8th May, Week 2, Term 2

From Our Principal - Mrs Kristie Coster

Dear St Joseph’s Community,

Welcome back to Term 2! We trust you had a joyful Easter and a restful holiday. In Term 2, students will continue to deepen their learning and understanding, connect with our faith, and experience the joy of friendship and growing together as a community.

School Attendance

Regularly attending school helps students develop a sense of belonging to the school community. This connection supports the development of meaningful relationships with peers, teachers, and staff, creating a supportive environment that nurtures their overall learning and wellbeing. 

Regular school attendance is classified as being above 95%. Many of our students are below this target. We recognise that leave must sometimes be taken due to medical reasons, appointments, weather events or family commitments; however, we need to continue to work hard to achieve this attendance goal. Showing up every day matters! 

We’d like to acknowledge the following students who have reached the target of 95% or above for the year to date. 

Luke, River, Toby

Mason, Airies, Will, Violet, Kelsi, Alia, Leo

Bodhi, Brax, Jack, Indie

Blake, Pip, Jack, Ashar

Zone Cross Country

Well done to all our incredible students who represented our school with pride and determination at the recent Zone Cross Country Carnival! Your hard work and spirited participation on the day were inspiring. Mrs Manning spoke about the positive leadership of our students that was demonstrated on the day. We are proud of each and every one of you for embracing the challenge and showcasing such fantastic sportsmanship. Congratulations on your wonderful achievements!

Tell Them From Me Survey

Each year, St Joseph’s Primary invites parents, students, and staff to participate in a survey to help us understand what we're doing well and where we can improve to better support your child's learning journey. The feedback gathered is invaluable in guiding our school improvement planning and setting future directions.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey using the link that will be shared with you via newsletter and Compass.

We are aiming high and hope to have 50% of our families respond to the survey. This would be a fantastic achievement! All families who respond will go into the draw for a $50 voucher for Spar in Coraki. Thank you for your support in helping us continue to grow and provide the very best education for our students!

Anzac Day March

We extend our sincere thanks to all in our school community who joined us for the ANZAC Day march in Coraki. Your presence, along with the respect and reverence shown by students, helped create a meaningful and reflective occasion, honouring the courage, sacrifice, and legacy of our servicemen and women.

Together, we stood in remembrance, ensuring that the spirit of ANZAC lives on in the hearts and minds of our students.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us foster a deep sense of gratitude and community.

Safeguarding Children

At St Joseph’s, the safety and wellbeing of our students is always our highest priority. Children and young people have a fundamental right to grow, develop and feel safe in environments that are free from violence, exploitation and harm. We have clear expectations that all students in our school will be protected from all forms of harm. As a child safe organisation, we create a culture, adopt strategies and take action to promote child wellbeing and prevent harm to children and young people.

Our proactive approach includes a range of practices designed to minimise potential risks and strengthen our child safe community. For detailed information on the specific processes we have in place to ensure student safety and protection while in our care, please refer to our Child Safety Policy, available on our school webpage or at the front office.

Prohibited Weapons

All schools in the Diocese of Lismore have been asked to share the following information.

Our school is committed to maintaining a safe, happy and supportive environment for every child. Every now and then, it’s helpful to revisit what can and can’t be brought to school. While some items might seem like harmless toys or everyday tools, they may in fact be considered dangerous or prohibited. We want to help families avoid any unintentional mistakes or avoidable situations.

A prohibited weapon includes but is not limited to knives or blades, toy guns, gel blasters, slingshots, darts or anything else that can be used as a weapon to intimidate or cause serious injury or harm.

We encourage all parents and carers to have open and ongoing conversations with your child about safety, respect, and care for others. As members of our Catholic school community, we are called to protect and nurture one another, both spiritually and physically. Your support in reinforcing these values at home helps us maintain a secure and faith-filled environment for all members of our school community.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting the safety and wellbeing of all children.

Blessings for a safe and happy weekend.

Mrs Coster 

Student Awards - Week 1

Mission News

Gospel Reflection- The Parable of the Good Shepherd (Sunday May 11)

This Sunday we hear the parable of the good shepherd. This story can help us understand how much our mothers do for us this Sunday for Mother's Day 

Imagine a shepherd who loves his sheep very, very much. This shepherd knows each sheep by name and always makes sure they are safe and happy. This Good Shepherd is like Jesus, who cares for all of us, His flock.

Just like the Good Shepherd, our mothers care for us. Mothers are like shepherds to their children. They watch over us, protect us from danger, and always try to keep us happy and healthy. They teach us about faith and often share their first prayers with us.

The Good Shepherd even gives his life for his sheep, showing the greatest love. Mothers also make sacrifices for their children every day because they love us so much.

On Mother's Day, we thank our mothers for being our loving shepherds. We can show them our love and gratitude for all they do, just as Jesus, the Good Shepherd, shows us how to love and care for one another . Mary, the Mother of God, is a perfect example of motherly love, and the Church honors her with special love. She is also considered the Mother of the Church.

Let's celebrate our mothers and thank God for their love and care.

A Prayer for Our Mum's

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts, thanking You for the gift of mothers. We honor their love, strength, and unwavering dedication. Bless them with wisdom and patience as they nurture and guide their families. Grant them joy in the small moments, strength in the challenges they face, and peace in knowing their efforts are cherished. May Your love surround them, providing comfort and grace.

Lord, help us to show our appreciation, not just today, but every day, reflecting the love they have given us.

Amen.

Today we celebrated all the Mothers and Mother-like figures in our lives, with a Liturgy and afternoon tea. Thanks to everyone who joined us and a big thank you to the students for preparing the liturgy and songs to share. Keep an eye out for some photos from the afternoon!

Whole school Masses Term 2

We invite all members of the school and parish community to join us for our masses and liturgies. 

Thursday June 5th to celebrate the Ascension  and Pentecost

Friday July 4th End of Term Celebration

Community Service

As a part of our active role in the wider community, we continue to work in partnership with Baptist Care. Students visit each fortnight to play bingo and spend some time building friendships with the residents. Thanks to our friends at Baptist care for welcoming us. 

Glow Retreat

This year, the Diocese has changed its Year Six student discipleship program. All year six students will travel to Ballina to participate in the Glow experience. 

On Thursday 29th May, all year 6 students will travel by bus to Ballina to participate in this day. If you have not responded to the event on Compass please do so ASAP.  There is no cost for this event. 

Stage 1 News

Stage 1 finding half of an object in Mathematics.

Sports News

Zone Cross Country

Well done to Airies, Indie, Jakob, Leo, Flynn, Kelsi, Mason, Noah, Pip & Blake who represented us at at the Richmond Zone Cross Country on Tuesday 29th April.

Save the Date- Friday 27th June, Athletics Carnival    

Library News

Happy Birthday to the following who have celebrated their birthday since our last newsletter:

AJ Skinner, Jack Painter, Janaya Gomes, Danielle Gomes,

Mrs Campbell, Mrs Vasta

Canteen News

Please note that tomorrow's canteen, Friday 9th May will be pies and sausage rolls only.  Without volunteers we are unable to run canteen with the full menu selection, if you are able to help out we would love to hear from you.