2025-01 Newsletter - Term 1 Week 1

Principal's Report

Welcome to a New School Year at St. Joseph’s!

As we begin another exciting year at St. Joseph’s, I extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to all our students and families.

To our returning families, it’s wonderful to have you back. We hope you had a restful and joyous holiday season and are ready for the opportunities this new year brings.

A special welcome to our new families and students joining us in 2025. To our nine new Kindergarten students, this marks the beginning of a very special journey, and we are thrilled to have you start it with us. We also extend a warm welcome to our new students, Sailah, Sarah and Millicent. We are delighted to have you as part of our community.

The year ahead promises to be one of growth, learning, and shared joy. Together, we will build on our strong tradition of faith, friendship, and excellence, creating memories and moments to treasure.

Let’s approach 2025 with enthusiasm and a spirit of gratitude for the blessings ahead. May this be a year filled with success, happiness, and God’s guidance for us all.

In Faith & Truth

Simone Taylor

Reflection - 2025 - Year of Jubilee

As we step into 2025, we are invited to reflect on a profound moment of grace and renewal: The Year of Jubilee, as proclaimed by Pope Francis. Rooted in the tradition of the Church, a Jubilee is a time for forgiveness, reconciliation, and a renewed commitment to living out God’s love in our daily lives.

The theme chosen by Pope Francis, “Pilgrims of Hope,” calls us to journey together with hearts open to transformation. At St. Joseph’s, this message aligns beautifully with our mission as a Catholic school community. It reminds us that every step we take—whether in our learning, our friendships, or our service to others—is a step on the path of hope and faith.

Throughout this Jubilee year, we will focus on embodying the spirit of reconciliation and mercy, reaching out to those in need, and fostering a deeper relationship with God. As we gather for prayer, celebrate the Sacraments, and engage in acts of kindness, may we remember that this year is an opportunity to heal, grow, and strengthen our bonds as a community of faith.

Let us journey together in the spirit of hope and renewal, inspired by the love of Christ and the teachings of Pope Francis. May this Jubilee year be a blessing for each of us and for the world we are called to serve.

Prayer for the Year of Jubilee

Loving God,
In this Year of Jubilee,
Guide us to be pilgrims of hope,
Sharing Your mercy and love with all we meet.
Help us to walk together in faith,
Reconcile with one another,
And bring Your light to the world.
May our hearts be open to Your grace,
As we journey closer to You each day.

Amen.

Welcome & Induction Mass 2025

You’re Invited!

We warmly invite all students, families, parish members and staff

to join us for our

2025 Welcome & Induction Mass

to begin the 2025 school year in faith and community.

 Date: Wednesday, 12th February 2025
Time: 9:30am
Location: St. Vincent's Church, Portland
 Celebrated with Fr. Reynold

This special Mass will be a time to come together, welcome new members of our community, and pray for God’s blessings on the year ahead.

Our Year 6 Leadership Team and staff will be inducted, Kindergarten and new students will receive school badges and the 'Welcome to 2025 cake' will be cut.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Welcome to our Kindergarten 2025

This week, we have been delighted to welcome our new Kindergarten students to St. Joseph’s. They have settled in beautifully, embracing their first days of school with enthusiasm and smiles.

A heartfelt thank you goes to their parents for entrusting us with this special milestone and for your support during this transition. We also extend our gratitude to our senior buddies, who have been wonderful role models, offering kindness and guidance to our youngest learners each day.

A special thank you to Mrs. Slattery (class teacher) ,Mrs. Mellor ( K/1/2 Literacy ), Dianne, Mrs Redding and Annika (support staff), who are our dedicated team leading the K/1/2 room. Your care, patience, and expertise have made the start of this journey so positive for our little ones.

It’s been a joy to see the connections forming and the sense of community growing stronger. Well done, Kindies – we are so proud of you!

Gallery: The Challenges of a Kindergarten photo...

My New Gallery

Swimming Dates

SJS Intensive Water Safety Program 

Thursday 6th February 2025 - Thursday 20th February 2025 each day 2-3pm EXCEPT for the following dates:

* Tuesday 11th February 2025

* Wednesday 12th February 2025

*For procedural reasons please note:  Parents picking up students from the pool are asked to be in the pool complex by 2:50pm for the hand over of students. Students may be asked to get changed is parents are not present at this time.  

SJS School Swimming Carnival Thursday 13th February 2025

Yrs 2-6 = arrive at the pool around 9:30am

K-1 arrive at the pool 12:30pm 

Notes distributed through Compass. 

School Information

Communication:

School newsletters are distributed via the Compass Parent Portal, which is our primary parent communication tool for day to day updates, upcoming events and notifications. It streamlines and strengthens our school communication processes between home and the school.

Full newsletters will be published in Weeks 2, 5, and 8, with a more condensed version sent out in Weeks 1 and 10. Parents should ensure that the app notifications is turned on to ensure they receive time sensitive information as soon as possible.

Parents should download Compass School Manager app onto phones for either Apple or Android and turn ‘Notifications’ on. This will ensure that you are alerted to any time-sensitive information.

Uniform and Grooming:
At St Joseph’s we believe that wearing the correct school uniform is an essential part of fostering a sense of pride and belonging. Students are expected to wear their uniform with care and to present themselves neatly and tidy each day.

If for any reason your child is unable to wear the correct uniform, please ensure that a note of explanation is provided to the classroom teacher. T

School Uniform Requirements:

• Monday to Thursday: Full School Uniform
• Friday: Sports Uniform
• it is important that students wear appropriate footwear to ensure their safety. Black school shoes must be worn as part of the full school uniform. Black joggers that resemble school shoes in appearance are acceptable.
• Suitable athletic shoes (e.g., traditional joggers) must be worn with the sports uniform.
• The school sells hats and caps, while all other uniform items can be purchased from Lithgow Kidswear & Schoolwear.

Examples of suitable school shoes which can be worn as part of the full school uniform:

No Hat, No Play:
For sun safety, our school enforces a "No Hat, No Play" policy during Terms 1 and 4. We ask that all students wear a school hat while outside. To help prevent forgotten hats, we encourage students to leave their hats in their chair bags or tubs at the end of each day. This helps ensure they are readily available the next morning. However, during our Intensive Swimming Program at the beginning and end of each term, this practice may not be possible.

Labelling of Belongings:
Please ensure you child’s personal belongings are clearly labelled. This includes clothing, lunchboxes and water bottles. This simple step makes it much easier to locate and return lost items.

Library:
Students have library every Thursday. Please ensure your child brings a library bag to protect books while transporting them between school and home.

P&F Committee:
The Parents and Friends Association (P&F) is a vital part of our school community. General meetings are held at least once per term, with additional working party meetings held as needed. A date for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the P&F will be communicated to families shortly.

Canteen Volunteers:
The school canteen, managed by the Parents and Friends Association, operates one day a week, typically on Fridays, subject to volunteer availability. We are incredibly grateful for any help parents can provide, and a call for volunteers will be issued shortly.

To volunteer, all canteen helpers must:

• Complete the Lithgow City Council’s free online Food Safety Training, which takes less than an hour and provides essential information about safe food handling.
• Provide a current Working With Children Check number (if applicable), or complete the required Working With Children Check Declaration if you do not have one.
• Attend a short orientation session to familiarise yourself with the operation of the canteen

Canteen Ordering:

• Lunch orders must be preordered and should be placed in the designated container in each classroom on Friday morning.
• Orders should be submitted in lunch wallets with the money inside.
• Students can purchase items over the counter during recess and lunch

School Hours:

• School commences at 9:00am and finishes at 3:15pm.
• Students are not supervised before 8:35am or after 3:45pm, so we kindly ask that children do not arrive at school before this time and are picked up promptly after school ends.

The school day is divided into three teaching sessions.

Afternoon Dismissal:
At the end of the school day, students will assemble on the playground at 3:15pm and be dismissed by a teacher to their waiting parents at the front gate. If parents have a valid reason which makes them unable to pick up at the gate, please  notify the school in advance, and children can be walked across to the Williwa/High Street parking area.

Parking:
Please use the designated parking areas located at:

• The corner of High and Williwa Streets
• The laneway at the corner of the church

The bus bay is reserved for buses only and must not be used for school drop-offs. Highway Patrol Officers frequently monitor this area, and drivers may be fined if they park in the bus bay

Changes to Afternoon Pickup:

If there is a change in how your child is being picked up, please inform both your child and the school in writing, where possible, prior to 2:00pm. This helps avoid any confusion and ensures the safety of your child.

Attendance

Regular school attendance is crucial to ensure students maximise their potential. If your child is absent from school, please notify the school immediately through the Compass Parent Portal. Absence explanations should be provided within 7 days. After this time, absences will remain as unexplained and will appear on the child's school record.

School attendance figures are closely monitored by Catholic Education – Diocese of Bathurst and we are obligated to investigate unsatisfactory attendance.

Student Wellbeing – Behaviour System:

At St Joseph’s, we are committed to fostering the positive development of each child. Our Behaviour System, based on the principles of the Systematic Training for Effective Teaching (STET) Program, encourages positive behaviour and self-discipline by helping students make good choices.

At the end of each day, positive behaviour is recognised through reward dots on the Behaviour Chart, which are based on the number of points students retain throughout the day. Awards are presented at our fortnightly assembly to acknowledge the positive behaviour exhibited over the previous two weeks.

Our recognition system includes the following awards:

• Merit Award (Week 2)
• Principal’s Award (Week 4)
• Bronze Award (Week 6)
• Silver Award (Week 8)
• Gold Award (Week 10)

The goal is for students to achieve each of these awards during the term.

In addition, Growth Mindset Awards are presented to students who demonstrate key learning dispositions such as being Responsible, Resilient, Resourceful, Reflective, and Reasoning.

Bathurst Diocese Community Charter -

The Diocese of Bathurst Catholic Education Community Charter outlines the responsibilities of parents, carers, volunteers, educators and all school staff within the Bathurst Diocese.

This enables us to work together to ensure that our schools are collaborative, safe and supportive environments.

Please familiarise yourself with the attached Charter to understand your responsibilities as a parent, carer or volunteer and the expectations you can have.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Community Charter please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Mobile Phone and Smart Watch Policy
Students are encouraged not to bring mobile phones or smart watches to school unless absolutely necessary. In instances where there is a valid reason, the following rules apply:

• a Mobile Phone/Smart Watch Agreement must be completed by both the parent and student.
• Devices must be stored in the Principal’s office through the day.
• Students are to log their device through the Student Device Register when dropping off or collecting the device.
• Mobile phones and smart watches are not to be used until the student has left the school grounds.

Breaches of this agreement may result in disciplinary action.

Student Information Update & Consent Packs

The Annual Student Information Update and Consent Packs will soon be sent home. It is a requirement that a document is completed for each child. The form provides the school with essential contact details in case of emergency and grants permission for routine events throughout the year. While we understand that this task can be time-consuming, we hope that completing this documentation at the start of the year will help streamline processes and ensure we have the necessary information readily available.

School Fees 2025

School Fee Information 2025

School fee invoices will be distributed later this month via the Compass Parent Portal. Balances can be viewed through the Portal and will be correct as at the last day of the previous month.

Payments can be made by term, fortnightly, or weekly. If you have previous paid by instalments, or have indicated your intention to do so on your enrolment application, information regarding the instalment amount will be sent home in the very near future.

Direct debit occur on Fridays and we encourage, where possible Bpay instalments are also made on this day. Direct debit payments will begin on Friday 28th February and will continue for 40 weeks, finalising accounts on Friday 28th November. Please note that payments continue through the school holidays during this time.

A reminder to parents who are holders of a Government Concession Card that you may be eligible for a school fees subsidy. Please contact the office for more information.

A reminder for families that pay instalments by direct debit to ensure necessary funds are held in your account to cover the debit as rejected payments incur a bank fee.

Billing dates for School Fees 2025 are:

• Term 1 - Statement date 28/2/2025 and instalment due date 14/3/2025
• Term 2 - Statement date 9/5/2025 and instalment due date 23/5/2025
• Term 3 - Statement date 1/8/2025 and instalment due date 15/8/2025

Staff Development Days 2025

As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the skills and knowledge of our staff, we have designated Staff Development Days throughout the school year. These pupil-free days are an important opportunity for teachers and staff to engage in meaningful professional learning, helping them better serve our students and community.

We recognise that many families look forward to planning around these dates, and we aim to choose days that are both logical and convenient—often before or after weekends, for example. However, we also face the challenge of working with external facilitators which means our scheduling decisions are sometimes influenced by their schedules.

The following dates have been approved by Catholic Education – Diocese of Bathurst, as Staff Development Days in 2025:

• Tuesday 25th March 2025 - English Block - Louise Dempsey
• Monday 28th April 2025 - The Liturgy with Fr Reynold
• Monday 4th August 2025 - Breathing Life Into RE Curriculum with Dan White
• Monday 22nd September 2025 - Science and Technology Syllabus
• Thursday 18th &  Friday 19th December 2025 - Strategic Direction, Planning and Training

These dates have all been added to the 2025 Compass Calendar.  

Community Information