Term 4 Week 2, 2024
From our Leadership
Welcome
Dear St Joseph’s Families,
Welcome to Term 4! I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday break and has returned feeling refreshed and ready for the final part of the 2024 academic year.
During the break, on 4 October, our Church celebrated the feast of St Francis of Assisi. St Francis, born in 1181 in Italy, abandoned a life of luxury to devote himself to Christianity after hearing God's voice, calling him to rebuild the Church and embrace poverty. After his canonisation, he became the patron saint of animals and the environment.
St Francis’ prayer for peace beautifully reminds us of the values we aspire to—goodwill, love, and harmony. Let us pray together:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Catholic MIssion - Socktober
Socktober has launched for 2024!
Join students from schools across Australia as they raise awareness and funds for children in need around the world, like Otgonbayar from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Otgonbayar is one of many young children living in Mongolia who have faced abandonment and homelessness.
Thankfully, the Don Bosco Caring Center reaches out to children like him, offering them basic needs like a safe home, food and education.
Socktober engages the head, heart and hands of students to realise the part they can play in mission programs like this.
We hope you will join us as we journey together to make a positive impact for children in need.
Register now and learn more at https://www.socktober.org.au/join/StJosephsPrimarySchoolGrafton.
Rosary
During the month of October, students have been praying a decade of the Rosary each day. The Rosary is a reflective prayer dedicated to Mary and focuses on key events in the life of Jesus.
Each student made their own set of a decade Rosary (10 beads) that they have been using to pray. On Friday, we will hold a special whole school Rosary prayer where we will pray a full Rosary together.
Exuro
Year 5 had an amazing faith-filled experience on Tuesday, when they joined other Catholic Primary schools from across the Clarence Valley for the annual Exuro Retreat.
Led by year nine students at McAuley Catholic College, students explored the theme of discipleship and what this looks like for them today. They explored small, powerful ways that they could be a disciple of Jesus in their own lives.
Jacaranda
St Joseph's students will participate in the March of Youth and Banner Competition this Saturday, 26 October. This years’ theme is, 90 YEARS IN BLOOM - Let's celebrate the oldest floral festival in Australia.
We will meet at the river end of Prince Street at 8:45am ready for a 9.00am start. All details for this event have been sent via COMPASS. Please respond to this event if your child will be attending.
Our school will be closed on 31 October for Jacaranda Thursday.
We will continue to participate in the Jacaranda Festival Float Procession every second year. We look forward to 2026.
Communicating Your Child’s Learning - SEESAW
In Term 4 we are introducing the use of Seesaw to communicate individual student learning to families.
Seesaw provides meaningful connections between families and the classroom, allowing family members to view student work on any device and celebrate their child’s learning.
What is Seesaw?
Seesaw digital portfolio; a simple way for students to record and share what's happening in the classroom. It gives students a place to document their learning, be creative and learn how to use technology. Each student gets their own journal and will add things to it, like photos, videos, drawings, or notes. Student work is then shared with the teacher and families.
How will it work?
You will receive instructions on how to access Seesaw so that you are ready to receive the posts of your child’s work and learning. Keep an eye out for further information about Seesaw.
Junior Joeys
This is always a highlight of Term 4. Here are some photos so you too can share in the joy.
ACER PAT Maths Adaptive Assessment
During the first week of term, our students participated in the ACER PAT Maths Adaptive Assessment. This assessment is designed to measure each student’s mathematical skills and understanding, adjusting the difficulty of questions in real time based on their responses. This allows us to gain a clear picture of each student's strengths and areas for growth.
Over the next two weeks, our stage-based Math Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) will analyse the data from these assessments. This will help us tailor and differentiate our upcoming units of work to better meet the diverse learning needs of all our students, ensuring that every child is supported in their mathematical development.
Below is the Math Learning Intentions and Success Criteria our students will work towards during the first 2-3 weeks of this term.
DIBELS End of Year Assessment
Starting in Week 4 and continuing through Week 6, our data team will administer the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment to all students from Kindergarten to Year 6. This assessment helps us measure key literacy skills, such as fluency, comprehension, and phonics, providing valuable insights into each student’s reading development.
The data collected will be reviewed during our upcoming English Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) meetings. This will guide us in differentiating lessons during Component A time in English, ensuring targeted support for each student’s literacy needs. The results will also inform our next steps in professional learning for teachers, helping us continuously improve our instructional practices.
Learning Intentions and Success Criteria (Writing)
As we work towards our 2024 School Action Improvement Plan goal, "All students will meet the expected learning progressions for their grade in Grammar and Punctuation," teachers will implement targeted teaching strategies in the upcoming learning cycle. Each group will have clearly defined Learning Intentions and Success Criteria, which you can see below. These objectives will help both teachers and students stay focused on achieving specific writing goals and personal targets, fostering a structured, goal-driven learning environment. They will also guide teacher feedback, self-assessment, and peer reviews, promoting a collaborative and reflective learning process.
Principal-Danny Rankin
Assistant Principal-Anne Forwell
Leader of Learning - Brooke Donoghue
Leader of Evangelisation - Matthew Green
Sport Coordinator - Caitlin Crispin
K-2 Intensive Swimming
This week, students in Infants (K-2) began an Intensive Swimming Program at South Grafton Pool. The first lesson was a grading session for all students. Lesson duration being approximately 30 minutes and students will be instructed by the Learn to Swim instructors from the pool. Students will continue to attend the pool each Monday from Week 2-7 in class groups. Lessons will take place from 12:30pm through to 2.00pm.
3-6 Elective Sport
On Wednesday, students in Primary (Yr 3-6) began their afternoon elective sport. This will run for four weeks until 13 November, between 12.30pm - 2.30pm. Students participate in the following sports - Golf, Basketball at PCYC, Netball and Ten Pin Bowling.
Swimming Carnival
The Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday, 15 November at Maclean Pool for students aged 8-12 years old. The carnival will begin at 9:30am and conclude by 1.00pm. More information will follow in the coming weeks including a program of times and events.
Year 6 Rowing
A group of Year 6 students have elected to partake in a 6 week Rowing program with Grafton Rowing Club. The program will begin on Friday, 8 November and run between 9.00am-10:30am. A compass event has been sent out to the Year 6 students who have elected to participate in the program.
Gumbaynggirr Language - Liz Hegedus
Ginnagay Ngujawiny -Hello You Mob,
Stage 2 and 3 have been learning about the Solitary Island Coastal Walk that covers 60 kilometres of beach frontage, from Red Rock to Sawtell. One of the main subjects that we looked at is healing foods. Along the Solitary Coastal Walk there is an abundance of plants, flowers, vegetables and seeds that are sourced for food, medicine and art.
The one plant we looked at is the Pig Face. Pig Face (Carpobrotus glaucescens) also known as Ice Plant or Angular Sea Fig is a creeping flowering succulent. It is part of the Aizoaceae or stone plants family and is native to South Africa and Australia. There are about 30 species in the genus, the majority being native to South Africa. There are 6 species native to Australia. Pig Face is a low growing ground cover that has thick fleshy smooth foliage that is triangular shaped. It produces daisy-like flowers during Spring and Summer but also can flower sporadically throughout the year. The colors come in shades of pink, purple, orange, yellow and white. The flowers will be closed during overcast or wet days. After flowering the plant will produce a red to purple berry. Pig Face requires a full sun position in the garden that has good drainage. It is extremely salt and wind tolerant.
The native Pig Face is an edible bush food. The juice from the leaves can be used to soothe stings or burns. The berries can be eaten. The insideof the berries look like a grape, and are said to taste like strawberries.
Many times in my youth my siblings, cousins and I sat amongst the pig faces in the dunes at Corindi Beach, eating them like they were a treat. Wonderful memories.
At the end of last term Stage 2 attended an excursion to the Saraton Theatre. After the movie we completed the river walk and discovered there were many pig face plants along the river walk. The students were so excited to discover a healing plant that they were learning about.
Skyla from Stage 2 also brought in a pig face plant, which we planted in the prayer garden. It has been looked after with lots of love. We will hopefully see it grow.
https://youtu.be/X0xIApr274k?si=b9Zfi77dYBgqP-YQ (Pig face Video)
Darrundang Ngiinda - Thankyou
Miss Liz Hegedus
Aboriginal Education Worker
BookClub
Book Club Issue 7 is out now! If you would like to order through the school, please return your orders to school by Wednesday, 30 October.
Remember you may also order online through the link below.
School Notes
SCHOOL FEES
BPay is the preferred payment method for school fees.
Scheduled payments can be set up using BPay. The Biller Code and your personal reference number can be found on your Fee Statement.
Paying through BPay ensures that your payment goes directly to your account. Any enquireies please contact the School Office.
ABSENCES
Please notify the School Office if your child will be absent for an extended period of time, Principal approval may be required.
Only full day absences are to be entered into Compass, for partial absences - arriving late or leaving early please phone the School Office to notify.
Change to afternoon travel arrangements may be emailed to the school if before 12.00pm sjpgraf@lism.catholic.edu.au
After 12.00pm please phone the School Office on 6642 2899 with any changes.
School Student Travel Passes
Link to apply for a Travel Pass
Uniforms
Merit Awards
Congratulations to the following students who received a Merit Award.
TERM 4 WEEK 2
ES1: Nate, Leonardo, Tristan, Indiana
Stage 1: Ashton, Esther, Levi, Harlow
Stage 2: Alice, William, Emily, Harleen, Ruby
Stage 3: Kendall, Nate, Elise, Bonnie
School Calendar
TERM 4 2024
Week 2
Friday, 25 October - Socktober Sockball Shootout & Rosary 2.10pm
Saturday, 26 October - Jacaranda Parade of Youth
- Where to meet: 2 Prince Street (River end)
- Time: 8.45am
Week 3
Monday, 28 October - Intensive Swimming K-2
Tuesday, 29 October - Parent Group Meeting 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Wednesday, 30 October - Junior Joey's Transition
Wednesday, 30 October - Primay Sport 12.30 - 2.30pm
Thursday, 31 October - Jacaranda Thursday (School Closed)
Week 4
Monday, 4 November - Intensive Swimming K-2
Monday 4 November - School Assembly 2.15pm
Wednesday, 6 November - Junior Joey's Transition
Wednesday, 6 November - Primay Sport 12.30 - 2.30pm
Week 5
Monday, 11 November - Remembrance Day
Monday, 11 November - Intensive Swimming K-2
Tuesday, 12 November - Orientation Day for Year 6 at McAuley Catholic College
Tuesday, 12 November - Information Evening for Parents of Year 7 2025 at McAuley Catholic College
Wednesday, 13 November - Junior Joey's Transition
Wednesday, 13 November - Primay Sport 12.30 - 2.30pm
Friday, 15 November - Swimming Carnival, Maclean Olympic Pool 9.30am - 1.00pm
Week 6
Monday, 18 November - Intensive Swimming K-2
Monday 18 November - School Assembly 2.15pm
Wednesday, 20 November - Junior Joey's Transition
Week 7
Monday, 25 November - Intensive Swimming K-2
Tuesday, 26 November - Parent Group Meeting 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Wednesday, 27 November - Junior Joey's Transition
Week 8
Monday, 2 December - School assembly 2.15pm
Wednesday, 4 December - Junior Joey's Transition
Week 9
Tuesday, 10 December - Year 6 Graduation 6.15pm
Thursday, 12 December - Prize giving Evening 5.30pm
Friday, 13 December - Student reports published to families
Week 10
Wednesday, 18 December - Student Talent Show
Wednesday, 18 December - Last Day of Term for Students
Thursday, 19 December - Staff Development Day (Pupil Free)
TERM 1 2025
Friday, 31 January - Staff Development Day (Pupil Free)
Monday, 3 February - Students return for Term 1
Friday, 7 February - First day for Kindergarten students
Canteen
Canteen
Open every Wednesday and Friday
Volunteers are always welcome, please leave your details with the School office if you're able to assist.
Community Notices
