Term 3 Week 7
- Principal's message
- Assistant Principal Report
- Religious Education Coordinator
- Primary Coordinator Report
- K-2 Pedagogical Mentor Report
- Sports News
- Awards
- School TV: Celebrating Father's Day
- ASPIRE upcoming programs and events
- Sporting School Holiday camp
- Good for kids good for life
- Crowdy Head Nippers
Principal's message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Last week our students participated in a variety of extracurricular activities. It was great to hear that our Stage 3 students were successful at the Rystem Day held at Taree High School last week! RYSTEM stands for Rotary Youth Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and is a program run by Mid Coast Rotary clubs that provides students, particularly in Years 5 and 6, with hands-on, engaging experiences in STEM fields. Our students were challenged with activities that required collaboration to solve design and construction tasks. Congratulations to our Stage 3 students who represented our school with pride and showcased their skills and capacity to work together. Thank you to Mr Edwards for organising our participation in this event.
Our School Netball Team also represented our school courageously at the Schools Cup in Port Macquarie, showing their grit and determination as they competed against strong teams from across the coast. Thank you Mrs Amidy for preparing our students and organising the event.
A big thank you to Mrs Nolan and well done to all students who participated in the Public Speaking competition on Friday. As with all competitions, there were some winners who will represent our school at the regional finals next week. Please see the article a little later in our newsletter for more information.
St Nicholas OOSH
It has been great to work with St Nicholas OOSH staff on our shared goal of increasing the number of days the service at St Joseph’s is operational. The problem was and could be in the future that there are not enough members of the St Nicholas staff to operate during Student vacation periods as these require two shifts; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We do have enough staff at the moment, but my goal would be to continue to register the interest of people who would like to work in this team so that we can maintain the OOSH through all holiday periods and on Pupil Free days. If you or anyone you know would like to register with St Nicholas OOSH for work, please let our administration staff know, and I will ensure your details are forwarded to their employment team. St Nicholas OOSH will operate on all days of the upcoming holiday period, except for the first Monday and this is a huge improvement for our families. Please be sure to book in to use the service so that the team at Newcastle knows our families will begin to return to the service if it can be relied upon to provide consistent care for our children.
Another arm of the St Nicholas organisation is ‘St Nicholas Early Education’. Although this organisation does not have the resources to build a centre at our school, they are considering extending our Little Joey’s program to include a preschool program in the future. This would be an exciting development for our school and a show of support for our families and community. I am surprised by how many families miss out on places in early learning centres across the Manning region and am hopeful of hearing more about this opportunity at our school in the near future.
Understanding diversity and inclusion
For the next two weeks, our staff and students will be focused on developing an understanding of diversity and inclusion. The level of diversity of students, staff and families at St Joseph’s Taree has always reflected the Taree community and our nation. We will be looking at similarities and differences in our demographic such as age, language, gender, culture, disability and/or ability. We will focus on building an understanding of the diversity that exists in our school community and how we can speak, think and act to ensure we are developing our inclusive school community. Please reinforce these concepts with examples at home to support your child’s learning.
Father’s Day
This Sunday, we celebrate Father’s Day! I have included a School TV article with a link to a report outlining the positive impact that fathers can have on the mental health and wellbeing of their children. We understand that not all children live with their fathers, and this time of the year can be challenging for them. At school, we talk about the role of a father and who takes on this role in a child’s life to build an understanding that all families can be different and successful in their own ways. Please be sure to reinforce these ideas with your child at home. Check out the School TV article a little later in the newsletter.
Little Joey’s and transitioning to Kindergarten
We have many students attending our Little Joey’s program who have enrolled for Kindergarten in 2026. We will send a letter home to families over the coming week with more details, inviting them to a Parent Orientation evening on Thursday 16th October at 5pm prior to the first formal Kinder 2026 Transition visit on Friday 17th October. We are encouraging our parents to bring along friends interested in learning more about enrolment at St Joseph’s and will provide tours for interested families. Children will be cared for during the meeting. The five Kinder 2026 Transition visit dates will be:
- Friday 17th October
- Friday 24th October
- Friday 31st October
- Friday 7th November
- Friday 14th November
Please put these dates in your calendar if you have a child starting Kindergarten next year.
It has been great to welcome in the season of Spring with the sun shining on our community. I hope that you have been able to capture some of the energy of this new season to bring a little sparkle into your family and home.
Yours sincerely,
Brooke Stephens
Assistant Principal Report
Regular School Attendance
At St Joseph’s, we know that regular school attendance plays a vital role in every student’s learning, wellbeing, and sense of connection to school life. Being at school every day helps students build strong learning habits, maintain friendships, and stay on track with their academic progress. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of our families in helping us achieve our school attendance goal of 90%. Currently, we are meeting this target, and we thank our community for continuing to prioritise education. If your child is away, please ensure their absence is explained promptly on Compass, and contact your child’s teacher directly when necessary. For families who have not yet reached the attendance goal and may need support, we will be in touch to arrange an Attendance Improvement Plan meeting in the coming weeks. Maintaining a high standard across all areas of education is essential at St Joseph’s, and regular attendance remains at the heart of our learning community.
ICAS Testing Completed for 2025
ICAS testing for 2025 is now complete, and we would like to extend a big congratulations to all of our students who took part in these assessments this year. It was wonderful to work alongside such enthusiastic and dedicated learners and to see them approach each test with a positive attitude. We hope all students enjoyed the challenge and had a valuable experience participating in ICAS with their peers. We look forward to continuing our involvement with ICAS in the future and hope to see even more students engage with these opportunities next year. Parents will be notified via email once results are available. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Religious Education Coordinator
Father's Day Celebrations
A reminder that this Friday, 5th September, we will begin our Father’s Day Breakfast at 7:30 am. Bacon and egg rolls will be available for adults and a sausage sandwich for children. Following the bell, at 9:10 am, our Year 2 students will lead us in a beautiful liturgy to celebrate and give thanks for fathers, grandfathers, and all those who play a fatherly role in the lives of our children. We invite all families to join us for both the breakfast and the liturgy.
Today and tomorrow, our Year 6's are facilitating the Father's Day stall. They love seeing the smiles on the students' faces as they purchase that special gift!
Religious Literacy Assessment
Today, our Year 6 students completed the Religious Literacy Assessment. This is an important opportunity for them to show their knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith, and we congratulate them and the Year 6 Staff for the effort and preparation they have put in. We wish them every success as they take this next step in their learning journey.
Religious literacy testing is a diocesan initiative with a specific and distinct purpose. It differs from school-based assessment and should not be directly compared. The assessment is designed to evaluate students’ knowledge and understanding of the required Catholic learning. All questions are drawn from and aligned with:
• Learning outcomes.
• Content.
• Religious literacy components.
• Required terminology.
• Mandatory Catholic teachings from the relevant modules or units of work being tested.
The Diocesan Religious Literacy Assessment is an annual, external process used to gather data on student religious knowledge. Administered in Years 6, 8, and 10, this assessment supports planning, evaluation, and development of religious literacy across both primary and secondary settings.
It focuses on key learnings within a unit or across a stage of learning, specifically targeting Catholic content and concepts through the dimensions of:
• Knowing the Tradition.
• Understanding the Tradition.
• Applying the Tradition.Religious Literacy Assessment Handbook
Sacramental Program (RCIC)
We also keep in our prayers the students involved in this year’s Sacramental Program (RCIC). After Mass yesterday, we gathered for a workshop to prepare for their upcoming celebration of First Holy Communion. It was a special time for them to reflect and grow in faith as they prepare to receive this sacrament.
As Mary MacKillop reminded us: “Do your bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” May we continue to encourage our students to take each small step in faith, love, and learning.
New Religious Education Curriculum: Year 5 Pilot
Starting last week and continuing for 10 weeks, our Year 5 students are taking part in the pilot of the new Religion Curriculum. This is an exciting opportunity for them to engage with new learning experiences and for our school to contribute to the development of the curriculum across the Diocese.
This pilot module invites students to explore what it means to believe, through key Catholic teachings expressed in the Nicene Creed. Students engage with central areas of the Catholic faith, beginning with the mystery of the Trinity. They come to understand that Catholics believe in one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, united in perfect love, each fully God. They also explore the identity and mission of the Catholic Church, with particular focus on the four marks: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, and consider how these shape the Church’s role in the world today.
The module deepens students’ understanding of Catholic beliefs about death and eternal life, and the Church’s hope in the promise of heaven. Through Scripture, feast days, and prayer, students encounter how this hope is expressed in the life of the Church. A significant focus is placed on the meaning of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. Students reflect on how Catholics believe Jesus’ sacrifice reveals God’s saving love, and how this is remembered and honoured by Christians, especially at Easter. By the end of the module, students will be able to describe these key Catholic beliefs and reflect on how they can connect with these ideas in their own lives.
Primary Coordinator Report
PB4L – Understanding Diversity and Inclusion
While we had been focusing on using friendly language, I thought it might be timely to discuss the fact that we have many people identified as nuerodivergent in our community. Our whole community is comprised of people with many gifts, talents and differences.
At St Joseph’s, we recognise that every child learns in their own unique way. Some students thrive with hands-on activities, others prefer visual supports, and some need extra time or movement breaks to stay focused. These differences are not challenges—they’re opportunities to understand and support each learner as they grow. By embracing diverse learning styles and needs, we create a more inclusive, compassionate environment where every child feels valued and empowered to succeed.
Building a Kinder, More Understanding School Community
At our school, we celebrate the diversity of all learners—including those who are neurodivergent. Neurodivergence refers to differences in how people think, learn, and process the world around them. This includes students with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive variations. These differences are not deficits—they are simply part of the rich tapestry of human experience.
One powerful way we can support neurodivergent students is through the language we use. Inclusive language helps create a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for every child.
Inclusive language is:
- Respectful: It avoids labels that reduce a child to a diagnosis.
- Person-first or identity-first: Depending on the child’s and family’s preference (e.g., “student with autism”).
- Strength-based: It focuses on what a child can do, not what they struggle with.
Why using inclusive language matters:
- Builds empathy and understanding among students and families.
- Reduces stigma and promotes acceptance.
- Helps neurodivergent students feel seen, valued, and safe.
You can help at home by:
- Model respectful language when talking about differences.
- Encourage your child to be kind and curious, not judgmental.
- Read books or watch shows that celebrate neurodiversity.
- Ask questions like: “How do you think your friend feels?” or “What could we do to help?”
Here’s a list of picture books that you may like to read:
This Beach Is Loud! by Samantha Cotterill
Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival
Talking Is Not My Thing by Rose Robbins
Cloud Boy by Greg Stobbs
Books for early readers (7-12):
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicol
Reggie Houser Has the Power by Helen Rutter
My Amazing ADHD Brain by Emily Snape
The Thing About Oliver by Deborah Kelly (set in QLD)
Movies featuring neuro divergent characters for kids:
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Finding Dory
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Together, we can create a school culture where every child feels they belong. Thank you for being part of this journey toward greater inclusion and understanding.
Loretta Riddiford
Primary Coordinator
K-2 Pedagogical Mentor Report
K–2 have been hard at work as usual! This term, we’ve seen progress across all areas of learning. Term 3 is often when everything starts to “click,” and it’s been so rewarding to watch our students grow in confidence, independence, and curiosity. From exploring new concepts to strengthening foundational skills, our classrooms have been buzzing with energy and enthusiasm. As teachers, it’s a joy to witness these moments of growth and celebrate each child’s unique learning journey.
As part of the role of the pedagogical mentor, Learning Walks and Talks take place across the school where we ask the 5 key learning questions of a range of students.
- What are you learning and why?
- How are you going?
- How do you know?
- Where can you go for help?
- How can you improve?
This week we Walked and Talked through the K-2 classrooms during literacy time, it was really pleasing to see how many students were engaged in the explicit teaching times and where able to answer questions 1, 2 and 4 quite confidently. This shows us that we still have some work to do around teaching and empowering our students to be aware of ways they can improve their skills. As a whole school it is our priority to provide feedback to improve student outcomes, that feedback can be for teachers and students. Feedback is a vital component of the teaching and learning cycle.
The main role of the pedagogical mentor is to work collaboratively with teachers to support and enhance their teaching practice. This support can take many forms—from refining lesson planning and classroom organisation to improving questioning techniques and strengthening classroom routines. Through constructive feedback and professional dialogue, mentors help teachers reflect on their practice, identify areas for growth, and implement strategies that lead to more effective and engaging learning experiences for students.
It is always a pleasure to work with the teachers in this capacity as they are all so motivated to improve student outcomes, as well as developing such caring relationships with all students. The educators in K-2 are doing their best to cater for the diversity of learners in their classes, from providing extra time and support to learn the concepts to providing extension opportunities for students who need it.
As well as the gains made in our Key Learning Areas (KLA’s) we have had some fun along the way with book week parade and classroom door competition. See the photos below as evidence of the effort people made for the parade.
We have also just completed our School Public Speaking Competition which was so capably organised by Miss Rachel Nolan. We had 2 entrants from each stage of the school deliver speeches to their peers in the hall on Friday.
Early Stage 1 (kindergarten) and Stage 1 were the first brave students to present, the entrants had time to prepare and deliver a 1 minute speech. Followed by Stage 2 and 3, they had an impromptu speech as well as a prepared speech to deliver, with scores being combined to find the students who will go through to the next round to represent our school in the Manning Regional Competition.
Our Regional Representatives are Adam John (Early Stage 1), Indie-Rose Anson (Stage 1), Serah Sanju (Stage 2) and Millie-Rose Hardes (Stage 3). Congratulations and thank you to all students for their efforts.
Loretta Riddiford
K-2 Pedagogical Mentor
Sports News
Polding Athletics
We’re excited to wish Alirah Griffiths the very best as she represents us at the upcoming Polding Athletics Carnival in Newcastle. Alirah will be competing in the 11-year-old girls’ 200m race—good luck, Alirah! We’re all cheering for you!
All schools Cup
A special congratulations to our Stage 3 team for their fantastic performance at last week’s Port Macquarie Netball School Cup! Our students represented Joey’s with pride and distinction, showing great skill and determination throughout the day. A big thank you to Ms. Amidy for her dedicated coaching and commitment to training this team.
NRL 7’s day
Exciting news! St Joey’s is proud to announce that we will be sending several teams to participate in the upcoming NRL 7’s Day on Thursday, 25 September. This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase their skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship on a bigger stage.
We are currently in the process of selecting the teams, carefully choosing players who demonstrate dedication, talent, and a passion for rugby league. Once the teams are finalised, training sessions will begin to prepare our players for a competitive and fun-filled day.
We look forward to seeing our students represent St Joey’s with pride and enthusiasm. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the event!
Cricket
I am calling for Cricket nominations for students from Years 4 and 5. There has been a change to PSSA Cricket dates which has changed our cricket dates. At this point in time Dio Cricket will be the 12th of November.
The trials will only be for Year 4 and 5 students as it is for 2026, PSSA cricket trials in Term 1 of 2026. Please send me any nominations you have by Friday the 12th of September. With your information, can you please send the students name, playing history and if they play in a specific position.
Yours in Sport
Tarnya Jones
Sport Coordinator
Awards
School TV: Celebrating Father's Day
For many years now, the role of fathers has changed and evolved. During the industrial revolution, fathers were often considered detached and distant due to working long hours in factories. However, today things have changed dramatically with many dads being celebrated for being sensitive, caring and more hands-on.
Recent studies have shown that children benefit greatly from having fathers who are present and interacting in everyday activities. This has transformed the understanding of how fathers shape children’s lives from the start, challenging conventional ideas of parenthood and gender.
Research also suggests that fathers influence their sons and daughters in different ways, which is especially true during their transition to adolescence. Engaging in regular physical activities can play a key role in influencing children to learn self-control, face challenges, regulate emotions and take manageable risks.
In this Special Report, fathers will learn about the positive impact they can have on their child’s mental health and wellbeing, whilst also ensuring they indulge in a little self-care.
Here is the link to your Special Report https://tareesj.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/celebrating-fathers-day
ASPIRE upcoming programs and events
ASPIRE 2026 Production – AUDITIONS ARE NOW OPEN!!!
Register TODAY: https://forms.office.com/r/8MEB5G79rA
Further Information:
2025 Create Choreographic Program – Regional Workshops
ASPIRE invites interested students to participate in the Create Choreographic Project which offers Stage 2 and 3 students the opportunity to participate in an intensive contemporary dance and collaborative choreographic program.
Register TODAY: https://forms.office.com/r/wN49gqcfa8
Further Information:
2025 Create Content Choreographic Program
Spend two days creating a choreographic artwork to be filmed and edited by a professional director and videographer. You will work as groups and solo to achieve a unique choreographic video to use for show reel and content purposes.
Register TODAY: https://forms.office.com/r/EDURw28qhT
Further Information:
School Holiday Workshops
In the upcoming schools holiday break, ASPIRE is offering three workshops. They are: Creative Choreography, Play In A Day, and Find Your Voice. These three workshops are open to students who are in Year 4 to Year 8.
If you would like further information please contact Anne Atkins (4979-1331).
WOW Gallery Submissions still open and Tickets ON SALE NOW!
This event returns after the success in 2024, where the special program had 354 artworks submitted from students from Year 1 up to students in Year 12. We had both full class groups and individual students submit artwork from 24 diocesan primary and secondary schools. This year’s theme is ‘FINDING WOW IN THE EVERYDAY - How ordinary moments can be extraordinary.’
For ideas on how to create artworks with your students see the attached PDF.
Submissions can be made via: ASPIRE WOW Gallery 2025 Submissions
Tickets for the exhibition are also on sale now via: ASPIRE Catholic Schools Diocese Maitland Newcastle | Humanitix
Exhibition will run for 2 days only, so get your tickets now!
For more information or any questions please email lara.crockett@mn.catholic.edu.au
Sporting School Holiday camp
Catholic Schools is offering its first ever sporting school holiday camp. It is a collaboration with Golf NSW and Catholic Schools Maitland Newcastle. The 2 day program targets 10-14 year olds. Please advertise the 2 attachments in your School Newsletters. For any further information contact Bernadette Duggan.
Please click on the following flyers:
Good for kids good for life
Crowdy Head Nippers
