Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Term 3! We hope you and your family had a restful and refreshing break. We are excited to begin another term full of learning, growth, and connection. Having spent some time in classrooms this week, it has been wonderful to see how settled each class has been at the start of the term.

New Director Visit
At the end of last term, we were pleased to welcome the new Director of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, David de Carvalho. He showed great interest in learning about our school, particularly how we can be further supported. We look forward to working with him and wish him all the best in his new role.

Staff Spirituality Day
On Monday, St Joseph’s staff came together for our annual Spirituality Day - a special time of reflection, connection, and growth. We were joined by our colleagues from St Francis Xavier School, Lake Cargelligo, and St Mary’s War Memorial School, West Wyalong.

The day was led by Lee Herden, Principal Catholic Identity Officer for Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn, and centred on the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. We explored what it means to carry and share hope within a Christian community.

Together, we reflected on how we can continue to foster a culture of hope in our schools - one that uplifts, inspires, and strengthens both students and staff. It was a meaningful and energising way to begin the term.

Public Speaking - School Speak Offs
Congratulations to Charlie Knight, Emily Protheroe, Aldhin Prathesh, Isabelle Protheroe, Claudia McCarthy, Lettie Hunter, and Gus Conron, who will be representing St Joseph’s in the upcoming School Speak Off event against St Mary’s School, Young.

We are incredibly proud of their confidence and public speaking skills, and we know they will represent our school with pride!

School Improvements
Over the break, a number of physical improvements were made around the school grounds, including:

• New basketball backboards
• Installation of football posts on the oval
• Enhancements to the front entranceway
  
  

These upgrades help create a more welcoming and engaging environment for our students. A big thank you to the School Community Council - and especially to Andrew and Davina Ray - for their time, coordination, and generous support in overseeing these improvements.

Jump Into Joey’s - Next Session
Our next Jump Into Joey’s session will take place on Wednesday, July 31 and will be led by our Year 5/6 students. The session will focus on the theme ‘Connect It!’ We are excited to welcome the Grenfell Preschool Star Room children as they explore learning through play, connection, and curiosity.

Kindergarten Information Night  

August 28  5:30 pm

We warmly invite parents of children starting Kindergarten in 2026 to join us for our Kindergarten Information Night. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our programs, meet key staff, and explore our learning spaces.

Please feel free to share this information with any families who may be interested in attending - we would love to welcome them!

Looking Ahead - Term 3 Highlights
Term 3 is shaping up to be a busy and exciting one, with events such as:

• Bulla Creek Family Gathering
• Book Week
• The Grenfell Show
• Father’s Day Celebrations
  … and much more!
  
  

Please continue to check the school calendar via Compass or our website to stay updated on key dates and upcoming events.

Ongoing Communication    

We strongly encourage open and ongoing communication between home and school.

If you have any questions about your child’s learning or wellbeing,

please do not hesitate to contact their classroom teacher. Working together strengthens student success.

NAIDOC Mass

Yesterday, a small group of Indigenous students travelled to Cootamundra to represent St Joseph’s at the regional NAIDOC Mass, accompanied by Mrs Harveyson. It was a meaningful opportunity to come together in faith, culture, and community. We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented our school, and we thank Rochelle Cawthorne for generously transporting them to this special event.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to another term filled with learning, community, and shared achievement.

Warm regards,

Danielle McFarlane and Chelsea Harveyson

St Joseph’s staff joined staff from St Mary’s War Memorial school in West Wyalong and St Francis Xavier’s Primary School in Lake Cargelligo on Monday of this week for our Spirituality Day themed Pilgrims of Hope.

We began with prayer following the Lectio Divina process. Lectio Divina, Latin for "divine reading," is a traditional Christian practice of scriptural reading, meditation, and prayer intended to promote communion with God. It is a way of listening to Scripture with the ear of the heart. The practice involves four key stages and can be practised alone or in community with others:

• reading (lectio)-Begin by slowly and meditatively reading your Scripture passage out loud. Listen for a particular word or phrase that speaks to you at this moment and sit with it for a time.
• meditation (meditatio)-Read the same passage a second time. As you re-engage with the text, let the word or phrase that stood out become your invitation to dialogue with God. Allow the word or phrase to wash over you and permeate your thoughts and feelings
• prayer (oratio)-Read the text a third time. What is God saying to you in these words? What do you want to say to God? What feelings do these words raise up in you? Share your answers with God.
• contemplation (contemplatio)-Read the text a final time. As you do, release the word or phrase you have been praying. Be still and rest in God’s embrace. What gift has God given you to take away from this prayer? To what action might God be inviting you? Thank God for this gift and invitation as you conclude your prayer.

The Scripture that Mr Martens shared was from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Pope Francis spoke of Lectio Divina as a way of ‘listening to what the Lord wishes to tell us in his Word and of us letting ourselves be transformed by the Spirit’ (Evangelii Gaudium #152).

If anyone desires to incorporate more Scripture into prayer life and pay closer attention to the movements of God, Lectio Divina might be a place to start.

Warm regards,

Loyola Best

​Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

Parish News:    First Holy Communion will be celebrated at Mass on Sunday morning 3^rd August. All are welcome to celebrate this special occasion with our parish.

Next Week’s Readings: 3rd Sunday of Easter: Gen 18: 20-32; Col 2: 12-14; Luke 11: 1-13.

We are excited to offer Breakfast Club every Tuesday and Thursday morning before school! Children can enjoy a selection of toast, cereal, juice, and hot chocolate to start their day right.

From time to time, we’ll have special treats like hot breakfasts and pancakes,

a fun surprise for the kids!

This wouldn’t happen without the continued support of our wonderful parent volunteers. Your time, energy, and kindness mean the world to us. Thank you for making this possible!