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- PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
- DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL PRIMARY
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL FORMATION & IDENTITY
- SchoolTV
- QUEENSLAND ASSOCIATION OF MATHEMATICS TEACHER EVENT
- RITUALS IN ART
- OUTSIDE THE WHITE WALLS - YEAR 9 ART
- YEAR 6 SCIENCE
- POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE INTEGERS
- CHEMISTRY
- PHYSICS
- SPORT
- NEW MOBILE CHOOK PEN
- HOMEWORK CLUB
- WHERE ARE THEY NOW? PAST STUDENTS OF ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL
- LOST PROPERTY
- UPCOMING EVENTS
At the school assembly this week, we were pleased to invite our School Crossing Supervisors (the Lollipop Ladies) along to thank them for their dedication and service keeping our students safe. Be it a freezing cold, windy and wet day in winter or a boiling hot day in summer, they always put on their high visibility gear, grab their lollipops and staff the crossings.
We are grateful to our current supervisors - Kaye Clear, Caroline Schitznerling, Lina Scalora, Nina Ricca, Carly Ball and Nina Pierini for their efforts. In particular, it was a pleasure to see Kaye Clear awarded her 35 year service award and badge by representatives from the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
Kaye, whose children attended St Joseph’s School, is to be commended for her outstanding service to our St Joey’s community over such a long period.
“Service” is a key Gospel value which we, as a Catholic school, hold dear. Kaye’s service is an example to all our students. I hope that they all, now and into the future, exhibit that value in their lives. In a world in which people are increasingly more interested in “me”, we continue to promote and develop the key Gospel values in our students. We need them to go forward as our future leaders to do their bit to make our world a better place.
I would also like to congratulate and thank staff members Johanna Campbell (35 years), Tracey Cullinan (25 Years) and Linda Charlton (20 years) who received long service awards during Catholic Education Week last week, and Mary McLucas who was nominated for a Spirit of Catholic Education Award for many years of dedicated service to St Joseph’s School.
Semester 2 has certainly began positively, with teachers and students alike settling well into the hectic life of schooling following what was a disjointed and unique Term 2. It is lovely to get a sense of some sort of normality in school life, particularly with the return of assemblies, house activities and events such as the athletics carnival.
In Week 3, Parent Teacher Consultations provided an opportunity for parents, teachers and students to reflect on academic progress and collaborate to establish goals and discuss methods to promote improvement in the upcoming units and assessment instruments. I extend my thanks to the Secondary teachers for facilitating these positive and informative consultations. As parents, I encourage you to keep in contact with your child’s teachers to ensure that we can all work together to support students in achieving their academic potential.
In Week 4, the Year 6 into Year 7 2021 Information Night was held on the Secondary campus showcasing the enhanced curriculum on offer at St Joseph’s. During the Information Session, Andrew Kendall and I presented the enhanced curriculum offerings for Secondary and key information for the transition of Year 6 students into Secondary in 2021 and beyond. It has been wonderful to have the Year 6 students working with some of the Secondary specialists in delivering elective subjects on the Secondary across the year and the feedback has been very positive from both the students and the staff. We look forward to supporting all Year 6 students as they transition into the Secondary school at St Joseph's in 2021.
As always, please feel free to contact me to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. To all members of our school community, may the loving presence of Jesus continue to support us through the remainder of this school year.
Matthew Brown
Deputy Principal
ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL PRIMARY
Students on the Primary Campus have been engaged in many activities over the last few weeks. In terms of the curriculum, students in Years 4 – 6 have started Japanese lessons with Ms Kendall. As a non-Japanese speaker, I have been in awe of the way in which they have embraced the language and cultural learning thus far and the level of concentration they have shown in their lessons. With the whole lesson being conducted in Japanese, they have had to focus intently. I hope that these students have been sharing their new learning at home. All students on the campus have started to create their art work for the Crisp’s Art Show under the guidance of Mrs McLucas. Mary Findlay from the Stanthorpe Art Gallery will join us on Friday to provide some added encouragement to the students. Last week, some students in Years 5 and 6 competed in the local round of the QAMT Maths Quiz and this week, 34 students from across a number of classes have completed the Australian Maths Competition. This is not an easy competition but all the students applied themselves well. The athletics carnival, which was held last week, was another success of Term 3. Despite the fact that parents were unable to attend, the students enjoyed themselves on the day.
More generally in the classrooms, our Visible Learning journey has continued as the teachers have undertaken further learning of their own in order to improve their own skills. In our desire to develop learners who are thoughtful and reflective and have a desire to improve their skills, we encourage learners to be able to explain what they are learning, where they are going, how they are doing and how they will know they have been successful. Have you asked your child these questions recently? These are much better questions than ‘how was your day?’.
This week we welcomed prospective parents of Prep students for 2021 to view our school. We shared with them our reasons why we believe St Joseph’s is the best choice for their child next year and into the future. Joining us were some parents of current Prep students as well as students from Year 6 and Year 12 who all spoke confidently about our school and the benefits of an education that has core values of forgiveness, compassion, mercy and dignity at it centre, a commitment to being of service in the community and a nurturing atmosphere which appreciates each individual. Over the next few months we will work with the parents of the new students to ensure their transition to full time education is a successful one.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge those teachers who were recognised as part of Catholic Education Week. Mrs Charlton and Mrs Campbell both received long service awards and Mrs McLucas was nominated for a Spirit of Catholic Education award. Congratulations ladies!
With God's blessings.
Sarah Yates
Assistant to the Principal Primary
ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL FORMATION & IDENTITY
Community Made for Each Other
Whilst students enjoyed a Student Free Day last Friday, staff gathered on the Secondary campus to pause and reflect on our work together and our call to be part of the Catholic community in which we work and live.
Our day focussed on the theme of community, exploring the African idea of “Ubuntu” and how it connects with the Christian ideal of communion. Through looking at patterns of thinking, feeling and acting, staff were able to deepen their knowledge and understanding of themselves and others. Through understanding and acknowledging the diversity of people and personalities in our school community we can all work towards building a stronger, authentic community.
Megan Mahoney
Assistant to the Principal Formation & Identity
SCHOOL REFUSAL
School refusal, sometimes called school avoidance or school phobia, is not uncommon. It is different to ‘wagging’ or truancy and is often related to worry or anxiety-related issues about going to school. School refusal may start gradually or happen suddenly. Although it is normal for a child to occasionally miss a day of school, parents should only be concerned if a child regularly complains about feeling sick or often asks to stay home due to minor physical complaints.
School refusal is a complex issue as there is rarely a single cause. It affects children of all ages across primary and secondary levels. It can often occur during times of transition at school. More recently, the Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the educational experience of all students, affecting some more than others. Dealing with a school refusal child can affect the whole family, adding pressure to an already challenging time. School refusal is not considered a formal psychiatric diagnosis. It’s a name given to an emotional and/or behavioural problem.
In this edition of SchoolTV, adult carers will learn how best to approach this issue and work towards a solution. 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/school-refusal
QUEENSLAND ASSOCIATION OF MATHEMATICS TEACHER EVENT
As part of our extension program in Mathematics, a number of the Year 5 and 6 students participated in the recent Queensland Association of Maths Teacher Team Challenge. Students worked as a member of a team and individually to answers questions in five sections: Estimation, Speed, Written Problems, Individual Short Answer and General Knowledge.
The students loved the extra challenge provided by these events and always have a smile on their face when they finish.
How would you go? Try this question from the General Knowledge section.
What 3D shape has 8 edges, 5 faces and 5 vertices?
Congratulations to all competitors and our winning team of Harry Wren, Tom Telfer and Jack Brown.
'Rituals' is the theme of study for Year 10 Art students who are discussing and visually exploring what a ritual is or can be, different types and the places these may occur, objects/actions/symbols involved, and how artists can communicate and represent ideas relating to ritual in artworks.
Being part of a Catholic school, ritual is an important aspect of prayer and mass and as a stimulus for art investigation, students spent time in the Church to sketch and take photos in a place that is rich with tradition, symbolism, iconography and history of ritual. Students will use these to explore ideas and imagery in different media forms that may lead to artworks.
OUTSIDE THE WHITE WALLS - YEAR 9 ART
Year 9 Art students ventured downtown recently to view the local public artworks as part of their current unit “Outside the White Walls” that looks at art existing beyond gallery spaces, with a focus on public and street art.
Students looked at the range of works in our town including free standing sculptures, murals and the integrated elements in the footpaths. They will be analysing these artworks, choosing one to focus on for a responding task. They will consider the imagery, techniques and the suitability of it as a public work for the Stanthorpe community, using notes and photographs they took on our field trip. The students discussed the connections between the artworks and the space they are displayed and have been made for.
We supported a local business on the way home, finishing our trip with milkshakes and chips !
The Year 6 students have been busy exploring electricity and circuits.
The unit started by engaging them in the topic by asking them to draw a cut-away diagram of a torch. The next lesson let them explore the inner workings of a torch. Students were given 4 wires, a battery, an on/off switch and a lightbulb with no instructions on how to connect them. They were able to explore their predictions until they achieved the bulb lighting up.
The lesson ended with students being taught how to draw a proper circuit for a torch, symbols and all.
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE INTEGERS
The Year 6 students continue to learn about integers during their Maths lesson. The focus was on extending their understanding of whole numbers beyond zero moving to the left (numbers with a value less than one) on the number line.
Learning about the negative numbers was certainly timely during winter in Stanthorpe. Students looked at comparative values of different integers and posed questions wondering if the same operations and strategies can be applied to negative numbers as positive numbers. Another wondering from the learners included: Can negative numbers be classified as prime or composite? We know that an effective learner asks themselves questions and to answer this one, we need to ask ourselves 'What features make a number prime or composite?'
Lots to explore in the land of Mathematics!
Year 12 Chemistry students practising the very challenging topic of chemical synthesis. They are nearing the end of their final Chemistry unit and will soon be revising for their external exams.
Year 11 Chemistry students developed an analytical process to test for specific anions in solution. Students combined certain anions with certain solvents and noted whether the solution precipitated or not. This prac is part of Unit 2, on Molecular Interactions.
Year 10 students have been investigating the motion of a toy car running down a ramp with varying angles using ticker timers. Class data was collated and analysed together to find that increasing ramp angle led to an increase in speed. This is part of their unit on Physics in Term 3.
Athletics Carnival
The St Joseph’s School Athletics Carnival was held on the 30th of July over at CF White Oval. Perfect weather was a great start for the day with students all dressing up in “Aussie” themed clothing in their respective house colours.
This year was different with all the COVID19 regulations and the day was made a student and staff only event. Despite the disappointment of missing out on being there to watch their children compete, videos and photos were posted throughout the day for the parents and caregivers to view at home.
Throughout the day all students performed to the best of their ability after 5 months of limited sporting activity.
A big thank you goes out to Bec Telfer and the volunteers in the canteen who made sure everyone was fed on the day. Thanks also to James Humble for setting up his coffee van to ensure all the teachers and canteen helpers had their coffee fix.
Well done to the Year 12s who lead the cheerleading and promoted great house spirit.
Congratulations to McAuley who won overall, as well as winning the Primary and Secondary trophies. Davadi received the trophy for best on the day for spreading the spirit of their house and encouraging all to cheer on their housemates.
9 Year old Boy Champion | Lyndon Morello |
9 Year old Girl Champion | Georgia & Hannah Petrie |
9 Year old Boy Runner Up | Will Favaro |
9 Year old Girl Runner Up | Milla Fraguas |
10 Year old Boy Champion | Thomas Petrie |
10 Year old Boy Runner Up | Ted Bonner |
10 Year old Girl Champion | Natalie Gasparin |
10 Year old Girl Runner Up | Lily Tuvukica |
11 Year old Boy Champion | Billy Galloway |
11 Year old Boy Runner Up | Nicholas Gasparin |
11 Year old Girl Champion | Addison McCosker |
11 Year old Girl Runner Up | Emily Robinson |
12 Year old Boy Champion | Harry Wren |
12 Year old Boy Runner Up | Brae Einam |
12 Year old Girl Champion | Eliza Bonner |
12 Year old Girl Runner Up | India St John |
13 Year old Boy Champion | William Kay |
13 Year old Boy Runner Up | Isaac Kay |
13 Year old Girl Champion | Claire Danzey |
13 Year old Girl Runner Up | Mia Everson |
14 Year old Boy Champion | Mackenzie Rowen |
14 Year old Boy Runner Up | Jordan Cosmo |
14 Year old Girl Champion | Claire Williamson |
14 Year old Girl Runner Up | Kiara Osborne |
15 Year old Boy Champion | Coen Taylor |
15 Year old Boy Runner Up | Jack Bell |
15 Year old Girl Champion | Ashley O'Brien & Chelsea Debnam |
15 Year old Girl Runner Up | Eliza telfer |
16 Year old Boy Champion | Brayden Spiller |
16 Year old Boy Runner Up | Cooper Wren |
16 Year old Girl Champion | Isabel Kay |
16 Year old Girl Runner Up | Kirra Daddow |
Open Boys Champion | Rory McDonagh |
Open Boys Runner Up | Lachlan Mahoney |
Open Girls Champion | Gianna Newman |
Open Girls Runner Up | Bridgette Kay |
Records
Name | Event | New Record | Previous Record |
Darius Jansink | 11 Years Discuss | 30.28m | L Hendry 21.88m 2010 |
Eliza Telfer | 15 Years High Jump | 1.43m | S Nicoletti 1.42m 2002 |
Katie-Lee Jansink | 13 Years Shot Put | 11.22m | K Bright-Mync 7.84m 2009 |
Gianna Newman | Opens Shot Put | 7.83m | A Kalmeer 7.62m 2014 |
Two Year 12 Certificate II Engineering students, Lachlan Mahoney and Samuel O’Donnell, have recently assembled the Agricultural Department’s new Mobile Chook Pen as part of their Engineering studies.
This was completed over a few weeks and was extra work above their normal classes as their training is condensed into a shorter time frame. They were mostly supervised by Mr Spiller (Groundsman) and then by Mr Stone (Engineering Teacher) to ensure quality assurance. The Mobile Chook Pen is now located at the school’s agricultural plot in Applethorpe.
Our 30 Hy-Line Brown chickens will have arrived by the time you are reading this. We hope to have our egg production up and running straight away.
The solar panel powered electronics and computer opens and closes the door, removes hens from the eggs they have laid and tilts the eggs away from the laying box to the collection area. The computer and electronics have more options that can be added to it in the future.
As you can see in the photo of the Mobile Chook Pen, our main livestock fence has also gone in. Once our water infrastructure is completed, sheep will also be sourced for our agricultural plot. We have had two of our tanks installed, so our irrigation system is underway.
Watch this space for the next instalment !
School Prefect Franco Pozzebon, together with Year 12 student Amillea Davies, are recommencing Homework Club one afternoon per week. Teachers will be in attendance to assist with homework and supervision. Homework Club will take place every Thursday between 3:30 and 4:30pm in the library. This will commence today, Thursday, 6th August. Weekly attendance is not mandatory however all students are welcome, with assistance for all homework types available.
A roll will be taken each week of those students who attend sessions. Sanitising and social distancing will also be enforced. If Homework Club is cancelled due to unexpected circumstances, a broadcast will be sent to families and students will be informed.
Students are welcome to bring their own afternoon tea.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? PAST STUDENTS OF ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL
Hundreds of past students of St Joseph’s School are scattered throughout Australia and around the world, working across every industry. We’re proud of our past students and their achievements – big and small. In future newsletters, we will be highlighting a past student and sharing what they have been up to since leaving the Joey's gates.
MICHAEL CATANZARO
What year did you graduate?
I graduated in 2009 and spent my entire primary and secondary years at St Joseph's.
What were your favourite subjects at St Joseph’s School?
I would have to say that HPE, Media and English all come to mind. All three subjects were taught by terrific teachers (Mr Armstrong (JA), Mr Wilkinson and Mrs Tancred) who challenged me to ask more of myself.
Can you tell us about your time at St Joseph’s School? Is there anything you especially remember?
My time at school was right before the big social media and technology boom. This meant we were still using the old computer room, as opposed to laptops, and had to print and physically hand in our assignments instead of emailing them. We were allowed to walk to Woolies (at least I think we were) for lunch but we had to keep our phones hidden throughout the day. We also had our Futsal lessons on the concrete courts which made any slips or falls 100 times worse and missed out on using the new indoor facility, which looks amazing.
I especially recall how beneficial the small class sizes were for my learning and how important it was to have teachers who knew me personally and who were invested in my achievements on a personal level.
Of course, and without a doubt, my best memories will always be the countless laughs and experiences gained by being surrounded by your friends all day.
I was fortunate enough to see most of my classmates again during our ten-year reunion and as soon as we met up, we instantly picked up where we had left off all those years ago. It was great to put our life on hold for a day and to relive these moments together again.
What has been your journey since finishing school? Briefly outline your career path and what you are doing now. Have you always wanted to pursue the kind of career you have embarked on?
My main goal in life was always to become a professional footballer, but my “back up” was to study law. After my first option didn’t work out, I bit the bullet and enrolled in Bachelor of Laws at QUT. After 5 or so years I graduated from University and was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland. My admission was a special moment for me as I had my father move my admission on my behalf - effectively he stood up and asked that the Court accept me as a Lawyer. Afterwards I was able to sign the same “Roll of Solicitors” which my father had signed some 33 years prior.
After my admission I worked for a firm in Brisbane where I was working during university. I started in property and banking/finance law, which wasn’t meeting my expectations at the time. After a year or so working in Brisbane, I made the decision to join my father here in Stanthorpe and to expand my practice into succession law, commercial litigation, family law and now criminal law. The main factor in my decision was to gain exposure to multiple practice areas and to avoid being pigeon-holed in one area. I also wanted to take a more hands on approach in meeting and discussing issues with clients myself as opposed to simply churning out work without interacting with the client.
I am now fortunate enough to be on the front line and I regularly appear in both the Queensland Courts and the Commonwealth Courts which keeps my work interesting and diverse.
My career decision to move back to Stanthorpe has been one that I haven’t looked back from and one that has fast tracked my professional development when compared to my colleagues back in the city. I am also fortunate enough to have the support of my beautiful girlfriend Ashley, along with a great network of family, friends and colleagues who I rely on constantly and who have assisted me in my career path.
What do you believe St Joseph’s School has shown you/given you as a person?
Among so many other things, I would say that I learnt the ability to identify my own weaknesses and the confidence to ask for help when needed. I struggled with my schooling early on and it wasn’t until I realised how little my problems could be if I took the time to ask for help from my teachers first. St Joseph’s showed me that I needed to take responsibility for my own learning and that I needed to develop my own desire to focus and to study to improve not only my grades, but myself as well.
Looking back, this lesson was critical for me and one that propelled me from failing some classes at school into studying law at University.
What piece of advice would you have for current students at St Joseph’s School?
Don’t be afraid to work harder than those around you. Be sure to surround yourself with likeminded and positive individuals (be it friends, teachers or professionals) to help you develop and to get through the constant challenges that life throws at you.
Never spend more money than what you earn and start saving money as early as possible. Be sure to keep investing in yourself after school ends, for example by playing sport, exercising, reading, networking and learning new skills, and finally, never, under any circumstances, drink and drive!
There have been numerous items lost or misplaced in recent weeks so as a reminder to Parents and Caregivers, please ensure that all items of school clothing are clearly named.
11 August | Prep Open Morning 9.00am - 10.30am |
19 August | Year 8 into Year 9 Information Evening |
31 August - 2 Sept | Year 11 Leadership Camp |
4 September | Student Free Day |
Applying for a FairPlay Voucher - Parents, carers or guardians can apply for a voucher valued up to $150 for their child, which can be used towards sport and active recreation membership, registration or participation fees with registered activity providers.
There is a limit of 1 voucher per child per calendar year.
Key dates to remember:
- 6 July 2020: New round applications open.
- 7 October 2020: Applications close.
- 11 November 2020: Vouchers expire and must have been presented to an activity provider.
- 25 November 2020: Vouchers must be redeemed by activity providers.
For further information on if you are eligible and how to apply for a voucher, please visit the website https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/fairplay/apply.
If your students aren't eligible?
If families at your school are experiencing financial hardship but don't meet the eligibility criteria, they can seek to apply through a registered referral agent. Your school can become a registered referral agent. The details on how to do this are explained in the link below:
https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/fairplay/referral/register