St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Wandal Newsletter

A time to give…a time to receive.

In Japan, the custom when receiving another person’s business card is to take it in both hands and bow to the person giving.  It is almost a religious act.  There is a lesson here for us in how to receive the gifts we shall receive in the coming weeks.  We put plenty of thought, energy, expense and even time in getting and sending our gifts.  How much effort do we put into receiving them?  Gifts are symbols of our relationship.  Gifts received graciously are gifts given more than twice over.  And sometimes it takes some effort and ingenuity to receive well.  It is possible the gift we receive is not something we want.  It is possible that we have doubts about the person’s motive.  But that doesn’t mean we don’t have the opportunity to make something rich and precious out of the situation.  This takes thoughtfulness, sensitivity and a buoyancy of spirit on our part. 

And so it is with God.  God is giving to us all the time.  If we feel God is remote from our lives, perhaps it is because we haven’t been truly receiving the gifts we are being given. Oh, we get them alright but we have to receive them into our lives into our hearts.  If we just turn to God when we are in ‘need’, our relationship with God will be pretty unsatisfactory, as are all relationships just based on need.  Actively receiving and being grateful for what we receive both from God and from family and friends can enrich and deepen our relationships and our lives.  May this Christmas be glorious for you in giving and receiving and may the presents you give and receive be signs of deep and bonding love. 

Loving God, may we find joy giving and receiving gifts this Christmas.  As we celebrate the gift of your Son, Jesus, may we become present to each other as we give and receive.  We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

Thank you to the many families who attended this social gathering on Friday night. It was a great chance to catch up with many of you, and I am sure the performances by our children kept you thoroughly entertained. A special thanks to Santa, and Max our reading dog who both popped in for a quick hello.

My thanks to the P and F Committee and their band of helpers for their assistance in running the night. I never cease to be amazed by the generosity shown by many of the parents in this school – we could not do it without you! If, as parents, you are looking for a way to contribute something to the school community, I urge you to come along to a P and F Meeting in the New Year. My thanks, once more, to the P and F Executive Committee of 2019: Ryan Kitzelman, Nicole Newton, Tricia Burns, Bec Hauff, Emma Singleton and Jess Gorman.

Congratulations  to our Year Six students who celebrated their graduation from primary school with a mass and a supper at St Joseph’s Cathedral last Wednesday. Thank you to Jo Upton for photographing this special occasion. If you would like a copy of these photos, please drop a named USB into the school office.

School Leaders 2020 - Whilst all of our Year 6 students of 2020 will have special school leadership roles and responsibilities, we offer particular congratulations to the following students who were voted in by their peers earlier this week:

2020 School Captains: Jaya Dyne and Jake Lucas

Penola House Captains : Ahliah Bills and Bayden Jenkinson

MacKillop House Captains: Marshall Green and Maia Capra

Tenison House Captains : Kitty Thomson and Matthew Gill

The conclusion of the school year is always exciting and greatly anticipated but sadly we must say farewell to some of our school community. Farewell to the 2019 Year Six class who have led our school community very well this year. Our very best wishes to each of you as you move onto secondary school. In saying farewell to our Year Six students, we also recognise that it is the end of a long association with St Joseph’s Wandal for some of our families. We sincerely thank you all for your commitment to and support of our school and pass on our best wishes for the future.

Thank you to those families who have addressed their outstanding school fee accounts this week. If you have not made contact with me regarding your account as yet, please do so as soon as possible.

Report Cards/Class Groupings/Booklists - Report Cards will be distributed via Parent Lounge after 5:00pm tomorrow. If you are experiencing issues with your home internet, please remember that we have computers available for your use (during school times – please contact the school office for further information). Class grouping information for 2020 will be emailed to parents. Booklists will be posted on the Skoolbag App and on our website.

Help Needed! I have been tasked with organising a small reflection during the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass on 24th December at 6pm at St Joseph’s Cathedral. I will coordinate a group of children to participate in a small telling (in costume) of the Christmas Story. If you are intending on being at this mass, and your children would like the opportunity to participate please let me know at your earliest convenience by emailing the shcool office on sjwl@rok.catholic.edu.au. Thank you!

All items will be donated to St Vincent de Paul this Friday if not claimed. Lost property is located just outside the school office.

 We ask that all children’s medication stored in the school office be collected by a parent prior to the end of this week. We are unable to send this medication home with the children so would appreciate your assistance. 

Secondhand Uniforms - If you are wishing to sell uniforms at the end of the 2019 school year, please return them to the school, clean and labelled with your name, size and price.

School Uniform 2020 – A reminder that any requests for alternative uniforms, including hats, must be made in writing to Mrs Jenkinson, who will discuss the request with the school board. Please take careful note of the school Uniform Policy when purchasing new items, such as shoes, over the Christmas break. Shoes with white soles, and the ‘canvas’ type styles are not permitted. Thank you for adhering to our uniform expectations, we are always very proud of our neatly attired students.

 Please note that today was the last day of Tuckshop for 2020. There will be no tuckshop available on Friday. Thank you to Mrs Gail Brady and our tuckshop volunteers for providing this service during the year. 

Morgan Motors are opening a new store on Musgrave Street, North Rockhampton and have offered for our school to host a fundraising Sausage Sizzle as part of their opening celebrations. Please pop in on Saturday, 7th December to buy a sausage and support our P and F fundraising. Thank you to Nathan Crossland, who has offered to coordinate the Sausage Sizzle for us.

I have been tasked with organising a small reflection during the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass on 24 December at 6pm at St Joseph’s Cathedral. I will coordinate a group of children to participate in a small telling of the Christmas Story. If you are intending on being at this mass, and your children would like the opportunity to participate please let me know by the end of this week! We will have a small practise on Christmas Eve, at the Cathedral. 

Some upcoming dates to keep in mind:

 Thursday 5th December – Whole School Spelling Bee Finals in the Hall 11.45am.

 Thursday 5th December - 5pm Report Cards distributed via Parent Lounge

 Friday 6th December – End of Year Liturgy and distribution of Year 6 Graduation Certificates in the hall at 9am.

"Lying upon the straw of Bethlehem, Jesus does not only preach humility, but gives a perfect example of obedience and charity."

 Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop

I encourage you to view this great You Tube resource, which helps to dispel some of the myths about the birth of Jesus.  In classes, students watched this You Tube clip before beginning an exegesis of the Biblical text on two infancy narratives of the birth of Jesus.  Both the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew share a recount of the birth of Jesus.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPRaYnm12OQ&feature=youtu.be

Please be advised that there will be no reading groups next week.  Thank you to all our volunteers.

Thank you to our School Banking Co-ordinator.

We would like to thank Mrs Tracey Black who has volunteered as our School Banking Co-ordinator since school banking commenced at our school in 2018.  Tracey will be finishing up as our Co-ordinator on 5th December 2019.

 We would also like to welcome Mrs Kate Lipke & Mrs Tanya Johnson as our new School Banking Co-ordinators!

 Our School Banking volunteers are vital in helping teach students the importance of saving regularly.