Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - Issue 96

From the Acting Principal

Farewell – Graduates of 2022

Last week we held multiple key rites of passage for our graduates of 2022, including Graduation Assembly, Presentation Night and Valedictory Dinner. We wished these graduates our prayers and blessings as they depart the College gates for the last time to make a positive difference to our world. Sincere congratulations and thanks to the parents of our graduates, for the care and guidance that you have continually given to your sons/daughters over their years at the College. Congratulations.

Thanks also to our dedicated St Joseph’s College teachers and staff for your encouragement and expert instruction ensuring the students achieve their best possible results.

Enjoy some moments captured from the day below and this video.

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Presentation Night

Last Monday 14 November we held our annual Presentation Night at the Empire Theatre. We celebrated the whole St Joseph’s College community and the achievements from 2022. Thank you to all those families who were able to attend this event. We have been asked to share copies of the videos presented on the night and also the recording of the whole evening. Please refer to the links below.

• Student Engagement and Leadership Highlights Video - https://youtu.be/Ze5PMwkTJX0
• Academic Highlights Video - https://youtu.be/lkC3eP34T2A
• Faith and Social Justice Highlights Video - https://youtu.be/Lv1PTpej8Zk
• Cultural Highlights - https://youtu.be/cz_kgoxwxpA
• Sporting Highlights Video - https://youtu.be/0rGeoo1cJx0

Also available to view is the recording of the entire evening - https://youtu.be/HTu6HdyfF5A

'With Us’

As we prepare for Christmas this Advent, we are drawn to the birth of Jesus – a tiny, innocent, dependent, and perfect baby who is without judgement or criticism and is only looking to love and be loved. Like any infant, this baby welcomes us in and unites us all. The baby Jesus is one of us and is to be embraced by all. The baby’s name is otherwise known as “Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:22-23). Interpreted, this name means, ‘God is with us.’ As the secularism of Christmas becomes ever present, we must not forget to open our arms and imagine embracing the tiny, perfect baby - our Emmanuel. At that very moment, we are accepting and embracing God; inviting God to be part of our lives from that moment onwards.

May the joy of Jesus’ birth at Christmas, the Hope, Love and Inspiration of our being, fill the hearts of all members of the St Joseph’s College community this Christmas season. Amen.

End of Year, Semester Reports, College Yearbook and 2023 Calendar

The year concludes for Years 10 and 11 students on Friday 25 November at 3.00pm, and for Years 7, 8 and 9 on Friday 2 December at 3:00pm (supervision provided on Friday 3 December and parent permission slip in email).  

All reports will be issued on Friday, 2 December. We trust that all parents will read and discuss these reports and plan for 2023 with your child over the Christmas break.

A 2022 College Yearbook and 2023 College Calendar has been issued to the eldest child in your family this week during Joey’s Way. If your child is absent, please collect this Yearbook from the front reception.

Staff Farewells

With the end of each school year comes the inevitable staff farewells and offering of thanks to others whose role may be changing at the school. These changes to staffing roles and farewells can be both quite sad, and exciting as it brings new opportunities and possible adventures for those departing or changing roles.

I would like to advise the community that the following staff members will be departing our community at the end of 2022 or taking leave for 2023. We thank these people greatly for their contributions over the time they have been at our College and for those taking leave we look forward to seeing them in 2023.

Departing – Lauren Geldard, Jason Krienke, Samantha Meager, Cate Park-Ballay, Michelle Tully, Emily Whiting.

Leave for part of 2022 –  Kirstie Andrews, Shane Hair, Jenny Stead.

In replacing the staff members who are departing or taking leave, the following people will be returning to St Joseph’s College or joining us in 2023.

• Maree Comerford (Middle Leader Staff Development)
• Cameron Love (Acting Curriculum Leader: Science)
• Dilki Balalla (returning from leave to teach Mathematics and Science)
  
• Colin Speed (School Officer: Inclusive Community)
• Mel Wilson (School Officer Student Engagement Support)

• Rhonda Martindale (English and Humanities Teacher)

• Abbey Orbansen-Thew (Science Teacher)

We look forward to these people bringing and sharing their expertise, skills, and talents with our community in 2023.

Thank you to Ben Geherman (Acting House Leader: Brennan), Luke Logan (Acting Assistant Principal: Student Engagement) and Joe Cryle (Deputy Principal) who have been undertaking additional leadership roles over the 5 weeks. Your support has been greatly appreciated.

Upcoming Events

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

From the Acting Deputy Principal

Week 9 - Finishing the Year Strongly 

As the year draws to a close, it’s helpful for families to be aware of the events, routines, processes, and procedures that are fast approaching. We hope that this information will be beneficial to you and your student allowing us all to end the year in the most productive and efficient manner. If you have any questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact the College. 

Our expectations about students’ behaviour, specifically that they live out The Joey’s Way remain unchanged. There are some variations in uniform expectations, details can be viewed below. The uniform policy can be accessed here 

On behalf of the staff of St Joseph’s College, we would like to thank you all our families for their partnership in 2022 and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very safe and Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2023! 

Joe Cryle - Acting Deputy Principal - Jcryle@sjc.qld.edu.au

From the Assistant Principal - Curriculum

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate students who have received Endeavour cards this year.  The introduction of the two new cards last year Aspiring to Excellence and Participating and Persevering have been embraced by both students and staff.

We have recognised students for academic excellence by presenting Gold, Silver and Bronze awards which was based on the number of A’s they received for each semester and will again present Semester 2, 2022 results next year when we return in the new year.  This will be based on the students Semester 2 report card and designed to encourage all students to live out the values of the Joey’s Way and acknowledges students for Endeavour: in particular in the areas of Aspiring to Excellence.  Our academic excellence morning teas will continue next year and we hope students continue to push themselves to do their best.

For Year 7 to 10 students report cards will be posted next week to families.  I would ask that you go through the report card with your child and ask them to reflect on their overall results and learner attributes.  

For Year 11 students we have commenced Unit 3 work and in some areas students have actually completed their first internal piece of assessment already. These results are indicated as  ‘Provisional’ results for their First Internal Assessment (IA1) for Unit 3 and will be reported on in Term 1, 2023.

‘Provisional’ results for Internal Assessment 1 (IA1) is the result the teacher has given the student for their first piece after internal moderating processes have been completed.  This result cannot be confirmed until it has been through the QCAA confirmation process and students will see their final confirmed result in their myQCE account once this has been finalized. 

Aspire to Excellence – Recipients (2022)

Participate and Persevere – Recipients (2022)

2023 Booklists

On the College Website https://www.sjc.qld.edu.au/current-parents/book-lists/ is an updated 2023 Stationery list for families.  All families were sent a broadcast with the attached booklist for 2023 last week.

All students going into Years 9 to 11 have received their elective subjects via email during Term 4.  If you have any questions about subject choices, please contact Mrs Park-Ballay (Year 9) and Mrs Tobin for Years 10 and 11.  Many subjects are now full, but if changes need to be made this must be finalised by the end of term.  

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

From the Acting Assistant Principal - Student Engagement

A number of students this week have spoken to me about how they have finally made it to the end of the school year.  They are excited for the holiday and a well-deserved break.  However, before I let all our students sign off for another school year, I ask one final task. 

Take the time to stop and reflect on the year, to bask in the glory of all your successes and to acknowledge moments where you weren’t at your best.  This is the chance to acknowledge your areas for potential growth and set some goals for 2023.  Write these goals down whether it be to focus more on study, get involved in more activities across the school, put in a better effort in subjects that you don’t particularly like. 

Report cards will be out shortly and this one great tool to support this reflection process.  I challenge all students to strive for ‘Good’ and ‘Very Good’ in their learner attributes and if you didn’t reach this there is a chance to reflect on this over the holidays and look towards achieving these goals next year. 

This is also a chance to retire some of those old, worn socks, torn shirts, grass-stained shorts, dresses that we have grown out of, shoes that have been held together with tape and replace these with new uniform items to begin the next school year looking fresh and respectable.

For me the end of the year is an exciting time to stop, take stock of the achievements of the students and staff at St Joseph’s, and to look to a fresh start and renewed focus for 2023.

Have a happy, safe and holy Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Luke Logan - Acting Assistant Principal - Student Engagement  -  llogan@sjc.qld.edu.au

From the Assistant Principal - Religious Education

Reflections for the End of Year

As our year comes to end, I wanted to share with our community two beautiful reflections I have come across.

The first is ‘Belonging’ by John O’Donohue. We used this as our blessing over our Year 12 graduates and it speaks about the human longing to feel connected. Belonging is the thread that keeps our inner and outside worlds in balance. We often take for granted our belonging, and it is only when our belonging is fractured that we recognise its absence.

                           Belonging

by John O’Donohue

May you listen to your longing to be free

May the frames of your belonging be generous enough for your dreams.

May you arise each day with a voice of blessing whispering in your heart

May you find a harmony between your soul and your life

May the sanctuary of your soul never be haunted

May you know the eternal longing that lives at the heart of time

May there be kindness in your gaze when you look within

May you never place walls between the light and yourself

May you allow the wild beauty of the invisible world to gather you

Mind you and embrace you in belonging

The second is ‘The Gift of Hope’ by Joyce Rupp. This beautiful piece reminds us that we are meant to be hope-filled people, particularly in the season of Advent. We hopefully await the arrival of our Lord. We hopefully await the gathering of family. We hopefully await a season of renewal.

The Gift of Hope

God of all those who yearn for a glimmer of assurance on the long journey to you, come! Come with a vast storehouse of renewed dreams, hopes and peacefulness.

God of hope, come! Enter into my memory and remind me often of the yearning of the people in history. Stir up stories of how the ancestors hung on to your promises, how they stole hope from tiny glimmers about you, passed on from age to age. Help me to hear the loud, crying voices of the prophets who proclaimed that a new age would dawn.

God of hope, come! Enter into the heart of mine which often loses itself in self, missing the message of your encouragement because I am so entangled in the web of my own whirl of life. Enable me to not lose sight of the power of your presence or the truth of your consolation.

God of hope, come! Enter in the lives of those I hold dear, the ones whose lives are marked with pain, struggle and deep anxiety, those whose lives bear ongoing heartaches, those whose difficulties threaten to overwhelm them with helplessness and despair. Come and gift them with a deep belief about you and your never-ending faithfulness and companionship.

God of hope, come! Enter into every human heart that cries out for a glimpse of your love, for a sign of your welcoming presence, for a taste of your happiness. Be the one who calms the restless and gentles the ache of the human journey.

God of hope, come! Enter into this Advent season with the grace of joy and laughter. Fill the faces with smiles of delight and voices with sounds of pleasure. Let this gift come from deep within. Replenish all with the joyful blessings that only your peace can bring.

God of hope, come! Be the Morning Star in our midst, the Light that can never go out, the Beacon of Hope guiding our way to you. Come into our midst and make our lives a home, where your ever-lasting goodness resonates with assuring love and vigorous hope.

 – Joyce Rupp

Back to School Pencil Case Donations Needed

We are partnering with Darling Downs Health to help support newly arrived refugee families.

We are currently looking for donations of pencils cases filled with stationary for teens as they commence their journey in high school in 2023.

As your family prepares for the return to school in 2023, we encourage you to consider purchasing extra items to donate.

Please donate pencil cases filled with:

• pens
• pencils
• ruler
• erasers
• felt pens
• highlighters
• post it notes
• blank USB
• messages of encouragement

Donations can be left at the St Joseph's College front office.

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

Student Voice

Hello Joey’s Community!   

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, getting a student's perspective on the issues the school is facing, and getting students involved in finding solutions. The Student Voice group is a collaborative, student-run club that meets every Day 9 Lunch Time (Thursday), in Seminar Room 2 (Library). Please feel free to come and contribute any ideas or raise any issues in 2023!

This year Student Voice has led and been a part of multiple projects, including awareness projects for Student Voice and numerous surveys for the community to gather insight into the issues at SJC, as well as to help give teachers and incoming 2023 student leaders feedback and suggestions on upcoming projects. Alongside this, Student Voice has collectively strived to better the SJC community by brainstorming ways to fix issues that have arisen in the student community. A few ways Student Voice has done this is by creating posters for aerosol and sanitary item awareness, as well as finally getting house badges for the current 2022 Grade 10 cohort.

Over the year Student Voice has made a few surveys, beginning with one focused on improving SJC, which got 167 responses from students and staff. Student Voice also made an anonymous suggestion form designed to get the students' feedback on what can be done to improve SJC, which can be accessed through this link:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=_f1LV0RCBUK3EBaPWwxYDcZdR2xtRTdIiIgnu_R-1H9UNVBUM1laTlpDTk5UWUFQVlZON1g0UDg5Ny4u  

In Term 3, Student Voice started the library conversation wall - a collaborative way for students at SJC to voice their opinion and aspirations on each week’s questions, such as “What do you like about SJC?” and “How could we improve SJC?” Recently, Student Voice re-elected leadership roles for 2023. The 2023 Student Voice leaders are Sophie Wagner (Senior Co-ordinator), Arielle Suhr (Junior Co-ordinator), and Sarah Ellis (Secretary). Next year Student Voice plans to create more awareness for our group and create an option for the girls' senior ties, either elastic or non-elastic.  On behalf of Student Voice, thank you for a wonderful year and we hope everyone has a fantastic holiday!  

Thank you,   

Kira Standeaven (Year 10), Izabella Harch (Year 10) & Chelsea Rogers (Year 7)

McAuley House

One of the best gifts you can give is the gift of hope. Let's question ourselves these Christmas holidays: what can we do to give people hope? 
 
The central theme of all religious organisations is hope. Christmas is a time to commemorate when a baby born in a barn brought hope to the world, according to the Christian faith. Jesus' contribution to a troubled world was to serve as an example of compassion and morality, particularly for the underprivileged. Jesus famously said, “I have come so you may have life. Live life to the full” (John 10:10). 
 
This act of kindness motivated Catherine McAuley to show the same compassion in her own life.  
She experienced the deaths of many around her and suffered hardship in many forms. Yet the mercy, compassion and hope shown to others in need never waned. Catherine’s selflessness, hope and faith motivated her to empower others. "A community in which this universal charity reigns, is capable of surmounting all difficulties" (Catherine McAuley). 
 
We enter each new year with a hope for better things, with a willingness to improve our health, well-being, and our future in some tangible way. We are hopeful that though our world and lives may change, we will still flourish. 
 
Christmas is a time for us to take a minute to stop and consider how we interact with our friends, family and community. While it is a time of celebration for most of us, it may be a period of isolation and great vulnerability for some. 
 
Our story includes hope at every turn. Giving genuinely is receiving. Find the lonely to combat loneliness. Be cheerful for others to feel joy. Love others as you would like to be loved. Be someone else's hope to understand as it opens many possibilities. This Christmas, make your story a simple one of hope, hospitality, and love. 
 
“May God preserve and bless you and grant you all the graces and precious gifts reserved for this Holy Season” (Catherine McAuley, 1837). 

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

Rice House

As we come to the end of the 2022 school year, we draw closer to the beginning of the new Liturgical year and the beginning of the Advent season. At Advent and Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Lord, we give praise and thanks, we reconnect with family and friends, and we think about our life and faith as Catholics. A life that is framed by waiting; we spend much of our life in expectation of what might come next. As a college community, we excitedly await the end of the academic year, holidays and everything that the advent season brings.

In week nine, invited students will be attending our Merit Trips to Dreamworld, which acknowledges those students who have actively lived out the Joey’s Way in 2022. A major contributor to this attendance, whilst being cognisant of the reality of the world we currently live in, we do not want students to attend school with genuine illness; the challenge to students at SJC is around the non-genuine absences. The mornings when you really don’t feel like getting out of bed, or the mornings after a late night binging Netflix. The 2013 ‘Every Day Counts’ report highlighted that;

‘In all analyses, average academic achievement on NAPLAN tests declined with any absence from school and continued to decline as absence rates increased. The nature of the relationship between absence from school and achievement, across all sub-groups of students strongly suggests that every day of attendance in school contributes towards a child’s learning, and that academic outcomes are enhanced by maximising attendance in school’ (Hancock et.al, 2013, p. V).

In 2023, as a College, we will be working towards building student agency towards understanding and impacting on this attendance data. The Sentral student portal highlights students’ attendance in a visual easy to interpret way (the ‘patchwork’ and key are below), and students are encouraged to speak with their JW teacher or House Leader if they require support to improve or would like to question an attendance entry as ‘every day counts’.

In reflection on the 2022 academic year, I wanted to publicly acknowledge the dedication and hard work of our Joey’s Way staff. Our house motto of ‘A Gentle Strength’ is exemplified in these teachers’ everyday interactions with our students, and I am personally eternally grateful for their professionalism and work ethic.

Rice 1 – Candice Brazier

Rice 2 – Deb Mischlewski

Rice 3 – Dilki Balalla and Samantha Meager

Rice 4 – Mitchell Wheeldon

Rice 5 – Adriana Sardoni

Rice 6 – Mitchell Kilgour

Rice 7 – Alex Gannon

Rice 8 – Paul Canning

Rice 9 – Beth Moloney

Rice 10 – El-Mari Verster

Thomas Moore - Student Engagement Middle Leader - Rice House  -  tmoore@sjc.qld.edu.au

Sport

Year 7/8 AAG Positive Choices Cup

Last Sunday saw the final sporting event for 2022. The Year 7/8 boys and girls teams competed at St Mary’s College in the hope of winning the final trophies up for offer this year.

The Boys' first game was at 10.00am against Highfields State Secondary College, under the coaching control of Tim Richardson. This was a great warm-up game for the boys as they had not played with each other since the club fixtures had finished at the end of term 3. 

Ryan Richardson top scored with 15 points closely followed by Jamison Brown with 14 points. Saxon Medland scored 8 points, Will Jensen and Lucan Byrne both scored 4 valuable points, Dean Sowry 4 points, and Kobe Guok and Elvis Mgutu scored 2 points each to round us out to 57 points and Highfields on 30 points. This put us straight into the grand final against Toowoomba Grammar.

The boys arrived back at the centre for the 3.00pm final against Grammar. They had plenty of tall timber in their term – we are getting there but just didn’t have the strength and power of the boys from Grammar. We stayed with them for the first quarter only down by 12 to 8 and then the wheels fell off a little in the second quarter, losing it 17 to 5. Third quarter we stayed with them only losing 10 to 8. In the last quarter, it was do or die but they held on tight to win it 15 to 9. The final score was 54 to 30 but the boys can hold their heads up high as they never stopped trying and worked hard for all four quarters.

Ryan topped scored again with 14 points, Jamison 7 points, Dean 4 points, Jonah Bennett got himself a great 3-point shot and Will rounded out the score with 2 points.

All boys were well-behaved and excelled at sportsmanship on the court. Very proud of their efforts.
The girls arrived for their first game at 11.00am against Centenary Heights team number 2. This was a fantastic game for us as we had a chance to play together, and get rid of the cobwebs and nerves for a few girls who were playing their first game of basketball ever.

All girls managed to put points on the board, which was really exciting for the parents on the sideline who didn’t stop smiling and laughing at the girls, knowing that some of them were well out of their comfort zones being on a basketball court instead of a netball court. In the end, they played hard and tough.

Sami Hunter and Krystal Timms top scored with 14 points each, Kaley Markey put 12 in the ring, Holly Robinson scored a good 10 points, Poppie White (first game) scored 8 points, Emmi Ranford scored 4 points and Charlotte Wiedman, Kenzie Van Zandbergen and Jada Guok (2 first time players) scored 2 points each.
The final score was 68 to 2 points. Centenary was like us and a lot of players who were learning the game and we were grateful to them for putting this team in so that we could run a proper carnival.

This then put us into the grand final against Centenary Heights team number 1. They had already beaten us twice this year so we were hopeful that this may have been our turn to bring home the trophy. But no, we fell a few points short of our goal and Centenary walked away with the trophy with the score line of 42 to 20 points.
Sami top scored this game with two brilliant three-point shots, helping her to 8 points for the game, Kaley and Poppie both scored 4 points and Emmi and Holly both scored 2 points each as well.

Like the boys, they displayed great sportsmanship and seemed to have fun on the day. Hopefully, the beginners will join us in the team for the Friday Night Competition at the beginning of 2023.

Throughout the day each team nominated a player from their team to compete in the “dash for cash” run. One team member from each team started on the baseline. They had to sprint to the other end and do a lay up and then sprint down the other end and throw a free shot. The fastest person won $50.00 for their school.

We congratulate Ryan Richardson who won it for the boys’ teams, overtaking Kobe Guok who held the best time until the very last game. Sami Hunter was winning the girls until she was pipped at the post by .01 of a second to finish in second place.

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Open Water Swim

We wish Sienna Deurloo the best of luck as she travels to Perth, Bunbury to compete in the 10km open water swim as part of the State Titles. The event is taking place on Saturday at Koombana Bay.

The weather over there is not very conducive to swimming as the temperature in the water is only 18° and Sienna will probably be in the water for something like two hours or more.

Fingers are crossed she has a good swim.

Athletics Carnival

Unfortunately, the athletics carnival has never been finalised, but we are still going to announce the age champions for the event and the winning house.

Congratulations to the following students on their efforts.

The overall house points went like this:

Fourth Place – Murphy House 3912 points

Third Place – Rice House 4400 points

Second Place – Brennan House 4985 points

First Place – McAuley House 5460 points

Congratulations to McAuley House on your first win for a very long time. A great effort.

Missing Uniforms

With the school year ending I am asking students and parents to look in cupboards, under beds and at the bottom of school bags to see if they have any sports uniforms belonging to the College.

I know there are still a number of basketball uniforms from the boys’ club team who used them as their uniform for the competition and have not yet returned them.

If you do not require the sports uniform anymore and are not going to sell it, we would appreciate it for use in the PE department to have uniforms available for students who forget theirs and so can participate by borrowing one that is supplied.

Lost Property

I also have many jumpers, jackets, hats that are not named and hence not claimed. If you think that these could belong to your child and would like to go through all the lost property I have, please call me, or send an email and we can arrange a time to go through all the gear.

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

Connect with Careers

Lunch and Learn Schedule – Week 9

A reminder that you can access career information from the St Joseph’s College Careers website.

ADF Lunch and Learn Session

Thank you to the students who joined us last week at the Australian Defence Force Lunch & Learn session.

Sgt. Tristan Evans shared stories about his career journey, provided a day in the life of certain roles, and discussed pathway options and benefits! Students walked away with knowledge about the industry, and information on how to apply, and walked away with a few freebies!

Thank you to Sgt. Tristan Evans and the team at ADF Recruitment for taking time out of their day to speak with our students.

2023 Year 10 Work Experience Student/ Parent Information Session

Last week, we hosted the Work Experience Student/ Parent information session.

Attendees received their work experience packages and learned about the purpose and benefits of Work Experience, as well as outlined the process for Work Experience to ensure that this is a successful experiential learning experience. Work Experience provides students with the work-readiness experience to build their confidence and competence in their areas of interest.

Thank you to the students who volunteered their time to greet our guests and provide them with their work experience packs.

Pre-apprenticeship courses through TAFE Queensland

Pre-apprenticeship training is an entry-level Certificate. It is made up of traditional classroom learning on a TAFE campus as well as hands-on work experience. Doing a pre-apprenticeship course has many advantages including:

• Helping you gain skills and a basic understanding of the job and industry
• Improving your chances of gaining an apprenticeship as an employer is more likely to take on someone who has some knowledge of the industry and the basic skills required
• Saving time on your apprenticeship, as part of the first stage of apprenticeship training is completed within the pre-apprenticeship course.

If you are interested in starting a full-time pre-apprenticeship course in January 2023 click here for a list of pre-apprenticeship courses on offer at SkillsTech and application information. You may have completed some pre-apprenticeship courses at school so see your VET Coordinator or Guidance Counsellor/Officer for information about this option.

Thinking about joining the ADF?

If you are thinking about joining the ADF now or when you leave school, keep in mind that it can be a lengthy process involving several stages. Click here to read more about each stage and how best to prepare yourself. The stages are:

1. Apply online
2. Attend virtual YOU session (Your Opportunities Unlimited) Session
3. Attend Assessment Session 
4. Attend Officer Selection (if this is your chosen options)
5. Take a fitness test
6. Attend enlistment/appointment day

15 Top Qualities Employers Look For in Job Candidates

Throughout the interviewing process, job seekers use work experience and accomplishments to show that they have the qualifications that employers are looking for. While hard skills (such as technical training and education) are important, employers also seek soft skills or interpersonal skills that directly influence what kind of employee each person will be. In this article, Indeed review 15 qualities employers seek and discuss ways you can highlight these qualities during and after the hiring process. Click here to read about:

• Ambition
• Communication
• Confidence
• Critical thinking
• Dependability
• Determination
• Eagerness to learn
• Flexibility
• Honesty
• Positivity
• Loyalty
• Problem-solving
• Self-reliance
• Teamwork
• Work ethic

Link and Launch Post School Support

Link and Launch is a free service supporting young people who have completed Year 12 and are wanting to take their next step into study, training, or work. You can get individual support to navigate the system and make a successful transition. Support includes:

• assistance in writing your resume, applying for jobs, and interview preparation 
• help to enrol in training courses or Skilling Queenslanders for Work programs
• access to free apprenticeships and traineeships
• finding alternative entry pathways to university

Find out more about Link and Launch, including your local service here.

Congratulations!

• Congratulations to Ava O’Neill (Year 10) for receiving a Distinction for her Introduction to the Profession (Education) UniSQ Head Start course!
  
  
• Congratulations to Stuart Gray (Year 11) for successfully completing his Diploma in Business with Aurora Training Institute!

Congratulations to our recent School Based Apprentices & Trainees

Congratulations to Samuel Hockin, Jordan Conway, Ethan Stagg, Joshua White, Gemma Ries, Nicholas Fuller, and Ethan Power for recently commencing School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships!

SBA Opportunities:

For current SBA vacancies, please visit the Career Pathways CANVAS course

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

Enhanced Learning

On Wednesday 26 October, the annual Mayoral School Achievement Awards were held at Concordia Lutheran College to celebrate those students who, despite educational and/or life challenges, have risen above these adversities to achieve great things in their education.  This year St Joseph’s College was proud to nominate Year 12 student Waed Roumieh for the award.

Waed is a very deserving recipient of the Mayoral Award due to her positive approach to all she does. 

Waed came to Australia in 2017 to escape the war in Syria.  Her commitment to her studies and overcoming the language barrier that could have held her back is to be commended.  Waed has always dreamt big and has experienced success in all areas of her school life, despite previous hardships.  Waed’s tenacity and drive to be the best she can be, has seen her persist and excel academically.  This year Waed was successful in earning the position the College Cultural Leader, a role she embraces wholeheartedly.  

We will miss Waed greatly as she has brought so much to St Joseph’s College, with her determination and drive to learn all she can.  She is such a respectful and well-mannered young lady, who maintains a positive and uplifting sense of self.  Waed, we know you are destined for greatness, and wish you all the very best in the next phase of your life journey as you move to Melbourne with your family.  

Darcy Goodall - Program Middle Leader - Enhanced Learning - dgoodall@sjc.qld.edu.au

Library

Premiers Reading Challenge 

From 9th May – 26th August​ this year, Years 7-9​ participated in the Premier’s Reading Challenge.  We had 205 students participate and overall, we read a total of 740 books!​ What an amazing effort achieved by all, while still completing curriculum commitments.   

Congratulations to our top readers, listed below with the number of books read: 

Library returns 

Thank you to students who have returned library items in the last few weeks.  Your support makes our end of year tasks a lot easier.  For those remaining few students please check your emails for an up-to-date list of your outstanding items.  A reminder that the final date for returning library loans is outlined below. Any loans not returned in good condition on or before the following dates will incur a charge: 

Holiday Reading 

Those students interested in reading over the break can access SORA for eBooks and audiobooks. 

How to find and use Sora

Fun stats 

We wanted to highlight a few amazing library students and their achievements this year! Thank you to everyone who gets involved and jumps into the learning pit with us at lunchtimes in different challenges and to those who completed kits and activities. Congratulations to the following: 

• Highest borrower stats: 

1) Sarah Ellis – 96 books 

2) Roilene Corpuz de Luna aka Yap – 41 books 

3) Sofie Van Giersbergen – 34 books 

• Most Kiwi Kits completed: Emily Warhurst  

• Most amazing Tinker Thursday: Kai Fraser 
• Most creative thinker Tech Tuesday: William Davis 

Semester 2 reflection in images. 

We would like to thank all students for making 2022 a year to remember. Wishing everyone a great end of term and a wonderful holiday from the Library Team.  

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

Premier’s Anzac Prize helps SJC student uncover family war hero

A St Joseph’s College student has been awarded the prestigious annual Premier’s Anzac Prize.

Year 9 student Sarah Ellis is one of 8 students in Queensland to be awarded the prize which gives them a chance to visit London, France, and Belgium in April next year.

For the prize, Sarah researched and created a speech and multimodal presentation on top of her normal studies last term.

Sarah said she was shocked when she found out she had won.

“I get to go on this amazing trip, meet know people who have similar interests, and learn a tonne of new stuff – I can’t wait,” Sarah said.

As she researched her presentation, Sarah discovered an even deeper personal connection to the project.

“I had never really thought that any of my family were involved in the wars but then, in undertaking this prize, I found out about my Great-Great-Uncle Bill who we think served at Gallipoli,” she said.

“There were also a couple of relatives on my mum’s side who also served. I never knew they existed, and this project led me to them.”

According to the some details Sarah recover about her Great Great Uncle William ‘Bill’ Pinfold, he lost both his legs during World War 1, but survived to take up a career has a cobbler.

Sarah said she had never heard of the prize until her Humanities teacher sent her the information.

“Ms Whiting, was a big factor in my entering. She emailed me, and a couple of other students, and suggested that I apply for it.

She arranged for me to go out during Humanities lessons and for me to do the project as assessment instead of the exam so I could really focus on it. It was a lot of work, but it was enjoyable because I really like history,” she said.

St Joseph’s College Humanities teacher Emily Whiting said she was so proud of Sarah for the work and dedication she has shown for the project.

“It’s wonderful to see students strive for excellence, and have those efforts rewarded and recognised,” Ms Whiting said.

“I think this trip will open up so many new opportunities and pathways for her.

She will get to travel to places that we’ve spoken about in class, and that will be such a life-changing experience.”

Her father, David Ellis, said when Sarah told him she had won on the drive home from school, he pulled over to give her a hug.

“I was absolutely blown away when Sarah told me, I just couldn’t believe it,” Mr Ellis said.

“I’m just so proud of Sarah. She’s worked so hard for this and it’s so well deserved.

She’s very modest but there was a lot of hard done by Sarah behind the scenes, with very little help from either myself or her mum.”

The annual Premier’s Anzac 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 will also take part in a community engagement and fundraising project before her trip in April.

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

Uniform Shop

Beat the rush get in early for your 2023 school uniforms now.

Opening holiday trade hours is attached.

All summer and winter stock is available for purchase.

Don’t forget we have school shoes, hat bands for the formal hats, drink bottles, female bike shorts, scarves and hair accessories.

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

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.

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.