Week 1 Term 2 2025
Week 1 Term 2 2025 Newsletter
Dear St Joseph’s Community
A very warm welcome back to all our students and families. We hope you had a restful and refreshing break and a happy and holy Easter.
We’re looking forward to a fantastic Term Two, filled with fun, excitement, and rich learning experiences. Today, we commenced the term with the Zone Cross Country, and our students were impressive in the way they represented our school.
Next week, we look forward to celebrating our mothers and mother figures at our Mother's Day breakfast and prayer service. A huge thank you to the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools for supporting this important event. Our Stage 3 students are also heading off to Burleigh Heads for camp, which promises to be a fantastic experience for them all.
A reminder to families with siblings seeking enrolment in Kindergarten in 2026, that our enrolments are due on Friday this week.
Some important information is below as we look forward to a great term together!
God Bless
Kurt Challinor
ANZAC Day – Lest We Forget
Thank you to the students and families who represented St Joseph’s at the ANZAC Day march and service last Friday. It was moving to see our school community standing together in remembrance and respect. We had a wonderful turnout, despite the weather. A huge thank you to our parent for their support in marking this important commemorative occasion. I was so impressed by the respectfulness of the students and the leadership shown by our Year 6 students. Our banner bearers, Reuben and Annabelle and our wreath layers, Oliver and Sybella, fulfilled their roles superbly.
ANZAC Day remains a significant moment in our national story—a time to pause and acknowledge the courage, sacrifice, and service of all those who have served our country. By participating in these commemorations, we help ensure that their legacy is honoured and remembered by the next generation.
We also held our Anzac Day ceremony Today, led by our Year 6 students and Mr Crosby. Our students were incredibly reverent throughout the service, and it was a beautifully solemn occasion to acknowledge those who have given so much for our freedom. Special thanks to Gladys Charter for making the beautiful wreath, which we laid at our prayer space during the ceremony.
Uniform Refresh Feedback and Next Steps
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent uniform survey. Your thoughtful and constructive feedback has helped us gain a clearer picture of what is working well and where improvements could be made to better suit our students and families. With matters of taste like the uniform, we recognise that there will naturally be differences of opinion. Hopefully, you can see yourself in the responses. Here is the link to the summarised findings.
We received 58 responses, and we’re pleased to share that many elements of our current uniform are well-regarded, particularly the skorts and the bomber jacket. At the same time, the responses indicate broad support for revisiting certain aspects, such as the shirt fabric and the style and weight of the shorts.
Significantly, there was strong support for moving the uniform shop to an external provider such as School Locker. 62% of respondents indicated they supported this proposal, with 30% strongly supporting this option. 29% of respondents were ambivalent, and only 8% disagreed with the proposal. Many families appreciated the idea of easier access, weekend hours, and online ordering. We’ll begin exploring this option and consulting with providers to understand what they can offer. Affordability, sample sizing, and sustainable practices will remain key priorities.
To be clear, this process will be taken slowly and thoughtfully.. Our aim is to improve comfort, practicality, and access without unnecessary cost or waste, always keeping the best interests of our students and families in mind.
As we move forward, we will continue to seek your input. We hope you can see your views reflected in the attached summary report, which captures the spirit of your feedback and outlines the next steps. We’ll also be discussing the report at our Term 2 School Community Group meeting.
Thank you once again for your contributions as we explore these options.
Remembering Pope Francis
We join with Catholics around the world in mourning the death of Pope Francis, Servant of the Servants of God. A leader known for his humility, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalised, Pope Francis called the Church to be a place of mercy and inclusion.
His messages of hope, care for creation, and the dignity of all people resonated far beyond the Church. We give thanks for his witness to the Gospel and his tireless service to God’s people.
At St Joseph’s, we have remembered Pope Francis in our prayers and will continue to be inspired by the legacy he leaves behind.
Enrolments for Kinder 2026
A reminder of our enrolment dates for 2026. Enrolments are due on Friday this week. Parents can enrol directly by following this link on our webpage. If you are a family seeking enrollment for kindergarten for a sibling in 2026, please remember to enrol ASAP.
If you know of any families in our community who would be seeking enrollment, please let me know and share our key enrollment dates in the flyer above.
Supporting Student Success: Commencing a Partnership with Occupational Therapist Rachael Jennings
At St Joseph’s, we are committed to creating an inclusive, nurturing environment where all students can thrive. This term, we are pleased to commence a new partnership with Occupational Therapist Rachael Jennings, made possible through some late, additional funding from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools.
Rachael will be onsite each Thursday during Terms 2 to 4 to enhance our existing wellbeing and learning support structures.
Her role is not to provide individual therapy support for students, but to strengthen whole-school strategies that promote student participation, independence, and emotional wellbeing, aligned with our Multi-tiered Continuum of Care. This includes:
Providing guidance to staff on classroom strategies that support engagement and self-regulation.
Facilitating small group sessions for selected students focusing on skills such as social interaction, organisation, and emotional regulation.
Supporting staff development and inclusive practice through consultation and resource development.
Families of students identified for small-group support will be contacted directly by the school. This ensures that the support offered is appropriate, purposeful, and aligned with our broader wellbeing framework.
We’re grateful for this opportunity and confident that this partnership will support the wellbeing and learning of our students in meaningful ways. We know our school community will join us in making Rachael feel very welcome at St Joseph’s. Below is a short introduction about Rachael.
Rachael is an experienced paediatric occupational therapist. With over 10 years of experience supporting children and families, Rachael brings warmth, insight, and a deep commitment to helping children with social, emotional, motor, and sensory needs thrive.
Over the years, Rachael has recognised how often children’s behaviours are misinterpreted, rather than understood through a lens of compassion and curiosity.
Rachael is a passionate advocate for neurodiversity and is committed to promoting equality and inclusion. She works to ensure that the unique needs of neurodivergent children are not only recognised, but respected and supported in a way that allows them to flourish.
Support for Families – Partnership with Social Futures
At St Joseph’s, we are proud to partner with Social Futures, a community-focused organisation that provides a wide range of support services for families. Their work includes assistance with housing, mental health, disability supports (including NDIS navigation), financial wellbeing, and family support programs.
This partnership allows us to better support families who may be navigating challenges or simply need a little extra help. If you feel your family would benefit from connecting with Social Futures, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly for a confidential conversation.
Tell Them From Me Survey 2025
Tell Them From Me Surveys: Early next term our school will be taking part in the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) student survey. The survey will provide us with valuable feedback on what our students think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them.
The survey is run by an independent research company, The Learning Bar, which specialises in school-based surveys.
In addition to the student survey (for students from Year 4 to Year 6), parents and carers and teaching staff will have the opportunity to participate in the TTFM survey.
The TTFM student survey is confidential, and staff in schools will not be able to identify individual students from their responses. To ensure confidentiality, participating students will receive a unique username and password. All information will be handled according to relevant privacy legislation.
Students’ personal information will not be disclosed by the school to any other person or body other than as required by law. Individual students will not be identified in any publications. The survey is conducted online, takes 15 to 30 minutes, and will take place at school during school hours.
We will receive a report on our school’s survey results shortly after our students complete the survey. The school will share with parents and carers key aspects of the survey results in a timely manner.
Participating in the survey is voluntary. If any survey questions make your child uncomfortable, your child can skip the question or can choose to stop the survey at any time. If you do not want your child/children (Years 4-6 only) to take part in the survey, please complete this PDF form and return it via email to the school by Friday May 9th.
Prayer for Pope Francis
Following his passing, Pope Francis was laid to rest with a simple headstone bearing only his papal name “FRANCISCVS” — a sign of the humility and simplicity that marked his life and papacy.
The stone stands as a silent witness to a shepherd who led with compassion, always pointing beyond himself to Christ.
Loving and merciful God,
we give you thanks for the life and ministry of Pope Francis,
your servant and shepherd.You called him to lead your Church with courage, compassion, and humility.
In life, he strove to show your mercy to the world;
in death, may he now know the fullness of your peace.Welcome him into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
Comfort your Church as we mourn his passing,
and guide us by the light of his example:
to walk humbly, to act justly, and to love tenderly.We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Write On - Writing Competition
The annual WriteOn competition is an exciting opportunity for schools, teachers and students to focus on writing. Through the competition, students develop skills in writing to express their ideas and may become published authors.
The competition is for students in Years 1 to 6 who are accessing NSW syllabuses, including students registered for home schooling. Students create an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using a provided stimulus.
Each year, winners are celebrated at an award ceremony and their entries are published in ‘The Best of WriteOn' anthology.
WriteOn 2025 opens Monday, 24 March 2025. This year, the competition is held in association with the State Library of NSW. For WriteOn 2025, students use a stimulus quote to explore their voices as authors when creating an imaginative text.
The new stimulus for WriteOn 2025 is the quote: “Could they be changing?”
Please submit any entries to Mr Crosby.
Mother’s Day Celebration
We are looking forward to hosting our Mother’s Day celebration on Friday, 9th May. We will have croissants and muffins from 8 am at schoo,l and a coffee cart will be on site. This is a lovely chance for mothers, grandmothers and mother-figures to be honoured for the love, care and joy they bring to our students' lives.
For catering purposes, please RSVP by this Friday, 2nd May via this link.
Absences add up.
5 days absent per term means that your child misses 10% of their learning.
The impact of school absences, even seemingly small ones, can accumulate and affect a child's learning significantly.
The cumulative effect of absences over time can lead to gaps in knowledge and understanding.
Consistent attendance is vital for academic success, as each day in school provides valuable learning opportunities.
If your child is expressing reluctance to go to school regularly, it's essential to address the issue promptly.
Watch My child refuses to go to school, what can I do? for some simple strategies – Problem solve, Validate and Hope.
Zone Cross Country
Today, we had a number of students represent our school in the Zone Cross Country in Goonellebah. Our students represented us incredibly well, showing terrific sportsmanship.
We will have the full results and congratulations in next week's newsletter, but an early congratulations to Olly Lowe and Hugo McCall, who both came first in their respective age races!
Well done to all of our amazing competitors!
End of Term Kinder Celebration
We celebrated our junior students finishing their first term at St Joseph's with a special assembly, games and activities, a picnic on the playground and the ringing of the school bell.
Thanks to all those families who were able to make it along to this special end-of-term celebration!
Parent Assembly Conference – Save the Date!
We’re excited to share a wonderful opportunity for all parents and carers in our school community!
The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly Conference is happening on Friday, 14th June at Opal Cove Resort in Coffs Harbour—and it’s completely free to attend.
This year’s line-up of keynote speakers includes:
- Maggie Dent – Known as The Queen of Common Sense, Maggie is one of Australia’s most loved parenting educators.
- Angela Lockwood – Author and host of The Distracted Podcast, Angela offers practical strategies to help families thrive in a busy world.
- Brad Marshall – Also known as The Unplugged Psychologist, Brad will speak on helping children manage screen time and digital habits.
This is a fantastic parenting opportunity and a chance to connect with other families from Catholic schools across the diocese. Whether you’re looking for ideas, encouragement, or simply a chance to reflect on parenting in today’s world, this conference will offer something valuable for everyone.
Save the date – 14th June – and keep an eye out for more details in the flyer below. Registration details will be coming out in the coming weeks.
