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Friday 11th November - Remembrance Day
Tuesday 15th November - P and F Meeting @ 6pm
Tuesday 22nd November - Year 6 Rite of Passage 6pm for 7pm start
Wednesday 23rd November - Prep Nativity Play in the Hall at 9am
Monday 28th November - Step Up for 2023 Morning - 9 to 10:30am
Monday 28th November - Joey's Christmas Art Exhibition 5.30 - 7pm
Thursday 1st December - End of Year Mass in the Hall from 8.45am
Friday 2nd December - School finishes at 12pm
Monday 16th January - School Office reopens
Monday 23rd January - First Day of Term 1 2023
Dear Parents and Carers
It is hard to believe that we only have 3 weeks to go until the end of the school year. It is always a hectic time of year but one that sees many important events for our students take place. In the coming weeks we will farewell our 2022 school leaders - our Year 6 classes that have done a wonderful job leading our school community. We will appoint our leaders for 2023 and we will gather as a school community to give thanks for another amazing year at St Joseph's.
Next week our students will be working with an artist in residence on our school Christmas gallery which I am sure will be amazing. I have seen some of the samples and they look fantastic.
Staff are currently working on Semester 2 Report Cards and Class lists for the coming year. We are close to finalising staffing for 2023 and as soon as this has happened we will announce this to our school community. There is often some discussion and speculation about what will happen with teachers and classes for the coming year. We have worked for many years now to ensure that as soon as we have finalised staffing this is communicated to parents and carers. It will be no different this year. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me to discuss.
As you can see there is a great deal happening as we head into the last few weeks. I know everyone is busy at this time of year and I appreciate your patience as we work to finalise this year and plan for the next.
Recently our school completed Verification - a five-yearly whole school review process. An external review team spent 2 days speaking with staff, students, and parents, discussing our achievements and looking to the future. While it has been a long process I am very grateful for the opportunity to recognise our school's wonderful achievements and development over the past 5 years. A sincere thank you to all who were involved in the process and the preparation. A huge thank you to Mrs Neilson and Mrs Wallace for their amazing efforts in helping to prepare for the review. I am very grateful for their talents and support.
Over the coming weeks, a final response and a new 5-year plan for the school will be developed and forwarded to our community. Once again thank you for your ongoing support of our school.
Have a great week.
Tim
Vinnies' Christmas Appeal Launch
Last Thursday, some of our Year 6 Faith and Service group students attended the Saint Vincent De Paul Christmas Appeal Launch at Southern Cross Catholic College. At the launch, Bishop Tim and representatives from Vinnies spoke of the increasing demand for assistance for Townsville families.
Each year, SVDP Christmas Appeal helps to provide families with much-needed food and gift hampers at Christmas time.
Families of St Joseph's are invited to donate to the Christmas Appeal by placing a non-perishable food item in the blue Vinnies box or Christmas basket in classrooms around the school. These donations will be gifted to our local parish SVDP charter at the Christmas Giving Mass on December 1st.
Below is a suggested list of possible food donations. Thank-you for your support.
Remembrance Day
Today, Friday, 11th November is Remembrance Day. A day when we, as Australians, remember those soldiers and citizens who served in the war and lost their lives or sustained heavy injuries. A minute of silence is observed at 11am.
Our students remembered and reflected upon this day with a prayer within their classrooms. Some of our students from Years 4 to 6 whose parents serve or have served in the defence forces attended the Townsville City Council Remembrance Day Service at ANZAC Gardens.
Mission Month
Late in October, our school community sock(ed) it to poverty with Crazy Sock Day. The funds raised will help Catholic Missions Australia to change the lives of families in Ethiopia.
Together with the funds raised from our weekly icy cup stall, Joey's families will gift Catholic Missions Australia with over $700. Thank you for your generous support.
Icy Cups Stall
The Year 6 Faith and Service group have been busy making and selling icy cups over the term. In recent days, they poured their 1000 cup. The stall will continue to be open each Friday afternoon until Friday, 18th November. All monies raised will be donated to the SVDP Christmas Appeal.
Hope all have a wonderful few weeks,
Trina
This week, we recognised and celebrated the efforts of students in our school who live out the Mercy Values of Love, Community and Excellence.
Congratulations to all!
Love |
Matthew Chalmers |
Matthew is a caring and friendly member of 5A who never fails to brighten the day for his friends. Matthew has worked incredibly hard this year and is a valued member of our class. Matthew shows love by sharing encouraging words, and funny jokes and being kind to his friends and peers. Well done Matthew! |
Evelyn Le |
Evelyn starts every day with a lovely morning greeting and a friendly hug. She shows kindness and compassion to her friends and classmates, making sure people know she cares. Well done, Evelyn. |
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Isla Webb |
Isla brightens up everyone's day on a daily bases. She brings love and joy to those around her by greeting them with the biggest smile. She joins in celebrating with others their successes and achievements. Thank you Isla for being ‘you’ and a Joey's kid. |
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Olivia Rolley |
Olivia shows the Mercy Value of Love everyday at Joey’s. She comes to school each day with a smile and goes out of her way to help others. Olivia is a kind and caring friend, making everyone around her happy. Thank you for bringing so much joy to 2B and our whole school community, Olivia! |
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Huia Glover |
Huia is a friendly and caring member of our school community. He goes out of his way to make sure his peers are okay if they are hurt or need help. Huia always uses his manners and comes to school every day with the biggest smile. Thank you for making 2B a great place to be, Huia! |
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Sophia Boyle |
Sophia shows love to every member of our class and can always be counted on to make you feel important and cared for. With her unique wit and charm, Sophia uses her skills to cheer up even the most boring of days. Thanks for creating happiness in our school and caring for the people in it, Sophia. |
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Georgia Fletchett |
Georgia shows the value of Love by being a great friend to others. She notices when someone needs some extra care and shares her smile and kind words with them. Georgia respects differences and ensures that all are valued. Thank you, Georgia for your gentleness and compassion. |
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Wynter Kelly |
Wynter is a delightful student who has heart of gold. She goes out of her way to say kind words to others and is a shining example of how to show love every day. Wynter loves school and is enthusiastic about including others. Well done, Wynter! |
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Community |
Willem Warburton |
Willem goes above and beyond to serve his school community. He is a fantastic role model for his peers and the whole school. Willem is a helpful and caring member of our school and often gives up his Friday class free time to assist Preps. His service to our school is appreciated and the way he shows everyday leadership is to be commended. Thank you for being a fantastic representative of St Joey’s, Willem! |
Ethan Chinsamy |
Ethan consistently demonstrates the Joey's 5Rs. He demonstrates the Joey's way of working hard and doing your best, showing good manners and respect, and being great to your mates. Well done, Ethan! |
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Jonah Smith |
Jonah consistently takes part in every aspect of music classes and instrumental lessons with kindness and wonderful manners. He always offers polite greetings and is a valued member of the St Joseph’s community. A worthy recipient of this award. Congratulations, Jonah. |
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Silvie Holden |
Silvie is always the fastest person to put up her hand whenever volunteers are needed to help in Year 6. She goes out of her way to assist her friends, classmates and staff which makes our school community all that little bit more special. Thank you for your service to our school, Silvie. |
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Sonny Smith |
Sonny is a kind and respectful student who demonstrates the Joey’s 5Rs every day. He sets a great example with his behaviour, both in and out of the classroom and is happy to help others when needed. Sonny always uses his manners and takes pride in his learning space, ensuring his table is tidy before moving on to another activity or leaving the classroom. Well done, Sonny! |
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Grace Sheeran |
Grace has been a committed and active participant of the Eco Warriors group all year. She is always ready to take out the paper bins on a Friday and prepared for other jobs around the school whenever she sees a need. Grace, your community spirit inside the classroom is also admirable in the way that you are a great listener, an encourager and gives everyone a fair go. Thank you for making Joey’s a beautiful place to be. |
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Olivia Nicholls |
Olivia is a polite, considerate and kind classmate who demonstrates the Joey’s 5Rs each and every day. She follows class and school rules and her behaviour sets a great example for those around her. Olivia always greets her teachers in the morning and can be depended on to help out around the classroom. Thanks for sharing the Mercy Value of Community in 3B, Olivia! |
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Pippa Rowan |
Pippa is a kind and friendly classmate. She is incredibly thoughtful and is always willing to help others with her warm and easygoing nature. Pippa looks for ways to make sure everyone is ok and helps to build a fun and caring community at St Joseph’s. You’re wonderful Pippa. Well done! |
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Sarah Shaju
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Sarah helps to make St Joseph’s a lovely place to be. She greets students and staff members with courtesy. Sarah strives to follow the 5Rs and offers to support others with both their school work and in the playground. Thank you for being an excellent role model in our community, Sarah! |
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Oscar Sloan |
Oscar always demonstrates a positive attitude towards everything he does. He always follows the 5Rs and shows kindness to all students and staff. Oscar, you are a wonderful member of our school community. |
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Zyah Robinson |
Zyah is a true Joey’s student. Each day he demonstrates the Joeys 5R’s in the classroom and during play. He is always kind, caring, works hard to achieve his best and is respectful to those around him. Thank you for being a wonderful part of our school community, Zyah! |
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Excellence |
Lucy Whelan |
Throughout the year, Lucy has shone as an example of excellence in Year 6. She strives to do her best in her academic pursuits and always produces high-quality work. In music, she has studied and practised hard to achieve amazing results with piano playing. Lucy’s sheer dedication to athletics and team sports has seen her successfully represent both Townsville and North Queensland. We are so very proud of you Lucy! |
Henry Boucher |
Henry has been working incredibly hard on all his tasks this term, showing a commendable level of rigour and responsibility. He is striving for high standards and going beyond his best. Well done, Henry! |
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Charlotte Dubois |
Charlotte has been working very hard in all learning areas and has shown a massive improvement in her concentration and independence. She always tries her best and has produced some fantastic pieces of work. You should be very proud of yourself, Charlotte! |
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Remi Ryan |
Remi always strives to do her best. She sets high standards for herself and has produced some fantastic pieces of work this year. She has shown increasing enjoyment when writing and loves to share her work with her peers and other teachers. Remi should be very proud of her achievements. Well done, Remi! |
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Harry Jamieson |
Harry has really aimed high this semester and is producing some impressive work. He consistently is focused and engaged with his work and is always striving to complete tasks with quality in mind. Harry, your rigour is commendable and we hope you are as proud of your efforts as we are. |
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Zahara Hughes |
Zahrara has really aimed high this semester and is producing some quality work. In Maths especially, she has listened attentively and asked for help when needed to tackle problems methodically and accurately. Zahara, your handwriting is some of the most beautiful we have ever seen. Thank you for working rigorously. We are very proud of your efforts. |
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Maggie Denmead |
Maggie always strives to do her very best in all subject areas. She always listens and is attentive in class to make sure she knows what she is required to do. Maggie is proud of her work and produces work of a high standard. She follows the Joey’s 5Rs and helps those around her. Congratulations, Maggie! |
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Evie Clair |
Evie has consistently worked hard throughout the year to improve herself in every aspect of her learning. She uses a variety of strategies to be successful and asks for help when needed. Evie strives to do her best for herself and the school. She volunteers her time in the library and shares her skills by supporting others in the library and classroom. Well done Evie! |
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Archie Cooper |
Archie embodies the Mercy Value of Excellence through the way he approaches his school work. He always tries his best in every learning task and eagerly seeks feedback on how he can improve his work. When sharing our work, Archie makes sure to always give praise to other students on their efforts and gives ideas on how they could improve. Congratulations Archie! |
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Chloe Cheetham |
Chloe has worked extremely hard this semester. She always asks for help and is always looking for ways to improve her learning. Chloe is kind and caring towards her classmates and it has been wonderful to watch her confidence grow this year. Congratulations, Chloe! |
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Hudson Coates |
Hudson has worked very hard this year and produced pleasing results. He particularly shows hard work and dedication to mathematics. Hudson always looks for ways to challenge himself. He should be very proud of himself. Congratulations, Hudson |
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Ruby McKellar |
Ruby always strives to do her best in all areas of learning. She is a student who shows confidence by having a go when learning new strategies and is always proud of her outcomes. Well done Ruby and congratulations on your wonderful year of learning. |
Semester Reports
Semester Two Reports will be published via Compass on Friday 2nd 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 available.
For instructions on how to access your child's report, please follow the steps outlined in the document below:
2023 Transition Morning - Step-Up Morning
On Monday, 28th November, your child will meet their new classmates and teachers for 2023. Students will enjoy a morning of activities in their new classroom. Step-Up Morning is always a fun morning and a great way for students to get to know their teachers for the coming year.
End of year returns: All books must be returned during week 7 especially for students leaving the school.
An email will be generated at the end of week 7 to let you know what books your child still has out. If your students are new to the school they will not get an email as the system has not been updated with their full details.

Lunch times: Children can escape the heat with a game on Kahoot or a board game like Bookopoly.
Year 1: This term some children will received a book gift when they reach 50 books borrowed for the year. They are welcome to borrow 3 books each week. Please continue to enjoy reading picture books with your child as it is a valuable educational activity and it is also quality time together.
Book Club: This will be handed out to students next week. If your child has a voucher from a prize they won in book week they need to bring it to me to receive their prize.
Happy reading Magazines
Belinda Walker
(Teacher Librarian)
Dear Parents and Carers
It has been a busy term so far rehearsing and recording music and singing for both the end-of-year virtual instrumental music concert and the interactive Christmas story featuring the entire school. Keep an eye out for these in the coming weeks.
Instrumental Music Enrolment 2023
As many of you know, our instrumental music program is extremely popular and places are regularly booked out. Enrolment in the music program for 2023 is now open and you can find the enrolment form here. St Joseph's offers tuition in guitar, bass guitar, piano, woodwind, recorder, drums and percussion, and singing.
More information on the instrumental program is available on our website here.
All current 2022 instrumental music students need to be re-enroled for 2023 if they wish to continue lessons into the new year.
If your child is in year 2 to year 6 in 2023, then they are eligible to take part. I encourage parents that are considering enroling their child/ren in instrumental music to do so as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Enrolments close on Friday 25th November.
Please let me know if you have any questions via email or by phoning the school office.
Kind Regards
Jason Bennett
This year, Joey's families are invited to come together to celebrate Christmas with our first-ever Christmas Art Gallery.
The art gallery will showcase each student's unique Christmas creations, which they will create with our two artists in residence, Jenny and Joanne.
Parents and families are welcome to wander through the art gallery to admire each art piece between 5:30 and 7pm on Monday, 28th November. The Joey's school choir will be present throughout the evening to sing Christmas carols.
Joey's P and F will be selling beverages throughout the evening and we thank them for their ongoing support. Families are welcome to bring their own snacks and a picnic mat.
Year 6 2022 Rite of Passage
Tuesday, 22nd November
Celebration and Award Presentation begins at 7pm
Canapes and Photos from 6pm
St Joseph's Church
6 guests per student
Last Friday, we welcomed the Prep class of 2023 to our school community. Our newest Joey's children enjoyed a morning of painting, building with blocks, making bracelets and meeting new friends.
Thank you to the Prep teachers and staff for making the morning fun for all.
We look forward to welcoming them back on their first day in 2023.
Mary Help of Christians Parish Sacramental Program
Children 8 years or older can now be enrolled in the Sacramental Program for 2023.
Please contact the Parish office; 47213765 or stjoeys@tsv.catholic.org.au for further information.
Dates for preparation times and celebration Masses can be found below.