NAIDOC WEEK 2023 'For Our Elders'
We acknowledge that our school is on the traditional country of the Ngarrindjeri people. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs, and relationships with the land. We acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Ngarrindjeri people living today.
Every year in the first week of July we celebrate NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920′s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
This years theme is For Our Elders, recognising how across every generation, Elders have played and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our communities and families.
They have guided generations and paved the way for them to take the paths they can take today. Guidance, not only through generations of advocacy and activism, but in everyday life and how to place themselves in the world. First Nations People draw strength from their knowledge and experience, in everything from land management, cultural knowledge to justice and human rights. Across multiple sectors like health, education, the arts, politics, and everything in between, they have set the many courses they follow.
This year we will be called to vote in a referendum where Australians will be asked whether to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. At Mass a few weeks ago Fr John Vildzius shared with us how much Jesus loved and worked for all people. Below are some of the thoughts Fr John shared with us.
“Today we hear how Jesus felt sorry for the people because they were harassed and dejected. As always, Jesus took action. He didn’t just make promises…he did what was needed. You and I, as people who bear his name, are also called to love, care and feel deeply for people. In this spirit you and I are called to consider deeply the issue of the Voice for our Indigenous people. When it comes to the referendum, we are called to vote in the spirit of Jesus…given what we know about the values and principles of Jesus, how in conscience do we think Jesus would want us to vote? Have we prayed about this? It’s not too late.”
On Monday, July 3rd a group of our Indigenous students and teachers will meet on the East side of the bridge at 9:10am to take part in the annual NAIDOC Week Bridge Walk. We will walk to the Council offices where the presentations for the NAIDOC awards will be presented. Please see the flyer below for other NAIDOC week activities.
This year St Joseph’s is supporting St Vincent de Paul for their annual winter appeal. This year the focus is on the homelessness crisis devastating older women. Any donations to the Winter Appeal are directly supporting those most in need in our local community. Together we can provide basic essentials to resolve dignity in times of need. Your donation can help remove a major stress for families. Your support also helps dedicated volunteers to work with people living in poverty, and provide assistance when life is tough.
A big thank you for your support of our Pyjama Day last term for the Vinnies Winter Appeal. We are pleased to announce that through your generous donations we were able to raise $650.00. This money will go to support those in need in our community as we know there are many who are finding it very hard this winter. This term we will continue to collect any good warm clothing, blankets, sleeping bags etc that you are no longer using. These can be placed in the bins in the office area.
Dear parents, carers, teachers and students,
Welcome to the last newsletter for Term 2. The colder weather has made it challenging to end the Semester. Still, I'm proud of how students, parents and staff have handled the changes, the differences and the surprises that have been included since the beginning of the year. It is a credit to everyone that we have navigated these obstacles with resilience and a genuine concern for the well-being of others.
I look forward to the break, knowing we will return to a far more settled Term 3.
Semester 1 Reports will come home on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 5, in a sealed envelope for parents. Teachers have also spoken to relevant parents about their child's Personal Plans for Learning (PPLs). If you have been unable to respond to a teacher's request for a meeting, it would be appreciated if this is arranged as soon as possible.
As a reminder, holidays start Friday, July 7, at 2.05 pm and not at the regular time of 3.05 pm. We resume again on Monday, July 24, at 8.30 am with the coffee van in attendance if you are able to start with a cuppa and a little welcome-back conversation with staff, families and friends.
Catholic Schools Open Week
August 21-27, 2023 (Term 3, Week 5)
Open Week in Catholic schools is held annually each August. It is an excellent opportunity for public members to visit our school and discover the wonderful learning opportunities we offer at St Joseph's School. I wish to congratulate Elijah Rigney, Year 8 and Indie March, Year 1, who were selected to represent our school in a photo shoot earlier in the year. Elijah's portrait photograph will be featured on the back of a selected Adelaide bus, bus shelter and in the newspaper in the coming months. Both student portrait photos will also be seen throughout our Murray Bridge community in several promotional campaigns.
As we come to yet the end of another term, please keep safe over the holidays in whatever you do, and remember to take some time for yourselves to recharge and re-energise—an important step to be ready to return and participate in the Semester 2 of learning.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you want to follow up on anything from this newsletter or as a general inquiry. Let us know if we can support you or any other families in our community who may need a helping hand.
Kindest regards,
Mrs Ros Oates
​Principal
Our school will continue to emphasise that students, staff and site visitors showing COVID-19 symptoms should stay away from school until acute symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever) have cleared.
• Staff are required to notify the school if they return a positive COVID-19 test.
• Families should notify the school/centre if their child returns a positive COVID-19 test.
Catholic Festival Choir
In September the festival choir will have the wonderful opportunity of performing the 2023 songs which include a Disney medley marking one hundred years of Disney. The choir is made up of 28 students from year 5 and 6 who are rehearsing and practicing diligently every Tuesday and Wednesday.
It is Elena and Emily’s first year in the choir and they are very excited to perform in the festival theatre in Adelaide.
Reception
In Music, the children have been exploring sounds that different animals make and notating their favourite animals to use as a piece of music for their animal choir performance in class.
This is McKenzy’s (RJ) notated creature choir music.
Year 1 and 2
In Drama students have been using the text from the book ‘Too Many Cheeky Dogs' by Johanna Bell and Dion Beasley as an inspiration for creating a cheeky dog character to present as a role play to perform to the class.
Students have also been exploring using a character voice to introduce a finger puppet animal.
In Music the students have been singing the songs BINGO and Old Mac Donald as they played percussion instruments to highlight the beat and rhythm of the songs.
The year two students have also been listening to the different sounds that musical instruments make and recognising what they look like.
Celeste’s Cheeky Dog’s name is Spotty, its favourite food is fruit and Spotty is afraid of people.
The Year 9's have been learning how to play the Ukulele during Semester 1. They performed for the year 1 classes last week as part of their final Performance assessment. The Year 1 Students loved the performance and sang along with the year 9's playing their Ukulele's.
On Wednesday Week 8, the Middle Years girls went to Karoonda to play Knockout netball against 4 other schools in the district. They braved the cold weather and enjoyed playing as a team against Unity, Murray Bridge High, River Murray District and St Francis.
Children's Book Week 2023 will be here before you know it, from 19 - 25 August. This year's theme is 'Read, Grow, Inspire'. Watch out for updates as we plan for lots of fun actvities and read lots of wonderful books!
Mark will aim to provide facts about ASD, but this isn't his primary goal. The workshop will explore how receiving this diagnosis may feel, what it means, and how parents can achieve connected and respectful behaviours in their children.
The event will have online and in-person attendance options. Mark Le Messurier is a teacher, counsellor, author and public speaker. He works in private practice as a mentor to children, adolescents and as a coach to parents. The details of the event are in this flyer:
Date: Tuesday 4 July 2023 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Location: St John the Baptist Catholic School 342 Anzac Highway, Plympton Cost:
Free Registration: Register via the CESA Registration Centre. https://registrationcentre.cesa.catholic.edu.au/event-5305598
If we have a number of families interested in attending the session live, Mrs Oates is happy to arrange some carpooling from St Joseph's School. If enough interested we can also take our school bus. Please get in touch with Leesa Angove in administration, 85342000, to register your interest in transport options. Individuals will need to register for the workshop via the link on the flyer.
Starting School This July?
Like all Catholic schools across South Australia, St Joseph's School will continue to offer free mid-year Reception enrolment intake for students who turn five on or before October 31, 2023, to reduce the financial burden on families. Please see the common questions below about children being ready to start school.
When can my child start school?
St Joseph's School offers two intakes per year for children starting Reception.
Term 1 enrolment – for children who turn five years on or before April 30.
Term 3 enrolment (Mid-Year intake) – for children who turn five years on or before October 31.
Why a Mid-Year intake?
A large body of research shows the benefit of high-quality early learning and care experiences for children in their first 1,000 days of life and the years before school.
Students who start in Term 3 are likely to spend 18 months in Reception before progressing to Year 1. Reception students who join a 2023 mid-year intake at a Catholic school will get free tuition in Terms 3 and 4.
The free intake includes tuition fees and compulsory charges. It will exclude uniforms and extra-curricular costs.
Please call the administration office, 85342000, to make an appointment with the Principal to discuss enrolment and mid-term intake or tour the school.
We currently have a vacancy for a Cleaning position.
Commencing as soon as possible
Days of Work would be Monday to Friday from 3:30pm, totalling approximately 12-15 hours per week during school terms.
If you are interested please contact Carol Rowland, Business Manager to discuss 8534 2000.
One-on-One tuition for drum and guitar is available at St Joseph's School on a weekly basis.
For more information on lessons and costs please contact Nathan Hill on 0448 426 946
Important Dates
NAIDOC Week, 2 - 9 July 2023
Whole School Mass in the Church and Parish Centre 9.30am
Term Two Concludes at 2.05pm
Mid Year Break - 8 to 23 July
Term Three Commences at 8.30am
Upcoming Events
Wear Your Pyjamas to School Day
All staff and students are invited - for a gold coin donation - to wear their pyjama or winter woolies to school!
All valuable funds raised will be sent to the St Vincent DePaul's Winter Appeal.
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