From the Principal
Dear Parents, Carers and Students
Farewell & Best Wishes
In 2020 four weeks after beginning my time as Principal I wrote the following reflection on my first impressions of St Joseph's College.
Firstly, I have found the students, staff, parents and wider community of St Joseph’s College to be very welcoming. Each day numerous members of the community have gone out of their way to take the opportunity to come up to say hello, welcome me, wish me the best of luck and say that they hope I enjoy my time as part of the St Joseph’s community. I greatly appreciate these efforts and I am sure that I will enjoy my time here.
Secondly, I think this is a very happy and caring school. The amazing smiles on the faces of the students in the classrooms and the playground, the laughter of the staff in the staffrooms and the interactions that I have witnessed between all members of the school community over the first month highlight the joy, care for each other and enthusiasm that the community brings to school each day. Father Ray Crowley often speaks about how when he goes into a school community he goes and talks to the office staff, the groundsman, the cleaners and the youngest students. He does this because he believes that if these people are happy then the school is going well. Based on my conversations with these groups, I would have to say that St Joseph’s College is going well.
Thirdly, it would appear that the students and staff are proud to be members of the St Joseph’s College community. I believe that this is reflected in a number of ways including; the outstanding way in which the majority of students wear their school uniforms, the great care the students, groundsman and cleaners take to ensure the school looks great each day, the way the staff and students talk about the school and its history.
My final observations would suggest that the students and staff are really committed to striving to make the most of each day’s opportunities. From the determination and exhaustion on the faces of the students at the swimming carnival to the great efforts of the staff who have worked so hard to prepare and ensure the year starts successfully, to the students being prepared and on time to classes. All of this evidence confirms that we are going to have a great year.
Congratulations students and staff of St Joseph’s College. What a lovely school to be a part of and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be here.
Three- and three-quarter years have since passed and while lots of water has passed under the bridge, I am really happy to say that these are the same reflections that I have had on my last week at the College. St Joseph’s College is an outstanding educational community that provides amazing opportunities for the students and staff to continue to learn with and from each other. It has been a pleasure and privilege to be the Principal of this great community.
As a conclusion to my time at St Joseph's College, I would like to extend a number of votes of thanks.
To our current and past members of the St Joseph’s College Executive Leadership Team: Mr Brendon Willocks (Deputy Principal), Ms Kellie-Marie Ford (APRE), Mrs Kerrie-Anne Fellenberg (AP Curriculum), Mr Joe Cryle (AP Student Engagement), Ms Maree Commerford (Program Leader Staff Development), Mrs Karen Tobin (Program Leader Senior School Learning Leader), Mr Bill Whiting (Acting Program Leader Middle School Learning Leader), Mrs Cate Park-Ballay (Program Leader Middle School Learning Leader 2021 – 22), Mrs Emily Whiting (Program Leader Staff Development 2021-22), Mrs Julieanne Rassmussen (Past APFM). I thank you so very much for your leadership and support over the three- and three-quarter years. You have been amazingly supportive, committed, and generous with your time and you have and will continue to do a tremendous job.
To the ancillary and teaching staff of St Joseph’s College, your efforts are greatly appreciated. You continue to demonstrate an open mind to the belief that individually and as a group we can continue to be better educators and this is a testament to your professionalism and the care you have for our students.
Finally, to the students of our College. Thank you for continuing to buy into the culture that is building at our College. A culture of being involved and doing the best you can do as an individual and a collective group. Your commitment to striving to do your best invigorates and energises our community.
Best wishes to all of the St Joseph's College Toowoomba community for the future and I look forward to visiting over the upcoming years.
God Bless
Kort Goodman
Term 4 Staffing
I would like to inform the community that from the beginning of next term the following people will be undertaking the listed roles until the end of the year.
Acting Principal – Mr Brendon Willocks
Acting Deputy Principal – Ms Kellie-Marie Ford
Acting Assistant Principal Religious Education – Mr Tom Moore
Acting Rice House Leader – Mrs Elle Moss
I thank these people for their willingness to undertake these roles and I thank the College community in anticipation of their support of these wonderful people.
St Joseph’s College Towards 2024 Strategic Plan
Continuing from our previous three newsletters, this week I share with you the final two domains, Continual Renewal and Strategic Resourcing and Stewardship strategic intents and improvement strategies from our St Joseph’s College Towards 2024 Strategic Plan.
Continual Renewal – Community Partnerships
Strategic Intent: St Joseph’s College fosters enduring connections and engagement with and beyond our community by focusing on collaborative partnerships and innovative strategies to enhance educational opportunities.
Key Improvement Strategies:
To engage with the community and foster partnerships to provide opportunities for our students, the College has:
· Strived to ensure continued communication that is open and transparent while creating opportunities for parent and student voice.
· Increasingly engaged the community in leading/contributing to the St Joseph’s College Enrichment Program.
· Strengthened the promotion of the profile of St Joseph’s College.
· Strived to nurture and develop the positive and active engagement of parents.
Strategic Resourcing and Stewardship – Staff Development and Wellbeing
Strategic Intent: St Joseph’s College provides an inspiring, nurturing, and supportive learning environment that promotes excellence and wellbeing. Staff are committed to a shared vision of learning through collaboration to build capacity for student outcomes.
Key Improvement Strategies:
To build capacity, self-efficacy, and the wellbeing of staff the College will:
· Ensured all staff are part of a Professional Learning Team (PLT).
· Ensured all staff will develop individual Professional Growth Plans (PGP).
· Implemented formal recruitment, induction, and professional growth processes to cater to all roles.
· Strived to foster a positive, connected working environment for staff.
· Supported Leadership development.
· Strived to implement a ‘cross-training’ model in the workforce to promote sustainability.
· Delivered high-quality staff professional learning.
Strategic Resourcing and Stewardship – Use of Resources, Facilities, and the Learning Environment
Strategic Intent: Through responsible and sustainable planning and resourcing, St Joseph’s College optimises exceptional educational experiences. To operate as wise stewards of all College resources in accordance with our mission, St Joseph’s College delivers innovative and agile resourcing, systems, and practices.
Key Improvement Strategies:
To ensure the College remains well-resourced and sustainable, the College will:
· Maintained appropriate stewardship around finance, governance, and resourcing.
· Begun to investigate the sustainability of College resources.
· Made great advances in working towards providing excellent facilities.
· Kept abreast of technological advancements and improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the use of ICT across the College, through developments in infrastructure and staff capacity.
· Continually reviewed the College Master Plan.
· Managed the maintenance of school resources and property.
· Successfully applied for grants.
· Ensured marketing and enrolment practices strongly affirm the College as a leading co-educational Catholic school in Queensland.
A copy of the strategic plan is available to all families at the front office of the College, or on our St Joseph’s College website.
Kort Goodman - Principal - KGoodman@sjc.qld.edu.au