St. Josephs Catholic College Katherine eNewsletter Term 02 - Week 03
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to Term 2 at St Joseph’s Catholic College, Katherine. I hope you had a restful and joy-filled holiday and Easter break with your families. As we return to our learning community, the message of renewal, hope, and faith that Easter brings is a timely reminder of the gift we have in Catholic education—a place where each child is known, valued, and supported.
Feast of St Joseph the Worker – Friday, May 2
This Friday, we will celebrate the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, honouring the quiet strength, humility, and faith of our patron saint. St Joseph reminds us that every act of work, care, and service—no matter how small—is sacred and meaningful. As a College community, we draw inspiration from his example, and we encourage our students to follow in his footsteps by serving others, working with integrity, and living with faith.
We will mark this special occasion with a College Assembly, and I invite you to speak with your children about what St Joseph’s example means in their own lives.
Living our College Motto: Respect, Resilience, Relationships
Our staff and students continue to live out our College motto—Respect, Resilience, Relationships—in all aspects of school life. These core values underpin our learning, our behaviour, and our way of being with one another. We see these values in:
- The calm and respectful tone of our classrooms;
- The resilience students show in their learning;
- And the strong relationships built between students, staff, and families.
Our updated Behaviour Policy and Plan, led by Craig Forster and Kelvin Wirhana-Tawake, has helped strengthen these values across the College. Thank you to our staff for their ongoing commitment and consistency.
Learning and Growth
Staff are continuing to embed Learning Intentions and Success Criteria in their lessons to support clarity and student ownership of learning. During Walks and Talks, students are regularly asked the Big 5 Questions:
- What are you learning?
- How are you going?
- How do you know?
- How can you improve?
- Where do you go for help?
These questions are helping our students become more independent, reflective learners—key skills that will serve them well throughout life. We encourage you to give these questions a try at home and let your child lead the conversation. Together, we can continue building a culture where students are clear, confident, and supported—both in school and at home.
Faith in Action: Community Events and Celebrations
ANZAC Day Ceremony
On April 24th, our students and staff paused to remember and honour those who served our nation. We are especially proud of our Primary students—Stella Fletcher, Isla McKerracher, and Tatum Sheridan—who represented the College by reading at the Katherine Dawn Service, and all the students who marched in the community parade. In remembering those who gave their lives, we also pray for peace in our world today.
Easter Joy
Before the break, we celebrated the joy of Easter with a colourful Bonnet Parade and Egg Hunt, thanks to Natalie Walker and Rachel Hand. Events like these remind us of the joy of Christ’s Resurrection and the new life that Easter brings.
Three-Way Interviews
Our recent Three-Way Interviews were a great success. These conversations help strengthen the learning partnership between home and school, and we appreciate your time and engagement.
Mother’s Day Stall and Book Fair
The Mother’s Day Stall is running on May 8th from the Assembly Hall, and the Library Book Fair continues throughout the week. These events help bring our community together and promote both gratitude and a love of reading.
Year 11/12 Formal – May 2nd
Our senior students will celebrate their Formal this Friday evening—a significant milestone in their journey at St Joseph’s. We are proud of the leadership and maturity they are showing as they approach the final stages of their schooling.
Thank You to Our Staff
A heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff who go above and beyond each day:
- Ron Green, for coordinating a successful VETIS block.
- Mellissa Daley, who organised our online booking system and community BBQ, supported by Rakesh Lachaiya and Lisa Orcher.
- Sarah Bailie-Mace, for leading student involvement in the Tennis and AFL Gala Days.
- Our After-School Care team—Mackenzie Kidd, Rachel Brandish, and Carly Cox—whose care, creativity, and commitment continue to grow the program, now supporting 45 students on Wednesdays.
College Facilities Update
Our beautiful new Administration Block is now open. While the move came with a few hiccups, we are incredibly proud of the new space. It’s a welcoming and professional area that will serve our College community well. Thank you to Annette, Courtney, Colleen, Rowena, and our amazing grounds team—Mel and Jodie—for their hard work during the transition.
Across classrooms, we continue to prioritise the learning environment as the “Third Teacher,” ensuring that spaces are calm, structured, and supportive of learning and wellbeing.
Final Reflections
As we journey through this term, let us continue to walk in the footsteps of St Joseph the Worker, honouring our mission as a Catholic school—to teach, to serve, and to nurture.
May we all strive to live with respect, resilience, and a spirit of relationship, guided by faith and strengthened by our shared values.
Thank you for your partnership, your trust, and your ongoing support of our College community.
God Bless,
Sunniva Antonucci
Principal
Little Joeys News
Preschool & Little Joeys Classroom Update – Week 3
Dear Families,
Over the past fortnight, our Preschool and Little Joeys groups have been immersed in rich learning experiences, special celebrations, and opportunities to explore their creativity and interests in meaningful ways.
Easter Crafts & Celebrations
Both groups have enjoyed a variety of Easter-themed activities. The preschoolers created Easter lilies using a fun technique—mixing paint with water and blowing the mixture to form delicate purple flowers. This craft helped us explore the symbolism of Easter lilies, representing purity and new life, as highlighted in Steps for Planning to Raise Awareness in the Early Years. The children were proud of their unique artworks!
The Little Joeys spent some lovely quiet days creating their own Easter bonnet hats and Easter baskets. These creations were proudly worn and carried during our Easter Bonnet Parade at the school, where the children enjoyed showing off their personal designs to friends and educators.
Sensory Play & Inquiry Learning
Our coloured chickpea sensory trays were repurposed into a colour-sorting activity by Miss Laketa. When the children noticed the chickpeas had become wet, Miss Rachelle had a spontaneous idea—to plant them! This aligned perfectly with our inquiry-based approach. We discussed what plants need to grow, and the children eagerly helped plant the chickpeas in the garden, sharing ideas like water, sunlight, and soil.
Anzac Day Reflections
The following week, we commemorated Anzac Day. Educators shared stories about the significance of Anzac Day and why we take time to remember those who fought for our country. The children listened with respect and participated in our Anzac assembly alongside the preschoolers. Together, we made a collaborative wreath and individual paper wreaths as part of our tribute. The children loved making ANZAC Biscuits for their cooking experience last week. Mixing and pouring are always much loved tasks within our group.
Books & Outdoor Learning
Our weekly book selections included a range of Mother’s Day stories and Boss of My Own Mind, a social and emotional learning book that encourages self-awareness and confidence. Since the library was hosting a book fair, we made the most of the weather by having a relaxed reading session outdoors on the oval.
Explosive Volcano Fun!
A popular request among the preschoolers has been a volcano activity. On Thursday, Miss Laketa helped a group create one in the sandpit. After working together to moisten the dry sand and shape the volcano, the children watched in awe as vinegar and bicarb soda created an exciting red lava eruption.
Child-Led Learning Spaces
Recently, we had the opportunity to set up new play and learning areas throughout the centre, inspired by the children’s current interests. These spaces are already sparking new play ideas and helping the children deepen their exploration through hands-on, interest-led learning. The interest supported are as listed below:
Snake Small World
This has been a wonderful way to support the children’s ongoing interests and to encourage conversations about how to stay safe if we find a snake in a yard. A perfect topic with burn off season ahead of us.
Gardening
Many of the children have delighted in our sunflowers blooming and helping water the garden using watering cans
Make up Salon
There has been wonderful conversations, sharing of person experiences and role play in our makeup salon.
Thank you for your ongoing support. It’s been a joy to watch the children engage, grow, and celebrate together over the past few weeks.
Library News
Sports News
Important Athletics Carnival Announcements!
Get set for some thrilling sporting action at our upcoming Athletics Carnival, held at the town oval! Here are the important dates:
Thursday, May 29th: Secondary Jump and Throw Athletics Day from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Friday, May 30th: Whole School Athletics Carnival from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. Our Transition to Year 2 students will be joining in the fun from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.
We can't wait to see you all there, cheering on our amazing athletes!
U17s Eels Cup - MVP
A huge congratulations to our Year 9 student Bailey MacMillan for winning the u17s eels cup most valuable player. We are very proud of your efforts!
5/6 Luke Kelly Rugby Cup - Friday 23rd May
School Events and News
Information relating to the "First Nations" Cultural Calendar.
There are 3 Major events in the future;
National Sorry Day: 26th May
Reconciliation Week: 27th May – 3rd June
NAIDOC week: 6th – 13th July
National Sorry Day - Australia - 26th May 2025
We remember and acknowledge the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as the Stolen Generation Sorry Day. The stolen generation Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all share in the healing process.
On 13 February 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a formal apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly to the Stolen Generations whose lives had been blighted by past government policies of forced child removal and assimilation.
Stolen Generation Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and nation. While this date carries great significance for the Stolen Generations and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is also commemorated by Australians right around the country.
The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998, one year after the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Parliament. The Bringing Them Home report is a result of a Government Inquiry into the past policies which caused children to be removed from their families and communities in the 20th century.
Today, twenty-three years after the Bringing Them Home report and twelve years since the National Apology, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are still 10.6 times more likely than non-Indigenous children to be removed from their families.
We cannot begin to fix the problems of the present without accepting the truth of our history. Sorry Day asks us to acknowledge the Stolen Generations, and in doing so, reminds us that historical injustice is still an ongoing source of intergenerational trauma for Aboriginal and Torres Islander families, communities, and peoples.
Aboriginal Reconciliation Week is May 27th - June 3rd
The National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 2025 theme, Bridging Now to Next, reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future.
At a time when Australia faces uncertainty in its reconciliation journey, this theme calls on all Australians to step forward together.
Bridging Now to Next urges us to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.
In the #NRW2025 theme artwork created by Kalkadoon woman Bree Buttenshaw, native plants − which are known for regenerating after fire and thriving through adversity − symbolise our collective strength and the possibilities of renewal. This is a time for growth, reflection, and commitment to walking together.
Australia’s history of reconciliation is not a linear one, we have made great strides and experienced disappointing setbacks.
Be Apart Of Aboriginal Reconciliation Week in 2025
At Aboriginal Cultural Immersions we have delivered our Aboriginal Incursions and culture shows to Reconciliation week events in corporate business, schools, government, sporting clubs, small businesses and public events for over 20 years.
Now more than ever we invite you to book our ceremony and/or performance, and/or our workshops at your Reconciliation week events and enjoy our aboriginal elders, traditional owners, aboriginal performers and art workshop facilitators. We come to your property or venue and share the our oldest living culture on earth.
Be it with a Welcome To Country and/or Dance performance to open your event or bringing your team together to complete your own dreaming corporate art workshop or immersive incursions.
NAIDOC week – 6th – 13th July
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year, to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. National NAIDOC Week 2025 is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.
As we enter 2025, NAIDOC Week marks a powerful milestone: 50 years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience. The 2025 theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders, the vision of our communities, and the legacy of our ancestors.
This year, the National NAIDOC Committee takes an important step toward independence, embracing self-determination as a model for the next generation. With every story shared, every act of resilience remembered, and every cultural practice celebrated, we honour a legacy that reaches far into the past and extends into the future. As we celebrate this milestone, we look toward the next 50 years with excitement and confidence, while everyday ensuring that NAIDOC remains a movement grounded in community-led vision and integrity.
From this solid foundation, the next generation will rise—grounded in the strength of our Elders, history, inspired by a shared vision, and committed to building a legacy of unity, respect, and self-determination for all. This NAIDOC Week, we celebrate not just a milestone but a movement that endures, grows, and evolves—driven by the unwavering strength of our communities, the shared vision of our people, and the enduring legacy we pass on to those who will shape our future. Together, we walk forward, honouring where we've come from and looking boldly to the next generation who will carry NAIDOC and their communities into the future.
School Immunisations Progarm - week 5
The School Based Immunisation Program will be running in Week 5 for students in Years 9 to 12.
Remember to eat a good breakfast and drink plenty of water! If you have not returned your consent form please do so a.s.a.p. If you have any questions about the program, contact Nurse Lis 8973 8231 or 0408 429 230.
Community Events & News
Darwin Surf Lifesaving Club
Katherine Rugby League - Social Camp - Registration Open
Katherine River Saints Sporting Club - Under 10's and Under 12's.
