2. Special Character Week 9, Term 4 2017

This Saturday Mass December 16 @ 5pm we pray for and congratulate Tracy Plieger,  and Chris Jones 

Hogan in being received into the Church. 

Faith Fact
Did you know that the Church has decreed that Christmas and Easter are the pre-eminent holy days because they highlight the dramatic realities of the birth and resurrection of Jesus? How are your spiritual preparations going for the coming Christmas season?

O blessed Jesus,
give me stillness of soul in You.
Let Your mighty calmness reign in me.
Rule me, O King of Gentleness,
King of Peace.
                              St John of the Cross

God Bless 

Nicola Winders

1. Principal's News Week 9 - Term 4 2017

Thank you
A big thank you to all the parents and supporters who have helped St Joseph's this year.  Thank you to Leanne Tuffley for doing the Subway orders,  Cat Campbell for the Scholastic  Bookclub, Adele Whiston for the uniform shop and the parents and parishioners who have transported our Early Childhood Buddies and Young Vinnies.  Thank you to the many parents who have given their time and energy to coach and manage sports teams and to all parents who have supported their children, our teachers and the wider school community in so many ways in 2017.  Thank you to the parish prayer partners who have provided spiritual support for our children on the sacramental program in 2017.  A big shout out to the Home and School who work tirelessly for the good of our school community.  This year they have provided Bibles for the New Entrants, leadership badges, the hall heaters, trophies and engraving, certificates, Junior Discos, playground equipment, and the wonderful year 7 & 8 social.

Thank you also to our teachers, teacher aides and support staff who are so professional and always go well beyond the call of duty in their care of the children and support for the school.

Year 8 Meal courtesy of the Home and School

Year 8s at their social

Some of the year 7s, guests at the year 8 social

Our year 5s have excelled themselves over the last couple
of weeks.  Here are the year 5 girls doing their very
successful Caritas fundraising

Community Thanksgiving Celebration

We look forward to all children and families joining us this evening at 6.00 pm in the Basilica for our End of Year Celebration Mass incorporating the junior pageant, prize-giving and marking the occasion of the year 8 graduation.  Children need to meet in full uniform in the senior playground by 5.45 pm.  The juniors have separate instructions regarding costumes.

Our juniors preparing for tonights' Nativity Pageant

Reports
You will have received reports now (except juniors who have already had anniversary reports).  I said last year that I don't like them and I still don't.  We've had other priorities to address this year which we're very pleased about but reports are on the agenda for improvement.  We developed a lovely report over time at St Joseph's with lots of feedback from parents to help us shape what you want.  It was a holistic report which really showed the full picture for your child and looked good too.  When we changed to MUSAC Edge as our student management system in mid 2015 we were stuck with the limited report design options available in Edge.  That means the printout is small and hard to read and we're limited on what we can say.  So I'm very sorry about that and I hope we will have some new and better ways of reporting on progress and achievement next year.

Lost Property
We have HEAPS of lost property.  LOTS of jackets which cost roughly $50 each.  Please come and have a look through the lost property and claim your children's gear because it will be gone at the end of term.

End of 2017

Presentations to our leaving staff will be at assembly at 2pm
tomorrow (Friday)

We will have a Leavers' Assembly at 2.00 pm this Friday 15th December.  The Head Boy and Girl will give their speeches and the year 8's will receive their leaving certificates.  We will also farewell the staff who are moving on.  This is the last day for the year 7 & 8's as they did a day's technology while the school was closed for a teacher only day in September.

The rest of the school will officially finish at 12.30 pm on Monday 18th December.  Those children who come on Monday may wear Christmas-themed mufti.  Thank you to Phoebe Wickham for the idea.

Well done to our Pasifika group who performed
at assembly and the Public Library this week

2018


School starts at 9.00 am on Tuesday 30th January 2018.

I wish you a safe and happy Christmas.  Let us remember to take time to remember Jesus is the reason and be welcoming Christ into our lives.  I hope you enjoy this time with your families and have a chance to unwind and recharge.  Its been an amazing year and I'm looking forward to reaching even further for the stars in 2018.

God Bless and Aroha
Lorraine Frances-Rees