Friday, August 26 2016

Dear Parents and Friends An article featured in the Herald Sun this week quoted a prominent Melbourne psychologist who labelled Week 7 of Term 3 as “the worst week of the year for schools”. He based this theory on data gathered across Australian schools, citing illness, general fatigue and tiredness and the overall pressures of the school year as contributing forces that converge to make this the toughest week of the school year. His recommendation for combating this was…to celebrate! At times when energy levels are low, it is important that we find opportunities to come together, re-energise and celebrate…and what a week of celebrations we have had together! In the midst of the hectic pace of a very crowded term, our staff, students and parents have found the time to come together for two significant events this week. The first was Book Week! Book Week has been a fantastic event at St Joseph’s, with a wonderful display created in our library by Mrs Morrison and a week full of fantastic activities ranging from a visit from Aboriginal elders to share stories with our students to our new Preps for 2017 visiting our library and meeting new friends. Yesterday we saw so many parents and friends join us for our Book Week Bush Dance and Concert. The day started with breakfast together in the hall, with our Tuckshop Coordinator Mrs Jackson-Gee going above and beyond to pump out a huge volume of Aussie tucker to the hungry crowd. We then enjoyed performances by each year level as they took us on a journey around Australia through song and dance. Huge thanks are extended to Mrs Hinschen and Mrs Holt for their work with students in preparing for the concert and to Mr Grundy for his musical accompaniment. It was a great way to finalise our Book Week celebrations and we would also like to especially thank Mrs Morrison for all of her work to make this a great week on the school calendar!

Over the past two weeks we have also been celebrating our Values Olympics. This morning we held the closing ceremony, with each class presenting their class anthem and displaying their class flags before the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were announced for Respect, Compassion, Service, Justice and Excellence. The great conversations that have been happening in classrooms around our values and what they mean has been outstanding and we congratulate Year 3BM, Mrs Mallet and Miss Bicknell for their effort and enthusiasm in coordinating the games. The final awards were:

SERVICE: GOLD – Year 5D SILVER – Year 4H BRONZE – Year 6GG

COMPASSION: GOLD – Prep R SILVER – Year 2S BRONZE – Year 6B

JUSTICE: GOLD – Year 5S SILVER – Year 1K BRONZE – Year 4P

RESPECT: GOLD – Prep W SILVER – Year 3D BRONZE – Year 1B

EXCELLENCE: GOLD – Year 3BM SILVER – Year 2R BRONZE – Year 5S

Following the Closing Ceremony, each class reflected on what they have learned throughout the games about winning, losing, sharing, honesty, cooperation, team spirit and self-confidence. Some of the children shared that following the Values Olympics they have noticed:

It is now quieter at lunch time

There is not so much rubbish on the ground

People were being very kind and helpful

We can see our values more around our school

Everyone tried their best

It helped us to be better leaders

We got better at working together

Father’s Day Liturgy and Classroom Visits Next Friday we will celebrate fathers and all important men in our lives, with an invitation to join us for our Father’s Day Liturgy at 8.40am in the Hall. Following the liturgy, classes have a few fun activities planned, so all are welcome to stay and join your children for half an hour in classrooms following the liturgy. We are also hoping to include a special reflection in the liturgy and ask that each family send in a photo of the children with their Dad or someone special. These can be emailed through to sjnm@rok.catholic.edu.au. We hope you can join us for this special morning. iPad Demo Days The students can’t wait to show off how they have been using iPads to transform tasks and the way they work in the classroom. This week an invitation was extended to all families to join classes at their designated times for a special demonstration of what each student has been learning. The timetable for visits works in with our eLearning timetable. We hope that you are able to join us! The demo sessions will run for approximately 40 minutes. LOWER SCHOOL:

MONDAY 5th September MONDAY 12th September

11.40am Prep R 11.40am Prep W

12.40pm Year 1K 12.40pm Year 2S

2pm Year 1B 2pm Year 2R

UPPER SCHOOL:

MONDAY 5th September MONDAY 12th September

11.40am Year 6G 11.40am Year 5S

12.20pm Year 6B 12.40pm Year 5D

1pm Year 4P 1pm Year 3BM

2pm Year 4H 2pm Year 3D

So many great things happening at our school! So much to be proud of! Bianca Hodges Principal

AUGUST

30 Year 6 Camp Parent Meeting – 6B classroom 5pm – 6pm 30-31 Father’s Day Stall

SEPTEMBER 1 P & F Meeting, 6pm – 7pm Library 2 Father’s Day Liturgy, Open Classrooms and Morning Tea 5 iPad Demo Day for Parents – Check invitation sent home for class days and times 5 – 9 St Joseph’s Spelling Bee 6 Parent Teacher Interviews 12 Pizza & Sub Day 12 iPad Demo Day for Parents – Check invitation send home for class days and times 13 Board Meeting – 6pm – 7pm 16 Last day Term 3

LITURGY NEWS 2/9: Father’s Day Liturgy 8.40am (2R leading) 2/9: First Friday Mass 12.00 (5S leading) 16/9: Mercy Liturgy (3D leading) This Sunday students from St Joseph’s School will be participating in the children’s mass at 9am. Thank you to those who have volunteered to assist. Please come and join us in celebrating Eucharist if you are able. SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2016 DATES Registration Interviews: Choice of Monday 29th, Tuesday 30th or Wednesday 31st August Ritual of Remembering Baptism: Choice of Saturday 10th September OR Sunday 11th September. Family Workshop 1: reconciliation: Choice of Sunday 23rd October at 10am OR Wednesday 26th October at 7pm. Don’t forget Children’s Liturgy of the Word is held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday/ Sunday at St Joseph’s Church and 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at St Brendan’s.

Kids Matter - Emotional development

Children grow and change in many ways during their primary school years. As well as growing physically, children develop socially, emotionally and cognitively.

Why emotions matter Children’s responses to the different feelings they experience every day have a major impact on their choices, their behaviour, and on how well they cope and enjoy life. Emotional development involves learning what feelings and emotions are, understanding how and why they happen, recognising one’s own feelings and those of others, and developing effective ways of managing them. As children grow and are exposed to different situations their emotional lives also become more complex. Developing skills for managing a range of emotions is therefore very important for their emotional wellbeing. Parents and carers have an important role to play in supporting children’s emotional development. They do this through responding effectively to children’s emotions, through providing examples of how they manage feelings, and through talking with children about feelings and how to manage them. In similar ways, school staff can provide important support for children’s emotional development.

Children’s emotional development Emotional development is a complex task that begins in infancy and continues into adulthood. The first emotions that can be recognised in babies include joy, anger, sadness and fear. Later, as children begin to develop a sense of self, more complex emotions like shyness, surprise, elation, embarrassment, shame, guilt, pride and empathy emerge. Primary school children are still learning to identify emotions, to understand why they happen and how to manage them appropriately. As children develop, the things that provoke their emotional responses change, as do the strategies they use to manage them. Very young children’s emotions are mainly made up of physical reactions (eg heart racing, butterflies in stomach) and behaviours. As they grow, children develop the ability to recognise feelings. Their emotions are also increasingly influenced by their thinking. They become more aware of their own feelings and better able to recognise and understand other people’s. Thus, an emotional reaction of a 10-year-old is likely to be far more complex than that of a three-year-old. The experience of emotion includes several components: Physical responses (eg heart rate, breathing, hormone levels) Feelings that children recognise and learn to name Thoughts and judgements associated with feelings Action signals (eg a desire to approach, escape or fight)

Year of Mercy reflection from Pope Francis:

I am thinking of what St Ignatius told us; he pointed out two criteria on

love. The first – Love is expressed more clearly in actions than in word.

The second - There is a greater love in giving than in receiving.

Many things influence the ways that children express emotions, both through words and behaviour. These influences include: Values and beliefs about appropriate and inappropriate ways of expressing emotions that children learn from parents, carers

and school staff How effectively children’s emotional needs are usually met Children’s temperaments Emotional behaviours that children have learned through observation or experience The extent to which families and children are under various kinds of stress

NEXT WEEK: Developing emotional skills

A Father’s Day stall will be open again this year for any child wishing to purchase something for dad this Father's Day. The stall will be open during class times and the students will come at scheduled times during the day with their teacher. Items will be available to purchase on Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 31st August from the media room in the library. Items will be priced from $1-$5. Helpers If you can give a bit of time to help out with the Father’s Day stall, please give myself or Kylee Kister a call or email. The two days will be broken up into the three sessions – first session until lunch, lunch until second break and then the last session of the day. If you are able to assist in the stall, please also indicate the times you are able to help. Thank you. Nyomi Davidson 0404057678 nyomidavidson@icloud.com

Kylee Kister 0409649242

SCHOOL FEES

ALL FEES ARE NOW OVERDUE. If you did not receive your fee account or are experiencing difficulties, could you please contact Di Wilson in the office.

DANCE FOR DANIEL MACKAY Join us for a great night of fine dining and fun. Saturday 3rd September 2016. Doors open at 6pm Red Tie Gala Night in Mackay. 3 Course Meal with a drink on arrival. Cash Bar available during event. Auctions, raffles and door prizes supporting the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. Guest Speakers Denise & Bruce Morcombe, Rex Wallman and Mackay Citizen of the Year Detective Senior Sargeant Samanatha Bliss. Live entertainment by Rachel Mako and local band Mango Junction. Limited tickets available make sure to book your tickets or table now! Tickets $130/each or $1300/table of 10 tickets available online at www.mackaytix.com.au or phone 4961 9777.

Venue: MECC, Alfred St, Mackay

Starting: 6:00 PM

Saturday 3rd September 2016

Ending: 12:00 AM

Sunday 4th September 2016

Phone Enquiries: 0409 633 184

Date: Saturday 29 August 2015

Time: Doors open 6pm

Prep R Adrienne Albarracin

For demonstrating the value of excellence. It is wonderful to see you trying your best in all that you do. Thank you for always being an amazing role model Adrienne!

Prep W Bede Hill For striving to achieve excellence each and every day over the week. It has been an absolute pleasure to see your proud face at the end of the day. Keep it up Bede.

1B Gabriella Turner For the respect that you consistently show towards your teachers and peers. Thank you Gabriella.

1K Dexter Arthy For always working hard to achieve the values of St Joseph’s. You set a fine example to all your peers. Well done!

2R Cooper Anderson For your excellent behaviour in class and for always being ready to learn. Well done!

2S Caitlin McGuire For showing respect and kindness to your classmates each day. We are blessed to have such a kind-hearted person in our class. Thank you Caitlin.

3D Isiah Rea-Bradbury For your excellent answers during science week. You contributed thoughtfully to all our discussions and explained the science very well. Congratulations.

3BM Lily Scadding For the way that your positive attitude reflects our school values. You’re always showing respect, compassion, justice, service and excellence in all you do.

4H Lily Wardrop For consistently displaying the five values of St Joseph’s. You are a superstar student.

4P Zoe Viero For the value of compassion. You were always thinking of others this week.

5D Zoe Laffy For sharing your Scientific understanding of Solids, Liquids and Gases during our Science Days. Well done Zoe!

5S Gwen Laffy For displaying the values of excellence and justice by always trying your best and making safe and sensible choices. Thank you Gwen!

6B Brielle Lett For always being willing to help other students during our ipad lessons. Your kindness is appreciated.

6GG Madison Fitzgerald For participating so enthusiastically during Eisteddfod practice and for always offering to help your teacher.

PREP ENROLMENTS - 2017 We are now taking enrolments for 2017. If you have a child due to commence Prep next year (born between 1 July, 2011 and 31 July 2012) please complete an enrolment form and return it to the office. If you do not have an enrolment package please download one from the school website or collect one from the school office. 649 242

NETBALL Congratulations to the St Joeys Topaz who played in their U11B Semi Final last Saturday. You all had a great game and you should be very proud. Thank you again to Coach Tina Kirkwood and Team Manager Faith Lett for all the hard work you have put in this season.

TUCKSHOP NEWS

TUCKSHOP ROSTER

Thursday 1st September

Friday 2nd September

HOMEBAKE ROSTER

Thursday 1st September VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – PLEASE CONTACT OFFICE

Friday 2nd September VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – PLEASE CONTACT OFFICE

We are looking for more volunteers to help in the tuckshop and to bake homebake. If you are able to help in the tuckshop on a Thursday or Friday or can bake chocolate slice or pikelets for homebake, please contact Mel in the office with dates that you are able to assist.

YOU’RE INVITED

St Patrick’s College P & F / Board invite you to join with us as we thank and honour Eamon Hannan, Edna Galvin and Lesley Fraser to celebrate their many years of loyal service to the St Patrick’s College community. This will take the form of a Cocktail Party on Saturday 1st October commencing at 6:30 pm at St Patrick’s College. Tickets are available from the college office at a cost $35 and includes complimentary champagne on arrival and finger food. Tickets must be purchased by 16th September. Please phone the college on 4944 7200 for ticket enquiries. All welcome to attend.