Our Community & Culture
We network with: At St Joseph's Primary School, we encourage your family to share these experiences with your child. Students belong to four house teams that promote connections to our Catholic story and a deeper sense of belonging. Houses are used for sporting events, assemblies and gatherings. HOADE HOUSE is named after Father Tony Hoade, Parish Priest of Tweed Heads, from 1967 to 1982. The colour of Hoade House is green. DALTON HOUSE is named after Mother Angela Dalton who was an Ursuline Sister and the foundational Principal of St Joseph's School. The colour of Dalton House is blue. REYNOLDS HOUSE is named after Sister Mary Joseph Reynolds, who was the first Presentation Sister to serve as Principal of St Joseph's Primary School. The colour of Reynolds House is red. HANLY HOUSE is named after Father Cornelius Hanly, the first diocesan Parish Priest of Tweed Heads. The colour of Hanly House is yellow. We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for the sceptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, 'Is this not the carpenter's son?' (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't rich when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified; he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24). Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal lineage. Luke and Matthew disagree some about the details of Joseph's genealogy, but they both mark his descent from David, the greatest king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). Indeed the angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus greets him as 'son of David,' a royal title used also for Jesus. We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according to the law, but he was concerned for her suffering and safety. He knew that women accused of adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to divorce her quietly and not expose her to shame or cruelty (Matthew 1:19-25).
St Joseph's Primary School values the partnerships between students, families, businesses and schools in our broader community as it can bring mutual benefits and maximise student engagement and achievement.
We organise school events and take part in community events that provide opportunities to showcase students' talents, raise awareness for local issues or concerns, and extend social networks. These events can help to create a more cohesive community. 
