Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 4 - Issue 94

From the Principal

Dear Parents, Carers and Students

World Teachers Day – 28 October 2022

World Teachers' Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and thank our teachers for their important role in our communities and for the positive impact they have on the lives of students. It is celebrated in Queensland Catholic schools on Friday 28 October. This year’s theme is ‘Teaching through every moment’ and we thank you amazingly generous teachers at St Joseph’s College for their commitment and dedication to the young people in our community.

A Prayer for World Teacher’s Day

Giver of all wisdom and greatest of all teachers,

Look upon our teachers with love

Grant them the resolve to nurture our eager minds

and to never give up on us who fall behind.

Bless their hearts for they rejoice

when we succeed and encourage us when we fail

And bless them with gentle patience

for the path of learning is never easy

Kindle a spirit and passion in them

it is the flame that ignites the love of learning in us

Help them see the potential in each student

Their belief in us means much more than the grade we make

Instill in them a commitment to keep on learning

It shows us to not fear new knowledge and experiences

Inspire them to touch the future

They influence how big a dream we dream for ourselves

Bless our teachers who have come before

For their work endures to this day

Let the light of your example shine upon all teachers

To build up with their words

To love with their mind

To share with their heart.

Amen

Parent Engagement in Schools

Thank you to the families who came along to Tuesday night’s PEN session on the SJC Teaching and Learning Framework. Your attendance, interest in your student’s learning and support of the College is greatly appreciated.

I thank Mrs Kerrie-Anne Fellenberg, Mrs Karen Tobin and Mrs Cate Park-Ballay for their efforts in presenting on the night and for their efforts to make the evening engaging for those who attended.

2023 College Captains Speech

Congratulations to all involved in our student leadership handover. Our 2022 student leaders have certainly set a very high benchmark for our newly appointed student leaders which the 2023 leaders themselves have acknowledged and are excited to engage with this challenge.

Congratulations also to all Year 11 students who applied for a position and were not successful in attaining one of the 18 positions. The deliberation and discernment process was extremely rigorous and challenging given the outstanding group of applicants. We do hope that those students who were not successful will continue to lead the College as outstanding seniors in 2023.

As I have done in previous years, I would like to share with you the speech that our 2023 College Captains, Sophie Wagner and Shane Hurlock presented as part of the leadership handover. I think that you will agree that our student body is in good hands with these two outstanding young people leading them.

Shane: My first week at St Joseph’s was one of, if not the most, terrifying week of my life. I felt like a kid’s pet goldfish being dropped into the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I remember wading through a sea of people miles taller than me, diary map in hand and donning an incredibly oversized backpack, searching desperately for Mr Cook’s maths class. But it quickly dawned on me that I was completely lost and needed help fast. I used a vital piece of knowledge that I’d gained on orientation day; white shirts meant senior. I nervously made my way towards a girl in a white shirt, internally rehearsing what I was going to say. Long story short, I ended up in maths class, due to the help of this selfless senior, only 5 minutes late. And, thankfully, Mr Cook let me off.

I don’t know the girl’s name. I don’t remember what she looked like. But I do remember what she wore. The white shirt, the same white shirt that I stand wearing before you today, is a beacon of hope for people in our community who seek guidance. People who don’t have someone to turn to. People that you once were, or are right now. And that is how Sophie and I, alongside our peers, intend to lead Saint Joseph’s College in 2023. As beacons of hope.

Sophie: Much like Shane, I was terrified my first few days at joeys. However, I found solace in my fellow year 7’s, who were also scared, I was comforted by my buddy, I saw teachers go out of their way to make sure we were all okay, students helped each other find their classrooms, and I think that encapsulates Joeys perfectly. The idea of looking out for or after someone else and expecting nothing in return. It only took a few days for the fear to subside, and for a sense of belonging to take its place. I had grown up hearing about my sister's day at joeys each afternoon, and to say I was excited about high school would be an understatement. I felt at home, listening to my sibling's stories about school, and even though I was scared, finally being able to experience it, I felt a sense of belonging and connection to something much larger than myself, SJC. We are all SJC, we are this school's history and future, and it is each of our responsibility to make that future as bright as possible, together.

Shane: Over my 5 years so far at the College, I can honestly and proudly say that there is no community I would rather be a part of. And one thing that I believe the Joey’s community has over any other is passion. Newto cooking breakfast after a team’s gruelling 6am training. Passion. Bands and ensembles performing in front of hundreds. Passion. Teachers teaching a subject they’ve studied for years. Passion. Everyone at St Joseph’s loves what they do, and I believe that is what sets us apart. The passion of SJC is something we promise to delicately intertwine within our leadership of this incredible college. Over the next year we hope to not only encompass the passions of every individual into our leadership, but to further cultivate them and raise the roof on the potential of the Joeys Community. When we find success in our passions, the immeasurable success of St Joseph’s will follow.

Sophie: Less than a month ago I was undergoing inpatient treatment at Queensland Children's Hospital, today I stand here addressing the community for the first time as college captain. It's been a long, difficult journey, but I didn’t get here by myself, rather I've been backed by a network of passionate, caring staff and students, ever since my first day in year 7. I think that’s what sets St Joseph's apart, it’s a supportive community; comprised of people who genuinely care about you and your education. I want every member of this community to feel safe, valued, and proud to learn at such a remarkable school. I am immensely proud to be a part of this community and to lead it in 2023.

Shane: Joeys offers an absolutely massive variety of opportunities for its students, and the choice of what to pursue is often a difficult one to make. Whether it be the basketball team, debating team, chess club, jazz band, or simply having a crack at the 25 metres at the swimming carnival, the fact is that it wouldn’t be the same without you. Your participation is noticed and valued. Your participation is what shapes the identity of SJC. However, I want to challenge each of you for the coming year. Take on something new. Reignite an old passion. Say yes to opportunities. Broaden your horizons. Sophie and I, alongside our 2023 co-leaders, will back you 100% of the way.

Sophie: Shane and I would like to sincerely thank the 2022 cohort, especially Tahlia, Riley, Zachary, Maddison, Blake, Waed, Aliandra, Joseph, Hayden, Isabella, Kaylee, Preston, Brandon, Sophie, Savannah Toohey, Baxter, Savannah Teakle and Rowan, for their service and dedication. I speak for us all when I say they have inspired us with their leadership and ability to transform vision into reality. It’s a privilege to follow in your footsteps as we carve our own path as leaders. It's important that the class of 2023 endeavours to continue to cultivate the culture of kindness within our community, that the cohort of 2022 has fostered. I encourage every single member of the community to find the opportunity for random acts of kindness, these gestures may not change the world, but they will change our community. Remember: if you can be anything, be kind. 

Sophie: Shane and I realise how amazing this position is and we are honoured and humbled by the opportunity to lead St Joseph's College. We all have limited time at joeys, so it's our responsibility to make the most out of it, to leave our mark on the school, to change it for the better, and to let it change us. St Joseph's has nurtured and shaped us into the people we are today, and SJC will always be a part of us. The captains of 2023 are merely one chapter in SJC’s long history, but in saying that we have the opportunity to write that chapter, a chapter full of change that will last for years after we've graduated. We are excited to work alongside all of the 2023 captains, and our incredible cohort to advance our school, by embodying the college values and imperatives to truly the live Joey's Way and ‘Serve him in Others’.

Shane: So, that is what to expect from our leadership, and how you can play your own part in the growth of the College next year. I want to reiterate how absolutely humbled and blessed Sophie and I are to have been appointed as your College Captains, and we promise to give you our absolute best, and push you to strive for yours. We can all be the beacon of hope. We can all embrace our passions. We can all participate and persevere.

Shane: We will leave you with this quote by Howard Zinn; “small acts, when multiplied by others, can change the world”.

From Sophie, myself and the 2023 student leadership team, thank you.

Best Wishes

As I head off on long service leave and this is my last newsletter for the year, I wanted to take the opportunity to wish all members of our college community a Holy and safe Christmas and thank you for the support of the College throughout our 2022 academic year. I do hope that our community members will open their hearts to the true meaning of Christmas and take time to reflect and give thanks for what we are so privileged to be part of. Please take care of each other, travel safely, and take appropriate breaks. A reminder that school commences for Year 7, 11, 12 and new students on Tuesday 24 January and Year 8, 9 and 10 on Wednesday, 25 January 2023.

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

ever faithful to your promises and ever close to your Church:

the earth rejoices in hope of the Saviour’s coming,

and looks forward with longing to his return at the end of time.

Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness that hinders us from feeling the joy,

and hope which his presence will bestow,

for he is Lord for ever and ever.

Amen.

Live Jesus in our Hearts. Forever

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

From the Deputy Principal

 Safe Partying

Teenage gatherings provide young people with important opportunities to interact and build on their social skills and experiences. Celebrations, partying and socialising are a fundamental rite of passage and one of the most important aspects of a young person’s life. However, it is possible for the best young person to get carried away with their peers and the euphoria of the moment.

For parents and caregivers, keeping your young person safe can at times feel daunting and is often a compromise and a challenge. Most teenagers try to do the right thing most of the time, but your leadership as a role model is crucial. Your child may appear to be physically large and mature, but this is not necessarily matched by their emotional maturity and responsibility in behaviour.

Every party has the potential to get out-of-hand as sometimes it’s hard for young partygoers to make good decisions. Communication and regular discussions are vital, particularly because young people are often faced with peer pressure to do things they prefer not to engage in. Hosting a celebration at home or at a venue can be a fun and memorable event but it is important to agree on the ground rules well before your event is announced to ensure there are no misunderstandings later on.

If hosting an event, you owe your guests a ‘duty-of-care’ and should ensure all reasonable steps are taken to keep partygoers safe. This Special Report provides caregivers with a list of things to consider when planning a celebration. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report https://sjc.qld.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-guide-safe-partying

Presentation Night

All of the St Joseph’s College community is invited to our upcoming Presentation Night. This evening is an opportunity to celebrate the culture and spirit of the College and recognise the achievements of students in all domains of schooling – Academic, Cultural, Sporting, Engagement & Leadership, Faith & Social Justice.

When: 14 November 2022. 6:15pm arrival for a 7:00pm start

Where: Empire Theatre Toowoomba

Tickets: Free

Orientation Day

On Thursday 27 October we welcomed our 2023 Year 7 students to St Joseph’s College. We welcome new students and their families to the College and trust that this day provided them some insight into this amazing spirit and activities that pervade St Joseph’s College. During the day, the students engaged in various activities had lunch together and meet teachers and their future peers. Thanks is extended to the numerous Junior and Senior student leaders who assisted with making the day a memorable experience for our new Year 7 students.

(please make a photo gallery from the photos that are on Facebook -

ICAS

During Assembly on Tuesday we commended students who achieved merit, credit, distinction and high distinction in the ICAS assessments for English and Mathematics. The globally renowned examinations allow students to apply their higher-order thinking skills and gain recognition for their efforts. As a College, we are proud of the students who participated in these assessments.  

Standardised Testing

As part of our strong commitment to improving literacy and numeracy levels of our students, all students in Years 7, 8 and 9 have participated in the Progressive Achievement Test for Reading Comprehension (PAT-R) and Mathematics (PAT-M). These tests are conducted annually for students in Years 7 to 9 in order to assist the school in measuring and tracking student achievement. These tests are used to:

• Highlight individual student needs and abilities to be addressed and supported
• Guiding the classes students are in 2023 and beyond
• Improving whole school literacy and numeracy levels
• Providing teachers with objective information for setting realistic learning goals and planning effective programs

Year 12 External Examinations and Masterclasses

This week the Year 12 students commenced their External Examinations and Masterclass lessons. We wish these students well in these final assessments.

Upcoming Events

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

From the Assistant Principal - Curriculum

The Learning Pit

Last week in Joey’s Way, students completed an activity on the Learning pit at St Joseph’s.

Please ask your son or daughter how they felt when they were asked if they could replicate the 3D model below when given a piece of paper and scissors.

Some feedback from our students included:

We then investigated in different JW groups the idea of a list students would refer to when in the Learning Pit.

Some creative suggestions included:

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

From the Assistant Principal - Student Engagement

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

The purpose of this article is to inform you of two additional processes that will be implemented here at the College soon. These processes are intended to i) maximise student safety, particularly in unsupervised locations such as toilets and ii) ensure students are wearing the College uniform consistently, correctly and with pride. 

Three Day External Suspension for Being an Accessory to Vaping 

You will, by now, be well aware of the scourge of vaping on the health of our young people. We now know that vaping is an attempt from formerly ‘big tobacco’ organisations to rebrand their product and continue to grow their revenue schemes. Vapes are designed to be addictive and, therefore, expensive. 

The Transgressing the Joey’s Way Compendium provides school staff with a guide to ensure that we are following up student indiscretions consistently and fairly. Our compendium outlines that any student found vaping in College uniform will be asked to remain away from school for five days as part of an external suspension. 

For incident in unsupervised locations, it can be very difficult to understand precisely what has transpired. Students may claim to have been present while another student was vaping, without vaping themselves. As such, students who accompany other students to the bathroom to vape will be asked to complete a three-day external suspension. 

If a student becomes aware that their friend is planning to vape, they should remove themselves from that friend’s company immediately and go somewhere else.  

Vaping (the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or 'vapes') continues to be an issue that attracts a great deal of attention as well as debate across the country. Vaping is a new phenomenon, with the first e-cigarette being invented in 2003. As a result, many parents have little or no experience with the issue as the devices simply weren’t around when they were in their teens.

This session will examine what we currently know about the use of e-cigarettes and vaping amongst Australian school-based young people. This is an area that is constantly changing and parents attempting to make sense of the information provided by both the ‘pro-vaping’ and ‘anti-vaping’ lobbies may find it extremely difficult to navigate. As we move towards the end of the school year parents are likely to need as much assistance as possible.
 
Cost: $25 plus GST
This event will be live-streamed but, for those unable to attend live, a recording of the event will also be made available for a period following the event's conclusion.
To register for the event please go to the following link: https://events.humanitix.com/teen-vaping-an-update-for-parents?_ga=2.18745392.80608819.1666043659-467732293.1627864130

Uniform Monitoring Plans 

You will also be aware of the College process around students being out of uniform with no parent notification. Put simply, our process is outlined in the table below.  

 Thank you in anticipation of your continued partnership as we support our students to be safe and proud of their school. 

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

From the Assistant Principal - Religious Education

All Souls Day

As our Year 12 Study of Religion students prepare to sit their external exam, we will also be celebrating All Souls Day.  These students have been studying the way religions define the value of human life and therefore how they protect and advocate for human rights. However, seemingly ironically, to study how we value life, we must also study how we respond to death.  

In the Catholic faith, All Souls day is a day set apart for honouring all who have died. It also affirms our beliefs in the value of human beings. All Souls Day asserts that the value of human beings is not cancelled in their death, and that the value of the living cannot be measured by their wealth or success, but by their simple humanity. 

All Souls Day also reminds us that the network of relationships that form our world are not simply those that link us to the living and the present.  Our world and our lives depend also on our ancestors, on the wisdom that they gathered and that we have preserved, and on our respect for their wisdom in our own institutions and communities. The past lives on our world. 

The attention and the importance that we give to those who have passed, enlightens the way we see our role and responsibilities in our present. Taking time to honour the memories of those who have gone before us encourages us to see our lives as a gift, entrusted to us to be enjoyed and used to create a more just world for all.  

I recently came upon an Instagram post that read, ‘I hope death is like being carried to your bedroom when you were a child and fell asleep on the couch during a family party. I hope you can her the laughter from the next room’. And I reflected on how we must do just do that – we must be laugh. We must live our lives so fully and so joyfully that those who have passed before us can share in our joy from the next world. We have this responsibility to value life, in reflection of death.  

Prayer  

We look to you with praise 

For the blessing of the lives of our departed loved ones, 

For opening your arms to receive our families 

For the home of peace and love in which they now reside, 

For the welcome you give to all your cherished children. 

We look to you in hope 

For healing amidst our sorrow for your loss, 

For an abating of our mourning with knowledge that our loved ones reside in you. 

For the promise of tomorrows without grief and heartache, 

For serenity that will return to our hearts in your time.     

We look to you in remembrance 

Of the life of our loved ones, 

Of their patience and strength, 

Of their love and support, 

Of their humour and companionship 

We look to you in thanksgiving 

For our fond memories, 

For the sharing of gifts, 

For your everlasting love, 

 Compassionate God, 

May we open our hearts to receive your blessing. 

May we open our souls in witness to your grace. 

May we open our lives to welcome your love. 

We ask this through your Son, our companion, Jesus Christ. 

Amen. 

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

Murphy House

Are you making time for yourself these warm-weather months?  

Term four has struck its bell and we have ascended into the fun term where the race to the finish line is ahead. It is important during this term that we take stock of the important things in life and check in with our mental health.

Spring is an opportunity to hit refresh on certain aspects in your life. It’s a time to embrace the longer days and warmer weather to reboot your self-care routines. Spring serves as a chance to get rid of things that aren’t serving you and replace them with new things that do.

In saying this, here are some of the self-care practices that are perfect to try now that spring has sprung. Christine Byrne from everydayhealth.com shares her top tips to prioritise your own wellbeing and take care of yourself. More can be found on the website.

1. Get Outside

Step 1 for making the most of the warmer-weather season is getting out into it. Being surrounded by nature, plants, and greenery can lower your stress quickly, as can physical activity.

1. Leave Time for Rest

“It can be very easy to overextend ourselves” …don’t forget to take time to slow down when you need it, so you don’t exhaust yourself.

1. Socialize IRL (In Real Life) Rather Than Online

Try working on being more present in the moment by reducing social media use and socialising more in person.

Adding to these mindfulness steps, you can also use the following link as handy pocket of resources regarding wellbeing.

In the spirit of “spring has sprung” the below prayer reflection from catholicidentity.bne.catholic.edu.au is a good way to initiate wellbeing into your life.

Nature and Reflection

Take yourself outside. Go and stand in front of something that reminds you of what God has created in the world or something amazing from creation.  Now take 1 minute in silence and stillness to say a prayer of gratitude to God in your heart, for the amazing world we live in.  Then take 1 minute in silence and stillness to listen in your heart.  What is it that God is asking you to do to protect our amazing world?  Make your commitment to God to do something in your everyday life to protect our environment.  (An alternative to going outside is to find a nature image and go through the same steps) 

A Prayer for Our Earth
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

Sport

2022 CBSQ Senior Boys and Girls 

GIRLS

Unfortunately, all the game scores were wiped before I could do a summary of everything, and their system does not allow you to find anything once the event is over.

The girls had good wins against Northside Christian College, Cleveland Districts State High School, and Townsville State High School on the first two days. This put us on top of our division to play the 4th place team in the crossovers. I am not sure what went wrong but we just could not gel as a team and lost this match. One we should have won by a big score. This knocked us out of any placings, and we ended up playing off for 7 or 8th place. Again, we just couldn’t put things together and ended up finishing in 8th place.

Many thanks to Mrs Jaworski who came in at the last moment to help us with supervising to allow the girls to play in the competition. We also thank Mrs Smith who helped with supering, washing, and making sure the girls were well looked after. She also scored for us the entire tournament.

BOYS

The boys had most of their games at Coomera. We had mixed success during the tournament having some good wins and losing games we probably should have won.

Because of a mix-up in the draw timings our last game didn’t start until 3.00 pm which made for a very long day. The boys were playing off for 9th and 10th place eventually finishing in 10th place.

A huge thank you to Mr Waters who coached the boys every Tuesday and Thursday mornings for most of Terms 2 and 3 and then travelled away with them, giving up family time to do so. A thank you to Jason Krienke who stayed with the boys for the first two days and supported them by doing the bench and scoring their games.

2022 CBSQ Junior Secondary Boys and Girls

We got up early again to leave Toowoomba at 5.45am to arrive at our destination for the 9.00am games.

The boys were playing their games at the Coomera courts. Their first game was against Mercy College in which we lost 22 to 51. We also lost Deng Bol Malek in this same game with a fracture to his little finger on his left hand. Unfortunately, he could not take place in any further games for the tournament.

Our next game was at 6.00pm that night against Calamvale Community College. This game was much closer and lost 32 to 33.

After a good night’s sleep, we played at 10.00am against Coolum State High School in which the boys had their first win 33 to 32. The next game was at 2.00 pm against St Michael’s College and we completed the double for the day by winning this game 22 to 20.

This then took us into the cross-over quarter-final games. Our opposition was Ormeau Woods State High School. We managed to keep our roll going and won the game 33 to 31 with a great effort and come back. At 2.00pm on Saturday, we played Corinda State High School but lost this game 36 to 32, which was disappointing for the boys as they had their chances but just couldn’t finish them off.

Sunday was the final day of play and we packed up and the boys travelled over to watch the girls play at Coomera and then travelled back to Runaway Bay for their last game against Runcorn. State High School. The final score was 15 to 19 against us but the boys fought hard right to the last second.

Many thanks to Mr Richardson who coached the boys over the four days. It is a huge commitment to take time off work and commit to an event like this.

The same can be said for Mr Logan who drove the boys around and supervised them for the four days.

We are only too grateful to have people in our lives like this who allow our students to participate in this event, away from Toowoomba.

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Like the boys, the girls' first game was also at 9.00am against Windaroo Valley State High School. It was great to have a first-up win, and this gave the girls some confidence in themselves.
Our next game was at 3.00pm against Corinda State High School. The score in this game was a little closer but we still managed a win.

Our first game on Friday was not until 1.00pm so we had a bit of a late start to the game, spent some time in the pool, and went off to play Centenary State High School. This was a tough game, but we managed to stay on top and win all three of our games before the cross-over games at 6.00pm that night. This quarter-final was against Brisbane Bayside State College which the girls won 45 to 6. If we had lost this game, we would have been playing off for 9/10th.

Saturday morning our semi-final was set down for 10.00am against Palm Beach Currumbin State High School. Again, it was a close game until about the fourth quarter when the girls decided to put things together and won 34 to 23. One game to go and we were on a collision course to meet Centenary Heights in the grand final. Two Toowoomba teams, what a dream.

But it was not to be. We came up against a very physical side in Southern Cross Catholic College which overpowered us to win 35 to 11. We just couldn’t match them on the court.

This left us to play off for the bronze medal on Sunday morning. We were confident and ready to rumble. At 11.00am we tapped off for a strong game. Not often do I comment about referees, but we just didn’t respond well to the calls of one and managed to get two of our girls fouled off, not that the opposition was any better, but the foul count was something like 21 to 11. At the end of full-time, the scores were level at 20 points all. 3 minutes were put back on the clock to decide the winner but unfortunately, it was not to be us who came out on top. Southern Cross won 24 to 26 and we went away very disappointed even though we played our best basketball for the tournament.

Many thanks to Tyla-Jo Salmi who coached the girls after hurting her ankle and was not able to take the court even before we played. We appreciate her for coming and taking control of the girls.

Sienna and Chase Deurloo

While some of us were lazing around and enjoying our holidays a couple of our students were in Darwin competing in the National Country Swimming Championships.

Sienna & Chase were two of these students.

Over the four days, Sienna won 14 medals including 6 Gold and 8 Silver with the gold in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle and 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke events.

Chase swam in the 50m and 100m backstroke events swimming PB's in both races.

Sienna also competed in the Australian Open Short Course Swimming Championships in Sydney where she won a national bronze medal in the Women’s Open 1500m Freestyle.

These are brilliant swims by both swimmers, but special commendation must be said of Sienna’s efforts. What a mammoth event list to swim and win so many races in. 

Darling Downs Representatives

Congratulations to Taylor Lobwein and Tameka Dyne who will represent us in the Darling Downs Triathlon Championships in 2023. Well done to both girls.

Well done to Riley Bryant who has made the boys' team and will join us at St Joseph’s College in 2023. Welcome, Riley.

Touch Football

Congratulations to the following students who have been named as part of the 2023 Queensland Youth Academy Teams.

Titans 16 Boys Bailey Deakin, Kaden Willmot

Titans 16 Girls Indianna Kelly

Junior Emerging Talent Referees – Tameka Dyne

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!!

SBA Year 12 Breakfast
Congratulations to our Year 12 School-Based Apprenticeship students who have completed their qualifications or are transitioning into full-time employment!

We celebrated these students during a special breakfast with their employers organised by the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office. The breakfast was an opportunity to thank employers and celebrate the successful collaboration between schools and businesses.

This year, St Joseph's College has 26 Year 12 students who have either completed or are undertaking an SBA, and most will leave school with a work-ready qualification.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Mrs Marshall and our hospitality team for serving the guests during the breakfast.

CSQ Try’a’Trade Day

Some of SJC's Year 9 and 10 students were introduced to the construction industry through hands on experience in bricklaying, carpentry, painting, and engineering! The event was organised by CSQ and was held at TAFE South West. It was great to see the students in action and they thoroughly enjoyed their time. This was a great opportunity for them to practice one of the Joey's Way Imperatives - Learn in Community.

My 15 year old self would say……………….

‘Choose a career based on what you enjoy and are good at, and select subjects and take all available opportunities to do things related to your interest area, so that they can contribute to help lead you towards a related career path.’

Do you have a summer job?

There are many benefits of getting a summer job including work experience and history, skill development, interview experience, improving your teamwork skills, money in the bank. This is a great time to start looking for a casual job over the Christmas holidays. If you are looking for somewhere to work, you could start with:

• Doing a google search on Christmas holiday jobs
• Asking your parents and friends if they know of anything being offered
• Go down to your local shopping centre and look for signs in shop windows (take you resume with you and dress well)
• Ask your friends with jobs to tell you if any jobs come up where they work

Good luck and happy hunting. Remember, you don't have to continue after the holidays end, and you might just enjoy the gig.

Come along to the Lunch and Learn this week to discover more!

Effective ways to memorise for exams

Studying for exams is challenging but with some tips it can not be as stressful. Click here to read an article written by Jess Holsman, Deakin psychology graduate and founder of YouTube’s ‘Study With Jess’, where she gives advice to thousands of students around the world on effective study. She outlines some different study techniques that involve active learning and that are tailored to each of the four types of learning styles:

• Visual learners
• Auditory learners
• Read and write learners
• Kinaesthetic/Physical learners

Specialties in psychology

There are many specialties in psychology. Some of the specialties include:

• Clinical neuropsychologists
• Clinical psychologists
• Community psychologists
• Psychologists with general registration
• Counselling psychologists
• Educational and developmental psychologists
• Forensic psychologists
• Health psychologists
• Organisational psychologists
• Sport and exercise psychologists
• Psychologists with general registration

Read about these specialist areas on the Australian Psychological Society website.

BASAIR Aviation College

Are you thinking of aviation as a career? BASAIR offers a trial instructional flight if you are wanting to become a commercial pilot. They offer a 1 hour Trial Instructional Flight. Flights can be booked any day of the week and a typical booking is 1.5hrs, allowing you time to brief and de-brief after the flight. They also offer:

• Certificate III in Aviation - AVI30419 (Remote Pilot - Visual Line of Sight)
• Diploma of Aviation - AVI50219 (Commercial Pilot Licence - Aeroplane) 
• Diploma of Aviation - AVI50519 (Instrument Rating) - CRICOS Approved 
• Diploma of Aviation - AVI50419 (Flight Instructor) 
• Diploma of Aviation - Combined Package Diploma of Aviation - AVI50219 (Commercial Pilot Licence - Aeroplane) and Diploma of Aviation - AVI50519 (Instrument Rating)

Click here to find out more including the Brisbane Pilot Career Seminars held on 20 October and 17 November.

School Based Apprenticeships

• Certificate III in Hairdressing – Air Hair Studio – Year 10, 11
• Certificate III in Hairdressing – MINX Hair Boutique – Year 10, 11
• Certificate III in Engineering – Golden West – Year 10, 11
• Certificate III in Carpentry – Blades Joinery – Year 10, 11
• Certificate III in Cabinet Making – Custom Joinery– Year 10, 11
• Certificate III in Plumbing – Year 11, 12
• Certificate II in Supply Chain Operations – Year 10

For further information and to view all current SBA opportunities, please visit the Career Pathways CANVAS course 

Full time Apprenticeship Opportunities – Year 12 school leavers

• Certificate III in Carpentry – BBC Construction
• Certificate III in Carpentry – Blades Joinery
• Certificate III in Plumbing – Toowoomba Plumbing Solutions
• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery – Bergen
• Certificate III in Construction – Valdal Projects
• Certificate III in Cabinet Making – Desire Interiors
• Cadetship – Mainfreight Transport

For further information and to view all opportunities, please visit the Career Pathways CANVAS course 

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

Health & Physical Education

If you asked students today what is the most important subject that they learn at school, what would their answer be? What subject do you think is the most important for your child in high school? 

I’d like to challenge our students to think beyond the old "three Rs" - reading, writing, and arithmetic. While there is no doubt that literacy and numeracy are absolutely fundamental, too often I hear from students, parents, and the wider community that those subjects that ignite our passions and engage our senses are not as important as some of the more traditional offerings within the Australian Curriculum.

Let’s run through some real statistics: 

 - Fewer than 4% of Australians between the ages of 5 and 24 eat enough fruit and vegetables. 

 - 26% of Australians between the ages of 5 and 14 are overweight or obese. 

 - 22% of Australians between the ages of 15 and 24 are overweight or obese. 

 - In 1995, one in five Australian adults were obese or overweight. In 2018, that number grew to 2-in-3. 

 - 39% of Australians between the ages of 15 and 24 consume alcohol at levels that put them at risk of harm. 

 - 15% of Australians between the ages of 12 and 17 had a mental health disorder in the last 12 months. 

 What does this all mean? 

Clearly, there has been a lack of education in our young Australians about the role that simply being physically active every day plays in not only their physical but also their emotional, social, and mental health. If you look through the Health & Physical Education content implemented at St. Joseph’s College this year, there is a clear focus on educating our young people about the importance of Life Long health and well-being. I encourage you to have discussions with your child and ask them what they are learning in HPE at the moment. Ask them to break down their learning and discuss with you what they are learning. If they understand what they are learning and, more importantly, why, then we can do our part to combat a worrying trend of unhealthy and unsustainable living. It is no longer enough to view lifelong physical activity as a want; rather, it is something we need, now more than ever, if we are to improve the health and well-being of all Australians.

Studies prove that students who participate in daily physical activity show improved academic achievement, behaviour management, cognitive skills, and an improved attitude towards learning. So making sure that your child is an active participant in their HPE classes isn’t just about preparing them for that subject, but for life as a whole.

Mitchell Kilgour - Curriculum Leader - Health & Physical Education - MKilgour@sjc.qld.edu.au

Library

This last fortnight has seen much discussion around a new library display focusing on banned books.

Did you know that Charlotte's Web was banned in Kansas school libraries for having talking animals, and that in England in the 1980s the London City Council banned The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny from schools because it portrayed only middle-class rabbits?

Students have questioned why books are banned and thought about censorship and the need for freedom of expression. 

Our Tech Tuesday kicked off Term 4 with students having flying fun with Green Screen technology. Look out for photos of this activity in our next update. 
 
Also, a reminder to our Year 12 students to return their College textbooks to the library after their exams. We wish you success in your study and exams in your final weeks! 

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

As he is here to improve his English, host students do not necessarily need to be studying Japanese – although there are obvious advantages for our students if they do. Fusuke is interested in movies, music, video games – typical teenage boy interests – and he is very keen to experience the Australian outdoors. If you think your family could accommodate him for the term, or even just a few weeks, I’d love to hear from you. He will arrive just before the start of Term 1 and will leave straight after, so holiday time with families will not be impacted.

There is also weekly payment given to help with boarding costs.

If this sounds like something your family would enjoy, please drop me an email at the College and I can provide further information.

Arigatou Gozaimasu!!

Maree Nunn

Japanese Teacher

mnunn@sjc.qld.edu.au

This festive season, SJC is continuing it's great tradition of donating Christmas Hampers to struggling local families through St Vincent De Paul. 

Baskets have been placed within each Joey's Way room and, over the next few weeks, we would love your help to fill them. Below is the list of approved items that can be donated. 

Hamper Contents (all small items)

At least 1 of each item below per hamper

• 1L drink (e.g., cordial)
• Baked beans
• Biscuits (not small)
• Can of fruit
• Cereal
• Chips
• Christmas cake
• Coffee
• Custard
• Fruit containers
• Gravy powder tin
• Jelly containers
• Lollies
• Long-life milk
• Pasta sauce
• Plum puddings
• Spaghetti
• Tea
• Tin vegetables
• Tinned ham (not small; no spam)
• Tuna
• Soap
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant

Thank you for your generosity and participation in this very worthy cause... Only 58 days until Christmas!

Uniform Shop

All summer stock is available for purchase.

Don’t forget to get in early for your 2023 school uniforms!

Orders can be made online, paid for over the phone and delivered to student entrance for your child to collect from there.

Online orders can also be delivered to your home for a fee.

Online ordering is available at all times and will only be packed during shop trading hours.

If you require only a couple of items no appointment is necessary for current students.

Out of stock:

Crew Sport Socks size 7-11

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.