20 February 2015

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s News

Dear Parents & Caregivers

The next P&F Meeting is on Tuesday 24 February at 7pm in the Library. The agenda is a full one with the following items being presented:

2015 School Priorities: I will detail the focus for 2015 and how these priorities will be realised throughout the course of the year.

Homework – An open forum: I will facilitate a discussion around the place of homework in our school and seek the feedback from parents. Teachers have already commenced discussions about homework, and this represents parents’ opportunity to present their views. This will greatly assist in the revision of our homework policy for 2015.

2015 Fundraising and Special Events: In our 140th year, we need to have a discussion about our major fundraiser for the year and other special events to mark this milestone.

It is sure to be a very busy and productive first meeting, and all families are strongly encouraged to attend. The P&F is the peak parent body of the school, and the forum through which parents have their say. It’s not about getting a job; the focus of the meeting is making our school the best it can be so that our children reach their God-given potential.

I look forward to welcoming you to the P&F Meeting on Tuesday 24 February, 7pm in the Library.

Dr Michael McCarthy
Principal

Leader’s News

Literacy Focus 2015

The school will be continuing to focus heavily on our literacy improvement this school year. Literacy Blocks in classrooms will continue to be a key part of this initiative, and our Years 1to 3 classes are now running Literacy Blocks in their classrooms Monday to Thursday mornings. The process allows for a more targeted approach to teaching literacy in the classroom, and provides a structure that is consistent across the school. We are also able to staff these time slots with additional teachers and teachers aides to provide more focussed and individual attention.

A Literacy Block is a block of time where teachers develop your child's skills in reading, writing, grammar and spelling in a systematic way. The purpose of Literacy Blocks is to improve each child's ability to perform to their very best by developing targeted programmes suited to individual and group needs. Where possible there are no scheduled school events at these times (e.g. swimming, Arts Council visits).

Parents can greatly assist in the implementation of this program by ensuring that students are at school on time which assists the teachers in the transition time in the morning. Classes commence at 8:35 each morning.

Inside the Literacy Block time we will also be trialling a direct instruction approach to spelling with a selected group of Year 3 students and our Year 5and 6 classes. This trial will last for at least Semester 1 and results analysed prior to a possible full school adoption of this method in 2016.

Sporting Trials

Congratulations to our Granite Belt selection trials competitors at this week’s competition.

David Fleming
Assistant Principal Primary

School News

Traffic Talk Over the Christmas school holiday period, road users may have noticed new signs have been erected on Davadi and Corundum Streets just prior to the intersection with High Street. These signs restrict motorists from turning right into High Street during specific high traffic periods. These signs have been erected to ease congestion around St Joseph’s School at peak times and to reduce the likelihood of traffic crashes. The signs only refer to School Days and between the hours of 7am to 9am and 2pm to 4pm. The aim of these restrictions is to assist traffic flow around the school and reduce the danger to students and motorists. Those motorists who regularly use this intersection around school times would agree that it is a troublesome area that can be difficult to negotiate. Motorists should plan their journey and arrange an alternative route rather than turning right into High Street during these restricted times. Police and Main Roads recognise that these restrictions may be inconvenient for some motorists, however with some planning and thinking ahead, safer roads can be achieved. Failure to abide by these new signs may result in a fine of $91 and 3 demerit points.

Parking Police from Stanthorpe Road Policing Unit have noted in increase in inappropriate parking behaviour since the start of the new school year around St Joseph’s School. Police have observed vehicles parked in the bus zone and a surprising number of parents double parking when dropping off their children in front of the Administration Building on High Street. Parking in this manner is not acceptable. It may seem innocent however double parking causes traffic congestion and puts the safety of other road users and pedestrians at risk. A drop-off parking bay has been provided on the eastern side of High Street just before Davadi Street. This is where parents should park for quick drop offs. Drivers should remain with their vehicles when utilising this parking bay. A fine of $45 may be issued by police for any parking offence. Your assistance is requested to make our roads safer for all motorists and our children. Sgt Daniel O’Dea Stanthorpe RPU

Year 8 News

What a way to start off high school! The Year 8’s have been busy transitioning to the lifestyle of new routines, meeting new peers and teachers, and diving for their team at the swim carnival.

Miss Grabham and Miss Nicholson introduced the Year 8’s to their first Pastoral Care lesson through the topic: ‘Making Friends’. Students played team building activities, like the human knot, discussing what makes a good friend and what to do in tough situations. The human knot activity certainly got students all tied up; however, good communication, smiles and laughter conquered this tricky task.

The swim carnival brought out their school spirit, through dressing up in team colours, cheering for our teammates and swimming our hearts out to win the glory for our house. Well done to Finn Fletcher and Hannah Reeves for their swimming awards! 8M and Miss Nicholson were very happy to hear that Mc Auley house won the swim carnival! Miss Grabham couldn’t believe that it wasn’t a tie, as the quality of swimming from both sides was outstanding, but better luck at the sports carnival Davadi.

We must also mention that we were both amazed and so proud of the overwhelming Year 8 participation from both McAuley and Davadi house. A special mention must also go to Gabriella Harris and Anna Calvisi for their wonderful determination in each event.

In their second PC Class for the year, the Year 8’s, having received their new Surfaces on Thursday the 5th of February, began to familiarise themselves with some of the programs. Specifically they learnt how to set up their timetables in outlook so that they always have their schedules at hand. Having mastered the entrance of a reoccurring booking, some students decided to get decorative and assign colours to their timetables.

Once timetables had been organised, booked and coloured, students then reviewed email etiquette. Having learnt the correct set out of a letter in previous years, they applied this knowledge to an electronic setting with gusto. We received and have continued to receive beautifully arranged emails. This skill is crucial to school life as well as life after school and I am delighted to say that they are all developing this skill enthusiastically.

Lastly, well done to those students who tried out for team sports and to our Student Representatives (8M – Sonya Perrett, 8D – Daniel Gasparin) and Proxies (8M – Weylin Alldridge, 8D –Ben Manahan) It is lovely to see so much participation from this young grade.

Gia Nicholson and Haley Grabham

Year 1 News

Year 1C have had a busy start to the year. Already bugs and other creepy crawlies have been brought in from home and investigated as part of the Science Unit “Schoolyard Safari”.

The class is studying how the creatures move, what they eat and what habitat they live in. They are learning to draw the animals and label them. Later in the term the children will be writing an information report about their favourite animal.

Johanna Campbell

In Year 1 we have been exploring the traditions and stories of the Jewish religion. Last Wednesday we learnt about how the Jewish people left Egypt with Moses and how the Passover meal is celebrated each year in remembrance of this event. Students all participated in a small Passover meal of flat bread, wine (grape juice) and Charoset.

Christina Benson

Article Student Protection

St Joseph’s School appoints Student Protection Contacts whose role is to be available to students who wish to report harm or abuse to themselves or others. Students can also report to the Principal, the School Counsellor or any other staff member. All staff, including the Student Protection Contacts, are required by legislation to comply with mandatory reporting procedures, which includes reporting instances of harm and/or abuse to the Queensland Police and the Department of Child Safety.

The Student Protection Contacts for 2015 are:

Primary Campus:

• Mrs Mary McLucas
• Mrs Patricia Armstrong

Secondary Campus:

• Mr Jim Armstrong

Throughout the course of the year, both Primary and Secondary students participate in learning activities around personal safety and protective behaviours.

Sports News

Swimming Carnival 2015

St Joseph’s Secondary Students, adorned in their sporting house’s traditional colours, arrived at the Stanthorpe Pool last week to battle it out in the water to see who would take home the first of the years sporting honours.

2015 St Joseph’s Secondary Swimming carnival marks the first year in which the competition included the Year 7 students and was characterised by outstanding participation, wonderful support for the competitors and a sense of fun and rivalry.

McAuley, on the back of a lone voice from the grandstand cheering “Let’s go McAuey, let’s go!” from event one, to the final event, in which that lone voice combined with rehearsed cheering led by the senior students, saw them capture the highly regarded Spirit trophy.

After a day of fierce competition, where at times a mere 20 points separated the Houses, McAuley triumphed by 189 points over a gallant Davadi team, and McAuley House Captains Danika Newman and David Musumeci excitedly collected and raised, to a triumphant cheer, the overall House Champion trophy.

A special mention must be made to the U/13 girls relay, the U/13 and U/15 boys relays who all broke the previously held records.

Students are congratulated on their excellent participation and the spirit shown in supporting their mates throughout a long and fearsome contest.

Age	Gender	Champion	Runner Up
Under 12	Female	Danielle Musumeci	Lara Beckett
Under 12	Male	James Humble	Ashley Haynes
Under 13	Female	Hannah Reeves	Bridgette Kay
Under 13	Male	Lachlan Mahoney	Finn Fletcher
Under 14	Female	Emma Furness	Melissa Blackwood
Under 14	Male	Lachlan Swann	Ben Manahan
Under 15	Female	Susan Cobon	Abbie Reeves
Under 15	Male	Asbjorn Gaskell	Alex Mattiazzi & Liam Hitchener
Under 16	Female	Jordan McLellan	Alyssa Mouws
Under 16	Male	Regan Sullivan	Jacob Adams
Open	Female	Eloise Biggin	Danika Newman
Open	Male	Josh Mouws	Brodie Matthews

P & F News

Next P & F Meeting – 24 February Everyone is welcome

Reminders and Updates

MUSICAL REHEARSALS