Dear Parents and Carers

As we enter the halfway point of the term, it is pleasing to hear that covid restriction in Queensland will ease as of the 4th March.  This will allow some significant changes to our school and hopefully signal the return to some more normal routines.  I am appreciative of your continued patience and understanding as we have navigate the last 5 weeks.  We are looking forward to welcoming parents and carers back into our school and moving forward with some of our important start of year celebrations.

As I have indicated previously this year is a significant year for our school community.  There are a number of events that will involve our wider school community in helping set the direction for the future.  These include;

• Catholic Identity Survey

As part of an onging project our staff, students and parents/ carers will be invited to participate in a survey that examines the catholic identity of our school and helps set future direction to grow and maintain this unique school characteristic.

• School Verification

Every 5 years our school undertakes a renewal to reflect on our achievements and set a direction for the coming 5 year period.  This process is validated by an external panel and the recommendations produced become part of our school operational plan moving forward.  The Catholic Identitiy survey data also feeds into this process. 

• 150th Celebrations (or Sesquicentennial)

In 2023 our school community will celebrate 150 years since the school first opened.  Throughout the year we will be planning and preparing for our Sesquicentennial (a word I may never use again!) In the coming week I will be seeking volunteers to be a part of the steering committee for these celebrations.

In addition to these projects we also have some other goals to accomplish throughout the year.  While I am looking forward to where these processes will take us, it is certainly going to be a busy year.  The first order of business however is the hope to return to some normality following the 4th of March deadline.

Please stay conected through our social media, website, emails and newsletters to make sure you know what is happening and how you can be involved.  I am looking forward to working with you throughout the year.

Have a great week.

Tim

Ash Wednesday

Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lent begins the preparations for Easter. We often consider Lent a time to give something up, like lollies or chocolate to show our discipline and sacrifice. The same sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the Cross. Perhaps there is a different way to prepare for Easter, we could instead challenge ourselves to have a change of heart. 

A change to how we act in our everyday life; opening our hearts even more to the other. Lent is a season to ask for forgiveness and search our hearts to also show mercy to those who have hurt or offended us. God shares his mercy and forgiveness with us so we may share it with others. 

Joey's students will mark Ash Wednesday with a classroom liturgy. In accordance with COVID regulations, ashes will be sprinkled upon each child's head, not marked onto their foreheads. 

Project Compassion

Project Compassion is Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal.  Millions of Australians come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.  

The theme of Project Compassion 2022 is ‘For All Future Generations’.  It is an expression of hope and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come.  It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues.  Project Compassion 2022 shares the stories of resilient and inspiring individuals whose lives and futures have been impacted by the ongoing support of our partners and by your generosity. We encourage students to discover the power of giving and the impact that their contribution, however big or small, can have on the lives of others. When we lend a hand to someone in need, they will go on to help others and make better opportunities for future generations.  Compassion is contagious and creates a ripple effect of kindness and prosperity.

Each year, Project Compassion shares feature stories on their website.  The first story for 2022 is that of Anatercia who is 12.  She lives with her brother, mother and elderly grandparents in a small hut in southern Mozambique.  Like many rural communities, Anatercia’s village has no electricity, hospital, secondary school or supermarket.  You can read her story and see how your donation will help those in need here. 

PROJECT COMPASSION FUNDRAISING 

This year, our Year 6 Faith and Service Pastoral group will be selling icy cups each Thursday and Friday during Lent. All monies raised will be donated to Project Compassion.

Each classroom will have a Project Compassion box, students are encouraged to drop any extra coins they may have into the classroom Project Compassion box. 

Loving God,

In the life of Jesus, You have shown us the way of love.

Teach us to follow this way in the great and small events of life.

Grant us a spirit of self-denial and greater love this Lent.

Guide us in the way of compassion, to help our brothers and sisters in need.

We make this prayer through Christ our Lord

Amen.

( www.cathnews.com.)

World Day of Prayer

The World Day of Prayer will be held on Friday, 4th March. In 2022, the host countries are England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These countries form part of the British Isles and whilst there is much they share, they are also diverse, with different languages, cultures and governments. 

The theme for WDP 2022 is God’s promise to his people in exile in Babylon, found in the book of Jeremiah 29:11.

`For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the LORD

`Plans to prosper you and not harm you, Plans to give you hope and a future.’

Artist, Angie Fox created this year's WDP image. She was able to focus on keywords around this year's them and used an image to represent these; 

"Freedom: an open door to a pathway across an endless open vista

Justice: broken chains

God’s Peace and Forgiveness: the dove of peace and a peace lily breaking through the pavement

Overall, a rainbow which has come to represent all these things from the story of Noah through to the modern-day. It is a symbol of the overreaching love of God."

(Angie Fox- WDP Artist)

Our school community will come together with meditation on Friday morning to celebrate WDP and to reflect upon God's promise and to place our trust in God during difficult times.

Hope all have a wonderful few weeks, 

Trina

Year 6 Leadership Day

This week, our Year 6 students of 2022 had a day together to learn about and reflect upon leadership. They began their day with a whole class liturgy, listened to Mr Ham's address about servant leadership, responsibilities and actions. They participated in fun activities throughout the day to build their own leadership skills and collaborative team skills. 

During the day, the first pastoral group meetings were held. Students were able to nominate to join a range of groups; Sports, Japanese, The Arts, Science and Environment and, Faith and Service. Each group developed a plan for events to be included on the Joey's school calendar. 

Delicious pizzas for lunch were also a highlight of the day. 

Thank you to Mr Meekin, Mrs Bennett and Ms Tessa for organising a great, fun-filled day. 

Parent Information Evening - Tuesday 15th March

We are looking forward to meeting parents and carers at our Parent Information Evening on Tuesday 15th March. This is a great opportunity to meet your child's teacher/other families and be informed of curriculum matters, school events and other important information.  

5:45pm Principal's address and introduction to teaching staff

6:00pm - 6:25pm  Session 1 in your child's classroom.

6:30pm - 6:55pm Session 2 in your child's classroom (Repeat of session 1)

Continuity of Learning Site

If your child is unable to attend school due to COVID19 and well enough to engage with learning please access our Continuity of Learning Site.

This hub provides opportunities for students to engage with learning occurring in class for the week they are unable to attend.  

We are expecting next week (Week 6 - Fourth week of school) to be the final week this site is required to support our families. 

Thank you to our wonderful teachers for preparing materials to ensure learning was accessible to our students.

Julie Wallace

Welcome to our library to both past and new parents. As Teacher Librarian in your school I’m here to foster your child’s reading journey.  My aim is to connect your children to books and reading for pleasure as a life long journey. Part of my program is to encourage your child to borrow and read regularly. 

Junior Librarians

Every year children in Years 4 to 6 have the opportunity to apply for the position of Junior Librarian.  I feel very honoured that I have had so many students applying for this position.  Well done to all those students who had successful applications. 

They are now our library ambassadors which will see them providing lunch time activities and promoting reading.  They are asked to continue their reading so they can recommend books to their friends. 

Below is your child’s designated borrowing day.Please ensure they have a library bag.

Library email

Once a month you will receive an email to see what books your child has out. If they have books out this is good news.  The email subject is automatic with a title that says current and overdue books.  Do not panic as children are allowed to have books for two weeks if they need. Just check for ones that are overdue.

A brief look at what happens in the Library every Year

Book Club:  Once a term your child will have the opportunity to buy books for their home library. Your child will receive a catalogue each term outlining some of the books you can buy. This can be done online.  The first time you order books online you will have to set up your child’s details. Ensure you select your teacher and grade correctly. Our first book club will go out March first and is due back Tuesday 8th March.

Author Visit:  During the year, we endeavor to invite an author to our school to talk to children about the craft of writing and publishing books.  Children get to talk to the authors and ask questions during the workshops.  This is an exciting event for students as they meet a famous author.

Book Week: In Term 3 the school hold a literature festival.  Children dress up as their favourite book character and participate in lots of fun activities.

Before school:  Once Covid restrictions are lifted, Children and parents can pop in before school every Friday to read or borrow.

Has your child had their serve of reading aloud today? 

Happy Reading

Belinda Walker

(Teacher Librarian)

School TV is an online resource designed to help parents with useful and practical strategies when facing a range of issues and concerns when raising children in our busy world. 

Joey's families can access School TV from the school website under the STUDENT tab.

There is a wide range of resources available across a range of topics, including Cybersaftey, School Survival and Healthy Bodies. Click here to view the articles from School TV. 

The feature focus for this fortnight's Joey's newsletter is school transitions. Whilst school has been back for a few weeks now, some children may be finding settling in a little more difficult. The current Qld Government Covid restrictions may have made settling into a new classroom, new teacher or even a new school more challenging. 

Please take some time to read through the resources available on School TV; School Transitions.