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As a busy Semester 1 comes to an end, I would like to congratulate all the students on their learning and involvement in school life so far this year. It was very pleasing to see the good results and positive comments on so many report cards. I encourage all students to reflect on their successes and the areas they can improve in, and come back prepared to work with their teachers to be the best they can be.
I am pleased with the good work that our staff have put in across the school. Thanks to all staff for their efforts. We are committed to providing the best opportunities for our students. Strong leadership, quality teaching and learning, fair and consistent practices and timely communication are what we are consistently striving to achieve.
I also would like to thank the P&F Committee for their support and contributions this semester. Their work and advice adds significantly to the success of the school.
Similarly, I am very grateful for the advice and direction that the School Board provides to me.
Have a safe and restful semester break.
God Bless
The final weeks of Semester 1 has certainly gone quickly, with students working positively towards completing assessment requirements. I congratulate all students on an excellent semester and the strong academic results that are evident in the semester reports. In relation to semester reports, these will be mailed out early in the holiday period. Please take the time to work through the feedback within these reports and as always, I encourage parents to contact the relevant staff or myself if you wish to discuss anything contained within these reports.
For secondary parents, Parent Teacher consultations will occur in early Term 3, providing an excellent opportunity for parents, students and teachers to discuss the Semester 1 and collaborate to set academic goals for Semester 2. Further information relating to the online booking system for Parent Teacher consultations with be sent in a broadcast shortly.
Importantly, Term 3 will see Information nights for both Year 10 students heading into the senior schooling context in 2022, as well as the Year 7 2022 Information night for current Year 6 students. More information will be sent out to parents in early Term 3 in relation to these nights. I look forward to seeing parents and students at these important nights.
Please stay safe and well over the June / July school holiday break and I look forward to students returning for Semester 2.
God bless.
Matthew Brown
Deputy Principal
This newsletter heralds the end of Semester 1. It has been an eventful semester with so many opportunities in which the students have been able to participate. Amongst other things, this semester has seen some or all of the students perform in the Border District Eisteddfod and the Stanthorpe Busking event, participate in Life Education with Healthy Harold, compete in sporting events at school (local and district level), undertake learning around building and nurturing friendships, engage with members of the community, donate produce to people who are in need, show respect by commemorating ANZAC Day and learn more about what it means to be an effective learner. As the semester concludes, this is a time of celebration of all that has been accomplished and the growth of each individual within our community.
Over the last few days, I have had the pleasure of reading every student's report card. Whilst it has taken a while, it has provided me with a sense of the academic accomplishments of our learners across Semester 1. I hope that when the reports are received by parents next week, that you take the time to read the comments from the teachers and reflect on the information contained within the report. However, it is important to remember that an academic report is only one way to measure the success of a learner and in some respects, it is very limited in its ability to capture some of what really matters for our changing world. Educating students for life in the 21st century is more than the transference of knowledge; it is about being a creative thinker, a problem solver, having good communication skills, being resilient, establishing respectful relationships and having a strength of character to stand up for what they believe, to name but a few things. We have seen these things developing in many of the children and we hope that you have also witnessed some changes in these areas.
During recent weeks, we have held our annual Winter appeal, where students and their families have donated clothing, blankets and tinned food items for those who are less fortunate than ourselves. The response from everyone has been overwhelming and we would like to thank you for your generosity. A significant aspect of what it means to be part of a Catholic School is that we respond with love and action to issues of social injustice and this appeal was no exception. Thank you to Mini Vinnies and Mr Grew for organising this on the Primary Campus.
Finally, my thanks are extended to all the staff on the Primary Campus who have worked tirelessly for the students this semester and also to the students who give us such joy each day. I trust that all the staff and our families will enjoy a safe and restful break.
With God's blessings
Sarah Yates
Assistant to the Principal Primary
Catholic Education Week
As Term 2 draws to a close, we look towards the events and gatherings scheduled for next term. Week 1 sees visits from the Real Talk team who will facilitate workshops with our Year 7 to 12 students. These workshops focus on topics such as consent, love and life and growing up in the digital world.
Week 3 celebrates Catholic Education Week, the theme for this year being “A Spirited Tomorrow”. For our Primary school students, a visit from Christian musician Andrew Chinn on Monday 26th July will launch our celebrations. This will be followed by classroom prayer liturgies and activities, concluding with our school gathering for the annual athletics carnival on Thursday, 29th July.
Wishing all our families a safe and restful break, ready to embark on Semester 2.
God's blessings
Megan Mahoney
Assistant to the Principal Formation & Identity
Friendship & Belonging
Learning how to make new friends and keep them involves a number of skills every young person needs to understand and develop. For some these skills will come very naturally, allowing them to easily move between different friendship groups, sharing their experiences and opening up to new people. For others, this can be much harder to navigate. Belonging to a group that is like-minded with similar interests is highly beneficial to a young person’s wellbeing. It gives them a sense of security helping them feel valued which in turn builds their confidence.
Positive friendships are an important part of the journey to adulthood. Adult carers can support their child or teenager by providing guidance in the many social and emotional skills required for a healthy relationship. This will help them to obtain, retain and maintain friendships. However, not all friendship are regarded as positive. Sometimes young people develop negative or toxic friendships. Therefore, it is also important for them to learn how to identify, avoid or deal with such a friendship.
In this edition of SchoolTV, adult carers can learn how to support their young person’s friendship so that they experience a sense of belonging. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.
If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to this month's edition https://stjosephs.qld.schooltv.me/newsletter/friendship-belonging
The current issue of Horizons is out now and is available online here www.twb.catholic.org.au/horizons/
The Mercy Foundation Youth Awards is a competition open to high school students across Australia from Years 7 to 12. The competition aims to encourage you to learn more about social justice issues in Australia.
Year 12 students at St Joseph's have spent the last few weeks preparing their entries for this worthwhile competition.
Stayed tuned as over the next few editions of the school newsletter, we will display the entries that our students have been preparing.
“Everyone has a different definition of what friendship truly is. However, any form of friendship helps our sense of belonging in life. The relationship brings out our self-confidence that helps reduce stress and anxiety. True friendship is something that can never be outgrown. Friendship is a crucial element to mental health as it keeps us grounded, helps keep things in perspective, and allows us to live life to the full.”
Gianna Newman & Louise Day
Water is the centre of all life.
Recently, our community experienced severe drought, to the point where our town water supply ran out and water had to be trucked in to ensure our survival. Severe water restrictions, loss of livelihood and a bushfire meant many people could not live their life to the full. The drought took away careers and drove away or broke up families. Thankfully, this year we received the gift of life-giving rain. Appreciating this gift has enabled our town to rebuild and once again live life to the full as God intended.
Teresa Pozzebon & Taylah Whiticker
Year 1 students started their Tuesday morning with meditation and mindfulness music and prayers for special people.
Year 10 students this week have been out and about gaining real worklife experience through the School's Work Experience Program.
Work experience, sometimes called "work placement", is a program students are placed in a job for a short time so they can find out more about jobs they're interested in, try things out and build job-seeking networks.
Students have been placed at venues such as a Dive Centre, Accountants, Solicitors, Pharmacies, Education facilities, Construction, Diagnostic Imaging, Child Care and Physiotherapy just to name a few.
We thank all businesses who have provided this opportunity to our students.
Students were recently asked by Mary Findlay to create a mural for display at the upcoming Stanthorpe Snowflakes Festival.
The scene on each one is a Snowfigure - each with its own personality and shape.
Thursday 17th June, saw these wonderful artworks presented to Mary Findlay from the Stanthorpe Art Gallery and helpers.
The murals will be displayed in the Exhibition Centre at the Showgrounds during the Festival.
Please be sure to find them to see the great creative work that has been done by the students.
Thank you to everyone that has popped into the Library and checked out the culled books, giving them a new home.
Fiction and Youth Fiction books have now been added to the trolley also.
So parents and students, please come and have a look at the signed trolley and grab a book or two.
Each year since 1945, the CBCA has brought children and books together across Australia through CBCA Book Week.
Book Week 2021 at St Joseph's will commence with the Bears, Books and Blankets Picnic on Thursday 19th August, and will finish with the Book Week Dress Up Parade on Thursday 26th August.
This year's theme is "Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds".
So mark these dates in your diary and start preparing your costumes for the upcoming Book Week Parade.
Broncos Cup
After a year off due to COVID 19 restrictions in 2020, it was amazing to have the annual Broncos Cup back again in 2021, with hundreds of Netballers and Rugby League players across the Border District back enjoying the competition once again.
St Joseph's performed extremely well across both sports with the Netball girls finishing a hat trick of 3rd places across A,B & C Grade, leaving them as one of the most consistent Netball schools across the competition.
In the Rugby League, many boys took to the field for the first time in their sporting lives and grew with confidence each game, finishing with many smiles after their new experiences. In the B Grade the St.Texwood (StJoseph’s/Inglewood SS/Texas SS) combined won their last round game against Allora/Clifton/Killarney combined to earn a place in the 3v4 playoff where they played extremely well but were defeated by Assumption College.
A huge thankyou to Mrs Karen Petrie, Mr Craig Cook and Mr Jacob Steele for taking the teams on the day and providing our students with a chance to compete. Also, many thanks to the Stanthorpe Gremlins Rugby League Club and the Stanthorpe Netball Club and all the volunteers that made each club available to our school, fed our students and provided everyone with a great experience.
We look forward to doing it all again in 2022.
Vicki Wilson Cup
The Vicki Wilson Netball Carnival provides an exciting opportunity to play competitive netball in the spirit of the game against school teams from across the Darling Downs and South West region.
This year, the carnival was run on Friday the 4th of June at Toowoomba. St Joseph' entered two teams, a Senior Vicki Wilson Team consisting of the QISSN representatives and a Junior Vicki Wilson team consisting of players from Years 7-9.
Congratulations to all students who particpated.
| 24 June | Charlotte's Web Excursion - Prep to Year 3 |
| 25 June | End of Term Liturgy |
| Term 2 Finishes | |
| 27 May - 2 June | QISSN |
| 12 June | Student Free Day |
| 13 July | Term 3 Commences |
