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- Message from the Principal
- Mission & Learning at Joey's
- SJ News Episode 3
- Student Awards
- Sports News
- News from the Enviro Team
- What is the NCCD?
- School Open Morning
- NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2024
- Kempsey Eisteddfod - Drama & Music
- Kempsey Show
- Canteen News
- St Joseph's OOSH & Vacation Care
- Child Safety Handbook
- School Fees
- How to Apply for a Bus Pass
- How to Purchase your child's School Uniform
- Learn more about COMPASS- School Communication Platform APP
- BILLBOARD
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Families,
LEARNING HAPPENS HERE EVERYDAY
On Wednesday evening, we saw many parents and caregivers come out to our Parent-Teacher Learning Conversations. At St Joseph’s, we believe it is essential that you have the opportunity to meet with your child’s teachers, along with the School Leadership Team, face to face. I thank all our Parents and Caregivers who attended the evening, and I hope you saw it as a valuable aspect of our St Joseph’s parent-school partnership.
It was great to see you all and have the chance to say hi.
SHOWING COMMITMENT
-reliable, loyal and trustworthy
Over the next three weeks, the Schools value focus will be Commitment & Faith. At today’s assembly I spoke to all of our students about commitment, defining it as ‘giving a lot of time and energy to something because it’s important to you’, ‘to stick to something even if it isn’t easy, or is inconvenient’.
I then outlined the importance of commitment as a value which; builds trust; is a sign of respect towards others; helps you achieve your goals; can push you past your comfort zone; gives you a sense of purpose; makes you more resilient and; is crucial to success.
I would love it if you could continue this conversation with your children, talking to them about being the kind of person who doesn’t give up, is reliable, loyal and someone people can trust.
LOOKING TOWARDS EASTER
With the end of Week 8 now upon us, we are quickly moving closer towards our Parish Easter celebrations, beginning with our Palm Sunday Mass this Sunday the 24th March, beginning 9:30am at the All Saints Catholic Church Kempsey.
Palm Sunday falls on the Sunday before Easter, marking the first day of Holy Week, and commemorates Christ's entry into Jerusalem. We would love to see many of our St Joseph’s families participating in this Mass. Whether you are Catholic or still questioning the presence of Christ in your life, sharing such moments together with your immediate family as well as with your St Joseph’s community is a way to acknowledge the importance of family and faith in our wider community.
Family and faith is what stabilises a community, shapes who we are and instils us with values that define what we consider to be normal and abnormal. There are several Easter Masses scheduled over the Easter weekend, I hope to see you at one of them.
FAREWELL AND THANK YOU TO MR LEWTHWAITE
Next Wednesday 27th March, the School will say it’s final thank you to Mr Kevin Lewthwaite, who will be retiring after over 20 years of service.
Mr Lewthwaite has been a great supporter of St Joseph’s School and I would like to wish him all the best for his retirement and to thank him again for all the support he has given our school community.
As always, I thank you for your support in regards to your child’s ongoing learning and growth.
Guy Campbell
Driving Excellence in the Macleay
GOSPEL REFLECTION -
Praise the Everlasting King
If we look at the readings that the Church proposes to us for each week of the liturgical calendar, we can have a sense of fragmentation, of small passages of scripture given to us to think about. Many of the Sunday gospels relate individual parables of Jesus or particular incidents of the preaching and public mission. But when we come to Passion Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, there is a much more coherent, detailed and confronting account of the events leading to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
This year, the formal reading is “the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark”, and then the “Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John” on Good Friday. One person who appears only in the account of Mark is a woman; she anoints the head of Jesus with precious nard. Jesus says of her, ‘She has anointed my body beforehand for its burial’.
How important to simply read quietly and at our own pace the sequence of events that lead to Calvary. In fact, I think that a personal reading of Mark’s account in the New Testament is almost as important as being part of the public proclamation at Mass on Palm Sunday. Some of the details are unique to this gospel, such as “They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and of Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross.” As we reflect on the suffering and death of the Jesus, we remember the deaths too of all the innocent victims of violence and war and we continue to pray for peace in our volatile world. “Try to deepen your understanding of these two words, “I Thirst.”” St Teresa of Calcutta
PRAYER
Father, I put my life in your hands.
Amen
https://cms.vinnies.org.au/media/drxlpkwm/srg_jan_apl_2024_web.pdf?folder=nsw__spiritual-reflection-guides&path=drxlpkwm%2Fsrg_jan_apl_2024_web.pdf
With Mrs Krystal Brady, Assistant Principal, Learning & Teaching and Mrs Erin McGovern, Assistant Principal, MissionPARENT TEACHER LEARNING CONVERSATIONS
Thank you to all those families and teachers who attended the Parent Teacher Learning Conversations held on Wednesday 20th March. If you were unavailable and would like to catch up with your child's teacher at a later stage please do not hesitate to contact them directly via Compass Connect.
NAPLAN -
Years 3 & 5
HARMONY DAY
NARRATED MASS WITH FATHER JAMES
Last week Kindergarten, Year One and Year Two students celebrated a Narrated Mass hosted by Fr James. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the different parts of the Mass, as during a narrated Mass, the Priest stops and ‘narrates’ or explains what is happening in each section. We thank Father James for giving the students this wonderful first hand learning experience, to deepen their understanding of Mass and tradition in our faith. The children were eager to participate, learn about and engage in the responses.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Last Tuesday, 17 of our students participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. We thank the teachers, Mrs Tarrant and Mrs Tolman, for supporting and helping them prepare for this special Sacrament. We continue to keep them in our prayers as they prepare for the next step in their faith journey, First Holy Communion next term.
PALM SUNDAY MASS
This coming Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday. All students and families are warmly invited to join us at All Saints Catholic Church Kempsey Sunday, 24 March at 9:30 am. Students will be able to join in the entrance procession, as well as join Mrs Hart in the Choir to lead us in the singing.
EASTER MASS TIMES
PROJECT COMPASSION
This year the theme for Project Compassion is Together, we can make a difference now, and For All Future Generations. Each year, Caritas Australia, (the international aid and development organisation of the Catholic Church in Australia) runs ‘Project Compassion’ during the six weeks of the Church season of Lent.
BUILD A HABIT OF GOOD ATTENDANCE
Good attendance in primary school 
will be a skill that will help them
succeed in high school.
Good attendance in primary school is a fundamental building block for academic success and overall wellbeing, and it sets the stage for success in high school and beyond. Primary school is the foundational stage of a child's education. Regular attendance ensures that children build a solid understanding of fundamental concepts and skills that serve as the basis for more advanced learning in high school.
By recognising the long-term benefits and reinforcing the importance of regular school attendance in primary years, students are better equipped to succeed in high school and beyond. Attending school regularly instils a sense of responsibility and work ethic in students and participating actively in class are essential components of success.
Term 1 - Weeks 7 & 8
Awards will be presented at today's Assembly
Friday 22nd March at 1.05pm
Parents/Carers Welcome
|
CLASS |
MARY MACKILLOP AWARD Recognises Catholic attitude, behaviours & helping those in need |
ST JOSEPH Recognises positive actions witnessed within our school community |
CATHERINE McAULEY Recognises a growth mindset & effort in learning |
THE VALUES AWARD
LEADERSHIP |
|
KHonour |
Lola Smith | Leo Johnston | Adira Salmon | Rhiannon Bush |
|
KSpirit |
Winter Buck | Ruby-Rose Barrow | Zane McMurray | Christiano Abin |
|
KTruth |
Archer Dowling | Ireland Cudlin | Sylvie Meehan | Kinsley Thurlow |
|
1Honour |
Mason Skinner | Hamish Unterrheiner | Aria Northey | Jaxson Ylias |
|
1Truth |
Juana Jinu | Alexi Lipscombe | Noah Malcolm | Mackenzie Fraser |
|
2Honour |
Dustin Buck | Hudson Woods | Macey Malcolm | Harry Holtmann |
|
2Truth |
Brock Simmons | Ivy Fraser | Lennox Nolan | Jaya Richards |
|
3Honour |
Wyatt Donney | Casey Miller | Max Hanna | Magnus Johansson |
|
3Truth |
Kara Miller | Ryda Carroll | Indiana Watson | Francesca Tamblyn |
|
3/4 Spirit |
Chloe Sproule | Frankie Thurlow | Lennox Edwards | Evie McMurray |
|
4Truth |
Nicholas Simpson | Layla Fraser | Sophia Downing | Benji Browne |
|
5Honour |
Manaia Pereira | Mila Tolman | Hallie Edwards | Asher Higley |
|
5Truth |
Grace Harman | Brax Matheson | Glydel Clarke | Amber Simpson |
|
6Honour |
William Clarke | Anabel Smee | Joshua Delaney | Jason Micallef |
|
6Truth |
Amy Read | Astin Mackay | Peyton-Maree Moor | Heshma Lingamneni |
With Mr Watts
DIOCESAN WINTER SPORTS TRIALS
The Diocesan Winter Sports Trials were held in Grafton on the 8th March. Trials in both Rugby League and Soccer were run and all our participating students did a great job.
Congratulations to the following students who were selected for the next level, the Polding Trials, to be held in Tamworth on 3rd May:
League Opens – Lleyton Kemp,
Noah Davies
League 11’s – Jhyden Widders
Soccer – Manaia Pereira
Diocesan Rugby Union Trials will be held in Grafton next term – good luck to Lleyton Kemp, Lachlan Betts, Zak Kane who will be attending.
THE BIG VEGIE CRUNCH
The "Big Vegie Crunch" was held on Thursday 21st March at 10.00am.
The "Big Vegie Crunch" and Vegetable Week promotes healthy eating in NSW Primary Schools. Students across NSW crunched at the same time, on the same day.
UPCOMING EVENTS
-
Aiden Tolman Cup, Wednesday 27th March
We will have many children from Years 3 - 6 participating in this fun Gala Day at Kemp Street Sports Fields. All those attending will need to wear full sports uniform. If playing tackle, children will need a mouthguard which can be purchased from our front office for $7.
- School Cross Country will be held at the Kemp Street Sports Fields on 4th April. Children from Years K - 6 will participate in this event.
EARTH HOUR
By Benji Browne and Abella Raffaele
Earth Hour is organised by the World Wildlife Fund, and is a global grassroots movement uniting people to take action on environmental issues and protect the planet.
It all began on Saturday, 31 March 2007. The world's first Earth Hour in Sydney NSW, Australia, saw more than 2.2 million people turn off their lights for one hour to show a climate-sceptic government that people were concerned about climate change.
Every year, Earth Hour brings together individuals, communities and businesses to help restore our Earth.
What will happen if we do not participate in Earth Hour 2024?
Scientists are predicting that global average temperatures are estimated to rise by 1.5 degrees celsius. We could see even more extreme weather and climate impacts than we saw in 2023, as humans continue to pollute the atmosphere.
2024 will be an Earth Hour like no other as the world comes together to raise critical funds to support a healthy future for people and nature. This year’s Earth Hour will be held on the 23rd of March at 8:30pm - 9:30pm.
Things you can do to participate:
- Exercise by a campfire or a candle
- Plant a tree or a plant
- Catch some sleep
- Play board games
- Take a walk
Earth Hour only asks people to turn off any non-essential lights for one hour - not lights that affect public safety. Earth Hour is also a celebration of the planet so It is important to enjoy the moment in a safe environment.
10c RETURN AND EARN RECYCLING
SUSTAINABILITY HUB
Please feel free to drop these into the bins located in the canteen foyer.
If you have other items that you think the school may be able to use for art/craft etc please contact us.
The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is an initiative of the NSW State government. It aims to encourage in students a love of reading for leisure and pleasure and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student - to read, to read more and to read more widely.
This is an optional challenge that can be done at home. Students are welcome to borrow challenge books from the library during their class lessons, which our teacher librarians will identify for them. Throughout the year your child’s teacher may also log books for your child that have been read in class. Students can include any books read from the end of the 2023 challenge on their 2024 reading record. Key dates for the 2024 challenge are:
- 26 February 2024 - challenge opens for student entries
- Friday 23 August 2024 - challenge closes for student entries
- Friday 6 September 2024 - final date for coordinator validations of completed reading records.
In order to complete the Challenge, students must read the following number of books based on their Challenge Level:
|
Challenge Level |
Number of books you must read |
Minimum number of PRC books |
Maximum number of Personal Choice books |
PRC book lists you can read from |
|
K-2 |
30 |
20 |
10 |
K-2, 3-4, 5-6 |
|
3-4 |
20 |
10 |
10 |
3-4, 5-6, 7-9 |
|
5-6 |
20 |
10 |
10 |
5-6, 7-9 |
|
7-9 |
20 |
10 |
10 |
5-6, 7-9, 9plus |
|
3-9 (see rules on PRC site) |
20 |
10 |
10 |
All booklists |
Book lists can be found when your child logs into their account via this link; using their unique username and password. Each child has a unique username and password, if you would like this please contact your classroom teacher. Please take the time to explore the site.
If you are having trouble logging your own books online, please download the online PRC Reading Log, once complete return to school ensuring your child’s name is on the top, and we will upload the information for you. If you have any questions feel free to contact us for more information.
Happy Reading!
Please click the link to view the Programs/Syllabuses for the upcoming 2024 Kempsey Eisteddfod for Speech & Drama and Vocal & Instrumental.
Entries close midnight Sunday 5th May 24. Late entries will not be accepted.
Further information can be found on their Facebook page - Kempsey Eisteddfod Society Inc
The Kempsey Show will be held 9th-10th April and will be a whole world of fun! Get your Hall Exhbit entries in before 3rd April.
To view the Hall Exhbits Schedule click here. Entries close 3rd April. Click here to download an Entry Form.
For more information and what else is on click here to view the Kempsey Show Facebook page.
With Mrs Hagger and Mrs Crowe2024 CANTEEN MENU
OFFSITE BAGGED LUNCH
This special lunch bag will be an option for any offsite events that are held locally (no hot lunches will be delivered offsite).
The Offsite Lunch Bag consists of chicken & salad wrap or sandwich, bottle of water, muesli bar, pkt plain chips and a piece of seasonal fruit for $15. Select "Offsite Bagged Lunch" from the Compass Canteen Menus.
STUDENT BIRTHDAY BUNDLES
Should you have any queries please contact our Canteen ladies, Mrs Hagger & Mrs Crowe.
WHY JOEY'S OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS CARE?
We have two dedicated classrooms on the St Joseph's Catholic Primary School campus in Kemp Street, West Kempsey. The classrooms are filled with resources and games to suit children from Kinder to Year 6.
Students from all schools in the Macleay Valley and surrounds are welcome at Joey's OOSHC.
Joey's OOSHC has a proud history of providing high quality out of school hours care for than ten years. Joey's dedicated and experienced staff plan and manage programs that offer both fun and educational opportunities.
To find out more and to explore the enrolment process visit our website at https://www.joeyskempsey.org.au/
To learn more about the COMPASS Platform please click here
About the Compass Platform
The Compass platform is a web-based system that is accessible on any modern web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome & Safari) or by using the Compass School Manager iOS or Android App.
Parents have the ability to;
- Receive notifications about school events, news and information
- Enter an explanation for absences
- Communicate with your child’s teachers,
- Update your family contact details (mobile phone & email)
- View your child’s timetable and the school calendar
- Download and view your child’s academic reports
- Book parent-teacher conferences (parent/teacher interviews)
- Pay and provide digital consent for events (No more permission slips)
- Order lunches from the Canteen
- Pay school fees
NORTH COAST HEALTH CONNECT
North Coast Health Connect is a free new service providing health support and advice from registered nurses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including public holidays. If you are a resident or visitor to the North Coast, you can speak or live chat with a nurse. The nurse will ask some questions to understand what’s troubling you and then provide advice on what your next step should be.
This may include self-care advice to help you to manage your health (or that of a loved one) from home, or the nurse may recommend a GP appointment or a consultation with a pharmacist. The nurses are able to book an appointment for you directly with a local general practice or pharmacy or if appropriate, can transfer you to a 24/7 GP telehealth service. If the nurse believes you need to attend an emergency department or see a different health service, they will let you know.
Visit https://northcoasthealthconnect.org.au/ for more info and save as a contact for when you need it by visiting https://qrco.de/bdkiJm or by scanning the QR code below.
