ABOUT - Term 2 Week 6 - 5 June 2025

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

We do not need to wait for the Holy Spirit to come.
He came on the day of Pentecost.
He has never left the church.
Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us and Pentecost is God in us.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NURSERY RHYMERS

Well done to our four Kinder/Year 1 students who sang nursery rhymes yesterday at the City of Dubbo Eisteddfod.  It is an amazing effort to get up on stage on your own at the DRTCC and sing a nursery rhyme.  You were all amazing!  Special congratulations to Noopura who was awarded first place and Angus who came second.  Our other brave nursery rhymers were Joe and Elisha.  A huge thank you to Estelle Josephs for accompanying the students on the piano.

PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Our Peer Support Sessions continued on Monday this week with our Year 6 leaders teaching the students about “Cooperating and Listening”.  During the session, students looked at the qualities their friends have and the concept that we choose friends based on the qualities that we admire in them.  We also explored the skills of friendship, especially those of cooperating and listening.  At home, please encourage your child to show they are interested in the person they talk to by being an active listener.

The third session will be held in Week 8 on Monday, 16 June and will continue in Week 10 on Monday, 30 June.  There will be a further four sessions held in Term 3.

FULL WINTER UNIFORM TO BE WORN FROM NEXT WEEK

At St Joey's we take great pride in our school uniform and the expectation is that all students wear the correct uniform to school each day.

All students are required to wear full winter uniform from next Tuesday, 10 June. 

A reminder that our winter uniform comprises:

Girls:  maroon box pleat tunic OR maroon gabardine pants, fawn blouse, school jumper, brown socks, black leather shoes, maroon school hat, school jacket (optional).  Please note:  The box pleat tunics can be purchased from school.

Boys:  blue shirt, grey trousers, school jumper, grey socks, black leather shoes, maroon school hat, school jacket (optional).

There are many second hand items for sale in the clothing pool at a very reasonable price.

GOOD LUCK ROSE & KATIE!

We wish Rose H and Katie C the best of luck as they represent the Diocese of Bathurst at the NSW Catholic Primary Schools Cross Country Championships to be held in Sydney next Wednesday, 11 June.  Congratulations Rose and Katie on gaining selection in the diocesan team.

200 m HEATS IN PREPARATION FOR ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

In preparation for the Athletics Carnival, we will be holding heats for the 200 m events at McGrane Oval tomorrow, Friday, 6 June at lunchtime.  As this is a sports day, students will already be wearing their sports clothes and joggers.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

St Joseph's Church - Sunday, 22 June

The excitement is certainly building for the First Holy Communion class as this special day is fast approaching.  Our school community and parish are warmly invited to celebrate First Holy Communion at St Joseph’s Church on Sunday, 22 June at 9:30 a.m.  It would be fabulous to have lots there for this great occasion.

A note went home last week with all Year 3 students providing details on what the children should wear, food that will be needed and the payment of $15.00 towards costs associated with the day.  If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Dobson, Mrs Colwell or staff in the office.

YEAR 2 PARENTS NEEDED TO SERVE COMMUNION BREAKFAST

It is traditional that the Year 2 parents help out with the First Communion Breakfast as the Year 2 children will be involved in the celebration next year.  A note was sent home last week to all Year 2 parents asking if they can assist in warming the food, preparing the drinks and setting out and serving the food, tea and coffee following Mass. If you are able to assist, would you please complete and return the tear-off slip to school by next Thursday, 12 June.

CITY OF DUBBO EISTEDDFOD

All students from Years 1 to 6 will be participating in the verse speaking choirs at the City of Dubbo Eisteddfod on Wednesday, 18 June at the Dubbo Regional Theatre & Convention Centre (DRTCC). The order for the verse speaking choirs is as follows:

Commencing at 10:00 a.m.

Section 5300 – Years 1/2 – Infants (we are competitor no. 5 of 5 competitors), followed by

Section 5301 – Years 3/4 – Junior Primary (we are competitor no. 3 of 3 competitors)

Section 5302 – Years 5/6 – Senior Primary (we are competitor no. 3 of 3 competitors).

We would love to see many family and friends in attendance at the eisteddfod to watch our wonderful choirs perform. 

If your child is travelling by bus to Dubbo and has not yet paid the $5.00 for the transport, please send the money to the school office by tomorrow, Friday, 6 June.

PRE-PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE EISTEDDFOD

Tickets to the eisteddfod are $6.00 each and can be purchased from the DRTCC Box Office or ordered online by following the below instructions:-

1.  Visit drtcc.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/sales
2.  Type in Search - Eisteddfod
3.  Select which session you wish to attend
4.  Payment of your tickets (Please note: you will have 20 minutes to complete your transaction).

UNIFORM FOR THE EISTEDDFOD

At this year's City of Dubbo Eisteddfod, girls are again wearing MAROON TROUSERS, NOT the tunic as has been worn in previous years. 

Just a reminder that children are required to wear full winter uniform which is as follows:

Boys:  Grey trousers, blue shirt, school jumper, grey socks, black leather shoes.
Girls:.  Maroon trousers, fawn shirt, school jumper, brown socks, black leather shoes.

NO CANTEEN ON WEDNESDAY, 18 JUNE

Due to the times that students will return to school on the day of the eisteddfod, we have made the decision to close the canteen on Wednesday, 18 June.  Please ensure you pack both morning tea and lunch for your children on the day of the eisteddfod. 

PRIMARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

The St Joey’s Primary Athletics Carnival will be held at McGrane Oval on Friday, 20 June (Week 8). This carnival involves all primary school students (Years 3-6).

We will need officials to help with the judging of the events and we will also need helpers to run the canteen.  Thanks to all those parents who have offered to help.  We have today sent home a further roster, from which you will note that there are many helpers still required, as indicated by the dotted lines.

If you are able to assist in any way please write your name down and return the roster to school by next Friday, 13 June.  A copy of the roster has also been attached below.

FLEXISCHOOLS LUNCH ORDERS FOR THE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

There will be a special canteen lunch order for the Athletics Carnival on Friday, 20 June.  This has been set up through Flexischools and is available for primary children (Years 3-6) to order. Lunch order bags are also available from the school office upon request.  All canteen orders, for the Athletics Carnival, need to be placed by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, 16 June, so we have enough time to order food for the carnival.

Children's lunch orders MUST BE placed by Monday, 16 June - we CANNOT accept lunch orders for the children on the day of the carnival, as we need to know the quantities of food that we need to order. 

INFANTS CANTEEN ORDERS ON DAY OF PRIMARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

On the day of the Primary Athletics Carnival (Friday, 20 June), infants students who would like to order their recess or lunch using the Flexischools online service, will need to use the following Flexischools services when completing  their order:

Infants Recess Order for Friday, 20 June
Infants Lunch Order for Friday, 20 June

This change in ordering is only for the day of the Athletics Carnival.  If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. 

2025 PARENT/COMMUNITY CHARTER

There are still a number of families who haven't yet approved the 2025 Parent/Community Charter that was sent by the CEDB to all families in the Bathurst Diocese in Week 3 of Term 1.

The Charter outlines the responsibilities of all members of our Catholic School community - parents, carers, volunteers, educators and school staff - which will enable us to work together to ensure that our school is a collaborative, safe and supportive environment.  A copy of the Charter is attached below.

Please follow the below instructions on how to complete and agree to the Charter through the Compass app on your mobile phone:

• Open the Compass App.
• Click 'More' in the bottom right hand corner and then click on the 'Course Confirmation' icon.
• Click on the '2025 Parent/Community Charter' (you will need to do one for each child).
• Follow the instructions on the screen, then click on 'I have read and accept the agreement above'.
• Type your full name into the box and click on 'Next'.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

ENROL NOW FOR KINDER 2026

We are now taking enrolments for our Kinder class of 2026.  If you have a child ready to start school next year, please call in and pick up an enrolment pack or phone the office and we can email a pack to you.

PARISH SUPPORT LETTER

Attached is a letter from the St Joseph’s Gilgandra Parish requesting financial support from families. While our school maintains a strong connection with the Gilgandra Parish, it is important to note that we are financially independent.

Under Section 83 of the NSW Education Act 1990, schools are required to use their funds exclusively for educational purposes. Therefore, this request from the Parish is separate from the school and intended to support the ongoing mission and operations of the Parish community.

Your consideration and support are greatly appreciated.

FOOD HANDLER TRAINING LINK FOR CANTEEN VOLUNTEERS

Please click on the below link to undertake the Food Handler Training required to be completed by all of our canteen volunteers. 

www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/training/food-handler-basics-training 

"HELP ME HELP MY TEEN" - LIVE EVENT WITH MAGGIE DENT

A seminar, based on Maggie Dent's latest book, "Help Me Help My Teen" will be held at St Johns College Hall on Monday, 30 June from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  

It will be a reassuring, practical guide for parents, carers and educators to help teenagers navigate adolescence and grow into confident, capable adults.

Maggie will provide clear and compassionate ‘what to do’ advice for some of the most difficult, sensitive topics  such as technology use, sex, drugs and alcohol, dropped school grades, school refusal, mental health and identity and shows us how we can provide a safe and supportive environment for all our teens.

NOTE: Sensitive topics are discussed. Teens 13+ can attend with their parent/s or carer at their discretion. All attendees require a ticket which can be purchased online by clicking here.

MERIT AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students who received Merit Awards at Assembly on Tuesday:

KINDER: Laine Anderson for showing great improvement in his handwriting, Charlie Quayle for a super effort with his sight words and Hunter Hutchison for reading beautifully during morning reading.

YEAR 1: Charlie Freeman for creatively experimenting with shapes used to make regular and irregular hexagons, Kobi Hammond for adding lots of detail and colour to his ‘Matisse’ inspired fishbowl artwork, Cecilia Smith for reading aloud with lots of expression and enthusiasm and  Jordee Burgers for using two hands to type the ‘f’, ‘j’, ‘d’, ‘k’ and ‘space’ keys.  

YEAR 2: Clark Baker and Duncan Semmler for creating fantastic information reports about ‘giraffes’ and Esther Jijo for great work and enthusiasm in MiniLit. 

YEAR 3: Molly Adams for working hard to improve her results in the classroom, Thomas Colwell for working hard to complete Problem A Day and Operations with accuracy and speed, Piper van den Ende for always lending a helping hand and Caroline Taylor for fantastic contribution to our work about Australian explorers in History.

YEAR 4: Bridie Moeris for a super effort completing tasks with accuracy, Meenakshi Binu for working diligently on all tasks and Charlie Jones-Copelin for working hard in Maths.

YEAR 5: Taylor Alexander for fantastic improvement in her Literacy Pro level and Katie Colwell for a conscientious effort to complete all tasks accurately.

YEAR 6: Jakirah McKenzie for solving multi-step word problems in Maths with speed and accuracy and Tex Mudford for being a great mentor during reading groups.

WHAT'S ON

CLASSROOM NEWS

Kindergarten

Today we celebrated our beautiful Pentecost Mass with Year 5. It was great to see so many family and friends sharing our special day. Week 6 has been another fun filled week full of learning and creativity! In Spelling we have been revising our sounds through games and activities to help us become more confident readers and writers whilst during Maths we’ve been learning all about time, focusing on the different activities we do at different times of the day.  We learnt that the shorter hand points to the hour and the longer hand points to the 12. Science saw us discussing different animals and their habitats and we had lots of fun playing a matching game to connect animals to where they live. In Art we used a variety of techniques to create a beautiful sparrow artwork that is linked to our Science unit. A big congratulations to all the students who took part in the eisteddfod this week - we are very proud of you! Have a wonderful long weekend.

Mrs Alison Newstead & Mrs Julia Jeffery

Year 1

Year 1 has built on their phonic knowledge this week by identifying and writing the various ‘long e’ phonemes such as ‘e’, ‘ea’, and ‘ee’.  Each day students participate in a shared read of a text and verbally answered some comprehension questions. In Literacy we are using the text, “A Year on our Farm” by Penny Matthews to explore the textual concept of context. We also revised independent clauses and identified the independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences from our text. In Maths we explored number bonds using number lines. We learnt that pentagons are polygons and have 5 straight sides and 5 vertices and they can be regular or irregular. We made comparisons of 2D shapes and 3D objects by identifying the properties of 2D shapes as length and height and the properties of 3D objects as length, height and depth. Year 1 very much enjoyed making a 2D shape robot this week. These are hanging in our classroom and look fantastic. Have a great long weekend.

Mrs Phillipa Haling & Mrs Haylee Barry

Year 2

We kicked off the week with another great Peer Support session with our Year 6 buddies where we discussed qualities that we appreciate in our friends; including being thoughtful, funny, supportive and caring. We are really enjoying these sessions and the encouraging learning environment the Year 6 students are creating. Year 2 has been completing research on their chromebooks about an animal of their choice, they are going to compile this information into an animal information report. Children have chosen to research wolves, koalas, snakes, elephants, yabbies, cheetahs and many more interesting animals. We began a new unit in Mathematics where we will be learning about jump strategies, inverse strategies and constant difference as well as length including cm and m. During Library sessions Year 2 students have been learning tips and tricks on the chromebook as they create a monster description, don’t forget to return your library books each week. Have a lovely long weekend!

Mrs Nikkola Thomas

Year 3

What a wonderful week it has been! In our Literacy unit, we’ve been busy recording our Q&A audio projects. Some of us have worked individually, while others collaborated in small groups. The recordings sound fantastic so far. We can’t wait to share them with you! In Maths we’ve launched a new unit on multiplication. We kicked things off with some hands-on activities using counters to explore odd and even numbers, followed by a fun doubling game that everyone enjoyed. In Digital Technologies with Mrs Jeffery, we explored scratch coding and learnt how to create small animated videos. It was a lot of fun, even though a bit challenging at times! We’ve also begun preparing for our First Holy Communion Mass. Readings have been sent home, so please remember to keep practising them. Also, a reminder to send in a note if your child will not be attending the Mass. Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

Miss Abigail Dobson

Year 4

The children have finished typing their ‘Last Stand’ speeches. They have done a terrific job retelling the events from a character’s perspective. We have begun a new Maths unit on multiplication and area and have also completed our Semester 1 testing. This week we completed tests for reading fluency and every child has made progress, which was wonderful news. It's also been great to see an increase in students reading at home and taking book quizzes. Thank you to Year 5 and Kinder for preparing a lovely Pentecost Mass today. Have a great long weekend.

Mrs Melinda Morris

Year 5

This week we are identifying and writing appositive subordinate clauses in Grammar and revising the purpose and structure of an information report in Text Types. In Maths  we used coordinate numbers to find the location of a point on a grid and practised this skill with a game of Battleship. We discussed the meaning and symbols used during the Liturgy of Baptism in Religion and wrote about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. As part of our novel study, we discussed different types of characters represented in books and movies. We then identified which characters in our novel, “The Wild Robot”, matched these roles. Thank you to all our family and friends who joined us for the Pentecost Mass today. I am very proud of how the Kindergarten and Year 5 students led the celebration with enthusiasm and participated so reverently. Have a lovely long weekend.

Mrs Meichelle Schier

Year 6

We’ve had a wonderful week in the classroom! In English we focused on adverbs and integrating these into our writing. We have continued exploring our poetry unit and had fun working on cinquains, quatrains, diamantes and couplets. We have continued to practise our eisteddfod poems and they are starting to sound great. In Maths we have completed some mid-term testing on Essential Assessment and all students should be proud of their hard work. We have also begun a new unit which focuses on Position, Length and Area. We hit the ground running with some tricky cartesian planes – what fun! In Religion we have continued revising the Sacraments and celebrated a beautiful Pentecost Mass today with our fellow friends. In Sport we have continued enjoying our athletics and we look forward to the 200m trials tomorrow and our upcoming carnival in Week 8. Enjoy your long weekend!

Mrs Jess Morrissey & Mrs Donna Colwell

ALTAR SERVERS

CANTEEN ROSTER

NOTICEBOARD