Dear parents, carers, teachers, and students,
What a week it’s been! We drifted into the enchanting world of books, and what a sensational celebration it was! Our students outdid themselves, dressing up in some of the most creative and impressive costumes we’ve ever seen. From favourite storybook characters to magical creatures, their enthusiasm and imagination were fantastic.
In all my years of celebrating Book Week, this one takes the prize! We’re incredibly blessed to have such amazing families and a dedicated staff who bring these events to life. A huge thank you to our library staff, Mrs Coulter and Vanessa for making our library a magical place, especially this week. A massive thank you to all the families who joined us for Grandfriends Day—the joy on our students’ faces was simply priceless. Moments like these highlight our strong, supportive community at St. Joseph’s School.
As you flip through this special edition of our newsletter, you’ll get a glimpse of all the fun, creativity, and magic that filled our week. The theme ‘Reading is Magic’ couldn’t be more fitting!
Wishing you all a magical weekend filled with stories and smiles! ✨
What is Made in the Image of God?
The Made in The Image of God (MITIOG) Human Sexuality Curriculum is designed for students who attend Catholic schools in South Australia from Years R-12. This curriculum is grounded in the Catholic belief that humans are made in God’s image and likeness. It celebrates the Catholic Church’s teachings that are focused on the dignity of the human person and, as such, honours the individual’s worth and their right to experience respectful and healthy relationships. It is an inclusive curriculum that acknowledges and respects the uniqueness of each person’s inherent goodness.
The MITIOG Curriculum has been developed to ensure that human sexuality education is accessible to all Catholic school students and delivered in an age-appropriate and culturally sensitive manner. It is respectful of an individual’s right to make healthy and informed choices about their bodies and their relationships. (Catholic Education South Australia, 2022)
This curriculum will begin on Monday, 26 August, until Week 9 - Friday, 20 September.
SAVE THE DATE ✨
Cyber Safe School
At St Joseph’s School, we are committed to providing a cyber-safe learning community. Our cyber safety guidelines comply with CESA (Catholic Education South Australia) regulatory and legislative obligations. In Week 10 of this term, the students from Years 3-9 will participate in age-appropriate workshops covering the latest up-to-date information about cyber safety.
Cyber Safety Parent Information Sessions
Monday, September 23rd - 1 parent information presentation (evening 6.30 pm till 7.30 pm)
Tuesday, September 24th - 1 parent information presentation (morning 9.00 am till 10 am)
We want to invite all Parents and Carers to a Cyber Safety Information Session, which will be held in the Performing Arts Centre at St Joseph’s School. The sessions will be run by Cybersafe Families, a provider endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner, to share the latest research and best practice approaches to online safety education for families.
The sessions will provide parents and carers with strategies to help make home environments cyber-safe. All Cybersafe Families presentations are delivered by professionals who understand that all children are at different stages in their online journey.
The parent information session will include:
- Introduction to the most popular and current social media platforms
- Tools to recognise and manage cyberbullying
- Information about online grooming and other risks
- Communication strategies – how to start difficult conversations
- Strategies for supporting positive online behaviour, including tips on managing screen time
~ SPRINGTIME~
Season of Creation
It feels like spring has come early this year, with the warmer days and the new growth on flowers and trees ready to burst forth in vibrant colours. Spring officially begins on September 1st which also begins the church “Season of Creation”.
The Season of Creation is approaching! It begins on September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and concludes on October 4, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. This year’s theme is ‘To Hope and Act with Creation.’
During the Season of Creation, we are called to work together for a future of hope and action to make our world a better place. Hope is an instrument enabling us to overcome the natural law of decay. Hope is given to us by God as a protection and guard against futility. Only through hope we may realise the gift of freedom in fullness. Freedom to act not only to achieve enjoyment and prosperity, but to reach the stage in which we are free and responsible. Freedom and responsibility enable us to make the world a better place. Only when we work together with Creation can the first fruits of hope emerge
Creation is groaning. Creation is part of God’s revelation; we must learn from and with Creation to know how to hope and act for a better future. The African wisdom of Ubuntu teaches us that the sense of self is shaped by relationships with others. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a cosmic collective family to care for Creation. I am because we are, the same goes with Creation. We are nature, nature is us, we are God’s hands for global and cosmic justice.
Please see The Southern Cross newsletter and the online edition of The Southern Cross September 2024.
Important Dates
Pupil Free Day
Year 1 Excursion
Year 5 Wirraway Camp Start
Year 5 Wirraway Camp Finish
Last day of School
Upcoming Events
Catholic Schools Music Festival
This exciting event will take place on Tuesday, September 24th. For those interested, tickets are available through Ticketek. Purchase tickets here: Where Dreams Begin tickets | Festival Theatre | Ticketek Australia
100 Years of St Joseph's School!
100 YEARS OF ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL!
On January 28th 2025, the first day of school, we will be welcoming the Centenary year of St Joseph's School.
Please join us for exciting events, merchandise, and a trip down memory lane.
If you would like to keep up to date and connected, please register your interest via this link: https://www.stjomb.catholic.edu.au/news-and-events/celebrating-100-years
The image below are two of our first major events. Put the dates in your diary!
Murray Bridge Life Saving Club Committee
Dear St Joes Families,
Thank you to those who came to our information session last week on starting a Life Saving Club in Murray Bridge. If you missed it, please see a link to the presentation here.
We are looking for enthusiastic people to join the Murray Bridge Life Saving Club Committee to help shape the next Rippers Program and the future of the Club in the community.
To express your interest, fill out this EOI Form. Expressions of interest close at midnight on Monday 26 August 2024.
First Day Free at our Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) programs
Camp Australia are thrilled to announce an exciting new offer for your school community. They are now offering a First Day Free at our Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) programs! This is a fantastic opportunity for families to experience the benefits of their program without any cost for their first session.
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