St Joseph's, Tara - Term 4 Week 2 2024 Newsletter!

Our Vision & Mission Statements

From the Principal

Welcome to the Term 4 Week 2 Newsletter!

Welcome back!

A warm welcome back to everyone! We hope everyone had a great and well-deserved holiday break. I know many welcomed the chance to stop, rest and recover from the many illnesses that were around during Term 3. It was certainly fantastic seeing all the smiling faces of the staff and students as they came back (said they missed school) and are ready for what will be a huge Term 4.  

Important dates

There are many important dates this term which I would like to draw your attention to.  

Week 3 

Tuesday 15 October  

• Book Week Celebrations – dress as a character from Narnia (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe). If students are not dressing as a character from Narnia they are to wear their school uniform. This is not a free dress day 

• Book Fair begins – before and after school in the hall. Remember a percentage of all purchases from Book Fair goes back to the school to purchase resources for the library 

Week 4 

Thursday 24 October 

• World Teacher’s Day Celebrations – a day to say thank you to these wonderful people who work so hard to ensure your children have the best opportunities for learning 

Friday 25 October 

• Day for Daniel – an awareness day for children on how to be safe in their respective communities. Students will be able to wear a red shirt (or red hair accessories). The remainder of their attire is to be their school uniform. This is not a free dress day.  

Week 5 

Wednesday 30 October 

• Swimming lessons begin – students will need to bring their swimming items in a bag separate from their school bag. Further message will be sent out closer to the time 

Week 6 

Wednesday 6 November 

• PEN Forum – I encourage all parents to attend and show your support and hear what is happening in and around the school 

Week 9 

Thursday 28 November 

• Whole school transition day – all students will move to their new 2025 classrooms with their 2025 teacher. 2025 Preps will be joining us for the day as well.  

Week 10 

Monday 2 December 

• Report cards will be distributed through the Parent Porta 

Tuesday 3 December 

• Celebration of Learning Evening @ 5.30pm in the hall – an invitation will be sent out close to the time with further details 

Wednesday 4 December 

• End of Year and Graduation Liturgy @ 11.30am in the church – a time to farewell our Year 6 students and celebrate the great year that was 2024.  

• Final day of school for 2024 – as Thursday and Friday are designated travel days for staff 

Families leaving and new families arriving 

It is always sad to see students and their families leave our beautiful school community. I am thankful to say though that of those who have left us across the year have been for families moving away from Tara itself. This is a wonderful piece of evidence that what we are able to provide the community is clearly appreciated and respected.  

We have also had some new enrolments for Term 4 and 2025 of families who are, or will be, new to the Tara community and St Joseph’s has been their first choice of school. It has been their first choice due to word of mouth from our current families, parish members and the wider community. This is also such positive feedback for us as a school to know that St Joseph’s has a great name in the community.  

As you would have seen last week, a notification went out to all families asking for any families who may be leaving to let the school know. Again, we never like to see students leaving us but unfortunately the question needs to be asked early as student numbers is a determining factor for many decisions we make, such as staffing, new enrolments, class structures and sizes, purchasing resources such as desks, chairs, stationery orders etc.  

We thank those families who have informed us already about their departure, remembering that a conversation about the move is preferred as the first step; however, the school does need a written (email) confirmation as well. We encourage any other families who already know they will not be returning to contact the school as soon as possible.  

Thank you all for your support with this.  

Tuckshop 

Tuckshop has started again for the term and a HUGE thank you needs to go out to Robyn Sheppard for taking on the Tuckshop Coordinator role. Robyn volunteers in this position and we are ever so thankful. The students have been amazing with letting her know how great the food is that is served.  

Even though we have Robyn each week we STILL NEED PARENT SUPPORT as there will/may be a time when Robyn cannot be there. How can you help? I’m glad you asked! It is so simple.  

• Volunteer on a Friday for a few hours to help Robyn preparing the food – even just once a term will be so appreciated 

• Provide homebake items – if you love baking then please feel free to make something and then send it. It can be anything from biscuits, cupcakes, slab cake which can be cut up. The ideas are endless!  

• Provide the ingredients for homebake items – if you do not love baking but would still like to help out, then please feel free to purchase the ingredients to make the homebake and Robyn will happily make it up for you.  

In whichever way you can help, please contact Monica in the office and she will happily pass your details onto Robyn.  

Remember: Many hands make light work, and it all is to benefit and help our students. 

God bless,

Kylie Williams

"Always remember to help and be of service to others." ~ Mary MacKillop.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12

From the APRE

 October, the month of the Rosary  

October is the month of Mary, Mother of Jesus and is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7. As part of the Year 5 Religious Education curriculum, students learn about Mary as the mother of Jesus and her role in his life. They identify the important times in Mary’s life and her support for her son. Students are also called to participate in the meditative and reflective prayer practice of praying the Rosary. As a traditional meditative prayer in the Christian church, this is a special way for students to truly understand the important stages in Mary’s life.   

As a school, we have been praying the Hail Mary every morning during morning circle to remember the important woman Mary was and still is in our Church.  

Every October, Year 5 students in Toowoomba Catholic Schools receive a set of rosary beads along with a pouch and rosary booklet. The beads and pouch are handmade by a group of ladies from Mary’s Rosary Making Group in Toowoomba. They are posted to us all wrapped ready to be presented to the students. Students will receive their set of rosary beads during their RE lesson and then begin to use them to support their learning this term.  

Learning at St Joeys

From the Prep - 1's

Language Comprehension 

This term, students will learn to understand how different types of letters are structured and sent and create their own letters. They will create fiction and non-fiction letters to entertain, inform and persuade. Students will gain an understanding of the purpose and structure of persuasive, information and narrative texts. They will identify rhymes within the texts we read, create their own rhymes and identify and create simple sentences using the correct structure. 

Word Knowledge 

Students will build understanding and skills within their word knowledge. They will blend and segment a variety of CVC, CCVC and CVCC words. Students will use these words in multiple contexts including word and sentence reading and writing. They will engage in fluency reads to help build their comprehension skills and develop an increasing knowledge base of phonemes and graphemes.  

Mathematics 

Students will make connections between number names, numerals, quantities and position in a sequence. They will solve simple addition and subtraction problems and use a range of mathematical modelling skills to solve practical and authentic problems. Students will identify, copy, continue and create repeating patterns. They will identify the attributes of mass, capacity and length and use these attributes to compare objects. Students will collect, sort, record and compare data. Year 1 students will use their collected and recorded data to create displays and discuss their data using frequencies.  

Religion  

Students will discuss who Mary, mother of Jesus, is and why she is important to the Catholic Church. They will identify ways people celebrate and pay respect to Mary and how she impacts their lives and beliefs and the lives and beliefs of others. Students will explore the Hail Mary prayer and gain a greater understanding of its meaning and importance in the Catholic Church. They will discuss and analyse the Christmas Story and Mary’s role within this story, recognising the start of Jesus’ story as the time when Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel. Students will create a pictorial timeline of the Christmas Story that recognises the importance of Mary to the birth of Jesus. They will participate respectfully in teacher lead guided Christian Meditation. Students will learn about the importance of silence and stillness to assist in listening to God. They will begin to recognise what it is that aides them in their communication with God during these Christian Meditation experiences.  

Science 

Students will investigate the movement of objects and categorise the movement as push or pull forces. They will conduct a safe investigation to collect and record data and use the data to draw a conclusion. Students will make predictions before investigating safely how balls move when different types of push and pull forces are placed upon them. They will collect and compare information from the investigation to their own predictions to develop a new understanding of the push and pull forces and how they affect the objects they interact with.  

HaSS 

Students will explore continuity and change in toys. They will collect, sort and record information from provided sources and observations before using this information to develop and pose questions. Students will develop an awareness of how aspects of daily life have changed through the exploration of toys throughout history and draw a conclusion on whether toys of the past or toys now are better and justify their conclusions with evidence from provided sources.  

Design Technology 

Students will examine, create, communicate and choose design ideas for building their own toy based on information they have gained through the Science and HaSS investigations of different types of toys. They will communicate their design ideas using models and drawings and follow sequenced steps to safely produce designed solutions. 

From the PEN

Murder Myster Night (12 Oct) - A big thank you to people who have donated not just their time but prizes and food. Everyone who has been involved is excited and eagerly anticipating tomorrow night's event. For those who are attending, EFT will be available, but for raffles and money board purchases, we prefer cash. 

From the Parish

St Mary Of The Angels - Tara

Mass Times

Tara: Sunday: 9am

on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month

Meandarra: Sunday: 11am

on the 3rd Sunday of the month

St Joseph's Awards

Silver Awards

Eleanore Aylott

Bronze Awards

Loretta Kerr

Certificates of Recognition

Week 2 - No assembly due to public holiday (Kings' birthday).

From the Administration Officers

Term 4 fees have been added to each customer account and emails have been send out this morning. Please check you junk mail.

If you need any financial assistance, be sure to come in and see myself or Kylie to see how we can help. It is completely confidential!

HOW TO PAY YOUR SCHOOL FEES:

*Cash / Cheque, at the office.

*BPoint, in person at the office or over the phone.

*Direct Deposit:
Bank: ADF
Name: St Joseph’s School
BSB: 064-786
ACC: 100-025-583
Reference: Your Name/Customer Code eg. TRA1234             

*Centrelink Centrepay Deduction Payments can be made fortnightly or monthly.                     The School’s CRN: 555075545A 

*Direct Debit: Forms are available in the office. Please see me or call the office.

Not Sure how it’s done?  Ask at the office for assistance.

Term Dates

2024

Term 1 2024 – Tue 23 Jan (Public Hol 26 Jan) - Thur 28 Mar

(Good Friday 29 Mar)

Term 2 2024 –(Student Free Day 15 Apr) Tue 16 Apr - Fri 21 Jun 

Term 3 2023 – (Student Free Day 08 Jul) Tue 09 Jul - Fri 13 Sep

Term 4 2023 –(Kings B'day 07 OCT) Mon 30 Sep - Wed 04 Dec

(Travel Day's Thur 5 Dec & Fri 6 Dec)

2025

Term 1 2025 – Wed 29 Jan (Public Hol 26 Jan) - Fri 04 April

Term 2 2025 – (Easter Monday, 21 Apr) Tue 22 Apr - Fri 21 Jun 

Wellbeing Matters

Student Safety

EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE

It is a legislative requirement that all non-state schools have at least two nominated staff members to whom a student can report the behaviour of another staff member that the student considers inappropriate.  We call these specially trained staff members School Student Protection Contacts, or SSPCs.  Each SSPC has been nominated by the principal in recognition of their integrity, approachability and knowledge in the area of student protection.  Whilst students are encouraged to speak up to any trusted adult in the school community, it is important that they know they can access these specific staff members at any time should they have worries, queries or concerns. You will have noticed posters throughout the school depicting our current SSPCs.  The SSPCs are also published on our school website along with information about our student protection processes.  In everything we do at St Joseph's Tara student safety is our highest priority, therefore the SSPCs at our school are key personnel in our overall safeguarding processes.  Please see the poster below depicting our current SSPC team.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT