Newsletter - Term 3 - Week 10 - Issue 92

From the Principal

Dear Parents, Carers and Students 

Each year Social Justice Sunday is held on the last Sunday in August and its particular emphasis each year has the same basis, namely, that Social Justice is a reflection of God’s respect and concern for each individual person. In the Old Testament there is a strong emphasis on the ideals of both personal responsibility and community responsibility for Social Justice.  

Jesus, in his teaching, strongly criticised the social structure of his day by showing how status and wealth, if they neglected the marginalised, were unacceptable and to be condemned. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” Luke 6:20. In a culture that often saw poverty and illness as penalties for sin, such a statement would set off reactions ranging from bewilderment to shock; likewise, would this statement of Jesus: “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed since they do not have the means to repay you; for God will repay you when the good people rise from death.” Luke 14:12-14 

When John the Baptist sent his disciples to establish Jesus’ true identity, Jesus replied, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor have the good news brought to them.” Luke 7:22. 

Perhaps nowhere, does Jesus speak as forcefully about justice in human relations as he does in his final sermon recorded by Matthew: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father and possess the Kingdom that has been prepared for you. I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you received me into your homes, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.” Matt. 25:3436. And when people asked when they had done these things, Jesus replied, “Whenever you did this for one of the least important brothers of mine, you did it for me!” Matt 25:40.  

Father Ronald Rolheiser has a comment to make about this final sermon that is a touch reminiscent of Jesus statement that caused some bewilderment and shock: “When Jesus describes the last judgement at the end of Matthew’s gospel, he tells us that this judgement will not be, first of all, about right doctrine, good theology, church attendance or even personal piety and sexual morality, but about how we treat the poor. Nobody gets to heaven without a personal reference from the poor. Jesus and the great biblical prophets make that clear.”

As we head off this week for the two weeks of school, may we keep all the marginalised in our society in our prayers.

Prayer for Social Justice

Lord Jesus, look with tender mercy upon the

multitudes of our day who bear the indignities of

injustice everywhere. Raise up leaders in every land

dedicated to Your standards of order, equity, and justice.

Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, the grace

to be worthy members of Your Mystical Body,

labouring unceasingly to fulfil our vocation in the

social apostolate of Your Church.

Sharpen our intellects to pierce the pettiness of prejudice;

to perceive the beauty of true human brotherhood.

Guide our minds to a meaningful understanding

of the problems of the poor, of the oppressed,

of the unemployed, of all in need of assistance anywhere.

Guide our hearts against the subtle lure of earthly things

and undue regard for those who possess them.

May we hunger and thirst after justice always.

Amen.

Congratulations Mrs Harris

It is with great excitement and joy that I would like to congratulate Mrs Angela Harris on her achievement of being awarded the Highly Accomplished Teacher accreditation. Highly Accomplished Teachers are recognised as highly effective, skilled classroom practitioners and routinely work independently and collaboratively to improve their own practice and the practice of colleagues. They are knowledgeable and active members of the school. The Highly Accomplished Teacher is a nationally certified accreditation and is a wonderful recognition of Angela as a leader in our profession.

Farewell and Best Wishes Mr Mal Ayuel

Former College Leader and now School Officer, Mal Ayuel, has notified the College that he is resigning to pursue a new work opportunity and further options in life. In his letter of resignation Mal highlighted how difficult a decision this has been as SJC has been a second home for him, both as a student and a staff member.

During the short time that I have known Mal I have found him to be a wonderful person and he has undertaken his current role with the utmost professionalism. Whilst I did not know Mal as a student, I have heard that he was a great leader of the College and I am sure that others would be able to attest to this.

On behalf of the St Joseph’s College community, I would like to thank Mal for his efforts and commitment to the St Joseph’s College community and wish him all the best for his new role.

Exams, Assessment and Partnership

Well done to all the students on their efforts to complete both exams and assignments to the best of their ability. I would particularly like to congratulate the Year 12 students who have been sitting their mock exams. From my conversations with your teachers, I believe that if your application and the amount of effort you put into preparing for your mock exams is reflected in your results, you can be assured that you have done really well.

As I have continually stated over the last couple of years, we are committed to working with our students and families to achieve at least one year’s growth in learning for each calendar year for all of our students. The achievement of this ambition requires quality teaching to occur in classrooms, consistent effort from our students and each of our families taking the time to reflect on the positives noted on the report cards and to discuss any areas for improvement that are identified.

As part of this partnership, I would like to remind our parents that our teachers are very willing to engage in conversations about the progress of your student towards their goals.  Furthermore, it is important to note that all parents are most welcome to contact the College at any time to either speak with or to come in and discuss their child’s progress with their teachers.

NAPLAN Results

Congratulations to the Year 7 and 9 students who undertook the NAPLAN tests in May this year. At St Joseph's College we encourage the students to give these tests their best possible effort so that we could use the accurate data gathered to inform our future teaching and learning activities. Demonstrating Endeavour and aspiring for excellence in all activities is an integral part of the Joey’s Way and something that we want all members of the St Joseph’s College community to exhibit.

This year due to the floods and COVID, ACARA will not be providing national mean data until later in the year. However, analysis of the students individual and cohort data in comparison to historical national means suggests that the students have done very well again this year.

These results continue to be a testament to the outstanding instructional teaching and support provided by staff, the application and hard work of our students, and the success of the literacy improvement program. Congratulations and well done, Year 7 and 9 students and staff!

With these great achievements and the other wonderful efforts of the students over the year in mind, we now turn our attention to ensuring that we finish the year strongly. I would like to wish everyone a great break. Please be safe and take appropriate breaks when travelling. We look forward to students returning on Tuesday 4^th October refreshed and ready to participate fully and give their best in Term 4.

Kort Goodman - Principal - KGoodman@sjc.qld.edu.au

From the Deputy Principal

2022 Presentation Night – Save the Date

All students and families are welcome to the SJC Presentation Night 2022!  The evening will acknowledge the student’s academic, mission, sporting, cultural and engagement & leadership achievements of students across the College.  As in previous years, we look forward to a range of performances that showcase the diverse talent of students at St Joseph's College.  We invite all members of the College community to join us for a night of festivity and entertainment as we celebrate the achievements of our students across SJC in all areas of college life. Tickets will be available shortly via a link from the Empire Theatre – stay tuned and save this date.

Adair Donaldson Parent Presentation – Save the Date

Parenting is a challenging role and any and all support and advice can be helpful as we assist our children to navigate complex situations both online and in person. Toowoomba Lawyer Adair Donaldson will be attending St Joseph’s on Thursday 20 October from 11:20am until 1:10pm (Period 3 and 4), to speak to Year 10 and 11 students about such issues as disrespectful behaviour, unsafe partying, use of illicit drugs, mobile phone use, consent, mandatory reporting, sexual harassment and discrimination. 

In order to provide parents with advice about how to reinforce the safety messages at home, a parent session will be provided at St Mary’s College – Edmund Rice Cultural Centre at 5:30pm on 20 October 2022.  All parents from any year level are invited to attend this session.  No registration is required, please just attend.

Upcoming Events

Brendon Willocks - Deputy Principal  -  BWillocks@sjc.qld.edu.au

From the Assistant Principal - Curriculum

Year 12 External Examinations

All year 12’s have received information from the College and QCAA about the upcoming External Examinations.

The external assessment timetable for 2022 is located here.

https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/snr_ext_assess_timetable_2022.pdf

QCAA has an excellent resource on the myQCE website called the “External Assessment Guide for students”.   This is found on the website https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/external-assessment.html 

How can I prepare?

Senior syllabuses

General senior syllabuses provide information about external assessment for each subject.

Sample papers

View the sample papers for the subjects you study, to get an idea of what external assessment will be like. You can find them in the Assessment tab on each General syllabus page on the QCAA website.

Equipment

Each syllabus details the equipment you will need for the external assessment. It may include:

• Blue or black pens
• Pencils (2B)
• A sharpener
• A clear plastic ruler
• An eraser
• Approved calculator
• Specific equipment

On the day, students may bring your equipment in a clear container or zip-lock bag.  Students may also bring water in a clear unlabelled bottle.

Mobile phones, smart watches and/or other electronic devices will not be permitted in the examination room.

The External assessment equipment list (PDF, 175.3 KB) contains information about the approved equipment for all assessments, including calculators, student devices, subject-specific equipment and prohibited items.

The 2022 external assessments will be held from Monday 24 October to Tuesday 15 November.

The 2022 external assessment timetable has been designed to:

• minimise clashes for students across the 17 days of external assessments. Where there is a clash within a morning or afternoon session, students will be allocated to the alternative session on the same day
• ensure students sit no more than two external assessments on one day
• provide sufficient breaks between external assessments for popular courses and frequently combined courses
• enable all external assessments to be marked in time for students to receive their final Year 12 results.

Directions for students

External assessments are administered by schools in line with the QCAA’s requirements. Students must also follow the requirements outlined in the Directions for students (PDF, 243.1 KB).

Year 7 – 10 Report Cards

Interim reports will be emailed to families at the end of the term.

Please discuss with your son or daughter the overall grade and learning behaviours listed on the report card. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the classroom teacher.

Year 11

Students will receive an end of Unit 2 report card indicating whether they have successfully completed Unit 2 (satisfactory or unsatisfactory) in Week 4, Term 4.  Successful completion enables students to bank 1 credit point towards their QCE.  Students need to bank 20 points with 12 coming from completed core.  Academic care interviews for Year 11’s will occur early in 2023. For further information please refer to the QCAA website : https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/snr_new_qce_system_parent_guide.pdf

Kerrie-Anne Fellenberg - Assistant Principal - Curriculum - KFellenberg@sjc.qld.edu.au

From the Assistant Principal - Student Engagement

This week, our Joey’s Way curriculum has centred on a school-wide approach to discussions about relationships and sexuality education. An outline of the school’s approach to emerging issues in this was communicated via a letter to all families last week, and again below:

Consent and Safe Advocacy

Any type of consent, including consenting in sexual activity must include the presence of a “yes”, not just the absence of a “no”. School staff will speak with students about what constitutes consent and strategies for safe self-advocacy. The College has also engaged a solicitor, Adair Donaldson, who will address students in Years 10, 11 and 12 in Term 4, 2022 on these topics. Further information will be communicated soon.

Sexting

Representatives of the Queensland Police Service will discuss the legal ramifications of sexting, including the provision and distribution of ‘nudes’. QPS will further provide advice as to how students can respond safely if they are confronted by these types of issues online.

Privilege and Power

Privilege is invisible to those who have it. As a Catholic learning community, it is incumbent on all of us to be conscious of the various privileges that have been afforded to us. Privilege can be defined by, but is not limited to, the following: age, sexuality, education, gender, income and employment stability, race, ethnicity and language, appearance, physical and intellectual capacity, and religion. Students are not taught to apologise for their privilege but simply to be conscious of it. Making students aware of privilege is essential in addressing unhealthy power imbalances. 

Pornography

The pornography industry is a multi-billion-dollar international industry that is not effectively regulated. We know that other serious global issues such as human trafficking are connected to the pornography industry, but we don’t know the full extent. Pornography is designed for entertainment and does not appropriately depict healthy sexual relationships. The most fulfilling sexual relationships are between two consenting people who are of appropriate age and who care for one another.

Solution-focussed thinking

Many societal issues around gender inequality and power imbalances are remnants of the past. We do not hold students responsible for the problems of the past, but we do ask them to assist in the realisation of a more just future. In other words, our students may not be part of the problem, but we are asking them to be part of the solution. 

The Role of Co-Educational Schooling

St Joseph’s College students have the benefit of attending school with members of the other genders and are therefore more equipped to understand the experiences of others. We believe co-educational schooling will provide our students with this advantage both now and as they embark on their adult relationships.

In addition to these presentations, the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office has arranged for a guest speaker- Adair Donaldson from Donaldson Law to speak to students about the concept of consent. He is a solicitor who is simultaneously able to draw on a wealth of legal expertise and engage a range of audiences including students, teachers and parents.

Joseph Cryle - Assistant Principal - Student Engagement -  JCryle@sjc.qld.edu.au 

From the Assistant Principal - Religious Education

Year 12 Retreat

Our Year 12s had their final school retreat experience this week. We were gifted with perfect weather and excellent camp activities, including abseiling, canoeing and a flying fox.

I thank the wonderful staff who made this retreat such a success (Ms Markham, Mr Cantwell, Mr Cullen, Mrs Glasby, Mrs Spain, Mr McKenzie, Ms Moloney).

Kellie-Marie Ford - Assistant Principal - Religious Education  -  KFord@sjc.qld.edu.au 

Student Voice

Charlie Kruger and Romey Wiemers - Year 11 Murphy House Students

This term, Murphy House has led with ‘Vision and Spirit’ in all aspects of college life; with momentous efforts at the recent Cross Country and within our academic results in the last term being a true reflection of this. Earlier this term, Murphy House participated in the cross country and colour run, and after a disappointing loss last year to Rice House, the challenge was presented with the task of taking out the title. With a huge thanks to every single person who attended, participated, and put in their 100% on the day - your perseverance and determination has not gone unnoticed, and as a result, we brought home the win. The colour run was held at the end of the day and brought out a lot of laughter and joy for students, and an opportunity for rebellion from the teachers; an event that should certainly be held again next year. In response to the amazing outcomes of the house, a celebration BBQ is going to be held at the beginning of Term 4, with every student receiving a sausage on bread to celebrate.

After the Year 11’s attended Leadership Camp, several Year 11 Murphy students put their names forward to be the 2023 Murphy House Captains, as well as other leadership positions throughout the college. These students presented videos to the Murphy Joey’s Way classes detailing why they applied and what they can bring to their preferred positions. After viewing these videos, the students then voted for their preferred candidates. All candidates presented excellent ideas and delivered some outstanding speeches. Everyone in Murphy House is excited to see who our 2023 House Captains will be.

On the last day of this term, the whole college will participate in the College Arts Festival. This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to display their creativity. The activities include photography, painting, knitting, dance and music plus many other fun activities that all have unique ways of portraying everyone's individual creativity. At the end of the day, the College will hold their very own talent show. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students to show their amazing talents, as well as challenge themselves to perform in front of a crowd.

As the end of the term approaches, we are sure that everyone is looking forward to a warm and relaxing September break to recharge and come back better than ever to finish off the year. On behalf of Savannah and Baxter, we are immensely proud of Murphy House and what you have been able to achieve over the last term.

Aspiring Leaders,

Romey Wiemers and Charlie Kruger

McAuley House

Most people have positive associations with Spring. Personally, it is one of my favourite times of year as I always feel my energy levels renewed and transformed. We tend to embrace change more readily in Spring as it is an essential part of the growth process. Spring is also one of the busiest times of the year for honeybees - new colonies emerge and old colonies re-emerge. I started to think about the relationship between honeybees and Catherine McAuley and it was interesting to find so many similarities. Both teach us a lot about life such as working in inclusive communities, regrowth, innovation, inspiration, cooperation, teamwork, efficiency, evolving, a sense of responsibility, being a true leader, and communication.

Honeybees use teamwork in everything they do. If one honeybee is falling behind, the other honeybees step up and help. Mark L. Winston (Lessons from the Hive, 2014) writes that honeybees “thrive by relying on decentralized and collective decision-making. They show flexibility, adaptability, rigour and self-organisation”. Catherine McAuley dedicated her life to helping people that were less fortunate and welcomed all helpers and found ways to show their individual skill. She knew that teamwork was the only thing that would work in such a tumultuous time.

Honeybees pollinate flowers throughout their lives, and this helps continue the reproductive life of all plants, the off-shoot being that they are paid back with honey. When their hive is attacked, they perform the ultimate act of sacrifice by stinging the perpetrator to protect the rest of the colony at the expense of their own life. This process would be one which Catherine McAuley would surely be in favour of, she dedicated her life to helping the impoverished and weak. She made sure that the well-being of others was put above her own.

Honeybees work together, not for the end reward, but rather to ensure that a continuity of life is assured. Catherine McAuley was collaborative and encouraged people to work alongside each other which inspired others to work with her.

Honeybees are never discouraged by change. They are adaptable even when they need to move to a new location. Catherine McAuley had a mode of governance that instilled the principle of adaptability in all circumstances. The Sisters of Mercy (of which Catherine founded) were often seen out and about in the streets of Dublin and were affectionately called the ‘Walking Sisters’.

Honeybees have an incredible work ethic. They do what needs to be done, they are goal focused and get on with it without disrupting others. Catherine McAuley similarly had an innate sense of working hard throughout her life. She spent countless hours working for the disadvantaged without overly relying on others. She faced, indifference and sometimes opposition, especially from those ‘well to do’ neighbours who didn’t understand her social work. Despite this Catherine courageously faced each challenge undaunted in her pursuit of serving the poor and educating the disadvantaged and providing care for the sick.

It is a scientific fact that honeybees communicate. Catherine McAuley enjoyed letter writing and her travels and reflections were well documented. Her written legacy established a story and tradition of which still informs us today. Storytelling, collaboration and communication go hand in hand with the ‘past’ informing the ‘present’. Like the bee communicating with its brother bee- Catherine’s writings and inspiration directs us to aspire to more in our contribution to our community today.

Spring heralds ‘new life’ and ‘renewal’ in Australia. Honeybees are the heralds of the season.

Isn’t it powerful how nature speaks of God and God’s provision. He sent Catherine McAuley to be a herald for us too.

Melissa Zenke - Student Engagement Middle Leader - McAuley House - MZenke@sjc.qld.edu.au

Sport

On Thursday 15 September the Basketball teams left on the bus for Coomera, Gold Coast for the Champion Basketball School of Queensland (CBSQ) tournaments which are held yearly. 

This year, St Joseph’s have entered one Girls team and one Boys team. The winning team from each Boys and Girls Open Championship division gain automatic entry into Basketball Australia’s Australian School’s Championship held in December.  Both the Girls and Boys team's won their first game yesterday afternoon!  We wish the teams the best of luck for the remainder of the competition!

Debbie Newtown - Program Leader - Sport - DNewton@sjc.qld.edu.au

Connect with Careers

St Joseph’s College Careers website 

A reminder that you can access career information from the St Joseph’s College Careers website.  You are invited to sign up for the weekly newsletter, Connecting with Careers, here and subscribe for the newsfeeds here. 

Term 4 Lunch and Learn Session

The Lunch and Learn Sessions will be held on a Thursday in Term 4 in the library.

All welcome!!

TSBE Health Industry Showcase Lunch

Last week, students attended the TSBE Toowoomba Health Industry Lunch. The event encouraged networking and engagement between students and healthcare representatives from Darling Downs Health, St Vincents Hospital and Better Movement Clinic. Students learned about industry opportunities and pathways into local healthcare careers.

Certificate IV in Crime and Justice (Year 11) 

If your son/daughter is interested in the legal industry and in Year 11 in 2023, he/she might be interested in studying a Certificate IV in Crime and Justice.   

For more information, please contact Mrs Harman, Career Development Practitioner. 

Soft Skills Super Star Series 

If you’re struggling to keep up with the demands in our ever-changing world, watch SkillsRoad's, Soft Skills Super Star Series which could help you to understand and develop valuable soft skills. Soft skills are worth the effort because you’ll be able to use them in any role or career! SkillsRoad have put together short videos on the following soft skill: 

• Soft skills you will need in the future
• How to improve your soft skills
• Top 5 skills for the workplace
• What are soft skills and why are they important

Aviation 

Do you want to be a pilot but not sure if you're suited for the job? If you are unsure about your aptitude to be a pilot, you could investigate sitting for a pilot aptitude assessment at Aviation Australia. Find out more and book a test on the Pilot Aptitude Assessment website. 

VET - It’s Right Now; An Industry Perspectives

“The world of work is changing faster than ever. It’s not that we haven’t had change before, it’s just that the pace has accelerated. As we go through this rapid change, we’re going to need to keep reskilling and upskilling throughout our lives and VET is the main way of doing that. That’s what VET is all about.” - Sara Caplan, CEO, PwC Skills for Australia. Watch this short video from industry leaders who talk about training now and throughout your working life and the value of a VET qualification.

Connect to jobs, training, and apprenticeships

The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training has information and opportunities that may assist you in gaining a job and or accessing further training. You can subscribe to Connected jobs and training which is a regular e-newsletter with apprenticeship, traineeship, and job alerts. Subscribing to Connected jobs and training will help keep you informed of the latest information about Queensland and Australian government programs and incentives, which could help you gain a job or a qualification. You will receive the 2022 school leaver’s guide which provides valuable information on industry, jobs in demand, tips on career exploration, subsidised training, job searching and information on a wide variety of supports for young people. Click here to subscribe.

Agriculture Gap Year Program

AgCAREERSTART is a 10-to-12-month gap year program designed to kick-start careers in agriculture (perfect for undecided Year 12 students). Participants (must be 17-25)

• Choose the farming industry you would like and get matched with a host-farmer anywhere in Australia based on your preferences, skills, and interests(no prior experience in agriculture is needed- just a willingness to learn)
• Work and earn at award rates for 10-12 months (accommodation may be included)
• Whilst on the gap year receive free training- (participants decide what training they want), mentoring and ongoing support from the NFF during the gap year
• Attend industry events free of charge and in so doing gain a network of industry members and peers
  
  

Applications close on the 18th of October 2022. Students are encouraged to apply via the AgCAREERSTART page

For more information visit AgCAREERSTART , view the YouTube Channel – or contact the Career Pathways Team.

Indigenous Traineeship Opportunity – Year 12 school leavers

Harness Energy in partnership with Shell’s QGC business is proud to offer its Indigenous Careers Program for 2023.

Harness Energy are seeking motivated, dedicated, and passionate Indigenous candidates for a 12-month traineeship program that will see the successful candidates attain a valuable qualification for establishing a long-term career.

Successful candidates be accepted to complete a Certificate III Workplace Health & Safety and be rotated to several host employers whilst trying out different trades such as electrical, business, engineering, mechanical, workplace health and safety etc.

Advertisement closes on the 30^th September 2022.

To learn more, click here.  To apply, click here.

Headstart Information Evening

The Headstart program gives Year 11 and 12 students the chance to experience university by studying UniSC subjects while still at high school. Visit the Headstart program webpage for details and how to apply. Semester 1 2023 applications close on 31 October 2022. For more information you can attend an Information Evening on:

• 13 September online from 5.50pm 

By undertaking a Headstart subject you will:

• Gain credit towards your UniSC degree
• Save money! The first Headstart course is free and your second course is only $400
• Prepare for and get a taste of university
• Gain QCE points
• Broaden your education
• Explore a subject you're interested in before committing to a full degree
• Receive a subject bonus adjustment (1 rank per course) to be applied to your ATAR score or selection rank

Click here for more information and to register.

Upcoming events

QUT scholarships

You do not need to complete a scholarship application for the QUT Excellence Scholarship (Academic). You will be considered if you are eligible and complete a QTAC application meeting QTAC key dates and with a QUT course as your first preference. Other scholarships at QUT may require you to complete a separate application form, so you need to check all scholarship information.

START QUT information Webinar

If you are in Year 11 and want to learn more about studying a university subject in Semester 1 of Year 12, QUT is holding an information session on 14 September. They will cover all there is to know about their START QUT program, including eligibility requirements, how to apply and experiences from past START QUT students. Register now if you would like to attend.

SBA Opportunities:

We have several exciting school-based apprenticeship opportunities available! For further information or to apply, please visit: Career Pathways CANVAS course and SJC Careers Current Opportunities 

Casual and Part Time job opportunities

Click here to browse current job opportunities

For more information please contact the Careers Team.

Charlotte Penner - Careers Support Officer  -  cpenner@sjc.qld.edu.au

Maree Harman - Career Development Practitioner  -  mharman@sjc.qld.edu.au

Technology

Women Who Weld

On Friday, August 26 – we delivered the second ‘Women Who Weld’ days for Year 10 girls. There were 8 girls involved in this group.

The girls were inducted into the ‘Safety’ aspects related to welding, and then instructed on the use of a MIG ( Metal Inert Gas ) welder. All of the girls were enthusiastic and adapted to this new skill with confidence.

After practicing various ‘welding techniques’, the girls finished the day by welding together a ‘Jewellery Tree’ (which had been cut out with a laser cutter). Following this, the girls painted their projects and then took them home at the completion of their days work.

I would like to thank the girls for the way that they participated during the day. A special thanks to Mrs Pam Hensler for her assistance throughout the day.

The WOW program was held in conjunction with ‘Queensland Manufacturing Institute’  through the ‘Gateway to Industry Schools Program (GISP) for Advanced Manufacturing. We thank them for their continued support in allowing these days to be delivered, and we look forward to their continued support in the future.

Brian Cantwell - Curriculum Middle Leader - Technology - bcantwell@sjc.qld.edu.au

Humanities and Commerce

Explaining academic rigor — and why you want it for your child  Harsh inflexibility. A condition that makes life difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable. Strict precision. That’s Merriam-Webster’s definition of “rigor.” (Merriam Webster, 2022)

No wonder academic rigor is misunderstood. Some educators mistakenly take academic rigor to mean more and harder. So, they teach material that is far beyond the students’ grade level or what they are prepared for without giving students the tools they need to meet those academic challenges. In the Humanities and Commerce area, academic rigour is important and we place skills, questioning and thinking deeply above all.

We strongly believe that academic rigor is an invaluable teaching approach that helps children learn to think deeply, make meaning for themselves, and become aware of their own learning process. As a result, students gain a life skill that can lead both to academic success and a lifelong love of learning.

3 Stages of Rigorous Learning

Think of rigorous learning as having three stages. First, students learn something new. Second, they make connections between the new information and things they already know by, say, grouping, comparing, or testing the information. In the process, they may enhance, grow, or change how they now understand prior information. This step, “helps students make the learning their own.” The third step takes it a bit further: students take what they’ve learned and the connections they’ve made about a concept and think — or write or talk — through their thought process. For instance, a student might explain that they tried a math problem one way, but then when they tried to draw the problem, they saw it differently. (Great Schools org, 2022)

What you want for your children when studying or doing homework/assignments are situations where your child is challenged because the problem, they’re working on is both complex and inspires them to think deeply and creatively. It makes them think. And then, ideally, think about how they think.

Bottom line: If it’s not asking the students to do thinking for themselves, it’s not rigor.

Brief Snapshot of the Term

Year 9/10 Money, Work and Me (Commerce area)

Some insights from students -

Sarah: I am learning real life skills like budgeting and what to do when I leave school.
Georgia: This subject teaches you how to budget, design a product and deal with your money.
Bailey: I learnt how to buy a car! There is more involved with this than you think?
Sophie: I learnt about tax, marketing, upselling and the business world.
Sean: I am learning about the world of work, payslips, globalisation and tax.
Ally: I have learnt about how to pay tax, what are good investments and how to run a successful small business.

Year 9 Student - Sarah Ellis

This term Sarah Ellis decided to apply for the annual Premier's ANZAC Prize. This prize provides a life-changing opportunity for 8 high school students to engage with the Anzac tradition first-hand and explore how the ANZAC legacy relates to modern Australian life. Sarah has researched and created a wonderful, thought-provoking speech and multimodal presentation on top of her normal studies this term. We wish Sarah all the best in terms of this project and whether successful or not, she certainly has exhibited many ANZAC values as well as our Joey’s Way imperatives especially Endeavour (Aspire to Excellence, Participate and Persevere and being Prepared). A big shout out to Mrs Whiting as well, who has assisted Sarah this term in her endeavours. If you are interested in applying for this prestigious award next year – please talk to your Humanities-Commerce teacher or see Mr Fellenberg for more details. Well done Sarah!

Prize details – ANZAC Premier Prize

• An incredible 14–16 day tour of Europe visiting key sites important to our Australian war history.
• Successful students will be involved in learning about Life at the Front and the history of our Anzacs overseas during WWI.

Year 7 and 8 have been learning a variety of Geography skills and content on Liveability and Landforms-Landscapes

Students have been learning several geography skills such as how to read a map, types of maps, how to measure and what BOLTSS means. They have also been learning about liveability, quality of life and various landforms/landscapes

Year 10 Humanities

Classes in Year 10 History, post their extended Research task, have been exploring the War in the Pacific from an Australian perspective. Topics such as Kokoda, Milne Bay, Singapore and the bombing of Darwin have been discussed and debated at great length. A couple of classes have also been undertaking an extension project – to finish off Bill Joel’s Song - "We Didn't Start the Fire." This amazing song written and published by American musician Billy Joel incorporates key historical events from the 1940’s all the way up to 1989. What the SJC students were to do was create three Stanzas (90’s, 00’s, & 2010-22). Below is just a snippet of the stanzas they have composed/written.

1990-1999

Shawshank, Cobain’s death, cheating Charles, East vs West

Tonya Harding, dolly cloned, run Forest run

2000-2009

Snoop dog, Bratz dolls, iPhone, Clinton falls

Gilmore girls, Johnny Depp, sancho son

2010-2022

Bryant’s death, Royal wedding, Just Dance, Covid spreading

Orca whale, Gangnam style, Spain number one

1990-1999

Titanic, Forrest run, Freddie dies, Wiggles fun

Space Jam, Macarena, Global Warming fears

2000-2009

Twin Towers, Barbie, Usain record, X party

Kardashians, Dora airs, Britney Jean Spears

2010-2022

Royal wedding, Amber lies, Gangnam Style, Kobe dies

Meat dress, Mandela dead, Poverty in Algiers

Final Word:

The Humanities-Commerce department has been bolstered this year with the addition of two fine new teachers, namely: Bridget Kenny and Sally Gibson. Both these teachers have excellent skills in communication, listening, collaboration, adaptability, empathy and patience. What’s more, their classrooms are engaging, espouse real-world learning and instil a lifelong love of learning. Pretty important if you ask me!

Andrew Fellenberg - Curriculum Leader - Humanities and Commerce - AFellenberg@sjc.qld.edu.au

Languages

2022 QLD Regional Languages Championships!

This term, Languages students had the opportunity to participate in the 2022 QLD Regional Languages Championships on Education Perfect.  They could access any lesson content in any language to earn points.  St. Joseph’s came 20^th out of 309 schools and were 4^th highest in French!  Well done to all participants, but a special mention goes to our four top points earners:

Emma Dwan – 1,169 points – Silver award

Eva Tom – 1,141 points – Silver award

Harry Winterbottom – 802 points – Bronze award

Phoebe Marshall – 583 points – Credit

Year 8 Crêpe decorating activity

This term, Year 8 French classes were able to participate in a cultural food activity.  With our French café music playing, we were transported to the cobbled streets of Paris, where we decorated our delicious crêpes with toppings of our choice and enjoyed them with our classmates.  A big thank you goes to Ms Simpson, our wonderful School Officer, for doing the preparation behind the scenes.  They were delicious!

Emma Tolcher - Teacher  - etolcher@sjc.qld.edu.au

Library

The last two weeks of term in the Library saw students in our Tinker Thursday session bending their minds to complete a suspension challenge using marshmallows and dental floss – challenging indeed.  During our Fun Friday session students had an opportunity to show off their creative talents making Father’s Day Cards. A fully functioning pin ball machine Kiwi Kit was also completed which we cannot stop playing.

Breaking news: check out these new books after the break – be quick!  

Remember you are welcome to borrow books for the holidays between terms to have something to keep you busy and entertained!

	Book #2 Eve Hamilton has finally realized true freedom, but then, just like that, it’s wrenched from her grasp. And this time, the corridors of the dark underground city are even more dangerous than ever before. Book #1 Escaping Eleven
	Book #13 The second cycle of the internationally bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant series comes to a thrilling end. You are not ready…
	I don't tell Mum and Sam anything about my weekends with Dad. It would be giving them tickets into that world. The world Dad and I have created. And I don't want to do that. It's ours. It's all we have. It's all we've been allowed since my parents got divorced.

Kirstie Andrews - Teacher Librarian - KAndrews@sjc.qld.edu

SJC - Community News

Our Parent Business Directory has begun and you may see some of our parents business in our coloum beside our newsletter! We would like to include more businesses. If you would like to be featured please send through any deatils and/or business graphics to: marketing@sjc.qld.edu.au

Student Voice

Over the last year, Student Voice has met every second Thursday to brainstorm ideas on how to improve the SJC community. Student Voice is about making your voice heard, to get a student's perspective on the issues the school is facing, and to get students involved in finding solutions. The Student Voice group is a collaborative, student-run group that meets every Day 9 (Thursday), in Seminar Room 2 (Library). All students are welcome, so feel free to bring your lunch and voice your ideas.

Last week, Student Voice organised a conversation wall in the Library during lunch times, where students had the opportunity to voice their concerns about the St Joseph’s community. The questions posed were “What do you like about SJC?” “Are there any programs or activities you would like offered for enrichment” “What do you think Student Voice is?” and “How can we improve SJC?”. Some of the positive aspects of SJC included the tuckshop, mentioned independently five times. Another positive was friends/peers (mentioned three times), sporting events (mentioned four times), and the culture of diversity (mentioned twice). Some potential improvements that Student Voice may workshop in following meetings included issues around uniform and littering. Student Voice would like to thank the Library Staff for facilitating and overseeing this project. We would also like to thank all of the students who responded, and the Student Voice members who volunteered during lunch. If anyone wishes to give additional feedback, the Student Voice online feedback form is attached (https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=_f1LV0RCBUK3EBaPWwxYDcZdR2xtRTdIiIgnu_R-1H9UNVBUM1laTlpDTk5UWUFQVlZON1g0UDg5Ny4u). We hope that everyone has a fantastic holiday!

Thank you, 

Uniform Shop

St Joseph’s College Uniform Shop will close for the school holidays on
Thursday 15^th September at 12pm and re-open for Term 4 on Friday 30^th September at 9am.

Term 4 Extended Trading Hours

Friday 30^th September - 9.00am to 1.00pm

Tuesday 4^th October - 7.30am to 12.00pm

The uniform shop will return to normal hours on Wednesday 5^th October.

Throughout the school term our opening hours are:

Tuesday - 8.00 am - 12.00 pm

Wednesday - 8.00 am - 4.00 pm

Thursday - 8.00 am - 12.00 pm

You are welcome to purchase from the online uniform shop at your convenience and your order will be filled when the store is next open.

Please contact the uniform shop on the below details:

Phone:           07 4631 8514

Email:             sjct@midford.com.au

EFTPOS only - No Cash accepted until further notice.

Online orders can be placed anytime and will be packed and ready for collection from our store during our open hours.

During the school terms we can deliver your parcel up to student entrance on our trading days for your child to collect from there.  Home delivery is also available for online orders at a cost.

Ordering Online Process

www.midford.com.au     pass phrase StJC1956

Second hand uniforms are also available at the Uniform Shop.

If you have used uniform items that would like to donate, please drop off to the Uniform Shop during opening hours.  Donations are greatly appreciated.

If you have used uniform items that you would like us to sell for you, please call into the uniform shop and collect a “Used Clothing” form. Used uniforms items MUST be in good condition, hems intact, no holes, stains or missing buttons. They also need to washed, ironed and be the current uniform. 

If you have any questions, please call us on 4631 8514 during opening hours.