Through nurturing empathy, students build their capacity to form strong attachments, supporting their healing, growth and learning.
If you become aware of an incident or notice anyone acting suspiciously around a school or child, contact police immediately on 131 444. In the case of an emergency, call 000. If you witness an incident or if you have any information that could assist police, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information can be provided anonymously. Please support us to keep our children safe by having conversations with your child about moving safely around the community and what to do if they ever feel unsafe. You may wish to visit the Australian Federal Police website that contains child safety information. In addition, Safety4Kids is a
non-government website that has useful information and links. The Constable Kenny website also has a number of child safety tips for parents.
Yours in Christ,
Amy Doszpot
Assistant Principal
At times in our community, we have the need to welcome new families, celebrate new arrivals and to keep others in our thoughts and prayers. Each week from now, we have added this section to our newsletter to share with the community.
- Congratuations to the Majok family (Atem, Lucy and Lueth) on the safe arrival of Zac Majok.
Please feel free to let the school know anything that you would like mentioned in the newsletter.
Sacraments
First Holy Communion
Please keep these children in your prayers as they prepare for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion with their families.
| Violet | Pritika | James |
| Adah | Benjamin | Alexander |
| Myah | Diego | Maggie |
| Georgina | Maria | Joseph |
| Jack | Troy | Dominic |
| Anthony | Benjamin | Erika |
| Hudson | Anthony | Reese |
| Bridget | Hamish | Lottie |
| Jacob | Nathan | Zoe |
| Sam | Daniel | Jacob |
| Marnie | Lucy | Max |
| Josephine | Antonija |
Confirmation
Formation for the Sacrament of Confirmation will be a home-based program. Formation materials will be sent home in Week 9. Families can choose when to do the sessions and are welcome to join with other families to share the experience. A Retreat Day in the Parish Centre is planned for Friday 30 October. The Sacrament date is Sunday 1 November with separate masses as required with numbers.
Our St Joseph Charism
As we strive to deepen our St Joseph’s charism this term we have begun a weekly focus to embed and act on the St Joseph's Values that we introduced at the beginning of this year.
The focus for the coming week is broken open during Friday prayer led by Year 6 and students receive additional house points when they are seen displaying the weekly focus. Our week 5 focus is:
Melanie Stratford
Religious Education Coordinator
Sustainability in Action
While beginning to learn about endangered animals, Foundation has begun to study the life cycle of a sea turtle. They are also able to describe these interesting facts:
“They are starting to get extinct,” says Claire.
Charlie G. explained, “That’s when they all die, like the dinosaurs.”
“They are endangered,” says Aria.
Ryan knows that, “Baby sea turtles come from eggs that are buried in the sand.”
Xander knows that, “Sometimes they think that rubbish is food and they eat it.”
“Their shells protect them,” says Charlie P.
“The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.”- Charles Darwin.
Ryan McGee
Sustainability Coordinator
Defence School Mentor News
Sally Adams
Defence School Mentor
sally.adams@cg.catholic.edu.au
Hi everyone,
You may have noticed that the menu on Qkr! has changed a little, with the addition of pizzas, and some non-toasted sandwiches. The children seem to be enjoying the over the counter options as well.
I wanted to say a quick thank you to the Year 5 and 6 boys and girls who come and pour the drinks each canteen day, and who help me with some small clean up duties. They certainly have great hospitality skills! Thank you also the YMCA Afters Program who have, hygienically, made some tasty treats to donate to be sold at the canteen.
Thank you to those kind people who have donated some dry goods to the canteen pantry, this really helps keep prices down and the kids happy as I can continue to cook yummy food.
Each week for lunch orders, I pack the lunches and place them into baskets that go to each classroom. The children are asked to eat in the classroom and then come to the hall, or the quad to get their drinks from the drinks table managed by some lovely Year 5 boys. Each child who has a drink in their lunch order receives a cup packed in the bag, if anyone else wants to purchase a drink, or have another drink, they can come and see me to pay for an additional serve or to get a cup. Please let your child know that you have ordered a drink for them, sometimes they forget.
If a child has lost their cup they can see their teacher and then see me to get a replacement.
Keep an eye out for the summer menu coming in Term 4.
Sarah
Canteen Manager
St Joseph's School
Thank You!
A big thank you to our wonderful families who have dropped off uniforms to go into the second-hand clothing pool. We have a large range of items available at a very cheap price! More donations are always welcome.
Congratulations to this week's award recipients.
Students are now receiving their Awards at Morning Gathering on Friday, but we are still unable to welcome parents to join us.
| Foundation Red |
Emery D Addison F |
Foundation White |
Rudhra N Isla C |
| 1 Purple |
Moira K Ian C |
1 Teal |
Mae T Toby S |
| 2 Magenta |
Chloe A Julian F |
2 Yellow |
Sebastian R Sophia A |
| 3 Black |
Adah A Vasili P |
3 Navy |
Olivia O Zoe H |
| 4 Gold |
Hamish E Zoe G Lucy P |
4 Green |
Daniel G Max M |
| 5 Blue |
Thomas F Layla F |
5 Orange |
Addison F Mia R |
| 6 Lime |
Madeleine S Sam C |
6 Silver |
Liam O Samten D |
| Sustainability |
Emma P |
Happy birthday to these students celebrating their birthdays this week:
| Clementine C |
| Emery D |
| Bridget M |
