Newsletter - Term 2 - Week 4 - Issue 103

From the Acting Principal

Happy Mother’s Day

This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and today St Joseph’s College will honour our mums with a special Mother’s Day Celebration Event. The intent of this event is to provide another opportunity for St Joseph’s College students and mothers to spend time with each other and celebrate the gift of mothers. Mothers play a vital role in nurturing their children in the core values of our College – Compassion, Respect, Endeavour and Dignity.

I thank the many generous staff, tuckshop, mission & identity team and parents who have planned and are contributing to make this event a special one for all mothers. I would also like to thank our Parent Engagement Network (PEN) for funding this important event.

At St Joseph’s, we acknowledge the very important role mothers play not only in the nurturing, advice and education of their children but in the development of each young person. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the mothers of our community for their ongoing commitment and partnership. May God bless all mothers and grant them wisdom, strength and love for their continued, important role ahead.

Open Day

Next Friday we are hosting our annual open day from 8:30 – 11:30pm. The aim of the morning is to provide families with an overview of the way the College provides a holistic education for the students, to give students an opportunity to participate in a range of activities and for all visitors to journey through the College on a normal school day.

It will be no surprise to anyone that in most communities, word of mouth is the most successful form of advertising for any school. We encourage current families to share their positive experiences of St Joseph’s College and remind prospective families that it is essential to RSVP for the event as we are almost at capacity and we want to ensure that we provide the best experience for all our visitors. Register here. 

Reading

Reading and continuing good reading habits during secondary school is essential. There is nothing like reading to improve achievement in all subjects. Being in high school is not a reason not to read – it is a reason to keep reading. If children stop reading, the gap between the readers and the non-readers widens across all subjects and achievement measures. This is absolutely crucial for our teenagers as they are going into a knowledge economy – those who can read, think, reason and problem-solve will be in the best place for the jobs of the future. Not only that, if you don’t continue to work at your reading, your vocabulary goes backwards – this is not good for achievement across subjects.

Here are some interesting numbers associated with the benefits of reading for 20 minutes outside of school:

Anti-Bullying and Harassment Procedure

Bullying and harassment, in any of their forms, have no place at St Joseph’s College. All members of our school community must be able to enjoy a safe school environment.

At St Joseph’s College, we define bullying and harassment in the following ways:

Bullying is the utilisation of a power imbalance by one person or group of people to oppress another. That power imbalance can be on the basis of age, physical size, capability in a particular activity, perceived social status or number of people. Bullying includes, but is not limited to, physical bullying, emotional bullying, psychological bullying, racism or sexism.

Harassment is behaviour that is offensive, unwanted, repeated and that violates another person’s dignity. A power imbalance is not necessary for a situation to be deemed harassment. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, physical harassment, emotional or psychological harassment, racial harassment or sexual harassment.

If a student believes they or a peer is being bullied or harassed, they can take the following steps:

1. If it is safe to do so, calmly ask the person to stop the behaviour that is making them feel threatened.
2. Report the bullying to a trusted and responsible adult. This could be a parent, guardian or a staff member.
3. Report the bullying via Stymie, an anonymous reporting platform

If bullying or harassment is reported to the college, we will take the following action:

1. Obtain permission from the victim to act. (School staff are required to act if we believe the student may be at risk of significant harm and there is no adult who is willing and able to protect them from harm).
2. Manage the situation discreetly and record it on our database.
3. Offer support to the victim of bullying.
4. Investigate the incident(s) using witness testimony and surveillance cameras where applicable.
5. If necessary, utilise a formal sanction according to our Transgressing The Joey’s Way Compendium
6. If appropriate, the College may invite relevant students to partake in a Restorative Conference.

Health Reminders

As we approach the cold and flu season, we want to remind everyone in our community to be extra vigilant with their hygiene practices, including frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and practicing social distancing where possible. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, dry cough, muscle and joint pain, tiredness/extreme exhaustion, headache, sore throat, and stuffy nose.

We would like to remind families that if a student is feeling unwell, they should not attend school. We encourage everyone to follow Queensland Health advice if they test positive for COVID-19. More information can be found here.

Upcoming Events

God of the journey, may all members of the St Joseph’s College community listen intently to you with their heart and so, strikingly encounter your love. Amen.

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

From the Acting Deputy Principal

Given the fact that so many community members have so much access to the digital world through their smart devices, it is important that we all have a clear understanding of what expectations we have of our students with regard to their mobile devices. Our expectations are inclusive of all smart devices including mobile phones and smart watches.  

In developing these guidelines, St Joseph’s College acknowledges the following: 

• The College plays an important role in forming young people who can engage with technology in a way that is safe, ethical, responsible and reflective of future expectations from employers, families and friends.  
• Ubiquitous access to technology and the internet will be part of life for most of our students both outside and beyond their schooling. 
• Unfettered access to online material and communities (including social media) presents very real risks to the privacy and safety of our students.  

In response to these challenges, St Joseph’s College will: 

• Provide education to students on cyber safety and appropriate use of technology through the Joey’s Way Curriculum and other incursion and excursion opportunities. 
• Provide families with full access to FamilyZone- a digital tool that helps to build trust, integrity and safety for students online. 
• Respond to incidents of cyber bullying between our students the same way we would to any other type of bullying. See our Transgressing the Joey’s Way Compendium for details.   

 To support the College’s responsibilities, we request that parents and guardians: 

• Access the St Joseph’s College Cyber Safety Hub on a regular basis to get up to date, expert advice on maximising online safety for young people.  
• Have regular, low-threat conversations with students about their online activity and use of technology.  
• If parents or guardians need to contact their child throughout the school day, do so by contacting the school in the first instance rather than via the student’s mobile device.  

St Joseph’s College, therefore, has the following expectations of its students and their use of technology: 

• Students are expected to live out The Joey’s Way at all times, including in their online behaviour.  

• Students may discreetly carry their device with them while at school, but they are not permitted to use it from 8:30am until 3pm on all school days (this includes carnivals, festival days etc).  
• Students may use their device to pay for items at the tuckshop.  
• Students may use their devices with the expressed permission of staff member.  
• Students must present all devices (including mobile phones and smart watches) to the supervisor when completing any type of examination in which the integrity of that assessment may be compromised by the presence of any mobile technology.  

If a student fails to meet these expectations, they will be asked to take their device to student entrance where it will be held for the remainder of the day.  

• Parents will be contacted after the second indiscretion in a term.  
• Parents will be required to meet with the relevant House Leader after the third indiscretion in a term. 

A concerning and emerging trend around the world is the tendency for people to use their device to film a situation where another person’s safety might be in jeopardy, for example a fight. At St Joseph’s College our paramount priority is the safety of all people, especially our students. Despite the trend, we cannot be the types of people who film a situation where someone else is in danger. As people who Serve Him In Others or students must either: 

1. If it is safe to do so, help the person or people who are not safe. 

OR 

1. If it is not safe to do so, get appropriate help as quickly as possible. This might include finding a staff member if the situation is at school, or calling police if the situation is outside school.   

Thank you in anticipation of your support as we work to not only ensure out students are safe, but that they are working to support the safety of other people as well. 

Joseph Cryle - Acting Deputy Principal -  JCryle@sjc.qld.edu.au 

From the Assistant Principal - Curriculum

Academic Integrity

As students progress through their academic journey, it's important to remember the value of academic integrity. Simply put, academic integrity means being honest in all of your academic work, and giving credit where credit is due.

One area where academic integrity is becoming increasingly important is in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. AI can be incredibly helpful in a variety of academic tasks, from generating ideas to checking for grammar and spelling errors. However, it's crucial that you use AI tools ethically and responsibly.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when using AI tools:

1. Don't rely on AI. AI tools may be helpful, but they should never be a replacement for your own thinking and research.
2. Give credit where credit is due. If you use an AI tool to generate ideas or text, make sure to clearly indicate that in your work.
3. Avoid plagiarism at all costs. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense, and using AI tools does not exempt you from the rules against it. Always make sure that you are using your own words and ideas, and that you are giving credit to any sources that you use.

How parents and carers can promote academic integrity

Parents and carers and others who support students ― along with schools, teachers and the Queensland Curriculum Authority QCAA — have a responsibility to promote and maintain academic integrity.

As parents/carers, you can promote academic integrity by:

• encouraging students to complete the Academic Integrity QCAA course.
• emphasising the importance of ethical conduct and study practices
• supporting students to understand your expectations and those of their school
• ensuring students understand the consequences for academic misconduct
• encouraging students to seek additional information and/or advice from their school if they have further questions after completing the course
• discussing any concerns you may have with the school.

The Academic Integrity QCAA course

All Year 11 students at St Joseph’s College complete this course online during one of their classes.  Please talk to your son or daughter about this course.

Students can access the course via the Student Portal on the myQCE website at  https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au .

The whole course takes approximately one hour to complete. Once all parts of the course are completed successfully, students can print a certificate of completion.

The St Joseph’s College Academic Procedures Handbook relies on the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook v4.0 | Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (qcaa.qld.edu.au)

Please note the section of Plagiarism within our procedures.  A students result will be negatively impacted by plagiarism whether they are in Year 7 to 12.

Students in the Senior School risk a Not-Rated result which will impact on their QCE and ATAR results. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact either Mr Bill Whiting (Year 7 – 9 ) , Mrs Karen Tobin (Year 10 -12 ) or myself to discuss further.

Hi! My name is Sophie Delbridge and I’m a Year 12 student here at St Joseph’s College. As this is my last year of school before stepping into the real world, I was interested in completing some courses to broaden my skillset for my chosen career path. I have recently completed a Certificate II in Workplace Skills through Skills Generation. The purpose of this course is to help prepare me and learn new skills before entering the workforce. The course outlines many things from how to deliver services to customers to working effectively in business environments.  I also learnt other valuable skills such as learning how to manage my own time alongside other commitments, as well as communication skills with my teachers and trainers, and how to study effectively 100% online. Completion of this course will give me an extra certificate on my resume, 4 QCE points, plus many new and improved skills. Next, I will be studying a Certificate II in Community Services to give me more knowledge and skills to assist me in my chosen career. 

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

From the Assistant Principal - Student Engagement

Uniform

At St. Joseph’s College we expect student to step up and wear their uniform with pride and for a majority of students this is achieved every day without exception.  In order to support clear understand for staff, students and parents I have include below our St. Joseph’s College Uniform expectations.  Please note in the table below, the dot point Minimal use of cosmetics.  Over the passed few weeks there have been an increasing number of students needing to be challenged on their use of cosmetics including eye lash extensions. 

With the weather cooling down many students and parents are layering clothing to stay warm.  These additional base layers of clothing need to be fully covered by the school unform including by the college jumper.

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

Thank you for supporting the College in following these expectations.

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

From the Assistant Principal - Religious Education

Feast of Edmund Rice

Each year in our celebration of the Feast of Edmund Rice we reflect on one aspect of The Icon of Edmund Rice, created by Irish artist Desmond Kyne in 1986.

This year we draw attending to the spiral of fire behind Edmund Rice that represents the Holy Spirit that inspired him.

After his young wife died and his daughter was born disabled his life was darkened.He sought comfort in God and thought about shutting himself away in a monastery. But instead he was encouraged by his sister in law, Joan, to ‘look out of his window’ and dedicate his efforts to educating the poor Catholic boys of Ireland.

The Holy Spirit burst into his life as he commenced his work establishing a school for boys in Waterford. Edmund took the religious name ‘Ignatius’ from Ignatius of Loyola. A name that means – to ignite. 

He set up his first school in stable. A second bigger school soon followed, along with a bakery to provide children with food and a tailor to provided them with clothes. Two men from his native Callan joined him, not only to teach, but to help Edmund found a religious order to educate poor boys. 

By 1825, Edmund Rice and his team of thirty Christian Brothers were educating, free of charge, 5,500 boys in 12 different towns and cities. His idea of helping people through education has spread now to more than 20 (5) countries where 200,000 pupils are being taught in ‘Edmund Rice’ schools. Since 1872, the Christian Brothers have spread this Edmund Rice spirit to 55 Australian schools, with over 40,000 students. Including St Joseph’s College, where the spark of Edmund Rice education continues to proudly be passed down and celebrated today.

Edmund Rice’s spirit and mission of a liberating education has spread across the globe and found its way into the heart of St Joseph’s College. We celebrated the movement of this spirit from one spark with Edmund Rice all the way to the expression of his charism in EREA schools in Australia by lighting sparklers down the aisles in our mass on Friday. It was a spectacular sight and thank all the students involved for their safe participation.

Prayer

May the fire be in our thoughts

Making them true, good and just,

May it protect us from the evil one.

May the fire be in our eyes;

May it open our eyes to see what is good in life.

We ask that the fire may protect us from what

is not rightfully ours.

May the fire be on our lips, so that we may

speak the truth in kindness; that we

may serve and, encourage others.

May it protect us from speaking evil.

May the fire be in our ears.

We pray that we may hear with a deep, deep listening

So that we may hear the flow of water,

and of all creation, and the dreaming.

May we be protected from gossip

and from those things

that harm and break down our family.

May the fire be in our arms and hands

so that we may be of service and build up love.

May the fire protect us from all violence.

May the fire be in our whole being - in our legs and in our feet,

enabling us to walk the earth with reverence and care;

so that we may walk in the ways of goodness and truth

and be protected from walking away from what is true.

Blessed Edmund Rice, Pray for Us

Lead Through Service Morning Tea

In Week 6, our Mission Captains will host their first Lead Through Service Morning Tea. These morning teas will celebrate the students who have dedicated time and effort to live our motto of serving others.

Students who have shown commitment to one of our service groups (Just Joeys, Liturgy Group, Rosies, Interact) will be invited to the morning tea on Tuesday 23 May.

The Mission Captains hope this small celebration shows our community that service is valued and that we recognise students who often do service without expecting praise or reward.

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

College Captains

Hi SJC!

It’s been a little bit since our last article, and we have got so much to fill you in on. We have been having a blast in term 2 so far – as we’re sure all of you have too. We’ve had the pleasure of partaking in so many incredible opportunities since we last checked in… Where do we start?

Sophie and I, alongside Mr Logan, attended the Annual Mayor’s Morning Tea. We had the privilege of hearing speakers from a number of different Darling Downs schools and members of our regional parliament, as well as a speech from the Mayor himself! This event was incredibly inspiring and truly motivated us in forming a legacy and leaving a mark on the school this year.

We also attended an International Women’s Day Breakfast at St Saviour’s College. There, we heard some incredible speeches from empowering Toowoomba women. Their stories were truly incredible and it was an honour to be present.

Joey’s Day was another one. Shane donned his best Edmund Rice costume and, through the incredible planning done by Ms Ford and the Liturgy Group, aided in a bright and beautiful sparkler presentation to conclude the Feast of Edmund Rice Liturgy. We also held the finish line ribbon for the Annual Dan O’Neil Gift, which was a touching experience in the memory of the wonderful DanO.

Overall, we are growing into our positions as College Captains, taking every day and every experience as a lesson to learn and grow from.

We hope you all stay safe, happy, and warm as winter slowly creeps up on us.

Thanks SJC!

2023 College Captains - Shane Hurlock and Sophie Wagner

Murphy House

Dear Parents,

As we begin the new school term, it's a great time to encourage your child to set goals for their academic and personal growth. Setting goals is a valuable skill that helps students focus their efforts and stay motivated towards achieving success. In this newsletter article, we will explore the importance of goal setting, the concept of SMART goals, and how a growth mindset can help your child achieve their goals, all while connecting to St Joseph's College's unique framework, Joey's Way.

Research conducted in Australia has shown that goal setting is essential for academic achievement. A study by the University of Sydney found that students who set specific and challenging goals achieved higher academic results than those who didn't set goals or set goals that were too easy. Setting goals helps students to identify what they want to achieve and what steps they need to take to get there. It also helps them stay motivated and focused on their efforts.

At St Joseph's College, we recognize the importance of goal setting, which aligns with our Joey's Way framework. Joey's Way is based on the belief that every student can be the best they can be by developing their intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual potential. Setting SMART goals is a key component of this framework, as it encourages students to identify and work towards achieving their goals.

When setting goals, it's essential to make them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. These are commonly known as SMART goals, and they provide a framework for setting goals that are both challenging and achievable. Here's what each of the SMART goals stands for:

Specific: A goal should be clear and specific, so your child knows exactly what they want to achieve.

Measurable: A goal should be measurable, so your child can track their progress and see how far they've come.

Achievable: A goal should be challenging but achievable, so your child can stretch themselves to reach their potential.

Relevant: A goal should be relevant to your child's interests and values, so they stay motivated to achieve it.

Time-bound: A goal should have a deadline, so your child knows when they need to achieve it by.

Encourage your child to think about their academic and personal goals for the term or year, in alignment with Joey's Way. It could be achieving a certain grade in a subject, learning a new skill, or getting involved in a community project. Once your child has identified their goals, help them to break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. This will make the goal feel less overwhelming and help your child focus on one step at a time.

In addition to SMART goals, a growth mindset can help your child achieve their goals, which is another key component of Joey's Way. A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence, ability, and talent can be developed through effort and persistence. When your child has a growth mindset, they see challenges and mistakes as opportunities for growth and learning.

Encourage your child to embrace a growth mindset by reminding them that it's okay to make mistakes and that failure is a natural part of the learning process. Encourage them to view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow and remind them that their effort and persistence are essential for achieving success.

As parents, it's essential to support and encourage your child in their goal setting and growth mindset, aligned with Joey's Way. Encourage them to set SMART goals, break them down into smaller steps, and embrace a growth mindset by viewing challenges and mistakes as opportunities for growth and learning. With your support and encouragement, your child can achieve their goals and reach their full potential, in alignment with the Joey's Way framework.

Aleesha Degen - Student Engagement Middle Leader - Murphy House  -  adegen@sjc.qld.edu.au

Sport

Australian Representatives

Bridie Nicol

We have three new Australians representatives in our midst!

Bridie Nicol has been selected in the Australian under 17 girls’ Representative team that will represent Australia at the 2023 Canada Cup invitational tournament.

The players in this team are part of the Softball Australia Talent Development Squad and were selected based on strong performance and potential as demonstrated at the 2023 National Championships and the ‘Futures’ camp held at Australian Institute of Sport last month of which Bridie attended.

Bridie is in for a wonderful time and as the manager stated - “It gives players a chance to learn from their opponents, teammates and coaches, and to enjoy the challenge of playing against the best in the world. The Canada Cup is a world-class tournament and offers excellent developmental experience for our young players.” 

Evie King

Our daughter, Evie King JWM7, has been selected to represent Australia at the u/14 Babe Ruth Softball World Series being held in Florida, USA in July of this year.

Toowoomba teen shocked by Aussie Drop Bears team selection

“A Toowoomba teen is set for a busy July with the star earning Queensland and Australian representative jerseys. Read all about her rapid rise from the Garden City to the world stage here.” Toowoomba Chronicle 

Sienna R Wilson

Sienna travelled to New Zealand during the Easter break to compete in the Easter Classic tournament after being selected in the U14 Australian Development Team. 

The purpose of these Development Camps was the dedicated development of aspiring Under-14s who were nominated by their states, with some of the best coaching and guidance our country had on offer.

The camp focused on the Development of competing players and well as their skills and game knowledge, while providing valuable experience to players who may have been travelling for the first time to compete.

Well done to all three young ladies!

Range Cross Country 12-year-Olds

Congratulations to Hayden Lobwein, who last week competed at the Range cross country event for 12-year-old boys. Hayden finished a very credible second in the race which now entitles him to compete at the Darling Downs trials for a place in this team.

We wish Hayden the best of luck on May 16 as he again runs around the track at Kearneys Spring for a place in the team.

Australian Touch

We also wish the best of luck to Blaise Prendergast and Bailey Deakin as they represent Australian in the Under 18 boys’ team against New Zealand on Friday. Games will take place at Whites Hill Reserve from May 12 to 14. Their first game is at 10.40am and then again at 3.45pm Friday afternoon.

This is the first time the youth teams have played since the 2020 Youth Trans-Tasman in Newcastle.

Hockey Gala Day

On April 28 the Boys hockey team travelled over to Clyde Park to play in the Gala Day with Mr Canning and Miss Flemming.

Their day went like this:

8:25am SJC v’s Highfields SSC – lost 0 goals to 1

9:15am SJC v’s Centenary Heights SHS – won 2 goals to 1

10:30am SJC v’s St Marys College – lost 3 goals to 4.

This left us 3rd in our pool to cross over and play St Mary’s second team, defeating them 5 goals to 0. After this game we were place in 5th place for the day.

Many thanks to Mr Canning and Miss Flemming for offering to coach and supervise the boys so that they could play in this competition.

The girls then travelled to Clyde Park on Tuesday May 2 for their day of glory. Again, Miss Flemming came along as the coach for not one team but two teams of girls.

Pool A team day progressed like this:

8:00am SJC v’s The Glennie School (team 2) – won 3 goals to 0

8:50am SJC v’s Downlands – won 2 goals to 0

11:55am SJC v’s Concordia – won 4 goals to 0

12:45pm SJC v’s Centenary Heights SHS – won 2 goals to 0

Being undefeated through the round games, placed us top of the pool and in the grand final against Glennie again. At 3:50pm we took to the field with great anticipation hoping that we could go one step better than last year. The girls played really hard, but we just couldn’t get over the tight grip Glennie has on the trophy but are getting closer. Last year they beat us 3 to nil but this year we closed the gap to only lose by 2 goals to 1. Very proud of the girls.

Team number 2 also displayed brilliance in their pool. Their day went like this:

9:15am SJC v’s Mary MacKillop – 1 all draw

10:05am SJC v’s Scots PGC – lost 1 goal to 0

11:20am SJC v’s Harristown – won 1 goal to 0

1:05pm SJC v’s Fairholme College – lost 0 goals to 4

This placed the girls in 4th position in their pool and in the play off for 7th or 8th position against The Glennie School team 2.

Unfortunately, Glennie for a little too strong for us and the girls lost 2 goals to nil but at no stage did they disgrace themselves. They were a young team who will come through the ranks as our strong team in years to come so it was important for them to have the experience in this tournament, play together as a team and establish themselves as players of the future.

Again, a huge thank you to Ms Flemming for coming out and coaching the girls – it is always a pleasure to have that knowledge and experience on the sideline.

A special thank also to Claire and Heidi Zimmerle, Charlie Jensen and Dusty Mathews who umpired on their on alternate days for the College. This was greatly appreciated.

Equestrian News

Summer Lindgren recently competed at an equestion interschool competition hosted by The Glennie School. Well done to Summer and her horses, Bindi and Kingston, for their great representation of the College. 

Horse - Bindi

Dressage 60% - 7^th place out of 15 in the prelim 1.2 senior secondary event

Dressage 65.4% - 4^th place out of 15 in the prelim 1.3 senior secondary event

The meant Summer was 6^th overall for Senior Secondary Dressage.

Day 1 Jumping Events

A2 70cm good clear round 9^th out of 22 riders

Special two phase 70 cm clear qualifying round placing 2^nd out of 22 riders

Placed 7^th overall out of 22 riders.

Horse - Kingston

Dressage 62.5% and 3^rd place out 15 in prelim 1.2 senior secondary Dressage

62.5% - 7^th out of 15 in the prelim 1.3 senior secondary Dressage

Place 7^th overall out of 15 riders

Day 1 jumping

AM5 80 cm knocked out two poles – to o excited

Day 2 Jumping

A2 80cm good clear qualifying round placing 3^rd out of 14 riders

Special two phase 80cm clear round, fast qualifying – 2^nd out of 14 riders

Placed 3^rd overall for 80cm secondary show jumping out of 14 riders.

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

Connecting with Careers

Lunch and Learn 

The Lunch and Learn Sessions will be held every Thursday during Term 2 in Room 22b (next to the canteen).  

All welcome!! Bring your friends and your lunch 😊 

A reminder that you can visit sjccareers to signup for the newsletter, Connecting with Careers.  To keep up-to-date with upcoming career events, click here.  To subscribe to newsfeeds, click here.

National Careers Week

National Careers Week will be celebrated in Week 5 and this year the theme is:

Make well informed decisions.

National Careers Week aims to celebrate careers, career development, career development services, and career development practitioners.

What is Career Development

Career development is a process of managing learning, work, and leisure to progress through life.  It includes gaining and using the skills and knowledge needed to plan and make informed decisions about education, training, and work.  Everyday decisions and priorities affect career development.

For more information about National Careers Week, click here.

Healthcare is everywhere!

Healthcare is Everywhere is an interactive online ‘activity’ that will help increase your awareness and knowledge of the healthcare system. It highlights the variety of career opportunities within the health industry. You can zoom in, scroll around and explore a hypothetical city and rural community, discover the range of health services, career opportunities and what they do at work. It's easy to use because all you need to do is click on the red markers to find out what health care jobs are located in that workplace. Give it a go!

Gap ‘half-year’ sets up successful study journey - A QUT students experience

Think you need a gap year after Year 12? For QUT double degree student Coby Lee, a ‘gap half-year’ proved long enough to recharge her batteries after the exhaustive Year 12 study and lockdowns she experienced in 2020. Coby started at QUT in mid-2021 and said mid-year entry enabled her to spend six months working to save the funds she needed to move to Brisbane from Cooroy on the Sunshine Coast. Thinking about a Gap Year, read Coby's story for a new view of what a Gap Year can look like.

School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship vacancies 

• Certificate II in Supply Chain Operations - Reece Group – Toowoomba
• Certificate III in Hairdressing Flourish Hair Artistry
• Certificate III in Telecommunication Technology

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

Cultural

EISTEDDFOD CHOIRS

Congratulations to our choirs for their performances at the Toowoomba Eisteddfod last week. On the Thursday evening, the Combined Choir gave an energetic and joyful performance in the Secondary School Gospel/Spiritual Choir section and on the Saturday night our Girls’ Choir gave a fun performance with some great moves in the Secondary School Modern Choir section.

The students performed to a very high standard and proudly represented the College. Special thanks to Mr Jon Maskell, Combined Choir Conductor, Mrs Kaitlyn Michael, Girls’ Choir Conductor and Miss Megan Scott who accompanied both choirs. We thank them for all their ongoing work with our choirs and preparing them for such great experiences.

JOEY’S DAY CULTURAL SHOWCASE

On Friday as a part of the Joey’s Day Celebrations, the College was treated to a Cultural Showcase Concert. Our Cultural Captains, Amelia Rawson and Alyssa Young compered the event whilst moving back and forth to different ensembles to join performances.

This was the first opportunity for several of our ensembles to perform this year. Ensembles that performed were Junior Concert Band, Senior Concert Band, Brass Trio, Combined Choir and Jazz Ensemble. Three of our outstanding soloists also had the opportunity to perform and display their considerable talents. Amelia Rawson performed a Recorder solo, Christian Lanzafame a Xylophone solo and Alex Tini a Tuba solo. All performances were extremely enjoyable.

Thank you to Miss Megan Scott for her accompaniment and organisation, Mr Jon Maskell Combined Choir Conductor, and Mr Andy Will for his work preparing the Jazz Ensemble and Brass Trio for this event.

DATE CLAIMERS

We have several upcoming performance dates of note for our ensembles and choirs:

Open Day (Various Performances): Friday 19 May

Skits and Semiquavers (All Choirs, Ensembles, Chamber Groups and Drama): Wednesday 31 May (Evening)

Music Recital: Monday 12 June

Toowoomba Catholic Schools Arts Fest: Various Events Week 10 including Arts Fest Opening Performances (Chamber Groups) - Monday 19/6 and Massed Instrumental Ensemble (Strings and Band Instrumentalists) – Wednesday 21/6.

MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES

Please see below regarding 2 opportunities offered by Griffith University. Contact open-conservatorium@griffith.edu.au for more information.

1. Tertiary Preparation Workshop registrations for 2023 are now open. Monday 26 June to Friday 30 June 2023.

Get ahead of the audition process for Queensland Conservatorium this year.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about requirements for tertiary entry, skills required for auditions and interviews, tools for enhancing executant skills, and theory and aural fundamentals. There will also be sessions on overcoming stage fright, warm-up methods, practicing effectively and introductions to tertiary courses - My Life as a Musician and Exploring Music.   

1. Jazz & Percussion Weekend at St Rita's College from 23 - 25 June.

The weekend will be led by renowned percussionist Rebecca Lloyd-Jones and jazz virtuoso Simon Petty with leading educators and performers focusing on an engaging, educational and skill-building weekend.

Rosanne Pietsch - Program Middle Leader - Cultural  - RPietsch@sjc.qld.edu.au

Mission matters at Joey's

Compassion Cup

Congratulations to Brennan House for winning this year's Compassion Cup! 

At Assembly this week, Caritas Australia representative Andrew Knife presented the Compassion Cup to our Brennan Captains, Abigayle Head and Georgia Hansen, and accepted the funds raised by the College for Caritas Australia's incredible work through Project Compassion. 

Spanning across the six weeks of Lent each year, Project Compassion brings thousands of Australian schools, parishes and supporters together to raise funds for people living in some of the most vulnerable communities across the world. 

In total, the College raised $2,734.51! 

Brennan House - $892.49

McAuley House - $840.44

Rice House - $562.54

Murphy House - $439.04

Thank you to our incredible College community for your support and empathy during this year's Compassion Cup. 

2023 St Vinnies Winter Appeal

St Vinnies is an organization that strives to provide a range of vital resources to discriminated minorities and those less fortunate than ourselves. It is a widely appreciated society and community cornerstone that coordinates the annual Winter and Christmas appeals.

Stable 1 is another phenomenal project that has successfully supported those experiencing homelessness. They have created a model where local churches and volunteers unite to host up to hundreds of people over multiple nights. And it’s occurring right here in our town. The Toowoomba Winter Shelter follows this guideline to provide facilities, free meals, and beds alongside employment, mental, and medical support tools.

Our Winter Appeal donations will go through Vinnies and straight to those in need supporting the collective cause of the Toowoomba Winter Shelter.

Projects like these exemplify what it means to ‘Serve Him In Others’ and encompasses the meaning and uplifting effect of our values, imperatives, and faith.

A laundry basket has been placed in each Joeys Way classroom. This basket is there to collect all donations made by your JWs. A donation to the appeal may include an old jumper, beanie, or scarf. We would ideally like each member of your JW to donate at least one item, this way all of us as a community can help combat this issue.

Your baskets will enter your JW this week and will be collected in Week 10. Please be sure to donate whatever you can and stay warm this winter! 

Shave for a Cure 2023

Interact’s annual Shave for a Cure event will be taking place in Week 5 next term (August 9^th)! This year our goal is to beat last year’s fundraising amount of $17,675. We challenge everyone to get behind this cause either by donating to a friend or peer or participating yourself. 

We are now asking for expressions of interest, keeping in mind that to shave you must raise a minimum of $300 and to cut you must raise a minimum of $250.

This year, Interact will also be running a multidraw raffle as part of the event to raise further funds. If your family or business is interested in donating prizes for the raffle, please contact the College. 

If you are interested in participating in the Shave for a Cure event or donating to our raffle, please email:

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

OR, Interact Present Emily Chandler EChandler@sjc.qld.edu.au

Hello from Atabae, Timor Leste

Hello St Joseph’s Community,

As I am coming to the end of my volunteer adventure with Palms Australia and will soon be returning to Australia, I thought I’d send a little update.

It has been an amazing experience working and living in Timor Leste, working alongside the Timorese people and living in the Atabae community. I have learnt a lot, but mostly how very fortunate we are in Australia. It is not an easy lifestyle here, and some things have been harder to deal with than others. But after a year, I find myself less bothered and more accepting.

Palms Australia sends volunteers into communities to live alongside the people and work with them for the purpose of sustainable skill improvement. We are regularly reminded not to “do the job for them”.  Working alongside people involves overcoming language barriers and as digital forms of communication are limited, it means having many face-to-face meetings. Luckily, I have become a speed monster on my 150CC scooter and can dash off to meetings when needed!

My role in Atabae has been varied and I have enjoyed contributing to the following areas:   

• English Teaching and Mentoring – teaching students, focussing on English speaking skills, demonstrating teaching methods, encouraging curriculum planning and developing Tetun/English teaching resources.
• Grant Writing in Community – for resource donation and building refurbishment
• Establishing a Days for Girls program in Atabae
• Obtaining prescription glasses to support future eye health in Atabae

Donation of $500 000 worth of Medical Equipment – Thank you to Rotary Donations in Kind (Brisbane)

I cannot say enough about the efforts and commitment of Rotary in Timor Leste. Last year I met with an Australian friend visiting Timor Leste, and she has worked tirelessly with Rotary to obtain medical equipment for the local Atabae Health Clinic. On Saturday 6 May, a huge team of Rotary volunteers packed a container ship which will soon depart for Timor Leste. Another friend of Timor sourced a baby humidicrib for Atabae – thanks go to the Mater Hospital in Brisbane. Sending the container ship itself is expensive and this was funded by the Carter Foundation. The world is amazing force of energy when people work together and don’t accept no for an answer!

There are many areas of need in Timor Leste. After years of war and occupation, schools and hospitals are in disrepair, and there is an incredible lack of resources. Technology in classrooms is non-existent. Lessons are only writing - there is no PowerPoint, no videos and no computers. I will not miss the classroom chalkboard and the breaking chalk! The Timor Leste government is working towards improvement, but cannot afford to fix all the issues; their budget is just too small and there are too many areas of need.

If you can spare a donation to Go-Fund-Me it will go directly towards the refurbishment of the Atabae Maternity block. Funding closes end of May. Thank you!

https://gofund.me/128e655e

I look forward to seeing you all soon. It is very hot here, so I think I’m in for a ‘cold’ shock when I hit Toowoomba in July.

Madeleine Minns

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Photo captions: 

• 1: Birthing suite
• 2: Cartoons for kids
• 3: Chooks travelling to Dili
• 4: Fairy tea-party
• 5: Mater Hospital Donations
• 6: Nursing Jhon's new baby boy
• 7: Our backyard
• 8: Rotary Bne work team
• 9: Teaching St Arnaldos Year 7 class
• 10: Teaching St Arnaldos Year 9 class

SJC - Community News

Open Day 2023

St Joseph’s College warmly invites families considering enrolling their children for 2025 and 2026 to our College Open Day on 19 May, 2023.

St Joseph’s College annual Open Day provides families an opportunity to discover how the College’s tradition of providing an outstanding educational foundation is complemented by comprehensive offerings in sport, music, arts, service and culture.

At our Open Day, families will have an opportunity to:

• Complete an in-depth and guided tour of the College
• Explore each Department through activities aimed at engaging your student
• Meet our Principal, and members of our Teaching Staff
• Discover the wealth of opportunities on offer through an education at SJC
• Develop an understanding of the unique environment SJC provides where your student can flourish academically, spiritually, and socially

Open Day will be held at St Joseph’s College, beginning in the MacKillop Centre at 8:30am and finishing by 11:30pm, on Friday, 19 May 2023.

Registrations are essential as places are limited. Register now: https://enrol-sjc.twb.catholic.edu.au/open-day

Arts Opportunities

Do you have a child in your 10, 11 or 12 who wants a creative career? Griffith University is holding a Creative Arts day on Sunday 21 May. See the program here and to register.

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.

The cold has hit!

Winter uniform is available for purchase...

• Long Sleeve Boy Shirts
• Trousers both male and female
• Tights and stockings
• Jumpers
• Tracksuit pants and jackets
• Scarves

Reminder formal hat bands are available for purchase $12.

Orders can be made online, paid for over the phone and all orders can be 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:

Senior Blouse Sz 10A

Female Sport Shirt/Polo  XS and 14

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.