St. Josephs Catholic College Katherine eNewsletter Term 01 - Week 04
Principal's Message
Welcome to the New College Year.
Dear Parents, Guardians, Carers, Students and Staff,
As we begin another exciting year at St Joseph’s Catholic College, we extend a warm welcome to all students, families, and staff. It has been wonderful to see our community come together, reconnecting with familiar faces and welcoming new members with open arms.
We have already had a meaningful start to the year, with a special College Mass celebrated by Bishop Charles, bringing together our Primary and Secondary students in faith and reflection. Congratulations to our newly appointed College Captains: Art Taylor and Stella Fletcher for Primary, and Taitt Green, Darcey Alderson, and Miyah McCoy for Secondary. We look forward to their leadership and contributions throughout the year.
A sincere thank you to all the parents and families who attended the Welcome BBQ—it was fantastic to see such a great turnout. Your presence and support help create the strong community spirit that makes St Joseph’s such a special place.
It is our sincerest hope that all students, as they begin this new school year, will see education as a privilege rather than an obligation and embrace their learning with enthusiasm, determination, and a positive mindset. St Thomas Aquinas reminds us, “Whatever is received is received according to the mode of its receiver.” We encourage our students to approach their studies with goodwill and a commitment to doing their best, both for themselves and their fellow students.
In many ways, our school is supported by two vital teams—the dedicated staff within the College and the equally important support network at home. A child’s education is greatly enriched by parental involvement, both in the home and within the College community. Enthusiasm, support, and engagement from parents inspire children to strive for success. Children often adopt the attitudes and values of the adults they look up to—when they see that education is a priority, they are more likely to approach their own learning with a positive attitude.
When the Gospels describe Jesus’ Baptism, they tell how the heavens opened and God’s voice was heard to say, “This is the blessed one in whom I take delight.” Jesus carried these words with Him throughout His life, always acting with kindness, encouragement, and support for others. As educators and parents, we take inspiration from His example, working together to create the best possible learning environment for all students.
From the start of Week 4 Tuesday 18th February, I will be on Long Service Leave until the 10th of March. During this time, I leave the College in the safe and capable hands of Tegan Hobbs as Acting Principal and Rachel Hand as Acting Deputy Principal. I have every confidence in their leadership and know that the College community will continue to thrive under their guidance.
At St Joseph’s, we are here to ensure that every child has access to the best opportunities for learning and personal growth. We encourage open communication—if you have any concerns, questions, or positive feedback, please do not hesitate to contact the College.
Once again, welcome to 2025! May this be a year of growth, achievement, and shared success for all.
Peace and best wishes,
Sunniva Antonucci
Principal
Primary News
Transition: A Fantastic Start!
Transitions have settled in well and are enjoying learning and exploring new concepts through all curriculum areas. Within Mathematics, the Transition Students have been working on identifying and representing numbers and counting by rote. The students have shown their knowledge through a range of hands-on learning tasks including number towers, duck duck numbers, and modelling with playdough. Throughout literacy we have begun learning our initial sounds and practicing blending these together to read words. Music with Mrs Priest continues to be such a highlight of our students week, along with visits to the library to see Miss Lisa. Over the coming weeks we will continue exploring materials in Science throughout experiments and investigations and explore the concept of Change Over Time within HASS. Thanks for a fun couple of weeks Transition!
Year 2: Ready, Set, Learn!
Year 2 have had a good start to the year, settling in well and learning their new routines and getting to know their teachers. They have been extra lucky to have 2 to start the year off, as Miss Brandish is on her teacher placement. We have loved having her teach us for many fun and engaging lessons and look forward to seeing what she has in store for us in her last week.
Parent Information Night
Secondary News
Year 12 Valentine's Day Assembly - A Celebration of Love!
Last week Friday, our Year 12 students treated us to a wonderful assembly celebrating St. Valentine's Day. The focus was on the beauty of love in its many forms, and how it is reflected in our relationships with friends, family, and ultimately, with God.
One of the highlights of the assembly was the screening of a video exploring the question, "What is love?" The video featured interviews with students, right from Little Joey’s to the Senior School, sharing their perspectives on love. Answers included: “Love is caring”, “Love is greeting family when you haven’t seen them in a while” and “Love is helping Mum and Dad with the dishes.” The video highlighted how love transcends romantic relationships, and how it is expressed in acts of service, friendship, and familial bonds.
Following the video, the students presented a poem about love:
God's Love on Valentine's Day
In Katherine's warm sunshine, where we laugh and play,
At St Joseph's College, we celebrate today.
On St Valentine's Day, we share love and cheer,
The love that God gives us, is always near.Happy St Valentine’s Day, to friends old and new,
May God’s love be with us, and shine brightly through!
Thank you to all of the Year 12 students who contributed to the St. Valentine's Day Assembly. Their hard work and enthusiasm made it a memorable and insightful occasion. We are so proud of their commitment to showcasing the values that St Joseph's College stands for and their dedication to sharing God's love with everyone at the College.
Little Joeys News
Dear Families,
It has been a fantastic few weeks at Little Joeys ELC, filled with exploration, creativity, and new experiences that support and encourage your child’s development. At the start of the year our focus is on nurturing strong, secure and connected relationships between our children and educators and also to encourage new relationships with their peers. This year everyone has settled in beautifully to our environment and we are looking forward to a wonderful year of learning and growing together.
Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to and how our learning connects to our national curriculum, the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
Our Learning Highlights
Building Relationships/ Learning our Routine
We continue to foster friendships and encourage positive social interactions through group play, turn-taking games, and collaborative activities. Many of our children have moved from other centres in the local area and already have established friendships but we have noticed many more new relationships developing especially when children share common interests. (EYLF Outcome 1: Children feel safe, secure, and supported.)
Here at LJELC we place a strong focus on providing hands- on experiences and tasks that promote autonomy such as self-serving meals, chopping fruit and washing our own dishes. As children become familiar with the flow of our day and familiar transitions, group times, and self-help tasks, they are gaining confidence and independence in daily routines. (EYLF Outcome 3: Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and wellbeing.)
School Library Visits
Our preschool group has been enjoying visits to the school library, where our wonderful librarian, Ms. Lisa, reads a story each week. After story time, the children have the agency to choose a book, fostering a love for reading and literacy. Many children are developing letter recognition skills and gaining confidence in navigating the wider school environment. These visits are helping them feel connected to their future learning spaces. (EYLF Outcome 5: Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from them.)
Exploring Insects in Nature and Created Environments
The children have been observing insects in the garden and engaging in creative play with insect figurines and artwork. To provide an opportunity for inquiry-based learning educators set up various experiences within the classroom to challenge thinking and wonder. The children used magnifying glasses and brushes to excavate resin covered insects in trays of dirt and were all challenged to a game of sorting insects from non-insects. These activities encourage curiosity, scientific thinking, and respect for living things. (EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world.)
Baby-Themed Home Corner
Following the children’s interest, we have introduced a baby-themed home corner where they role-play as caregivers, feeding, dressing, and comforting baby dolls. This has been a great tool for building friendships and for children to use verbal communication to share their home experiences. We would like to extend a thank you to parent Amelia Peters for the wonderful donation of baby care posters and fact sheets we used to enrich our environment. This has supported empathy, responsibility, and social skills. (EYLF Outcome 1: Children develop a strong sense of identity.)
Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) Program
We have commenced our weekly FMS program on the school oval and are using the Munch and Move resources to guide our play. It is such a fun way to get our preschool people active and build skills with movement-based activities. Each week we plan different play-based activities to support balance, coordination, and physical confidence through running, jumping, and throwing games. (EYLF Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.)
Cooking and Food Preparation Program
We have been baking cupcakes and chopping fruit, helping children develop fine motor skills, early maths concepts, and an understanding of healthy eating. This week we made delicious zucchini chocolate muffins which the children (and educators) devoured. Within our program we collaborate with the children to plan a new cooking experience every fortnight and also welcome any parent volunteers to come in and cook with us. (EYLF Outcome 4: Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, and persistence.)
Building and Constructing
Children have been using loose parts, Mobilo, and Poly M to build and create imaginative structures. We have also been making large scale towers using the loose parts on our front verandah and sheets. This encourages problem-solving, teamwork, safety awareness and creativity. (EYLF Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners.)
Exploring Sea Creatures in Water and Kinetic Sand on the Lightbox
Through sensory play, children have been exploring marine life, storytelling, and descriptive language, enriching their vocabulary and imaginative thinking. The sea creatures are much loved by many of our children and they enjoy grouping the sharks and whales into family groups. As it has been so hot we have been exploring many elements of waterplay with our animal figurines and have used a variety of sensory mediums such as coloured dye, shaving cream and cornflour to add to our water. (EYLF Outcome 5: Children engage with a range of texts and media to express ideas.)
Reminders & Upcoming Events
- Please ensure your child brings a hat, shoes, spare clothes and water bottle daily.
We are currently on the look out for fabulous new team members. We have an open position for a centre cook and for an educator. Both roles are part-time and within school hours, so they suit busy families. If you would like more information or to apply, please call us on 8972 3864 or email Rachelle at Rachelle.Balfour-Quinn@nt.catholic.edu.au
We are so proud of the children’s engagement and enthusiasm for learning. Thank you for your ongoing support – we look forward to another exciting month ahead!
Warm regards,
The Little Joeys ELC Team
School Events
Join Us for Our Annual General Meeting (AGM)!
We’re excited to invite all members of the St Joseph’s Catholic College community to our upcoming AGM, where we’ll discuss important updates, share achievements, and talk about exciting plans for the future. This meeting is open to everyone, and we warmly encourage new members to join us and get involved!
Date: 12th, March 2025
Time: 5 PM
Location: Library, St Joseph’s Catholic College.
Whether you're a long-time member or new to the community, your voice matters. Come meet the team, share your ideas, and learn more about how you can get involved.
We look forward to seeing you there!
NAPLAN 2025
Meet Our Inclusion Support Team
Join Our Team!
