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Dear Parents, Carers and the St Joseph’s Community,
God of Love,
Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us.
He is a sign of your love.
Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent,
As we wait and prepare for his coming.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Saviour.
Amen.
Thank You Morning Tea and Open Classrooms
Next Wednesday 4 December, we will host the annual Thank You Morning Tea. All our community are warmly welcome to attend.
End of Year Carols and Picnic
The St Joseph's End of Year Carols and Picnic is on Tuesday 17 December. This is always a wonderful community event, and this year the P&F would like to thank the community by providing a free sausage sizzle on the night. Thank you to YMCA who are also assisting on the night to cook and serve. Please go onto Qkr! and RSVP.
2020 P&F
Last Wednesday we had a wonderful turn out for the final P&F meeting of the year and the AGM. Once again thank you to all who have supported the school community this year through their involvement on the P&F. Following the AGM, we are pleased to announce the following positions for 2020:
| President: | Kate Osborn |
| Vice President: | Alison Marks |
| Secretary: | Kelly Fordham |
| Treasurer: | Felicity Loftus |
| Communications: | Rachael Whiteley-Black |
| Fete Coordinators: | Jane Childs / Tiffany Fletcher |
| Uniform Shop: | Lucy Erickson / Monique Pascoe |
| Canteen: | Victoria Dolphin / Nichole Hanlon |
| Working Bees: | Janelle Patch |
| Fundraising Coordinator: | Kylie Eves |
| School Board Rep: | Nichole Hanlon |
Also at the final meeting of the year, the P&F again generously supported the school and ELC in a number of different ways. Thank you to the P&F, and therefore to all parents and friends of St Joseph’s:
- Following the Trivia Night raising in excess of $6000, over $3000 has been provided to the ELC to assist with playground upgrades and resourcing.
- Due to our community events always being very popular, a second hot water urn will be bought for the school.
- Each year the Year 6 Farewell function is supported by a donation from the P&F. This year it has been agreed to double that donation to reflect the larger class sizes we currently have.
School Board
A reminder that the School Board AGM is next Wednesday, at which Iain Slatter and Ruth Arkell will step down from their current positions.
The Board plays a vital role in the functioning of the school and is an extremely worthwhile avenue for parents to assist with the success of the school. The Board’s work is dedicated to enhancing all that happens for your children at our school and we endeavour to work towards our vision of St Joseph’s being an excellent school within a Christ-centred community.
The School Board is comprised of elected members, voted in if necessary, who take on a two-year position on the Board. Members can only serve three consecutive terms. Please see below a link to information relating to nominations and elections for the 2020 School Board.
School Board Nomination Form 2020.pdf
Staffing
This week I am pleased to announce that Michelle Rosewell has been appointed as the new Coordinator from the start of 2020. Michelle had been appointed to a classroom role, but will now also take up this leadership position at St Joseph’s.
We also congratulate Skye McPadden who has been appointed as Religious Education Coordinator (REC) at St Thomas Aquinas from the start of 2020. Skye was already heading to St Thomas next year, but will also be taking on this important leadership position. Also earlier in the term, Skye graduated with her Masters in Religious Education. Congratulations Skye!
The Canteen Manager position, starting February 2020 is now advertised and can be accessed at https://careers.cg.catholic.edu.au/cw/en/job/496006/canteen-manager-st-josephs-primary-oconnor-act.
May God’s blessings be upon all of us as we journey into the season of Advent, awaiting the coming of Jesus.
Have a great weekend.
Cameron Tarrant
Principal
Religious Life of the School
This Sunday is the beginning of our Liturgical year. It can be difficult to think about the new year when many of us are thinking of the list of jobs we need to to do to finish the calendar year and be ready for Christmas. The Gospel this Sunday challenges us to be ready for something other than the gift-giving of Christmas.
What can you do to be ready?
- Read together the Gospel reading.
- As a family, talk about what it means to be ready for the birthday of Jesus.
- Reflect together as a family on how your family helps one another to be better Christians.
- Commit to one thing that your family will do this Advent season to help one another be better Christians. You might choose to write this commitment down and post it in a prominent place in your home, perhaps near your family's Advent wreath.
- Pray together that God will help you in this Advent commitment.
- Pray together the Lord's Prayer.
Prayer and Worship
Student Led Christian Prayer
Each Friday after first break, Year 6 lead classes in prayer with a focus on the Gospel for the coming Sunday.
Liturgical Season: First Sunday of Advent, Year A
Liturgical Season Colour: Purple
This week the focus is on the Gospel: Matthew 24:37-40, 44
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
One day Jesus said: “Long ago, there was a great flood, and it swept all the people away, except for Noah. No one had prepared for the flood, for they had not listened to Noah’s warnings. In the same way, you will not know when the Son of God will return, for only my heavenly father knows this. Lead good lives, so that when the time comes you are ready.”
At home, we invite you to read the upcoming Gospel as a family and discuss our focus question for the week.
- What are some things you prepare for?
- What sort of lives did Jesus tell us to lead?
Lord Jesus, you come to share the good news
of God’s Kingdom with the whole world.
May your love reign in our hearts always.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Celebrating Liturgy and Sacraments
|
Term 4 Liturgies and Class Masses |
|
Week 7 Thursday 28 November Advent Prayer Celebration led by Year 4 9.15am Week 8 Thursday 5 December Advent Prayer Celebration led by Year 3 9.15am Week 9 Thursday 12 December Advent Prayer Celebration led by Year 1 9.15am Friday 13th December Thanksgiving Mass at 9.15am Week 10 Thursday 19 December Advent Prayer Celebration led by Foundation 9.15am |
Social Action & Justice
As Advent approaches, we think about how we will prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus? At St Joseph’s we have a 25 Days of Kindness calendar. The acts of kindness for Week 7 are:
Day 6: Help somebody with a task at home tonight. You might help set the table, doing the washing up or tidying your bedroom.
Day 7: Write a kind letter to someone. Maybe an elderly relative who you haven’t seen recently, or a family member or friend.
Day 8: Hold a door open for somebody.
Day 9: Bake a cake or some biscuits and give them to your friend or neighbour.
Day 10: Offer to help with the tidying or washing up.
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
Today a note about the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal was sent home. Each class has been asked to provide a specific type of Christmas food. All classes have a hamper for children to place their donations.
For families wishing to provide a gift for specific families in our local area, from 1 December there will be a Giving Tree in the front office at both the ELC and school. These Giving Trees will have gift tags with the age and gender of people in the O’Connor and Lyneham area that are in need this Christmas. If families would like to donate a gift, adults are invited to take a tag, and tape it to the wrapped gift before placing it under the Giving Tree. Suggested gifts are included with the gift tags. If purchasing gift cards please give them to the office for safekeeping. We thank you in advance for your generosity and enthusiasm for sharing love and the Christmas spirit with those in need.
Religious Identity and Culture
Ethos and Charism
Our strategic priority to deepen our St Joseph’s identity means to deepen our understanding of our Josephite Charism. We can learn much about our Josephite Charism through quotes from Saint Mary Mackillop.
Evangelisation and Faith Formation
Faith Formation
St Joseph’s Parish has begun its annual Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).
If you are curious about God or the Catholic Church, were baptised as a child but did not receive Eucharist or Confirmation, visit the parish one Sunday and speak to Fr Paul.
If you have questions about the RCIA process, please email Alwyn Dantis on alwyndantis@yahoo.com or ring 0467 243 363.
Yours in Christ,
Melanie Stratford
Religious Education Coordinator
melanie.stratford@cg.catholic.edu.au
From the Defence School Mentor
Today we farewelled some of our students who will be posted at the end of this year. It was exciting to see them talk about the new adventures ahead of them. Hopefully, the kids will remember to send us a postcard. We would love to stay in touch.
I read this quote and thought it was great timing to share …..’Military children bloom wherever the winds carry them…..They have learned from an early age that home is where their hearts are, that a good friend can be found on every corner of the world and that education doesn’t only come from school’. All the best to the families on the move.
Community news
Soldier On are having their Christmas celebration on Tuesday 3 December. The Soldier On Ukulele Group and Music Group will be here to entertain, along with special guest Dan McFeeley, a really talented singer, songwriter and ukulele player.
All Soldier On participants and friends/families and children are welcome to come along and take part in the singing and the enjoyment of this morning activity.
Time: 10:00am - Midday Where: Robert Poate Centre, 80 Bellenden Street, ACT. Who can attend: This is a FREE activity for Soldier On participants including friends and families. For further information and to register your interest please email act@soldieron.org.au or phone Debbie on 0434 872 904.
From Sally
Sally.adams@cg.catholic.edu.au
Sally Adams
Defence Support Mentor
Sustainability in Action!
Last week, 2 new recycling programs were proposed by students and families. Tom and Costa will now be collecting cans and donating the money toward better school conditions for children less fortunate. "Sister Genny talked to us about kids going into the mines and getting minerals to make electronics. It's really dangerous. Costa said we should do something so we are crushing cans and giving the money to Worldvision," Tom said.
The Collett family has also been inspired after Ben went home and informed them that Nespresso capsules could be recycled by returning them to the store. Taking things further, they have offered to take all Nespresso capsules on behalf of our school community! We will now be collecting them in the Sustainability Corridor, outside 1 Teal.
Thank you to the O'Keeffe and Collett families for paying it forward and creating a better world for our children.
"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees."
Ryan McGee
Sustainability Coordinator
Congratulations to this week's award recipients.
| Foundation Red |
Jacob S Angus W |
3 Silver |
James A Anthony S |
| Foundation White |
Fergus McR Eloise F-S Emma P |
4 Blue |
Frieda C Skye P |
| 1 Purple |
Julian F Emily G |
4 Orange |
Kinley M Amalija S |
| 1 Teal |
Alice P Sophia A |
5 Gold |
Tshering T Rose W |
| 2 Magenta |
Emelia R Kobe P Maeve M |
5 Green |
Cindy L Christelle M |
| 2 Yellow |
Asher K Callum A |
6 Black |
Maia J Ellajen H |
| 3 Lime |
Daniel A Lottie W-B |
