Term 4, Week 7
Vision Statement
Inspired by Mary MacKillop, we strive to achieve excellence in education and pastoral care, foster well being, develop strong values and include all cultures and community members.
Mission Statement
Following Jesus' example, we support all cultures and needs by building trusting relationships and fostering high expectations that inspire and empower our children to be compassionate, lifelong learners.
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGES
Dear parents and guardians,
Its Week 7 of Term 4.
Time to share the light of Christmas!
Thank you to everyone who has given us very positive feedback on our school. This is extremely helpful for planning and makes us all feel very good about the direction we are heading and that we have so much to celebrate here at St Joseph’s – our small school with a big heart.
In this final two weeks of the 2024 school year, we are invited to “share the light of Christmas” through the 2024 Christmas Hamper Appeal to support Families in need at Christmas, with much needed food, gifts and educational resources. We invite St Joe’s families to donate any items food or gifts for boys and girls to be dropped off in the admin building. The items will be distributed to families who are in need. Items like tinned food or Christmas puddings, hygiene products also very useful and will make a difference to many lives.
This Hamper appeal is an ideal focus for students in the Season of Advent, which like Lent is a time of preparation during which we make a more concentrated focus on prayer, good works, and giving to others.
The term has been busy celebrating key events in our school community. Remembrance Day Liturgy was among my favourites where we had an opportunity to say thank you the brave men and women who fought for our modern-day freedoms.

Thank you to Sister Julianne, for a beautiful and solemn liturgy that captured the significance of remembering: Lest We Forget!
More lively activities including the Yr 6 EKC transition day (Friday Wk 6) was a joyful celebration of the transition of our young people to the next phase of their learning journey. Also, Yr 5/6 Creative Art Challenge workshop this week has enlivened children’s imagination and final art pieces are outstanding. Well done Ms Silvia and 5/6.
This week, the Coin line Fundraiser generated lots of giggles and wet car seats on the way home! Thank you to the local Fire Brigade who willingly sprayed our giggling, joyful young people until the water tanks ran out. Between the water, mud and giggles we are reminded that joy is infectious.
For your awareness, upcoming events:
Wk8:
- Christmas concert rehearsals (Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th November).
- Christmas concert and Awards night - Thursday 28th November at 5:00 for 5:30 start at the Leisure Centre.
- Whole School and Graduation Mass Friday 29th November at 8am in the School Library. Presiding: Bishop Michael, Geraldton Diocese.
Wk9:
- Y4/5/6 Bio security Blitz incursion - Wednesday 4th Nov: 10:30-12:30.
- Whole school Air North Santa incursion - Thursday 5th Dec.
- Last day of school children - Friday 6th of Dec normal pickup time.
As we prepare for the Holy Season of Advent, may the following prayer draw us closer to the light of Jesus.
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day,
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!'
Amen.
Blessings to all,
Cindy Ahearn
Principal
Dates & Reminders
Term Dates 2024
Term Dates 2024
Term 1: Wednesday 31 January - Thursday 28 March
Term 2: Tuesday 16 April - Friday 28 June
Term 3: Tuesday 16 July - Friday 20 September
Term 4: Monday 7 October - Friday 6 December
Public Holidays During Term Time 2024
Monday 4 March: Labour Day
Friday 29 March - Good Friday
Thursday 25 April: ANZAC Day
Monday 3 June: Western Australia Day
Pupil Free Days 2024
Monday, 15 April
Wednesday, 24 April
Monday & Tuesday, 24-25 June
Monday, 15 July
Monday, 26 August (Catholic Day)
Monday, 4 November
Assemblies
Our Term 4 assemblies are every second Monday morning at 8am.
- Monday 28 October
- Monday 11 November
- Monday 25 November
Kindy Days
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
7.50am - 2.00pm
Description Title
We are ready to collect your recyclable containers. Our drop off point is located in the staff carpark, just inside the fence. Money earned goes towards Mini Vinnies.
If you change your phone number, please tell us. We many need to contact you if your child is sick or doesn’t get picked up after school.
Most school age children are eligible for free dental care in Kununurra School Dental Clinic.
Primary School children become eligible to attend the School Dental Service in the year they turn 5.
High School children are eligible to attend the School Dental Service until they complete Year 11 or the day they turn 17 (whichever occurs first).
If you changed your address or phone numbers, please advise dental clinic staff. Missed appointments may result in suspension from the School Dental Service.
We are located on the hospital grounds in the Dental Health Building, 69 Coolibah Drive and are open Monday to Friday 7:30 to 3:30.
Please feel free to call us on 0419 939 179 or email: kununurramobile@dental.health.wa.gov.au to organise an appointment.
Upcoming Events
WEEK 8
- Christmas Concert and Awards Night - Thursday 28 November at 5pm at the Leisure Centre.
Sr Julianne will be running the usual bus service on the evening of the concert.
Children
MUST
be accompanied by an adult.
The bus will begin pick-ups at
4:15 PM. Please be outside your house on time, as we cannot wait.
Thank you for your cooperation!
- Whole School Mass and Graduation - Friday 29 November at 8am in the School Library.
WEEK 9
- Bio Security Blitz Incursion Yr4/5/6 - Wednesday 4th December.
- Whole School Airnorth Santa Incursion - Thursday 5th December.
- Last day of Term 4 - Friday 6th December.
Call out for Christmas Hamper Donations
We are once again reaching out to our generous school community to help make Christmas a little brighter for local families in need. This year, we are collecting donations for our annual Christmas Hampers, which will be distributed to families in our area who could use a helping hand during the festive season.
We kindly ask for your support by donating non-perishable food items, toiletries, and other essentials that can be included in these hampers. Items such as canned food, pasta, rice, noodles, tea towels, cleaning products and toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothpaste) are always appreciated.
Thank you
School Report Information
Dear Parents and Carers,
Please read this important information regarding accessing your child's reports and please contact the school if you have trouble creating a password or logging in. Reports will no longer be emailed to you. You will access them through SEQTA Engage (as explained). Thanks!
Marion Roberts
Assistant Principal
Coin, Can & Juicebox Line Fundraiser
A big thank you to everyone who supported our Christmas hamper fundraiser on Wednesday!
The children brought in a fantastic variety of donations, including canned goods, fruit boxes, bottles, and coins, raising a total of $263.05. What a wonderful effort from all involved!
And, as you may have noticed, with all the wet clothes coming home, the children raised enough funds to have an afternoon of water play.
We would also like to thank the Volunteer Fire brigade for their support and assistance once again!
The year 5/6 class will be using these funds to prepare and deliver the hampers, to families in need during the last week of school.
We are still seeking more donations, including canned food, toilet paper, gifts, toys, pasta, toiletries, sauces, detergent, soaps, tea towels, spray and wipe, cleaning products, glad wrap, biscuits, stationery, toys, Coles vouchers, etc
Donations can be dropped off at the school office (please note, cash or vouchers should be given directly to Miss Georgie or Miss Eileen in the front office).
Thank you again for your generous support.
Sr Julianne
Sacrament Coordinator
Creative Challenge Program Year 5/6
The Year 5/6 class has participated in the Creative Challenge Program this week. The theme was Heart. We have listened to our hearts throughout different projects; to embrace empathy, shine our unique light, connect with the world around us, and share kindness. On our last day, we celebrated the imaginative power we all have. Some of the questions we explored are: What fills your heart with joy? What connects you to your community? How do you share with and learn from your peers? And why is having “heart” so important? We also came up with the following affirmation together as a class “Let the light within you be brighter than the storm outside you”.
Miss Silvia
Year 5/6 Teacher
SACRAMENTS and other matters
Sacraments
As in previous years, all classes will learn about Sacraments and rites of initiation in their Religious Education programs. For students of the Catholic faith, there will also be an opportunity to receive these Sacraments at St Vincent Palloti Catholic Church.
Fr Vinu is available for Baptisms at any time throughout the year. Baptismal forms can be collected at the school office and returned to Sr Julianne with a preferred date during the week, or by contacting Fr Vinu directly on 0475 846 331. Please also let family and friends know about Baptisms, if you aware of Pre-school children needing to be Baptised.
Other Sacraments will be celebrated as per below:
- Confirmation, Term 3 - Year 6 children (date to be advised)
All classes will complete a unit of work on Sacraments in the term they occur. This will then be followed by the celebration of the Sacrament, if requested by family, at St Vincent Pallotti Church with specific dates to be advised. We are aware that some children have missed sacraments in previous years due to sickness, absence etc, and we can make arrangements for those celebrations also.
Religious Education
As we have had many new families arrive throughout this year, there may be some families who would like their children to receive the sacraments, that have already been celebrated at St Joseph’s..
Please contact Sr Julianne to make arrangements.
Baptism – as requested
First Reconciliation Year 4
First Eucharist Year 5
Confirmation Year 6
Mass Times
Mass is held each weekend, at St Vincent Pallotti Church on Saturdays at 5.30pm and Sundays at 8.30am. Weekday masses are held from Tuesday to Friday at 5.30pm. On Sundays, we have Children’s Liturgy during mass.
Fr Vinu is available for Reconciliation on any day, usually from about an hour before mass.
Juniper Aged Care Facility Visits
Each week a class visits Juniper Aged Care Facility and share an activity with the residents eg singing, lego, painting, reading etc. A permission form, and other information, will be sent home prior to the visit.
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Please don’t hesitate to contact me, through the school office, at any time if you have queries or questions about our Religious Education program.
Sr Julianne
Sacrament Coordinator
Healthy Eating
~ Please send your child to school with a lunch box full of healthy foods ~
These foods help your child to learn and remain calm These foods reduce your child's capacity to learn and
and focussed in the classroom. can
contribute to anxiety and behavioural disorders.
School Bus Pick-ups and Drop-offs
Streamlining the Bus Run
This year we've had extraordinary numbers for the bus runs. One day we did two full trips, plus one in the school car. On the bright side, it is a credit to our families that they're being so diligent in regularly sending their children to school. THANK YOU!
However, because we have so many children on the bus, some of them don't get home until 3pm and some of them arrive at school too early. To make their day easier:
- If you are able to bring your child to/from school by car it would be appreciated.
- Please be out the front of your house ready for the pick up:
- Town run - 7am – 7.30am
- Community run - 7.30 am – 8.00 am
Just waiting an extra 1-3 minutes at every house can extend our trip by half hour. Unfortunately we cannot toot the horn, due to complaints from neighbours.
- At the end of the day, please be visible outside your house and wave to us as we drop off your child. We need to be assured that someone is home. Having to stop, take the child to the door, knock and wait for a response, extends the trip by half hour. This is unfair on those children waiting in the heat on the basketball court for the second bus run. If a family member is not at home, it is our policy to bring a child back to school and ring you. We are unable to make another trip to drop them off.
While we learn the 2024 bus route, which is still changing as new families continue to enrol, we may forget to stop at your house. Please call the school office, and we can collect your child on the next run.
Dropping off Your Children
For the safety of our children, we would like to remind parents that children catching our white Coaster school bus will be dropped off in the afternoon ONLY at the address from which they are picked up in the morning.
Attempts to accommodate parents who ring during the day asking that their children be dropped off elsewhere have resulted in an number of confusing situations, whereby children have ended up going home to an empty house or to a house where they are not expected.
Children who live in Lakeside or out of town may not catch our bus home to a different address.
Your child can only be dropped off at a different address if it is an emergency situation (eg you have an emergency visit to the hospital and an arrangement has been made for your child to be cared for by another family member or friend).
Many thanks for your cooperation.
Get Vaccinated!
Community Health offers free vaccines for:
- COVID-19 Boosters
- Japanese Encephalitis - Residents of Kununurra & Wyndham only
- Influenza - all children 6 months - 12 years; all Aboriginal people 6 months or older; all people with a chronic disease; all people 65 years and older.
Call Kununurra Community Health on 9166 4321
Send Your Kids to School
Send your kids to school - it is the best possible way they can get a good education.
If your child misses one 1 day per week of school,
by the time they are in Yr 4 they will have missed 1 whole year of school.
Already they will by 1 year behind expected learning!
It may take some tough love, but it is worth the effort to make your child go to school every day.
Set a good routine from Kindy, don't let them miss a day.
It will give them the best start in life.
Containers for Change
Thank you to those generous families who have donated their recycling money to our school through Containers for Change!
School Recycling Bags
CHECK FOR THE 10¢ MARK
We've ended up with a lot of non-recyclable containers in our school recycling bags.
Which means we have to sort through the bags to remove them.
It's easy to save your 10¢ containers from landfill so they can live another life — just check for the 10¢ mark!
Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel, and liquid paperboard drink containers that are 150ml to 3L are accepted.
This includes:
- Most single-serve water and fizzy drink containers up to and including 3L.
- Most single-serve alcohol containers, like beer bottles and pre-mixed spirits.
- Flavoured milk containers that are 150ml to 999ml.
- Coconut water, pure fruit, or vegetable juice containers that are 150ml to 999ml.
~ Make sure you take off the lids ~
~ Bring the lids into the school office and we'll recycle them separately ~
Items that we don't accept include:
- Glass bottles or jars of any sort - too many get broken when dropped into the recycling bag
- Plastic milk bottles
- Unflavoured, plain milk cartons
- Cordial bottles
- Non-food plastic containers (eg laundry detergent)
- Steel food cans
St Joseph's School Calendar Term 4 2024
School Bus Contact Details
The School Bus Contractors are Dylan and Chelsea Lodge.
Chelsea: 0450 250 691
Dylan: 0415 945 330
Please note that cash payments for Book Club are no longer accepted at St Joseph's. All orders should be placed through Book Club Loop.
See: https://www.scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/
St Joseph’s Student Code of Conduct
The St Joseph’s Student Code of Conduct was developed by the students of St Joseph’s.
At St Joseph’s School, Kununurra we want to feel Safe.
1. In order to feel Safe we will follow school rules.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
2. In order to feel Safe we will listen and follow instructions.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
3. In order to feel Safe we will help and care for others.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask them why they are feeling that way.
4. In order to feel Safe we will keep our hands and feet to ourselves.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ignore them or walk away.
5. In order to feel Safe we will treat others the way we would like to be treated.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will remind them of the golden rule.
At St Joseph’s School, Kununurra we want to feel Happy.
1. In order to feel Happy we will smile, laugh, sing and dance.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask them if they are alright.
2. In order to feel Happy we will be kind to others.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will ask an adult for help.
3. In order to feel Happy we will make friends and play with them.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will play with and include them.
4. In order to feel Happy we will come to school everyday.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will look after them.
5. In order to feel Happy we will listen to the teacher and other adults.
When someone isn’t feeling this way, or there is conflict, we will try to make them feel happy.
Our Code of Conduct prohibits bullying, harassment and other forms of peer-to-peer abuse and we require respect for the privacy and human dignity of other students.
