From the Principal

Dear Parents and Friends of St Joseph’s College,

In this week’s Sunday Gospel from Mark, the Lord calls out to Moses and shows that he hears and sees the misery of his people. Today too, the cry of so many oppressed brothers and sisters around the world can be heard. The current world situations in Gaza and Ukraine highlight tremendous suffering, whilst locally many in our community struggle to find accommodation and put food on the table. Let us ask ourselves: Do we hear that cry? Does that trouble us? Does that move us? The Lenten period provides a time for us when we might consider doing something for others which lets them know that we hear their suffering. Would you consider donating to St Vincent de Paul or another charitable organisation or a financial contribution from the Project Compassion appeal at your local Catholic Church? At St Joseph’s College, our students are engaged in several social justice activities such as Rosies where students assist with feeding those less fortunate in our community and the Breakfast Club at Clifford Park School. As we journey through the Lenten period, I encourage all to think about how we hear the cries of others in our families and communities, find compassion in our hearts, and act with justice.

Last weekend many of our music students and staff led by Ms Minns travelled to Alexandra Headlands on the Sunshine Coast to hone their music skills. Students from our ensembles and choirs engaged in workshops and practice sessions whilst also enjoying a trip to the beach and an ice cream. Such events show the richness of opportunities available at the College and I take this opportunity to thank parents for supporting your children to attend this event and staff members Ms Scott, Mr Weeldon, Mr McKenzie, Ms Leigh Price, and Maintenance Staff who generously gave of their time.

Last week I had the opportunity to visit several classes and witness learning in action. Ms Digweed’s Year 10 Business class was busy planning a venture that considered marketing, consumable costs, and research with the ultimate aim of selling a product. Ms Kenny’s Year 10 Business Accounting class learnt about constructing journals to manage cash flow, whilst Mr Wheeldon’s Year 12 General Mathematics class examined the practical applications of latitude and longitude. Importantly, each class was applying numeracy and literacy skills in real-world contexts.

During Week 8 and 9, our Year 7 and 9 students will participate in NAPLAN. These assessments provide a snapshot of a student’s and Year level cohort abilities in numeracy and literacy. Our students are prepared for these assessments through their regular classes where teachers provide explicit instruction in literacies and numeracies relevant to the subject. Students in Year 7, 8 and 9 also receive an extra lesson of instruction in literacy skills in English and Humanities. Our teaching staff have been progressively engaging in a training program called Subject Discipline Literacies which develops their ability to provide the required instruction to students. Each teacher undertakes the equivalent of four days' training.

The most important literacy skill is the ability to read and comprehend what has been read. There are five key pillars that underpin successful readers:

  1. Phonemic Awareness – the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds.
  2. Phonics – the ability to identify the relationship between letters and sounds to decode words.
  3. Fluency – the ability to read text accurately and quickly.
  4. Vocabulary – refers to the words learners use to communicate through reading and writing.
  5. Comprehension – the ability to make meaning from what has been read.

Some tips for supporting literacy development at home with teenagers:

  1. Have regular conversations with your child about a range of topics. This helps increase their oral language and their vocabulary range.
  2. Encourage teenagers to read what they are interested in e.g. sports reports, books made into films.
  3. Consider reading with your teenager and then asking questions about the text.

Jim Brennan - Principal - jbrennan@sjc.qld.edu.au