Newsletter - Term 1 - Week 2 - Issue 97

From the Principal

Dear Parents, Carers and Students

Welcome 

Welcome to St Joseph's College Toowoomba for the start of a new school year and a very warm welcome to our 174 Year 7 students beginning their secondary schooling and our 34 other new students across Years 8 - 12. This is St Joey’s 67th year and will be another significant year for the College as we strive to continue to provide an outstanding Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition.

Congratulations to our Year 12 Graduates of 2022. As a College community, we are incredibly proud of their achievements. We wish to acknowledge that their results are a testament to their individual and collective strength, resilience, and determination to achieve their personal best in a highly challenging year.

Academically, the College achieved well in our QCE/QCIA and ATAR results, with 100% of the students receiving a QCE/QCIA and 89% or almost 9 out of 10 Year 12 students who were striving for an ATAR receiving an ATAR above 60. Zachary Vellacott one of our Academic Captains from 2022 is our College Dux for 2022 with an outstanding ATAR score of 98.95. In addition, we continue to experience success through our VET courses, with some 85 students being awarded one or more VET Qualifications and 27 Year 12 School Based Trainees gaining employment before leaving the College. I congratulate all students on their results. I also wish to acknowledge the work of our staff in supporting our students.

It is also pleasing to see that the majority of our ATAR students were successful in gaining entrance to tertiary courses that included Engineering, Law, Education, Business, Medical Science, Sport and Exercise Science. Congratulations to all our students on their diligence and hard work throughout the year.

2023 Staffing 

Our College teaching and school officer staff returned at various intervals over the last three weeks with the majority returning on Wednesday 18th January to commence professional development and preparation for this year. I thank our staff greatly for their efforts in preparing for what will be another jam-packed year of learning in classrooms and through extra and co-curricular activities. 

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce the College Leadership Team for 2023. I thank these people for their leadership of the College. 

Mr Brendon Willocks - Deputy Principal

Ms Kellie-Marie Ford – Assistant Principal Religious Education 

Mrs Kerrie-Anne Fellenberg – Assistant Principal Curriculum

Mr Joe Cryle – Assistant Principal Student Engagement

Mrs Karen Tobin – Program Leader Senior School Learning Leader

Mr Bill Whiting – Acting Program Leader Middle School Learning Leader

Miss Maree Comerford – Program Leader Staff Development

Ms Deb Newton – Program Leader Sport

Mrs Rosanne Pietsch – Acting Program Leader Culture

Ms Leigh Price – Program Leader e-learning

Ms Cathie Barton – Program Leader Mission and Identity

Mr Darcy Goodall – Program Leader Enhance Learning

Ms Emma Chalmers – Curriculum Leader English and Languages 

Mrs Candice Crouch – Curriculum Leader Mathematics 

Mr Cameron Love – Acting Curriculum Leader Science

Mrs Chrissy Dwyer – Curriculum Leader Arts

Mr Brian Cantwell – Curriculum Leader Technologies

Mr Andrew Fellenberg – Curriculum Leader Humanities and Commerce

Mr Mitch Kilgour – Curriculum Leader Physical Education

Mr Luke Logan – Brennan House Leader

Mrs Melissa Zenke – McAuley House Leader

Miss Aleesha Degan – Murphy House Leader

Mr Tom Moore – Rice House Leader

Mrs Natasha Digweed – Program Leader Student Induction

I also take this opportunity to welcome the following new and returning staff to the College:

New Staff:

Miss Maree Comerford (RE & Humanities Dept. Program Leader Staff Development)

 Miss Ashley Jeffery (Humanities Dept)

 Miss Rhonda Martindale (English and Humanities Dept)

 Mr Cameron Love (Acting Curriculum Leader Science)

 Mrs Debbie Morris (Admin Team)

 Miss Elle Moss (PE, Science, Tech Dept)

 Miss Abbey Orbansen-Thew (Science Dept)

 Mrs Sandy Sullivan (Teacher Aide Team)

 Miss Taylah Waldron (English Dept)

 Mr Nick Downey (Teacher Aide Team)

 Miss Erin Townsend (Canteen Team)

 Miss Amanda Wallis (Canteen Team)

Returning Staff:

Ms Cathie Barton (Program Leader Mission & Identity) 

 Mrs Dilki Balalla (Maths & Science Dept)

 Mr Phil Margetts (IT Team)

 Mr Hayden Maripa (Teacher Aide Team)

 Mrs Rebecca Wong (RE Dept)

Our staff are very approachable and will do their best to return any emails or phone calls within a 48-hour period. We would ask, however, that families do recognise the busyness of a school week if this 48-hour time period is not always adhered to. 

Year 12 Student Induction

Last Friday we celebrated the beginning of the school year and the induction of our Year 12 cohort for 2023. We wish this wonderful group of young people all the best for their tenure as the senior cohort of St Joseph’s College. During the introduction to the seniors, I highlighted that we are very excited by the calibre of the whole cohort, and we are very much looking forward to working with them as we continue to engage with ‘The Joeys Way’ over the year.

A reminder that our Student Leaders for 2023 are;

Parent Engagement in Schools

At St Joseph’s College, we greatly value the partnerships we develop with our parents and caregivers. Last week we held three extremely successful events to develop this partnership with our community and I would like to thank the parents/carers who were able to attend these sessions and the staff who put a lot of work into preparing the sessions. We do, however, also understand the numerous commitments that parents have and we also understand that it can be quite daunting for parents and caregivers to initially engage with the secondary school environment. 

In order to grow parent engagement in students' learning Catholic School Parents Australia have available the Gearing Up for Parent Engagement in Student Learning toolkit. This important free resource will assist all schools and families in Australia. The toolkit aims to build knowledge to encourage families to engage in their children’s learning and well-being for all of their schooling. We invite you to take a look at the parent engagement website http://www.parentengagementcspa.edu.au as we have found it to be a very useful resource in designing our transition and orientation programs.

In addition to this resource, St Joseph’s College welcomes all families to be part of our Parent Engagement Network. Last year in term four we held a very successful PEN session on the SJC Teaching and Learning Framework and our next PEN session is booked in for the date below. We hope that many of our families will again be able to join us on this occasion. Please RSVP via the correspondence emailed last week from the College.

Tuesday 7 February

6.30pm – 7.00pm – Welcome and social gathering

7.00 – 8.00pm – SJC Formation Framework – Miss Kellie-Mare Ford.

Aspire to Excellence

We are very proud of the efforts that our students and staff are making in engaging in a culture of learning in aspiring for excellence in everything that we do. This aspiring for excellence should not only be evident in the student’s academic, sporting and cultural performance achievements but also in the appearance of our students, how they conduct themselves and how they present themselves. Each of these aspects reflect how we are perceived and see ourselves. As such, there is an expectation that the uniform code is followed without exception. You will see further details in this newsletter, and you can quickly refer to our uniform code at any time in the student diary.

As highlighted above this year we have over 200 new students commencing at the College, and it is shaping up to be another great year. Critical to a successful year is the establishment of a strong partnership between parents/caregivers, staff, and students. I encourage all families to embrace this partnership and ensure 2023 is a successful year for all within the St Joseph’s College community.

Please peruse this Newsletter for the information you need to know for the commencement of the 2023 schooling year and throughout.

Best wishes

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

From the Deputy Principal

To all our new families and students, welcome to St Joseph’s College for the 2023 academic year. We trust that your time with us will be exciting and fulfilling. To all our returning families and students, welcome back. We are very much looking forward to commencing what is promising to be a very exciting and full year of learning together. I trust that you all had a relaxing, re-energising and enjoyable family time over this holiday period.

As we start a new year, our tip to all students to get the most out of their schooling is to be involved in as much as possible in a wide variety of areas. This is the way students will meet other like-minded students, learn and become excited about their high school journey. It is then over to the students to participate in as many of the activities and events and take every opportunity which is provided to them. 

Already this year the students have had many opportunities to be totally immersed and engaged in activities. These have included:

• Welcoming students for 2023. Making new friends or reconnecting
• Opening Liturgy, Seniors Induction and Semester 2 Academic Awards (If you would like to view the recording of the Liturgy, Induction and Academic Awards you can click here)
• Year 7 Information Evening and Laptop Rollout
• Yr 8-12 Information Evenings
• Yr 7-9 Standardised Testing
• College Musical (Freaky Friday) launched and rehearsals starting soon
• Year 12 Ball Practice
• Year 7 Music Immersion Tryouts
• Field Excursions
• Sporting teams commencing training and competition

Partnership

A key to success at St Joseph’s College is partnership - partnership between the students, their teachers and you, the parents. Please remember that we are only an email or a phone call away if you have any queries or concerns. Staff email addresses are as follows: firstinitialSurname@sjc.qld.edu.au e.g. bwillocks@sjc.qld.edu.au.

Please do not hesitate to make contact should you feel there are other topics that may need addressing throughout the school year as we work to help our young people navigate their journey.

God of the journey, may St Joseph’s College be a place where our culture is clear, a culture of Christian love, leading to each individual becoming a better person, and so enabling success and happiness. Amen.

Upcoming Events

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

From the Assistant Principal - Curriculum

Semester Two 2022 Academic Awards

Congratulations to the students who will receive an Academic Award at assembly on Friday, 27 January 2023.

The Gold, Silver and Bronze Badges may be worn as part of the student’s uniform.

It is a symbol to be proud of wearing and something for all to aspire towards.

The Criteria to obtain an Academic Award is:

* Year 9 & 10 English – Extension & Mathematics – Extension and Year 10 Science 1

students who receive a B or higher are included in the above criteria to obtain an Academic Award.

2022 College Dux Speech

In Week 1, the College welcomed back the 2022 College Dux and Academic Captain, Zachary Vellacott, to speak during assembly. 

Zachary received an ATAR score of 98.95, and will begin a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences this year. For anyone who may have missed his visit, Zachary's speech can be seen below: 

"Well, good morning, Joey’s!  What a privilege it is to be back here for this occasion.  Becoming Dux of the College is something I had set my eye on quite early during my time as a St Joseph’s student; however, there were many landmarks and milestones along my journey which have led me to where I am today.  Personally, the journey to academic success at the College started in Year 7 when I would set myself goals to achieve a certain number of A’s on my report card, and when I achieved that goal, I’d move onto the next one.  A vivid memory I have was during the Awards Night in 2019 when I was in Year 9.  The Dux of Year 10 award was presented to the highest academic achieving student for that year level, and from that moment, I set myself the challenge of becoming the next Dux of Year 10.  And Year 10 was a turning point for me; I solidified in my mind the aspiration of becoming a doctor and overcame some significant hurdles – including an extended period of remote learning due to the pandemic.  Term 1 of Year 10 was also my worst term academically throughout my six years at Joey’s, and at the time, I thought my dreams for the year of becoming Dux were ruined.  And for me, that was the turning point.

From that moment, I feel as though I’ve developed, and am still developing, a mentality that I like to refer to as a champion mentality.  A champion mentality doesn’t mean you have to be the best in a certain subject, or win every sporting competition you compete in, or be the best musician at a performance.  A champion mentality is about having no quit – it’s a never say die attitude that doesn’t require you to have any special skillset or abilities that make you better or worse than any other person in this room, but rather to give it your all in everything you do, no matter the magnitude of the challenge.  It is the mentality to wake up each day with the goal of being a better version of yourself than you were the day before.

Throughout senior, I was driven by this mentality I had instilled in myself.  Academically, it wasn’t about walking into a classroom with the mindset of just being the smartest person in the room; my goal was to be the hardest worker in the room and to leave nothing to chance.  And this goes for everything, not just academics.  To perform on the football field, I would give it my all in every training session.  I’d show up early, put the extra work in, and embrace that champion mentality when times get tough to persevere and come out stronger on the other side.  If there was one thing I wish to inspire in each and every one of you, it’s that champion mentality.

I’m now standing where I am today thanks to a few sleepless nights of studying and two years of extensive persistence to my senior studies at the college.  Oh, and maybe a touch of dedication from the teachers who had to put up with me in their classrooms four times a week as well.  I will be forever grateful for my peers and all of the staff at Joey’s who were a part of my journey which has led me to be standing here today as the Dux of 2022.  Whilst I’m slightly disappointed that a 98.95 ATAR doesn’t sound quite as majestic as a 99, my external exams and other Year 12 results have helped secure my position in university and my dream future as a doctor.  Next month, I will commence my studies at the University of Southern Queensland in their Biomedical Sciences medical pathway program, which upon completion, will see me continue my studies with the University of Queensland’s rural clinical school, graduating with a UQ Doctor of Medicine.  Beyond the next seven years of tertiary studies, I wish to further my career by serving my country, working as a doctor in the Air Force, and specialising as a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Now, that’s where Joey’s has led me, and where I hope to journey into the future.  Whilst I’ve had these aspirations for quite some time now, you still might be figuring out your path – and that’s absolutely fine!  Regardless of whether you’re in Year 7 or Year 12, or anywhere in between, I’d like you to remember this: the final destination of your current journey is also the beginning of your next adventure.  So channel that inner champion mentality that you’re all capable of, and embrace and enjoy your high school journey, no matter where the future may lead you!

All the best for the year ahead everyone, and in particular the current Year 12 cohort.  I wish you well for your studies throughout the year, and hope that you can all reach and attain your goals and aspirations for the future.  Thank you."

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

From the Assistant Principal - Student Engagement

At St. Joseph’s College, we wear our uniform because we recognise what it is to be part of a vibrant educational community. We wear it in recognition of the fact that we are connected to something so much larger than ourselves, and we wear it not to sacrifice our individuality, but to take our individual stories and nail them to a much, much larger story. We, humans, are not solitary animals, we are pack animals, and what a great privilege it is to be part of a pack like St. Joseph’s and to wear the uniform with pride. With this in mind, it is important that all students take the time to ensure that they are meeting the expectations of our College uniform, thereby living out our imperative of Be Proud, Be Humble. A summary of our college uniform is below. 
What Is the Correct Uniform? 
An outline of the correct uniform can be found below. 

What’s Not Permitted? 

Any hairstyle must be of the same length at the sides as it as at the back. Mullet hair styles are not permitted. Hair must be tied back if it covers below the eyebrows or touches the collar 

• Additional piercings (including in the nose and upper ear) are not permitted. Students are not permitted to wear transparent sleepers or studs in their nose or in upper ear. This includes ‘bullring’ style septum piercings that can be concealed by pushing it into the nostrils.  

• Students must not wear the sports ‘bucket’ hat with formal uniform.  

• Students wearing the boys’ uniform must have a black belt. 

• High-ankled leather shoes (i.e. Doc Martins) are not permitted. 

When Should my Child Wear the Formal Uniform? 

Students must wear the formal college uniform when at school. If students chose to wear the formal uniform outside school hours, they must wear complete College uniform. Students are also welcome to change into free dress to travel home.  

When Should my Child Wear the Sport Uniform? 

Students wear the sport uniform in PE lessons or other activities we they explicitly instructed to wear sport uniform (e.g. inter school sport). Students may also be invited (but never required) to wear sport uniform on College events and feast days. Students must not arbitrarily wear sport uniform to school.  

What if My Child is Out of Uniform? 

If a student presents to school in incorrect uniform with a note they should: 

• Present the note to their Joey’s Way teacher 
• Request that the Joey’s Way teacher sign the student’s diary 
• Keep the note with them for the day to show staff if challenged 
• The Joey’s Way teacher may be in contact with the parent to determine a plan to help the student wear full and correct uniform. 

The table below provides a summary of responses if a student presents to school out of uniform with no note: 

If a student forgets an item of their uniform they may present to the Ignatius Room in the morning to borrow that item. 

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

From the Assistant Principal - Religious Education

2023 Liturgical Theme – Set Our Hearts on Fire 

They Year 12 Liturgy Group were very excited to reveal to our community the 2023 Liturgical Theme. 

When they first began planning together as a liturgy group, this group of eager young leaders started by wanting to have a “party vibe” in 2023. They believed it was important that the theme celebrated everyone and all the unique gifts each person brings to the College. This led them to explore scriptures about the gifts and the Holy Spirit.  ​ 

In this exploration, we started reflecting on how the Holy Spirit represents the passion that faith can bring out in your life, and the gifts that allow us to find our own unique pathways. Leading to the development of the theme for 2023 – Set Our Hearts on Fire.  

What does this theme mean for our community? 

Now obviously, “Shine Jesus Shine” is a banger that is very popular at Joeys. ​So, the use of a lyric from this popular song will hopefully allow our theme to be memorable and frequently celebrated.  

We know that we have quite the journey ahead of us this year as we learn about the Holy Spirit active in our lives and explores how we can ignite our passions and enact the will of the Spirit in our pathways.  

We hope that the theme of Set our Hearts on Fire will inspire us all to find our passions and invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. ​Our theme encourages all members of our community to embrace their gifts, ignite their passions​ and create a community where everyone can flourish.     ​ 

Senior Induction – Presentation of Ties and Badges

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 10

Next

College Captains 2023 Opening Address 

Please read below the College Captains 2023 Opening Address delivered by Shane Hurlock and Sophie Wagner in our Induction Liturgy.  

SHANE:  Good morning students, teachers, parents and staff. Welcome to our new staff members, and an especially warm welcome to our new year sevens. We trust you’ve all settled in well so far. The senior induction of our 2023 cohort is something which always felt almost like a fairy-tale. Seemingly miles away, just barely visible on the horizon. Obviously, that wasn’t the case. In my time here, I’ve watched five cohorts undergo this very liturgy. Five cohorts processing in, five oaths, five College Captain’s opening addresses. Yet I could never really fathom that one day it would be us. And now, as I stand here in the moment, it feels surreal. I’ve grown up with these people. Each one of you has formed me into the person I am today, and you can all say the same about every single other person sitting around you. But, of course, it’s not just grade 12s here. Our job, more than anything, is to nurture the people who will carry on without us. So, Sophie and I would like to take this time to reflect on some of our goals for the entire College community in our final year, which we hope to see acted upon by all of you.  

SOPHIE: What does being passionate about school look like? It can be simply showing up, doing the work, putting in the hours, and seeking feedback to progress within all of your pursuits. It is an incredibly complex concept, so putting it as plainly as I can, passion is caring about what you do, and the impact it makes, not only on you but those around you and we want nothing more than to see and help each of you find your passion! To be passionate is to believe in the power and importance of what you're doing, so invest in yourself, commit to your education, and make the most out of these moments so you can look back at the end of the term, or the end of the year, or even in 10 years, and be proud of the progress you made, what you accomplished, of how you grew during the learning process, and know that you put 100% into everything, not just because you felt you had to, but because you wanted to.   

SHANE: One of my year 7 buddies, Lachlan, recently told me that he wants to join the school basketball team. That made me happy. Not because I have a basketball background, but because of Lachlan’s attitude. That outgoingness, the willingness to plunge yourself into the deep end is a quality which will propel you to greatness. I know many of you have goals, or things you want to try this year. My advice? Do it. Take on something new. Participate in the opportunities of the college. Utilise every single day you have here, whether you have one year left or six. It’s never too early, and it’s never too late. Push yourself and grow this year.  

SOPHIE: I want to remind you all of a painfully overused phrase, ‘try and fail, but never fail to try.’ Although I believe wholeheartedly in the premise of this cliche, I’d like to emphasize the importance of reflecting after each try, only from learning from our mistakes or our missed chances do we succeed, but more importantly grow. Albert Einstein said it best, ‘insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ Failing is a massive part of the learning process, and I urge you not to view setbacks or failures as a hindrance, but rather learn to appreciate a challenge, to understand that only from failing do we get the chance to get back up and dust ourselves off, to reevaluate and tackle the issue at hand with more enthusiasm, creativity, and determination, than our previous attempts. I can't stress the significance of perseverance enough, because the fulfillment of goals is evident in the culmination of consistent hard work, despite the obstacles you will no doubt encounter, but absolutely conquer, especially when backed by our community. Throughout this year I want each and every one of you to remember that there is no such thing as failure, instead, we are presented with only opportunities to try again, and it is up to us to grab these chances with both our hands and our hearts.  

SHANE: Coming to school is something a lot of us take for granted. It seems like a cycle which will never end. However, as myself and a lot of us here are realising, you really don’t have that long to make your mark. The years sneak up on you out of nowhere and suddenly you’re in grade 12. So, our hope for our final year here, is to see everyone making the most of their time. Come to school. Enjoy it. Make friends, make memories. push through those tough assignments and sit those stressful exams. And, most importantly, smile. Kindness and positivity cost nothing, but the benefit is priceless. A rising tide lifts all boats. Be the rising tide.  

SOPHIE: Face 2023 and all of its obstacles with fierce determination, compassion for yourself and others, and a desire to grow, not only progressing in your education but as a person. We believe in you, and we value you because you are a unique piece of the SJC puzzle, and we simply wouldn’t be whole without you. So, don’t give up on your goals, you may not be there yet, but you're closer than you were yesterday, keep trying, keep growing, and keep learning!  

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

Sport

Range, Toowoomba District, and Darling Downs Trials.

Most of the below trials will be held in the next couple of weeks.

It is very important that students keep a

close eye on the Sentral notices so that they obtain the appropriate paperwork and return these so that they can be nominated, or they will miss out.

Some trials go straight to Darling Downs trials while others must first go through Range trials for 12-year old’s and 13 – 19 years must make Toowoomba sides before they can attend the DD trials.

Not all paperwork has arrived with me, but the following trials are coming up very soon:

12 years:

Range swimming Gatton Feb 12 – email through PB times for events students wish to compete in. Nominations close Feb 17.

Touch Football - Feb 14

Softball – Feb 23

Boys’ Rugby League – Feb 26 and 27

13 -1 9 years: 

TSSS boys’ tennis – Feb 7

TSSS Touch 13 – 15, 16 – 18 Feb 7

TSSS Netball – 15- and 19-years Feb 22

DD 13 – 19 years swimming Gatton – March 1. Nominations close Feb 17. email through PB times for events students wish to compete in.

DD Girls’ Cricket – Feb 10

DD Golf – Feb 14

DD Water Polo – Feb 16

DD Girls Rugby League gala day 14/15 and 16/18 years - Feb 16

DD volleyball – Feb 21

TSSS basketball 13 – 16 years boys and girls – Feb 23

Please look carefully at the sports calendar or the DD website.

NO FORMS - NO TRIALS

Best Of Luck

We send our best wishes to Taylor Lobwein, Tameka Dyne and Riley Bryant as they will compete at the triathlon commencing Thursday at Hervey Bay. Good luck to Taylor Wann as he competes in the 12 years aquathlon also being run in Hervey Bay.

Congratulations

The first of the Darling Downs selection trials has commenced and we would like to congratulate Sienna R Wilson, Evie King, Bridie Nicol, James Beasley and Zander Jackson on making the 13 -1 9 years girls and boys softball teams.

Friday Night Basketball

This competition will commence on Friday Feb 10 and lucky for us, with a home game.

The 7/8 girls will play at 4.10pm and boys at 5.00pm

The 9/10 girls at 6.00pm and boys at 7.00pm

Open girls commence at 8.00pm and open boys at 9.00pm.

All uniforms are supplied for the students, but they will need suitable footwear for the games. These uniforms are returned at the end of each game and not taken home.

 If the games are here at St Joseph’s, the students can remain here. However, if we play at another venue students will be transported (if required) to the venue via our college buses and students can then be picked up from those venues.

Training will be arranged with their respective coaches.

Swimming Carnival

Our annual carnival is being held on Tuesday Feb 7 at the Milne Bay Aquatic Centre.

The theme for the carnival is “Under the Sea”. Students may dress up to suit this theme but if swimming they must be able to change quickly to compete.

This is a normal school day where students are asked to attend. Even if they cannot swim, students can cheer on those students who are swimming for the house trying to win the ‘best house’ on the day, hence supporting teammates and friends throughout the day. They can watch swimmers, congratulate each other and show great team spirit. Watching students perform outside of their comfort zones, often with nerves but showing great courage in being willing to participate and give things a go.

They can cheer for all our students in some way, hence contributing to the overall team result.

By being at the carnival we can celebrate and respect our students’ diverse talents and abilities and how each student is valued.

The sound of laughter and smiles is a great way to develop new friendships and be part of the school spirit. Enjoy the day and make the most of the informal atmosphere.

Open Water Championship

Last week, Sienna Deurloo competed at the Australian Open Water Championships held in Busselton, Western Australia. She competed in the 18 years 10km event and finished in a time of 2 hours and 5 minutes, where she won gold becoming Australian Champion. A few days later she backed up to win the 5km event in 1 hour and 14 seconds making her a dual National Champion. 

During the races, Sienna had to complete swimming with stingers, stingrays but luckily the sharks stayed away during all racing. There were also some blue octopuses around the area as well.

Peak to Park

When: Sunday March 5 - 7.00am start

Where: Starts at Picnic Point and finishes at Lake Annand (event will proceed rain, hail, or shine).

Races: Races in 4km or 10km

How: register online at www.peaktopark.org.au

If there is enough interest, we can compete as a school team, but each student will need an entry form and have it signed by a parent or guardian.

Each student entry is charged at the discounted rate of $10. The discount does not apply to parents of students unless they are part of the supervision team for the school. This is based on the standard teacher-to-student ratio for excursions. The fee needs to be collected by the school organiser as cash. 

We can dress up in a team uniform if enough students would like to participate. If interested, please email Miss Newton (dnewton@sjc.qld.edu.au)

The cut-off date is Friday February 24, so talk to Miss Newton. It is a great way to raise money for cancer research and get healthy in the one go.

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

Connecting with Careers

Welcome back!  We hope that you have had an enjoyable holiday and are refreshed for the new year. 

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce the Career Pathways Team.

We are located in the Murphy Block and look forward to working with you this year. 

Term 1 is set to be a busy term for Career Pathways with the following events:

• Career Education and Development Presentation – Guest Speaker, Karen Browning, UniSQ
• Year 8 Careers Day
• Year 10 Work Experience
• Lunch and Learn – Career Pathways

In 2023, we are delighted to share with you that Career Education and Development (CED) lessons will become part of the Joey’s Way curriculum.  This term, the focus is on ‘Self’.  The CED lessons will be held every Day 2.  The purpose of these lessons is to develop skills that allow you to reflect on your goals, preferences, and values so that you can make choices about your career that will meet your needs.

Term 1 Lunch and Learn Session - Thursday

The Lunch and Learn Sessions will be held every Thursday during Term 1 in Room 22b (Murphy block). 

All welcome!! Bring your friends and your lunch.    

Are you getting enough sleep?

Year 10 Work Experience 2023

A gentle reminder Year 10 students that your Work Experience Placement Agreement forms were due on 30 January 2023.

This term you will engage in a nine-week Work Experience Preparation program to prepare you for your placement.

You are invited to see Mrs Harman or Miss Penner if you have any questions. Every Tuesday this term, the Career Pathways Team will be available in Room 22(b) commencing at 1.25pm.

Upcoming events

9 February 2023

Girls Can Trade Up Information Evening

MAS National are hosting an event at DGT Employment & Training facilities in Duhig street for any females that are interested in a career in the construction industry. 

Click here to register.

23 February 2023

Quantum Careers Fair

At the fair, you'll have the opportunity to connect with employers, learn about the study pathways and programs available to support you, and find out what skills and experiences are in demand. From quantum architects to product managers, there are a variety of roles to suit your skills and interests.

For further information and details on how to register, please click here.

School Based Apprenticeship Vacancies

We have several exciting school-based apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities below:

• Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade with Obadare open to Year 10, 11 and 12 students
• Certificate III in Sings and Graphics with Sings N’ Lines open to Year 11 or 12 students

Certificate III Business

• Totally Workwear Yr 11 & 12
• Max & betty - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Pattysmith's - Year 10 & 11
• Bakery Cakery - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Noodle Box - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Pacific Fuels - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Spanos Supa Iga- Year 10, 11 & 12
• Red Rooster - Year 10 & 11
• Pack & Send - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Action Indoor Sports Stadium - Year 10, 11 & 12

Certificate III Hospitality

• Parisiann Patisserie - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Piccolo Papa - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Ric & Co - Year 10, 11 & 12
• Cafe 63 - Year 10 & 11
• Subway - Year 10 & 11
• Toowoomba Thai - Year 10 & 11
• The Rock - Year 10 & 11
• 95 Mary St - Year 10, 11 & 12

Certificate III Commercial Cookery

• Muller Bros - Year 11  &12
• Fitzy's - Year 11 & 12
• Kajoku Korean Cuisine - Year 11 & 12
• The Rock - Year 10 & 11 
• Rak Thai Kitchen - Year 10 & 11

To find a copy of all current SBA vacancies, click here: School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBA&Ts)

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

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

Welcome Year 7 students and families!

I wanted to express, on behalf of the College community, an extremely warm welcome to our 174 Year 7s and 39 new students in Years 8-12. 

Last week was a series of firsts for many of our new students (and their parents) starting their journey at St Joseph’s College and it has been wonderful to see their resilience as they navigate the many unknowns of a new school environment. 

On Tuesday, the first day for all new students, I shared the following advice: 

The start of a new year, and at a new school, provides so many opportunities: new friends, new sports and activities, new subjects and teachers. Today is possibly the fresh start you needed or an opportunity to extend yourself, but my advice to you is to be authentically you – you don’t have to change who you are to fit in. Try new things, meet new people and challenge yourself to be the best version of yourself. 

Over the coming days and weeks, as students become familiar with the processes, people and classrooms of St Joseph’s, I encourage the students to seek out opportunities to immerse themselves in everything the College has to offer. Our high school experiences are often what we make it and we sometimes need to break out of our comfort zones to truly create the experience we will look back on in 5, 10 or even 15 years’ time. 

As a community, we look forward to seeing how our new students settle in, grow and leave their mark on the College. 

Natasha Digweed - Middle Leader - Student Induction - ndigweed@sjc.qld.edu.au

Rosies

On Wednesday evening of Week 2, the first night of SJC's Rosies Outreach for 2023 went fantastically as a new cohort of Year 12 volunteers launched into their mission. 

If any Year 12 students would like to join their peers on a Wednesday night and help the local community, please talk to your Joey's Way teacher. 

SJC - Community News

Our Parent Business Directory has begun and you may see some of our parents business in our column 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

Uniform Shop

EFTPOS only - No Cash accepted until further notice.

All summer and winter stock is available for purchase.

Reminder hat bands are available for purchase in store.

School Shoes are also available in store in various styles.

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.

Out of stock:

Tracksuit Jackets Sizes 14, XS, S, M and L  - due in Mid-February

Tracksuit Pants Size L

Senior Blouse Sz 10A

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

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.