Term 2, Week 10 Newsletter - 27th June 2025

From The Principal

Dear Families,

Welcome to the final week of Term 2. It has been a busy fortnight and an incredibly productive term for our school community.

As we head into the holidays, I would like to share some staffing updates. Over the break, we will be welcoming potential applicants who are visiting Mount Isa and touring our school with a view to future employment. As you may be aware, we will also be farewelling Mrs Higgs, Miss Allen, and Miss Stretton at the end of this term. We extend our heartfelt thanks to each of them for their dedication and service to St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Mount Isa, and we wish them all the very best in their future endeavours. We look forward to staying in touch.

Last week, despite the short week due to the Show holiday, it was wonderful to see so much of our students’ work proudly on display. A special mention must go to our Scarecrow entry—what a fantastic effort from our students, staff, and parents. Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped make it such a success.

Finally, I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe break. May you enjoy this time with family and loved ones, and return next term with renewed energy and enthusiasm for learning.

Thank you all for your continued support, and I look forward to a successful and fulfilling remainder of the academic year.

Scott Murray,
Principal

Education In Faith

Pilgrims of Hope Artwork Competition

We are excited to announce the winners of our Pilgrims of Hope Artwork Competition! Congratulations to Kruiz and Harper. Your artworks beautifully capture the spirit of hope and the journey of faith.

We would like to thank all students who entered the competition. The level of creativity, effort, and reflection shown in each piece was inspiring. All entries will be proudly displayed in the Penola Centre during Catholic Education Week in Term 3, so we encourage families and students to take the opportunity to view these wonderful artworks.

A sincere thank you also to Fr Mick, Fr Atong, and visiting seminarian Grant for generously taking the time to judge the competition. Well done to everyone involved in this celebration of faith, creativity, and hope!

Jangawala

We would like to extend a thank you to all the families who have generously given their time and support to Jangawala this semester. Your help has made a real difference, and we are so grateful for your commitment to this important service. Through your assistance, we have been able to continue supporting our community and living out our school’s values of care, respect, and generosity.

We look forward to continuing this work together in Semester 2. Please see the schedule below for upcoming Jangawala dates and opportunities to be involved.

Communion

Over the weekend, our school community was blessed to witness a beautiful and meaningful occasion, the First Holy Communion of many of our students. This sacrament is a significant step in the faith journey of our young people as they receive the Body of Christ for the first time, deepening their relationship with Jesus and becoming more fully part of our Church community.

The First Holy Communion Mass was a joyful and reverent celebration. Our students approached the altar with hearts full of faith and excitement, supported by their families, friends, teachers, and parish. The Mass was a reminder of the love of God and the importance of gathering as a community to share in the Eucharist.

We would like to congratulate all of our First Holy Communion students. We pray that they continue to grow in faith, love, and kindness, and that they always feel God’s presence in their lives.

NAIDOC Week

In Week 1 of Term 3, our school will proudly celebrate NAIDOC Week, recognising and honouring the strength, vision, and legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Throughout the week, students will take part in a range of meaningful activities, including in-class learning experiences and a special day of rotations where they can engage with culture, history, and art. We will finish the week with a whole-school NAIDOC Assembly on Friday.

We are also excited to be participating in the Mount Isa NAIDOC March on Friday 11th July. We warmly invite all families to join us for this community event. The march will begin at 9:00 am from Outback at Isa and will finish in front of the Civic Centre. Following the march, there will be a variety of activities and entertainment on the Civic Centre lawn for everyone to enjoy.

All students are encouraged to wear their day uniform or an Indigenous shirt as we come together in respect and celebration.

We look forward to this special week of learning, sharing, and walking together as a community.

Catholic Education Week

In Term 3 Week 3, we are excited to be celebrating Catholic Education Week alongside a very special milestone, 40 years of Catholic education on our current school site. To mark this occasion, we have planned a range of activities throughout the week that reflect our theme of “Communities of Faith, Hope and Love” and celebrate our school’s rich history.

Some of the highlights include:

• 40 Years, 40 Faces Portrait Project
• Jubilee Walk of Hope
• Community Mass followed by Morning Tea
• Tree Planting to honour this special anniversary
• Then/Now Free Dress Day, where staff and students are encouraged to dress as students or staff from the past 40 years at our school
• Whole School Meditation
• In-class prayers and activities focused on faith, hope, and love

We look forward to coming together as a school community to give thanks for the past, celebrate the present, and look forward with hope to the future.

Upcoming Events

Monday 14th July -St Joseph’s  NAIDOC Week commences

Sunday 20th July - Jangawala

Friday 25th July - Grandparents’ Day

Saturday 26th July - Feast Day of Saints Joachim & Anne 

Monday 28th July - Catholic Education Week commences

Tenielle Blanco,
APRE

Foundations In Education

What a busy and fast paced term it has been, filled with meaningful learning and rich experiences for our students!

This term, we proudly hosted our Learning Breakfast in Week 9, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student progress and achievements. It was heartening to see so many parents and carers attend and engage with their child’s learning journey.

We also enjoyed a vibrant Under 8s Day, which brought together local kindergartens and community organisations to create a fun and inclusive experience for our youngest learners.

Behind the scenes, teachers have worked diligently to complete student assessments and reports, ensuring accurate and meaningful feedback for families. Their ongoing commitment to quality teaching and learning continues to make a real difference.

Thank you to our entire school community for your continued support. We look forward to another term of growth and learning ahead!

Prep Semester One Reporting Changes for 2025

Experience in Prep

Beginning in 2025, a key change will be introduced in the Preparatory (Prep) year to support a more targeted and developmentally appropriate approach to early learning. This update aligns with the advice of the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) and offers schools a valuable opportunity to reflect on and refine their educational programs.

Prep students will engage with learning areas in two distinct ways:

Learning Areas: These subjects will be taught, assessed, and reported on:

• English
• Mathematics
• Health and Physical Education
• Religion

Experienced Learning Areas: These subjects will be taught and monitored, but will not be summatively assessed or formally reported on.

Prep students will experience the following key learning areas:

• Science
• Humanities and Social Sciences 
• The Arts (including Music)
• Technologies
• Languages (if provided) 

Monitoring involves collecting evidence and tracking student progress in understanding and skills without assigning grades.

This approach ensures students are still exposed to all key learning areas in a way that is age-appropriate and aligned with their developmental stage. It prioritises continuity of learning and ensures that students are well-prepared for a successful transition to Year 1.

We are excited about these changes, as they allow for a purposeful focus on literacy and numeracy development in the foundational year. They also support a balanced use of teaching practices (pedagogies) that help every child experience a smooth and confident start to their school journey.

Reminder of Semester One Reporting Changes

Townsville Catholic Education has reviewed and updated the reporting guidelines and processes for 2025. As part of this update, a standardised reporting template will be implemented across all schools in our diocese.

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve communication between school and home, there are a few key changes to this semester’s student reports:

• Reports will include one general teacher comment providing an overview of your child’s learning journey
• Academic grades and effort marks will continue to be reported
• Individual learning area comments will no longer be included
• "Effort" will now be referred to as Application to Learning, using consistent terminology across all year levels
• A common four-point scale will be used to report on Application to Learning.

These changes are designed to provide families with clear, concise, and meaningful feedback that supports each student’s educational progress and fosters a strong partnership between home and school.

A friendly reminder ICAS testing is back in 2025!

We’re excited to announce that ICAS Testing will once again be offered at St Joseph’s in 2025 for students in Years 2–6.

The ICAS Assessments are world-renowned, online academic competitions designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies. These assessments celebrate student achievement and provide valuable opportunities for recognition and academic growth.

Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report.

How to Register:

To register your child for ICAS this year:

1. Learn more about the ICAS subjects and pricing: ICAS Assessments Information
2. Visit the Parent Portal: ICAS Parent Portal
3. Enter our school’s access code: DNE584
4. Provide your child’s details, select the assessments you wish to purchase, and proceed to payment. Please note: All registrations and payments must be completed online. The school is unable to accept payments.
5. Return the attached permission slip to the school office by Monday 28th July.

To review the full terms and conditions, visit: ICAS Terms and Conditions

Testing Information:

All ICAS assessments at St Joseph’s will be held in the San Jose Library starting at 7:30am. 

We are proud to offer this opportunity to our students and look forward to celebrating their achievements later in the year. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Karlia Ryan,
APPL

Wellbeing And Diversity

SPECIAL REPORT: Celebrating NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is celebrated by all Australians and is a great opportunity to recognise and learn more about the history and culture of Indigenous communities.

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced back to the Aboriginal rights movement, when on Australia Day 1938, protestors marched through the streets of Sydney to highlight the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Today, it is a week-long celebration held in July that consists of range of traditional and contemporary activities.

NAIDOC Week is an important event that helps build positive relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. It enables a deeper understanding of our differences and similarities and is a great opportunity for all Australians to eliminate bias and discrimination by reflecting and reconciling the wrongs of the past to facilitate hope and build a fairer future. Families are encouraged to join in and support young people in learning the significance of NAIDOC Week.

This Special Report offers suggestions on how families can celebrate NAIDOC Week together. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your Special Report  

https://sjmtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-celebrating-naidoc-week

Cassandra Little,
Guidance Councilor

Community News

Enrol Now for Year 7, 2026 at Good Shepherd Catholic College!

At Good Shepherd Catholic College, we are excited to welcome a new group of students into our caring and vibrant community for Year 7 in 2026. If your child is currently in Year 6, now is the time to begin planning for their secondary education journey with us.

Our enrolment applications are open now and are available on the College Website. We encourage families to submit their applications early as Round 1 applications close at 12pm on Friday 27 June 2025. If applications are not received by 12pm on Friday 27 June, families will be placed in Round 2 of enrolments, and there is no guarantee there will be positions available in the second round.

We offer a range of engaging transition opportunities, including:

• Open Day – Join us on Friday 13 June for a first-hand look at life at Good Shepherd.
• Transition Days – Set for Thursday 11 and Friday 12 September, these days help your child feel comfortable and confident as they prepare to start high school.

Round 1 interviews will be held from Monday 28 July to Thursday 7 August, with offers released on Friday 15 August.

Please note: Siblings of current students do not receive automatic enrolment. A separate application must be submitted for each child, and we encourage families to do so as early as possible to avoid missing key dates.

If you have any questions or need assistance, our friendly team is here to help guide you through the process.

Regards,

GSCC

enquiries@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au