From the Principal

“The simplest and most practical lesson I know… is to resolve to be good today - but better tomorrow.

Let us take one day only in our hands - at a time, merely making a resolve for tomorrow.

Thus we may hope to get on – taking short careful steps, not great strides.”

(Catherine McAuley (Founder of the Sisters of Mercy) in a letter to Mary De Sales White, Feb 28, 1841)


Striving for our best academically – be good today – but better tomorrow.

In each room around the College there is a poster that highlights the Joey’s Way that all members of the College community are required to adhere to each and every day. The expectation is that as an individual we all will ensure that we are respectful, compassionate, dignified and demonstrate endeavour. In simplifying or being more explicit about these values, we want our community members to:

  • Ensure our behaviours and attitudes are respectful toward ourselves, other students, staff and property.
  • Ensure that we all place safe behaviours at the heart of all we do.
  • Ensure that we come to the learning environment on time, prepared and ready to work.

Coming to the middle of term two, I am sure that all of the students would agree that the staff and leadership of the College have consistently reminded the students of the first two expectations numerous times per week. These first two expectations are about providing a safe environment that is conducive to learning.

The third of these expectations is about ensuring the staff and students have the tools required to participate in lessons, learn and achieve their best academically. This philosophy of striving to do our best academically is one of the aspects of participating in a holistic education and being the best, we can be in all areas; something we also continue to preach to the students.

Unfortunately, it has become of an increasing concern to our teachers, that we have a large number of students who are not able to participate fully in lessons because they are showing up to classes without the materials they require. Furthermore, it has become apparent that a number of students have devices that are damaged, and they have not been handed into the ICT Department for repairs to be organised. If your student has a device that is need of repair you are reminded that under the contract that you signed when the devices were distributed, all damage is to be reported to the College immediately. If this is the case with your student’s device, we would ask that it is reported to the ICT Department so that the damage can be assessed, and your student can be provided with the relevant paperwork to have it fixed. This failure to prepare for class is inhibiting the student’s ability to achieve to their personal best academically.

As I have previously stated in the newsletter, we highly value the importance of working together in partnership with parents / caregivers and we are hopeful that you can assist us by ensuring they are organised with the necessary resources for each day. Those resources being any textbooks required for the lesson, something to write with, something to write in and a fully charged and working device. We understand that some students need more constant reminding and assistance to be prepared, but it we take the small steps that Catherine McAuley wrote about, as outlined above, then hopefully our students can be better each day.

Parent Engagement Network

As a Catholic school, St Joseph’s College considers the partnership with parents and families as crucial in the education of each student and to the college being actively involved within the local community. As a college, we welcome the involvement of parents and families in all aspects of school life and commit to nurturing active partnerships.

At St Joseph's College we have elected to move to the creation of a Parent Engagement Network in response to requests to consider an alternative model to the School Board and Parents and Friends Association, acknowledging the changing nature of families and schools and evolving ways of working together. This Parent Engagement Network continues to honour the place of parents and families in the life of our college through providing an effective avenue for parents and families to come together to be informed, consulted, and learn in relation to school planning, policy, decision making and education programs and engage in activities, projects and events that build community.

The Parent Engagement Network supports the principal and staff in implementing a comprehensive and contemporary education program. Parents/guardians have an advisory role in decisions made in the development and implementation of the strategic plan and policies of the school as well as the provision of resources to support the educational programs of the school.

All parents/guardians are welcome to be ordinary members of the Parent Engagement Network and assist in:

  1. developing a positive and affirming community spirit
  2. supporting the work of the principal and staff
  3. providing feedback to the principal and staff on school initiatives, policies and strategic direction
  4. prudent and consultative decision-making
  5. promoting interaction between home and school, parents and teachers
  6. encouraging parent/family engagement with their child’s learning and school life
  7. deepening parent/family understanding of teaching and learning programs
  8. promoting the school in the wider community
  9. the provision of resources to support the educational program.

The Network is an affiliate of the Catholic Schools Parents Queensland and CSPQ – Diocese of Toowoomba. Affiliation requirements are determined by the CSPQ.

At our recent PEN meeting our executive was elected. We thank these wonderfully generous current and past parents for their continued service to our community.

Chair - Mr John O’Brien - john@obriencotransport.com.au or 0413110718.

Secretary - Mrs Rachel Thomas - rjthomas22@bigpond.com 

Working Party Group Leaders

Teen Mental Health

Mrs Cathy Condon - johathyfamily@gmail.com - 0438647082

Community Events Working Party

Mrs Toni Burton - schloss@westnet.com.au  - 0466187210

Mrs Wendy Murphy - timandwendymurphy@gmail.com – 0417645582

In addition to undertaking the official roles as part of the executive of our PEN, the above parents are very willing to act as contact people and a link between our families and the College. We hope that by being available to be a link with the College this may assist parents who are not sure who to contact at the College, or address the situation where families may be hesitant to make contact with the College directly.

Finally, in consultation with our PEN executive we set down our plans for our events for the remainder of the year and these are outlined below. We hope that our families will take the opportunity to join us at these events.

Term 3 – 2nd August – Week 4

6.30pm Drinks and Nibbles

7.00pm SJC Teaching and Learning Framework Information and Feedback Session

Term 4 – 25th October – Week 4

6.30pm Drinks and Nibbles

7.00pm SJC Faith Formation Framework Information and Feedback Session

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