Filter Content
- PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
- DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL PRIMARY
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL FORMATION & IDENTITY
- PRIMARY EXPERT TEACHER - JOHANNA CAMPBELL
- MERCY FOUNDATION YOUTH AWARDS
- YEAR 11 CHEMISTRY
- YOUNG WINEMAKERS
- YEAR 11 GATTON CAMP
- MATHS OLYMPIC DAY
- BOOK WEEK
- 2021 SEMI FORMAL
- BINGO - FRIDAY 6th AUGUST
- TWINNING
- JEWELLERY WORKSHOP
- 2020 YEARBOOKS
- SPORT
- UPCOMING EVENTS
It has been a busy four weeks to the start of Semester 2. I thank all staff, students and families for their efforts in the classroom and during the many extra-curricular activities we have had.
Last week was a good celebration of 146 years of Catholic Education at St Joseph’s School. We have a rich history here in Stanthorpe and I was pleased to see everyone engaged in all things St Joey’s during Catholic Education Week.
Our Athletics Carnival is always, weather permitting, a great community day. It is wonderful to see the students, staff and families coming together and enjoying themselves on the day.
The award of Primary Expert Teacher to Mrs Johanna Campbell at the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards was a highlight of the week. Mrs Campbell’s success showcases the quality teaching and learning that happens at St Joseph’s School. Mrs Campbell is one of many exceptional teachers here at the school who are dedicated to providing students the opportunity to be the best they can be.
As I have said on many occasions, St Joseph’s School has become a Lighthouse School for schools around the Toowoomba Diocese. We regularly host other teachers, in both Primary and Secondary, who come here to share in best practice. We are blessed with so many great staff who have embraced the challenge over recent years to make the school the best option for schooling from P-12 in the Granite Belt.
God Bless
Over the last two weeks, it has been a very busy time for students and staff alike. We enjoyed some wonderful days of athletics competition, with students striving to compete at their best despite some trying conditions. I thank all staff, parents and students for their excellent involvement in these carnivals and congratulate all students for competing at their best across all the events.
Parent Teacher consultations took place on the Secondary Campus recently and I thank all those involved in these conversations. Hopefully they provided a valuable opportunity for students, parents and teachers to collaborate around academic performance and put plans in place to continue to improve and achieve success in all subjects. As always, as the year progresses, I encourage you as parents to be proactive in touching base with your child’s teachers if you have any questions, concerns or simply want an update on how things are travelling in class and around school.
The Year 7 2022 Open Afternoon and Information Night for students and families was also held recently. I thank our Secondary students and staff for their wonderful work in running activities across the afternoon. Hopefully, all prospective Year 7 students and families enjoyed the afternoon and gained a valuable insight into the quality of the teaching and learning programs on offer at St Joseph’s.
Finally, the most recent COVID lockdown for SE Queensland has again thrust some school communities back into the world of Learning@home. Whilst we are very lucky in Stanthorpe that we have not been impacted as yet by this, I want to reassure parents that at St Joseph’s we have done extensive work in developing our Online learning platforms across the last 18 months and should we be placed in a position where our students return to Learning@home at any stage, that we have the capability to continue to deliver quality teaching and learning online. Fingers crossed that this won’t have to occur!
God bless
Matthew Brown
Deputy Principal
During the last two weeks, we have begun to focus more closely on the learning dispositions that we have identified as a school as being key to providing our students with the skills necessary for a being an effective learner, now and in the future. Dispositions are those qualities which are under our control and which we use when faced with challenging or unfamiliar situations. Already we have seen the students embrace the language around this area of effective learning, with classrooms adorned with posters of all sorts and the students keen to explain when and where they have demonstrated the dispositions. When we look at the skills which people believe will be required when our students graduate, the ability to utilise these dispositions effectively will be crucial. Our work in this area will continue for the duration of the semester and I encourage parents to explore these dispositions with their children. The dispositions are: I am a thinker, I am resilient, I am persistent, I am confident, I am a collaborator and I am a communicator.
Last week we held the annual athletics carnival and I would like to congratulate all the students for the way they competed during the day. Later this week, some of them will compete again at the Granite Belt carnival which will be held at the State High School. We wish them well as they compete for a place in the Granite Belt team at the Darling Downs competition to be held later this month. Whilst the older students were at the CF White Oval, those in P – 3 (under 8 yr olds) took part in a Maths Olympics event complete with opening ceremony. Thanks to Mrs Charlton, Mrs McNichol, Mrs O’Dea and those who assisted to make this an enjoyable experience.
Finally, congratulations to Mrs Johanna Campbell who was recognised as the Expert Primary Teacher at the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards last week. I was delighted to be able to be there in person to see her accept her award as recognition of the many years of exemplary service as well as a commitment to implementing Visible Learning in recent years. We are blessed as a school to have such inspired and passionate teachers in our midst.
With God's blessings
Sarah Yates
Assistant to the Principal Primary
"Fratelli Tutti" - All Brothers
On 4th October 2020, Pope Francis published his third encyclical (papal letter) titled ‘Fratelli Tutti – on fraternity and social friendship’. This letter focusses on the pressures and challenges facing our world during the Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout the encyclical Pope Francis calls on all people to build fraternity and social friendship in order to build a better, more just and peaceful world.
“Inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis gives us Fratelli tutti, a proposal for a way of life marked by the flavour of the Gospel. It is a call to love others as brothers and sisters, even when they are far from us; it is a call to open fraternity to recognizing and loving every person with a love without borders; it is a call to encounter others in a way that is capable of overcoming all distance and every temptation to engage in disputes, impositions, or submissions” (from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Fratelli Tutti Overview and Summary).
In these challenging times, marked by uncertainty and feelings of isolation, Pope Francis’ letter reminds us of the power of humanity and solidarity as we stand together to rise beyond the trials before us.
A beautiful summary is given in the clip below:
God's Blessings
Megan Mahoney
Assistant to the Principal Formation & Identity
Congratulations to our Year 3 teacher, Johanna Campbell who has been awarded the Primary Expert Teacher Award at the 2021 Toowoomba Catholic Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards Ceremony last week.
Well done Johanna !
As mentioned in previous newsletters,
Year 12 students at St Joseph's have spent the last few weeks of Term 2 preparing their entries for the Mercy Foundation Youth Awards.
This 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.
Following are the last of the entries from our Year 12 students. We wish them all the very best in this competition and congrataulate them on their wonderful entries.
This photo symbolises the importance of faith in our lives. When life does not live up to our expectations, faith is always something we can turn to in times of need. No matter the circumstances that you may be in, in the loneliest of times, you can always connect with faith. Christ, the light of our lives, can lead us to live a life to the full.
Adam Racannello
In life, we often surround ourselves with materialistic objects which we hold in higher regard than the more important things in life such as nature. Indulging ourselves with nature allows our mind to relax and enjoy the peacefulness and the beauty of what God has created for us. I find that many aspects within nature has developed my understanding of how water, land, and sky creates a world which we must share with all of creation. By acknowledging this, we can live life to the full.
Cooper Wren
Year 11 Chemistry students spent ther lesson on Monday identifying unknown ions in solutions.
This is a mandatory prac as part of students Unit 2 assessment. Students then used this data to develop tests for specific ions.
At the beginning of the school year, the Young Winemakers Program spent a day picking grapes, to then return at a later stage to see the grapes being crushed and loaded into a tank for fermenting.
Under the watchful eye of Ballandean Estate winemaker Dylan Rhymer, the 2021 Riesling has indeed taken shape.
The Young Winemakers recently spent a day assisting with the bottling of the School wine as well as some other wine varieties. The students then set their minds and hands to the task of putting 3 labels on each of the 1098 bottles and boxing them into cartons.
Despite the poor choice in motivational music the challenge was met with time to spare !
Week 1 of this term, saw the Year 11 Rural Operations students attend the first of 3 practical camps at the University of Queensland Gatton Campus.
The students were able to apply their knowledge from class to a variety of tasks over the week. Competencies were ticked off as the students drove tractors, weighed and vaccinated pigs, milked dairy cattle, mustered and separated trial dairy cattle (there was even a calf born from one of the cows) and weighing some big healthy Droughtmaster cows at UQ’s Darbalara Farm.
The next practical camp will take place in November. By the time the next camp takes place, the students will have almost completed their Certificate II in Rural Operations.
Thursday 30th July, was Maths Olympic Day at St Joseph's Stanthorpe for students in Prep to Year 2 (and some 8 year olds).
Students competed for gold, silver and bronze in a variety of events such as archery, javelin and hurdles.
Timing, measuring and counting their way to victory.
Let the Games begin !!!
Book Week 2021 runs from 21-27 August and this year asks your children to embrace the theme “Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds”.
This exciting invitation opens a world full of possibilities when it comes to kids Book Week theme ideas. This is an opportunity to escape into another world where your child can be anything they want to be!
As part of Book Week this year, students at St Joseph's will participate in the Bears, Books & Blankets Picnic on Thursday 19th August followed by the Book Week Dress Up Parade on Thursday 26th August.
So put your thinking caps on and start getting you Book Week costume organised - the countdown is on !
Saturday 31st July saw many of our Year 11 and Year 12 students attend the 2021 Stanthorpe Schools Combined Semi Formal.
The QLD Blue Light Association Inc, Stanthorpe branch hosted the 2021 Semi Formal at the Stanthorpe Civic Centre, where our students had the opportunity to dress up and let loose on the dancefloor.
For any families or students wishing to view/purchase any photos from the night, please see information below.
Shane Andersen Photography
Tel: 0459 460 149
www.shaneandersenphotography.net
shaneandersenphotography@gmail.com
All proceeds from the evening are being donated to Mercy Works. Mercy Works supports long term development projects, working with some of the most challenged people in Australia and the South-East Asia Pacific region, improving health, enhancing social wellbeing and expanding educational opportunities.
It promises to be a great fun filled night, with prizes galore on hand to win.
And AGAIN, the twinning bug strikes !
This time Mrs Mahoney and Mrs Yates arrived at school totally co-ordinated, right down to matching leopard print shoes.
Keep a look out - you never know who might be next ........
The creative juices were certainly flowing this weekend with 2 days of inspiring jewellery making run by contemporary jewellery designer and maker Penny Gillespie.
In the first session on Friday night, participants went through each phase of the enamelling process and practiced and experimented with colour, texture and design ideas.
These base skills of preparing the surfacing, enamelling and firing, sanding and colouring were then used in the second session on Saturday afternoon where participants created a set of earrings, with many of them now a pro on the hand torch!
It was a terrific opportunity to meet other parents and community members, work with an artist, learn new skills and come away with their own unique products.
Have you collected your 2020 School Yearbook yet ?
The 2020 Yearbook unfortunately went to print with a number of mistakes which Academy Photography, the publisher, accepted responsibility and apologised.
If you purchased a 2020 Yearbook, please collect your new (corrected) Yearbook from the School Office.
Orienteering
The 2021 Queensland Schools Orienteering Championships were held over the weekend of July 24/25 in Brisbane.
Students from 41 schools competed with great sportsmanship, overcoming obstacles and navigating through a variety of terrains. St Joseph’s was represented by brothers Ellis and Oliver Lahey, who were selected for the Darling Downs team earlier this year.
Ellis performed consistently but a couple of mistakes in navigation slowed him down. Oliver just beat out a couple of other competitors to win 3rd place in the sprint event at Albany Creek SHS and 2nd place at the long distance event at Kurwongbah.
Well done boys!
Athletics Carnival
Thursday 29th July saw the staging of the annual Athletics Carnival at CF White Oval. After some ill-timed overnight rain the commencement of the day looked to be in jeopardy, however some early morning positivity and improvisation got the day underway.
Students are to be commended on their whole-hearted efforts in difficult conditions, with no complaints and plenty of competitive spirit shining through.
The other equally important part of Athletics Carnival is field events day, held on the Monday proceeding the track carnival. It was so pleasing to see such a high level of participation, with all students putting in their best efforts.
A highlight of field day was Darius Jansink and Katie-Lee Jansink setting new school records. Darius set a new benchmark in the 12 yrs Boys Shot Put with a result of 10.81m as well as a throw of 35.76m in the 12 yrs Boys Discuss whilst Katie-Lee set a new Shot Put record in the 14 yrs Girls with a throw of 10.19m. Well done to both Darius and Katie-Lee. Congratulations also to Benjamin Kerridge in the 9 yrs Boys who broke the 80m Sprint record with a time of 13.03s.
At the culmination of both days McAuley took home three trophies to Davadi’s two in an ultra competitive tussle. Trophy winners on the day were as follows:-
- Santina Leonardi Overall School Award – Davadi
- Sullivan Cup (Secondary Points) – McAuley
- Kay Cup (Primary Points) – Davadi
- Fleming family Spirit trophy Primary – McAuley
- Secondary Spirit award – McAuley
A big thankyou to all staff and volunteers who helped out across both days to bring such enjoyment to the students. It is a real team effort and your work is truly appreciated.
Damien Petrie
Head of Sport
| 9 Year old Boy Champion | Benjamin Kerridge |
| 9 Year old Boy Runner Up | Ned Robinson |
| 9 Year old Girl Champion | Ivy Hill |
| 9 Year old Girl Runner Up | Imogen Staley |
| 10 Year old Boy Champion | Will Favaro |
| 10 Year old Boy Runner Up | Aiden McCosker |
| 10 Year old Girl Champion | Georgia Petrie |
| 10 Year old Girl Runner Up | Hannah Petrie |
| 11 Year old Boy Champion | Ted Bonner |
| 11 Year old Boy Runner Up | Jye Marino |
| 11 Year old Girl Champion | Lily Tuvukica |
| 11 Year old Girl Runner Up | Natalie Gasparin |
| 12 Year old Boy Champion | Billy Gallaway |
| 12 Year old Boy Runner Up | Stephen Ellis |
| 12 Year old Girl Champion | Jessica Pradella |
| 12 Year old Girl Runner Up | Addison McCosker |
| 13 Year old Boy Champion | Harry Wren |
| 13 Year old Boy Runner Up | Hunter Hennessy |
| 13 Year old Girl Champion | Eliza Bonner |
| 13 Year old Girl Runner Up | India St John & Alessia Gasparin |
| 14 Year old Boy Champion | Nichols Jr Gallego |
| 14 Year old Boy Runner Up | Darcy Daddow |
| 14 Year old Girl Champion | Katie-Lee Jansink |
| 14 Year old Girl Runner Up | Mia Everson |
| 15 Year old Boy Champion | Ryan Whiticker |
| 15 Year old Boy Runner Up | Jordan Cosmo & Tyler Look |
| 15 Year old Girl Champion | Claire Williamson |
| 15 Year old Girl Runner Up | Kiara Osborne |
| 16 Year old Boys Champion | Coen Taylor |
| 16 Year old Boys Runner Up | Julian Dickson |
| Open Boys Champion | Harrison Stewart |
| Open Boys Runner Up | Brayden Spiller |
| Open Girls Champion | Gianna Newman |
| Open Girls Runner Up | Louise Day |
Records
| Name | Event | Time | Previous Record |
| Benjamin Kerridge | Boys 80m Sprint | 13.03s | 13.08s - 2016 Darcy Daddow |
| Darius Jansink | 12 Year Boys Shot Put | 10.81m | 9.99m - 2010 David Musumeci |
| Darius Jansink | 12 Year Boys Shot Put | 35.76M | 25.72m - 2011 Lachlan Hendry |
| Katie-Lee Jansink | 14 Year Girls Shot Put | 10.19m | 9.05m - 2010 Kimberley Bright-Mync |
| 6 August | Dental Talk - Prep & Year 1 |
| Bingo Night - Bathersby Centre | |
| 10 August | Prep 2022 Open Morning |
| Border District Track & Field (13-19 yrs) | |
| 12 August | Inter-School Debating Yrs 7-10 |
| 15 August | Assumption of Mary |
| 16-20 August | Wellbeing Week |
| 19 August | Bears, Books & Blankets Picnic |
| 20 August | DD Cricket Trials (10-12 yrs) |
| 24 August | DD Track & Field (10-12 yrs) |
| 25 August | Year 9 2022 Information Night |
| 26 August | Bookweek Dress Up Parade |
| 26-27 August | DD Track & Field (13-19 yrs) |
| 27-28 August | School Musical - Matilda |
