Term Two - Week Six
Our Vision and Mission
Vision Statement
With Jesus Christ as their role model, all children can and will achieve.
Mission Statement
Inspired by Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop and in partnership with parents, our Parish and the wider community, we aim to impart a holistic education on all children in our school. We endeavour to live by the values of our school motto.
Learning, Understanding and Peace.
St Joseph’s is distinguished by a great sense of belonging, where each person is valued and where learning is enjoyable.
Prayer of the day
St Norbert; St Marcellin Champagnat
Acts 25:13-21. The Lord has set his throne in heaven – Ps 102(103):1-2, 11-12, 19-20. John 21:15-19.
Do you love me?
I waited for this question:
I knew I had betrayed him.
That’s why I left it up to him
to accept that I was honest.
Who was I to judge the others?
I relaxed. But then he asked again.
This time my heart was torn in two.
What could I do except affirm
my love and let him be the judge.
Once more he asked. I wept. He knew
me better than I know and trust
myself. I told him so. He smiled,
and I knew our hearts were joined.
SCHOOL NEWS
Call out for donations of unused push bikes
We would love donations of push bikes that you have lying around at home that are no longer used for the children to use at school. They must be in good working order. Please drop off at the container on the bottom field when you can. Many thanks in advance.
CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT - YEAR THREE
Last week, we concluded our English unit on argument and authority. Throughout this unit, we read the text Wandi, which tells the true story of a dingo who was separated from his family and found himself in a wildlife sanctuary in Victoria—where he still lives today! To deepen our understanding of conservation and persuasive writing, we explored the Australian Wildlife Conservancy website, investigating a range of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks across Australia. Miss Woodhouse selected two of these sanctuaries and provided key information about each one. Using this information, Year 3 retrieved key facts to answer the following questions: - Where is the sanctuary located? - What wildlife are protected, and why? - What actions is the sanctuary taking to support conservation? Students then used their notes to construct informative sentences, ready to be shared in a digital format. To publish our work, we recorded our own "podcast" episodes using the Canva platform. Year 3 have done a fabulous job showcasing their learning, research skills, and digital presentation abilities!
Project Elevate
Royal Life Saving NSW is offering St Joseph’s the opportunity to participate in Project Elevate: School Learn to Swim program! Research shows that many Australians do not meet minimum National Benchmarks for swimming and water safety, even after lessons, while others miss out entirely. To address this, Project Elevate will follow Royal Life Saving’s Swim and Survive Program, Australia’s leading water safety initiative with over 40 years of experience. Aligned with NSW and Australian Health and Physical Education Curriculum's, it provides a clear pathway for students to reach national swimming and water safety benchmarks. Each participating student will receive the equivalent of 10 x 45 minute Learn to Swim lessons to help them achieve the National Benchmarks for their age. If you are interested in this program for your child/children, please contact the school for further information.
Pupil Free Day
Staff at St Joseph’s will attend a Professional Development day on Friday, 20th June. This will be a pupil free day
Student of the Week
ST JOEY'S COOKING CLUB
Cooking Club
Cooking Club: Vanilla Cake & Zesty Lemon Curd Icing
This week in Cooking Club, we turned up the sweetness and stirred in a little citrus flair! Our featured recipe was a classic vanilla cake—light, fluffy, and rich—topped with a bright and tangy lemon curd icing that had everyone coming back for seconds.
As we gathered around the canteen, year 3 measured, mixed, and shared tips on achieving the perfect sponge. From mastering the art of folding in flour to the secret of getting that golden crust, there was plenty of laughter, learning, and (of course) taste-testing along the way.
The highlight? That zesty lemon curd icing! Made from scratch with fresh lemons, it added just the right punch of tartness to complement the sweet, buttery cake.
Stay tuned for what’s on the menu. Until then, happy baking!
– The Cooking Club Team
SPORTS NEWS
EMMY Carnival
With the EMMY Athletics Carnival fast approaching there are still a number of outstanding permission notes and lunch orders. These forms must be completed and returned on Tuesday, 10th June.
Southern Region Athletics
St Joseph’s will be hosting this year’s Southern Region Athletics Carnival on Friday, 1st August. The Carnival will be held in Canowindra. From the Southern Region Athletics, successful students will qualify for the Diocesan Carnival which will be held on Friday, 22nd August in Dubbo.
FROM THE REC
The Ascension of the Lord
Last Sunday was The Ascension of the Lord. A very special feast in the Church. It celebrates the moment when Jesus returned to Heaven, body and soul, 40 days after His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to His disciples many times. He comforted them, taught them, and helped them understand everything that had happened. Then, on the 40th day, He gathered His disciples on a mountain, blessed them, and ascended into Heaven in their sight. This moment is called the Ascension.
The Ascension reminds us that Jesus is now with God the Father, watching over us. It also shows us the promise of our own future with God—just as Jesus rose and went to Heaven, we are called to one day be with Him too. Before He left, Jesus gave His disciples an important mission: to go out into the world and share His love, teachings, and message of hope. That mission continues with us today.
Pentecost
This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, one of the most important feast days in the Church’s year. It marks the moment when the Holy Spirit came to the disciples of Jesus.
After Jesus ascended into Heaven, the disciples were gathered together in one place. Suddenly, they heard a loud sound like a rushing wind, and what looked like tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, who gave them courage and strength to go out and share the Good News of Jesus with people from all over the world. Even though the people spoke many different languages, the Holy Spirit helped the disciples speak in a way everyone could understand.
Pentecost is the day the disciples truly began their mission of spreading Jesus’ message to the world. It reminds us that the Holy Spirit is still with us today—helping, guiding, and giving us the courage to live as followers of Jesus.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit,
Fill our hearts with your love.
Help us to be brave, kind and full of joy.
Teach us to listen, to help others, and to share Jesus’ love every day.
Amen.
Reflection Questions for family discussion:
What gift do I want the Holy Spirit to help me with this week?
- When have I felt close to God?
- How can I share the Good News of Jesus with others through my actions?
Date to remember:
- Sunday 15th June, 10am - Sacrament of Confirmation
- Sunday 22nd June, 10am - Sacrament of First holy Communion
Upcoming Masses:
- Wednesday, 11th June (Week 7): Infants Mass – 9:30 AM
- Wednesday, 18th June (Week 8): Primary Mass & First Reconciliation (Year 3) - 9:30 A
Miss Taylah Woodhouse
Religious Education Coordinator
STUDENT WELLBEING
I found these great resources….. 10 wellness activities for kids
1. Be The Pond – An activity to get kids thinking about managing their feelings
In this video, Jaime helps kids to imagine their mind is a big pond. Within that pond, there are all different kinds of fish that represent different feelings. These might be feelings like anger, loneliness or anxiety (and if you want to know more about managing anxiety, then visit our blog where we share 9 ways to help kids with anxiety).
By visualizing feelings in this way, Jaime explains that all feelings are OK to experience and that every feeling is welcome. You can be the pond, and the fish can be the fish – allowing the feelings to come and go around you.
Using an activity like this to get kids to be more mindful of their feelings, which is one step towards improving mental health overall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf5K3pP2IUQ
2. Make a Magical Worry Box – A hands-on crafting activity to manage worries in a physical way
When they are in our minds, worries can be difficult to articulate and manage. By physically writing down worries, a child can articulate them and give their brains a break from holding onto them.
This is a great crafting activity that can be done at home or in the classroom to improve mental health and well being. It gives kids and pupils a physical space where they can put their worries, so that they can separate themselves from them.
Remember, to download all of the high-res assets for each activity for free, visit our Mental Health Superpowers page.
3. Build a Team of Superstars in Your Brain – An individual or group activity that promotes positive thinking
Many grown ups use real life superstars to motivate them in their lives. They might be sports players, business gurus or exceptional individuals. They could also be friends or family members – anyone that inspires them to be the best version of themselves.
By getting children to think about who would be on their team of superstars, we can promote positive thinking, as we consider the very best attributes in other people. Ask your children or students who would be on their team of superstars and why?
Whether it’s someone they look up to or your lovely dog – it’s up to you who is in their team. Just keep them up there in your mind, ready to help you at any time. And if you need some advice, you can ask them, ‘what would you do?’.
By recognizing positive traits in others, we can then think about these in relation to ourselves. It could be considering how we emulate these qualities, or how others having them lifts us up in some way.
4. Finger Breathing – Using breathing techniques to give your mind a rest
Breathing is a powerful thing. It can be used to fuel our bodies by breathing more heavily when we use energy, but it can also be used to make us feel calm and centered.
By using breathing techniques to improve our mental health, we can ensure we take just a few moments out of our day to recenter.
Finger breathing is a technique you can use with children to help them do just that. To use it, you simply sit with your hand open facing you. Place the index (pointer) finger of your other hand at the base of your thumb on your open hand. As you breathe in, trace the upward lines of your fingers. As you breathe out, use controlled breaths while you trace back around and down your fingers.
This is a way of getting children to take five deep breaths with a simple, healthy focus point for their mind.
5. Make a mind jar – A creative crafting activity that can explain emotions
Understanding our emotions and how they work is key to managing our mental health. Within this activity, we take an empty jar. Pour hot water into the jar and add some glitter glue. Secure the lid and give it a shake.
Now, ask kids to do this when they feel anger, frustration or another strong emotion. Then, ask them to sit and watch the glitter in the jar while it settles. This is how our emotions work – they are sometimes strong and our minds can get stirred up, but these emotions come and go and then we feel calm again.
Remember, to download all of the high-res assets for each Children’s Mental Health Week activity for free, visit our Mental Health Superpowers page.
6. Zen Den Mindfulness Videos – To understand how our brain works and how to bring ourselves back from strong feelings
When we’re feeling stressed, our brain tries really hard to protect us. It’s really nice of it, but sometimes it can go too far and make us panic! It’s helpful for children to understand that sometimes our brain overreacts like this, and to learn how we can bring ourselves back.
Our Zen Den video ‘The Owl and the Guard Dog’ explains this really nicely, and is one of our most popular Zen Den episodes to use an activity for Children’s Mental Health Week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so8QN9an3t8
7. Try Kids Yoga – To use the benefits of movement and stretching to improve mental health
Not just yoga, but movement and stretching in general has been proven to improve the mental health of both adults and children alike. This is because exercise releases endorphins that make us feel good.
Making exercise habitual is a great way to improve mental health. 350,000 schools use our Cosmic Kids Yoga each week, and in our latest impact survey of more than 3,000 teachers, parents and carers, 99% reported that doing Cosmic Kids yoga has a positive impact on children's’ physical and mental well being.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlg052EKMtk
8. Do A Full Body Scan – To bring attention to our bodies and how they work
Getting kids to do a ‘body scan’ brings their attention to their body. Ask your children or class to lie down. Starting with thinking about your feet, move slowly up the body paying attention to how you feel from your feet to your head.
This exercise is immediately relaxing and helpful for building focus skills.
9. Dance! – To let the endorphins change your mood!
Endorphins help relieve pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being. When we move our bodies by dancing, these endorphins are released. This is why dancing is a perfect activity to use during Children’s Mental Health Week!
Looking for inspiration? Try our series of yoga discos that get kids moving and feeling good!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSgZl8f5leU
10. Send Love – An activity to encourage building up others
P & F / CANTEEN NEWS
Hello families and friends.
See below some information regarding upcoming Parents and Friends Events.
- Save the Date for our Street Stall on June 27th. We will be calling for volunteers to work on the day and for baking closer to the time.
- We are looking for used bikes in ‘ride-able’ condition for use at play time on the newly rolled bike track. Please contact the school office if you can help!
PIE DRIVE
Delivery date for pies is Thursday 12th June. Pickup will be from 2:30-3:15 pm. Please contact the office if you are available on the 12th June to help with sorting the pies.
HEALTH MATTERS
COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
