St Joseph's Primary School South Grafton eNewsletter

From our Leadership

Welcome

Our community at St Joseph’s has had a fine tradition of giving to others. Lent is one of those times. Project Compassion is our school's charity during Lent. Please send any small change with your child to school to place in our charity boxes, which are on every child’s prayer table.

Jubilee Year

This year is an exciting time in the life of the church. A Jubilee year only comes around once every quarter of a century, and it brings with it a special invitation for each of us. That invitation is close to the heart of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.

St Joseph's Feast Day

Last Wednesday, we celebrated the special feast day of our Patron Saint, St Joseph. Our community gathered to share in a liturgy, praying and learning about the important role of St Joseph in Jesus’ life, reflecting on how we can follow Joseph as a model of courage and faith. Following recess, we participated in a variety of fun games led by our year six students. A big congratulations to all of them for their leadership of this fun activity.

ANZAC Day

This year, ANZAC Day, celebrated on 25th April falls on the Friday in the second week of the school holidays. Each year we have a large presence in the ANZAC Day Parade and remembrance service at South Grafton. We are hoping that we will have many students attending again this year.

There are several opportunities for students to participate:

March with the school, students and staff will meet at 10:55am near the New School of Arts building in Skinner Street, South Grafton
If your child is in the drum band further information will be provided

Seasons For Growth

Seasons for Growth is a small group education program that supports children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to understand and respond well to experiences of change, loss and grief.

Seasons for Growth supports children and young people who have experienced change and loss, including, although not limited to family separation; loss or death of someone they care about; living away in out of home care. We suggest that children and young people impacted by bereavement wait 6-12 months before participating in a Seasons for Growth program.

We will be offering the Seasons for Growth program at St Josephs. If you think that your child would benefit from this program, please contact our School Office.

Baptism

The Sacrament of Baptism is available to those requesting it.

Please speak to Danny Rankin if interested.

2026 Kindergarten Enrolment

Enrolments for Kindergarten 2026 are now open and will close on Friday, 16 May. If you know any families who may be interested, please encourage them to visit our website and follow the enrolment link.

Learning and Teaching

Below are the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria for Writing and Mathematics that students will be working towards in their groups.

Learning Intentions and Success Criteria- Writing

During the Writing sessions, students will use the Success Criteria to reflect on their own writing and their peers' work, engaging in both self-assessment and peer assessment to identify areas for improvement. Teacher feedback will also be provided to guide further progress. At the end of the learning cycle, students’ achievements based on the Success Criteria will be reported, and individual goals will be established. These goals will then be incorporated into the group’s overall Success Criteria to inform precision teaching in the next learning cycle.

Learning Intentions and Success Criteria- Mathematics

This term, our school has been focusing on counting, as it is the foundation for many other areas of mathematics. Our teachers and teaching assistants have participated in three professional learning sessions, where they analysed each student's counting data from the MAI assessment completed at the start of the year. This data has been used to determine the next steps in teaching for each child. Targeted activities to support individual growth have been incorporated into our mathematics lessons throughout the learning cycle. To help support your child, the parent letter sent home mid-term details your child’s current ‘growth point’ and provides suggestions for activities you can do at home to further their progress.

Principal-Danny Rankin

Assistant Principal-Anne Forwell

Leader of Learning - Brooke Donoghue

Leader of Evangelisation - Matthew Green

School Counsellor

I wanted to introduce myself to the school community and those I haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet.
My name is Bel Chapman, and I’m very happy to have recently joined the pastoral care team at St Joseph’s as the new school counsellor.
I am a qualified Social Worker and Counsellor with broad experience working with children and families. I use evidence based interventions to support students experiencing a range of mental health challenges including anxiety and depression as well as assistance with social and emotional issues.
I use a strengths-based approach in my work, and am passionate about building wellbeing and resilience in children during their Primary School years.
School Counselling services are available to students via referral and include individual short-term counselling, small group programs and support for parents and families.
If you have any questions about the counselling services offered or would like to speak with me, please contact me via the office or email me at belinda.chapman@lism.catholic.edu.au

I’m at the school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and look forward to working together to help the St Joseph’s school community thrive.

Bel Chapman - School Counsellor

Sport Coordinator - Caitlin Crispin

Cross Country

Our Cross Country Carnival will be held on Friday, 4 April.

The 8/9 years and 10 years age group will run a 2 km course. The 11 years and seniors age group will run a 3 km course. Students 5/6/7 years old will participate in a short course on the bottom oval. A student's age group is determined by the age they are turning this year as of 31 December 2025.

Families are invited to the event, please gather at the bottom oval where the finish line will be located. The schedule for the day is as follows:

Those who finish in the top three in each age group from 8/9 years and above will qualify to represent our school at the Clarence Zone Carnival which will be held on Monday, 5 May at McAuley Catholic College. At the Clarence Zone Carnival 8/9 years age groups compete against each other in the same race. Please note that there is a time cut off for each age group to qualify for Clarence Zone Cross Country.

Stage 2 & Stage 3 Soccer Gala Day

Students in Stage 2 and Stage 3 have nominated themselves to attend a Soccer gala day on Monday, 7 April. The Gala Day is designed for students to engage in a half day of non-competitive, fun and friendly football.

Gumbaynggirr Language - Liz Hegedus

Ginnagay Ngujawiny -Hello You Mob,

Kindergarten students are learning about dreamtime stories. The Dreamtime is the Aboriginal understanding of the world, of its creations and its great stories. The dreamtime is the beginning of knowledge, from which came the laws of existence. For survival these laws must be observed and obeyed.

So, Why is Dreamtime important to the Aboriginal people?

Dreamtime or Dreaming for Australian Aboriginal people represents the time when the Ancestral spirits progressed over the land and created life and important physical geographic formations and sites.

The Dreaming is based on the relationship between all people and all things. The past of the spirit ancestors which live on in the legends that are handed down through stories, art, ceremonies and songs.

Kindergarten read a dreamtime story called ‘Why Koala Has A Stumpy Tail?’

Why Koala Has a Stumpy Tail is about two friends, Tree Kangaroo and Koala. Long ago they were very close, but their friendship soured after the events that transpired during a long drought in Australia. Tree Kangaroo was a hard worker and resourceful while Koala was lazy and selfish. Tree Kangaroo had the idea of digging a hole for water in a dry streambed. Tree Kangaroo started to dig, but Koala kept making excuses about why he couldn’t help dig the hole. Finally, Tree Kangaroo ends up digging the entire hole and when he finally finds water, Koala jumps in and drinks all of it. Emblazoned with anger at Koala’s selfish acts, Tree Kangaroo grabs Koala by his long, furry tail and pulls so hard that it breaks off at the base. Now the Koala is left with a short, stumpy tail.

https://youtu.be/itszep0duwI?si=1W49mxy4XEShSt38 (Why Koala Has A Stumpy Tail)

Kindergarten then made their own koala with a stumpy tail.

Darrundang Ngiinda - Thankyou

Miss Liz Hegedus - Aboriginal Education Worker

School Notes

SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS

Please be advised our School Office is open between 8.20am and 3.20pm daily.

UNIFORMS

The school uniform is available to purchase through the Compass app.

Orders will be sent home with your child, please advise the Office you would prefer to collect it.

Uniform collection times are Tuesday and Thursday between 8.30am - 8.45am & 2.30pm - 3.00pm.

MEDICATION

If your child is currently taking medication at school, parents are now required to complete the Medication permission form available through the Compass app.

If you have previously provided a paper copy, you will need to complete the online form to meet the new 2025 requirements.

ABSENCES

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.

Late arrivals - Parents are reminded to accompany your child to the Office to provide the reason for your child's late arrival.

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.

Please notify the School Office if your child will be absent for an extended period of time, Principal approval may be required.

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.

Meal_Deal_Lunch_Order_Day.pdf

2025_MCC_Open_Night_Flyer.pdf

Uniforms

Uniform_Price_List_2025.pdf

Merit Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received a Merit Award.

ES1: Evelyn, Logan, Flynn, Matteo, Roman

Stage 1: Ryan, Logan C, Lacey, Tom

Stage 2: Emilia, Izac, Byron, Aylee

Stage 3: Poppy, Harleen, Mitchell

School Calendar

TERM 1 2025

Week 8

Friday, 28 March - School Assembly 2.15pm

Week 9

Thursday, 3 April - Kindergarten Family Night 5.30pm to 7.30pm

Friday, 4 April - School Cross Country

Sunday 6 April - Parish Family Mass 9.30am to 10.30am

Week 10

Wednesday, 9 April - Easter Pageant for all families 5.30pm to 7.30pm

Thursday, 10 April - Last day of Term 1

Friday, 11 April - Staff Development Day (Pupil free day)

TERM 2 2025

Week 1

Monday, 28 April - Students return

Week 2

Monday, 5 May - Zone Cross Country at McAuley Catholic College

Thursday, 8 May - Kindergarten attending Mass at St Patrick's Church 9.15am

Friday, 9 May - School Assembly 2.15pm

Canteen

Canteen Open every Wednesday and Friday

Canteen orders are placed through the Compass portal prior to 8.30am. Our menu has been updated and the following new items are now available to order: