Term 1 Week 8 - 2023
Term 1 Week 9 2023 |
School Events |
|
Monday 27th March |
8.35 am Kilometre Club Year 5 & 6 Library Canteen Day Guitar Lessons 5pm Parent Partnership Meeting - Hall |
| Tuesday 28th March |
Year 1 & 2 Library |
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Wednesday 29th March |
8:35 am Kilometre Club Kindergarten Library Brass Lessons 7pm Anxiety Parent Webinar |
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Thursday 30th March |
Sports Uniform Mario Cart Finals |
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Friday 31st March |
Year 3 & 4 Library Canteen Peer Support Mini Vinnies Fundraiser - Gold Coin Donation - Out of uniform Last day for School Fees 'Early Bird' Discount |
| Upcoming Events |
Week 10 Tuesday 4th April - New Uniform Try-On Day Tuesday 4th April - Easter Raffle Thursday 6th April - Stations of the Cross 12 noon Thursday 6th April - Last day of Term Week 1 Term 2 Monday 24th April - Pupil Free Day - Staff Development Day Tuesday 25th April - ANZAC DAY - Public Holiday - ANZAC DAY MARCH - meet outside LUSC Wednesday 26th April - First day back for all students |
St Joseph’s Inclusion Day
At St Joseph’s Primary School, we have the 21st of March, to celebrate inclusion and diversity as this date is recognised as Australia's Harmony Day, World Down Syndrome Day and International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Harmony Day is on the 21st of March and is held every year in Australia. On this day as a school community we celebrate diversity! A day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home, from the traditional custodians of this land to those who have come from many countries around the world.
Down syndrome (or Trisomy 21) is a genetic condition – it is not an illness or disease. It occurs because of an extra chromosome, chromosome 21. World Down Syndrome Day is held on the 21st March every year. On this day, the aim is to raise awareness for the acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome in our community. The theme for this year is “With Us Not For Us.”
The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed with a series of events and activities worldwide on March 21st of March each year. The day aims to remind people of the negative consequences of racial discrimination. It also encourages people to remember their obligation and determination to combat racial discrimination.
We celebrated our Inclusion Day by recognising the above awareness days by hosting a liturgy in the school hall and completing a variety of activities in classrooms around the discussed themes. We pride ourselves on being inclusive at St Joseph’s and fostering these beliefs amongst our students.
St Joseph’s Feast Day 2023
This week we also celebrated the Feast of St Joseph. We were blessed to have so many families join us at both our Saturday Mass and Family dinner and our St Joseph’s Day celebrations at school. It was a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate ‘family’. St Joseph showed us that we don’t need to be related to love and care for one another, we just have to trust that God put us together to look after each other.
We were so proud of our choir who sang at Mass, stage 1 who lead us in a beautiful liturgy, Max who entertained us on his electric guitar, our year 5 and 6 leaders who ran a wonderful afternoon of fun activities in their peer support groups and all the students who showed all our families the real spirit of St Joseph.
A big thank you to our parents, guardians, grandparents, and carers who joined in at the liturgy and visited the children in the class. Thank you to Bel and Emma for Domino's delivery and all our helpers on the day.
2024 Kindergarten Enrolment Information Night
We are excited to showcase what our school offers to our prospective parents for 2024 during our Kindergarten Open Night on Thursday 18th, May. During the information night, the school band/guitar group will provide some light entertainment. There will also be some information displays and interactive activities for parents/carers to explore. Babysitting will be provided on the night to support families. Our best advertising in the past has been by word of mouth in our community - so please help spread the word that St Joseph’s Primary School is the place to be for Kindergarten 2024! We have attached an infographic to assist parents/ carers with the 2024 Kindergarten enrolment process
The information night outline is below:
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm School Tour
5:00 pm - 5:30 pm Refreshments and drinks
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm School Leadership Team/Kindergarten Teachers Formal Presentation
2024 Kindergarten Enrolment Interviews
We are currently taking Kindergarten enrolments for 2024. If you wish to enrol your child, please complete the online enrolment form on the school website.
Please contact the school office if you require assistance in completing the enrolment form. Kindergarten interviews have been scheduled for the 8 May to the 26 May. We will contact parents/carers once applications have been received.
School Uniform
Today, communication went home regarding the new school uniform. Please read the information and also open the link to the pricelist for further information.
2023 Easter Raffle & Fundraising Committee Meeting
This week, a fundraising committee met to plan steps forward for our Easter Raffle and other fundraising initiatives for 2023. An update on this meeting will be provided in next week's newsletter.
You will have received some Easter Raffle Tickets to sell to family, friends and community members for our big Easter Raffle. Extra tickets can be sent home on request. Tickets can also be purchased on Flexischools. The Easter Raffle is made up of donated Eggs from our families. Please send eggs and sold tickets to the office by Friday 31st March. Eggs can also be purchased and donated through Flexischools. Eggs are then purchased at wholesale prices. Thank you to the Easter Raffle Committee who are doing a lot of work behind the scenes to get our first fundraising event for 2023 started. Thank you also to the families who have already donated Eggs and bought tickets. So far 65 tickets have been sold and over $100 in eggs donated.
School Uniform Roll Out
Today, communication went home about the new school uniform rollout. Please read the information sent today. Open the link to the pricelist for pictures of the uniform and more information.
School Attendance - Unexplained Absences/ Late Arrival at School
Daily school attendance is such an important aspect of a child’s education. We remind all families that we are legally required to monitor student attendance and that parents/carers must advise why their child is absent from school. Next week we will be sending letters home to families with unexplained absences. If you receive a letter, please state the reason for your child’s absence and return the letter to the school office. Also, if you drop your child(ren) off late to school, please sign them in via the School Office. We thank our families for their continued support in this area.
Best wishes from the leadership team
Project Compassion Fundraising day
Project Compassion is a very special fundraising initiative that our school supports during the time of Lent. One way that we are raising money this year is through a fun activity session. We invite all students to bring a gold coin donation which will allow them to attend five of the fun activities throughout the afternoon. If they wish to attend more than five it will cost them another gold coin. Some of the activities will include; an obstacle course, hair and nails, disco, soccer shootout, basketball competition, mini-games, and more.
This will be a great way to have a fun afternoon together whilst helping those who are less fortunate than us.
WHEN: Friday 31st March (Week 9)
WEAR: Casual, sun-smart clothes
WHY: To raise money for Project Compassion and raise awareness of social justice issues
BRING: At least 1 gold coin to allow you to attend 5 fun activities, if you want to attend more you will need another gold coin to get another 5. Any extra coin donations are welcome to be added to the class project compassion boxes before the last count.
The Mini-Vinnies team is very excited to run this big initiative.
Vaping: Take a Stand Against Vaping
Whether you suspect your child is vaping or not, take the time to talk to them about it and help them understand all of the risks. It is never too late to have the conversation.
Watch this short clip by Professor Adam Jaffé, Paediatric Respiratory Consultant at Sydney Children’s Hospital and Head of Paediatrics at the University of New South Wales.
Start the conversation with your child in a relaxed, easy-going way, perhaps using a cue from around you, such as this message from school, a news story about vaping, or seeing people vaping on the street.
If your child is vaping, encourage them to stop, let them know that help is available and you are there for them. Help them to explore other ways to fit in with their peers. But also give the message that it is important to think and act independently.
Vaping: How to Support my Child if they are Vaping
Although advertising and peers can heavily influence your teen’s decisions, the impact you have as a parent, carries enormous weight. Research has found that parental involvement and a positive outlook can make a significant difference in healthy decision-making, both now and in the future.
Take a Health Approach
If you discover that your teen is vaping, address it as you would any other risk to your child’s health. Try to resist the urge to lecture, yell or punish your child. It is important to keep the lines of communication open and show your child that you are concerned about their health and safety.
Although purchasing vapes containing nicotine without a prescription is illegal in Australia, many vapes labelled as nicotine-free do contain nicotine. Your child may need support to stop vaping as nicotine is very addictive. The more your child vapes, the more both the brain and body will get used to having nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it. When a person stops vaping, even for a short period, they can experience withdrawal, including strong cravings, irritability, fatigue, headache, sleeplessness and difficulty concentrating.
Conversation Starters
Make sure your child recognises how much you care about them and that the conversation is coming from a place of unconditional love, support and concern for their wellbeing. Use the conversation starters below to understand if your child may be continuing to vaping to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Do you continue to vape even though you want to stop or think it’s hurting you in some way?
Do you feel anxious or irritable when you want to use your vape but can’t?
Do thoughts about vaping interrupt you when you are focused on other activities?
Do you vape at school? How often?
Have you ever tried to stop vaping but couldn’t?
Do you feel like you have lost control over your vaping?
Support to Quit Vaping
Read this helpful infographic for suggestions about how to support your child to quit vaping.
Source: smokefree.gov NSW Health TobaccoFree
As mentioned at the beginning of the year, the commencement of our transition period to our new school uniform is planned for the middle of Term 2 (June Long Weekend - 13 June), when we traditionally change from our summer to winter school uniform. After discussions with Mid Coast Uniforms today, it looks like we will be able to bring this date forward to the end of May. Over the past couple of months, the School Leadership Team and Office Staff have been working hard behind the scenes to finalise the specifics of how we will roll out/retail the new uniform from the school site. Please see our New Uniform Rollout Plan below:
| Uniform Storage Location | The uniforms will be stored in a resource room in the Library. We are currently getting quotes from local businesses to install cabinetry in this room. |
| Pre-ordering Stock | All stock was ordered at the end of 2022. This week, we have received communication from MidCoast Uniforms that the estimated arrival date for the new uniforms for retail is Friday, 19 May. |
| “Try-on Day” |
We have sourced sample uniform sizes from MidCoast Uniforms to organise a “ Try on Day” for families so uniforms can be pre-ordered. This will mean that any pre-orders will be filled in a ‘first come-first served’ basis once the uniforms arrive. We highly recommend you pre-order to avoid disappointment. The “ Try on Day” will be Tuesday, 4 April. More communication will be sent regarding this day. |
| Ordering/ Payment Processes | In Term 2 we will have EFTPOS available, along with bank transfer payments for the rollout, and we are looking at either using Flexischools or Compass (our new school management platform) for future online orders. More information on online orders will be communicated early next term. |
| $150 Service NSW Voucher | Despite our best efforts over the past 4 months, unfortunately, due to school Governance issues, we are not able to register with Service NSW to use the Back to School vouchers. We recommend that families use these vouchers to purchase other items such as shoes and school supplies before 30 June 2023 expiry date. |
| Hardship | We are working closely with Kendall Op Shop and Aussie Battlers to care for families who need financial support to purchase at least one set of uniforms. Please contact the school's Well-Being team via the office if you need support. |
| Official Uniform Price List |
Please see price list attached. https://sjpslaurieton.schoolzineplus.com/newsletter/article/1636 |
| Sports Shirt |
We have been working this year to source some sample designs from MidCoast Uniforms for a new sports uniform. The feedback from families was that they would like the children to have the same blue pants/skorts all week and have a bright sports shirt that is identifiable at zone carnivals and excursions. A uniform committee meeting will be scheduled on Monday, 3 April at 5pm to discuss our sports shirt options. We will be able to update you on a timeframe for a new sports shirt depending on the outcome of this meeting. The earliest possible date will be Week 1 Term 3. If families require the current sports uniform and cannot source it from Pied Piper, please call the school directly for another option. |
As advised last year, the current school uniform can continue to be worn until the beginning of 2025, when all students will be expected to have transitioned to the new school uniform. The Uniform Committee decided upon the 18-month transition period to ensure all families had adequate planning time to implement the change. Families who wish to continue to wear our current school uniform through the transition period will be able to source items through our uniform pool stock or Pied Piper in Laurieton.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the school office if you have any questions about the transition period to the new school uniforms.
Kind regards,
School Leadership Team
St Joseph's Laurieton
Thank you to everyone who has offered their time to volunteer in the canteen; I appreciate your help.
Here is the roster for the rest of the term.
| Monday | Friday | Monday |
| 27 Mar | 31 Mar | 3rd April |
| Emma | Emma | Emma |
| Rach | Katie | Justine |
| Lidi | ||
The roster is ready for term two, so if you have some pre-planned dates you can help out with, please let me know.
Emma Hockham - 0427 274 604
Canteen Coordinator
Kindergarten
In Kindergarten we have been collecting data on living and non-living things in our school environment.
Kilometre Club Week 8
This week in Kilometre Club students participated on Monday and Thursday. There were 44 runners on Wednesday running a total of 49km. On Thursday we had 50 runners participate who picked up the pace to run 80.75km! In total our students have run 141.75km this week.
Congratulations to Will Young, Benji Watts, Miles Gebhardt,Harry Shean, Naomi Letters, Adrijana Reithmuller, Grace Burgess, Skylah Burgess, Zarli Jolley, Ethan Mollica,Johannes DeVries, Madison Barker, Stanley Randall, Hean Hartog, Willem DeVries, Hartley Galbraith and Lachlan Barker (sibling of Madison and Jasmine) who have run a total of 5km since Kilometre Club started.
Special congratulations to Shay Lobston, Iggy Patrzala, Luca BurchToby ColesJayla Jolleyand Ruby Norrie who have accumulated 10km.
Special congratulations to James Randall who is our first student to reach the 15km milestone!
Total kilometres run since the start of Kilometre Club is 519.5km!
Special thanks to parents Rachel, Blaire, Katie and Belinda who assisted this week and Mrs Koenig for supervising Kilometre Club on Thursday.
With cross country quickly approaching, I highly recommend you encourage your children to join in! Kilometre Club will be running Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8:35am-8:50am.
Assembly
Happy Birthday
HELP WANTED
St Matthew's Laurieton Conference (Welfare Branch)
St Vincent de Paul currently needs a few volunteers to help with client interviews. If you like helping & talking to people this is for you.
We are open for interviews from 9 am - 11.30 am Tuesdays & Fridays. You can choose 1 day per week/month as much or as little would be greatly appreciated.
Do you have basic computer skills & may be able to afford us some time to help with jobs that pop up that put a strain on our limited team?
We also need people that enjoy gardening, to help keep the car park free of leaves.
Also, if you know a tree lopper that can give us a quote to remove a tree that is encroaching on the awning of the interview room, that will help as well.
We would pay for your police check, working with children's checks & any training you need.
We are a great team to work with, but we all need a break sometimes so the more people we have the better for all.
Please give Zillah Williams a ring on 0422 583 747 and may God Bless you.
Date |
Event |
|
Term 1 Week 7 Friday 17th March |
Year 2 St Patrick's Day - Mums Night Delisiozo from 4 pm |
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Term 1 Week 8 Saturday 25th March |
Year 3 - Class Picnic at Pilot Beach 12.30 pm - 4 pm Kindergarten - Mums' drinks at Moo and Bean from 4 pm |
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Term 1 Week 9 Saturday 1st April |
Year 3 - Mums' night at Moo and Bean 4 pm for cocktails, 6 pm for dinner. |
|
School Holidays |
Sunday 16th April Year 2 - Picnic afternoon 12 pm - location to be advised depending on the weather. Saturday 22nd April Kindergarten - Class Picnic at Lake Cathie Playground from 10 am |
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Term 2 Week 1 Saturday 29th April |
All School - Mens' Bowling afternoon, at North Haven Bowls Club 12.30 pm lunch, 2 pm Bowls |
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Term 2 Week 2 Saturday 6th May |
Year 1 - Mums Night at Moo and Bean from 4 pm Year 5 - Drinks and Dinner for parents at Kew Hotel |
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Term 2 Week 3 Saturday 13th May |
Kindergarten - Drinks and Dinner at Kew Hotel from 4 pm |
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Term 2 Week 4 Saturday 20th May |
Year 4 - BBQ/Picnic at Pilot Beach 11 am till 1 pm |
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Term 2 Week 5 Saturday 27th May |
Year 2 - Mums drinks at Moo and Bean from 4 pm |
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Term 2 Week 6 Sunday 4th June |
Infants (K-2) - At Bago Maze |
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Term 2 Week 9 Sunday 18th June |
Year 5 - Spring loaded times to be advised closer to date |
*Further dates will be advised via Schoolzine. Please contact your class parent/s for more social activity information.
Class Parent "Friendraising" Group 2023
K: Bel Davis (Will), Brooke Burgess (Edie), Emma Hockham (Benji), Justine Reedy (Mackenzie), Rachel DeVries (Johannes)
1: Katie Barker (Jasmine), Emily Fogg (Jory), Lauren McNeice (Alyssa)
2: Emma Hockham (Olivia), Katie Barker (Madison)
3: Erin Thompson (Jeremy), Blair Maxwell (Samantha), Bel Davis (Oliver), Lidi Patrzala (Iggy)
4: Emily Fogg (Gideon), Tamara Romer (Lincoln), Rachel DeVries (Willem)
5: Michelle Latham (Zarli), Brooke Hudson (Eadie)
6: Erin Thompson (Kynan), Michelle Latham (Jayla)