Dear parents and carers,

Welcome to the final newsletter for term 2! It’s been quite a term and, judging from the number of children and teachers suffering from the various colds and flus that are around Grenfell at present, it’s time to relax and rejuvenate over the holidays. We hope everyone will return feeling rested and ready for Term 3 on Tuesday 23rd July.

Pupil Free Day

Parents and carers are advised that the last day of Term, 5th July is a pupil free day to allow staff across the Archdiocese to participate in professional learning. The last day for the children this term is Thursday 4th July. 

Term 3 commences for the students on Tuesday 23rd July. The St Joseph’s staff will be participating in a Spirituality Day on Monday 22nd July.

St Vincent de Paul Sleepout Pyjama Day

The children thoroughly enjoyed the special treat of coming to school in their PJs today and bringing a gold coin donation for the St Vincent de Paul Sleepout.

On Thursday, Mrs Kathy Holding from Hennessy Catholic College joined us remotely to share with the children her experiences sleeping on Young Railway Station with 70 other brave members of the community. Kathy helped us to empathise with people who find themselves without a home and how we can help support the homeless and work towards a world where everyone enjoys a safe and secure place to call home.

Please click here for a video of the Sleepout in Young last Thursday 20th June featuring the Exec team from Hennessy Catholic College:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EdU30B6gT20RiEOgqAVGmYQrhqMx1t8L/view?usp=sharing

Thanks to Sheridan Hunter and Sally Metcalfe for arranging the delicious Meal Deal lunch of chicken wings and fried rice. 

Thanks parents and carers for your support for this event!

End of Semester 1 Reports

All parents and carers should have received their child’s Semester 1 report via compass this week. St Joseph’s issues annual reports which serve as one aspect of the learning partnership between home and school. Our aim is to ensure excellence in communication and a strong commitment to collaboration between home and school. We trust that you will find the Semester 1 Report informative in providing feedback on your child’s learning, growth and development. 

Teachers are available for Parent and Teacher Conferences on Wednesday 3rd July. Conferences provide the opportunity for any clarifications, and further discussion on your child's progress. You should be now have received a Compass notification to book your appointment.

Kindergarten and Year 1 Liturgy – Tuesday 2nd July at 10.30

Due to staff and student illness, the K/1 Liturgy was postponed to this coming Tuesday 2nd Julu at 10.30am in the Library. Please do join us for some time of prayer, song and reflection if you can!

Archdiocesan Public Speaking Competition

Congratulations to the children who participated in the Speak Offs with St Mary’s Young this week. The following children represented the school with pride and confidence and are to be commended on their preparation and performance.

Year 3: Isabelle 

Year4: Aldhin  and Jack F

Year 5: Callum and Jed

Year 6: Georgia and Saskia

Thank you parents and carers for your terrific support!

National Consistent Collection of Data for Student

Please find information with regards to the National Consistent Collection of Data for Students with Disability (NCCD).  Our apologies that this did not appear in last week’s newsletter as planned. All schools in Australia are required to participate annually in the NCCD. This allows our Catholic sector to continue to provide and prioritise innovative and high-quality teaching and learning to support all students on their learning journey. Please find more information later in this newsletter.

In Conclusion…

As my time as Acting Principal is rapidly drawing to a conclusion and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your help and support over the past 12 months. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to serve as Acting Principal.

St Joseph’s is blessed to have  a dedicated, enthusiastic and hardworking staff who are the life and strength of the school. I have very much enjoyed being part of the St Joseph's and the Grenfell community, and leave with many happy memories of my time here.

The highlight of working at any school is always getting to know the children, and the children at St Joseph’s are no exception. My past experience has included start-up schools so I have experienced small schools previously, but the St Joseph's context has been a unique experience and it was a great experience to be part of the family. 

Mrs Hotham will return as Principal at the commencement of Term 3 and I would like to wish Melissa and all members of the community the very best for what I am sure will be a bright future at St Joseph’s!

With gratitude and best wishes,