Term 2, Week 6
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 Piece
Dear Parents/Carers,
Can you believe we are already halfway through the term? The weather is cooler and the children are more active in the playground.
Musica Viva
Last week’s music incursion went extremely well. It was held in the Library and the children enthusiastically entered into the fun, learning about music-making in the processs. I hope they came home and told you all about it.
National Simultaneous Storytime
Yesterday the children from Years 1-3 visited the Community Library and participated in the National Simultaneous Storytime. The book that was shared was ‘Bowerbird Blues’ by Aura Parker. Afterwards Sr Julianne took the children to have a look at a real bowerbird nest – how exciting!
Canteen to Re-open
We are delighted to let you know that we have finally found a new Canteen Manager. Silivia (pronounced Silvia) started work this week and lunch orders can begin next Monday. A new menu is included in today’s newsletter. You will notice that it is a very healthy menu, but one that will still appeal to the children. It is important that the menu reflects our teaching about healthy eating. The items are very affordable for families.
Welcome to New Staff
This week we have welcomed four new people onto our staff. I have already mentioned Miss Silivia. We also have two new Teacher Assistants – Mr James and Miss Astrid. A student teacher, Miss Kimberley, is in Year 5/6 for three weeks and will be back with us later in the year for her final placement before she graduates.
AFaFE Program
We are working towards re-establishing our Aboriginal Families as First Educators program. Keep watching the newsletters each week for updates. We are planning a special event for Thursday June 6th – please mark it on your calendars.
Barry Ennis
Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, June 7th
School Photo Day
Monday May 27th
Art Exhibition, 2-3pm
$150 Student Allowance Payment Available
The new WA Student Assistance Payment will provide parents and carers with a $150 payment for each primary school student or kindergartener.
Further information on how to set up your ServiceWA account and digital identity are available at wa.gov.au/servicewaapp
Applications close June 28
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.
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:
- First Eucharist, Term 2 - Year 5 children (date to be advised)
- 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.
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.

~~~Bishops approve Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit - CathNews~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
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 2 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.
