St Joseph's, Tara - Term 2 Week 9 2022 Newsletter

Our Vision & Mission Statements

From the Principal

Dear parents and carers,

This is the last newsletter for the term. Students are to be commended for their hard work and learning growth in a term where illness has touched all students, families and staff.  

As a school, I warmly invite families to gather on Friday 24 June at 2:15 p.m. to bid a very fond farewell to Ashley Stoker and her children Jaxon, Josef, Jorge and Jules and yes there will be CAKE!

Miss Stoker has a permanent position teaching in a Special Education School in sunny Cairns. We wish Ashley and her family all the best that life has to offer and we thank her for her dedicated teaching of P-2 over the last twelve months.

Wednesday's Breakfast Bar

Last week there were four students in the Breakfast Bar eating the most delicious breakfast brain food. Today there were twenty-two happy diners! 

Learning Growth

There has been pleasing growth in student learning this term with students demonstrating average to high growth. Students have been using their Learning Super Powers and have been reflecting on their learning. Teachers have focused their teaching to support students' personalised learning. Most students are at the expected level despite illness absences for all but one student this term. If your child is not at the expected level, your family goal would be to achieve a 95-100% attendance rate in semester 2.  Please also speak to your teacher about other ways to support your child at home. Every day at school makes a difference to learning and to student relationships. The Attendance flyer below outlines the  impact of absenteeism on your child's learning.

Counsellor Support

Counsellor Susan Rodd spoke to the students about "How to drive your brain". Students were engaged in whole body learning about their brain's messaging system to rest of their body. Next term Mrs Susan Rodd will lead Resilience sessions for students and teachers to further support  your child's wellbeing and  learning.

Term 3 Staffing Changes

Miss Tara Fisher returns from maternity leave to teach P-2 once again. Teacher Librarian, Mrs Marg Bowman, will be on long service leave during Term 3 and Mr Greg Smith will be our Teacher Librarian one day a week. Mrs Suzanne Whelan and Miss Monica Moran will swap hours as Mrs Whelan reduces hours due to health issues.

St. Joseph's Athletics Carnival

Mr Riddiford and his helpers are busy with the trundle wheel and line marker getting the oval ready for the track and field events. Families are invited to please join us on the very first day of Term 3, Tuesday 12 July, for the St. Joseph's Athletics Carnival. Don't forget to wear red MacKillop team and yellow, Penola team.  There will be a parent relay so bring your joggers. 

Regional Softball Trials

We wish Ella Sinclair and Jorjah Furniss the very best for their Regional Softball Trials in Wallumbilla on Wednesday 22 June. 

Book Week Parade & Bishop's Inservice Day

A reminder to mark in your calendars the student free day for families with the Bishop's Inservice falling on  Wednesday 27 July. No SCHOOL that day, except for staff.

Have your planned your Japanese costume for the community Book Week Parade on Friday 29 July? 

Outback Principal's Squad

Recently, Mrs Kylie Williams, the APRE and Middle Leader from St. George visited our school to shadow me for three days and learn about being a principal. Mrs Williams was learning about leadership skills and collective teacher efficacy. Mrs Williams will present her learnings about leadership and collective teacher efficacy,  share her dream speech for being a principal and take part in a mock interview for a principal role to help prepare her for taking on a principalship in the diocese at some point in the future. 

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, safe and  warm winter holiday. 

Mary Porter
Principal                                                         

'Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people...' 2 chronicles 1:10

'May God grant you courage and true wisdom in all you do and say.' Mary MacKillop in 1875

From the APRE

Mrs Smith and the Year 3-6s 

invite YOU to celebrate with them at an

end of Term Liturgy of the Word at school

on Thursday 23 June at 10:15 am.

We hope you can join us.

What a chilly few weeks we are having!  It certainly makes us appreciate the warmth of a cuppa, a shower or the warmth received from layers of clothes, a fire, our blood and being loved by God, people and animals.

Winter is a wonderful time to reflect and to nurture the seed of our relationship with God. It can be a time of quiet contemplation, a time of germinating God’s love deep within our soul so that we can be ready to share our blossoming understanding by caring for others in new and heart-warming ways.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2(CEV)

Everything on earth
has its own time
and its own season.
There is a time
for birth and death,
planting and reaping…

What will you germinate this winter?

Photo Time

P & F News

Billy G's Gourmet Cookie & Biscuit Dough -  To finish this term we have decided to do a cookie fundraiser! All proceeds are going towards new equipment for the tuckshop. Order forms will go out this Friday 3rd of June and the fundraiser finishes on the last day of school 24th of June. Orders will be delivered on the 15th of July Term 3 (Our first week back at school). Ordering is online for your convience or you can pop into the office for Monica to assist you.

Tuckshop - We are still in need of volunteers for tuckshop duty. If you require another form, please contact the office for either the Volunteer or Induction form. They can be emailed to you or sent home with your child.

From the Parish

St Mary Of The Angels - Tara
Mass Times

Tara: Friday: 9am
Saturday: 6pm

Moonie: Sunday: 9:30am
on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Sunday of the Month

Meandarra: Sunday: 7:30am
on the 2nd & 4th Sunday of the Month

Glenmorgan: Sunday: 9am
on the 4th Sunday of the Month

Parish Priest: Fr Jack MacGinley
Presbytery: 4665 3401 (Tara)

St Joseph's Awards

Bronze Award Recipients

 Deakin Cole, Rubie Warwick

Principal's Award

Jasmine Wood, Gnhevea McLuckie and Miss Stoker

Students Of The Week

Gnhevea McLuckie, Jules Waring and Decklin Bramich

Term Dates

2022

*Term 1 2022 – Tue 25 Jan (Public Hol 26 Jan) - Fri 1 Apr

*Term 2 2022 – Wed 20 Apr - Fri 24 Jun

*Term 3 2022 – Tue 12 Jul - Thurs 15 Sep

*Term 4 2022 – Tue 4 Oct - Thurs 1 Dec

Wellbeing Matters

DEAR MIND ... Focus on mental health and wellbeing

Embrace Nature: Connect with the natural world.

Spending time in nature has big benefits for your mental wellbeing. It’s also been shown to have wider health benefits like building your immune system and lowering your blood pressure.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy nature – you could take a walk in local bushland, go for a picnic, try kayaking or even do some gardening. Environmentally friendly activities like recycling and composting will also help you feel a deeper connection with the world around you.

Why?

Studies have shown that spending time in nature can improve your mood, and reduce stress.

More time outdoors also means that you’ll get more exposure to the sun. Sun exposure helps produce mood-stabilising chemicals like serotonin and also gives your vitamin D levels a boost, which helps regulate your sleep-wake cycles. Always remember to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.

Student Safety

                                                     THE 2022 STUDENT PROTECTION CONTACTS:                                                                                                                                     Sue Whelan                                                                                                                                                                                      Mary Porter                                                                                                                                                                        Susan Rodd (Counsellor)

STUDENT SAFETY INFORMATION

EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT