Term 3, Week 4 Newsletter - 7th August 2025

From The Principal

Dear Parents, Carers and Community Members,

I hope this email finds you well and in great spirits as we welcome Rodeo Week here in Mount Isa. The school has been buzzing with excitement as we embrace the festivities of the Isa Rodeo.

Last night, St Joseph’s proudly took part in the Isa Rodeo Float Parade — and I may be a little biased, but I truly believe our float was a standout! It wasn’t just the visual appeal that made it shine; it was the incredible community spirit and pride that radiated from everyone involved.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Jeremy and Shari Bennett from JSB for their support, and to the best float driver, Carl, who skilfully guided us through the parade. Our float’s success came from many hands — from painting and creative design to a custom-made song celebrating the town, school, and mines, thanks to Mrs Kaity Vipiana.

This project would not have been possible without our dedicated staff who worked well beyond school hours, often late into the evening. Led by our Float Coordinator, Mrs Lani Wills, with the creative efforts of Mrs Sharyn Te Wani, Ms Karlia Ryan, and Mrs Lisa Marschke, our students were actively involved in bringing the vision to life. The result was something we can all be proud of.

While we look forward to hearing the official results, in my eyes, we’ve already won — because this event brought our community together in such a powerful way.

Media Consent Updates

At the time of enrolment, parents are asked to consent to the use of their child’s name and image in various forms of media to promote the school/College and Catholic Education. If you DO NOT wish to consent to your child's photograph/video appearing as stated in the below, and you wish to withdraw this authorisation and consent, you must notify the school by phone or email, mtisaj@tsv.catholic.edu.au 
 
If we do not hear from you to make any changes, your original consent provided will remain in effect.
 

PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO/MEDIA CONSENT

Photos, video footage and work samples of students are used regularly by the school/College for the purpose of acknowledging the efforts of the student/College, or for promotion, marketing or advertising the College or Catholic Education.

I consent to the student being photographed or filmed for school/College, Catholic Education or Townsville Catholic Diocese related communication or for education purposes. 

I understand this may include media (e.g. television, radio, publications), school/College publications (e.g. newsletters, year books), online media (e.g. websites) and social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram). 

I understand it is my responsibility to notify the school/College if I do not wish to consent to the student’s photograph/video appearing in any or all of the above, or if I wish to withdraw this authorisation and consent. Please note the student’s name and voice may be included with the photograph/video.

I understand the copyright of such images will be retained by the school/College, Townsville Catholic Education, the Diocese of Townsville or their contractors, and there will be no remuneration or compensation for the images.

Additional Pupil Free Day – Term 4

Please note that an additional Pupil Free Day has been scheduled for Tuesday, 7th October 2025.

This day will be used to support the implementation of new national education guidelines. Our staff will be engaged in professional learning to ensure we are well prepared to meet these updated requirements.

Further information about the new guidelines and how they will be applied at St Joseph’s will be shared with families in the coming weeks.

Scott Murray,
Principal

Education In Faith

Catholic Education Week

Last week, we joined Catholic schools across Queensland in celebrating Catholic Education Week. The theme, “Communities of Faith, Hope and Love,” was brought to life through a range of meaningful activities at our school.

On Monday, each class contributed to the 40 Years, 40 Faces art project, showcasing portraits of those who have made a difference in our school’s history. On Tuesday, students took part in our Jubilee Walk of Hope, reflecting on our shared journey and the people who have shaped our community. On Wednesday, we held a beautiful Combined Schools Mass, uniting in prayer and gratitude

A highlight for many was our Then/Now Dress-Up Day, where students and staff had fun dressing in fashion from the past and present. On Friday, we also gathered in the Penola Centre for a peaceful whole-school meditation, and students engaged in a variety of in-class activities exploring the meaning of faith, hope, and love in their lives.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the week so special; it was a wonderful celebration of who we are and what we stand for.

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St Mary of The Cross MacKillop Feast Day

This Friday, 8th August, is the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia’s first saint and the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph. As a Josephite school, this is a special day in our calendar. We will celebrate together on Thursday morning with a whole-school assembly, followed by class-based activities that honour Mary MacKillop’s life, faith, and commitment to helping others, especially those most in need.

We look forward to reflecting on her powerful message: “Never see a need without doing something about it.”

Parish Multicultural Festival

The Parish’s Multicultural Festival is coming up on Friday, 5th September, and we’re excited to support this wonderful community event!

To help contribute, we’ll be holding a Free Dress Day at school on Friday, 15th August. Students are invited to wear free dress and bring a donation that will go towards creating prizes for our Lucky Dip Stall at the festival.

As part of the Multicultural Festival, there will also be a raffle and a cultural fashion parade. Please see the flyers sent home for more details.

Tenielle Blanco,
APRE

Foundations In Education

NCCD Collection: Final Stages Underway

As part of our ongoing commitment to Inclusive Education and supporting all learners, we are currently in the final stages of preparing for the 2025 Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD).

Throughout Semester One, our dedicated teachers have been working diligently to collect and document evidence to support student inclusion in the NCCD. This has involved identifying students who meet the criteria, implementing targeted adjustments and interventions, and gathering comprehensive records to demonstrate the support being provided.

The audit and evidence collection process ensures we are accurately representing the needs of our students and the outstanding work being done to support them. We thank all staff for their continued professionalism, effort, and collaboration throughout this important process.

We look forward to finalising our data collection and continuing to strengthen our inclusive practices into 2025 and beyond.

Karlia Ryan,
APPL

Wellbeing And Diversity

Bullying

Bullying is an ongoing or repeated misuse of power in relationships, with the intention to cause deliberate psychological harm. Bullying behaviours can be verbal, physical or social. It can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious or hidden. Bullying in any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. 

Despite the efforts made to reduce bullying behaviours, the research tells us that one in four students still report being bullied every few weeks. However, not all negative behaviour should be considered bullying. The key difference is that bullying does not stop on its own. It’s important young people learn how to identify behaviours that are rude, behaviours that are mean, and behaviours that are related to bullying. 

Often the reasons for bullying can be complex. Some young people do it to get approval from others, some do it to regain control, whilst others may do it because it makes them feel safe. Supporting young people as they work through their emotions will help them unpack the motivation and reason behind the behaviour. 

In this edition of SchoolTV, caregivers can better understand why some young people engage in bullying behaviours and what to do to support a child experiencing it.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Bullying edition of SchoolTV
https://sjmtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/bullying

Cassandra Little,
Guidance Councilor

In The Library...

At St Joseph’s, we love celebrating stories — and we’re getting ready to celebrate Book Week in Week 6, with our Dress-Up Parade on Friday, 22nd August.

Here’s a little snapshot of what Book Week will look like for us this year:

Dress-Up Parade – Friday

Come dressed as your favourite book character. Costumes can be as simple or as creative as you like. If you’re stuck for ideas here are some easy suggestions:

• Little Red Riding Hood – red hoodie and a basket

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid – white t-shirt, backpack, and a drawn cartoon face

• Pig the Pug – white outfit, paper ears on a headband & there are some great printable faces you can download

• Where’s Wally – red and white stripes and a beanie

• A soccer player from a book – wear your favourite player’s shirt

We just want everyone to have fun and feel included — no need to spend big. Kmart has some great dress-up options this year too.

Winning Book Voting – Thursday

Throughout the week, students will explore the CBCA shortlisted books and vote for their favourite. (Honestly, our winners are always better than the official ones) Students who vote will go in the draw to win a prize.

Penola Activities – Friday After the Parade

After the parade, we’ll stay in Penola for some fun, book-themed activities. Students will work together on collaborative art projects to help spread Book Week magic around the school.

Thank you for supporting books and reading — we can’t wait to see what wonderful book characters arrive at school in Week 6!

Need ideas? Our gallery has easy ways to bring your favourite book characters to life!

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