St Joseph's, Tara - Term 1 Week 6 2025 Newsletter!

Our Vision & Mission Statements

From the Principal

Welcome to the Term 1 Week 4 Newsletter!

Breaking open the Strategic Plan

This fortnight our focus is on: 

• Develop the purpose and function of the newly formed PEN, to promote the engagement of families in the education and life of the school, resources, community events and promote the school in the community. 

Our Parent Engagement Network (PEN) is an integral part of our school. Its purpose is to  

• be a formal structure within the school, approved by the Bishop, for parents/guardians can engage in the educational mission of the Catholic school.   

• support the principal and staff in implementing a comprehensive and contemporary education program. Parents/guardians have an advisory role in decisions made in the development and implementation of the strategic plan and policies of the school as well as the provision of resources to support the educational programs of the school.  

• support parents to engage in school life for their children

• support the school with fundraising and monetary support for school facility and educational improvements  

All parents/guardians are welcome to be ordinary members of the Network and assist in  

developing a positive and affirming community spirit  

supporting the work of the principal and staff  

• • providing feedback to the principal and staff on school initiatives, policies and strategic direction  
  • prudent and consultative decision-making  
  • promoting interaction between home and school, parents and teachers  
  • encouraging parent/family engagement with their child’s learning and school life  
  • deepening parent/family understanding of teaching and learning programs  
  • promoting the school in the wider community  
  • the provision of resources to support the educational program.  

The PEN hold Forums once a term for parents to attend and engage with the current happenings around the school. These Forums are often a good way to keep on top of events and understand policies, procedures and decisions made by the school.  

The Term 1 Forum was held on Wednesday, and we thank the new Executive team of 

Danielle Velez (Chair) 

Stephanie Smitham (Secretary) 

Nominations are still open (Working Party Coordinator) 

If you would like to chat and find out more about the Working Party Coordinator position, please pop into the office.

We thank Danielle and Steph for taking on these roles for 2025. They have many great events planned to help the school and parents engage in the life of the school. The PEN can only be effective when support from the parent body is forthcoming. Therefore, I strongly encourage you all to show your support to this group by attending the events planned across the year and attend and engage in the Forums. This will, in turn, show our students that what are they learning and doing is important and help us achieve our Strategic Plan goal.   

Swimming Carnival

A huge, big thank you to Mr Chris Coman (PE teacher) and the staff for a fabulous swimming carnival this week. The students participated so well and showed great courage and resilience throughout their races.  

A special thank you also to the MacKillop and Penola House Captains for the way they supported the staff and students throughout the day in various ways. This was a great start to the leadership journey for 2025.  

It was a very close competition between the two houses with MacKillop finishing the day on 350 points and Penola on 344. 

Congratulations to MacKillop House for the win on the day.  

House Points

It was with much excitement that, on Monday at assembly, we introduced our new House Cup points competition.  

Students will be able to earn their House (MacKillop or Penola) points across the year and through a variety of ways. Some of the ways are:- 

• attending and participating at school and small schools’ carnivals 

• receiving weekly Recognition Certifications 

• Bronze, Silver, Gold Awards 

• attendance at events where the school is to be represented such as ANZAC Day, term masses 

• Selection and participation in extra-curricular activities 

• Selection and participation in T&D and/or SW sporting teams 

This is a very limited list but gives you an idea of how students can earn points for their House.  

The final points for each House will be announced at the Celebration of Learning evening in Term 4 with the House with the most points receiving a fun day of activities to finish off the school year and to celebrate their success.  

The students are very excited about this new initiative, and we know parents will support their children to succeed in supporting their House.  

God bless,

Kylie Williams

APMI

Project Compassion Through Caritas Australia

Each year, St Joseph’s raises money for Project Compassion. This is a fundraising venture through an organisation called Caritas Australia.  

Caritas Australia is a Catholic Church international aid and development agency in Australia. They are committed to working alongside the most vulnerable and addressing the imbalance of power by including the people affected in the decisions impacting their lives. Their mission is to work in partnership with communities in Australia and overseas to achieve their development goals and thrive, keeping in the spirit of the Gospel. 

Project Compassion is a fundraising venture during Lent. Lent is a special time in our Church’s year, a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, a time to be the good news for the poor. Supporting Caritas Australia through Project Compassion is our opportunity to help others, grow kindness and unite with each other – and with people living in poverty – so that we can create a lasting change in the world around us.  

Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten season and therefore Project Compassion. Each class as well as the MacKillop Leaders will be raising money through the following events:- 

Year 4-6 – colouring in competition (Week 7) 

Year 2/3 – selling ice cream cones (Week 8) 

Prep/1 – selling cupcakes (Week 9) 

MacKillop Leaders – Guess the number of Easter Eggs in the jar competition (Week 10) 

Please keep your eye out over the coming weeks for the flyers and further information on how you can support these projects. We are looking forward to raising some much-needed money for those experiencing poverty.  

Each fortnight, I will provide a story about someone who Caritas Australia, using money raised through Project Compassion, has supported and helped.  

.  

Learning at St Joeys

From the Year 4 - 6 Classroom

English and Literacy

In year 4 students will describe how ideas are developed in texts through characters and events. This will also include how text reflects context.  They will identify how imaginative texts have different characteristics and language features to meet the purpose. Students will discuss how authors and illustrators make stories engaging through developing the characters, setting and plot. They will create complex sentences using a subordinating conjunction and investigating the use of direct and indirect speech.  Students will create a narrative text for a particular purpose and context.  

In Year 5 students will share, develop and expand on ideas and opinions for purposes, topic or text. They explain how ideas are developed through characters, settings and/or events, and how texts reflect contexts. Students will describe ways in which a text reflects a time and place in which it is created. They will describe and explain the characteristic and language features of imaginative texts to meet the purpose. Students will identify the effects of imagery, including simile, metaphor and personification in narratives. Students will create complex sentences and explore the ways writers use this structure for effect. They will identify noun groups and how these can be used to provide a fuller description of a person, place, thing or idea. Students will create a narrative text for a particular purpose and context. 

Students in year 6 will identify similarities and differences in how characters, setting and events are presented in different texts. Explain how texts have different characteristics depending on purpose, text structure and language features. Students will analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of the text and engage the audience. They will create complex sentences that contain embedded clauses to expand, elaborate and explain their ideas. Students will identify how verbs can expand an idea. Students will create a narrative text for a particular purpose and context.  

 Mathematics

In Year 4 students are developing a deeper understanding of place value including thousands, hundreds, tenths and ones to help them with mathematical thinking. They will solve problems involving multiplying and dividing numbers by multiples of 10 without a calculator, using the multiplicative relationship between the place value of digits. Students will use their proficiency with addition and multiplication facts to add and subtract, multiply and divide numbers efficiently. They will recall and demonstrate proficiency with multiplication facts up to 10 x 10 and related division facts. Students will explain and use properties of odd and even numbers.   

In Year 5 students will interpret, compare and order numbers with more than 2 decimal places, including numbers greater than one, using place value understanding and represent these on a number line. They will use their multiplication facts and efficient calculation strategies to multiply large numbers by one- and two-digit numbers and divide by single-digit numbers. Students will create and use algorithms to identify and explain patterns in the factors and multiples of numbers. 

In Year 6 students will apply knowledge of place value to add and subtract decimals, using digital tools where appropriate. They will recognise and use rules and algorithms that generate visually growing patterns and number patterns. Students will multiply and divide decimals by multiples of powers of 10 without a calculator, applying knowledge of place value and proficiency with multiplication facts; using estimation and rounding to check the reasonableness of answers.  

Religion

This term, students will be learning how the New Church continues the Laws of Jesus today. Students will explore the gifts they have and how to use them for the common good. They will identify how the Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy are used in today’s world through Catholic charities and Christian groups and connect this to their own lives.  

Science

This term, students will investigate the physical conditions of a habitat and analyse how the growth and survival of living things and micro-organisms affected by changing physical conditions. Students will be investigating how mould grows on bread in different conditions. Students will present their findings as a report.  

HaSS  

This term, students will explore the geographical diversity and location of places in the Asia region, and its location in relation to Australia. They will learn about Australia’s interconnections with other countries and how these change people and places. Students will create a narrative based on an Asian country of their choosing.  

The Arts - Dance

This term, students will explore ways that visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials are combined to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning in visual arts across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts. They will use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to plan and create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning. Students will explore the conventions of art by looking at a variety of different artists and creating artwork inspired by their techniques.  

The GOSSIP - Student Newspaper

From the PEN

From the Parish

St Mary Of The Angels - Tara

Mass Times

Tara: Sunday: 9am

on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month

Meandarra: Sunday: 11am

on the 3rd Sunday of the month

St Joseph's Student Recognition

Certificates of Recognition

Week 5 - Indi Warwick, Kaileigh McChrystal, Malia Adhikary, Alexia deBoeck, Ariel Velez and Nate Callaghan

Week 6 - Akesa White, Jolin Kerr, Rory Taylor, Eleanore Aylott, Isabella French and Damon Grose

From the Administration Officers

If you need any financial assistance, be sure to come in and see myself or Kylie to see how we can help. It is completely confidential!

HOW TO PAY YOUR SCHOOL FEES:

*Cash / Cheque, at the office.

*BPoint, in person at the office or over the phone.

*Direct Deposit:
Bank: ADF
Name: St Joseph’s School
BSB: 064-786
ACC: 100-025-583
Reference: Your Name/Customer Code eg. TRA1234             

*Centrelink Centrepay Deduction Payments can be made fortnightly or monthly.

The School’s CRN: 555075545A 

*Direct Debit: Forms are available in the office. Please see me or call the office.

Not Sure how it’s done?  Ask at the office for assistance.

Term Dates

2025

Term 1 2025 – Wed 29 Jan (Public Hol 26 Jan) - Fri 04 April

Term 2 2025 – (Easter Monday, 21 Apr) Wed 23 Apr - Fri 27 Jun

Term 3 2025 - Tue 15 Jul - Fri 19 Sep

Term 4 2025 - Tue 07 Oct (Kings B'day 06 OCT) - Fri 05 Dec

Professional Development and Planning Days (previously called Pupil Free Days)

• Wednesday, 22 January - Friday, 24 January 2025 - Professional Development
• Tuesday, 28 January 2025 - Planning Day
• Tuesday, 22 April 2025 - Planning Day
• Monday, 14 July 2025 - Planning Day
  
• Wednesday, 30 July 2025 - Bishops Inservice Day (BID)
  
• Friday, 5 September 2025 - Consistency of Teacher Judgement (CTJ)

Public holidays

• Australia Day public holiday – Monday, 27 January 2025
• Easter – Friday, 18 April – Monday, 21 April 2025
• Anzac Day – Friday, 25 April 2025
• Labour Day – Monday, 5 May 2025
• King’s Birthday – Monday, 6 October 2025

Wellbeing Matters

Student Safety

EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE

It is a legislative requirement that all non-state schools have at least two nominated staff members to whom a student can report the behaviour of another staff member that the student considers inappropriate.  We call these specially trained staff members School Student Protection Contacts, or SSPCs.  Each SSPC has been nominated by the principal in recognition of their integrity, approachability and knowledge in the area of student protection.  Whilst students are encouraged to speak up to any trusted adult in the school community, it is important that they know they can access these specific staff members at any time should they have worries, queries or concerns. You will have noticed posters throughout the school depicting our current SSPCs.  The SSPCs are also published on our school website along with information about our student protection processes.  In everything we do at St Joseph's Tara student safety is our highest priority, therefore the SSPCs at our school are key personnel in our overall safeguarding processes.  Please see the poster below depicting our current SSPC team.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT