St Joseph's Primary School - Kilaben Bay eNewsletter

Dear Parents,

Staffing update

As I communicated this week via Compass, Anne Neems will be finishing up with the school at the end of the year. Anne lives on the Central Coast and has found a permanent job not far from where she lives in the Broken Bay Diocese. This will enable her to spend more time with her grandchildren as it will involve less travel.

Anne has been an integral part of the St Joseph's community for a number of years now. She has held the roles of Primary Coordinator and Acting Assistant Principal during her time here. She is an excellent classroom practitioner and greatly contributes to all areas of the school. Anne is the sports coordinator, WHS officer and runs the Children's University partnership with Newcastle University. Anne is always participating in further professional learning, whether is be reading or online course in her spare time. This has benefited many of the children in our community. She will be sorely missed at our beautiful school. The Primary Coordinator position will be advertised shortly.

Mobile Devices

Mobile devices have become the norm in our society. As a parent I know they provide peace of mind for many wanting to know where our children are and have the ability to contact them. Children have become fluent in multiple forms of digital communication which in most cases has enhanced their lives and in some small case enhanced their learning. Like many of our modern day ‘necessities’ they come with a downside as well. Constant access to anything within the confines of different platforms creates an unrealistic expectation of needs and wants and entitlements. Certain platforms have also contributed to what sometimes appears as reduced attention span. I know with my kids, sometimes if I can’t engage them in the first 15 secs they move on, it is almost like they are swiping me up to get to the next conversation or they are deciding whether to mentally hit the love symbol so I can be saved and come back me when they feel like it. I went to a lecture in the states 5 years ago and the neuro-psychologist was discussing how mobile devices have changed our brain patterns as well as our physiology. Most people under the age of 25 can’t remember a 6-8 digit number, for example your/their phone number. Young people are also being found to develop a calcification or build of bone matter in different parts of the neck, to support the head being tilted forward constantly to look at the screen. I don’t advocate getting rid of mobile devices, I know that I rely on mine, but rather using them in moderation and in the correct situations.

School is not one of these correct situations. We have had instances recently of children sneaking back to their bags and texting during school as well as groups of children using iPads brought from home before school in an out of bounds area. More concerning is the use of smartwatches to call and text each other whilst in class. These mobile devices have become a distraction to many children and is impacting on their learning. Please ensure that only necessary mobile devices are brought to school, and they have been appropriately disabled so they cannot work as a mobile device during school time. Many smart watches can be limited to only function as a watch during certain times. It is Catholic Schools policy that any child who brings a mobile device to school must have signed the mobile phone policy and abide by this (we can send this home upon request). If we see children using mobile devices at school they will be confiscated for the day and they will then be asked to hand their mobile device into the office each day and collect at the end of the day. If you find it hard to believe that your children are using their device during school, don’t believe, me check their text/call history and their other accounts to see when they last logged in, you maybe surprised.
Don’t forget that kids are kids, and they need our guidance and our boundaries to grow to be the best version of themselves. It is your responsibility as parents to know what your kids are up to on their devices, and it is our responsibility as teachers to ensure we educate them to use mobile technology wisely.

School Leadership for 2024

Year 5 will participate in a Leadership Day on Monday 6 November. They will be given further information regarding the process and nominating themselves for leadership. The leadership election process will be no different to what it was in previous years. Students will nominate themselves by Friday 10 November. Speeches will be given by successful nominees during Week 9. Boys will give their speeches on Monday 20 November and the Girls on Wednesday 22 November.

Updated Term Planner

Please check you have the current Term Planner, which will go home Thursday 2 November it has extra dates added for Year 2 League Tag, Stage 2 Sport Gala Day, Primary going to St Paul’s Stage show and Infants going to the Hunter Ice Show.

Take care, go gently and celebrate often.

Brad Fuller

Principal

SchoolTV - School Transitions

Have you visited SchoolTV yet? This resource can be found on our school website under ‘Parent Information’ Tab.

I’d like to bring your attention to the featured article ‘School Transitions’

Whether it is starting school for the first time, moving up to a higher grade or embarking on a journey through secondary school, there is no doubt that any school transition is a very exciting time for children and parents. It means that the children are growing up!

However, for many it may also be a very anxious and stressful time for both parents and children. Parents need to be aware of their child’s feelings during any school transition and minimise anxiety so the process is an enjoyable experience for all. It is important for children to attend transition or orientation programs offered by schools. Familiarisation is often key to reducing stress levels. It is also important for parents to talk to their children about their expectations and being more responsible for their own needs.

To read the full article visit SchoolTV today!

https://kilabenbay.catholic.schooltv.me/

PBL

Our PBL for weeks 4- 6 is ‘Respect Yourself and Others’.
Respect is caring enough to consider how words and actions impact others. At SJKB we encourage students to always show respect. Students have lessons in class, guided by teachers and through discussion learn that: having respect is when you feel good about someone because of how they act and showing respect is when you care how your actions impact others.
There are many examples of respect in the Bible. Jesus showed respect when he took time from his busy life to care for the sick and vulnerable, he showed respect to children, to the blind, and to the weak. Jesus is an excellent example of respect, and it is through his teachings we hope to instil this value onto your children.

Kinder Orientations

This term we have begun our Kindergarten Orientation sessions for students starting school in 2024.
There have been lots of smiling faces from both the year 5 buddies and our new kindergarten friends! we look forward to welcoming all our new Kindergarten students and their families.

Semester 2 reports

Teachers continue to gather, interpret, and analyse data in order to write your child’s semester 2 report. These reports will go live on Compass in week 9 this term. Parents and caregivers are advised to download and save the Student Report for their own records.

Student achievement is reported against the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) outcomes. An opportunity is provided for parents/caregivers to discuss each report with the teacher, or request information that shows a child’s achievement in the Key Learning Areas in comparison to other children in the same grade at the school. This information shows the number of students in each of the five achievement levels – Limited, Basic, Sound, Thorough, Extensive.

Life Education Visits

In weeks 4 and 5 students will participate in a

Healthy Harold lesson!

Life Ed is a 60-90 minute interactive lesson delivered by specialist educators. The face to face lessons will be delivered in a mobile learning centre.
The lessons cover a range of topics across the three core areas of physical health, safety and social and emotional wellbeing.

Thank you!

Courtney Porter
Assistant Principal

Socktober

Socktober Mission Fun Day is one of the highlights of the school year for students at SJKB; and this year’s efforts didn’t disappoint! We had a beautiful liturgy in the Hall, using Mr Hession’s scarf, he was given in Timor-Leste, as a focus piece in our prayer space. Mr Hession was given the scarf by the Director of Education for his efforts when he was volunteer his skills in Timor-Leste several years ago. Following our liturgy we stretched our legs with our fun Sockball rotational activities that helps us practice our soccer skills like dribbling and throw ins. Then in the afternoon, student sold and bought lots of yummy treats and bracelets, played games like putt putt golf and target practice, and had lots of fun!

This year, our fundraising efforts will support the health and educational outcomes of children in Timor-Leste. The Salesian Sisters are one local missionary group in Timor-Leste that help to provide this care and schooling to many children and families around Timor-Leste. More information on this can be found on the Catholic Mission Socktober website;

https:/www.socktober.org.au/timor

I am very happy to say that SJKB raised just over $1900 for Catholic Mission’s Socktober!!
This is an amazing effort!! Thank you for all of your donations and spare change that made this day so special!

All Saints Day

November 1st is marked annually in the Catholic liturgical calendar as a day to remember and venerate saints from around the world and throughout history– not only those known and canonised, but also all unknown as well.

Classes held liturgies in class, discuss saints that were familiar and unfamiliar to them, as well as talked about the meaning of the word ‘saint’ which has changed over time. In the early times of the Church, it meant any person who was baptised. Any follower of Jesus was called a saint. Much later, the title started to be associated with men and women who rose up and devoted their lives to making a difference in the lives of others. Their lives were so filled with the love of God that people began to experience God’s love more deeply through them.

Vinnies Toronto

Term 4 dates for the diary:

11^th November: Remembrance Morning Liturgy
4^th December: Advent Morning Liturgy
11^th December: Advent Morning Liturgy
13^th December: Year 6/End of Year Liturgy
15^th December: Christmas Liturgy

Blessings,

Taylor James

RE Co-ordinator

We are enjoying term 4 in St Joseph’s Library!

We will continue to work with some wonderful books and activities.

This term we will focus on Research skills and using technology.

We will complete a stocktake in the last part of the term,
so the final week to borrow for this year is week 7.

ALL library books and readers are due back to the library by week 8.

This term we will be hosting our Premier’s Reading Challenge Pizza Party on November 22. This is a celebration for the students who have completed the challenge. A note will be sent home closer to the date to complete orders.

St Joseph’s has a wonderful collection of books that we encourage all students to borrow.

All students need a library bag to borrow from our Library. This helps protect our lovely books.

School Library bags are available for $14 for anyone who needs one.

Students are able to keep their borrowed books for two weeks, although most return them for new ones each week. If students would like to keep books for longer than 2 weeks, we ask that they bring them to the Library and renew them.

Infants borrowing day is Monday.

Primary borrowing is Tuesdays.

Library Lunchtime fun

The Library is open during lunch times on Wednesday – Friday and the children love coming in to enjoy books, chess, games and writing or drawing. It is a great social activity for them and it’s lovely to watch them interact with each other and enjoy creating. Students are also able to borrow during lunchtimes on these days.

Library Helpers

I am very blessed to have some wonderful helpers in the library. Our Library monitors volunteer at lunchtimes to help organise resources, put books away, keep

the Library neat and tidy and help create displays. THANK YOU to those students.

Many parents and carers often wonder if a book is appropriate for their child.

A great resource to help with this is Common Sense Media. This website allows parents/carers to search books, games, apps, movies and websites to view whether it is age appropriate and what its content contains.

Sora

St Joseph’s has a subscription to SORA. Sora is an eBook and audio book

Library. As part of the Australian Catholic Education Network (ACEN) member collection, your child can access eBooks and audio books through the Maitland Newcastle Diocese.

All you need to do is to download the SORA app or go to the website and sign in using the

ACEN membership and your child’s Maitland Newcastle username and password

(you can get this from your child’s teacher)

then you and your child can enjoy some terrific books on your devices at home.

One of the great features of SORA is the inclusion of a Premier Reading Challenge book section.

Graphic novels, Fiction and Non-Fiction books are also available.

Log in and explore today.

If you have any questions about anything in the Library feel free to send me an email.

Happy reading,

Leah Hannan

leah.hannan@mn.catholic.edu.au

What a way to end 2023!

St Joseph's students are in for an exciting end to the year. Infants students will be attending the Barbie show at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium on Thursday 14th December. They will travel by bus to and from the stadium and enjoy a fantastic show. Full details will be sent home soon. Kentastic!!

Stage 2 and 3 will be treated to the production of Alice in Wonderland at St Paul's at Booragul on 1/12/23. We'll be looking out for familiar Joey's faces in the cast. The students will come home smiling like a Cheshire Cat!

Stage 2 will be treated to a gala day with a difference as we travel to Bar Beach Sports for a day of pickleball on Wednesday 29/11/23! Pickleball is one of Australia's newest sports and the students will enjoy trying it out under the watchful eye of two experienced coaches. The day will operate as a round robin. Full details will go home soon.

Anne Neems
Primary Coordinator / 3/4 Blue Teacher
St Joseph's Primary School
Kilaben Bay

All graduating students received their invitation from the University and an information note from myself last week.

Please return the permission note no later than Friday 3/11/23.

Our big night is Tuesday November 21!

Anne Neems
Primary Coordinator / 3/4 Blue Teacher
St Joseph's Primary School
Kilaben Bay

Here is the latest menu for your reference.

Canteen_Menu_2023_July_23.pdf

Please send any questions to admin@kilabenbay.catholic.edu.au or call the school office on 4959 1355

Some reminders:

Pre-ordered frozen beverages

If you have ordered a drink or frozen treat for your child they will receive a "ticket" in their lunch bag. Please tell them to take the ticket to the canteen to collect their drink / frozen food.

Supply Changes

Please note that vegemite scrolls are no longer available and bacon and cheese rolls continue to be available for the moment.

Lunch Order Issues

These issues have improved. Thank you for considering your children and our staff. Uncertainty with food creates anxiety for your child on the day. We will continue to contact parents if food has not been supplied, but thankfully this has decreased.

We continue to encourage you to establish a routine and reminders (phone reminders work well) to ensure your child has recess and lunch food (either packed at home or ordered from the canteen using Qkr if Wed - Fri)

Please ensure Qkr orders are placed before 9:30 am each day.

Thank you

Volunteer Roster

Every helper is so appreciated and we extend our sincere thanks to our wonderful regulars, together with the new volunteers who are just starting out. Although a couple of new people have registered (big thanks!), we will need more people. As with any volunteer position at school you must be registered.

If you are able to offer help, please send an email to admin@kilabenbay.catholic.edu.au and Linda or Susie will help with your volunteer registration.

See the Roster below. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers! Your children would not benefit from all the canteen has to offer without you!!

If you are unable to make it on your rostered day, please either text Tracey or call the school office.

Term 4

Week 4

Wed 1.11.23 - Cal Douglas/Emma Douglas

Thur 2.11.23 - Tania Bower, Elise Fitzpatrick

Fri 3.11.23 - Sarah Morris, Cheryl Henriques

Week 5

Wed 8.11.23 - Michelle Cherniayeff

Thur 9.11.23 - Yasmin Every Burns

Fri 10.11.23 - Jacqueline Hansen, Emily Sault

Week 6

Wed 15.11.23 - Michelle Cherniayeff

Thur 16.11.23 - Maryanne Cartwright, Lyn Moseley

Fri 17.11.23 - Jenna Lorriman, Ewelina Bursa

Week 7

Wed 22.11.23 - Michelle Cherniayeff

Thur 23.11.23 -Jade Davison, Merryn Compton

Fri 24.11.23 - Jenny O'Reilly, Stefanie King

Week 8

Wed 29.11.23 - Alesha Quinn, Helen Edwards

Thur 30.11.23 - Tania Bower, Elise Fitzpatrick

Fri 1.12.23 - Sheree Williams, Emily Sault, Kylie Wilkinson

Week 9

Wed 6.12.23 - Michelle Cherniayeff, Emma Douglas/Cal

Thur 7.12.23 - Yasmin Every Burns, Andrew Edwards

Fri 8.12.23 - Sarah Morris, Cheryl Henriques

Week 10

Wed 13.12.23 - Michelle Cherniayeff, Ruth Byron

Thur 14.12.23 - Nicole Davison, Help Needed

Fri 15.12.23 - Jenna Lorriman, Ewelina Bursa

Over the Counter Sales / Recess Qkr ordering

Some healthy snack items are available for pre-order and payment on Qkr for Recess.

If you would like your child to have a recess snack, please place a comment in the "note to staff" section when selecting your item.

Small items are also available for sale over the counter on Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays at Recess and Lunch time. If you would like your child to purchase any items, please send 50c or $1 or $2 with them on canteen days. Please check that your children are bringing legal tender to school. Children are sometimes purchasing items with coins from other countries, which we are unable to deposit to our bank. Thank you.

Children gain valuable experience and independence by purchasing at the canteen. Make sure any money sent with your child is in a purse, zip lock bag or envelope with their name on it. In case it’s accidentally dropped, the money can be returned to the owner.

Thank you

Tracey Ryan-Ward

If your child is due to receive an award, you will be emailed a few days prior to the assembly. Awards Assemblies are held each Wednesday. Please check the daily Compass diary to confirm the time (usually 2:20)

Please note, if your child is away for their award presentation, the award will be presented at the following assembly:

The Year 5 and 6 students that have received awards but are away on camp will be announced next week at assembly.

Congratulations to our award winners for Weeks 3 & 4, Term 4!

Mr Fuller

Thank you to those families that have paid their school fee accounts as per CSO policy.

All school fee accounts need to be finalised by 30 November 2023, unless prior arrangement with the Principal is made.

If you are experiencing genuine difficulty in paying your fees, please do not hesitate to contact the school office to arrange to meet with the Principal.

How to Order

Thanks to everyone who has placed orders via the link for second hand school items (link below)

PLUS second hand uniform request

Hats can also be ordered via our system please specify new or used in the comments.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CHILD'S NAME AND CLASS in the message as our volunteers do not have access to the different family surnames to make connections to students - therefore use your child's name first, then your name, especially if different surname. Payment is via the Qkr! app.

Thank you!

THE PLUS TEAM

Unless otherwise stated, the advertisements placed in this newsletter are by independent third parties who have no legal relationship with the Diocese. The activities or services of the advertiseers are not supervised or controlled in any way by the Diocese. The Diocese is not in a position to endorse the advertisers of the services provided and makes no representation about those matters. Accordingly, the Diocese cannot accept any responsibility for the advertisers of the activities or services that are the subject of these advertisements.

Please remember to NAME all clothing, especially jackets.

Lost property goes into the cupboard near the door to the playground in the Admin building, check here and also with your child's teacher. If the item is named it will come back to you straight away.

Once a month, the cupboard will be cleared & items with no name will be sent to the Pre Loved Uniform Shop

Thanks

Susie Doran

School Office

The children continue to enjoy their guitar lessons so if you would like your child to learn guitar: We have a guitar group here at St Joseph's where children receive tuition from professional teachers at school. For more information, please contact Ricky direct on 0407 534 944: