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MESSAGE FROM THE LEADERSHIP TEAM
I have come back to Earth with a thud after spending 16 days in Italy – nine of them as part of a working group from Catholic Education WA in Rome and the rest using some Long Service Leave to see a few more sites.
The working group was made up of representatives from WA, Ireland and Scotland and we were looking at how to better align the secular programs being used in schools with our Catholic faith and Catholic Social teachings. There were many days of quite heavy theology study as well as some very productive, practical sessions where we produced some resources which will hopefully be used by Catholic education systems. After hearing from our colleagues from across the world, we are now very grateful for the connectedness and support that we receive from Catholic Education WA.
I was very lucky to be in Rome at such an eventful time, where it was amazing to see the devoted crowds and be part of such a historic event. We were privileged to be able to celebrate our own private mass in the crypt of St Peter’s Basilica, near the tombs of previous popes and the relics of St Peter himself. It was quite an honour, as this same place, just a few days later, was used by our new pope, Leo XIV, to celebrate mass with his closest bishops.
Thank you to Linley Waters for undertaking the role of Acting Principal while I was overseas.
Convent Renovations
The renovations to the Convent building on the secondary campus have now been completed and, once signed off by the Shire, we will be able to commence using the spaces again. There are now 4 small classrooms upstairs which will be used by small Year 11 & 12 classes. This will free up the larger rooms for bigger classes. The new roof will see the building through another 50-60 years, the wooden flooring has been revived and the spaces are once again something that the Sisters would be proud of. We can’t wait to be able to start using them.
da Vinci Decathlons
Congratulations to those students who have represented the school in the da Vinci Decathalon this week at UWA. By all accounts, our students displayed great teamwork and creativity and we are very proud of all of them.
West Coast Fever Netball Cup
Today the Wheatbelt Netball Cup took place at the Northam Rec Centre and we were thrilled to send along 120 students to participate. Once again, our students made us very proud as they not only played well but also showed great sportsmanship. Congratulations to all involved.
Events in the Next Week: Week 4
| Friday | May 16 | Walk to School Day ASDAN Excursion to Toodyay 9.00am-12.00pm |
| Saturday | May 17 | |
| Sunday | May 18 | |
| Monday | May 19 | Wellness Week at Secondary |
| Tuesday | May 20 | |
| Wednesday | May 21 | Reconciliation Rehearsal 3.45pm |
| Thursday | May 22 | Year 11 & 12 Exams Commence Friendology Parent & Child Online Workshop |
Term 2 Dates for your Diary
| Friday | May 23 | Primary Cross country @ School (Years 1-6) |
| Monday | May 26 | ASDAN Swan Active Excursion 9.00am-3.10pm |
| Thursday | May 29 | Sacrament of Reconciliation 6.00pm |
| Friday | May 30 | Pupil Free Day |
| Monday | June 2 | Public Holiday: WA Day |
| Wednesday | June 4 | Year 12 Camino & Nahra Retreat (3 days) Pre-Primary Excursion: Caversham Wildlife Park |
| Tuesday | June 10 | VANS Lightning Carnival Year 6s |
| Wednesday | June 11 | School Photos: Primary & Siblings |
| Thursday | June 12 | School Photos: Secondary |
| Week 10 | Jun 30 - Jul 4 | Founders' Week |
| Friday | July 4 | Term 2 concludes |
Employment Opportunities
Gospel Reflection
This week's Gospel Reflection has a focus on 'The Good Shepherd' and more particularly, listening to God through our conscience.
Year 3 Retreat
On Wednesday May 14 the Year 3 cohort had the opportunity to experience a Reconciliation Retreat with 24/7 Ministries. Students immersed themselves in a series of games, skits, short video clips and activities that stressed the importance of forgiveness in our lives and making Jesus a real presence for our attitudes and ideals.
The Year 3s had a great day and are very thankful to Naya, Kyla and Maddison for facilitationg the Retreat.
Sacramental Programs
If you would like your child to participate in the Sacramental Programs this year please complete the form attached to the image below and return it to the school addressed to Mrs Kathy Pollard along with the registration fee (cash please) , thank you.
If you have any queries regarding the Sacramental Programs or if you would like to begin the process with a Baptism, please contact Kathy Pollard at kathy.pollard@cewa.edu.au.
Upcoming Events at Primary
Year 5 Classes in Focus
Year 5 have hit the ground running this term, diving into science by exploring gases and getting stuck into multiplication and division strategies in maths. In English, we've been collaborating in groups to build persuasive writing toolkits—so parents, prepare to be convinced! We've settled smoothly back into school life, working hard and having fun while learning together.
Booking link: https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/bwfau
Event code: bwfau
URSTRONG School
URSTRONG’s whole-school friendship strategy has improved the social climate in schools around the world, connecting over a million kids, parents, and teachers with a common language of friendship. We are proud to be a URSTRONG School, empowering your children with friendship skills through their award-winning Friendology friendship skills curriculum.
You are invited to attend an ONLINE Language of Friendship parent-child workshop for URSTRONG Schools on Thursday 22 May at 6:00pm. Dana Kerford, Founder of URSTRONG, will be live from Canada to teach you and your children skills + language to foster healthy, feel-good friendships.
This workshop will take place online via Zoom. If this is a first for you, you might want to try a test by clicking here.
When it’s time: CLICK HERE TO JOIN
Meeting ID: 842 0706 2591
Password: URSTRONG
You are also invited to keep the conversation going at home with a FREE membership for URSTRONG Families. Take advantage of activities, videos, & articles to continue empowering your child with friendship skills.
Upcoming Events at Secondary
VET Program
TAFE enrolments have increased in 2025 with 28 students enrolled at Central Regional TAFE and 17 students enrolled in certificate II and III courses via other RTO’s. The Workplace Learning Program has begun with a bang with a huge interest from the Year 10 cohort. Last year 24 secondary students completed a workplace learning placement, but this year we have that many in Terms 1 and 2 already.
Congratulations to Samuel Vincent for completing 55hrs at Verlinden’s Electrical Service and also to Tom Adams who not only completed 2 work placements so far this year but was offered dual Mechanical/Auto Electrical Apprenticeship following his successful workplacement at Avon Valley Toyota to begin immediately. Well Done Tom!
Year 9s have also been exploring possible VET pathways at TAFE in a variety of Career Tasters throughout the semester.
TAFE Open Day
On Tuesday all Year 10s went on an excursion to Central Regional TAFE for an Open Day to see what was possible as a future study pathway in upper secondary or career pathway beyond school.
The Uniform Shop days for in-term appointments this year have changed to Monday & Wednesdays.
**PLEASE REMEMBER!**
All 'old' uniform, or combinations of old and new uniform items, can be worn until the end of the 2026 school year.
Uniform Shop Information
- Year 6 Leavers Shirts - will be here towards the end of this term, then sent home via class baskets.
- Sports Uniform - this can be purchased from the uniform shop, via the CDFPay app. We still have stock of the older style house shirts available for sale in various sizes. Please note that the incoming tracksuit pants will have the school’s name on the upper left thigh. Currently, only youth sizes 6, 8 and 10 have this, with other sizes being phased in as we sell out of the previous stock.
Perm-a-Pleat News - Week 3!
- Size 12, 14 and 16 blue (Year 3-10) relaxed shirts are out of stock and won’t be available until mid to late May
- Soft-Shell Jackets will not be available to order from Perm-a-Pleat until late May. We will advise via Facebook and the school newsletter when we have sample sizing jackets in stock.
CDF Pay School Orders News!
From time of ordering, orders will take around a week to make it home via your child's classroom / homeroom baskets. Thank you for your patience.
* Stock is running low on some of the 'old' uniform items, and we have sold out on a few. As previously advised, we will not be reordering any more of the old uniform.
Now available in the uniform shop via the CDF Pay App:
- Kindy shirts - in purple and orange in size 4 only (for now). Please note that these are T-shirts, NOT polos. Purple and orange polos in sizes 2 and 6 are still available.
- Pre-Primary - Year 2 - Tracksuit Jackets (pants not yet in). These new jackets are sized smaller than our current tracksuit jackets. As a guide: the NEW size 6 is almost the the same as our OLd style size 4.
We will advise via the newsletter and school Facebook page when these are in stock.
Welcome back to term 2! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and are back ready for another term. While this term will be quieter for the P&F, we do have some events coming up that we are excited about it!
Upcoming Events - Looking for Volunteers
It will be held at the REC Hotel, 197 Duke Street, Northam. All caregivers are welcome to attend the meetings and it would be great to have as many people there to help support our school! We have so many great events coming this year, I can’t wait to share it with you!
Parent Year Group Contacts
The P&F will be reinstating Parent Contacts for each year group. These contacts will be in charge of monitoring each year groups Facebook page, coordinating class catch ups and liaising with the P&F about class matters. If you feel this position would suit you please contact me to discuss. If you would like to join your year group's Facebook page please send an email 8605svc_pandf@cewa.edu.au and I can send you the link for your class’s page.
click on image to access the P&F Facebook page
Both the school and P&F Facebook pages are updated regularly and I encourage everyone to check both pages for up to date information.
P&F Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1764507137145087
School Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sjsnortham/
St Joseph's School Northam Buy, Sell and Swap 2nd Hand Uniforms & Text Books Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1967136320152007
We also have a great addition with the 'P&F Uniform and Books Sale' Facebook page for families wanting to buy/sell uniforms and text books. We also have the individual year Facebook groups: if there are any parents new to your year please add them in!
If anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to reach out! I look forward to working with you all this year!
Casey Pearse
P&F Chair
Raising Children Network
Children are as individual and as different as their parents and making decisions about what’s best for raising children is very personal.
The Raising Children website offers up-to-date, research-based material on more than 800 topics spanning child development, behaviour, health, nutrition and fitness, play and learning, connecting and communicating, school and education, entertainment and technology, sleep and safety.
It covers grown-ups, newborns (0-3 months), babies (3-12 months), toddlers (1-3 years), preschoolers (3-5 years), school-age children (5-9 years), pre-teens (9-11 years), and early teens (12-15 years).
There are tips, videos and other useful resources.
The Raising Children Network provides information that can help parents with the day-to-day decisions of raising children. It also provides information to help parents and carers look after their own needs. The information is based on the best science in parenting, child health and development, presented in language we can all understand.
This is a website for Australian mothers, fathers, grandparents and anyone else who has responsibility for the care of children: www.raisingchildren.com.au
For Primary Parents
Maintaining a high level of immunisation within our community is very important in controlling many communicable diseases in Australia.
It is important for parents to make sure that their children have received all of the childhood vaccinations. This includes Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough), and polio vaccines as soon as your child has turned 4 years old. If you are unsure, phone 1800 653 809.
If your child has missed out on vaccinations, a doctor or immunisation nurse can provide ‘catch-up’ vaccinations.
Make an appointment with a GP or visit the local (free) immunisation clinic run by our Child Health Nurses at the Northam Hospital - Ambulatory Care Building (Phone (08) 9690 1320 to arrange an appointment).
For Secondary Parents
If you have any concerns about your child’s health, development, or well-being, please contact me through the school office, or through the contact details noted below.
School health services are an easy way for secondary students to access health care and health information for issues including;
- mental health and wellbeing
- healthy lifestyle – nutrition and physical activity
- development and growth
- relationships and sexual health and
- alcohol and other drugs.
School Health Nurses are skilled in assessing adolescent health needs. We engage in health counselling with young people to identify issues, risks and protective factors, provide advice and brief intervention, assist with access and referral to other services, and provide follow up care. Young people can arrange an appointment to discuss health and wellbeing issues.
Young people are always encouraged and supported to talk to their parents or guardians about significant health issues. The services provided are free and confidential. I will be at the school with my team of nurses for the Year 7’s in Week 7 and Year 10’s in Week 8 of Term 2 for their immunisations, information will be sent out in Term 2.
If you have a concern about your child’s health or wellbeing please contact me at aimee.leeson@health.wa.gov.au or on 0400 182 654
Aimee Leeson
Clinical Nurse | School Health (Tuesday’s & Wednesday’s)
WA Country Health Service - Wheatbelt
Robinson Street, Northam WA 6401
PO Box 337, Northam WA
P (08) 96901320 M 0400 182 654
| Grandcarers Support Group | Monthly Catch-ups (next May 21) |
| Protecting Your Family Workshops | May 13 & 14 |
| Autism Inclusive Webinar | May 14 |
| Beat the Bedtime Battles | May 28 |
| Tiny Tots First Aid | June 11 (in Dowerin) |
'Mental Health for Family and Friends' plus 'Conversation with a Young Person'
School Dental Therapy Centre
SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE, IT’S TIME TO ENROL!
SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE, REMINDER TO ENROL!
Recently your child may have brought home an envelope with an enrolment form, FAQ and reply-paid envelope from Dental Health Services. Please remember to fill in the enrolment form, pop it in the reply-paid envelope, and put in in your nearest post box.
Once we receive your form at DHS our team will register your child and arrange for you to receive an appointment in the mail.
Dental Health Services (DHS) offers free general dental care for kids at the School Dental Service (SDS). The offer is open to every student from the year they turn 5 until their 17th birthday and includes check-ups, fillings, x-rays and fissure sealants.
We can also help with any urgent dental problems, like sore teeth, lost fillings, or infections, even if you are currently not enrolled. Simply contact your nearest SDS Dental Therapy Centre for advice.
If you would like further information on DHS services or to find your nearest SDS Dental Therapy Centre, please visit our website: www.dental.wa.gov.au or just scan the QR code
Northam Dental Therapy Centre
c/- Northam Primary School (entry via Duke Street)
0458 644 530
Community Events
NOTICEBOARD