1 May 2014
Newsletter Articles
Principal’s News
Dear Families of St Joseph’s School
Welcome back to Term 2. Hopefully the business of the Term will keep us warm as we approach to coldest part of the year.
You are reading this first edition of the newsletter in the new e-format, and I hope it has been and continues to be received well. You will see that the newsletter is much more content-rich, which is made possible by this format. We are still learning the system, so I am sure there will be new and exciting additions to the publication each fortnight. I would happily receive your feedback.
If you weren’t able to attend any of the ANZAC Day celebrations in Stanthorpe, Texas or Tenterfield, you missed something special from a school perspective. St Joseph’s School was so well represented at the Dawn Service and Parade, with numbers swelling on previous years. I spoke to Secondary students on the Monday prior ANZAC Day in an attempt to detail not only the significance of the day for current and returned service men and women, but for our school as a community that promotes peace. This obviously resonated with many of our students as they took to the streets of Stanthorpe, Texas and Tenterfield to promote this message. I offer my thanks to parents/caregivers and staff for their contribution to the day’s events. The breakfast after the Dawn Service in Stanthorpe this year was a nice way to start the day, and I hope it becomes a tradition from herein.
If you have moved around the school in the last week, you would have noticed a few different faces. Last week, we welcomed staff and students from Naiyala High School, Fiji. You may recall that we have a reciprocal educational experience with Naiyala High School, established and facilitated by the Rotary Club of Stanthorpe. We hope that our Fijian visitors continue to glean a great deal from this experience, and we wish them well for their final week, next week. We will officially farewell our guests next Friday at 2:30pm in the Bathersby Centre.
On the theme of farewells, we say goodbye to Gabrielle Galassi, our exchange student from Italy. Our Year 12 students presented Gabrielle with a signed Australian flag, and tearful farewell. Gabrielle returned to Italy on Wednesday, but he clearly expressed the unforgettable connection with our school. I know we all benefitted from his presence as well. We hope and pray that Gabrielle’s future is all he wants it to be. In the coming weeks, we will welcome new exchange students from France, which continues our commitment to offering our and other students important cultural experiences.
Finally, and further to my letter distributed to families earlier this week, I will be undertaking a research project for Toowoomba Catholic Education in Term 2. Mr Kort Goodman will act as Principal for this time, but I will still be available to the school community when required, and I will continue to attend the P&F and Board meetings. I know that Kort will be warmly welcomed back by the St Joseph’s School community.
God’s blessings for the fortnight ahead.
Dr Michael McCarthy
PRINCIPAL
Leader’s News
At the end of Term 1, parents and guardians received an Interim Report Card for their secondary student.
These reports gave an indication of the progress and efforts of your son or daughter during the Ten week term. This Thursday we look forward to being able to meet and discuss the progress of your child at Parent Teacher Interviews. These interviews are an excellent opportunity to highlight areas of strengths and weakness. They also allow for students, parents and teachers to design and decide on strategies to address any of these areas. We look forward to meeting parents this Thursday, with interviews being held in the Davadi and McAuley Buildings.
Last week it was wonderful to see so many students at the Anzac Day Dawn Service and town march. After the Dawn Service students enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast at the Stanthorpe RSL Club, with many of them attending Mass at St Joseph’s Church at 9am. It is always a privilege to remember those who have served our nation and those who continue to serve in our Defence Forces. The concept of servant-hood and service is a key characteristic of our School’s Mercy Charism.
Today we say goodbye to Gabrielle Galassi, our Year 12 Italian exchange student. It has been a pleasure to have him with us for these past ten months. Gabrielle will be missed by his peers and staff at St Joseph’s School. We ask God to bless his travels and his future as he returns to his home and family.
The Transition Program for our Year 6 and 7 students will begin this week. Parent and guardians have been sent home details of this exciting program. We look forward to ensuring that there is a seamless transition for our students onto the secondary campus in 2015.
Finally from me, a date claimer. Secondary staff will be holding a “Back to the Future” parent evening on Thursday 22nd May. During the evening parents of Year 6 – 12 students will be invited to get back into their school days and experience life as a secondary school student at St Joseph’s. An information flyer with key information about he night will be sent home this week.
God bless for a wonderful Term 2.
Linda Perrett
School News
Year 5 News
The Year 5 classroom has been full of information about Australia’s early history. The students have explored and researched the lives of convicts and how they impacted the early settlements of our country. Many students were surprised to learn that on completing their sentences, many convicts became influential members of Australia’s cities and government.
The students used all of their knowledge to write a letter as a convict character, who told their family of their life in Australia.
We are continuing along this timeline this term with our unit “Australia – Exploring the Unknown”. Students will research our early explorers – Cunningham, Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth, Hume and Hovell, Mitchell and Burke and Wills. Alongside Mrs Grant the students will explore the Gold Rush Era and the Eureka Stockade. All in all another busy Historical Term in Year 5.
Linda Charlton
Letter from a Convict – By Mitchell Brunkhorst
Year 12 News
This week, the Year 12 cohort have said goodbye to Gabrielle Galassi, who is returning to Italy after a 10 month exchange. Gabrielle has been a wonderful addition to the cohort and there is little doubt that the Year 12’s gained as much as from this cultural exchange as he did.
Gabrielle was the 3rd exchange student to join the senior cohort and the benefits of this program are clearly evident – not only do the exchange students gain invaluable English language experience, our own student are able to expand their world view and cultural understanding. Many senior students often consider cultural exchange as an option for their ‘gap year’ after the completion of Year 12 and those who do endeavour to travel overseas, always report ‘an experience of a lifetime’. Brochures are available in the Year 12 room for anyone who is interested.
In other news, Term 2 will see a continuation of both academic and extra-curricular activities within which the Year 12s play a key role. Most significantly, Week 10 will be an alternate program for the Year 12s while all other grades attend camp. For those Year 12 students undertaking an OP, they will be attending various university campus tours and sit a practice QCS test. Those who are not undertaking an OP will be using the week for work experience. This week should therefore help assist students in preparing for the end of their schooling lives and the beginning of their working careers – both of which are swiftly approaching.
Chelsea Parakas
Year 12’s say Goodbye
Movie Music Comes To Life …
The Year 9 Music excursion to see the Toowoomba Concert Orchestra perform on April 2nd was a great success. Music from films such as Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean filled the USQ Arts Theatre as our students watched violins gliding in mesmerising unison and cymbals crashing from just metres away. It was very entertaining and professional performance, and was enjoyed by all students who attended. The Toowoomba Chronicle was on hand photographing concert-goers. Our students were snapped as they went into the theatre, and appeared in a Saturday edition during the holidays.
Donna Gerster
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Students at Toowoomba Concert Ochestra’s Movie Music Performance |
Year 9 Students make the Social Pages |
Welcome Fijian Visitors
St Joseph’s School will be playing host to some new and friendly faces over the next two weeks as 4 students and 4 teachers from Fiji experience and embrace Australian school life.
Visiting from Naiyala High School the students are amazed by the differences between the two school cultures remarking that ‘the uniforms, the discipline of the students and the facilities’ are really what set the schools apart. “It is really nice here” says Jocame Soronamata, “but very cold”. The visiting students are settling easily into classes and are being mentored by Year 11 classes.
Accompanying the students are teachers Mr SANJELSH NAND, Mr VILIAME PENI, Ms SALOME BULEWA who will be observing English, Manual Arts and Home Economics lessons along with other school activities. “The facilities are wonderful” say Mr Nand. “What stands out is the responsibility that the Students have. They know what is expected of them without being pushed and they respond in kind with good behavior.”
The group is staying with Rotary Club Members for the duration of their stay, and while their schedule is busy they are looking forward to experiencing and seeing as much of what Australia has to offer. “We are very thankful to everyone who has helped us, our hosts and the school. Everyone is very kind” said Ms Bulewa.
Fijian Students and Teachers with their Year 11 mentors
ANZAC Day Commemorations
St Joseph’s School ANZAC Day Commemorations went very well last week as students honoured our ANZACs at a Liturgy held on Thursday 24th April. Preps to Year 12 gathered in the Bathersby Center to lay a wreath and remember those that gave their lives for us in the name of peace.
Thankyou to all the students, parents and teachers who represented St Joseph’s at the ANZAC Day dawn service and the parade on Friday 25th April at Tenterfield, Texas and Stanthorpe. Attendance was terrific with the student’s once again making St Joseph’s proud, both with their appearance and exceptional conduct.
Sports News
Getting Down And Dirty At Cross Country
In 1994 Forrest Gump warmed the hearts of all those in the Western World when he dropped everything and ran across America from peak to plateau, through plain, pond and park. Thursday 3rd of April marked St. Joseph’s School Stanthorpe’s annual Cross Country Carnival and the spirit of the great man from Greenbow Alabama was alive in the hearts of all competitors.
This year the students felt like they were truly part of an endurance style Cross Country event as the weather conditions meant they could sink their teeth into a course which offered giant puddles, muddy plains and the beautiful backdrop of a few kangaroos grazing at the serene Stanthorpe Golf Club. Participation was the catch-cry of the day, and the students attended and competed with an enthusiasm and vigour which displayed plenty of heart and the drive to participate. Of course, like in any athletic contest, competitors displayed varying levels of fluency and competition ranging from the individual age champions, and 4 new race record holders to the half a dozen open boys who not only traversed the 6km course but did so dribbling a football the entire time. The one common factor amongst all competitors though was a shared feeling upon completion of such a gruelling race. This is a feeling of exhaustion but also pride that they are able to compete, complete and contribute to the success of their sports house.
On this day it was Davadi House who came out on top, by a whisker, in all three trophies; Champion Primary House, Donated by the McLucas Family presented by Mary McLucas, Champion Secondary House kindly donated by the Hilton Family, presented by Mick Hilton and Overall Champion House. St Joseph’s School would like to extend congratulations to all competitors, especially Age Champions and Runners Up as well as a huge thanks to the Stanthorpe Golf Club for a truly inspirational venue and to Raymond and Christine Mattiazzi for their generous sponsorship of the day, awards and trophies.
“I’m pretty tired…I think I’ll go home now.” (Gump 1994)
Dominic Philp
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Age Champion |
Runner Up |
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9 Year Boys |
Jordan Waterworth |
Jack Lewis |
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9 Year Girls |
Hannah Widderick |
Taryn McCosker |
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10 Year Boys |
Nathan Webb |
Neil Perrett |
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10 Year Girls |
Isabel Kay |
Jenna Fox |
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11 Year Boys |
Matthew Biddulph |
Ky Rashleigh |
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11 Year Girls |
Lara Beckett |
Danielle Musumeci |
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12 Year Boys |
Daniel Gasparin |
Craig Hickey |
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12 Year Girls |
Hannah Reeves |
Bridgette Kay |
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13 Year Boys |
Benjamin Manahan |
Travis Wallace |
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13 Year Girls |
Anika Spiller |
Riannon Fox |
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14 Year Boys |
Dylan Politch |
Zachary Knight |
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14 Year Girls |
Abbie Reeves |
Megan Kay |
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15 Year Boys |
Lloyd Kisby |
Arwyn Reeves |
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15 Year Girls |
Caitlin Debnam |
Zara Menz |
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16 Year Boys |
Kai Robertson |
Simon McMeniman |
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16 Year Girls |
Alison Hernandez |
Zoe Kay |
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Open Boys |
Ryan Mouws |
Abcil Kamara |
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Open Girls |
Mikaela Sullivan |
Tylah Ash |
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Congratulations to the students who have made it to representative levels in their Sport! Charlotte Widderick – Granite Belt Netball Hannah Reeves – Darling Downs Golf Ky Rashleigh – Possible vs Probable Rugby League Georgia Harris – Darling Downs Softball Lachlan Hendry – Darling Downs Rugby League |