St Joseph's School Newsletter

Inspired by Mary MacKillop, we strive to achieve excellence in education and pastoral care, foster well being, develop strong values and include all cultures and community members.

Following Jesus' example, we support all cultures and needs by building trusting relationships and fostering high expectations that inspire and empower our children to be compassionate, lifelong learners.

Dear Parents and Carers,

We’ve had another busy fortnight across the school, and there is plenty to share in this week’s newsletter.

We welcome our new students, Thomas (4/5), Shaniyah (4/5), Cassius (4YOK), Theo (3YOK) and their families to our school community. It’s always nice to see new faces at St Joseph’s Primary School.

Assumption of Mary: This morning, we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of Mary with a beautiful liturgy. The Assumption reminds us that, at the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken body and soul into Heaven. We sincerely thank Sister Julianne for her organisation and hard work in helping our school community celebrate this important feast day. We continue to pray for our students who are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

e-Scooters: We ask parents / carers to please ensure that students do not ride an e-scooter to or from school. This is a WA government law, rather than simply a school rule. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

School Fete: Classroom teachers will be in touch with parents / carers in the coming weeks with information about their class stalls. Teachers will be seeking donations to help run the stalls, as well as volunteers to assist on the night.

We would greatly appreciate any time you are able to contribute on Friday 28 August, between 4:30pm and 7:30pm.

We are asking each child and their parent / carer to spend a short period of time helping supervise their class stall during the evening. For example, your family might volunteer from 6:30pm – 6:45pm. Even 15 minutes of your time will make a difference and help ensure the stalls can operate smoothly throughout the evening. Your child’s classroom teacher will provide further details and coordinate the volunteer times.

For those parents / carers wanting to support the fete and volunteer their time on a broader level, Kristy Hutchinson is the coordinator of the event and the school’s front office can put you in contact with her.

Mr Peter O’Mara

Principal

Loving God,

We thank you for the gift of Mary,

who trusted you throughout her life and followed your call with faith and courage.

As we celebrate her Assumption into Heaven,

help us to follow her example of love and trust in you.

May Mary guide and protect our school community

and lead us closer to your Son, Jesus.

Amen.

Confirmation with Bishop Tim: Term 3, Tuesday 25th August, Year 6 children and adults

First Reconciliation: Term 4 Year 4 children date TBA

Children at St Joseph's school will be prepared for Sacraments as part of their Religious Education program.

Families who have children not at St Joseph's school, and wish to be included in the sacrament, can contact Sr Julianne. We have preparation programs that can be done at home with family, or by meeting with Sr Julianne after school hours for preparation.

Missed Sacraments:

We are aware that some children have missed Sacraments in previous years due to absence, sickness, moving house, etc. This is not a problem and can be catered for as part of the program.

Baptism:

Fr Ernest is available for Baptisms at any time throughout the year. Baptismal forms can be collected at the school office and returned to Sr Julianne with a preferred date, or by contacting Fr Ernest directly. Please also let family and friends know about baptisms. Early next term, we will have Baptisms at Mirima.

Mass is held each weekend at St Vincent Pallotti Church on Saturdays 5:30 pm and Sundays at 8:30am.

Weekday Mass times are Wednesday and Friday at 5.30pm.

On Sundays, Children’s Liturgy is sometimes included during Mass.

Fr Ernest is available for Reconciliation on any day, usually from about half an hour before Mass.

When possible, each class will visit the Juniper Aged Care Facility to share an activity with the residents (e.g., singing, Lego, painting, reading, etc.). A permission form and additional information will be sent home prior to the visit.

Term 1: Monday 2 February - Thursday 2 April

Term 2: Monday 20 April - Friday 3 July

Term 3: Tuesday 21 July - Friday 25 September

Term 4: Tuesday 13 October - Friday 11 December

Friday 27 February

Tuesday 3 March

Tuesday 2 June

Monday 20 July

Monday 12 October

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

7.40am to 2.00pm

Thursday

7.40am to 2.00pm

Dear Parents and Families,

Our Pre-Primary/Year 1 class is excited to be running the Bake Sale at this year's School Fete, and we would love your support to help make it a success!

There are lots of ways you can get involved:

• Donate homemade baked goods such as cakes, slices, muffins, biscuits, cupcakes or other sweet treats.
• Donate baking supplies or packaging materials such as paper bags, cupcake boxes or cellophane bags.
• Spread the word by inviting family and friends to come along and support the Bake Sale on the day.

To help us plan, please let me know if you are able to:

• Bake something to donate

• Donate packaging or supplies

All baked goods will need to be clearly labelled with the ingredients used so that we can safely cater for families with allergies.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our class to raise funds while bringing our school community together. Every contribution, big or small, is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your support. We can't wait to see you at the fete!

Kind regards,

Miss Jess"

The Year 5/6 students are seeking donations of small items that will fit inside jars for the upcoming school fete. Please note that we do not require any jars, as we already have plenty.

Donations could include:

• Hair ties and hair accessories
• Lollies and chocolates
• Biscuits
• Small notepads and pencils
• Dried fruit and nuts
• Soaps, body wash and other toiletries
• Candles
• Kids' novelty items
• Other small gift items that fit into a jar

We greatly appreciate your support and generosity. Thank you for helping make our fundraiser a success!

The School Bus leaves at 7.00 am each morning, to pick up children in town.

At Approximately, 7.30, the bus then goes out to Ranch, Reserve & Garden areas.

Children MUST be out the front ready for the bus. With an increase in bus numbers this year, even a one-minute delay at each stop—such as children searching for shoes—can significantly extend the bus run time.

Please ensure that an adult is visible at home when we drop children off at the end of the day, otherwise this can delay the bus with staff having to get out and knock on the door or make phone calls to find you. Just a simple wave to the bus driver is all we need.

St Joseph’s white school bus only

Old Town students: 7.00 -7.30am

Ranch, Reserve & Garden students: 7.30-7.40am

Role of the Director General

Schools are required to publish information about the role of the Director General and the following is recommended: “The Director General of the Department of Education is responsible for ensuring that the school observes the registration standards, including the standard about its complaints handling system. Any student, parent or community member is entitled to contact the Director General with concerns about how the school has dealt with a complaint. Information is available on the Department of Education website. While the Director General may consider whether the school has breached the registration standards, she does not have power to intervene in a complaint or override the school’s decision.”