Term 1 Week 9
Principal message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Celebrating the diversity of cultures within our community and the differences that make us unique was the focus of St Joseph’s Day and Harmony Day last week. Led by our Year 6 students, we reflected through prayer the values of St Joseph that are at the heart of who we strive to be as a school community. St Joseph demonstrated the unconditional love of God, putting the needs of others before his own, and protecting those around him. He had a quiet strength and a calming presence. It is our goal to work as hard as St Joseph did, and with as much faith as St Joseph had, to create a community of people who see difference as a positive quality that strengthens the bonds between us and makes us unique. When we use our gifts and talents to protect and promote one another, we are nourishing the wellbeing of the individuals within our school community and encouraging peace among us. Thank you, Year 6, for your leadership of a day that represented these values within our school community.
The focus of this day was timely as we continue to educate our students about positive relationships and the behaviours that support quality friendships. The support of our parents and their willingness to collaborate with our staff as we unpack some of the challenges that we observe has been outstanding. Congratulations and thank you to our parents for your engagement in what will be lifelong learning for your children. Your example of how to resolve problems has been wonderful.
We have three weeks remaining for Term 1, and there is much to celebrate at St Joseph’s Taree. Our classrooms are settled and focused places of learning, the playing fields are recovering well and our school leaders are setting a great example for our students.
This summer has been a long one and I imagine some of our students will begin to fatigue from the long warm days and term. Go gently through these last weeks and look after yourself and those around you with the love and protection of St Joseph as your guide.
Yours sincerely,
Brooke Stephens
Assistant Principal
Congratulations to our Year 3 and Year 5 students for completing their NAPLAN assessments! We are incredibly proud of their hard work, resilience, and dedication throughout the process. NAPLAN is an important milestone that helps track progress in literacy and numeracy, and our students approached it with a fantastic attitude. A big thank you to our teachers and staff for their support, and to families for encouraging and reassuring their children. To celebrate their efforts, we wrapped up the week with a delicious sausage sizzle, bringing everyone together to enjoy a well-earned treat. Well done, everyone!
Attendance Improvement Update
Attendance remains a key focus for our school, and we continue to work closely with the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Schools Office to further improve attendance rates. The data over the past four years shows a positive upward trend, reflecting our collective efforts in prioritising student attendance.
Attendance Growth:
February
- 2022 – 87.4%
- 2023 – 89.4%
- 2024 – 89.8%
- 2025 – 91.6%
March
- 2022 – 86.3%
- 2023 – 89.8%
- 2024 – 91.7%
- 2025 – 92.2%
The steady improvement in attendance across our school is a fantastic step toward enhancing student learning and success. Higher attendance rates mean more consistent learning experiences, stronger peer connections, and increased engagement in classroom activities. When students attend school regularly, they develop important skills, build confidence, and stay on track with their learning goals. This positive trend ensures that all students have the best possible opportunity to thrive academically and socially.
Our goal remains for all students to achieve a 90% attendance rate across the school year. During the holidays, families will receive an attendance overview letter from the Catholic Schools Office, providing insights into their child's attendance for Term 1. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to supporting your child's education through regular attendance!
Religious Education Coordinator
St Joseph’s Day and Harmony Day
On Friday, our school came together for a special combined liturgy and celebration in honour of St Joseph’s Day and Harmony Day. While St Joseph’s Feast Day falls on the 19th March, we took the opportunity to join it with Harmony Day to reflect on the values of faith, service, and inclusion that unite us as a school community.
Our liturgy was a beautiful reminder of St Joseph’s example—a man of kindness, humility, integrity and trust in God. We also reflected on the message of Harmony Day—"Everyone Belongs", and how we are called to treat others with respect, inclusion, and compassion.
Following the liturgy, students participated in activities that encouraged kindness, connection, and understanding. The sight of students wearing a touch of orange or wearing traditional dress added a wonderful splash of colour and symbolised our commitment to unity.
The day was a fantastic celebration of faith and inclusion, reminding us all of the importance of living out the values of St Joseph and embracing the diversity that makes our community so special. Thank you to our Year 6 Team of staff and students and to Mrs Michele Cooling who led the day for us.
Liturgy
Sacramental Program
Thank you to all the families who attended last Thursday's Sacramental Program Information Afternoon. The afternoon provided an overview of the program, including key dates, expectations, and ways families can support their child's spiritual growth. We hope the information shared was helpful as we prepare for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Eucharist.
We’d also like to remind everyone about our Orientation to the Church Evening this Wednesday. This is a great opportunity for the children and their families to become familiar with the sacred space where these important celebrations will take place.
Anthony Hunt
Religious Education Coordinator
Primary Education Coordinator Report
PIVOT surveys
We have undertaken a project launched by Catholic Schools Maitland Newcastle to learn more about our students’ wellbeing which addresses 5 areas- general wellbeing, safety, belonging, resilience and protective factors. After informing parents through Compass, we have completed the baseline survey with students from Years 3-6.
This survey gives the school some data on what areas our students are doing well in and which areas we need to address. We are looking forward to using this data to inform our decisions around social emotional learning in the classrooms and beyond. The PIVOT platform has some excellent resources to encourage positive conversations amongst staff about wellbeing. It also provides some great questions to use with the class to encourage students to have discussions with their teacher and cohort.
Monitoring our students’ wellbeing throughout the year will take the form of ‘Check ins’, the first of which will begin in Term 2 Week 2. During these quick 5-minute surveys, individual students have the opportunity to flag their teacher if they feel they need support. We are excited to have this great tool available to us to provide a greater insight into how students are feeling whilst at school.
BULLYING
Our focus on teaching how to respond to bullying continues to be our PB4L focus for the remainder of this term. Whilst all classes are learning more about bullying, we maintain our expectations of - We are Safe, We are Respectful and We are Learners in all areas around our school.
As a staff we are using relevant and reliable resources to provide quality tasks to engage our students in discussions, role plays and activities that highlight the positive qualities we all need, to maintain healthy relationships.
Harmony Day last Friday was an excellent opportunity for our community to come together to acknowledge and celebrate the various cultures we have at St Joseph’s. It encourages people to appreciate and celebrate cultural diversity, which helps reduce stereotypes and prejudices that often lead to bullying. By highlighting the importance of respect for all individuals, Harmony Day helps create a culture where bullying is less likely to occur.
Loretta Riddiford
Primary Coordinator
3 – 6 Pedagogical Mentor
Primary Teaching and Learning
Feedback
At our school, we are placing a strong emphasis on feedback to support learning and growth. This includes:
- Teacher to Student – Teachers provide constructive feedback to help students understand their strengths and areas for improvement, guiding them toward success.
- Student to Student – Students learn to give and receive peer feedback, fostering collaboration and a supportive learning environment.
- Student to Teacher – Students are encouraged to share their thoughts and reflections, helping teachers tailor their teaching to better meet student needs.
By focusing on meaningful feedback in all directions, we aim to create a more engaging and effective learning experience for everyone.
Year 5 in Focus!
Year 5 Science: The Watermelon Challenge! 🍉💥
This term, Year 5 have been exploring the fascinating world of forces in science! To put their learning to the test, they took on the Watermelon Challenge – an exciting experiment demonstrating the power of tension and pressure.
Each group had to predict how many rubber bands it would take to build up enough force to burst a watermelon. As the bands were carefully added, the anticipation grew... until BOOM! – the watermelon finally gave way!
This hands-on experiment helped students understand the impact of stored energy and pressure in a fun and memorable way. Well done to Year 5 for their fantastic predictions and scientific thinking!
Stay tuned for more exciting science adventures! 🔬✨
Tarnya Jones
3 – 6 Pedagogical Mentor
Sports Coordinator Report
Winter Sports Trials
We congratulate all the students who were successfully selected for the winter sports trials in Newcastle this week. Our students will be showcasing their skills as they try out for the Diocesan Rugby League, Hockey, and Soccer teams. Best of luck to everyone!
Danny Buderus Legends 7’s Gala Day
Our students have been hard at work training for the upcoming Buderus 7’s Legends Gala Day. We wish our four teams the best of luck on Tuesday, March 25!
Their dedication and teamwork have been evident throughout their training sessions, and we are confident they will give their best effort on the day. This event is a fantastic opportunity for them to showcase their skills, sportsmanship, and passion for the game. We look forward to seeing them in action and cheering them on!
Soccer Gala Day
Students from Years 3 to 6 will be traveling to Omaru Park in Taree to compete in the Newcastle Permanent Soccer Gala Day. The event kicks off at 10:00 am and will conclude by 2:00 pm. We encourage families to come along and cheer on our teams. Keep an eye out for notes being sent home this week with further details.
Cross Country
The track is set, and students are excited for the upcoming annual cross-country carnival. The event is scheduled for Friday, April 4, and promises to be a fantastic day of fitness and fun!
Boots
We have a wonderful assortment of boots for the students to borrow for carnivals, but we need to replenish the tub. If you have any football, soccer, futsal, etc boots that you would like to donate to the school or know someone, I am sure the students would greatly appreciate it.
Catholic Primary School Sport Pathways
At St Joseph’s we are committed to the development of the whole student. Sport and physical activity are an integral part of the school curriculum, and our school environment provides opportunities to build a dynamic and inclusive culture.
The diagram below explains the pathways available at our school.
Maitland-Newcastle Diocesan Sport Website
This website is new to the Diocese and is designed to assist parents in registering their child at Diocesan level. Please follow the information below.
Yours in Sport
Tarnya Jones
Sport Coordinator
School Awards
