From the Principal
Dear Parents and Friends of St Joseph’s College,
On Friday St Joseph’s College recognised the contributions that our teachers make to the lives our young people as part of World Teacher’s Day. Teachers today bring a variety of skills and dispositions to their classrooms including numeracy, literacy, and digital capabilities along with subject field knowledge. Additionally, a teacher assists the social and emotional development of their students through self-regulation, goal setting, problem-solving, mental health awareness and team building. At St Joseph’s College, our teaching staff enact our Catholic Identity to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed in a distinctively Catholic environment. I am extremely proud and grateful for our staff who grow our most precious resource, our young men, and women.
Prayer for Teachers
Lord, we pray that You would equip our teachers in every way with the wisdom that they need to lead their classes and schools every day.
God, we pray that Your strength would fill them and enable them to do all that they do with a heart of compassion, grace and understanding that comes right from You.
Congratulations to Natasha Digweed who was recently certified by the Queensland College of Teachers as a Highly Accomplished Teacher. She was recognised for her ability, knowledge, and skill to promote quality teaching. Natasha over a significant period has made a significant impact on the lives of students and her teaching peers. The College is immensely proud of Natasha and her accomplishments.
Recently after a system review, the title of Assistant Principal Religious Education has changed to Assistant Principal Mission and Identity (APMI). This change has been informed by a more contemporary understanding of religious leadership in the current school and Church context. The review recommended that with a role which is more centred around Catholic identity, mission, Catholic pedagogy, and the religious life of the school, it required a title change. At St Joseph’s College Ms Kellie Maree Ford is our APMI. Kellie embraces the true spirit of this role description through her leadership of Religious Education and the Religious Life of the School. She has been instrumental in the implementation of a recontextualized curriculum that encourages dialogical conversation. Kellie has also worked tirelessly to engage our students in developing liturgies and engagement in service. As a College, we look forward to celebrating her continuing work in the APMI role.
In acknowledging Kellie’s work as APMI, I wish to announce that her knowledge and skills have been recognised with her appointment to the position of Project Officer Respectful Relations Education at Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office in 2025. The position is a secondment for twelve months and we look forward to her return in 2026. Congratulations Ms Ford.
After an extensive consultative process, I am pleased to inform our community that the soon-to-be-completed new building will be named the Mary Rice Building. The Bishop has approved Mary Rice as the most appropriate name. This is an extension to the existing Mary Rice building and further strengthens the explicit link to Edmund Rice and the long association that St Joseph’s has to Edmund Rice Charism.
Last Friday our Year 12 students celebrated their last day of regular classes with staff and their younger peers. Students donned alternate uniforms and engaged in activities that allowed them to reflect on their journey at St Joseph’s College. Students have now commenced external examinations which will be completed over the next three weeks. Students studying General subjects will engage in Master Classes prior to their respective exams and may study off-campus when not engaged in master classes or exams. Students will then return to the college in week 7 for their final days before graduating.
Recently our Parent Engagement Network (PEN) held a parent session in conjunction with the College to present draft eligibility criteria for student participation in extra-curricular events. Parents provided feedback on the elements and language surrounding the criteria which will inform the final version to take effect from the beginning of 2025. The criteria set out the standards required of students regarding attendance, behaviour, engagement in learning and uniform compliance, whilst parent/carer commitment to agreed fees and financial plans was also tabled. I thank Mr Joe Cryle and the PEN Executive for their respective delivery and hosting of the evening.
A reminder to our parents and carers of students to refrain from contacting students on their personal mobile devices between the hours of 8.30am and 3pm. The college policy is that students are not to be on their devices between these hours to minimise distractions and to encourage students to fully engage in their learning programs and peer interactions. Should parents or carers need to contact their child or speak with staff then the college protocol is to contact Student Entrance staff who will call the student to the office and relay messages or advise the relevant staff member. This position allows for the convenience of parents and students to make personal arrangements in non-school times whilst also ensuring that the college staff can work in partnership with parents and carers.
God Bless,
Jim Brennan - Principal - jbrennan@sjc.qld.edu.au