Dear Parents and Carers 

As we conclude 2024 I wanted to take this chance to thank you for your continuing support of St Joseph's, our students, staff and wider community.  It has been another incredible year for our school, made better today with the news that our NAPLAN results are the highest of any school in North Queensland.  Our results have been excellent in previous years but our 2024 results are particularly pleasing.

This news today highlights what an extraordinary community Joeys is and is the icing on the cake of another year of wonderful achievements.  I have said many times that these achievements do not simply happen but are the result of hard work, dedication and collaboration.  Everyone has a role to play and when this happens, great achievements follow.  Thank you for the role you have played in making 2024 such a terrific year for our school.

I would like to thank our dedicated staff for everything they do for our students and community.  Much of what happens takes place behind the scenes but I can assure you their commitment and dedication is nothing short of inspiring.  This year we farewell a number of staff who are moving on to new adventures.  Tracey McChonocie, Brooke Stanek and Kye Johnston (school officers), Ben Alsop (Groundsman) and Michelle Jones (Teacher) leave us to take up new positions.  Words are never enough to convey our thanks and gratitude for all they have given to our school during their time with us.  On behalf of our whole school community, I offer our sincere thanks to all of these individuals who have contributed so richly to our lives.  We hope they leave us with wonderful memories of their time as part of our Joeys community.

I would like to thank our amazing students for a terrific year, in particular our Yr 6 school leaders.  As they move on to high school we wish them all the very best for their future.  To the families leaving St Joseph's, our thoughts and best wishes go with you.  We are very grateful to you all for your role in making our school community what it is today.  We hope you leave with as many wonderful memories as you leave behind.

Finally I would like to thank Trina Neilson - APRE and Julie Wallace - APPL for their incredible support, energy and dedication to our school.  I am grateful for all that they do and all that they make possible.  As a school we are indeed fortunate to have such hard-working and dedicated leaders.

I hope you all have a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I look forward to another terrific year in 2025.

Enjoy the break!

Tim

Advent

Advent wreaths are a tradition used to mark the four weeks of Advent as we prepare for the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.  Its usual form is a horizontal evergreen wreath holding four candles.  Each week, a candle is lit.  The underlying symbolism is that the accumulation of light expresses the growing anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the world's light.  Three candles are violet-coloured to symbolise faithful expectation, and the rose candle symbolises joy and hope.  Finally, the circular wreath represents God’s eternal love with no beginning or end.  Making an advent wreath and praying a blessing each week with your children is a beautiful way to countdown to Christmas.  

Blessing for the Advent Wreath

Lord God, Your Church joyfully awaits the coming of its Saviour,
who enlightens our hearts and dispels the darkness of ignorance and sin.
Pour forth your blessings upon us as we light the candles of this wreath;
may their light reflect the splendour of Christ,
who is Lord, forever and ever.  Amen.

Thank you

Throughout the year, our Year 6 Faith and Service group have held a number of fundraising activities - icy cups, Jibbet sales, Guess the Number of Easter Eggs competition and the sale of lolly bags. 

Through your very generous support, this group of Year 6s have raised over $2000 to gift to several charities that support vulnerable members in our community.

A sincere thank you for your support.

2024: A Year to Remember at Joey's!

This year, St. Joseph's has made remarkable strides in shaping the future of our students' learning. Leading the charge in our diocese, we brought two of the biggest names in literacy education, Professor Pamela Snow and Professor Tanya Serry, to Townsville. Our teaching team and support officers were inspired and equipped with evidence-based practices to effectively teach reading and writing to all children.

But we didn’t stop there!

In 2024, our teachers received training in a highly successful explicit writing program. The results have been nothing short of phenomenal, with student writing levels across the school reaching new heights. This achievement is the culmination of a four-year strategic plan to systematically train all teachers in how to teach reading and writing effectively from an early age. Thank you to Mr Ham and our P&F for supporting our staff to access this gold-star training.

The impact of this hard work was further reflected in yesterday’s NAPLAN results. Our Year 5 students topped North Queensland—the first time a Catholic school in our diocese has achieved this incredible outcome. Meanwhile, our Year 3 students outperformed their peers across Australia.

These achievements are a direct result of the united effort of all our staff, from Prep to Year 6, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcomes for every student.

Here's to continuing this incredible momentum into 2025!

Semester Two Reports (Reminder)

Semester Two Reports will be published via Compass tomorrow, Friday 6th December at 12pm. You will need your Compass username and password to access these reports. Please see the office if you do not have this information. 

If your child is in Year 6 or if you are leaving our school please download your child's report from Compass before 30th December. After the 30th of December, access via Compass will not be

Have a wonderful holiday, and thank you for being part of Joey's community.

Julie Wallace

Assistant Principal - Pedagogy and Learning

A great evening of Christmas cheer, song and dance was had at the annual Christmas Concert. 

Thank you to Joey's P and F for their ongoing support of the event. 

Congratulations to Tasman (Year 2) whose design was chosen for the Townsville City Council Festive Flags for 2024. 

Tasman was presented with his prize by Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney last week. 

Tasman's class will visit the Strand this week to view his winning entry, where it proudly flies on the roundabout near Juliette's. 

Congratulations Tasman!

We have a number of valuable items in the office that have been handed in.

• Watches.
• Rings.
• Pendants.
• Reading glasses.

If you or your student has lost any of these, please see the office with a description and hopefully we can find the owner.

If your student has any medication at the school please collect and sign out before 12pm, 6th December. If these medications are not collected by 2.30pm on 13th December at the latest, they will be taken to a chemist and be destroyed as per TCEO Workplace Health & Safety guidelines.

On your students return in 2025, the medication will need to be signed back in at the office, however no further paperwork will be needed. Please make sure all returned medication is in date and labelled by a doctor (not a pharmacist).

Over the past few weeks, Mrs Sloan, Ms Jones and Miss Monica have held a competition for students to have their say about what makes Joey's library an amazing place to be. 

With over 100 entries, it was a difficult choice, however, one thing is very clear the library is an amazing place to be. 

Some of the listed reasons to visit the library; 

*Amazing stories to be told and read

*A place to make new friends

*Always time for drawing and making crafts

*Kahoot! is played

*Adventures can be found among the shelves!

Congratulations to the competition winners - Ivy-Grace, Alexia and Evie.