Term 1, Week 8, 24 March 2022

Principal Message

Dear Parents, this is the first newsletter since the floods devasted the northern rivers. We keep those affected in our prayers as they continue the long rebuilding process. If any families need anything at all, please reach out to me. 

So much has happened since our last newsletter. We had a Teacher Meet'n Greet which was a great night and I thank all parents who were able to attend - it was a fantastic turnout! I'm looking forward to the Parish School Forum working with us to run similar social events. 

Our Stage 2 and Stage 3 School camp was earlier this week. Please view the pictures and slideshow below. It was beautifully organised by Miss Wells and Mrs Bottle and the kids had a great time. 

Parish School Forum

The previous meeting had to be postponed due to the flood, so we will be holding the First Parish School Forum meeting on Thursday 31st March at 5:30pm. A letter outlining the details was sent home with your child last week. Now that restrictions look like easing, it would be great to get the parent community involved in planning some social events both in and out of the school!

We also need to elect a President, Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer as well as Class Parent Representatives to be organisers of class social events. 

If you are wanting to nominate yourself for any of these positions, please email me at david.bermingham@lism.catholic.edu.au. 

Communication Update - Compass

This week you would have recieved a letter from me regarding the use of Compass. Recent floods and disruptions have caused some breakdowns in communication, but to save paper and printing expenses, we really need all parents on board with Compass. 

From Term 2 2022, we are looking to streamline our communication through the Compass platform to align with the wider Lismore Catholic Education community.  SeeSaw will still be used at St John’s for classroom based sharing of student work.

Compass offers many features and benefits, including a smartphone application (app) and is our primary form of school communication to you. Compass comprises of the following features and functionalities, which make it a one-stop-shop for parents:

• Enter in explanations for absences.
• Update your family contact details.
• Download and view your child's semester reports.
• View news feeds of school announcements, alerts and updates.
• View the school calendar.
• Provide consent for events, and pay for excursions and school fees
• Order and pay for canteen

If you do need help with your Compass, please get in touch with me. 

Feast of St Joseph - 19th March

With the Apostolic Letter “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”) released last year, Pope Francis recalls the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. I recommend any father to read this letter, as it has personally made me a better father and person. 

We also cannot forget the history of our school, with it being started by the Sisters of St Joseph, Led by Mary of the Cross MacKillop. The Sisters of St Joseph obviously drew inspiration from St Joseph.

I want you to think - If someone were writing a description of you, what would be the first word they would choose? Would they describe your appearance? Your personality? Or would they describe your character?

One of the first things we learn about Saint Joseph is that he was “a righteous man” (Matthew 1: 19). Some translations say that he was a “just” man, which essentially means the same thing. What does being “righteous” or “just” actually mean? Some synonyms include virtuous, upright, decent, worthy, ethical. Basically, it means that Joseph was what we could call a “good man”.

It doesn’t mean that he was without flaws or faults. He might have snored or retold the same stories or even got upset at times. What it does mean is that he was a man who could be trusted to keep his word, be honest in his dealings with people, and err on the side of kindness.

Since we know so few details about Joseph, the fact that his character is the primary way he is described tells us not only that the writers of the Gospels thought his character mattered, but also that his character was his outstanding humanity. We have no idea of his age or his appearance, but we know he was a “good man”. To be known for 2,000+ years as a genuinely good person might just be the best description any of us can hope for.

Saint Joseph knew what it was like to live as a good person in trying times. So this feast is a reminder for us to ask for his help to find our own central core of decency and never compromise our values.

Key Dates

Please find below key dates for the remainder of the term. 

Principal Awards

Awards week 7

RE NEWS

AROUND THE CLASSES - Stage 3

In Visual Art lessons, Stage 3 students created "Self Identity Portraits." They used line, shape and proportion techniques to create a self portrait before adding a component to their work that depicts specific aspects of their lives. The aim was to present images that portray their own sense of self by featuring their own interests and activities.

Self Identity Portraits

Convicts

SCHOOL NEWS

Mounted Police Visit to School

School Camp

Camp

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High School info Year 7, 2023

Info regarding Trinity, Xavier and Woodlawn enrolment process  to be advised.

Mullum High transition visits will be in Term 2.  More info to come

COMMUNITY NEWS