Week 6 - Term 2 Newsletter 2024

Principal's Message

Sorry Day & Reconciliation Week

Last week, we united to commemorate 'Sorry Day' and observe National Reconciliation Week. Sorry Day allows us to pay tribute to the members of the Stolen Generation and honour the memory of those who have transitioned into the Dreaming. The recommendation to establish a national Sorry Day originated from the 1997 'Bringing Them Home' report. We extend our gratitude to our student leaders for guiding us through this meaningful liturgy, reminding us of the importance of acknowledging our past and, more significantly, ensuring a future where we collectively cultivate relationships and communities that value the histories, cultures, and futures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Reconciliation Australia's theme for 2024, "Now more than Ever," inspires the reconciliation movement to embrace the path towards equality and justice for all, fostering hope for impactful change. Furthermore, our Stage 3 students  attended the 'Closing the Gap' Day on Tuesday in Grafton. This event offers our students an immersive experience in Indigenous culture and aims to raise awareness of the 'Close the Gap program' among the youth in the Clarence Valley.

Proclaim 2024

A big thank you to all our families for accomodating our Pupil Free day last Thursday, I acknowledge the inconvenience with regard to childcare that this may have placed on most of our families.

This Professional Learning day involved our whole staff travelling down on a bus together to attend the 'Clarence' day of Proclaim 2024.  Proclaim, held over four days in each of the four regions in the Diocese, brought together over 2,800 staff members, including educators, administrators, and our clergy, embodying the spirit of collaboration and shared purpose.

Staff were encouraged to explore the Mission flowing out of Hope for the Church and the World. From thought-provoking keynote speakers Associate Professor Maeve Heaney and Roby Curtis to personal reflection time, this experience was a rich tapestry of ideas and insights and was topped off by the Diocese's worship team - Proclaim Lismore Wildfire.  Proclaim which began in 2013 as a bi-annual event for staff to embrace and enliven the Catholic culture & faith is now in 5th installment and was a wonderful opportunity for our staff to develop their own faith alongside other Catholic educators. Please see a LINK for a video showing the journey of the Proclaim movement.

Raising Resilent Kids - Parent Learning Night

Please be advised that Jess Jones, our School Counsellor, will be running a Parent Learning Night on Tuesday 25th June (Week 9) from 5:30-7:00pm, with the topic being 'Raising Resilent Kids'. The night will occur in the library and to encourage and assist with parents attending, the school will be providing babysitting and dinner. 

In today's rapidly changing world, resilience has become an invaluable trait for navigating life's challenges with confidence and grace. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to equip yourselves with the essential tools and strategies to nurture resilience in your children, empowering them to bounce back from setbacks, cope with stress, and thrive in adversity. Allowing us together to build a foundation of strength and adaptability in our children, ensures they grow into resilient individuals capable of overcoming any obstacle life may present.

If you are interested in attending this Parent Learning Night, please RSVP by the following LINK.

Semester 1 Reporting

At this time of the year, teachers are finalising students' assessments and Semester One reports. I frequently hear them talking and discussing work covered, results gained and effort applied to decide on a final grade. Reporting is not an easy process, and there is much time, thought, and deliberation put into the final result. It becomes an even more difficult task when teachers must teach all day and then work on their reports after school and at weekends.

I thank all staff for their commitment to ensuring that students' reports are a true and accurate reflection of their progress and encourage you, when these go out later in the term, to make a time to meet and discuss your child's report with their classroom teacher.

Principal Absence - Week 7 & 8

Please note that I will be absent from school over the next 2 weeks (Week 7 & 8) and during my absence Mrs Carly McLennan (Week 7) and Mrs Louise Senz (Week 8) will be leading the school community. Next week I have the wonderful opportunity of paticipating in a study tour alongside other Clarence Principals  to Melbourne. During this time we will be visiting a number of schools within the Melbourne Archdiocese to gain new and insightful ideas around student engagement & wellbeing as having time with  Catholic Schools Office at the Catholic Leadership Centre. During Week 8, I will be attending  St Patrick's Primary Macksville as a Panel Review member as they under go their School Review. Whilst I will be contactable via email during this period, for any immediate concerns or requests please don't hesitate to contact Carly or Lou directly.

Have a lovely weekend.

Dale

Upcoming School Dates

• The King's Birthday Public Holiday (Monday 10th June)
• Winter Appeal - Pyjama Day (Thursday 13th June)
• Confirmation - St Mary's Church Maclean 5pm (Monday 17th June)
  
• School Eistedfod Items (Thursday 20th June)
• Athletics Carnival ( Friday 21st June)
  
• World Of Maths Incursion (Tuesday 5th June)
• School Photos (Wednesday 26th June)
• SRC Fun Day - Esports Day (Thursday 27th June)
• Stage 3 Camp (Mon 1st July- Thurs 4th July)
• Last Day of Term 2 (Thursday 4th July)
• Pupil Free Day - Staff Development Day (Friday 5th July)
• First Day Term 3 (Tuesday 23rd July)

Leader of Learning

Understanding Explicit Teaching

What is Explicit Teaching?

Explicit teaching is an evidence-based approach to instruction, meaning it is supported by research and proven to be effective. This teaching strategy is designed to ensure that all students have a clear understanding of what they are learning and how to succeed.

How Does It Work?

In explicit teaching, the teacher plays a crucial role in guiding students through the learning process. Here’s how it typically looks in the classroom:

• Scaffolding Learning: Teachers use models and examples to support students’ understanding.
• Breaking Down Skills: Complex skills and knowledge are divided into smaller, manageable steps.
• Direct Explanation: Teachers clearly explain how to complete tasks, why they are important, and how they connect to what students have previously learned.
• Checking for Understanding: Teachers frequently check if students are grasping the material through individual and whole-class responses.
• Setting Clear Expectations: Teachers set clear goals and provide ample opportunities for students to practice and deepen their understanding.

What Do Students Do?

Students are actively involved in the learning process:

• Co-constructing Learning Goals: Students help to set learning intentions and success criteria.
• Collaborative Learning: They work with peers to share, compare, and reflect on their learning.
• Guided Practice: Students initially practice new skills with teacher guidance before moving on to independent work.

Why Is It Important?

By simplifying complex information and offering continuous support and feedback, students are more likely to reach their learning goals and gain confidence in their abilities. We are committed to using explicit teaching methods to help every student succeed. 

Mrs Senz, Mrs Mclennan and Mrs Mullins

Leader of Mission

2024 School Annual Improvement Plan - Mission.

As part of St. Joseph's Annual School Improvement Plan, and being a Mercy school, our mission goal for 2024 is that students will have a shared vision and commitment to evangelise as people of Mercy. Our aim is for each child to recognise the Mercy Educational Values (MV) in the behaviours of themselves and others. To support students in learning how to recognise these values in themselves and others, one method we use is our values green cards. Students can recieve a values green card by demonstrating one of our mercy values. This then goes into a draw that is conducted at our fortnightly assembly, and if drawn out students explain the Mercy value they demonstrated. To begin with, teachers were the ones awarding values green cards, but as student understanding has grown and developed, it has been wonderful to see and hear students recognising and acknowledging  these values in each other. 

 Reconciliation Week - Mercy Values: Justice, Respect, Compassion.

Justice means understanding the difference between right and wrong, being reasonable, and ensuring that people are treated equally. Respect is treating each person with dignity, knowing we are all valued and loved by God, and compassion is about showing kindness to people who are feeling sad or upset to help them feel better. Last week, our Year 6 leaders led the school in a liturgy to celebrate Reconciliation Week and acknowledge the need for justice, respect and compassion for First Australians.

At St Joseph's Maclean, we acknowledge we all have a role to play in reconciliation, and in being a part of it, we build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, histories, cultures, and futures. To symbolise our commitment to walking together towards reconciliation, each student placed a footprint in our sacred space. 

Mercy In Action Award

This fortnight's Mercy Award goes to Huey Farlow in recognition of displaying the Mercy Values of COMPASSION and RESPECT. When a classmate is sad or upset, Huey shows empathy and compassion by offering a comforting hug or kind words to help them feel better. He demonstrates responsibility and a helpful attitude by assisting with classroom tasks without being asked. Huey's acts of politeness, such as saying "please" and "thank you," also demonstrate RESPECT and reflect his caring nature.

Congratulations Huey!

Mrs Senz

Awards

Our Principal's Award winners this week are:

Our Class Award winners this week are: 

Class News - Stage 2

In Stage 2, we have been engaging in collaborative learning. It has been a dynamic and interactive experience. Students engaged in STEM learning through Breakout boxes. This activity challenges them to solve problems, fostering critical and creative thinking. By working together to unlock each box, students enhance their teamwork abilities, making the learning process both collaborative and fun. The Breakout boxes stimulate intellectual growth and prepare students for real-world challenges by cultivating a blend of problem-solving prowess and innovative thinking.

Mrs Mclennan & Mr P

School Sport

Representative Sport

We are thrilled to share some impressive achievements from our talented students!

First, congratulations to Jacob McIntyre, who was part of the Polding team that won the NSW PSSA. Jacob's outstanding performance included several clean sheets, making both the school and himself proud.

Similarly, kudos to Sophia Wright for her remarkable performance at the Polding event for Cross Country. Sophia has posted some impressive 2KM times, rivaling some of the AFL greats, showcasing her dedication and athletic prowess.

Athletics Carnival - Friday 21st June

Mark your calendars for our Athletics Carnival on Friday, June 21st (Week 8), at the Maclean Showgrounds. This day is a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in new events, forge friendships, and develop their fundamental movement skills and athletic abilities. We anticipate a great day of fun and competition and strongly encourage as many caregivers as possible to attend. Your presence will be greatly appreciated by the students, and it will undoubtedly make the day even more special.

Thank you for your continued support.

After School Sport Program

In line with our recent Compass update, we are excited to announce an after-school program for Term 3. Developed by regional development officers, we are offering Auskick or Netball sessions. For these programs to proceed, we need enough student interest. The sessions will be hosted straight after school one day a week and will last about an hour. If your child is interested, please get in touch so we can gauge numbers and make arrangements.

Touch Football Gala Day

Further, some students from S2 & S3 have expressed a keen interest to participate in the NSWTA Touch Football Primary School Gala Days, this event will be hosted in Grafton on the 21st of August. For students who are keen, a trial will be hosted as only one team can be brought per stage. The day promises to be a great opportunity for students to apply their skills learned in PE and Sport this term to a game-like setting.

Mr Gilchrist - Sports Coordinator

Creative Arts

Maclean Eisteddfod

The Lower Clarence Music Eisteddfod is entering its twelfth year of operation. Presented and managed by the Lower Clarence Music Eisteddfod Association Inc. it seeks to give performance and learning opportunities to amateur musicians from the Clarence Valley Region and beyond. 

St Joey’s has been a proud entrant of this eisteddfod for many, many years and we’re stoked to be able to support such a wonderful community event!

This year we will be adjudicated by Dr. Jennifer Carter who is an exceptionally decorated musician, teacher, lecturer, Senior Registration Officer for NESA and Chief Examiner of HSC Music.

Students at St Joey’s have been entered into 2 sections and are VERY lucky to have musician extraordinaire, Annie Commerford from Maclean Music Academy accompanying them for their singing performance.

• Choir Singing
• Verse Speaking

Songs

Verse Speaking 

The snippet of the program is below for Thursday 20th

Can’t wait to conduct you as you stand on stage and be simply divine, proud and confident in your talents!

Ms Zietsch

Bullying and Friendships

Is My Child Being Bullied?

What are the signs?
Each individual student who has been bullied or is bullying others will respond and act differently. A student's behaviours and moods can also change for a variety of reasons. An important first step is to notice a change in behaviour.

Signs a parent may notice can include but are not limited to:

• not wanting to go to school
• changes to their method or route to school, or are frightened of walking to school
  
• changes in sleep patterns
• changes in eating patterns
  
• frequent tears, anger, mood swings
  
• unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches
  
• missing or damaged belongings or clothes
• arriving home hungry
  (Source: Bullying NoWay!)
  

What could my actions be?

1. Listen and Validate: The first step is to stay calm and try to get all the facts through an open and supportive conversation with your child. Listen to their experiences without judgment and validate their feelings. Let them know that you believe and support them. While it may be a case of bullying, it might also be the result of poor communication by one or both children.
2. Reassure Your Child: Reassure your child that they deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. Remind them that you are there to help.
3. Problem Solve: Sometimes, as a first step, your child may just want some advice about how to manage the situation. Discuss the things your child has already done to try to solve the problem and suggest other things they might try.
4. Document: At other times it is important that action is taken immediately. Help your child create a simple timeline including when it started and important details such as location, what happened and the names of any bystanders. This documentation can be helpful when talking to the school and/ or police.
5. Talk to the school: If you suspect your child is experiencing bullying at school, provide the school with the specific incidents or experiences. It is important for the school to know as many details as possible. Request a meeting to support your child. Work with the school to solve the problem. Encourage your child to report any further bullying incidents to a teacher.
6. Ongoing Communication: Remember that addressing bullying requires ongoing communication, support, and advocacy for your child. Always prioritise your child's safety and wellbeing, and work in collaboration with the school to find a resolution to the bullying situation.
7. Cyberbullying: Often harmful online content can be removed by the site, game or app used to send it.  eSafety may be able to help remove the content if it is likely to harm your child’s physical or mental health. Report to eSafety using this link.
8. Nurture your child’s strengths and interests. Provide a variety of opportunities for your child to explore different activities, sports, arts, and hobbies. Let them try different things to discover what they enjoy the most. Help your child connect with peers who have similar passions.

When should I contact the police?
Some forms of bullying involve criminal offences, including repeatedly bullying someone if it is likely to cause that person physical or mental harm, including self-harm, threats to kill or harm someone, property damage or theft, texting, e-mailing or posting sexual images. Contact police if bullying involves a criminal offence.

Pastoral Care - School Chaplain

Seasons For Growth-Stage 2

We are pleased to offer the Seasons for Growth program for stage 2 students. This is an opportunity to help young people cope with the effects of a significant loss or change in their lives. Change may occur within our lives due to many experiences, including death, separation or divorce.  Such changes can result in strong feelings of loss, which can be difficult to cope with or talk about.

The Seasons Program will focus on finding ways to accept what has happened, take charge of behaviour, develop self-esteem and afford your child the opportunity to build up support networks.    

It is not counselling, rather a small group of students with a trained Companion who meets for one session per week, over eight sessions.

Confidentiality is strongly emphasized.

Seasons for Growth is an education program that uses a wide range of creative activities to help your child learn how to manage well in times of change.

If you are interested in this program for your Stage 2 child please register your child via compass.

Student Representative Council (SRC)

On Wednesday our SRC met in the library to discuss ideas for the  term 2 fun day. 

There were some exciting ideas however,  It was decided that students will come dressed as their favourite gaming character and participate in a day of E- sports. Thanks to Miss Ava for a great suggestion! This day sounds fun packed! 

More information will be available over the coming weeks. 

The SRC also discussed the possibility of mirrors for the bathrooms and are awaiting feedback.

Great initiative SRC.

Ms Mead

Pastoral Care - School Counsellor

Raising Resilient Kids

The five resilience building areas to be covered this term include Thinking, Habits, Relationships, Emotions and Strengths.

1. RELATIONSHIPS

Positive RELATIONSHIPS that are strong and supportive are vital for our emotional and physical wellbeing. Research also identifies positive relationships as an important contributor to resilience.

“Many studies show that the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships within and outside the family. Relationships that create love and trust, provide role models and offer encouragement and reassurance, help bolster a person’s resilience.”  (American Psychological Association - Resilience Report)

There is no one right way to build a positive relationship with your child. It may be helpful to  take notice of what activities or strategies are already working in your relationship and commit to doing them regularly or increasing the frequency. 

Other ideas include; 

• Acknowledging their positive behavior - 

 “ It makes me proud to see you show sportsmanship after a game even when your team loses like they did today”. 

“I’m so impressed that you chose to get yourself ready for school this morning”.

• Sharing quality time  - 

 This can happen anywhere including while doing chores or in the car. Pay attention to what your child is saying, ask questions and let them know you are really listening.

• Creating a caring environment of trust and respect -

Family life is busy so we can’t always be available, but try to provide support, care and help when needed.

Setting up some family rules and giving everyone an opportunity to contribute can also help build trust and respect.

For more strategies on building positive relationships you can follow the link below.

https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/connecting-communicating/bonding/parent-child-relationships

If you have any questions or would like to discuss further you can contact me at the school on Thursdays and Fridays or via jessica.jones@lism.catholic.edu.au

Jessica Jones  - School Counsellor

Parent Forum

Please see attached minutes from our Term 2 meeting. 

Our next meeting will be in Term 3 and again, we welcome and encourage anyone to attend.

Lauren Kirkland - Chairperson of the Parent Forum

Library News

Mrs O'Brien

Community Notices