From the Principal

In term three 2019 as the Principal of Assumption College, I had the opportunity to start my newsletter with the following line, and today I have the privilege of using it again.

What else can I say to start this newsletter but, OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD YOU GUYS!!!

Wow, what a superb opening night and what an amazingly talented, dedicated, and inspiring group of students and staff. From the students who played lead roles, to the students who were part of the support crew and everyone in between, your efforts over the last six months, culminating in your performance last night and what I am sure will carry over for the remainder of the shows has been simply sensational. You epitomize the culture that we are constantly endeavouring to embed at St Joseph’s College. Aspiring to Excellence, through application, hard work and dedication. Congratulations to you all! You should be very proud of your efforts, because as a College we are so very proud of you.

To the team of Ms Madeleine Minns, Ms Cathie Barton, Ms Megan Scott and Mrs Nadia Spain and your assistants, Mr Brad Hodges, Mrs Pam Hensler, Miss Aleesha Degen, Mr Gerard Saide, Mr Chris Fitzpatrick. your tireless efforts and generosity to prepare such an event has been phenomenal and on behalf of the St Joseph’s College community I thank you. I have heard comments over the last couple of weeks that the group of staff and students involved refer to themselves as the musical family. This has been very evident in the way that they have interacted, challenged, cared, and supported each other. I believe that I can confidently say that our students who have been part of this musical are better young people for the experience. 

To the numerous other staff members, students and parents who have and will assist in anyway, we thank you so very much. To Ella Taylor in Year 12, who created the costumes for our lead role, thank you. Your amazing skill level and generosity is greatly appreciated.

Finally, I would like to thank the parents of the students who are part of this wonderful production. We are very aware of the fact that we only have to deal with these amazing students when they are on their best behaviour at school, or when they are loving the comradery of their peers and the excitement of the preparation and performances. You have been the ones who have had to deal with the exhausted, irritable teenagers who have been not only juggling school and the musical, but in a lot of cases part time work and sport. For your support of our College and your child we thank you so very much.

Continuing the School Year Well…

Over the term we have held a range of activities that have highlighted and congratulated students on their efforts up until this point of the year. We have acknowledged the efforts of students striving for their best academically by presenting Participate and Persevere, and Aspire to Excellence Certificates, and holding our Academic Excellence morning tea. We have also acknowledged numerous individuals and teams of students who have represented our College outstandingly as tour guides for Open Day, in a range of sports and cultural events, and we will obviously acknowledge the amazing students involved in the school musical in the near future at school.

In order to foster, this spirit of continuing the school year well, I have outlined a few helpful tips below that parents have reported are useful in supporting their children.

  1. Be intentional about nurturing belongingness. If a student feels welcomed, valued, trusted and respected at home, there is a high chance that this positivity will enhance the student’s sense of belonging at school. Recent studies show that there is a high correlation between a student’s approach to school, their approach to learning and their sense of belonging.
  2. Model and engender attributes of inclusiveness, kindness, courtesy and respect. There are some things that simply cannot be told, but are taught, felt and learnt by example and empowerment. Among these are the vital attributes that allow us to get along with others, such as kindness, courtesy and respect. By coaching our students at home and at school about how to care for others, we allow students to develop bonds with their peers and the College. These bonds are closely linked to developing not only their sense of belongingness but also a student’s sense of empathy and willingness to assist and be assisted in their learning by their peers and teachers.
  3. Champion a Growth Mindset. Our students need encouragement (from someone who they trust) to strive for their best, and they need to understand that trying (and sometimes not succeeding) is of higher importance than not striving for your best. To dare to be brave and strive for your best elevates personal growth and eventually our students will see this as being more valuable than the risk of disappointment when they do not succeed at first.
  4. Let your child lead. As students become exposed to a myriad of situations and a greater diversity of personalities, they need to learn how to master themselves. This includes developing self-control, self-discipline, self-regulation and self-awareness. Where learning is required guide your child through social stories and invite them to suggest alternative ways that the situation could have been played out. Allowing our students to lead their own self-discovery empowers them to work through the challenges independently.
  5. Explain to your child that it is important at times to just breathe. The number one antidote for anxiety and stress is controlled breathing: even one good, deep breath helps. To just breathe is a conscious reminder of an involuntary function. To breathe deeply on purpose injects a boost of oxygen to the brain and vital organs, relaxes muscle tension that impacts our posture and sense of well-being, and takes the brain off high alert to enable clearer thinking in the moment to make the most of each moment.

I hope that these few tips are helpful in assisting with engaging your student for the remainder of the year.

P&F Senior School Study Tips Session

A reminder that next Tuesday June 1 at 7.00pm we will be holding our first P&F promoted information session. The session will cover information on how to support your child prepare for the rigours of senior schooling!

On this evening topics that will be covered include:

  • Weekly routines
  • Study spaces
  • Preparation for exams
  • Time management
  • Dealing with the stress and anxiety of exams

RSVP to rsvp@sjc.qld.edu.au

Kort Goodman, Principal