A reminder that the consent form for the Queensland Health's annual School Immunisation Program MUST be returned by this Friday 15th March.
Please return the consent form by this date as all forms are being sent onto OzCare.
Newsletter dated 14th March 2024
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Newsletter dated 14th March 2024
The envelopes MUST be returned to the School Office prior to the photo day, even if not buying photos.
Family envelopes are available from the School Office and need to be returned prior to the photo day also.
Orienteering
- PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
- DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL PRIMARY & TEACHING & LEARNING
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL FORMATION & IDENTITY
- HORIZONS
- A REMINDER REGARDING CORRECT SIGN IN/OUT PROCEDURES
- NO PARKING AREAS
- SCHOOL PHOTOS - WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH
- HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR CHILD'S CONSENT FORM FOR QLD SCHOOL IMMUNISATION PROGRAM 2024
- SAVE THE DATE
- TEACHING and LEARNING
- APPLE & GRAPE
- IT"S NOT TOO LATE TO VISIT OUR BOOK FAIR
- YEAR 7 CAMP
- DEBATING
- MATES4MATES
- COMMERATIVE CROSSES PROJECT
- UniSQ EXPERIENCE DAY
- TUCKSHOP - WE NEED YOUR HELP !
- SECURE YOUR TICKETS FOR THE EASTER RAFFLE NOW !
- SPORT
- UPCOMING EVENTS
This week students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 commenced their NAPLAN testing.
NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy) is the standardised test administered annually in Australia to students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. The test assesses the basic literacy and numeracy skills of students and provides information to teachers, schools, parents and carers about how well students are performing in relation to national standards.
The staff have worked with the students to prepare them for NAPLAN this week. That involves their regular focus on learning and also ensuring a sense of calm throughout the testing period.
Remember that while NAPLAN is important, it is only one measure of your child's progress and abilities. It is a snapshot in time that helps with the overall assessment of student progress. Student progress, in fact, is measured regularly throughout the year.
To help your child with NAPLAN (and their overall growth as learners), the most important thing you can do as a parent or carer is to support your child's ongoing learning and development, both in and out of the classroom. Help your child develop good study habits and manage stress by providing a calm and supportive environment at home. Encourage your child to practice reading, writing, and numeracy skills regularly. Recognise and celebrate your child's efforts and progress, regardless of the results of the test. Encourage them to continue learning and growing, regardless of any perceived successes or failures.
God Bless
Andrew Kendall OAM
PRINCIPAL
On March 13, we saw students across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 commence online NAPLAN testing. Students worked incredibly well in completing four tests across the week focusing on writing, reading, language conventions and numeracy. The data gathered through these tests will provide a valuable tool for teachers to analyse areas of strength and weakness for each individual student and allow us, as teachers, to target specific concepts and capabilities in the teaching and learning that occurs in classrooms. Well done to all the students for your great efforts in the NAPLAN tests.
Our Year 11 and 12 ATAR students travelled to UniSQ in Toowoomba for the annual student experience day. This allows school students interested in tertiary study post school to be immersed in the life of a university student. Our students were able to engage in a campus tour, as well as participate in specialised workshops across the day. Thank you to Mr Shorter and Mrs Roberts for taking the students along.
Call to be… Christ-Like
Called to live… Mercy
Matthew Brown
Deputy Principal
We are now in the last stages of Term 1 but the pace on the Primary Campus continues to one which means that the days fly by very quickly! The students are continuing to engage positively in the learning process and the introduction of the new reading strategy is being met with much enthusiasm. Last week, the teachers in P-2 continued their professional learning around this initiative, working with one of our experienced Education Officers from Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office and teachers in Year 3 - 6 will have that opportunity next week. We are committed to ensuring that our teachers are fully supported so that they are best placed to maximise the learning of the students. As a Visible Learning school, we are familiar with the need to respond to significant bodies of research about what constitutes effective teaching and learning. The support from parents at the information sessions for the new approach to reading was lovely to see and I encourage all to keep abreast of the information that is made available via the various newsletters and social media platforms. Whilst some aspects remain the same, there are some significant changes and it is important for the children that we all have clarity so that they do not become confused.
This week, we have seen the commencement of the national assessment period for 2024 for students in Years 3 and 5 (and Years 7 and 9 in Secondary). NAPLAN measures each student’s ability across a range of literacy and numeracy tools. These tests are ‘point in time’ and we will add the data gained to that which we already collect so that we can plan for future teaching and learning interventions. Any student who is absent for a test will have the opportunity to catch up before the end of the ‘testing window’ in Week 9.
Over the past two weeks we have held parent teacher consultations across the Primary Campus. I hope that parents have found them to be useful in terms of providing an insight into their child's progress to date. Of course, should concerns arise, we do encourage parents to contact us either by email or telephone so that matters can be discussed and appropriate action taken.
Finally, thank you to all those students who joined us in the Apple and Grape parade. It was wonderful to see the support for our school.
With God's blessings
Sarah Yates
Assistant to the Principal Primary & Teaching & Learning
Give Up!
Our Lenten journey continues this week. How are you going with giving up something, or just giving…?
GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use that time in prayer, meditation and self care.
GIVE UP looking at other people's worst points. Instead concentrate on their best points. We all have faults. It is a lot easier to have people overlook our shortcomings when we overlook theirs first.
GIVE UP speaking unkindly. Instead, let your speech be generous and understanding. It costs so little to say something kind and uplifting.
GIVE UP your hatred of anyone or anything! Instead, learn the discipline of love.
GIVE UP your worries and anxieties! Instead, trust God with them. Anxiety is spending emotional energy on something we can do nothing about: like tomorrow! Live today and let God's grace be sufficient.
GIVE UP TV one evening a week! Instead, visit some lonely or sick person. There are those who are isolated by illness or age. Give someone a precious gift: your time!
GIVE UP buying anything but essentials for yourself! Instead, give the money to those most in need. The money you would spend on the luxuries could help someone meet basic needs.
GIVE UP judging by appearances and by the standard of the world! Instead, learn to give up yourself to God. (adapted from Craig Gates, Jackson, MS, "What to Give up for Lent")
With God's blessings,
Megan Mahoney
Assistant to the Principal Formation & Identity
The current issue of Horizons is out now and is available online here www.twb.catholic.org.au/horizons/.
St Joseph’s School is committed to providing a safe, secure and supportive learning environment for students, staff and the wider school community. This includes the welfare of staff and students and protecting property, resources and information.
All visitors to the school arriving and departing during school hours (except staff and students) MUST report to the School Office located on the Primary Campus. This does not apply to parents dropping/picking up their child unless they are visiting the school for another reason.
All visitors are required to sign in and out of the school and will be issued with official visitor identification. Identification must be worn at all times during the visit. Any person on school grounds without visitor identification will be referred to the School Office.
Visitors should not interrupt classes or school activities during school hours unless it has been approved.
Thank you for your ongoing support of St Joseph’s School.
A friendly reminder that you must not stop or park in the BUS ZONE outside the school for any reason (including queuing or waiting for a space) unless you are driving a bus.
The bus zone provides a safe place for large buses to set down and pick up school children.
Please also note that the school carpark is for staff only. Please do not use the carpark to drop off or pickup your children from school.
Please also note that the school carpark is for staff only. Please do not use the carpark to drop off or pickup your children from school.
A reminder that School Photos will be taken on Wednesday 20th March at the Bathersby Centre.
The envelopes MUST be returned to the School Office prior to the photo day, even if not buying photos. Family envelopes are available from the School Office and need to be returned prior to the photo day also.
Please contact Mrs Angelina Sims on 46815 904 for any further enquiries.
The Annual St Joseph’s School Parents & Friends Association Trivia Night will be held on Saturday 18th May 2024.
The Trivia Night is a wonderful opportunity for our Stanthorpe community to come together, relax and enjoy a night out along with raising funds towards the continuing improvement of our school’s facilities and resources.
We encourage our school families to get a team together, as we can guarantee it will be a fantastic night of fun & laughter !
Reading in Primary
With our move to a phonics-based approach to reading, we are encouraging parents and carers to continue reading a range of books with their children and to promote a reading environment at home. The bookmark shown below suggests some questions which could be asked of children as they read these authentic texts.
When it comes to books that will be sent home from school, parents will probably be familiar with this type, which are called predictable texts.
These encourage learners to guess words and to use cues such as the pictures and whether the unfamiliar word sounds correct. FROM NOW, we will be sending home decodable texts. These are texts for which the learners have mastered the phonics code needed and the focus will be to keep eyes on the text and decode each of the words.
This video might also be of interest to parents.
Home Reading - How Do I Best Support My Child? (youtube.com)
A tremendous thank you to everyone who participated in the Apple and Grape parade, making it a vibrant community affair.
A heartfelt thanks for the wonderful effort and the fantastic float crafted by our dedicated staff and parents. Despite the display of all four seasons, summer certainly stole the show!
Additionally, we want to acknowledge our 15 students who volunteered to assist at the Apple and Grape Gala Ball. They represented the school admirably.
It’s not too late to visit our Scholastic Bookfair.. it’s fantastic !
The final day for our Scholastic Bookfair is this Friday, 15th March. Bookfair is open between 8am - 8.30am and 3pm - 3.30pm today and tomorrow.
See you there !
Embarking on their first-ever school camp marks a significant milestone for the Year 7 students as they transition into Secondary education.
Kayaking, archery, flying fox, raft building, the giant swing, and team-building challenges offer a diverse range of experiences that are not only fun but also promote collaboration, problem-solving, and resilience among the students. These activities encourage students to step out of their comfort zones, work together, and build trust with their peers and teachers.
Furthermore, the natural environment of the wilderness provides a unique setting for personal growth and self-discovery. Away from the distractions of everyday life, students have the opportunity to connect with nature and develop a sense of appreciation for the outdoors.
By participating in the Year 7 camp, students not only create lasting memories but also acquire the essential life skills that will serve them well into their future endeavors.
The final debates of the first round of the QDU Toowoomba competition were held last week.
The Year 7's had a win over Fairholme College in their first ever debate, and Year 9's went down to Assumption College in challenging circumstances, showing great resilience.
We live in a world where we communicate with others all the time. Debating is a more formal way of communicating. It builds confidence and self-esteem, and develops critical thinking and reasoning skills. If we can speak publicly and convey our ideas and thoughts coherently, we have a valuable tool that can aid us in our public, private and future lives. Debating is different to public speaking because it includes rebuttal; proving that the opposition has arguments that are wrong.
We live in a world where we communicate with others all the time. Debating is a more formal way of communicating. It builds confidence and self-esteem, and develops critical thinking and reasoning skills. If we can speak publicly and convey our ideas and thoughts coherently, we have a valuable tool that can aid us in our public, private and future lives. Debating is different to public speaking because it includes rebuttal; proving that the opposition has arguments that are wrong.
Both teams had fun and learned new and important skills.
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who played a part in my recent raffle fundraiser for the Mates4Mates charity.
Mates4Mates supports returning veterans through physical rehabilitation, mental health, and wellbeing services, and through social connection activities and recovery skills.
To everyone who bought tickets, thank you for your recognition of the cause and your willingness to help. To the RSL Sub-Branch and Gleeson’s Mercery, thank you for your generous donations that made up our first and second prizes for the raffle. Thank you, as well, to Mrs Sims for putting so much time and effort in organising this with me.
Congratulations to the following individuals on their prizes:
1st prize – $100 RSL voucher: Stu Sims
2nd prize – $50 Gleesons Mercery voucher: Jim O’Dea
3rd prize – St Joseph’s School wine pack: Christine Duff
Thanks to everyone involved, our group of eight Premier’s Anzac Prize winners have together raised $16,200 for the Mates4Mates charity.
Grace Roberts
Year 11 Student
Year 11 student, Grace Roberts, dedicated time this week to engage with several Primary classes, discussing the Commemorative Crosses project.
Her initiative served as a poignant reminder of the profound sacrifices made by young Australian soldiers during World War I. She emphasized how, despite their significant contributions, the physical traces they left behind in Australia were minimal, if not entirely absent in today's world.
This initiative likely served to educate younger generations about the importance of remembering and honoring those who fought for their country, even if their tangible legacies may have faded over time.
Year 11 & 12 students enjoyed a day at the UniSQ Student Experience Day today.
Students participated in sessions ranging from physiotherapy to engineering, counselling, education and creative writing.
The opportunity has provided students with pathways for university study and pathway options beyond school.
The Tuckshop is a vital part of our school. All the money that is raised is directly injected back into the school for improvements, or new equipment that will benefit the students.
Volunteers are a valuable resource for any school tuckshop. They aid in increasing both the efficiency and volume of orders completed. They also allow for increased interaction and feedback from the wider school community.
Tuckshop is open Monday and Friday's on the Primary Campus and Wednesday's on the Secondary Campus However as this is a volunteer based project, we are asking for your assistance.
The tuckshop currently is now running on class-based roster systems. This roster covers both tuckshop workers as well as homebaking. This means that each class only needs to find enough volunteers to help in tuckshop for a few weeks for the entire year.
We are however asking for parents to consider nominating themselves for an on-call system for when an emergency arises. We understand that life happens and sometimes you just simply can't make your rostered day. If you think this is something you could put your name up for, please contact the tuckshop convenors with your name and number through the School Tuckshop Facebook pages.
Primary Tuckshop - https://facebook.com/groups/159619077739703
Secondary Tuckshop - https://facebook.com/groups/410832700734360/
All time is greatly appreciated.
By participating, you're not only entering to win exciting prizes but also supporting Project Compassion and our 150th Celebrations.
Your support means the world to us. Secure your tickets today!
Tickets can be purchased at the Admin Office and students will have the opportunity to purchase tickets on both the Primary and Secondary Campuses at morning tea and lunch as well as before school on the Primary Campus.
Swimming
As the swimming season draws to a close, students continue to participate in weekly swimming lessons every Wednesday.
Here's a glimpse of some Year 1 students relishing their time in the pool.
Orienteering
A big shoutout to Mr Allan Lahey for his dedication to recruiting and coaching our orienteering students. Last Thursday, 7th March, a number of our students participated in the Darling Downs Orienteering Trials.
We're thrilled to announce that 12 students (plus one reserve) from both Primary and Secondary levels have been chosen for the Darling Downs School Sport 10-19 Years Orienteering Team. They will be competing in the State Titles on July 20th and 21st at Tingalpa.
Orienteering is a demanding sport that necessitates analytical thinking, decision-making, navigation skills, fitness, and the courage to venture into the wilderness alone. Congratulations to the following students for this remarkable achievement.
- Ted Bonner
- Kayleb Spiller
- Liam O’Dea
- Patrick Moxham
- Oliver Lahey
- Ned Robinson
- William Roberts
- Erin O’Dea
- Margaret O’Dea
- Sasha Kendall
- Clare Widderick
- Amity Buscher
- Chloe Vanderwolf
Soccer
On Thursday, March 7th, Year 12 students, Luke Webb and Ryan Whiticker along with Year 11 student Darcy Daddow participated in the Darling Downs 17-19 Boys football trials in Toowoomba.
We're thrilled to announce that Year 11 student Darcy Daddow has been selected to represent the 17-19 Yrs Boys Darling Downs team at the Football State Championships. The championships are scheduled to take place from April 27th to April 30th, 2024, at the Fraser Coast Sports and Recreation Precinct in Nikenbah.
Congratulations to Darcy on this outstanding achievement!
On Tuesday, March 12th, it was the girls' turn to participate in the Darling Downs 13-15 & 16-19 Yrs Girls Football trials held in Toowoomba.
Congratulations to Alessia Gasparin, Jessica Pradella, Stephanie Hart, and Holly Hart for their participation. Special recognition goes to Jessica and Alessia for advancing to the Possible and Probables stage. Making it this far is a remarkable achievement and presents an excellent learning opportunity for all involved.
Well done to everyone involved!
NRL
St Joseph's fielded players from Years 7-10 where 24 keen players attended the NRL Gala Day. The Years 7 & 8 boys played some entertaining Rugby League with some great tries scored with the highlight being a strong win over a combined Warwick SHS and Goondiwindi SHS team.
The Year 9 & 10 Boys combined forces with Inglewood and Texas to create a competitive team that played some great rugby league. As the day went on and combinations become stronger, the team scored a number of well put together team tries.
Many thanks to Mr Nathan Hurtz for coaching the Year 7 & 8 Boys and the NRL staff for providing the day of competition for our students.
Futsal
The Southwest Futsal Competition for the 14 Boys took place on Monday. Our pool included Toowoomba Grammar School, St Peter Claver College, Toowoomba Christian College and Lockyer State High School.
An early start was necessary to get to USQ in Toowoomba for our first game at 8am. It didn’t seem to bother the boys, as they scored what was the first goal for the whole tournament. Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last long as the technically stronger Toowoomba Grammar School beat us 3-1.
Soon after we were up against the team from St Peter Claver College. They were another strong team that had a lot of movement and power from several players. Unfortunately, we were undone 3-0.
Our keeper had an injury woe during the course of our third game which resulted in a red card for the offending player. Some excellent positioning on the offensive saw us come out on top of Toowoomba Christian College with a score of 4-1.
Buoyant from the third-round win, the boys went into the final regular game against Lockyer SHS. They were feeling good but under pressure knowing that the winner of the game would end up with enough points to make it to the quarter finals. The game came out in our favour 2-0.
Unfortunately, three waits of at least an hour resulted in the boys losing their momentum going into the quarter final game. Again, we faced Toowoomba Grammar, who only grew in strength and confidence throughout the day (they dismantled a couple of the other teams in our pool). Foreboding, the first goal against us was scored by an unlucky bounce less than 5 seconds after the initial whistle. This trend continued into the second half. Our boys were able to keep them from getting too far ahead with some great movement through the midfield, but Grammar won the game 5-1.
It was great see so much talent at the tournament. Congratulations to our St Joseph’s boys. The team consisted of Charlie Alldridge, Levi Jack, Oliver Lahey, Kai Lang, Kayleb Spiller, Thomas Telfer and Ned Torrens. They took the everything, good and bad, in their stride and were proud of their efforts, staying positive and trying to improve throughout the day.
On both Wednesday and Thursday of this week, teams representing St Joseph's also participated in competitions across the Under 13 Boys, Under 14 Girls, and Open Boys categories.
Netball
The trials for Darling Downs Netball were held on Monday, March 11th. We extend our congratulations to the following students for their participation:
- Mia Howard
- Liliana Morente
- Chloe Staley
- Greta Stibbard
- Anthea Sunderland
- Riley Pfeifer
- Clare Widderick
- Ivy Hill
- Imogen Staley
- Milly Watts
- Sophie Hawira
- Gracie Zanatta
A special mention of congratulations goes to Ivy Hill for making it to Possible & Probables in the Under 12's, and also to Mia Howard for becoming a shadow player for the Under 11's Darling Downs side.
Overall, it was an exceptional effort by all the girls!
| 11-15 March | South West Futsal |
| Bookfair | |
| 13-15 March | NAPLAN |
| 14 March | UniSQ Experience Day |
| SDYC Induction Day (Stanthorpe) | |
| 15 March | Granite Belt Basketball Trials |
| 17 March | St Patricks' Day |
| 18 March | NAPLAN |
| 19-25 March | NAPLAN Catch Up Day |
| 19 March | St Joseph's Day Mass |
| 20 March | School Photo Day |
| QDB Debating - Yrs 8 & 10 - Round 2 | |
| 21 March | P-12 House Day |
| 22 March | World Maths Day |
| 24 March | Palm Sunday |
| 25 March | TCS Hybrid Learning Day |
| Darling Downs Basketball (10-12 Yrs) | |
| 26 March | Year 10 Excursion to Brisbane |
| 28 March | End of Term 1- The Way of the Cross Liturgy |
| Cross Country | |
| 29 March | Good Friday |
| 31 March | Easter Sunday |
| 14 April | International Study Tour - departure |
| 15 April | Student Free Day |
| 16 April | Term 2 Commences |
