Term 3, Week 3
Vision Statement
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.
Mission Statement
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.
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGES
Dear Parents/carers,
It’s hard to believe, but we are already into Week 3, Term 3, and St Joe’s students have been extremely busy. Already a huge success with so many wonderful highlights such as the 100 Days of School, Cross Country and of course a water fun afternoon on Friday. As such I thank all staff for their support in making this school the very special place it is. We have fabulous staff, wonderful students and a very supportive community all of which are enablers for an exemplary school. I am so proud of our School Spirit.
I also thank and acknowledge the efforts of all parents and community members for your fantastic support of our children. A special thank you to Kristy and Damien, who seem to be working behind the scenes at all our school events. I encourage parents/carers to get involved when events are on so we can share the load – together, is the way.
In staffing news, a special thank you and farewell to Chantelle and Bernie. Both such loved members of our school community are off on new adventures. Whilst we will miss them, the door is always open at St Joe’s for a return. We wish them both well and may the next part of their road be blessed.
Coming up:
Census Day is on Friday 2nd August - it is important that children are at school on this day and attendance on this day is connected to school funding.
Mary Mackillop Feast Day Mass & Activities - Week 4 Wednesday August 7th – Interactive Mary MacKillop show with Sister Julianne at 1:00pm on the front lawn.
Feast Day Mass at Church Thursday 8th August 8:30am. All families welcome. Whole school activities in the afternoon at school.
Broome Residential College – visiting St Joes Thursday August 8th at 1:00pm. Presentation by St Mary’s College in Broome to showcase boarding, schooling and support networks available to students who may attend boarding school next year. Interested parties, please feel free to come along.
Leavers Shirts Grade 6, 2024
Year six leavers’ shirts are being organised presently. Notes are going out to parents today so please be prompt in ordering your student’s size. Shirts are $45 each and can be ordered with Georgie at reception.
Choir Request
Students have expressed an interest in having a School Choir. If anyone in the school community has a contact for a choir conductor, I would appreciate a contact to see what we can get connected.
‘Bullying – No Way’ Week of Action During Week 5, classes will take part in a range of activities from the ‘Bullying – No Way’ on-line resources. There are a range of evidence-informed resources and activities designed for a proactive approach to bullying prevention and education. Some of our Year 5-6 students will also provide some information to classes on support strategies and how we can help educate students on bullying prevention.
Sustainability – bringing back the gardening program - More than just sustainability Week 5 is also Science Week across Australia. To support this, during this week, Ms Susan and Ms Sandra will be revitalising the student gardening program. Select students will participate in a pilot of the program around school learning programs.
A special thank you to Archie in grade 5/6 who came up with this great idea! Well done.
Mobile Phones and Smart-Watches - A reminder that Mobile phones and other electronic items are not permitted by students at school. We appreciate your cooperation and support with this.
Name Tags on Clothing and Personal Items - A reminder to parents to ensure that any articles of clothing that a child may remove in a day and items such as drink bottles and lunch boxes are clearly marked with your child’s name. Please ensure second-hand items are updated with the correct details. This is very important to identify any mislaid property items and return them to students. Lost property items can be found in a container located near the front office and parents are advised to check it for any missing items. We currently have many items (especially jumpers/hats) in the container.
Bishops Literacy Test – Religious Education
Congratulations to students undertaking the BLT this week. Year 3 & 5 students completed the test week. This assessment aims to build and accurate understanding of Religious Education content knowledge and to inform our Religious Education learning and teaching practices. Well done to all involved.
Australian Maths Competition Next Wednesday, 7 August, selected students from Year 3 – Year 6 will take part in the Australian Maths Competition. The Year 5/6 students will do their on-line assessment at 9.00am and the Year 3/4 students will have their assessment at 10.50am. Mr Steve will supervise the students as they take part in this competition. Good luck to all participants. Go Team Joe’s.
Uniforms
Thank you to parents and students for ensuring that you are in the correct school uniform each day, even with some particularly wet and cold mornings. Students are welcome to wear coats, jumpers and raincoats before and after school, but during school hours, students are to wear their school uniforms.
Reminder Year 5 & 6 Camp
Thank you to parents who attended information session for Year 5/6 camp. Please remember $50 deposit is due and relevant forms asap. Georgie in the office can assist.
Assembly
The Year 3-4 students are busy practising for their assembly week four, on Friday August 9th. We invite families to come along and support at 1:20pm in library.
Kindy 2025 – keep an ear out for our upcoming Kindy enrolment drive for 2025.
Now you know why we are so busy!
As Mary Mackillop reminds us, ‘Never see a need without doing something about it.’ What a wonderful reminder and sort of our unofficial motto here at St Joe’s.
Have a blessed weekend everybody, see you at Mass Saturday 5:50 pm or Sunday 8:30 am.
God bless.
Cindy Ahearn
Principal
Up Coming Events
Mary Mackillop Feast Day Mass & Activities - Week 4 Wednesday August 7th – Interactive Mary MacKillop show with Sister Julianne at 1:00pm on the front lawn.
Feast Day Mass at Church Thursday 8th August 8:30am. All families welcome. Whole school activities in the afternoon at school.
Broome Residential College – presentation at St Joes Thursday August 8th at 1:00pm.
Dates & Reminders
Term Dates 2024
Term Dates 2024
Term 1: Wednesday 31 January - Thursday 28 March
Term 2: Tuesday 16 April - Friday 28 June
Term 3: Tuesday 16 July - Friday 20 September
Term 4: Monday 7 October - Friday 6 December
Public Holidays During Term Time 2024
Monday 4 March: Labour Day
Friday 29 March - Good Friday
Thursday 25 April: ANZAC Day
Monday 3 June: Western Australia Day
Pupil Free Days 2024
Monday, 15 April
Wednesday, 24 April
Monday & Tuesday, 24-25 June
Monday, 15 July
Monday, 26 August (Catholic Day)
Monday, 4 November
Assemblies
Our assemblies are every second Friday afternoon at 1.10pm.
9th February - Leadership presentations
23rd February - Year 5/6
8th March - Year 4/5
22nd March - Year 3/4
Kindy Days
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
7.50am - 2.00pm
Description Title
We are ready to collect your recyclable containers. Our drop off point is located in the staff carpark, just inside the fence. Money earned goes towards Mini Vinnies.
If you change your phone number, please tell us. We many need to contact you if your child is sick or doesn’t get picked up after school.
Most school age children are eligible for free dental care in Kununurra School Dental Clinic.
Primary School children become eligible to attend the School Dental Service in the year they turn 5.
High School children are eligible to attend the School Dental Service until they complete Year 11 or the day they turn 17 (whichever occurs first).
If you changed your address or phone numbers, please advise dental clinic staff. Missed appointments may result in suspension from the School Dental Service.
We are located on the hospital grounds in the Dental Health Building, 69 Coolibah Drive and are open Monday to Friday 7:30 to 3:30.
Please feel free to call us on 0419 939 179 or email: kununurramobile@dental.health.wa.gov.au to organise an appointment.
Dance Concert
Thanks for supporting the students at the dance concert last week! It was such a special opportunity for students to showcase what they have been learning about and practising in Term 2. There was a great energy and excitement with many smiles and fun dance moves (from teachers and students by the end dance!). Thanks again to the P&F for the delicious beef and gravy rolls that fundraised money for our students' future learning opportunities and the Police for lending and assisting with lights and sound for the event.
Marion Roberts
Specialist Teacher
Learning about Democracy Year 5/6
We were very lucky to have Amit here from the Australian Electoral Commission on Tuesday this week to help the Year 4, 5 and 6 students trial a new game to learn abut democracy. This game linked well with classes learning about democracy as part of their Civics and Citizenship unit of work. Students were engaged in the game as they learnt about the unique facets of Australian democracy including how to vote and be nominated to represent people. The game allowed students to learn through 3D animations with educational videos and quizzes along the way.
Marion Roberts
Specialist Teacher
SACRAMENTS and other matters
Sacraments
As in previous years, all classes will learn about Sacraments and rites of initiation in their Religious Education programs. For students of the Catholic faith, there will also be an opportunity to receive these Sacraments at St Vincent Palloti Catholic Church.
Fr Vinu 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 during the week, or by contacting Fr Vinu directly on 0475 846 331. Please also let family and friends know about Baptisms, if you aware of Pre-school children needing to be Baptised.
Other Sacraments will be celebrated as per below:
- Confirmation, Term 3 - Year 6 children (date to be advised)
All classes will complete a unit of work on Sacraments in the term they occur. This will then be followed by the celebration of the Sacrament, if requested by family, at St Vincent Pallotti Church with specific dates to be advised. We are aware that some children have missed sacraments in previous years due to sickness, absence etc, and we can make arrangements for those celebrations also.
Religious Education
As we have had many new families arrive throughout this year, there may be some families who would like their children to receive the sacraments, that have already been celebrated at St Joseph’s..
Please contact Sr Julianne to make arrangements.
Baptism – as requested
First Reconciliation Year 4
First Eucharist Year 5
Confirmation Year 6
Mass Times
Mass is held each weekend, at St Vincent Pallotti Church on Saturdays at 5.30pm and Sundays at 8.30am. Weekday masses are held from Tuesday to Friday at 5.30pm. On Sundays, we have Children’s Liturgy during mass.
Fr Vinu is available for Reconciliation on any day, usually from about an hour before mass.
Juniper Aged Care Facility Visits
Each week a class visits Juniper Aged Care Facility and share an activity with the residents eg singing, lego, painting, reading etc. A permission form, and other information, will be sent home prior to the visit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please don’t hesitate to contact me, through the school office, at any time if have queries or questions about our Religious Education program.
Sr Julianne
Sacrament Coordinator
URSTRONG friendship program
New This year St Joseph's have started using the URSTRONG friendship program across the whole school. Please refer to the below letter outlining some free online training for parents and carers about the program and language to use at home with your children.
Dear Parents,
URSTRONG’s whole-school friendship strategy has improved the social climate in schools around the world, connecting over a million kids, parents, and teachers with a common language of friendship. We are proud to be a URSTRONG School, empowering your children with friendship skills through their award-winning Friendology curriculum.
You are invited to attend an ONLINE Language of Friendship parent-child workshop for URSTRONG Schools on Tuesday 20 August at 6:00pm. Dana Kerford (Founder of URSTRONG) will teach you and your children skills + language to foster healthy, feel-good friendships.
Registration Required: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
*You will receive an email the day prior to the event with the zoom details.
We believe that empowering our students with these skills will create a culture of kindness at our school and we hope you can attend.
Thanks a ton and just reach out if you have any questions! We’re looking forward to seeing you all online and love bringing together our Friendship Ninjas (& their families) from around Western Australia!
Kindly,
Dana
Elle Tierney
Year 3/4 Teacher
School Bus Pick-ups and Drop-offs
Streamlining the Bus Run
This year we've had extraordinary numbers for the bus runs. One day we did two full trips, plus one in the school car. On the bright side, it is a credit to our families that they're being so diligent in regularly sending their children to school. THANK YOU!
However, because we have so many children on the bus, some of them don't get home until 3pm and some of them arrive at school too early. To make their day easier:
- If you are able to bring your child to/from school by car it would be appreciated.
- Please be out the front of your house ready for the pick up:
- Town run - 7am – 7.30am
- Community run - 7.30 am – 8.00 am
Just waiting an extra 1-3 minutes at every house can extend our trip by half hour. Unfortunately we cannot toot the horn, due to complaints from neighbours.
- At the end of the day, please be visible outside your house and wave to us as we drop off your child. We need to be assured that someone is home. Having to stop, take the child to the door, knock and wait for a response, extends the trip by half hour. This is unfair on those children waiting in the heat on the basketball court for the second bus run. If a family member is not at home, it is our policy to bring a child back to school and ring you. We are unable to make another trip to drop them off.
While we learn the 2024 bus route, which is still changing as new families continue to enrol, we may forget to stop at your house. Please call the school office, and we can collect your child on the next run.
Dropping off Your Children
For the safety of our children, we would like to remind parents that children catching our white Coaster school bus will be dropped off in the afternoon ONLY at the address from which they are picked up in the morning.
Attempts to accommodate parents who ring during the day asking that their children be dropped off elsewhere have resulted in an number of confusing situations, whereby children have ended up going home to an empty house or to a house where they are not expected.
Children who live in Lakeside or out of town may not catch our bus home to a different address.
Your child can only be dropped off at a different address if it is an emergency situation (eg you have an emergency visit to the hospital and an arrangement has been made for your child to be cared for by another family member or friend).
Many thanks for your cooperation.
Get Vaccinated!
Community Health offers free vaccines for:
- COVID-19 Boosters
- Japanese Encephalitis - Residents of Kununurra & Wyndham only
- Influenza - all children 6 months - 12 years; all Aboriginal people 6 months or older; all people with a chronic disease; all people 65 years and older.
Call Kununurra Community Health on 9166 4321
Send Your Kids to School
Send your kids to school - it is the best possible way they can get a good education.
If your child misses one 1 day per week of school,
by the time they are in Yr 4 they will have missed 1 whole year of school.
Already they will by 1 year behind expected learning!
It may take some tough love, but it is worth the effort to make your child go to school every day.
Set a good routine from Kindy, don't let them miss a day.
It will give them the best start in life.
Containers for Change
Thank you to those generous families who have donated their recycling money to our school through Containers for Change!
School Recycling Bags
CHECK FOR THE 10¢ MARK
We've ended up with a lot of non-recyclable containers in our school recycling bags.
Which means we have to sort through the bags to remove them.
It's easy to save your 10¢ containers from landfill so they can live another life — just check for the 10¢ mark!
Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel, and liquid paperboard drink containers that are 150ml to 3L are accepted.
This includes:
- Most single-serve water and fizzy drink containers up to and including 3L.
- Most single-serve alcohol containers, like beer bottles and pre-mixed spirits.
- Flavoured milk containers that are 150ml to 999ml.
- Coconut water, pure fruit, or vegetable juice containers that are 150ml to 999ml.
~ Make sure you take off the lids ~
~ Bring the lids into the school office and we'll recycle them separately ~
Items that we don't accept include:
- Glass bottles or jars of any sort - too many get broken when dropped into the recycling bag
- Plastic milk bottles
- Unflavoured, plain milk cartons
- Cordial bottles
- Non-food plastic containers (eg laundry detergent)
- Steel food cans
St Joseph's School Calendar Term 3 2024
School Bus Contact Details
The School Bus Contractors are Dylon and Chelsea Lodge.
Chelsea: 0450 250 691
Dylon: 0415 945 330
Please note that cash payments for Book Club are no longer accepted at St Joseph's. All orders should be placed through Book Club Loop.
See: https://www.scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/
St Joseph’s Student Code of Conduct
The St Joseph’s Student Code of Conduct was developed by the students of St Joseph’s.
At St Joseph’s School, Kununurra we want to feel Safe.
1. In order to feel Safe we will follow school rules.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
2. In order to feel Safe we will listen and follow instructions.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
3. In order to feel Safe we will help and care for others.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask them why they are feeling that way.
4. In order to feel Safe we will keep our hands and feet to ourselves.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ignore them or walk away.
5. In order to feel Safe we will treat others the way we would like to be treated.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will remind them of the golden rule.
At St Joseph’s School, Kununurra we want to feel Happy.
1. In order to feel Happy we will smile, laugh, sing and dance.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask them if they are alright.
2. In order to feel Happy we will be kind to others.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
3. In order to feel Happy we will make friends and play with them.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will play with and include them.
4. In order to feel Happy we will come to school everyday.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will look after them.
5. In order to feel Happy we will listen to the teacher and other adults.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will try to make them feel happy.
Our Code of Conduct prohibits bullying, harassment and other forms of peer-to-peer abuse and we require respect for the privacy and human dignity of other students.
