Dear Parents, Caregivers and Families,

Well, we have almost made it through another year of your children receiving a years’ worth of growth from a year’s learning, and how fast has this year gone, again!

I have to thank everyone, students, staff and families who have supported the school throughout the year. This year saw our children have the opportunity to participate in, and excel at many events, including excursions, sports representation and whole school events. Taking as many positives away from the year as possible, our students and staff had a focused year of learning, which we ensured was engaging and supportive.

So, as we move towards the conclusion of the year, to our parents, caregivers and students who are leaving us, I thank you for the partnership you have had with our St Joseph’s family. And to all the families who I will see again in the New Year, including our new families, I look forward to welcoming you back to St Joseph’s in 2025.

Farewells

We are very sad to be saying farewell to some of our great staff members. To, Mrs Bonnie Maier, Mrs Liz Wade, Mr Adam Clay and Mr Michael Watts, what a blessing you have all been to us. Thank you for all you have given St Joseph’s and all the best for your future. To Mr Tim May, Mrs Sammy Walters and Mrs Krystal Brady, I wish you all the best, and look forward to your return in 2026. To all these lovely people, we will miss you all. You will always be friends of St Joseph’s, and we wish you all the best for your futures.

As we move through Advent towards Christmas Day, I hope to see many of you celebrating mass at this very special time of the year. Have a Holy and joyful family Christmas. 

Growing Student Leaders Who Make a Positive Impact

Our world needs great leaders. For our schools to be great, we need great student leaders, because students follow students.

Great leaders seek to serve rather than be served. They seek to contribute to others and the world, rather than take what they can get. They set an example for others. They are kind and respectful. They seek to unite, rather than divide. They take positive action, understanding that simply having a badge doesn’t make them a leader. They work with others, because leadership is not a solo act.

Growing leaders who make a positive impact. Oct 29 2020
Accessed 25 Nov 2022 from: https://www.unleashingpersonalpotential.com.au/blog/2020/10/29/growing-leaders-who-make-a-positive-impact

Using the statement above as a segway, it gives me great pleasure to announce the newly elected School Captains for 2025;

Evie Brady
Claire Meehan
Buddy Moorehead
Kieran Tolman

I have great faith that these students will represent themselves, the students and our school in a mature fashion, with truth, honour, responsibility and respect.

Of course we cannot forget our 2024 Captains, who held themselves with great poise and maturity, and took up the challenge of the position.

To our outgoing 2024 Captains;

Spencer Atkinson
Molly Grace
Heshma Lingamneni
Jason Micallef

I thank you.

As always, I thank you for your support in regards to your child’s ongoing learning. Have a great Christmas Day and holiday, and we will see you in the new year. 

Guy Campbell
Driving Excellence in the Macleay

This weekend’s Gospel is a prelude to the beginning
of Jesus’ public ministry. Chapter 2 concluded with Jesus returning to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph after being found in the temple and now we fast forward into the story of John the Baptist preaching and baptising in the wilderness, being about the same age as Jesus. Luke sets this prelude in history. He gives it a specific time and reference to the people who were the rulers of the time, both Roman and Jewish. Caesar and Pilate are the Roman authorities. Herod, his brother Phillip and Lysanias were the regional tetrarchs. Herod was also the Jewish King and a Roman appointed tetrarch or regional administrator. Also listed are the Jewish High Priests of the temple, Annas and Caiphas. Now during the time of these great leaders, God came to John, the son of Zechariah leading him throughout the land to proclaim a baptism of repentance and to prepare a way for the Lord. As prophesied in Isaiah, “prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.” And valleys will be filled, mountains laid low, winding ways straightened and rough roads made smooth. Someone far greater than the secular leaders of the time was coming; it was the Lord. Many of the people who seek us out for assistance have had a rough road in life. It hasn’t been a straight path for them and often they are travelling on this road without close support that can assist them. Our welcome to them and our non-judgemental acceptance of them as fellow travellers in life could just be the encounter that made a real difference in their lives. As St Vincent de Paul said, “I will always welcome joyfully any opportunity that comes my way to be of service to you.” Reflection by Greg Ryan

PRAYER

Lord, guide us, like John the Baptist, as we prepare a way for you into our conference, parish and local communities. We ask this in your name.

Amen

Sourced from; https://cms.vinnies.org.au/media/5mjf0s5q/srg_sept_dec_2024_web.pdf?folder=nsw__spiritual-reflection-guides&path=5mjf0s5q%2Fsrg_sept_dec_2024_web.pdf

As 2024 draws to a close, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the students for their invaluable help in implementing our environmental projects around the school. We successfully obtained a Coastline Credit Union Grant to revamp the beautiful fig tree area into an educational space where students can learn to care for birds, bees, frogs, and butterflies. This project will continue to evolve throughout 2025, and our families are always welcome to help and offer suggestions. Special thanks to Mrs Patrice Martin who helps with lunchtime gardening on Wednesdays.

In addition, as a school, we have successfully diverted boxes of batteries, old stationery, used stamps, and drink containers, raising $523.60 from our garbage collection. Each day, we fill at least a 20L bucket with food scraps, which are saved from going to landfill and fed to our worm farms and local chickens.

Thank you to the families who have donated their 10c containers to us through the Envirobank at South Kempsey. All donations are converted into Bunnings gift cards, which are used to purchase supplies for our school vegetable gardens.

Wishing everyone a safe and joyful Christmas! I look forward to continuing to teach our students about caring for the environment and living sustainably in 2025.

Mrs Tarrant