Term 2 Week 3
Principal's message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Our celebration for Mother's Day on Friday was a wonderful morning of sharing breakfast and playtime, experiencing the classroom morning routines and praying together in thanks for our mothers and grandmothers. We are extremely grateful that so many of you could join us for this occasion. Mother's Day this year was the first one I have celebrated as a nan and with my daughter as a mother. I am grateful for my new 'grandmother' role and because I know how much love and energy is invested into the days and nights with our littlest of children, I try to do all that I can to support my daughter's growing family. I hope that all of our St Joseph's mothers and grandmothers were spoiled yesterday with the love and cuddles of your children and grandchildren. Happy Mother's Day!
One of the really important roles we play as parents is to care for the wellbeing of our children as they grow. As it can be hard and costly to find the right information, we provide support for parents through online webinars free of charge on current topics and issues that impact our children and families. The link below can be used to register for sessions and build your skills and knowledge to work through some of these challenges. The upcoming 30min or 1hr webinars for May include:
- Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online (Wednesday 14 May 12.30pm)
- Anxiety and Depression in Children and Adolescents (Friday 16 May 12.00pm)
- eSafety 101: how eSafety can help you (Wednesday 21 May 12.30pm)
- Teen Mental Health Matters: For Parents and Carers (Wednesday 21 and Wednesday 28 May 6.30pm)
- Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men (Tuesday 27 May 12.30pm)
- Sexual extortion: What parents and carers need to know (Wednesday 28 May 12.30pm)
Last week, we also held a session at school for parents and carers on how St Joseph's Taree applies the Positive Behaviour for Learning Framework to build the social and emotional skills of our students. We provided some information from our Education Officer, Craig Moore, and some specific information about St Joseph's. Thank you to those families who attended, and it is through these opportunities that we develop our shared understandings of how we work through the social and emotional learning goals and try to set students up for success in building their skills.
Yours sincerely,
Brooke Stephens
Assistant Principal
Seasons for Growth Program
We are pleased to offer the Seasons for Growth program at our school – a well-regarded small group initiative designed to support children who have experienced significant change or loss in their lives, such as separation, divorce, death, or other major transitions.
The program helps students develop skills to cope with change, build resilience, and express their feelings in a safe and supportive environment. This term, Seasons for Growth will begin in Week 4 and will run for 10 sessions in a small group format (up to 7 students per group). Mr Hunt and I will each be facilitating a group.
If you believe Seasons for Growth would be beneficial for your child, please contact our school office to discuss further. We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of all our students.
NAP Opt-in Assessment – Year 6
In Week 4, our Year 6 students will be participating in the NAP Opt-in Assessment, a national assessment offered to schools as an optional opportunity to gather additional data on student learning. The NAP Opt-in program provides schools with valuable insights into student progress across key curriculum areas.
In 2025, the assessment will cover the following domains:
• Science Literacy
• Civics and Citizenship
These assessments are designed to support teaching and learning by providing a deeper understanding of students' knowledge and skills in these important subject areas. We look forward to seeing how our students engage with this opportunity.
Primary Coordinator Report
Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Meeting
On Wednesday evening at 5pm, we had the pleasure of welcoming Craig Moore, Education Access Officer- Positive Behaviour, Catholic Schools Office. Craig is a clinical psychologist who works with our staff to lead us in professional development around our PB4L practices. Craig worked with the teachers during our weekly staff meeting to help us identify our own personal goals implementing positive behaviour strategies in our classes. He then stayed on to talk with families to explain the PB4L framework and how schools can address teaching the behaviour expectations for all students. The leadership team had the opportunity to explain how that looks at St Josephs. It was a great opportunity to share what we value at St Josephs- and we thank those who took the time to attend the meeting.
School Counsellor Guest Speaker
Rebecca Sams, our School Counsellor/Psychologist, has started her talks on the impacts of bullying to the students in Year 6, she will visit year 4 and 5 in the next fortnight.
The key take-aways from the lesson:
o Bullying hurts everyone—victims, bullies, and bystanders.
o We all have the power to stop bullying.
o Small acts of kindness can change someone’s day.
If these talks raise any issues for your child, please let your child’s teacher know if they need support.
PB4L focus
‘Relationships that Rock’ continues this fortnight, changing our focus to making good decisions in friendships.
We are teaching our students to think through problems before making a decision and expressing their feelings. This includes using "I" statements to communicate how they feel without blaming others. We want to emphasize the importance of listening to others and understanding their perspective as well. We are encouraging our students to seek help from trusted adults when they face difficult situations that they can’t handle themselves.
We will be doing this in our classes, through class and small group discussions. The use of role plays, time and support to practice this in the situation, will also give the students confidence to do it independently. Some children will need more support and guidance than others, this will be catered for using some reliable social and emotional resources we have access to.
Awards
Our classroom teachers continue to give out the weekly awards at our class assemblies on Fridays. It is such a lovely reflection on the week that was, reflecting on the motivation, enthusiasm and effort of the students. It is such a difficult task to only choose 3 per class!
Loretta Riddiford
Primary Coordinator
Religious Education Coordinator News
Reimagining Our Vision and Mission – Staff Formation Day
Last week, our staff came together for a special formation day focused on reimagining the Vision and Mission of St Joseph’s. It was a meaningful time of reflection, dialogue, and discernment as we considered who we are as a Catholic school community, who we are called to be, and how we can express our shared purpose and identity in a way that inspires and unites us all.
Grounded in the teachings of Jesus, the example of Saint Joseph, and our rich Josephite tradition, we explored the values that matter most in our work with students and families. Staff came to the values of faith, learning, service, and belonging.
As a result of this day, a draft Vision and Mission statement has been developed to reflect our collective voice and Catholic identity.
We now warmly invite you, our parents and carers, to provide feedback on the draft statement. Your insight is vital as we move toward finalising a Vision and Mission that truly represents the heart of our school community.
Staff Formation Day
Honouring Mothers, Celebrating Easter, and Remembering ANZACs
It has been a beautiful few weeks at St Joseph’s, with a number of special events that brought our community together in celebration, reflection, and gratitude.
On Friday morning, we were delighted to welcome so many of our wonderful mothers, grandmothers and special women to our Mother’s Day Breakfast and Open Classrooms. We thank our Year 1 staff and students who led our Mother’s Day Liturgy with such reverence and care. Their prayers and reflections reminded us of the love, strength and nurture that mothers bring to our lives every day.
Last week, our school community gathered again for a meaningful Easter Liturgy, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and the hope, joy, and new life that Easter brings. The liturgy invited us to reflect on the story of Jesus’ triumph over death and how we are called to live as people of light and love in the world today. Thanks to our Year 5 team who brought this liturgy to life.
We also paused to acknowledge ANZAC Day after the Easter Liturgy. We were honoured to welcome Darcy Elbourne, who spoke movingly about the spirit of the ANZACs and the importance of remembering the courage and sacrifice of those who have served. His presence and words enriched our reflection and reminded us of the values of peace, freedom, and service. We thank Darcy for his continued support of our school.
Catholic Schools Week
From 2 to 6 June, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week—a time to give thanks for the life and spirit that flow through our Catholic school community here at St Joseph’s Taree and across the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. It’s a week to pause and recognise the daily commitment of our staff, the growth and joy of our students, and the shared mission we hold with our families and parish to nurture every child in faith, learning, and wellbeing.
Catholic education is more than a curriculum—it’s about helping each child discover who they are and who God is calling them to be. It’s learning that speaks to both heart and mind, encouraging children to grow with confidence, curiosity, compassion and hope.
We are incredibly proud of what we are building together—a strong, inclusive and faith-filled school where every child is known, supported, and encouraged to flourish. This is only possible because of the deep care shared between staff, families and parish, and we thank you for being such a vital part of it.
In this Jubilee Year, we are reminded of the hope that comes from trusting in God’s promises. Even in life’s challenges, we know that Christ walks with us. This year, we celebrate being Pilgrims of Hope, trusting that our shared faith will continue to light the way forward.
We look forward to celebrating Catholic Schools Week with activities across the school, including our Vision and Mission launch, student pilgrimage and open day.
Round 1 Enrolments for Kinder 2026 closing
Friday 23rd May is the final day that Kinder 2026 enrolments can be made to be included in the Round 1 of offers. Enrolments received after this date will be considered following the Round 1 offers being made. Thank you to all our families who have completed the online process of enrolment. If you know anyone with a Kinder 2026 child, please remind them to enrol before Friday 23rd May to be included in this first group.
Pedagogy Mentor Report
Intentional Teaching Through Backwards Design
This term, our teachers are focusing on programming and lesson planning using the Backwards Design model. This approach starts by identifying what we want students to learn and achieve by the end of a unit. From there, teachers plan meaningful assessments and engaging learning activities that guide students toward those goals. By planning with the end in mind, we ensure that teaching is purposeful, targeted, and tailored to support every student’s success.
Year 6 Dive into Personal Interest Projects
This term, our Year 6 students have been enthusiastically engaged in Personal Interest Projects within their learning space. These projects have given students the opportunity to explore topics they are passionate about, encouraging curiosity, independent research, and creativity. From science experiments and historical deep-dives to creative writing and hands-on model building, each student has taken ownership of their learning journey. The initiative not only supports academic growth but also builds essential skills such as time management, critical thinking, and presentation. We are incredibly proud of the effort, dedication, and excitement Year 6 has shown throughout the term!
Tarnya Jones
3 – 6 Pedagogical Mentor
Sports Coordinator Report
Rugby League
Congratulations to Lachlan Campbell-Wrigley on his selection in the U12 Polding Rugby League team.
The Polding team is made up of Catholic school students from Newcastle and north to the Queensland border. Lachlan’s selection is particularly impressive given he is still eligible for the U11s. He will now represent Polding in the next stage of competition, where he’ll vie for a place in the NSW state team against other regions across the state.
A special mention also goes to his twin brother, Lucas, who reached the final stage of the selection process and played in the “Possibles vs Probables” match. By all accounts, he performed exceptionally well.
The school community is incredibly proud of both boys and their outstanding achievements.
Diocesan Cross Country
We would like to extend our heartfelt best wishes to all our amazing athletes as they prepare to represent us at the upcoming Diocesan Cross Country. Your dedication, hard work, and team spirit make us proud—good luck, and give it your all!
MVAC Challenge
Get ready for an exciting day of sport and school spirit! The St Joey’s vs MVAC Challenge is happening on Friday, 16 May. Our talented students will be heading over to MVAC to represent St Joey’s in thrilling Rugby League and Netball matches. This is a fantastic opportunity for our teams to showcase their skills, determination, and teamwork on the field and court. Best of luck to all our players—go St Joey’s!
Athletics Carnival
The Athletics carnival is being held this year at the Taree Rec grounds on Thursday 12 June in Week 7.
Regional Athletics Carnival
The regional athletics carnival is being held in Tuncurry on Thursday 26 June
Netball Schools Cup
Our Stage 2 and Stage 3 teams will be proudly representing St Joey’s in the Netball Schools Cup on Wednesday, 21 May, at the Taree Netball Courts. We look forward to a great day of competition, teamwork, and sportsmanship!
Yours in Sport
Tarnya Jones
Sport Coordinator
Awards
