St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Wandal Newsletter

Congratulations Mrs Shannon McMaster and her husband Tim on their recent marriage. The students might find transitioning from Miss Masters to Mrs McMaster challenging for a while. We are grateful for Mrs Murphy, who filled in teaching the Year Five class while Shannon was on leave.

So far this week, we have had a number of groups participate at the Rockhampton Eisteddfod. The students have represented the school beautifully and have had some successes. Every class in the school (excluding PREP) has had the opportunity to take to the stage for an item in either Verse Speaking or Novelty Choir. Many students also volunteered to participate in the Signing Choirs. These items have been coordinated by our dedicated staff, who are seeking to provide a broad range of cultural experiences that are engaging for the children. As the Rockhampton Eisteddfod progresses, some instrumental students will participate in their relevant sections. We wish those students competing this afternoon, Friday and in the upcoming weeks all the best.

We are certainly in the season of Eisteddfod this week.  Congratulations to the Year Two and Three students who won their Verse Speaking section, as did the Year Five Verse Speaking choir.  Congratulations to our two Signing Choirs who have also competed.  Both Signing Choirs were amazing!  The Years One to Three Signing Choir won their section, and the Years Four to Six Choir was simply superb.  Today our fabulous dinosaurs in Year One and heading to the Novelty Choir Section, and we will finish our Eisteddfod season with our Years Four and Six Novelty Choir on Friday.

We were very excited to here that we were also the recipients of two special trophies, awarded at the Speech presentations last night.  We were delighted to receive the Geldard Trophy for the highest points for a Verse Speaking Choir, as well as the Annette Farrer and Dorothy Khoo trophy for the most creative Verse Speaking Choir.  This trophy means a great deal to us at Wandal.  As well as being a well-known speech and drama teacher, Annette Farrer taught speech to all students here at Wandal (and conducted our Verse Speaking Choirs from the 1970s to the 1990s.  Dorothy Khoo taught Art at St Joseph’s Wandal for a number of years, and was a also a big part of our cultural story.  It is exciting therefore this trophy, named for these two wonderful community members, has made its way back to us.

A huge thanks must go to Miss Godbaz and Mrs Hutchinson.  These talented people have worked so hard to provide such unique learning opportunities for our students. 

Last week twenty students from Years Five and Six attended the Maths Team Challenge.  These mathematicians represented the school proudly, and had an amazing morning competing in solo, team and relay events.  Well done to everyone.