eNews Term 2, Week 9, 2025

Dear Parents, Carers, Teachers, and Students, 

Welcome to Week 9 – Final Newsletter for Semester 1, 2025. 
Teachers are currently finalising Semester 1 reports, which reflect your child’s progress based on a wide range of assessments and classroom learning experiences throughout these past two terms. These reports will be available via SEQTA on Thursday, 3rd July. As always, parents and caregivers are warmly encouraged to connect with their child’s teacher to discuss progress, celebrate achievements, or raise any concerns at any time. 

Please note that Term 3 begins on Tuesday, 22nd July, as Monday, 21st July, is a staff professional learning day. 

We look forward to welcoming our Mid-Year Reception students and their families to a special afternoon tea on Monday, 21st July, at 2:30 pm. This informal gathering is a lovely opportunity for new students to meet their classmates and teachers, and to become familiar with their new learning environment before officially starting school the following day. 

Last week, we launched to the community St Joseph’s School's ‘New’  
Personal Responsibility Policy.  Copies of this policy are available in the Administration Office. In addition to this policy at St. Joseph’s School, we continually seek ways to enhance our support for our families, staff, and students. This week, you may notice some structural changes around our Administration Office. These updates are part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe, welcoming, and efficient environment for everyone, including parents, guardians, allied health professionals, and all visitors to our school. 

Our office staff are often the first point of contact for families and visitors. They're dedicated professionals who work with compassion and respect, and we’re incredibly grateful for the calm and thoughtful way they support our community each day. In turn, we kindly remind all families and visitors of our shared responsibility to uphold these same values—treating each other with courtesy and understanding, especially during times of challenge or change. 

To support this, we’ve included a copy of our Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct with this newsletter. It outlines the respectful behaviours we expect and model, so that everyone, staff, students, and families, feel safe, valued, and supported in our school. 

Pastoral Staffing Update – Semester 2 

As we approach the end of Term 2, I will share with you some important staffing updates that will take effect at the beginning of Term 3. 

Firstly, we extend our grateful thanks and appreciation to Miss Jane Lane and Mrs Sheree Biddle, who have each made the decision to resign from their current teaching roles. Jane has been teaching in Year 3 and Sheree in Reception. Both have made significant contributions to the life of our school, and we extend to them our gratitude and every blessing for the future. 

We are also delighted to share the joyful news that Georgia O’Neil is expecting her first child early in the new year. We celebrate this exciting time with Georgia and her husband, Alex, along with the extended family and pray for her good health in the months ahead. 

Considering these staffing changes, I have been working closely with leadership and teaching teams to ensure a smooth transition and continued excellence in teaching and learning for all our students. From the beginning of Term 3, several class allocations will be adjusted to support consistency and stability for each year level. 

Additionally, Sheridan Eccles has decided to reduce her teaching load to four days a week, effective from the beginning of Term 3. 

We are very pleased to welcome Mrs Ellie Schumacher, who will be joining our Year 1 teaching team. Ellie brings a wealth of experience, deep professional knowledge, and a genuine passion for Catholic education. We are thrilled to have her join the St Joseph’s community. 

Subject to final confirmation, I am pleased to share the following overview of class teachers for Semester 2: 

Mid-Year Intake (Reception): 
• Skye Nayda 

Reception: 
• Lisa Watkins 
• Victoria Johnson (returning from maternity leave) 
• Sarah March 

Year 1: 
• Ellie Schumacher (new to our community) 
• Amy Aunger 
• Claire Paice 

Year 3: 
• Sheridan Eccles 
• Jon Schultz (transitioning from Year 1) 

I thank you for your continued trust and support. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or would like to discuss how these changes may relate to your child. 

Wishing all families a safe and restful break. 

Ros Oates 
Principal 

Thank you. Below is a small infographic in line with our code.   

2026 ENROLMENTS 

Enrolments are also open for the beginning of 2026. Children who turn five from 1 November 2025 until 30 April 2026 can begin school in Term 1 of 2026.   

Contact the school administration to register your interest and book a Principal's tour.  
 
It is not too late to register for our JOEY’s transition program, which is available from Term 3, 2025, for all children starting school at the beginning of 2026. This is also a free program for those students.  

You are invited to Register Now for JOEY’s Transition Program & Information Session/s.

Register Now for JOEY’s Transition Program & Information Session/s 2025

Mary MacKillop Play – Term 2 – Week 10 – Thursday 3rd July 

Mary MacKillop is our school’s Patron Saint and her sisters are recognised as the founders of our beautiful school. Mary MacKillop is also Australia’s first and only saint. To celebrate this significance, three Mary MacKillop Plays will be performed this Thursday, 3rd July. The plays will be performed in the Performing Arts Centre. Reception to Year 6 students will watch a performance titled, ‘Young Mary’ and the Year 7-9 students will attend a play titled, ‘Sister, Mary of the Cross.’ Below are times for the plays; 

• Reception to Year 3 – 9-10am 
• Year 4 to 6 – 11:45 – 12:45 
• Year 7 to 9 – 1:40 – 2:40 

Farewell Deacon Arturo 

This weekend, Deacon Arturo Jimenea will be farewelled from the Murray Bridge Catholic Community after his 3.5 years of service. There will be a farewell for him at the 11am Mass, this Sunday, 29th June. School families are most welcome to attend. We wish Deacon Arturo and his wife Mary, all the best. 

Prayer Services and Class Masses 

Parents and Grandparents are most welcome to attend our Prayer Services and Masses. The final Prayer Service and Mass dates for this term are; 

• Year 4 Mass – Wednesday 2nd July at 9:30am in the Church 
• Year 6 Community Prayer - Friday 4th July at 12:40 at the Auditorium 

First Eucharist 

11 students from St Joseph’s School have been prepared to receive their final Sacrament of Initiation, First Communion. These will receive First Communion on either Saturday 28th June at 6pm or on Sunday 29th June at 11am. Keep these students in your prayers as they prepare for this special occasion, which will make them full members of the Catholic Church. 

Important Dates 

• Wednesday 2nd July – Year 4 Mass 9:30am 
• Friday 4th July – Community Prayer 12:40 - 1:00pm – led by Year 6 

Last week, our Year 8/9 students headed out to Mt Crawford Forest for their Outdoor Education camp—and what an unforgettable experience it was!

Camping at the beautiful Rocky Paddock Campground, students were surrounded by giant granite boulders and tall forest trees, making for a spectacular and immersive outdoor setting. The group embraced the full camping experience—carrying all their gear in rucksacks, setting up their own tents, and cooking all their meals on camp stoves.

Students rotated through leadership roles including camp leader, navigator, front marker, and back marker, and all rose to the challenge of working together to keep the group safe and organised. One of the highlights was the walk through the forest to the campsite, where even though the rucksacks felt like they got heavier with each step, students enjoyed the peaceful surrounds and sense of adventure.

Evenings were spent cooking meals, enjoying a campfire and playing Uno or spotlight in the dark forest, which was a huge hit. Our summit hike to Mt Crawford provided stunning views, and students were proud of the effort it took to get there. 

We were incredibly fortunate with the weather—clear blue skies during the day and mild temperatures at night made for ideal conditions. Students were pleasantly surprised by how warm and cosy they were in their tents.

A huge thank you to our staff—Mr Law, Mr Hundal, and Mr Harty—for their support and leadership throughout the camp. A special thank you also goes to Alex Law, who generously volunteered his time to support both staff and students. His presence helped make the experience even more memorable for all involved.

This camp allowed students to grow in independence, resilience, and teamwork. It’s safe to say it’s an experience they’ll remember for many years to come.

Josh Law
Outdoor Education Teacher

On Wednesday 12th June 2025, our Year 7/8 boys represented St Joseph’s at the School Sport SA Basketball Carnival held at the Murray Bridge Showgrounds. The team played against River Mallee Districts, Oakbank, and Murray Bridge High School across a challenging day of competition.

While we didn’t come away with a win, the boys demonstrated great determination and a positive attitude throughout. They showed strong sportsmanship, supported one another on and off the court, and listened well to their coach, improving with each game. Despite the tough results, the students enjoyed the day, took on feedback, and kept their spirits high.
Well done to all who participated – your effort, enthusiasm, and resilience were excellent!