On Thursday, our two STEM MAD teams who advanced to the National Finals were also very successful with each team winning a category. Our Water Saving group won the Best Integrated Technology category and the Zones of Regulation group won the Demonstrating Catholic Ethos category. Outstanding results and congratulations to all students involved for doing St Joseph’s School proud.
Matthew Baird too has been working away behind the scenes, both to plan the Aquatics Day for Year 4-6 which occurred last Thursday at Port Noarlunga, and to prepare the team selected to represent the school at the Athletics Carnival which took place yesterday.
Our students have so many opportunities to Imagine, Discover, Create and Achieve thanks to the dedicated work that all staff and volunteers do to make such events happen.
As Term 4 progresses, teachers are hard at work finalising learning, preparing student reports, and organising class placements for 2023. At this stage we have not quite finalised our staffing, however, based on our enrolment numbers for next year the class structure are likely to be as follows:
Preschool x 2 groups
Reception x 2 classes with a 3rd Reception class beginning in Term 3
Year 1 /2 x 3 classes
Year 3 /4 x 3 classes
Year 5/6 x 3 classes
Forming class groups is a careful process whereby the teachers consider a number of factors to plan for the best learning environment for each student. Whilst every care will be taken to consider student friendships and parent/caregiver requests, no guarantees can be made in relation to class placements given the many competing factors that need to be considered and balanced. Thank you for your trust and patience with this process.
This week our Year 3/4s spent Tuesday afternoon making Soccer balls out of old socks, t-shirts and plastic bags. This is all in preparation for the Socktober Challenge that the unit will be holding in Week 5. This challenge will allow every student from Reception to Year 6 to have a shot at kicking a goal using one of these soccer balls for a gold coin donation. The money raised will go to Catholic Missions so they can continue to support children in Timor Leste with appropriate health and education support. The 3/4s will advertise this fundraising event at assembly on Friday.
In Week 6 the SRCs will be launching the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. This appeal was a huge success last year at our school with families donating many needed goods, toys and food that will be shared with families who find Christmas a challenging time. Again, we ask for your support and kindness with this appeal and lets aim for at least one item per student being donated. Below is a list of suggestions.
This Christmas we focus on the importance and meaning of Advent.
Beginning the Church’s Liturgical Year, Advent is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.
The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas. From the earliest days of the Church, people have been fascinated by Jesus’ promise to come back. But the scripture readings during Advent tell us not to waste our time with predictions. Advent is not about speculation. Our Advent readings call us to be alert and ready, not weighted down and distracted by the cares of this world (Lk 21:34-36). Like Lent, the liturgical colour for Advent is purple since both are seasons that prepare us for great feast days. Advent also includes an element of penance in the sense of preparing, quieting, and disciplining our hearts for the full joy of Christmas.
As we prepare for Christmas, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal notes some differences to the Mass that should be observed during the season. For instance, the priest wears violet or purple during Advent, except for the Third Sunday of Advent when rose may be worn.
Aside from what the priest wears, other aesthetic changes in the Church can include a more modestly decorated altar.
The final days of Advent, from December 17 to December 24, we focus on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord at Christmas. Advent devotions including the Advent wreath, remind us of the meaning of the season. An Advent calendar can help you fully enter into the season with daily activity and prayer suggestions to prepare you spiritually for the birth of Jesus Christ. These will be shared with you in the next newsletter.
“This is a particularly stressful period for both parents and children and it tends to get trivialised. Parents can often transfer their stress onto their child making transitioning unnecessarily more stressful.” Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
A positive start to secondary school has long-lasting benefits.
Young people who experience a positive transition into their new school are more likely to:
This positive start can make a big difference to young people’s school engagement, learning and wellbeing.
The move into secondary school is one of the most significant transitions in a student’s education.
It involves various changes, including:
Some warning signs that children may be experiencing difficulty include:
Download the supporting children's transition to secondary school guidance.
Head to their website to learn more about how you can support your child with the transition from primary school to high school.
A big congratulations to Atticus Peek for doing an amazing audition for the Nazareth College music program. He was able to impress the judges and secure the piano/keyboard chair for the "Intermediate Concert Band" in which he will be playing along older students already at the school. His teacher at St Josephs is George Papanaoum and Atticus has been learning and enjoying piano for several years
On Wednesday the 8th of November 36 year 3-6 students attended the SACPSSA Athletics Carnival. The students were super prepared because of all the learning in term 3 based around athletics. We also had a fantastic practice run at our very own Sports Day. This resulted in some fantastic results!
Out of 161 events on the day there were only 20 events in which a St Joseph's Hindmarsh student did not place in the top 4. Mr Baird was an extremely proud teacher watching students compete graciously no matter a win, loss or draw.
Some special mentions need to go to:
All students who participated throughout the day need to be commended on displaying the St Josephs values, as a school we are very proud of you all!
At St Joseph’s Hindmarsh, learning is co-constructed and dynamic. Learners are encouraged to IMAGINE, DISCOVER and CREATE and to make meaningful connections with their world.
As capable learners they are given opportunities to develop capabilities that build their confidence and skills to engage with the curriculum and ACHIEVE excellence.