Term 1 Week 7

Principal Message

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Thank you for your understanding over the last week regarding the school’s closure in response to the advice from Catholic Schools NSW and the Department of Education. I appreciate the impact our closure had on working families and balance this with the understanding of the agencies responsible for making the decisions in the interest of public safety. I, too, had some of the same questions as I’m sure many of you did but I had to trust the advice from the professionals responsible for making these decisions. I do believe that the level of preparedness of communities all up and down the coast resulted in a reduced impact on property and lives. 

I am grateful for the staff who managed changes due to the closure regarding sporting events and to the Catholic Schools Office partners who prepared the plans for support just in case the school needed to action them because of the weather. The SES dropped sandbags to the school on Wednesday to ensure our classrooms remained water free and the Building & Facilities Team organised for plumbers to be onsite on Thursday to repair a leaking roof. We are very lucky to have this level of response from our system and community. 

NAPLAN 

This week, we turn our attention to ensuring our Yr 3 and Yr 5 students are well rested and prepared for NAPLAN that commences on Wednesday. Fortunately, our staff have already prepared the technology and administration requirements necessary for this and our students have had opportunities to engage with samples of the tests, so they understand the process. Your support in making sure your child is well rested and arrives at school before 9.00am is appreciated to ensure a smooth process and reduced anxiety for students. 

PARENTS & FRIENDS 

Last week, the principals from across our Diocese discussed opportunities for parent engagement. One of the points of discussion was that each school must have at least two parents each year who agree to be part of the Diocesan Parents & Friends Federation. I am keen for St Joseph’s Taree to be represented at this level and invite interested parents to contact our school administration office to forward their names onto me. I will then make contact and arrange for your inclusion in this group.  Most meetings can be accessed online to support the problem of distance across the Diocese.

We are excited to be hosting our first information meeting for parents of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students in Years 5 and 6 next Monday 17th March at 3.00pm in the Year 6 classroom. Families will be provided with information about the scholarships available for their children to attend a boarding school from Year 7 and be supported to make an application if they decide to pursue the option. One of our previous principals, Mr Mark Mowbray will be supporting us to access this opportunity.

ENROLMENT NOW OPEN FOR 2026! 

The enrolment period for Catholic schools has opened and offers for the 2026 school year will be made after the first period of enrolment closes on May 23rd. This is especially important for families wishing to enrol into Kindergarten at St Joseph’s and to Yr 7 at St Clare’s High School. Enrolment is online for all schools and can be accessed via the school website.  

https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/enrolment/enrol-online/

Yours sincerely, 

Brooke Stephens

Assistant Principal

NAPLAN 2025 

As we approach NAPLAN 2025, we wish our Year 3 and Year 5 students all the best as they prepare for these assessments. NAPLAN is an opportunity for students to showcase their learning in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and numeracy. 

While NAPLAN is important, we remind our students that it is just one part of their learning journey. We encourage them to do their best, stay positive, and approach each test with confidence. 

To support your child, we recommend: 

 ✅ Encouraging a calm and positive attitude 

 ✅ Ensuring they get a good night’s sleep before each test 

 ✅ Providing a healthy breakfast to start the day well 

 ✅ Reassuring them that NAPLAN is just one of many ways we celebrate learning 

We are proud of all our students and the effort they put into their learning every day. Best wishes to our Year 3 and Year 5 students—we know they will do their very best! 

If you have any questions or concerns about NAPLAN, please speak to your child's teacher.

Anthony Hunt

Acting Assistant Principal

Religious Education Coordinator

Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday Liturgy 

Last week, our school community came together to mark the beginning of Lent with two special events—Shrove Tuesday led by our captains and our Ash Wednesday Liturgy led by Year 4. 

On Shrove Tuesday, there was plenty of excitement as students enjoyed delicious pancakes, continuing the tradition of preparing for the Lenten season. A special thank you to our captains — Anton, Jackson, and Sophie — who did an amazing job cooking the pancakes and serving our community with such enthusiasm! The highlight of the day was a visit from Prime News, who came to capture the joy and spirit of the occasion. It was wonderful to see our students learning about the meaning behind Shrove Tuesday and the importance of giving, prayer, and fasting during Lent. 

The following day, our Ash Wednesday Liturgy was beautifully led by our Year 4 students, who helped guide us in reflection and prayer as we entered this sacred season. They reminded us of the significance of Lent as a time to grow closer to God. Students and staff received the ashes as a sign of repentance and renewal, marking the beginning of our journey towards Easter. 

Andrew Chinn Concert

On Thursday, March 27th, Australian religious songwriter and singer Andrew Chinn will visit our school to share his songs with our children. Andrew’s songs, such as “These Hands,” “Rainbow,” “An African Blessing,” and “Rise Up!” are used in classrooms and liturgies around Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada. The concert will take place in our school hall at 12 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you there. 

2025 Sacraments 

This is a reminder that Taree Parish is currently taking registrations for the Sacramental Program. A parent information session will be held on Thursday, March 20th, in the school Library. Please see the pamphlet below.

Project Compassion 

This Lent, we’re invited to Unite Against Poverty with Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. This year is especially significant as we celebrate the Jubilee Year - a time of renewal and solidarity. 

Project Compassion 2025 shares three stories from around the world. We’ll meet Toefuata'iga - (Toy-foo-ah-tah-ing-ah) a young student from Samoa who faced severe water shortages at her school. Thanks to Caritas Australia and the generosity of supporters like you, her school now has a 10,000 L water tank improving hygiene and allowing the teachers to prioritise education.  

We’ll get to know Lam from Vietnam, born with short stature, Lam faced social exclusion and limited employment opportunities – through the I-SHINE program, Lam is now a freelance graphic designer. 

And we’ll meet Irene from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who faced immense challenges after losing her father to war and raising her children in poverty. With support from Caritas Australia, Irene received vocational training in sewing and farming and can now support her whole family. 

Watch our Introduction to Project Compassion film below and be inspired by 3 powerful stories of resilience and strength, and learn the impact that your support can have on vulnerable communities around the world. 

 https://youtu.be/zW00h7JaCbQ?si=JGIIIp7r09sECK0r 

Anthony Hunt

Religious Education Coordinator

Primary Coordinator Report

PB4L focus 

‘Learning to Understand Bullying’ is the focus for PB4L this week.  We are responding to the information that is present within our student community, where we have identified quite a few situations that have highlighted this type of behaviour. 

During the previous week, teachers have unpacked what bullying means and what it may look like in our school context. Classes have had open discussions and used resources from Bullying No Way to start these discussions. 

This week, the students will engage in some classroom learning activities to help them learn more about standing up for themselves and others and develop social-emotional skills to be more inclusive. 

Below is a link for families to learn more about dealing with bullying. 

For families 

Teaching children how to interact respectfully and with tolerance fosters a more inclusive environment. By learning to respect others, children develop empathy, which allows them to understand and connect with people from different backgrounds. Empathy encourages positive interactions and builds bridges across cultures, beliefs, and experiences. Respecting others helps children learn essential social skills, including active listening, patience, and tolerance. These skills improve their ability to form friendships and work cooperatively, contributing to their emotional and social development. Children who feel respected and accepted are more likely to develop a positive self-image and confidence. This, in turn, helps them respect and accept others.  

When children learn to respect and tolerate differences, they are less likely to engage in bullying or discriminatory behaviour. This creates a safer and more supportive environment for everyone. 

We understand that this is an ongoing process, and we commit to continuing to support all our students’ social, emotional and cultural needs. We look forward to acknowledging and celebrating our school’s diversity on Harmony Day March 21st. May this be a wonderful way to learn more about each other, share stories, fun and games together. 

 Kinder Buddies 

Last week the Kindergarten and Year 6 students had their usual buddy time. 

During this visit, they read picture storybooks and had lunch together. They really are building strong connections!  

Having a buddy is also a protective factor in student well-being. Respectful and tolerant interactions also help build a sense of community and belonging. Children learn that they are part of a larger group where everyone is valued and included. 

Loretta Riddiford 

Primary Coordinator 

Year 6 Buddies

Pedagogical Mentor Report

During the term so far, the PM’s have been working with the leadership team and all teachers to review our assessment schedule protocols. 

We have identified the purpose of each standardised assessment and determined how we will use the results to track student progress throughout the year levels.  

Assessments are conducted to measure student progress, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and tailor instruction to meet individual needs. We use these throughout the year and assessment helps teachers understand what the next steps in student learning are and provide opportunities for feedback where appropriate. 

The different types of assessments used in the classroom are many and varied. They include formative assessments (ongoing checks for understanding during the teaching), summative assessments (end-of-unit tasks or projects), and standardised adaptive assessments.  Anecdotal notes and student work samples are also reliable forms of student data. 

Assessments help teachers provide targeted support or extension where needed through differentiated learning tasks, more intensive small groups or extra individual instruction. 

Teacher feedback, peer and self-assessment can guide students in setting and achieving their learning goals based on the assessment information.  

NAPLAN 

Students in Years 3 and 5 will be undertaking NAPLAN assessments in the coming weeks. Those families will have received separate communication about this. 

Practical tips for parents; 

• Ensuring your child gets enough rest and eats well during the assessment period 
• Encourage a ‘can-do' attitude towards NAPLAN, give every question your best effort. 

Loretta Riddiford  

K-2 Pedagogical Mentor 

E.A.L.D. News

Recently I was asked for some ideas for home support for our students. I did mention flashcard sets for multiplication and addition available at Big W for around $5 and using a microwave timer to practice each day, with a possible reward for attaining a good time for 100% accuracy for the whole pack.

Below are some great websites, all free that would also be very useful.

Maths

www.mathsisfun.com/definitions  (a really good place for maths words & skills to be explained and practised )

 English

www.wordhippo.com (how to say a word, what the word means, words like it & how to use the word in a sentence )

www.snappywords.com

Reading

www.kidsworldfun.com  (with books to download , practice tasks , animated books , puzzles and games )

 Caring

https://freerice.com  (a site where you choose words with the same meaning and every correct answer earns 10 g of rice for a country in need. Corporate sponsors donate an amount of money to the UN World Food Program based on the number of correct answers to the word questions. Students can improve their vocabulary and assist others in less fortunate countries)

 Please check See Saw for information from your class teacher as well.

Weekly Awards

Sports Coordinator

Music Matters 2025

Music Matters Term 1 2025 – St Joseph’s Primary School Taree.
Our music classes at St Joseph’s are in full swing and it is wonderful to see happy faces and hear some lovely melodies, coming from our music space in the hub. It has been a positive start to 2025.

Music is a universal gift which has the power to connect people. Engaging in music is a lot of fun and great for literacy development. It fosters teamwork and social skills and is fantastic for overall general health.

In 2025, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will be learning to sing some simple folk and popular songs. All students will have the opportunity to play both tuned and untuned percussion instruments at school.

Years 3-6 students will participate in bucket drumming and recorder lessons.

In Week 9, we look forward to the Andrew Chinn Concert planned for our school in St Joseph’s Hall. We have been preparing by practising some of Mr Chinn’s hymns in class. Stay tuned for further details about this event from our Religious Education Coordinator, Mr Hunt.
 

St Joseph’s Choir

There has been some great interest in membership of the St Joseph’s choir for 2025. Being a representative of the school choir is a lot of fun and great for literacy development. It fosters teamwork and social skills and is fantastic for overall general health. However, it does require some commitment. Choir members are expected to attend all rehearsals and concerts, unless unwell.

This year, the selection of the St Joseph’s Choir students has been in class time. Parents and carers of students who have been selected will receive an email with details about the Eisteddfod and upcoming performances.

Choir practices will be in the music room during class time and recess. Students will be reminded of the day and time. Further practices at Recess or during lunch, leading up to concert performances.

Recorder Group/Flute

We are grateful to Mrs Stephens for providing a recorder for all students in Years 2-6 this year!

Students will be able to take their recorders home this term. They will be in a case and labelled with the student’s name. A cleaning rod and fingering chart will be provided. Students will receive links to songs they can easily practise at home to follow up our lessons in class. Recorders are to be kept in the reading folders and school bags to ensure they are available for the next music lesson at school. If a student forgets his/her recorder, they can use one of the school recorders.

In addition, students in Years 2-6 are welcome to attend recorder group on Thursdays at recess. Students in Years 3-6, who own or hire a flute, are welcome to bring their instrument too.

I know Mrs Stephens is keen on joining us in class or at recorder group when she has time! We look forward to playing alongside her soon.

Please feel free to contact me at school for more information. I look forward to working with your child to create fabulous music throughout the year.
 

Kind Regards

Mrs Mary-Anne O’Dwyer

Music Teacher - St Joseph’s Primary School Taree