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- PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
- DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL PRIMARY & TEACHING & LEARNING
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL FORMATION & IDENTITY
- DO IT FOR DOLLY DAY 2024
- ARTS FESTIVAL 2024: Creativity in action
- SCIENCE & ENGINEERING CHALLENGE 2024
- DEBATING TEAMS SHINE IN QDU TOOWOOMBA & BORDER DISTRICT EISTEDDFOD COMPETITION
- EISTEDDFOD
- LIBRARY NEWS
- TRIVIA NIGHT SUCCESS
- SPORT
- UPCOMING EVENTS
It has been wonderful to see so much student talent on display over the last few weeks. That talent has been shown through some brilliant efforts on the sporting field and in the creative arts.
On the sport front, our students have been involved in many activities including cross-country, football and golf. Well done to Ryan Whiticker (football) and Ellie Petrie (golf) who represented Darlings Downs at the recent State Schools Championships, and to the boys and girls football teams that took part in the Red Lion Cup. Congratulations to Alanna Fox who has been selected as a member of the Darlings Downs Cross-Country Team.
The St Joseph's School Arts Festival was a great success. A big thanks to teachers Dr James Cuskelly OAM and Amelia Wilshire for putting in the time to create such a wonderful opportunity for the students, and to the guest tutors who provided professional tuition and support throughout the festival.
This week, the many different creative and oral talents of the students have been showcased at the Border District Eisteddfod. The students have done so well in the various music, oral and debating categories of the competition. Well done all and thanks to the staff for preparing them!
My thanks also to the P & F Association for another well run and enjoyable Trivia Night. It was an exceptional community event and fundraiser for the School.
We also have some news with respect to the parish. Father Gonzo, our Parish Priest, will be taking an extended period of leave from 1 June. In his absence Father Nathan Webb will be the Parish Administrator (priest acting in the Parish Priest’s absence). Fr Webb is currently an Associate Pastor at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Toowoomba. At the time of his ordination in Toowoomba in 2022, Fr Webb was Australia's youngest priest – a 24-year-old. He comes to us with a reputation for doing good work with students and the community. I am told Fr Webb is currently studying to qualify as a teacher. We wish Fr Gonzo a good break and welcome Fr Webb. Note also that the Parish Office will move into the Covent and commence operations from 3 June.
God Bless
As we navigate another exciting academic term, it is crucial to emphasise the importance of focusing on learning and completing assessments. As educators and parents, we have a shared responsibility to foster an environment that encourages growth, perseverance, and individual academic success. By prioritising these aspects, we can pave the way for all students to experience their own level of success and personal development. Over the next four weeks, it is crucial that we collectively support our students, as a school and parents, to ensure they are successful in their learning and produce the best possible work they can through the assessment period.
There have been a huge number of extra-curricular activities happening across the school recently, with students travelling to a number of regional sporting trials, chess tournaments and debating, as well as Broncos Cup rugby league and netball. It is great to see so many of our students involved in representing our school with pride, and I thank all the staff who are giving up extra time to support these activities.
Call to be… Christ-Like
Called to live… Mercy
Matthew Brown
Deputy Principal
Since the last opportunity I had to share news from the Primary Campus, we have witnessed many opportunities for the students to display their talents. This began with the Arts Showcase that included drama and music theatre workshops and culminated in a performance afternoon which was attended by family members and special guests. It was wonderful to see all students participating with enthusiasm and we are grateful to Dr Cuskelly and Mrs Wilshire for their organisation of this two-day event.
That event was followed this week with the Border District Eisteddfod where many of our students participated in a range of arts events as individuals, small groups and cohorts. For the first time this year, students entered into the drama classes and it was wonderful to see their performances. Congratulations to all those who courageously stood on the stage and performed for the audience in whatever capacity. This is no mean feat. Well done to those who came away with a certificate or a trophy.
Also across the last few weeks, the students have been creating their art works for the Crisps Art Show which this year will be held at the start of June. We are extremely grateful to those parents who have volunteered in many capacities to assist the students in this endeavour. Their time and expertise was very much appreciated.
In the sporting arena, we had a number of students who attended the Darling Downs Cross Country Trials recently and they all represented the school and the Granite Belt well. Congratulations to all those who took part and especially to Alanna Fox, who received the exciting news on Tuesday that she has been selected to join the Darling Downs Cross Country Team after initially being selected as a Shadow in the team.
Of course, all this is in conjunction with the learning that takes place on a daily basis at St Joseph's. In particular, the Diocesan Approach to Reading (DAR) is continuing to be implemented in the P - 2 classrooms especially and the teachers are seeing some gains with this new approach.
This week, we held the first of our Information Mornings for parents of Prep students in 2025. The attendance at the morning was positive and this is on the back of a number of enrollment applications that have already been received. We will be repeating the session on Tuesday 28 May at 9:15am for anyone who was unable to make it this week. If you are aware of any families who are considering schools for next year, please let them know of this date and time or advise them to contact me for a chat.
Finally, as the temperature has begun to decrease in the mornings, we have started to see the children wearing additional items of clothing. A reminder to parents that the uniform expectations are provided in the Primary Campus Handbook which can be found on the school website. Specifically, long sleeved shirts worn under the school shirts should be red in colour. Also, all items should be clearly named. We thank all families for their assistance with this.
With God's blessings
Sarah Yates
Assistant to the Principal Primary & Teaching & Learning
Called to Live with Courage
This term students have been focusing on the Mercy value of Courage, talking and learning about the different scenarios in which they may be called upon to show courage. Courage can mean different things to different people, but we remind students that courage is doing our very best, exploring new opportunities, developing ourselves as people of faith and doing what is right, even when fear and uncertainty may hold us back. Below are some things you can do at home with your child to build courage.
In looking towards the future, building courage in our students will aid them in taking healthy risks and not those that will put them in danger, to get up even when they “fall down” or fail, and to stand up for what is right and for what they believe in.
“Speak as your mind directs and always act with courage.” Catherine McAuley
Megan Mahoney
Assistant to the Principal Formation & Identity
Do It For Dolly Day, May 10, is a national day of action in Australia, dedicated to raising awareness and funds for anti-bullying initiatives and online safety programs.
Spreading kindness by being considerate to everyone and everything you encounter, can make all the difference. A little kindness goes a long way.
Share the Dolly’s Dream message always: “Speak, even if your voice shakes.”
On Thursday 16 May 2024, the St Joseph’s community celebrated our work in the area of the Performing Arts with impressive performances in Drama, Choral Singing and Music Theatre.
Our students were excited to have the opportunity to work with professional artists from Brisbane: Annie Lower and Peggy Channon(Music Theatre), and Kellie Lazarus and Frankie Mason (Drama).
The students had only 3 hours to workshop the presentations and the ensuing performances are a testament to the focus and concentration of students and the expertise of the tutors. The regular work from our Arts teachers, James Cuskelly and Amelia Wilshire, has laid the foundational skills for student engagement and these special workshops provide rich extension experiences for all our students.
Many thanks to all the staff who assisted in the preparations and supervisions, and of course, sincere thanks to all who able to be part of the audience on the day.
In the upcoming newsletters for the remainder of Term 2, we will feature ‘Reflections’ from Secondary students centered around the theme of ‘Creativity,’ which was the focus of this year’s Arts Festival.”
Please enjoy reading the first of these "Reflections" below :
Year 10 Students - Erin O’Dea & Jahnavi Miriyala
What is creativity (and more importantly what is not!!)
A: Wow! Did you see the artwork that the Yr 8s are doing?? It is so beautiful and it is so creative!
B: Yeah I did see it and I agree – I think it is just fantastic. But it got me wondering – how is that those kids are so creative and lots of us just aren’t?? I mean, I don’t think that I can draw and paint like that!
A: Well I guess we could get all complicated about it but creativity is really just defined as the tendency to generate or recognise ideas, alternatives or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems.
B: A tendency to generate ideas? But we can all think of new ideas can’t we?
A: Yes, absolutely. We all generate new ideas all the time! I mean, I know that some of those kids who went on the ANZAC trip had to find a way to pay for it and some of them went and got a job so that they could afford.
B: Wow, that is a creative response to a problem – thinking about a way to solve a problem. So being creative is something that we all do all the time actually.
A: But don’t we usually think of creative people as the ones who have wild hair or lots or piercings or alternative clothes?
B: Well, you have to wonder about that a bit – is that just imitating what someone else has done or is that a new way of responding to a problem.
A: And that means that you have to understand what the nature of the problem is if you are actually going to find a creative response. I think that far too often we put creative people in a sort of fringe basket instead of really understanding what creativity is all about.
B: So, creativity isn’t just about people in the Arts then?
A: No, not at all, creativity is a capacity that all humans have within ourselves – but we have to work at developing it if we are going to produce anything worthwhile!
Year 7 Students - Audrey Paten & Amity Buscher
What motivates people to be creative?
A: Hey, have you ever wondered what motivates people to be creative? I mean, some people seem to effortlessly come up with brilliant ideas, while others struggle.
B: Absolutely! It’s fascinating. I think creative is like a mysterious force that pushes us to explore new ideas. For some though, they seem to have this innate drive like my mate can come up with the most interesting and creative things with the click of her finger.
A: Yep, while me for example need a heap of other stimulus and support to help spark an idea!
B: True. Have you noticed that curiosity often sparks creativity?
A: How do you mean?
B: Well, when we ask questions like ‘What if?’ or ‘Why not?’our minds start churning. It’s like a mental playground where ideas collide and give birth to something unique.
A: Yes that’s right! And sometimes, limitations fuel creativity. When we’re faced with constraints – whether it be a rule, or a theme, or a word count – we’re forced to think outside the box. It’s like our brains say ‘I can do this challenge!’
B: Oh I like that! It’s like our brains are rebellious artists, breaking free from the boring and mundane.
A: But you know what else? Passion drives creativity.
B: Ahh that’s is true. I know that when I’m genuinely passionate about something, I pour my heart into it and magic happens.
A: So true! And you know what, I think playfulness is a secret ingredient to this magic.
B: Yes, I know when I approach creativity with fun and curiosity, it seems to unlock hidden doors in my minds.
A: Well said! So curiosity, passion and playfulness all woven together is like a beautiful tapestry we call creativity.
On 20th May, 31 STEM and STEM adjacent students attended the Darling Downs Science and Engineering Challenge 2024 presented by The University of Newcastle at the University of Southern Queensland.
Students worked in teams of 4 to complete a variety of blind tasks designed to test their problem solving and special reasoning skills.
With stiff competition, we took out victory in two out of the seven events. Congratulations to the folliowing 2 teams on their excellent work as a team. This led to them each receiving medals for their event winning efforts.
| Team 1 | Team 2 |
| Hunter Hennesey | Eden Shatte |
| Ellis Lahey | Jahnavi Miriyali |
| Harry Wren | Declan Campbell |
| Lachlan Doyle | Lincoln Coles |
Overall, Joey’s managed an excellent showing – placing 2nd overall out of 8 schools on the day.
Our debating teams have been making waves in the QDU Toowoomba Region debating competition. Teams from Year 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 have been competing fiercely against formidable opponents such as Glennie, Fairholme College, Highfields State College, Toowoomba Anglican School, Toowoomba Grammar, and others.
The progress made by all teams is commendable. They have not only improved their skills but also embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and determination. We eagerly anticipate the conclusion of the Round 4 debates this week and next.
In addition to the QDU Toowoomba competition, our teams across all year levels also participated in the Border District Eisteddfod debating competition. Our Year 8, 9, 10, 11, and senior teams all emerged victorious against Stanthorpe State High School.
St Joseph’s School were also awarded the overall Champion school trophy for debating.
Special accolades go to our ‘Best Speaker’ awardees - Roshini Miriyala, Chloe Searle, Erin O’Dea, and Larissa George.
Well done to all our debaters! The skills you’re learning and the experiences you’re gaining will undoubtedly prove invaluable for the future. Keep up the excellent work!
Here are the outstanding achievements:
- Prep Class (SECTION 101): The Prep class secured 1st Place in the Choral Speaking Group for schools with more than 100 pupils. What a fantastic start!
- Year 1 (SECTION 110 - Solo Recitation):
1st Place: Martin Brunckhorst
2nd Place: Evie Muller & Sabine Blaxland
3rd Place: Theo Stibbard - Year 2 (SECTION 111.2 - Solo Recitation):
1st Place: Avnoor Virk, Kayla Butson & Angus Evans - Year 2 (SECTION 111.3 - Solo Recitation):
1st Place: Bonnie Elliot-Roberts, Dougal Ferrier & Adelaide Lahey
It’s truly remarkable to see their hard work and dedication pay off.
Step Into Stories - Author Talks
National Simultaneous Storytime
NSS is not only fun but also supports language development, learning, and literacy while building community. Last year, over 2 million kids participated in NSS.
Saturday 18th May saw almost 200 people attend the St Joseph’s P&F Annual Trivia Night.
Our theme of “My Favourite TV Show” saw an array of TV shows on display in the Bathersby Centre. From Baywatch to Peaky Blinders, and The Wiggles to Kath & Kim our community went all out with their costumes again this year.
We recognised some amazing costumes with The Best Dressed Team going to - M*A*S*H, The Best Team Name - All At Stake and we ended up with two Best Dressed Couples - Aurora & Greg from Peg n Donny along with Grace & Tim from Peaky Blinders.
There was much laughter and head scratching during the evening with a couple of fun games throughout the night which had people up, down & people telling us their most recognisable TV Show line.
| 1st Place | Gilligan's Island |
| 2nd Place | Vet's You Can't Beat Us |
| 3rd Place | Total Rickall |
| Wooden Spoon | The Ring Ins |
The Trivia Committee would like to thank all of our very generous sponsors & donors for the evening (too many to list) it is your ongoing support that makes our night such a huge success.
A Special Thanks to Sandra Ellis & Kayelene O’Dea along with their band of hard working QISSN girls who provided their invaluable child-minding service for our families. Many thanks to the school staff & students who have assisted us in so many ways, we are very grateful for all of your assistance.
And finally a massive thank you to the trivia committee and helpers on the night, Dan O’Dea, Gianna & David Blaxland, Ruth & Sandro Stefanon, Nicole Linstrom, Emma O’Brien, Fran Pozzebon, Emma Fraguas, Scott Williamson & Michael Cosmo. We are so very grateful for all your time, hard work & efforts to create such a wonderful evening for our community.
Jodie Cosmo
Trivia Committee Member
Cross Country
On Tuesday, May 14th, 19 students participated in the Darling Downs Cross Country trials in Toowoomba.
Each race featured approximately 50 competitors, with the top 6 qualifying for the DD team. Congratulations to all our students, with the following students achieving some great results:
| Alanna Fox | 10 Yr Girls | 7th Place |
| Ned Robinson | 12 Yr Boys | 8th Place |
| Hannah Petrie | 13 Yr Girls | 9th Place |
| Georgia Petrie | 13 Yr Girls | 10th Place |
| William Roberts | 14 Yr Boys | 10th Place |
| Erin O'Dea | 16 Yr Girls | 11th Place |
Congratulations to Year 5 student, Alanna Fox, who received the exciting news on Tuesday that she has been selected to join the Darling Downs Cross Country Team after initially being selected as a Shadow in the team.
She will now go on to compete at the State Championships from 12-14 July 2024 at Bald Hills.
Football
Year 12 students, Ryan Whiticker, recently participated in the Football State Championships as part of the Darling Downs 17-19 Years Boys Football (Soccer) team. The competition took place in Hervey Bay.
Ryan enthusiastically shared, "I had a fantastic time, and it was an incredible experience despite our 10th-place finish. It truly opened my eyes."
Initially selected as a shadow player, Ryan received the opportunity to play when his teammate, fellow Year 12 student Darcy Daddow, unfortunately couldn’t attend due to injury.
Congratulations to both students on their selection and participation in the carnival!
Golf
Congratulations to Year 11 student Elly Petrie on her recent performance at the Golf State Championships held in Oxley from May 12th to 15th. Elly competed in the 10-19 Years division.
She shared, "It was a great week in Brisbane playing for Darling Downs among all the other regions in the state. Over the four days, I maintained consistent scores of 80, 82, 78, and 78. While these results weren’t my personal best, I achieved my goal of seeding in the top 10 in the state (13-19 years) by the end of the week."
Well done Elly!
| 20 - 26 May | Border District Eisteddfod |
| 23 May | Year 12 & Parishioners Morning Tea |
| Broncos Cup - Round 1 | |
| 27 - 31 May | National Reconciliation Week |
| 27 - 29 May | Border Disterict Eisteddfod |
| 27 May | Darling Downs Football (10-12Yrs Boys) |
| 28 May | Prep 2025 Open Morning |
| Darling Downs Football (10-12Yrs Girls) | |
| 29 May | Broncos Cup - Round 2 |
| QDB Debating - Yrs 7 & 9 (Round 4) | |
| 31 May | San Jose Feista (Parish 150) |
| 6 June | SDYC Meeting (Stanthorpe) |
| 8 June | Senior Formal |
