St Joseph's, Tara - Term 2 Week 6 2025 Newsletter!

Our Vision & Mission Statements

From the Principal

Welcome to the Term 2 Week 6 Newsletter!

Unpacking the Strategic Plan

Our Week 6 Strategic Plan focus is: 

Further strengthen the profile of the school in the community to become the school of choice for the people of Tara. 

At the heart of every thriving community is a school that not only educates but also inspires, connects, and uplifts. As part of our strategic plan, we are committed to further strengthening the profile of our school within the Tara community, with the goal of becoming the school of choice for local families. 

This vision is more than a goal—it’s a shared journey. It begins with the belief that every child deserves a high-quality education in a nurturing, inclusive, and forward-thinking environment. I believe that St Joseph’s can offer just that, and we are working hard to ensure that every family in Tara knows it. 

One of the most powerful tools we have in achieving this goal is something we already possess: our community’s voice. Time and again, research and experience show that parents’ word of mouth is the most effective form of advertisement. When families share their positive experiences—whether it’s a child’s academic growth, a teacher’s dedication, or the sense of belonging they feel—it resonates far more deeply than any flyer, billboard or Facebook post ever could. 

We are proud of the many stories our families tell. Stories of students who have discovered a love of learning, an enjoyment of being at school, of friendships that have formed in our playgrounds, and of teachers who go above and beyond every day. These stories are the heartbeat of our school, and we encourage all parents and carers to continue sharing them—with neighbours, friends, and new families moving into the area. 

To support this, we are also enhancing our presence in the community through a range of initiatives to showcase our student success. Whether it’s academic achievements, creative arts, or sporting triumphs, we are actively celebrating and sharing our students’ successes through newsletters, social media, and local media outlets. 

We also welcome feedback and ideas from our families. What makes our school special to you? What would you like to see more of? Your insights help us grow and ensure we are meeting the needs of our community. Please come in and have a chat. 

Together, we can continue to build a school that not only meets expectations but exceeds them—a school that every family in Tara is proud to call their own. Let’s keep the conversation going, keep sharing our stories, and keep building a future where our school is the first choice for every child in our town. 

Term 2 Principal's Forum

Last week I attended the Term 2 Toowoomba Catholic Schools Principal's Forum in Goondiwindi which was an enriching and professionally rewarding experience. The forum provided a valuable opportunity to engage with fellow principals and educational leaders from across the diocese, fostering a strong sense of collegiality and shared purpose. Through a series of insightful presentations, collaborative workshops, and strategic discussions, I was able to deepen my understanding of current educational priorities, including faith leadership, curriculum innovation, and student wellbeing. The forum also highlighted the importance of aligning school practices with the broader mission of Catholic education, reinforcing the spiritual and moral dimensions of our leadership roles. One of the key professional benefits was the chance to reflect on my own leadership practices in light of emerging research and diocesan goals, allowing me to identify areas for growth and renewal. Engaging with experienced principals and system leaders offered fresh perspectives on managing change, building staff capacity, and fostering inclusive school cultures. The Goondiwindi setting added a unique regional context, reminding us of the diverse communities we serve and the importance of contextual leadership. I returned to my school with renewed energy, practical strategies, and a deeper commitment to leading St Joseph’s, Tara with faith and purpose. Overall, the forum was not only a platform for professional learning but also a reaffirmation of our collective mission to nurture thriving, Christ-centred learning communities. 

National Simultaneous Storytime

Last Wednesday (21 May) thousands of children, educators, librarians, and families across Australia united to celebrate the 2025 National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS), an inspiring annual event hosted by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). This year’s featured book, The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell, delighted audiences with its heartwarming story of Tinker, a cat who finds friendship and belonging on the road with a kind truck driver named Yacoub. At 12:00pm, the story was read aloud simultaneously in schools, libraries, homes, and community centres nationwide, creating a powerful moment of shared storytelling. Our story teller for this year was Mrs Aylott.  

In addition to the live reading, students enthusiastically engaged in a variety of creative and educational activities inspired by the book. These included drawing images of what makes them feel at home, creating a illustration for the end page of the story, building puppets of the story’s main characters to use to retell the story in their own words, and making an origami cat. These hands-on experiences deepened students’ connection to the story and encouraged them to express their understanding through art, writing, illustrations, and play. 

Such initiatives are vital in promoting a lifelong love of reading. By making books interactive, fun, and socially engaging, NSS helps children see reading not just as a school task, but as a joyful and meaningful part of life. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Mrs Bowman and Mrs Aylott for ensuring that our students can participate in this event each year. Your tireless efforts – from purchasing the book to organising the activities and the necessary resources - have made a lasting impact. Your passion for literacy and education shines through. Here's to another magical year of storytelling! 

Southwest Cross Country

Congratulations to Damon Grose for his selection and participation in the Tara & District Cross Country team who compete at the South West competition last Wednesday. Damon said he was proud of his effort, given he had been sick for the 2 days before hand. We are keen to see Damon continue his great work in the sporting arena for the remainder of the 2025 year and into 2026. Well done, Damon! 

God bless,

Kylie Williams

APMI

A new Era of Hope: Pope Leo XIV and the Promise for Our Diocese

Catholics around the world rejoiced earlier this month with the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, whose deep pastoral heart and global experience signal a new chapter for the Church. For the community of St Joseph’s School, Tara, and the wider Toowoomba Diocese, this moment is more than symbolic—it is a source of renewed hope and inspiration. 

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Joseph Langford of Chicago, brings with him a profound commitment to social justice, education, and pastoral care. His missionary work in Peru and leadership within the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops have shaped a leader who understands both the challenges of the global Church and the needs of local communities. 

Bishop Ken Howell of Toowoomba warmly welcomed the new Holy Father, stating, “Pope Leo brings a broad breadth of experience that situates him well to lead the Catholic Church into the future. With the heart of a missionary, he has served in Peru as a priest and bishop. He knows well the troubles of those experiencing poverty and facing inequality, showing compassion for those who struggle”. 

For St Joseph’s School, Tara, Pope Leo’s emphasis on inclusive education and care for the marginalised aligns beautifully with the school’s mission. His papacy is expected to bring renewed focus on Catholic education as a vehicle for transformation, particularly in rural and regional communities like ours. His understanding of the importance of nurturing young minds in faith and knowledge offers encouragement to educators, students, and families alike. 

The Pope’s commitment to listening and synodality—walking together as a Church—resonates deeply with the values of our diocese. His leadership style, marked by humility and dialogue, invites schools and parishes to be active participants in shaping the Church’s future. This is an exciting opportunity for St Joseph’s to engage more deeply in global Catholic conversations while continuing to serve our local community with love and purpose. 

Moreover, Pope Leo’s advocacy for environmental stewardship and care for creation echoes the values and reinforces the importance of sustainability in our school curriculum and practices 

As we celebrate this new chapter, let us keep Pope Leo XIV in our prayers. May his leadership inspire us to live out our faith with courage, compassion, and joy. And may St Joseph’s School, Tara, continue to flourish under the guidance of a Church renewed in spirit and united in hope. 

Reference: 20250509_Bishop-Ken-Howell_re-Appointment-of-Pope-Leo-XIV.pdf 

and Pope Leo XIV vows to work for unity in the church at inaugural mass - ABC News 

Learning at St Joeys

From the Year 4 - 6 Classroom

English

In Year 4, students will listen to, read, view and interpret written and multimodal texts including persuasive and informative texts. They will share and extend ideas, opinions and information with audiences, using relevant details from learnt topics, topics of interest or texts. Students will read, view and comprehend texts created to inform and influence audiences. They will create written texts including persuasive texts for purposes and audiences, where they develop ideas using details from learnt topics and texts. Students will use paragraphs to organise and link ideas. They will read fluently and accurately, integrating phonic, morphemic, grammatical and punctuation knowledge. Students will spell words including words with multiple syllables and sounds words with irregular spelling patterns, using phonic, morphemic and grammatical knowledge.

In Year 5, students will interact with others and create written and multimodal texts including persuasive and informative texts. For particular purposes and audiences, they share and develop ideas and opinions, using supporting details from topics or texts. Students will use different text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They will use language features including topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices. Students will read, view and comprehend texts created to inform, influence audiences. They will explain how characteristic text structures support the purpose of texts and how language features including literary devices, and visual features contribute to the effect and meaning of a text. Students will create written and multimodal texts, including literary texts, for particular purposes and audiences, developing and expanding on ideas with supporting details from topics or texts. They will use paragraphs to organise, develop and link ideas. Students will spell using phonic, morphemic and grammatical knowledge. 

In Year 6, students will interact with others and listen to and create multimodal texts including literary texts. For particular purposes and audiences, they will share, develop, explain ideas from topics or texts. Students will use and vary text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They use and vary language features including topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices. They will read, view and comprehend different texts created to inform, influence and engage audiences. Students will identify how texts have similar and different text structures to reflect purpose. They will create written texts, including literary texts, for particular purposes and audiences, developing, explaining and elaborating on relevant ideas from topics or texts. Students will use text structures and vary paragraphs to organise, develop and link ideas. They will use and vary language features including sentence structures, topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices. Students will spell using phonic, morphemic and grammatical knowledge. 

Mathematics

In Year 4, students will recall addition and multiplication facts to add and subtract, multiply and divide numbers efficiently. They will choose rounding and estimation strategies to determine whether results of calculations are reasonable. Students will convert between units of time when solving problems involving duration of events and to calculate start and finish time. They will compare angles relative to a right-angle using angle names including acute, obtuse, straight, reflex and revolution angles. Students will conduct repeated chance experiments and describe the variation in results. 

In Year 5, students will use their proficiency with multiplication facts and efficient calculation strategies to multiply large numbers by one- and two-digit numbers and divide by single-digit numbers. They will check the reasonableness of their calculations using estimation. Students will convert between 12- and 24-hour time. Students will also calculate the start time, finish time and elapsed time of events.  They will estimate, construct and measure angles in degrees. Students will conduct repeated chance experiments, list the possible outcomes, estimate likelihoods and make comparisons between those with and without equally likely outcomes. 

In Year 6, students will identify and explain rules used to create growing patterns. They will create and use algorithms to generate sets of numbers, using a rule. Students will interpret and use timetables. They will calculate the start, finish and elapsed time of events and convert between 12 hour and 24-hour time. Students will compare observed frequencies to the expected frequencies of the outcomes of chance experiments. 

Religious Education

In Term Two, students have been exploring what faith looks like for them and how they can live in faith in their daily lives. They have explored many of the major prophets, including Samuel, Isiah, Amos and Jonah and how they lived out faith in the Bible. Students will also look at people in our community today who visibly live in faith. By the end of the term, students will identify how they can live in faith in their lives.  

Science

This term in science, students will explore space including the relationship between the Sun and the planets of the solar system. They will learn about the movement of the earth and other planets, the earth’s rotation, axis and tilt of the earth and how this affects the seasons and day and night.  By the end of this term, students will be able to identify phases of the moon, how the earth rotates and what causes day and night and the season.  

HaSS

This term in Hass, students have explored migration to Australia since Federation. They have identified the causes and effects of migration and the different reasons why someone could migrate to Australia. Students will evaluate a range of information and data formats to identify and describe patterns, trends or inferred relationships. They will select and organise ideas and findings from sources, and use a range of relevant terms and conventions, to present descriptions and explanations. By the end of term, students will write a persuasive letter from the view point of someone who has migrated to Australia.  

Health

In Health this term, students are exploring identity and explain how different factors influence identities. They will propose strategies to demonstrate respect, empathy and inclusion. Students will explain how stereotypes influence roles and responsibilities. By the end of the term, students will explore their own identity and what influences them.  

The Arts - Drama

In Term 2, students are exploring drama. They will explain the use of elements, concepts and conventions in drama performances they experience. They describe how the arts communicate ideas, perspectives or meaning across cultures, times, places and other contexts. They will describe how drama is used to continue and revitalise cultures. Students will use subject-specific knowledge, elements, concepts, conventions, materials, skills and processes to create drama performances that communicate ideas and perspectives. By the end of the term, students will present a short play about sustainability in an informal setting. 

The GOSSIP - Student Newspaper

From the PEN

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 Student Recognition

Bronze Award

Rory Taylor, Charlotte Partridge and Xander Welldon-Taylor

Certificates of Recognition

Week 5 - Penny Stinson, Dekota Walker, Bentley Tucker and Tori Evans

Week 6 - Joseph Cole, Emily Walsh, Elijah Velez and Rory Taylor

From the Administration Officers

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

2025

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

Term 2 2025 – (Easter Monday, 21 Apr) Wed 23 Apr - Fri 27 Jun

Term 3 2025 - Tue 15 Jul - Fri 19 Sep

Term 4 2025 - Tue 07 Oct (Kings B'day 06 OCT) - Fri 05 Dec

Professional Development and Planning Days (previously called Pupil Free Days)

• Wednesday, 22 January - Friday, 24 January 2025 - Professional Development
• Tuesday, 28 January 2025 - Planning Day
• Tuesday, 22 April 2025 - Planning Day
• Monday, 14 July 2025 - Planning Day
  
• Wednesday, 30 July 2025 - Bishops Inservice Day (BID)
  
• Friday, 5 September 2025 - Consistency of Teacher Judgement (CTJ)

Public holidays

• Australia Day public holiday – Monday, 27 January 2025
• Easter – Friday, 18 April – Monday, 21 April 2025
• Anzac Day – Friday, 25 April 2025
• Labour Day – Monday, 5 May 2025
• King’s Birthday – Monday, 6 October 2025

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