Filter Content
Dear Lord,
We ask you to bless St Joseph's School Community.
We pray that you guide us to be just and to see,
listen, speak and act like St Joseph.
May we be inspired by our Founders to be the best
that we can be.
May we always keep Jesus at the centre of all we do.
St Emilie Pray for us
St Marcellin Pray for us
St Joseph Pray for us
And may we always remember to pray for one another.
AMEN
Dear Members of St Joseph's Community
This week I have been in Broome taking part in the review of a school and its principal. I was treated to a magnificent spectacle of the Stairway to the Moon one evening, and it left me truly in awe of the beauty of our country.
During this process, there have been many moments of reflection where I have been able to consider St Jospeh’s School with great pride at what is happening, while also recognising that there is always room for improvement in every school. I have also had the opportunity to reflect on just how lucky we are in Northam.
Our pupil free day this Friday will be spent at Holy Cross College in Ellenbrook with many of the other Catholic schools in our eastern region. This day is devoted to our faith and the keynote speaker is Father Elio Capra. He will speak about the challenges of being Catholic in our modern world and what this might mean for our Catholic schools of the future.
Congratulations
The school would like to congratulate the following groups of students on their recent successes:
- Those students in Year 3 who took part in their first Sacrament of Penance. This is a significant step in the faith journey of these children and it is lovely to see such as large group actively involved.
- The Year 5 & 6 students involved in the successful VaNS interschool carnival on Tuesday. St Joseph’s is showing those city schools that country kids can hold their own on the sporting field.
- The ACC Cross-Country team who ran their hearts out on Thursday down in Perth. Individual results will be published in the next newsletter.
Uniforms
Thank you to those families who have made an effort to ensure that your children are coming to school with the correct uniform on each day. There has been a noticeable improvement across the school.
We are very close to being able to seek feedback from the school community on the items selected for the new school uniform. We are meeting with the uniform providers in the coming weeks to view samples and provided that we are happy with what they are showing us, we will then display them on both campuses for a short period of time and have an avenue for feedback from families and students. It is important to note that there will be a two-year transition period so any uniforms purchased this year will still be able to be worn until the end of 2026.
I hope all families enjoy a well-deserved long weekend. We look forward to seeing students back with us on Tuesday 4 June.
With God’s blessings,
Andrea Woodgate
Principal
Dates for your Diary
Week 8
| Monday 3 June: | WA Day - Public Holiday |
| Tuesday 4 June: | Year 11 & 12 Examinations Year 10 Immunisations P&F Meeting - 4:00pm |
| Wednesday 5 June: | Year 11 & 12 Examinations First Eucharist Workshop - 3:45pm |
| Thursday 6 June: | Feast of St Marcellin Champagnat Early Close |
| Friday 7 June: | Primary Assembly (4G & Cross Country Medals) - 9:00am |
Week 9
| Monday 10 June: | Year 10 Course Counselling Interviews commence |
| Tuesday 11 June: | Year 9 Retreat |
| Wednesday 12 June: | Marist Youth Ministry Night @ Newman College |
| Thursday 13 June: | Pre-Primary Liturgy Early Close |
| Friday 14 June: | Primary Assembly (2G) |
"Spirit of Jesus" Award
Fourvière Steps
Last week our Fourvière steps got a facelift.
We are thrilled with how great the steps now look with our House Values and some Making Jesus Real reminders.
Thanks to Rikk for installing the signs.
Lloyd Reidy
Religious Education Coordinator
Dear Families & Friends,
We have had a very wet end to this week but are so thankful for the rain! Our Year 6 students and some of the Year 5 students played netball, volleyball, soccer and AFL in the rain on Tuesday. I was very proud to see such great examples of sportsmanship, encouragement and teamwork on the day. Congratulations to all our teams, but a special mention to Netball and Volleyball who brought home trophies from the day. A huge thank you also to the parents who attended and assisted as coaches, umpires and supporters on the day.
Last week was another big sporting event as students joined in the Cross Country Carnival. It was a very successful day, and I was very impressed with how many students gave the competitive races a go and were supported by staff and their peers right to the end.
Pre-primary families will have received notification at the start of this week about the Australian Early Development Census. Please take the time to complete the questionnaire that was linked in the email as this will assist staff to answer the census accurately. Further information is available on the class notices page, or you can speak to me if you have specific questions.
God moments:
- Watching Aida (Y6) realise that she is a goal shooting superstar – 23 goals in one Netball game!
- Discussing with staff at our meeting last week how they can model being ‘ready to teach’ with their classes.
- Seeing amazing perserverance and resilience of the students participating in the Cross Country Carnival.
- Helping Rick the Rock to get pumped up for the Eagles vs Demons game on the weekend as part of the West Coast visit on Monday.
Linley Waters
Head of Primary
Class in Focus: Year One Blue
Year 1's Sweet Potato Adventure!
Hello, Wonderful Parents and Friends of Year 1!
We have an exciting story to share with you all!
The Big Discovery: It all started when I discovered a sweet potato growing in my pantry. Yes, you heard that right—a sweet potato! Naturally, our curious Year 1 minds were buzzing with questions. Why was it growing? How do sweet potatoes grow? Why are some of them small and some of them big? Don’t they need water? Can we grow one too?
Our classroom quickly turned into a mini science lab! Armed with magnifying glasses and notebooks, we began our sweet potato investigation. Here’s a peek into our adventure:
Experiment Time: We decided to see if we could grow our own sweet potatoes. We placed our sweet potatoes in a jar of water and watched in amazement as roots began to grow. Each week, we eagerly checked our jar to see the progress. Some of them didn’t grow anything at all, so that sparked a further flurry of ‘wonderings’. We decided to transfer some of the ones that weren’t growing into a dark cool place, just like my pantry.
Research Fun: So far, we have learned that sweet potatoes aren’t just tasty, but they’re also full of nutrients and can grow right in our homes! We discovered how they grow underground and how their vines stretch out above ground. We even talked about the difference between sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, and found out about the largest sweet potato in the world, which is around 37 kilograms!
Inspired by our findings, we drew pictures, wrote stories and even made up songs about sweet potatoes. Some of us imagined sweet potatoes as superheroes with the power to grow anywhere! We even drew faces on ours, but we are yet to name them!
This sweet potato adventure, although far from done, has been an incredible journey of learning. We have realised that even the simplest things can spark great curiosity and wonder. It’s a reminder that every day is an opportunity to discover something new and exciting.
We are excited to keep nurturing our curiosity and can’t wait to share more adventures with you soon!
Shell Read
1 Blue Teacher
Class in Focus: Year Six Gold
Year 6 Gold has had an action-packed few weeks!
On the Friday of Week 5, students took to the stage for a BTN-style assembly, impressing the school with their extensive knowledge of Natural Disasters.
The following Monday, we ventured down to Perth to explore the fascinating Perth Mint, where everyone was thrilled to discover their worth in gold and enjoyed the tranquillity of Kings Park.
The excitement continued on Tuesday of Week 7 when the students donned their sporting kits and returned to Perth for the VANS Lightning Carnival. Despite the wet and wild weather, they brought their best sportsmanship, securing victories in Netball and Volleyball, and achieving a respectable 2nd place in AFL. Well done to everyone involved!
Mikala Thomas
6 Gold Teacher
Primary Choir
On Tuesday 21 May, the choir performed for the residents of Juniper Bethavon.
The morning was filled with joy and laughter as the choir sang hymns, worship music and some contemporary songs in practice for next term's Catholic Performing Arts Festival.
We thank Julie and Erin for organising the visit and give an extra huge thanks to the catering staff for the delicious morning tea.
We look forward to continuing this partnership with Juniper in the future.
Lloyd Reidy
Choir Master
Primary Cross-Country Carnival
I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful rain. It has sent a few of our Secondary students loopy and we have had to tell more than a couple to “get out of the rain”, but I think most of us are just so glad to have it.
Last week, we took part in a Wellness Week on the Secondary campus which was enjoyed by both staff and students. It was good to remind ourselves of the importance of looking after ourselves, while being stressed out with exams and marking.
Thank you to the school nurses who came out on Wednesday for the Year 7 immunisations. Most students were so focussed on receiving their lollypop, they didn’t notice the needle. The nurses will be back on Tuesday for the Year 10s. Let’s see if they are as brave!
The Year 9 and 10s have now completed their Semester 1 examinations and the Year 11 and 12s are halfway through theirs. It is always a stressful time but if you notice the stress developing into mood swings, please contact the school so that we can help with mindfulness exercises.
Have a happy and safe long weekend.
Sharon Cusack
Head of Secondary
Physical Education
Year 11 & 12 Outdoor Education Camp
Students in Year 11 and 12 Outdoor Education attended their first camp of the year on Wednesday and Thursday of Week 5.
Students participated in a ride along the Kep track to Lake Leschenaultia on day 1. After setting up camp, students rode the downhill trails at Lake Leschenaultia, demonstrating their riding skills, team work and leadership. The evening was filled with camp skills, with students cooking their own dinners in Tangias (camp cookers). Students made a variety of meals to restore their energy from the day and prepare for the following day's ride.
Day 2 saw students travel from Lake Leschenaultia to Bellevue, completing the Kep and Railway heritage Trail.
Throughout the camp, students demonstrated leadership and great collaboration ensuring all members overcame challenges and completed the trail as required.
Thank you to Ryan Sinclair, Cameron Greenley, Rikk Hargrave and Michelle Ridout for your time and effort to ensure this camp was suucessful and the students all had an enjoyable time.
Adrienne Suckling
Head of Health & Physical Education
News from the VET Office
Congratulations to Denae Wallace on the completion of her Certificate IV Preparation for Health and Nursing. This qualification will provide Denae with a competitive edge in her plan to pursue a career in nursing or healthcare.
Denae has been self-motivated and self-directed while completing her course online through Central Regional TAFE in Year 11 and 12.
Caroline Marriott
VET Coordinator
School Calendar
The school calender is accessed via the School website or the Schoolzine app. Please ensure that you keep refering to this calendar throughout the year.
You are encouraged to check the calendar for upcoming events that may involve your family.
Andrea Woodgate
Principal
Parent Participation Scheme
Did you know that the School offers a reduction in your school fees?
Families have the ability to work off a portion of their fees through voluntary help at the School. This is a great way to get involved and set a wonderful example of vollunteering for your child.
Whilst assisting in the Canteen is an obvious way to help, other activities encouraged include:
- Classroom assistance
- Reading assistance
- Officiating at swimming & athletics carnivals
- Gardening
- Running or assisting with fundraising activities
- Covering books for the Library
Forms and pamphlets are available from the Primary Office or to download from the website at https://sjsnortham.schoolzineplus.com/_file/media/86/parent_participation_card.pdf
Once completed, please hand in to the Business Manager, Ms Quinn, by the end of Term 3 - the forms can be dropped into either the Primary or Secondary Admin Office and Ms Quinn will arrange for the deduction of the Levy from your School Fees Account.
Sharon Quinn
Business Manager
Term Time Opening Times: Mondays - 3.15pm to 4.45pm
Thursdays - 2.45pm to 4.15pm
REMINDER: Students are required to wear their winter uniform for Term 2 and 3.
Families wishing to access the Uniform Shop are advised that the online shop is the preferred method of ordering uniforms. Please note we cannot accept email or telephone orders.
If items are required to be tried on, then an appointment should be made through our online booking system. As the Uniform Shop is a small space, we continue to limit numbers, so an appointment is required.
For details of our new online Booking System for Uniform Shop Appointments, please see the attached flyer.
Please keep in mind when ordering that items will be sent home within 2-4 days of ordering.
Disclaimer:
All returns and or exchanges of uniforms to be made within the school term (3 months) of initial purchase.
Michelle James
Primary - 9621 3524
The Primary Canteen is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The Secondary Canteen is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
You are encouraged to please order online. If we experience connectivity issues with the online ordering, please revert to using lunch bags to place orders for that day.
Recess or snack items ordered online are available for students to collect from the Canteen at their Recess break. Milo pops and icypoles can be collected from the Canteen following the second lunch bell.
Canteen Support - Volunteers Required
Due to high demand on our quality food and service we need helpers to ensure that our kids get their lunches on time. In order to function to our highest potential, we ideally need 2 or more volunteers a day. Volunteering is a great way to teach your kids about giving, modelling them for the future. Also, every shift you do at our school helps you towards qualifying for a Parent Participation discount on your annual fees.
We would love to welcome you into our fun and busy environment and see the smiles on your children’s faces when they see you in their school. If you are able help, please send back your Canteen Assistance form or, for Primary, sign up online: the new Volunteer Sign-up Page is now up and running - click here.
I look forward to working with you. If you have any queries, you are always welcome to contact the Canteen on the number below.
Angela Sandrini (Primary) Desrae Smith (Secondary)
9621 3525 9621 8104
Bingo Night
Our first big fundraiser for the year! This year we will be raising funds to go toward the senior school Health program. In particular, to provide extra resources for mental health. Bingo night will be an adults only event. It will be held on Saturday 8 June.
Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 4 June at 4.00pm in the PAC at the Primary campus.
If you require more information or would like to discuss any school or P&F issue, you can contact me at anytime 0424 288 354. No question is too silly, I am here to help in any way. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out!
Follow us on Facebook
To stay up to date with the P&F please follow our Facebook page for more updates. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1764507137145087
Casey Pearse
P&F Chair
Parish Priest - Fr Stephen Jean Paul Victor
Assistant Priest - Fr Rubenson Cardona
Mass Times ~ Saturday Vigil @ 5.30pm
~ Sunday Mass @ 8.00am
Presbytery Phone: 08 9622 5411
Email: northam@perthcatholic.org.au *
Website: www.northamchurch.com
Parish News ~ Children's Liturgy
Children’s Liturgy sessions are held during the 8.00am Sunday Mass.
*Please note the new email address.
From the School Nurse
Crunch Bites is a podcast to support parents and provides practical ideas around boosting children’s nutrition in an easily accessible, grab-and-go format.
Season one will cover a range of topics from fussy eating and the importance of eating vegetables, to how parents can support their children to build positive relationships with their bodies and food.
Join Mikala and Nicole as they help you find ways to build healthy habits, tackle common concerns, or answer questions about children’s food and nutrition.
Check out Crunch Bites on all major podcast streaming services.
Tiny Tots First Aid
Parenting Connection are offering a First Aid Course for parents and carers of infants and toddlers on Thursday 6 June. For more information, see the attached flyer.
Better Health Program
Registrations are open for the Better Health Program running throughout the term. Better Health Program is supported by the Child and Adolescent Health Service and funded by the Department of Health. It is a free healthy lifestyle program for families of children aged 6-12 years who are above a healthy weight.
- Online places available as soon as you register! Start when you are ready to make healthy changes as a family!
- Online (available now!)
- https://betterhealthprogram.org/wa or 1300 822 953
- FREE
Bakers Hill Junior Golf
School Dental Therapy Centre
Please note that the School Dental Therapy Centre is available to see school-aged children from Pre-Primary to 16 years of age at their Northam Centre, located on the Northam Primary School campus. If any students require Dental Care, please contact us at the following:
Northam Dental Therapy Centre
c/- Northam Primary School (entry via Duke Street)
0458 644 530
This year Auskick will be kicking off from Friday 3 May to 21 June for 8 consecutive sessions. Our Friday afternoon sessions will run from 4:30pm - 5:30pm at the Pool end of Jubilee Oval at the Northam Recreation Centre.
We are looking for a new Auskick coordinator, if you are interested in this role, please contact us asap. The role comes with one season of mentoring by previous coordinator.
Auskick is for boys and girls from 5 to 8 years. It helps build ball skills, hand and eye coordination and teamwork, giving kids a basic understanding of team sports preparing them for later in life.
It is a requirement that you register online and to secure your place, Kids sport vouchers are available at https://kidsport.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/kidsport/apply-for-kidsport-1/. We strongly suggest that your register early so that your child receives their Auskick pack before commencement of program. Cost is $75 per player.
To register visit https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/608b64. should you have any issues please contact aflauskick@afl.com.au or contact the temporary coordinator.
Please keep in mind that this program is only possible with parent support and each family will be required to assist at least once over the course of the 8 weeks. If you can consistently assist by running groups, please contact Angela at northamjuniorfootball@gmail.com and I will make sure that you have all the required information. For up-to-date information, please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077340198010
NOTICEBOARD