Dear Parents and Carers

Firstly, welcome back to an unusual beginning to the school year.  I am very grateful to all families for assisting us this week by utilising the drop-off and pick up zone, wearing masks and limiting your access to the school grounds.  We have had some positive Covid notifications this week, with the relevant classes being notified.  Please continue to monitor students for any symptoms over the coming weeks. Students exhibiting any symptoms are unable to attend school.  

We appreciate that this is not the ideal beginning to the school year and that many of our normal routines are affected.  We continue to look for options to move ahead with some of these important events and as solutions present themselves these will be communicated to our community.

In recognition of the current situation Mrs Wallace, our Learning and Teaching Advisor, has been working with our teachers to develop a continuity of learning platform for students.  This platform will provide students and families with the opportunity to access weekly activities that they may miss due to a covid isolation period.  More information regarding this will be emailed directly to families on Monday of next week.  I am very appreciative of the work that has gone into this platform to ensure that students are able to continue work at home in key learning areas should they be well enough to do so.  This is above and beyond what has been recommended by the Queensland Government Return to School Plan.

Last year we took time to review data around our newsletter circulation and access.  As a result of this review, in 2022 our newsletters will be published Fortnightly.  We will review this again throughout the year and provide an opportunity for feedback later in the year as to the effectiveness of this change.  I anticipate that 2022 will see an increase in direct communication with families via email as this year is going to be a particularly busy one for many reasons.

Once again thank you for your support this week.  

Tim

Prayer Theme for 2022

This year, the prayer theme explores our Mercy Value of Excellence. Through prayer experiences, our students are asked to reflect upon ways they can show excellence. Excellence is not only defined as always being the best or the first, instead, it can also be defined as showing persistence and striving for one's own personal goals. Students are encouraged to work hard at achieving something important to them. These goals do not need to be grand to demonstrate excellence. 

Catherine McAuley, founder of the Mercy Sisters often spoke and wrote about seeking ways to improve personal strengths and challenging ourselves to be better people in our communities. 

Year 6 Leadership Prayer Celebration

Due to continuing Covid restrictions, we were unable to hold our Beginning of Year Mass. As a school community we hope to acknowledge and present our Year 6 students with their leadership badges at a Year 6 Prayer Celebration on Wednesday, 23rd February at 8:45 am in the Hall. Parents of Year 6 students are welcome to attend. The details of this event may change depending on Covid regulations. 

Hope all have a wonderful week, 

Trina

Welcome back to our unusual but very exciting start to 2022. 

While this is the first official teaching week with our wonderful students, this is not the first week for our teachers and staff members.  Refining programs to ensure key concepts are covered due to the shortened term, examining data relating to your child and preparing for possible scenarios of student absence have all been considered and plans implemented to ensure continuity of learning.

If your family needs to isolate during the next few weeks:

Our teachers at Joey's have been very proactive with preparing online access to resources for those students who are required to stay at home.  These materials will be hosted on our 'Continuity of Learning'  website that will be emailed to families on Monday morning 14/2/22.  This website has been created to focus on the essential learnings we would like students to engage with at home if they are well. The activities listed align with the major learnings in class for the week.

If your child is unwell we do not expect them to engage with this learning hub.  Students attending school do not need to engage with this learning hub either.

What has been happening beyond the gates at Joey's this week (Week 3 also known as the first week of school)?

Prep

Our Prep students accompanied their parents to a very exciting official start this week. Being 'sashed' upon arrival by our Year 6 Leaders, our Prep students have begun to settle into the routine of school.  Did you know they were fishing for letters of the alphabet and numbers at Joey's?

Year 1

Independent Year 1 students!  Each morning I have been fortunate to witness the maturity displayed by our Year 1 students as they approached and entered Joey's with their heads held high.  The confidence of these ex-prep students to walk to their new classrooms and organise themselves must be commended.  Fostering this sense of independence is an aim of Year 1. To display it in the first week of school is outstanding.  

Year 2 

Did you know the Gruffalo one of our favourite texts is used to teach students about vocabulary and sentence structure?  Can you spot the new vocabulary explored with our students from the Gruffalo? Strolling into Year 2 each day students have been astounded by the feast in their lunchboxes.

Year 3

Number detectives are in full force in Year 3.  Students have been examining odd and even numbers plus writing numbers in a variety of ways. Did you know we use cards to learn about numbers in Year 3?

Year 4

Ambitious vocabulary is a focus in Year 4.  What better way to learn about vocabulary than exploring Lemony Snickets 'The Bad Beginning'? Year 4 students will be creating narratives including character development and plot tension. 

Year 5

Flash fiction...ever heard of it? Our Year 5 students will be experts in this area in the next few weeks.  Mapping the structure of a piece of writing had students exploring endings with impact. We can't wait to read what they produce in the upcoming weeks.

Year 6

Leaders of tomorrow....forget that!  Year 6 are leaders of today (8am Monday on the first day to be exact).  Walking with pride onto the school grounds, Year 6 leaders were immediately called upon to assist with the organisation, welcoming and changes to the routine of our Joey's families. 

Have a lovely week.

Julie Wallace

Swimming@Joey’s - Years 3-6 Lessons (Term 1)

As part of our school HPE program, the students in Years 3-6 will begin swimming lessons this term (beginning next week). Lessons will be conducted with qualified instructors at Tobruk Pool every Friday, commencing next Friday 18/2 (week 4) and concluding Friday 25/3 (week 9). There will be no swimming lessons on Friday 18/3 (Week 8) due to St. Joseph’s Day celebrations. Our St Joey's Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday 25 February (Week 5). Classes will walk to their lessons each week and parents are needed to assist with the supervised walk. If you are able to help, please contact your child's classroom teacher. Parent helpers will need to be double vaccinated, complete our Volunteer Induction For Parents & Carers (school webpage) and meet the class outside the school office. The cost of the lessons will be added to Term 1 school fees. Please note that the lessons are Sunsafe and sun shirts are required. Students are encouraged to bring thongs/crocs to school for the walk to the pool.

St. Joseph's Annual Swimming Carnival. 

Unfortunately, parents will be unable to attend our school Swimming carnival this year.

Who: Students in Years 3-6.

Year 2’s turning 8 this year who can proficiently swim 50m are invited to attend. Please advise Mr Meekin - email below.

Prep to Year 2’s will have ‘Wet Day’ activities @ The Water Park. Information to follow.

When: Friday 25 February (9.00am - 12.00 noon approx)

Where: Tobruk Pool

What: Annual Swimming Carnival. Students come to school with swimmers on underneath clothing, ready to swim. House colours may be worn. Thongs/Crocs can be worn to the carnival, however, shoes and socks will be needed to be worn after returning to school.  

If any parents are able to assist with the putting up and taking down of tents, it would be greatly appreciated. The success of the carnival is reliant on parental support. Please email Anthony Meekin (ameekin@sjnwtsv.catholic.edu.au) if you are able to assist with tents.

We look forward to another wonderful carnival day.

Volunteers Needed:

Tent set up 7am

Tent pack up 12 noon