St Joseph’s Primary School - O'Connor
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Boronia Drive
O'Connor ACT 2602
Subscribe: https://sjo.act.edu.au/subscribe

Email: office.sjo@cg.catholic.edu.au
Phone: 02 6248 9818
Fax: 02 6247 1792

Week 4 Term 4 2023 Newsletter

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Week 4 Term 4 2023 Newsletter

    God of Comfort,

    send your Spirit to encompass all those whose lives

    are torn apart by violence and death in Israel and Palestine.

    You are the Advocate of the oppressed

    and the One whose eye is on the sparrow.

    Let arms reach out in healing, rather than aggression.

    Let hearts mourn rather than militarize.

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    God of Justice,

    give strength to those whose long work for a just peace

    might seem fruitless now. Strengthen their resolve.

    Do not let them feel alone. Show us how to support their work

    and bolster their courage. Guide religious leaders to model

    unity and reconciliation across lines of division.

    Guide political leaders to listen with their hearts as they seek peace and pursue it.

    Help all people choose the rigorous path of just peace and disavow violence.

    Dear parents and carers,

    This week I offer a prayer for peace in Israel and Palestine. As a Catholic community, we are united with all peoples of the world where such sadness and suffering exist. It is a horrendous time for so many, and is being reported across many online and accessible platforms. It can be a worrying and confusing situation for children, and they may have questions or concerns. Listen carefully, should your child raise anything, and be confident in sharing that it is important to know that war and fighting is terrible and impacts so many around the world.

    Grandparents and Special Friends Day

    Last Friday we welcomed over 150 visitors into the school for our Grandparents and Special Friends Day. This is always a highlight in our year with the children very excited to share their learning and the classrooms with important people in their lives. Thank you to our Foundation students and teachers for leading our Prayer Assembly as part of this special occasion. Thank you also to many of our guests who engaged with children who may not have had someone at school that day, looking at their work and asking them about their learning!

    Year 5 Camp

    On Monday and Tuesday this week, our Year 5 students ventured to Greenhills at the Cotter for their Leadership Camp. As part of their preparation to be our Year 6 Leaders in 2024, they worked in small groups to solve challenges and complete tasks, as well overcome any fears by doing some crate climbing. There was also a full session on what does leadership look like at St Joseph’s and how they see themselves building on this through using their own skills and talents. Well done to the students on their positive engagement over the two days and thank you to Miss More and Mrs Gould for heading away with the Year 5s for the camp!

    Staffing

    Congratulations to Kirstie Buckley who has been appointed as Religious Education Coordinator from the start of the 2024 school year, replacing Melanie Stratford who is taking up the REC role at St Monica's. We are looking forward to welcoming Kirstie into this important substantive position, following her role this term as Acting Coordinator.

    Save the Date

    Kid-Free Night (Christmas edition) on Friday 1 December. Bookings opening via Qkr! soon.

    For those not aware, this is an opportunity to drop the kids off at school for a couple of hours on Friday evening 1 December, with Camp Australia and P&F volunteers doing the supervision while parents can get some shopping done (or perhaps finding a chance to catch up with each other).

    Have a great end to the week.

    Yours in Christ,

    Cameron Tarrant

    Cameron.tarrant@cg.catholic.edu.au 

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    Social Action and Justice

    October is Mission month when we usually raise money for Catholic Mission. Given our busy few weeks we will hold a belated Silly Sock Day on Friday 10 November where students are encouraged to wear silly socks and bring in a Gold coin donation.

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    Pope’s prayer intentions- For The Challenges Facing Humanity and the Mission of the Church

    Let all be one! May we all be one!

    Good Father, we want to do our part and

    live the words that your son Jesus spoke to you.

    We wish to live out fully the mission we

    received at Baptism.

    We dream of being a Church in a communion of love that is

    collaborative and missionary,

    committed to the challenges of the world

    in which everyone can feel at home and can participate.

    We dream of being a Church that listens to the renewing

    of your Holy Spirit,

    a Church of closeness, compassion

    and tenderness, that does not separate from life

    but takes charge of the fragilities and poverty of our time.

    Help us to be a different Church open to your newness

    in which we all walk together.

    Amen.

    Term 4 Prayer Celebrations and Class Masses

    Week 4 Thursday 9.15 am Buddy Class Mass: 4 Green and Foundation Red
    Week 5

    Tuesday 9.15 am Buddy Class Mass: 1 Teal and 5 Orange

    Thursday 9.15 am Buddy Class Mass: 1 Purple and 5 Blue

    Friday 11 November 10.30am: Remembrance Day Memorial 

    Week 6 Thursday 9.15 am Buddy Class Mass: 4 Gold and Foundation White
    Week 7 Thursday 2.15pm  Advent Prayer Celebration led by 1 Purple
    Week 8 Thursday 2.15pm  Advent Prayer Celebration led by 2 Yellow
    Week 9

    Wednesday 6pm Christmas Carols

    Thursday 2.15pm  Advent Prayer Celebration led by 1 Teal

    Week 10

    Monday 12.00pm Thanksgiving & Y6 Graduation Mass 

    Tuesday 2.15pm Year 5 and 6 Leadership Ceremony

    Thursday 2.15pm  - Advent Prayer Celebration led by 2 Magenta

    Baptisms

    We have had a number of enquiries about children seeking to be Baptised. At St Joseph’s Parish we celebrate Baptisms for children and infants on the first and third Saturday of every month. Attendance at one family preparation session prior to the Baptism is an important part of this formation.

    Preparation Sessions Occur:

    1st Wednesday of every month - 5pm – St Joseph’s Parish Centre

    3rd Wednesday of every month – 1pm – St Joseph’s Parish Centre

    Baptism Celebrations (multiple families) Occur:

    1st & 3rd Saturday of every month - 11am – St Joseph’s Church

    To enrol in the baptism sacramental program please email oconnor@cg.org,au with your preferred preparation session time. Once your preparation session is confirmed, Father Anthony will guide you through the rest of the process. 

    Melanie Stratford

    Religious Education Coordinator

    melanie.stratford@cg.catholic.edu.au

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    Sustainability in Action

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    Kitchen Garden Goodness

    Pumpkins, strawberries, cucumbers and zucchinis are coming! Year 1 is eagerly tending to their garden and will hopefully get to enjoy some fruits of their labour before the year ends. Today’s highlights included learning to water our plants as well as watching the bees in action!

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    Gardener of the Month: Tyler B

    Tyler is the November gardener as he is always willing to take on new garden jobs. 

    Favourite garden job: Filling up the watering can to go and water the plants.

    Favourite crop to eat: Carrots!

    Looking forward to: Growing big pumpkins!

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    When life gives you pumpkins, make pie!”

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    Ryan McGee

    Sustainability Coordinator

    ryan.mcgee@cg.catholic.edu.au

    Hi Families,

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    Mark your calendars for 2 special days that are slightly different to the ones we would normally have.

     

    Friday 24th November is National Fairy Bread Day! 

     

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    With Thursday being the last day of school this term we will hold a sausage sizzle! 

     

    More details to to come…

     

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    Thank you,

    Julie-Anne 

    sjo.canteen@gmail.com

      Uniform Shop News
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      Congratulations to the Week 4 award recipients. 

      Foundation Red

      Eli T

      Mereani T

      Foundation White

      Jayden L

      Leonetta R

      1 Purple

      Aurora B

      Tyler B

      Charlie P

      1 Teal

      Thinley C

      Aaron R

      2 Magenta

      Yvonne G

      Mason I

      Mira K

      Lueth M

      2 Yellow

      Hamish M

      Charlotte D-S

      Louis D

      3 Black

      Tenzin L

      Ivy S

      3 Navy

      Eloise M

      Hugo T

      4 Gold

      Sofia W

      Sara S

      Eddie G

      4 Green

      Mae T

      Alice Z

      5 Blue

      Oliver L

      Connor J

      Madison A

      5 Orange

      Leah F

      Natara H

      Ryan M

      6 Lime

      Charles K

      Louis P

      6 Silver

      Molly M

      Imogen W

      Stefano V

      Sustainability

      Tyler B

      Happy birthday to these students who celebrated their birthday this week:

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      Gwendolyn V-F
      Olivia O
      Emmy M

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