Filter Content
Dear Parents,
On Tuesday 11th November we held a Remembrance Ceremony in front of our Australian and Aboriginal flags to honour those who have served at war. It is important that our students remember the sacrifices that soldiers made and lives that have been affected by the conflict of war. Thank you to Mr McCann and Year 2/3 for organising.
This week we have been celebrating NAIDOC Week. The theme for 2020 is 'Always Was, Always Will Be'. We recognise the First Nations people who have occupied Australia for over 65,000 years. This week our students have been celebrating through creative arts, history and singing. We are very lucky to have Mrs Saunders and Uncle Jeremy teach our students 'Amazing Grace' in Gathang, our local indigenous language and we have been joining in this song as a whole school during the course of NAIDOC week.
End of Year Events Update
CSNSW and NSW Health have issued a new update as to what schools are permitted to do in the coming weeks.
Parents and carers are allowed on school sites for specific end-of-year events as outlined in the updated and attached CSNSW Term Four Advice to Schools (4 November) to support planning activities for end-of-year activities.
• End of year school performances, productions, plays and concerts can proceed. Schools must have in place and comply with the COVID-19 Safety Plan for cinema, theatres, concert halls, drive-in cinemas when planning and conducting these events.
• Whole-of-school assemblies can recommence from 12 November. Where possible,
students should remain within their relevant cohort to limit the mixing of students between cohort groups. Parents and carers are not permitted to attend school assemblies.
• Schools can conduct field trips, excursions and overnight activities within NSW and in the ACT. All other states are on-hold until further notice.
• For staff development days in Term 4 2020, schools will be able to conduct face-to-face activities and bring up to 100 staff members together. This can include staff from within the same school and the local school network.
• Staff professional learning outside of school development days should not be conducted face-to-face unless it is absolutely necessary. Where professional learning activities are conducted face-to-face, they must be limited to a maximum of 30 people from the same school of local network.
We will make decisions in the next week as to how our End of Year events will proceed.
Award Winners Week 4
Congratulations to our Award Winners for Week 4! Charnae Rose-Goldsmith, Cooper Allan, Rory Ashby, Xanthe Fenning, Mia Barnes, Kamryn Beard and Eli Fenning.
This week we have celebrated NAIDOC Week, along with many Australians across the country. In NAIDOC Week we reflect on the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’.
Always Was, Always Will Be - Theme for 2020
Always Was, Always Will Be. recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists.
Australia has the world’s oldest oral stories. The First Peoples engraved the world’s first maps, made the earliest paintings of ceremony and invented unique technologies. We built and engineered structures - structures on Earth - predating well-known sites such as the Egyptian Pyramids and Stonehenge.
Our adaptation and intimate knowledge of Country enabled us to endure climate change, catastrophic droughts and rising sea levels.
Always Was, Always Will Be. acknowledges that hundreds of Nations and our cultures covered this continent. All were managing the land - the biggest estate on earth - to sustainably provide for their future.
NAIDOC Week 2020 acknowledges and celebrates that our nation’s story didn’t begin with documented European contact whether in 1770 or 1606 - with the arrival of the Dutch on the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula.
The very first footprints on this continent were those belonging to First Nations peoples.
Congratulations to the following students who are about to celebrate their birthday. We hope you have a fabulous time celebrating your special day:
Clarry Fulton 9th November
Cooper Allan 13th November
Stuart Turner 13th November
All parents should have received a time next week for Parent Teacher Phone Interviews, when teachers will be in contact via phone. Staff are looking forward to updating, discussing and sharing your child's goals' and progress. If you have missed these times or they are unsuitable please call the office or contact your child's teacher.
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is Friday 13th November.
Although we are always kind, this special day helps us to remember the importance of showing kindness to others. It doesn’t have to be “showy” or a big thing; it may just be a small thing such as an encouraging word.
Today everyone in our school family had the chance make a special leaf for our Kindness Tree in the Library. The Mini Vinnies then decorated the Kindness Tree and it looks great.
We hope that everyone will remember to practise kindness everyday.
(Thank You to Mrs Shultz for building the tree display)
Charlotte, Kamryn, Aiden and Mia decorating the Kindness Tree.
CHRISTMAS APPEAL
On Monday 16th November, the Mini Vinnies be launching our Christmas Appeal.
The Christmas Appeal will run for 4 weeks and we are asking our students and families to bring along any items of non-perishable food to donate to the Appeal. These items need to be canned or packaged and not out of use by date. This might include things like canned food, biscuits, crispbread, dried fruit, lollies, tissues, etc. Please donate as many times as you can and on any day during the next four weeks (you might even send something along a few times a week over the next month). Donation baskets will be available in each of the classrooms and at the front office.
All donations will be taken to local charities for distribution to families in need within our local community.
Please help if you can.
Mia, Aiden, Kamryn and Charlotte preparing the collection baskets in readiness for the Christmas Appeal.
CANTEEN NEWS
Recently we have started to sell Jelly Cups at the Canteen. These are 40c for a plain Jelly Cup or 70c for a Jelly Cup with a chocolate inside.
We continue to open on Friday at Lunchtime and on Monday at Recess (Frozen items only on Mondays)
Congratulations to Aiden Blanchard, Ruby Blanchard, Nick Maslen and Lola Forbes-Collins who represented Gloucester Junior Basketabll in a Representative with Taree on Sunday at Saxby's Stadium.
Our Year 6 Disco will be held on Friday 11th December. Students will receive an invite designed by Year 6 Students. This year the disco will be running from 2pm-4pm.
The ASPIRE production will go ahead in 2021, although will be changed in nature of presentation to due to the events of this year. Next year we have been invite to watch the streaming of the ASPIRE production online on Feburary 11th. We look forward to participating in the production and the talents of many students across our schools next year.
Monday 16th November - Early Birds Program 9:30-2pm
Wednesday 18th November - Library (please bring your Library book).
Thursday 19th November - Swimming for Sport (please bring swimmers, towel, goggles)
Monday 23rd November - Early Birds Program 9:30-2pm
Wednesday 25th November - Library (please bring your Library book).
Thursday 26th November - Swimming for Sport (please bring swimmers, towel, goggles)
As a sweet finish to the year, the P&F are excited to introduce “Christmas Sweet Treats” – our last fundraising initiative for 2020 in conjunction with the great team at Hebby’s Bakery!
Order forms have been sent home for you to share with your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. Please ask at the office if you need more copies sent home. All order forms and payment are due Monday 23rd November. Delivery/collection will be Friday 11th December.
St. Joseph's Gloucester is a Crunch and Sip School which means we promotoe healthy snacks for students and allow a 'Fruit Break' during our morning session where students eat fruit or vegetables during the break. Thank you for supporting your child and packing fruit or vegetables for this daily break.