Dear Parents & Carer's, 

Next week, we celebrate Grandparent's Day at St. Joseph's, as well as launching our new School Vision and Mission Statement.  Last week, students participated in a  formation experience that explained what a Vision and Mission Statement is and how we can all demonstrate the important qualities within the statement. We are looking forward to launching this new statement to our school community at Grandparents Day liturgy.

We recently had a visit to Musica Viva at Gloucester Public School. We also held an incursion around Cultural Connections and awareness faciliated by Belinda Huntriss. Both were fantastic experiences and we thank Gloucester Public School for their invitation and Mrs West, our Aboriginal Education Teacher, for coordinating the cultural incursion.  

There are a number of transition programs currently being run in the school in anticipation for next year. This week will be the final session of Playgroup, which will be in the hall at 9:15 - 10:15am. Thank you to Miss Shannon, Mrs Whitby and Miss Fitzgerald who are coordinating playgroup. All are welcome and we look forward to the final session on Friday. 

Early Birds commences on Monday 11th, 9-12pm. For the first session there will be a parent information session at 9-10am in the Library. The second session will include a session with School Psychologist, Larissa Collins and run from 9-10am (approx). The final session will be kiss and drop at 9am. 

Year 6 students are also particpating in their Year 7 transition programs at St. Clare's and Gloucester High School. 

We look forward to our first assembly for the term on Friday, with 2/3 and 4/5/6 sharing some of their work. The assembly will commence at 10:30am due to playgroup. 

We have had a number of Stage 3 (Years 5&6) students preparing to participate in the ASPIRE Manning Creative Arts Project next week. Students will travel to St. Clares and the Manning Entertainment Centre to participate in Drama, Vocals, Art activities in culmination with a performance on Thursday at the Manning Entertainment with other students in the Manning region Catholic Schools. Stage 2 & 3 students from around the Manning will be invited to view the performance on Thursday and there will be a 6pm evening show for all families interested in attending.

Please ensure your child is in the correct school uniform each day, including socks and shoes. If you are unsure or require any uniforms, please contact the office for the clothing pool or new stock.

Term 4 can be very busy. Please see the Upcoming Dates and 2025 Dates section to mark in your calendar. Compass messages will be sent out to alert of upcoming events and changes in dates and events. 

Last week we commenced the month of November, a month in the Catholic Church where traditionally we pray for the dead.  Friday 1st was the Feast of All Saints and on Saturday, the Feast of All Souls. On these days we remember the famous and well-known saints such as St Paul, St Peter, St Mary, St Mary Mackillop and St Patrick, but we also remember those who are not so well-known, but who lived a good Christian life and followed the ways of Jesus. Halloween, today, has its origins in Ireland. The word Halloween is the abridged version of All Hallows Eve, All Hallows (Hallos) being the traditional name for All Saints Day. So, Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day, the day we celebrate the gift of all the saints. If your family does celebrate Halloween, it is timely to explain its origins to your children. Please join me in a prayer to remember those who have gone before us. 

Peace and best wishes,

Amy Maslen

Princpal

Just a reminder that we will be celebrating Grandparents Day on Friday November 15, 10am at the Church. The liturgy will also include the launching of our new Vision & Mission Statement. Following the liturgy there will be a morning tea and visitors will have the opportunity to have a look through classrooms. All Grandparents, or parents, are invited to this special celebration.

Feb 4: Students 1-6 Return to School for 2025

Feb 6: Kinder First Day of School 2025

On Thursday we had our Crazy Sock Day to support Catholic Mission's Socktober Appeal. This year Catholic Missions are supporting vulnerable children in Mongolia. Our day began with prayer in the form of a whole school liturgy. The Year 6 students lead this liturgy and did a fantastic job in informing about Catholic Missions and their mission to help the children in Mongolia. Some powerful words that came from this liturgy were"..we are the voice for the voiceless..'. This was an excellent quote for the students to reflect on and how they were being the voice. 

Congratulations to all the students for their participation and their generosity in supporting Catholic Missions. We have raised $65 which will go directly towards helping a vulnerable 'voiceless' child in Mongolia.

In 2022 students from St Paul’s Catholic College Booragul advocated for female hygiene products to be made available in school toilets to provide access, equity and dignity to students who menstruate. A Diocese-wide working group was formed to investigate the impact of period poverty in our schools and lead the way in addressing the issues by exploring the feasibility of:

1. Installing free period products in dispensing machines in our schools, aligned with the placement of the sanitary bins.
2. Developing an awareness education program for schools in conjunction with the syllabus.
3. Developing a policy that will help reinforce the promotion of dignity, gender equality and reproductive health.

The working group soon developed an initiative called Period Positivity. The initiative is about making periods normal. From free period care products to more informative discussions, the initiative aims to promote greater accessibility, equity and dignity for all.

In 2022 a pilot program was conducted at St Paul’s Catholic College Booragul, trialling the installation of sanitary dispensing machines with the provision of free sanitary products at the school. The trial was very successful – with strong survey results in addition to positive student engagement and feedback.

Due to the success of the trial, dispensers were rolled out across all Diocesan Secondary schools in 2023. This is being followed up with a rollout across Primary schools in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle across 2024.

The Period Positivity initiative commenced at St. Joseph's Gloucester this term. Sanitary products are now available to students for free, via dispensers in the toilet blocks.

• If students find themselves needing pads, they will be available from the dispensers.
• Students will still be able to use their own products, but there will be the option to use the free products provided in the female toilets for those who need them.  

The product roll-out will be complemented by an educational awareness program that will be deployed to students. Professional Learning resources will enable teachers to be competent and confident to deliver the educational materials such as Menstrual health; information about periods and anatomy, dispelling myths, products, accessibility, gender equity and promoting dignity.

For more information, please visit https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/students/period-positivity/.

Thankyou to our wonderful volunteers who provide a nutritious meal and recess for our students.

Monday 11th November - Nacho's

Monday 18th November - __________

Monday 25th November - __________

If you can spare a Monday for a couple of hours we would really appreciate new volunteers to assist with our shared table program.

Any queries please contact Lisa Moore (office).

In today's world, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has infiltrated almost every aspect of our lives, including relationships. The rise of AI-powered romantic and companion bots is particularly popular among young people, offering a new frontier in human interaction. Initially emerging in the gaming world, AI companionship has evolved into mainstream culture, with apps providing personalised experiences that range from platonic friendships to romantic encounters. These apps allow users to create and interact with virtual partners, raising significant privacy and ethical concerns, particularly for younger generations.

Research highlights potential risks associated with AI companions, including the normalisation of inappropriate conversations and the possibility of grooming. Criminologists warn that children as young as 12 are accessing dating apps, often bypassing age restrictions, exposing them to sexual content and predatory behaviour. These interactions can blur the boundaries between real and virtual relationships, creating confusion and potential psychological harm.

Adolescents, in particular, may turn to virtual partners for validation, risking unhealthy emotional attachments that can affect their real-life relationships. These relationships often lack the mutual respect and effort required in real-world connections, which are crucial for personal growth.

As AI technology continues to shape social dynamics, it's important for us all to stay informed and involved. AI has the potential to enrich educational experiences and foster creativity, but it also poses challenges related to privacy, mental health, and misinformation. By maintaining an open dialogue and promoting a balanced approach, we can help young people navigate this new digital landscape, allowing them to benefit from AI's advancements while protecting them from its potential risks.

Here is the link to your Special Report https://gloucester.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-navigating-ai-relationships-au