St Joseph's Catholic School - Cloncurry eNewsletter (2024)

Key Information

Term 2 Important Dates

• Week 7 - National Reconciliation Week
  • Monday 27th May - FNEAC Meeting, 3-4pm
  • Tuesday 28th May - Middle Leaders Meeting 3pm
  • Friday 31st May - 2024 Athletics Carnival
• Week 8
  • Wednesday 5th June - World Environmental Day (Activities with Pastoral Care); State of Origin Free Dress Day
  • Thursday 6th June - Show Art Due; After School High Jump Trials
  • Friday 7th June - Assembly (Emerging Leaders)
• Week 9
  • Tuesday 11th June - Board Meeting 5.30pm
  • Wednesday 12th June - School Officer Day
  • Friday 16th June - Cloncurry Show Public Holiday
• Week 10
  
  • Thursday 20th June - Walk to School Day
  • Friday 21st June - Assembly (Year 4), 8:30am; Dress Like Your Teacher Day

Tuckshop News

There will be NO 2nd lunch tuckshop in Week 7 due to staffing. Tuckshop will only run for 1st lunch. Thank you

Our special for Week 7 is: Loaded Spuds & Strawberry Pop-tart Cookie Bars

Please have your orders in by WEDNESDAY 8:30 am.

To order: https://myschoolconnect.com.au/

OUR TUCKSHOP CREW NEEDS YOU

Miss Jamie-Lea is looking for some wonderful volunteers to help her in Tuckshop on Thursdays. You do not have to be a parent to volunteer. We have had grandparents, aunties, uncles, friends and cousins as well as mums and dads. Ifyou are interested in volunteering, please join Miss Jamie-Lea's tuckshop volunteer group

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1525237497502563/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT

Please email Jamie-Lea at jmcconachy@sjctsv.catholic.edu.au or call the office to let us know if you're available to volunteer!

Uniform Shop

Our Uniform Shop is open to orders being placed via the app, https://myschoolconnect.com.au/

Please give us 24 hours to organise collection for your order; we generally contact you when your order is ready to collect.

If you are needing students to try on sizes, we are available:

Monday from 2:30-3pm and Wednesday from 8:10-8:30am.

Miss Heather

General News

Principal's News

Welcome to our Week 6 newsletter. I hope your week was fruitful and filled with happiness.

Mary, Help of Christians Feast Day

The 24th May is the feast day for Our Lady Mary, Help of Christians. This is an important feast for our country as Mary, under the title “Help of Christians”, is a patron saint of Australia alongside St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. The whole school marked the occasion by participating in a school mass on Tuesday. Thank you to Mrs. Therese Curley, Mr James Delaney and the Year 7 students for leading the school in prayer on this occasion.

Prep Enrolments 2025

Our Open day last Saturday, 18 May, marked the beginning of enrolment intake for 2025. This event welcomed many prospective families into our vibrant school community. It was a joy to see so many eager faces and to share with them the nurturing environment we provide. The morning was filled with activities that gave a glimpse into the enriching experiences that await our future students.

We will begin conducting interviews for Prep for the upcoming school year early in Term 3. It will be a privilege to meet so many wonderful families and to discuss how we can best support their children's educational experiences. Enrolment applications can be submitted anytime but to ensure your child’s place in 2025, it is important to apply as early as possible.

Riding to and from school

Recently, there have been some parental concerns about children who are riding to and from school. Bike riding is also a great way to get to and from school, when children are ready. Below are some basic bicycle safety steps to help keep them safe:

• Rules of the road. All bicycle riders should follow the basic rules of the road, which also apply to skateboards, scooters and other non-motorised vehicles
• Ride on the left, in the same direction as traffic using bike lanes when available

• Stop and look both ways before entering the street

• Stop at all intersections, whether marked or unmarked

• Respect stop signs

• Before turning, use hand signals and look in every direction

Make sure your child wears a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride. Wearing a helmet can cut the risk of head injuries by about 85% and facial injuries by about 65% among bike riders.

National Volunteer Week

This week marked the National Volunteer Week, which is Australia's largest annual celebration of volunteering. I would like to acknowledge the parents and community members who play an active role in the education of their children by volunteering at St Joseph’s. We greatly value the partnership of parents in helping to enrich learning opportunities for students.

In the spirit of volunteering, I remind all concerned that our Board meeting scheduled on Tuesday 28th May has been postponed to Tuesday 11th June.

God bless

Mrs Karen Good

Acting Principal

Deputy's News

Balancing Wellbeing and Academic Achievement

At St Joseph's Cloncurry, we recognise that a student's wellbeing is integral to their academic success. Research consistently shows that when students feel supported and balanced emotionally and mentally, they perform better academically. This is why we are committed to a holistic approach to developing the whole learner.

The Importance of Wellbeing for Academic Success

Wellbeing encompasses physical health, emotional stability, and social connectedness. When students are in good health, feel emotionally secure, and have strong social ties, they are more likely to:

1. Engage Actively in Learning: A well-balanced student is more attentive, participative, and eager to learn.
2. Achieve Higher Grades: Emotional and mental stability can lead to improved focus and academic performance.
3. Develop Resilience: Students who manage stress effectively are better equipped to handle academic challenges.
4. Form Positive Relationships: Healthy peer relationships and a supportive school environment contribute to a more productive learning experience.

School Initiatives to Support Mental Health

At St Joseph's, we have implemented several initiatives aimed at building emotional intelligence and promoting student wellbeing. If you follow Toni Schneekloth's Pastoral articles each week, I'm sure you would have seen some references to:
- The Resilience Project
- URSTRONG
These programs give a wonderful foundation for building the whole learner — did you know parents can access these resources at home?

For those who are less familiar with these programs, I have added a quick blurb below along with a hyperlink to the website.

The Resilience Project

This program focuses on building mental resilience through practical, evidence-based strategies. It promotes gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness, helping students develop a positive mindset and emotional strength. The program includes regular sessions where students engage in activities that foster these qualities, contributing to their overall wellbeing.

The Resilience Project Parent & Carer Hub

URSTRONG

URSTRONG is a friendship program designed to empower students with the skills, language, and self-confidence to develop healthy relationships. It teaches students how to manage conflict, build empathy, and create meaningful connections. This program is integrated into our social-emotional learning curriculum and includes workshops and activities that reinforce these important skills. Check out the free Parents Membership to access information and resources.

URSTRONG Parent Hub

How Parents Can Help at Home

Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child's wellbeing. Here are some strategies to help your child maintain a balance between their mental health and academic responsibilities:

• Encourage Open Communication: Create a safe space for your child to express their feelings and concerns. Listening without judgment can build trust and security.
• Promote Healthy Routines: Ensure your child gets adequate sleep, exercises regularly, and eats nutritious meals. A balanced routine supports both physical and mental health.

By prioritising wellbeing, we can create a supportive environment that enhances academic success. At St Joseph's Cloncurry, our educators are dedicated to ensuring that our students not only excel in their studies but also thrive emotionally and socially. Together with parents, we can help our children develop into well-rounded, resilient individuals.

Mr Dean Kelley

Deputy Principal -Teaching and Learning

APRE

Thank you to the families who joined us for our Youth Mass on Sunday. I would like to make a special mention to the students who attended and participated in the mass - it is always so lovely to have them involved.

Laudato Si’ Week 2024 - May 19-26

This week will mark the anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical (letter written by the Pope) on creation care. It focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship between God, humans, and the Earth. The encyclical's subtitle, “Care for Our Common Home” reinforces these key themes.

The aim of this global celebration is to unite Catholics to listen and respond together to the cry of creation and rejoice in the progress we have made in bringing Laudato Si’ to life. I have attached the link to the encyclical here. You may like to focus your dinner time discussion this week on ways we can care for Our Common Home/Environment.

Trinity Sunday

This Sunday our church celebrates Trinity Sunday. The word ‘Trinity’ comes from the prefix ‘Tri’, referring to the three persons of God, and ‘unity’ which means joined as a whole. Christians believe God is One, a whole, but experienced as three persons.

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity in Christianity is that there is One God who is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Christians believe God is named the Father as he is the creator of all things and watches over us, guiding us and loving us unconditionally. The Son is Jesus Christ, who is the form God chose when He came to Earth. Even though Jesus Christ is known as the ‘Son of God’, according to the doctrine He is the incarnation of God. The Holy Spirit refers to the active force of God, His power and His love. Trinity Sunday is a day to celebrate and give thanks to the Holy Trinity.

In our Call to Action Assembly last week, it was discussed with the students that the Holy Trinity is a little bit like a fidget spinner. When the fidget spinner is still we can clearly see the three arms/parts, but when spinning it becomes one. God is like this; he exists in three persons each person is distinct like the arms of the fidget spinner, but when spinning together they form one God.

Aged Care Visits

Each fortnight we aim to take a class up to the Aged Care to engage with the lovely residents. Our Year 6 class visited this week. The students and residents had a lovely time playing BINGO. Our Year 5 Class will be next to visit in week 8.

Notices:

Our next Assembly will be in Week 8 due to the Athletics Carnival next Friday. Our Emerging Leaders will present a special Reconciliation Week Prayer.

Have a blessed week,

Therese Curley

APRE

Pastoral Care

URSTRONG - When to Step-IN & When to Step-BACK

Helicopter Parenting. Bubble-wrapped kids. We know we shouldn’t solve all our children’s problems for them. But, when should we get involved?

We all want to do the right thing for our children. We’ve read the books, we’ve listened to the podcasts, we’ve read articles and talked to other parents endlessly, all in an effort to raise resilient, kind, caring little people. But, have we gone too far? On the quest to do the right thing, have we overlooked one of the most important lessons of all?

We all know that when life is hard, when we struggle, when things aren’t easy… These are the times we learn the most about ourselves. These are the times we dig deep and we come out the other end stronger than we were before.

Conflict is a normal part of the human experience, yet we see parents panic when they witness their child experiencing conflict with a friend. We see parents jump in, trying to solve the problem for their kids, offering a series of suggestions. We hear about parents calling principals and teachers, insisting their child is being “bullied” and demanding that something be done. There’s an immediate discomfort, aversion, and fear of conflict even for ourselves, but amplified (times a million) when it’s our children experiencing it.

Is it because we read that book or that article and think of the devastating effects of bullying? Perhaps we are taken back to the day we went through that heartache ourselves and want to save our children from our same mistakes?

How do we strike that perfect balance of allowing our children to develop the skills to be resilient in the face of conflict, yet give them a hand when they need it? When do we need to step in and when do we need to step back?

Here are a few basic guidelines to help you find that perfect balance of being a Friendship Coach, yet not playing the game for your child:

Step-BACK when your child experiences a Friendship Fire® (our term for conflict with a friend) that can easily be put out; it’s a little thing that your child can easily solve.

For example, your child is upset because their friend didn’t let them test out their new toy. Consider saying something like, “That sounds like a Friendship Fire®. Find the right time to talk to your friend and let them know how it made you feel. You can do this!”

Your reaction should match the situation. If it’s a small conflict, your reaction should also be small. A disproportionate reaction will make something small even bigger and your child might need the modelling to keep things in check. If your child has a tendency to make it bigger and indulge in the negative feelings, continue to minimize it and remind them they can do it. You may even need to take the Friendship Sandwich approach (a strategy students practice in our Friendology friendship skills curriculum when they’re caught in the middle of a conflict between two friends!) and quickly change the subject so you don’t get sucked in the middle and they don’t spiral downward!

Step-IN when any of the following situations happen:

• You can see your child’s self-esteem being affected,
• You can see the issue is weighing on them and they can’t shake it; it’s consuming them,
• You feel your child doesn’t have the skills to come to a resolution and things are getting worse,
• Their reaction doesn’t match the situation, suggesting there’s more to the story,
• Your child doesn’t feel safe,
• Your gut instinct tells you something is up!

If any of these things are happening, this is when you need to step in and give them lots of guidance and support. Empathise with your child and give very practical, step-by-step things they can do to make it better. Like a coach, give them strategies to put into practise. Keep your ideas easy and simple and check in with them at the end of each day to see how it went. For example, “How did things go today with Evie? Show me on the Friend-o-Meter.” When you encourage them to try something, let them know, “And, if that doesn’t work, no problem! We’ll come up with a new plan!” –> Give this activity a try: Time to Chat!

Most importantly, be that person they can talk to, rely on, who will comfort them during this hard time. Don’t solve their problems for them, don’t call the other kid’s parents (here are 10 reasons why!), but give them little, bite-sized challenges to help them work through the conflict. For example, “It sounds like things are hardest with Evie at recess time. How about tomorrow, you volunteer in the library at recess time. Give it a try!”

And, if after all of that, your child is still struggling and things are getting worse… This is when the parents and teachers need to work together AS A TEAM and come up with deeper interventions. The safety and happiness of our children are always a top priority.

Written by Dana Kerford
Friendship Expert and Founder of URSTRONG

The Resilience Project

In the final part of The Resilience Project's parent series, Hugh shares an important message about allowing our children to experience adversity.

The key to building resilience in our children is allowing them to experience failure, hardship, disappointment etc. As parents, we can be too quick to resolve our children's challenges which can deprive our children of enormous growth opportunities. These typically happen when we experience failure and uncertainty. As parents we should be there for our children when they fail, but not fight their battles for them.

View Part 5 of the series here: Part 5 - Summary: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-hugh/

Thank you for participating in this Parent and Carer Digital Presentation series.

You can re-watch the videos and access activities and resources anytime via the Parent & Carer Hub.

You can also stay up to date with The Resilience Project news and events by signing up to their Newsletter.

Feed and Succeed

I encourage all senior students to attend weekly tutoring available on Thursdays from 3-4pm!

Week 7 - Pastoral Activities

Upcoming Events

Best regards,

Mrs Schneekloth

Pastoral Care Leader

Prep

Good morning all,

Welcome to Week 6!

What a busy week we had! This week in Prep we attended the Mary Help of Christians Mass on Tuesday afternoon as well as the Shake and Stir performance of The Twits on Friday.

In Math, we continued working on our number identification and counting to and from 20. We also continued learning about numbers that you add up to 10 (Friends of Ten).

In Literacy, we continued to practice writing Simple Sentences. We also learnt the new letter and sound of /g/ (Gary Gecko).

In Science, we have started our new unit of work all about Materials. This week we read the story of the Three Little Pigs and experimented with the materials they used to build their houses.

In Religion, we explored why Christians celebrate the Mary Help of Christians Mass. We also revised the importance of prayer and what Amen means.

Reminders:

- Literacy Rotations as per normal
- Friday 31st May we will have our annual Athletics Carnival

Next week I will send home a laminated sheet with our learnt ‘Tricky Words’ on it. I will also print out and send home some sentences for students to practice reading. At the start of Term 3, we will begin to send readers home.

Yours in fun and learning,

Miss Brock, Mrs McLauchlan, Miss Rachel, Miss Kylie and Miss Nina

Year 1

Hello Parents and Carers

We have had a great week!

This week:

In Maths, the students have started looking at place value. They have been putting one and two digit numbers into a place value house. The students have enjoyed using tens and ones blocks to represent the numbers in the house. They have also created a funky place value house craft that are displayed in our classroom.

In English, the students have been using their knowledge of adjectives, simple and adverb start sentences to create some awesome recounts on their weekend. They have been working hard this week to write carefully in their red and blue lines to create their recount for the show.

We were very lucky to have Karyn Parnell out on Wednesday to do a presentation on hearing. The students loved the presentation and also created a model of an ear.

Here are some awesome photos from this week:

Reminders:

There will be no literacy groups next week.

Tuesday: Art
Thursday: Sport, Library and homework due
Friday: Athletic Carnival- Please ensure you have a hat and a water bottle!

Have a wonderful week.

Miss Haley and the always fun Year 1s!

Year 2

Hi Year 2 Parents and Carers

During InitiaLit this week, we have focused on the spelling combinations 'ou' and 'ow'. We are also looking at the comprehension strategy of visualising. This term in writing, students will be creating an imaginative text based off of Wombat Stew. We have begun writing our imaginative texts and have been doing a wonderful job at being descriptive so the readers of our stories are entertained and can imagine what is going on! During Maths, we have begun looking at addition and subtraction. In our other subjects this term we are looking at:

Religion: Jesus and Community

Science: Life Cycles

HASS: Connections to different places

Health: Keeping ourselves healthy and safe

Reminders:

• Homework is due on Monday.
• Library is on Mondays of Week B - Our next library lesson is in Week 8

Have a fantastic remainder of your week!

Miss Ansell

Year 3

Hi all,

There has been lots of learning in Year 3 this week.

Mathematics
This week the students participated in a range of money activities to practice representing money values in different ways. We had lots of interesting discussions about the real-world value of money and the students were shocked to find out that a new car could cost around $50,000! The students also started solving ‘financial problems’ where they had to use column addition to add money values together to determine the total cost.

English
For our ‘Weekly Challenge’ on Writer’s Toolbox this week, instead of writing a story responding to a picture prompt, the students were able to write about whatever they wanted! We’ve got all sorts of interesting narratives, like ones that were set in magical fairylands, in the outback, and even in space! We’ve also been continuing our Literacy Activities (handwriting, spelling, and reading).

The students used Venn Diagrams (a class favourite) to compare the various features of print and digital texts. For example, they described how videos can be used in digital texts to help a reader better understand the text, but only pictures can be used in print texts.

We have also been doing lots of grammar work, identifying the subject and verbs in clauses. The students have been successful in doing so and enjoy indicating why different types of verbs are used in each clause (action verbs, thinking verbs, saying verbs, and relating verbs).

HASS
This week, the students started a HASS project where they have selected a place in Australia to investigate and compare with Cloncurry. Students either chose Brisbane (QLD), Charleville (QLD), Stanley (TAS), or Broome (WA). So far, the students have been investigating the grid position of their place on a given map, the natural and human-made features of their place, as well as its settlement type and pattern (for example, classifying it as a town or a city).

Religion
On Tuesday afternoon the students participated respectfully in a whole-school Mass in the Church to celebrate Mary Help of Christians. We also started to read and understand a new scripture from the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible (Acts 10:44-48 The Baptism of Gentiles).

Science
Last week, the students collected data in an investigation to monitor and observe how the shadow of a still object moves and changes throughout the day. They recorded how the shadow’s length and direction changed.

With this data, the students were able to create a graph to show the changes in shadow lengths throughout the day. They used this graph to then explain and evaluate the results from the investigation. For example, answering key questions like “why did the shadow length and direction change during the day?”

Week 7 Reminders:

• Homework - Homework will be given to students every Monday and is due Friday.
• PE uniform Tuesday
• Chaplain’s Breakfast - Tuesday & Thursday at 7:45am in MMS
• Library Thursday (odd weeks - W1,3,5,7,9)

Thank you

Laura Cook

Year 4

Hi everyone,

With the cooling weather we’ve been trying to spend more time working outside. Last week we spent some time by St. Colemans Church. Here’s some of the photos:

This week we are going to learn about the -Ing Start Sentence. These types of sentences start with an -ing word. These are verbs that end in -ing. Words like: walking, cycling, wondering, trying, eating, sleeping, thinking.

Start with the -ing bit of a sentence, then place a comma. After the comma, put the subject—that's who or what the sentence is about—and then finish the sentence. Here are some examples:

• Waving goodbye to her friends, Kate put on her coat and headed outside.
• Eating as fast as he could, Brian worked his way through the pile of hotdogs.
• Smiling to himself, Boris grabbed the custard pie from the pantry's top shelf.

Our spelling sound this week is the ‘m’ sound in moon. This sound can be represented by the graphemes m, mm, and mb.

• The ‘m’ sound is most frequently represented by the grapheme m (e.g. money, humble, camp).
• The grapheme mm for the ‘m’ sound is seen in the middle of words, after short vowel sounds (e.g. mammal, summer).

Have a great week everyone!

Mairin Borlase

Year 5

Welcome to Week 6.

English
In our reading this week the students have continued with their daily independent reading and we have started our class novel ‘The BFG’. We have also used comprehension texts to answer a range of questions to support the students to identify the main idea of the text, gather facts and opinions and investigate word meanings.

The children have also continued their weekly Soundwaves lessons. This week the sound was the ‘ll’ sound as in lizard. This sound can be represented by the graphemes l and ll. The ‘ll’ sound in lizard is most frequently represented by the grapheme l (e.g. leg, release, pencil). We usually use ll after short vowel sounds at the end of single-syllable words (e.g. spill, smell).

We have continued our work on persuasive texts. Over the last few weeks we have been learning how to write our opinions clearly, how to form our arguments, back up our arguments with detailed factually accurate evidence and write forceful conclusions. We will now be putting all our knowledge into writing our text on the proposal that is ‘It is cruel to keep wild animals in cages’.

Maths
We have continued our work on area this week - the children have investigated floor plans. They have started developing a room design. The children will need to consider the area of the room, the floor space, that items they wish to purchase will take up in the room.. Hopefully they will learn about budgeting money and how expensive things can be.

Religion
This week the children have continued work on the Prayer part of our unit. In groups we looked at the three main forms of Psalms in the Old Testament: Psalms of lament (Sorrow), Psalms of Thanksgiving and Psalms of Praise (Hymns). The children were given a Psalm and had to highlight the words that helped them identify if the Psalm is one of Praise, Sorrow or Thanksgiving.

Specialist Subjects:
Monday: Japanese and Science
Tuesday: Drama
Wednesday: Health and Technology , students may also wear their House Shirts to school
Thursday: Science and HASS
Friday: Sport and HASS, Students may wear their Sports Uniform

Reminders:

• Monday 27th May FNEAC meeting 3pm-4pm
• Friday 31st May Athletics Carnival

I hope you have a great week. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Nicola Cullen

Year 6

Dear Families,

This week has been a full throttle week! On Tuesday, we had time to prepare for the Cloncurry Show Art with Mrs Smith - some amazing work is being produced. We were very fortunate on Wednesday to have Red Dirt Robotics for our morning session. We had use of programming software and drones in a highly engaging and super fun activity. When we can get Maths, Science and Technologies together - fun happens - especially when the children don’t realise that they’re doing so much maths! The Elements for Success also continue to be applied in a real context. Please check out the photos shared on our class website page. On Thursday, we have our Visual Arts session with Ruth Chaplain.

In English, our written work continues to be based on forming our arguments - insisting on detailed factually accurate supporting evidence. The current topic continues to be about how unsafe e-scooters are! The children will have some time to research their assessment topic - banning plastic from lunchboxes. In spelling, we examine words with the [e ee ea ey y i] graphemes and how some of these words morph into new words when suffixes -ty or -ity are added to the base words. Investigation of the Latin Roots cede, ceed and cess (all meaning to go - so if your hairline recedes it will be gone) We are finalising some of our spelling reviews this week as preparation for our reports, however Week 6 and 7 will be an important time for completing our assessments of writing and reading.

In Maths, our focus in Think Mentals is on quick strategies for multiplying - rounding a number and multiplying before adjusting afterwards. e.g. $2.95 x 5 can be done as $3 x 5 = $15. Then subtract 5c x 5 which is 25c. Finally having $15.00 - 0.25 = $14.75. Continuing to practise and apply our multiplication facts is essential, Multiple Wars with a pack of cards is excellent as a competition between parent and child! Our work on calculating area continues this week - learners are investigating floor plans and developing a room design, considering floor space that items will take up from the whole room area. Hopefully it doesn't spark too many ideas about updating a bedroom!!!

HOMEWORK: Children are investigating their 'Kid Cave' design and may need to spend some time investigating prices, sizes of different furniture. They are using a Google Sheet to keep track of their spending and must keep within budget. If you would like to give them 'income' for doing jobs around the house - let them know how much different chores are worth (I have been generous - fill a water bottle for the teacher is $250 - this is so they can monitor income and expenditure like they have a real job). The Premier's Reading Challenge has also been distributed and must be completed and returned to Mr T before 23rd August to be entered into the Challenge.

Have a great week,

Mike

Subject Spotlight

The Arts

Here at St. Joseph’s, in Term 2, we have had some wonderful Arts opportunities for the students to enjoy.

We have been lucky to have Ruth Chaplain, local artist and parent at our school join us for Art workshops this term. She has been completing special art projects with each of the classes. From Prep to Year 6, the students have been learning about colour, line, form and shape. They have had the opportunity to work with mixed media; acrylic paint, watercolour paint, oil pastels, pencil, and crayons. Some of the wonderful work the students have produced will be on display at the Cloncurry show. However, the children have also created art projects on canvas that we hope to present to our school community in Term 3. We thank Ruth for the time and effort she has put into these workshops and for sharing her wonderful talent with us.

On Thursday 9th May, we simultaneously had three Arts professionals conducting workshops at the same time. Ruth Chaplain was busy drawing and painting with the Year 5 & 6 classes. Opera Queensland, who are currently on tour with their show, ‘Do we Need Another Hero?’, joined the St. Joseph’s choir and conducted a singing workshop that the student’s thoroughly enjoyed. Meanwhile, Paul Jarman, songwriter, worked with a number of our students, from Year 4 -Year 9, to create our school song. In all these workshops, the students were excited and engaged with the Arts lessons. They have created beautiful Art work in the form of performance, visual art and poetry.

Shake & Stir Theatre Company visited our school on Friday and performed ‘The Twits’ for our students. The performance was enjoyed by everyone. Year 3 and Year 4 had the opportunity to take part in a theatrical workshop with the company after the performance. They played drama games and explored the elements of drama through different activities. Another great opportunity provided to our school and we thank the theatre company for their visit.

Don’t forget to visit the School Art section at the Cloncurry Show on 14th & 15th June. The students have each created a drawing and a painting to be displayed. They have chosen their favourite art works from this term's art lessons to be displayed and they can’t wait for you, their parents to see them.

Miss Jill

Guidance Counsellor

With so much illness going around as the weather gets cooler, it's a great time to be mindful of how we are fueling our bodies. We all know that diet and nutrition is vital to your child’s development and growth, but are you aware of the effects it has on your child’s brain development and how it can impact their academic achievement?

In this era of convenience, it is easy to reach for pre-packaged and processed foods to cope with busy schedules. However, these foods are usually packed full of sugar and salt which can have adverse health effects. Making a habit of reading food labels can help reduce the risks. It can also help to stabilise your child’s energy, improve their mood, maintain a healthy weight and improve their general wellbeing.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will discover practical advice for teaching your kids about the benefits of incorporating a healthy diet and good nutrition.

Here is the link to the Diet & Nutrition edition of SchoolTV
https://sjctsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/diet-nutrition

Mrs Bec Greaves

Guidance Counsellor

First Nations

Community Information