From the Principal

Welcome to 2022, our 66^th year of providing a quality Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition. I particularly welcome all students and families who join the St Joseph’s College community this year. I trust everyone has returned feeling refreshed and ready for all that 2022 will bring. It has been wonderful to welcome the students back this week online, and we are eagerly awaiting their return in person on Monday. I am sure that after a long break the students are very keen to return to school, catch up with friends and return to the classroom.

On Monday at our Year 8-12 virtual assembly, I highlighted that we are embarking this year on the second year of engaging with our St Joseph's College Towards 2024 Strategic Plan. A strategic plan that outlines our shared vision for St Joseph’s College in aspiring to:

• Engage our community with our Edmund Rice Charism through providing opportunities to develop a personal faith and a willingness to Serve Him in Others.
• Highlight that we are all learners and as a staff, we seek continual improvement and growth in teaching and learning, enabling our students to graduate from St Joseph’s College as caring, capable, and positive contributors to society.
• Empower the young people in our community to pursue their passions and aspire to excellence to meet the demands of their future pathways.

During 2021 our students made great progress with their learning and in 2022, it will be important that we continue to grow a strong ‘Culture of Learning,’ which is the key aspect of our strategic plan. We encourage all students from Years 7 to 12 to start well and focus on their schoolwork from now. The most important message that can be reinforced by parents is the need for the young people to start early and maintain consistent application throughout the year, thereby, giving us the best chance of achieving our academic and engagement goals for 2022, which include:

• 100% of the Year 12 cohort graduating with a Queensland Certificate of Education or a Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement
• 90% of our ATAR eligible students achieving an ATAR rank above 60
• 28% of our ATAR eligible students achieving an ATAR rank above 90
• 95% attendance rate for students
• 25% increase in VG and G ratings for learning attributes on reports

Welcome New Staff

We have welcomed 18 new staff to St Joseph’s College this year, including ten teachers, and we wish them all the very best as they navigate their way through the complexity of life at St Joseph's College. Our new staff certainly receive considerable support and professional advice from their peers, and Mrs Emily Whiting our Program Leader for Staff Development which we hope makes the transition a little smoother.

Rebecca Bastion – Teacher Drama & English / Teacher Librarian

Grace Bunch – Maintenance Team

Candice Brazier - Mathematics Curriculum Leader

Emma Chalmers - English & Language Curriculum Leader

Christel Davies – School Officer OHS

Julie Entwistle - Principal’s Personal Assistant

Bridget Kenny – Humanities / Business Teacher

Rena Kerr – School Officer Finance

Adrianne Markham – Teacher Psychology & Religion / Acting Program Leader Mission & Identity

Karyn Morrison – Learning Enhancement Teacher

Charlotte Penner - Career Support Officer

Rosanne Pietsch – Teacher Music & Religion / Acting Program Leader Culture

Mia Rennick - School Officer Marketing

Sam Simpson - School Officer Enhanced Learning

Ashley Steel – Teacher ICT & Science

Steven Threadgill – Teacher Religion

Kerri Turner - School Officer Enhanced Learning

Chris Wills – Teacher Design Technology

Included in our new staff list is Adrianne Markham, Rosanne Pietsch, Emma Chalmers and Candice Brazier, who join the College Leadership Team. Adrianne and Rosanne in their roles as Program Leaders will add their own special touches to the excellent work carried out by Cathie Barton and Madeleine Minns in 2021. Emma and Candice in their roles as Curriculum Leaders will add their knowledge and skills to continue the excellent work carried out by Peter Keightley and Jacqui Dignon in 2021. Furthermore, Emma and Candice will work with our teachers and as part of our Curriculum Team to assist our staff in maximising their teaching and learning skills. We look forward to Emma’s and Candice’s contribution as we continue to seek new ways to improve the educational experience and outcomes at the College.

In 2022, as part of our goals from our annual action plan, we also aim to finalise the development of a learning framework which will allow for greater consistency in the way lessons are delivered at the College. While exposing students to various learning experiences in the classroom is of great importance, tying our lesson plans to a schoolwide framework ensures students are consistently receiving the best possible pedagogical experience.

Communication Reminder

Over the coming weeks there is obviously going to be continued uncertainty around the ability of the College to host several important whole College events. I encourage parents to read the communication shared by the College thoroughly to keep up to date on what is happening at St Joseph’s College and to make contact if you have any questions.

Best wishes for the upcoming weeks.

Kort Goodman - Principal