7 August 2014

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s News

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Catholic Education Week has come and gone for another year, and it was a busy week as we celebrated all that is great about Catholic Education. We have received a number of positive comments from people who observed our students meandering through town in their uniforms; their generosity of both time and attitude as they carried out small acts of appreciation for members of our community; and their participation in learning experiences in our makeshift Town Classroom. Many thanks to John and Louisa Baronio for gifting us the shop during the week. I also want to acknowledge the work of teachers throughout the week to make these worthwhile activities take place, and also to our APRE, Megan Mahoney, for her coordination of the week’s events.

Unseasonable weather greeted us for our Athletics Carnival last week. To be sure, when the date is set, it’s close to guaranteed that we will have the coldest, windiest day of the year. But God looked on us with kindness as we experienced one of the best days, weather-wise, for many years. Congratulations to all of our student athletes from Prep-Year 12, and of course to the winning House, McAuley. Many thanks to Mr Fleming, Mr Philp and our staff for making the day a great one.

One of the discussion points in the lead up to the Athletics Carnival was around the non-competitive nature of the Prep-8 Year old activities. Some parents reflect on their own experience at school, citing that healthy competition was not only good for them, but an important, formative experience. I would agree that there are lessons to be learned from competition through the experiences of winning and losing. However, these lessons are more effectively transmitted to students at a time when they are developmentally ready to understand and interpret their meaning and significance. For the majority of students between the ages of 5 and 8 years, they are not cognitively or emotionally prepared for competition. Indeed, a consideration of the coaching programs endorsed by national sporting bodies, shows that fun needs to be central to the early years of participation in sport. This engenders a positive attitude to sport and physical activity generally, and lays the foundation for positive competitiveness. Thus, into the future, the Prep-8Year old Athletics Carnival will continue to focus on fun and participation. After all, students will have plenty of time in their school lives to engage in fierce competition.

The split venues for the Carnival were also raised at the last P&F Meeting. The weather has been the driving factor which has determined the venue for the Prep-8 Year Old Carnival. If the weather took a turn for the worst, students could find shelter quickly. In future, however, consideration will be given to a single venue for the Athletics Carnival, while always reserving the right to return to the split arrangement if the weather calls for it.

At this time of the year, enrolment for 2015 is at the forefront. On Wednesday, students from the district and Tenterfield schools participated in a Year 7/8 2015 Open Day. This was followed by a Parent Information Night for the parents of these students. Prep enrolments are well underway for 2015, and places are strictly limited. If you have child who is starting school next year, or you know of someone who is seeking enrolment into Prep in 2015, it is imperative that enrolment applications are submitted to school as soon as possible.

Many parents and caregivers will have noticed that a series of videos are being produced by the School which feature the life and times of particular year levels. The Preps and Year Ones have been featured thus far, with the Year Two the focus next week. Miss Jemma Tripp is the Director/Producer of these cinematic items, which seek to draw families into the classroom, and the teaching and learning process. Each year level will be showcased as part of this initiative, and the videos will be available via our Facebook page and our You Tube channel. I hope you enjoy these.

Dr Michael McCarthy
PRINCIPAL

Leader’s News

Term 3 for Year 12 students can seem like the beginning of the end. Students begin their countdown towards the end of their senior schooling years. This term OP eligible Year 12 students will sit the Queensland Core Skills Test on Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd September. The QCS Test contributes information for the calculation of Overall Positions (OPs) and Field Positions (FPs), which are used to rank students for tertiary entrance. A student's individual QCS Test result is not used on its own in the calculation of their OP — instead, group results are used as part of the statistical scaling processes. A student's individual result on the QCS Test (from A to E) is reported on the student's Senior Statement or Statement of Results. Students have been preparing for these tests weekly with Mrs McCarthy and have participated in sessions with Bill and Chris Gilmore on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd July. The Gilmore’s presented a session to parents on the Monday evening and from the feedback provided the session was a valued experience by parents who attended.

Assessment calendars have been emailed to secondary students. In week 9, Year 11 and 12 students will have 2 study days (Monday 8th and 9th September) followed by a three day exam block (Wednesday 10th – Friday 12th September). All Year 11 and 12 assessment for Term 3 will be completed by Friday 12th September.

As Year 12 students are finalising their senior schooling years, Year 10 students are beginning to plan for theirs. During Pastoral Care lessons, Year 10 students are completing a Senior Education Training Plan and creating career pathways. To assist in career planning students, Mr Philp and Mrs Harslett will attend the University of Southern Queensland Careers Day on Wednesday 27th August. These activities and events culminate in students compiling a Senior Education Training Plan. This SET Plan will be discussed in an interview involving the Year 10 student, their parent and Dr McCarthy or me. These interviews will occur in from Monday 9th – Friday 12th September. Correspondence regarding these interviews will be sent home to parents in the upcoming week.

Last week students showed commitment to and support of their school in the annual field and athletics events, on Tuesday 29th and Thursday 20th July. The weather for both days was fantastic and students participated beyond the numbers that had been experienced in past years. Students are to be commended for their assistance to staff in organising and supporting events.

As we begin our fourth week of term all students are encouraged to ensure that that they use time management skills in preparing for the weeks ahead. Year 8 and 9 need to remind themselves of the benefits of using the homework diary as a prompt to complete set homework tasks and any assessment items that they are issued with. Being organised helps to clarify what needs to be done in the upcoming weeks and allows students to commit to delivering their best possible work in both class and assessment.

God’s blessings
Mrs Linda Perrett
APA - Secondary

School News

Year 4 News

Yr 4 Poets

Recently the Yr 4 students participated in an On-Line Workshop on Poetry Writing conducted by poet Sherryl Clark.

It was a most stimulating session and, as a result, the children have been very keen to create their own poems.

Each child has written a poem for entry into the Ipswich Poetry Fest Competition.

These have been completed and sent off last week.

We hope you enjoy reading some of our poems below.

Year 12

Term 3 is considered to be one of the most hectic terms for our senior students and the current Year 12s would no doubt heartily agree with this statement. The first three weeks of term have already seen the seniors involved in a variety of extra curricula activities, including card-making with the Year 1/2s that were distributed to local businesses during Catholic Education Week; Biology excursions to Girraween and Brisbane; QCS workshops; TAFE exams; Deb Ball practices and graduation prep. The Sports Captains and Year 12s in general also assisted teachers throughout the Sports Carnival last week and many teachers, parents and students acknowledged that the Year 12s truly shone with their enthusiasm and willingness to get involved.

Despite their various commitments, the students have continued to maintain a strong academic effort. For those students undertaking an OP course, Term 3 is of particular importance as it is the last opportunity to make any significant gains in grades and field positions prior to student work being sent off for verification to subject District Panels. QCS is also just around the corner – 2nd-3rd of September – and as students have been undertaking weekly prep since the beginning of the year, it is hoped that they are feeling confident. The following week – 8th-12th of September is dedicated solely to exam block, which means the Year 12s can look forward to finalising their work prior to leaving for Ski Trip on the 18th.

By the end of term, parents will also receive more details about the Graduation night – including cost and indicative numbers. It is shaping up to be a magical evening; we look forward to spending the night with students and their families celebrating this wonderful group of students.

Mrs Chelsea Parakas

Year 2 Grandparent’s Day Reports

Congratulation Science Competition Winners

On Wednesday 4 June Year 3 to 7 students took part in the UNSW International and Assessment Competition for Science with remarkable results. Over one million student entries were accepted from over 6,300 schools in Australia and New Zealand annually to take part in this unique skill based assessment. A huge congratulations all the students that took part with honourable mentions to

Tom Gleeson – High Distinction (Top 1%)

Distinction - Eliza Telfer, Anthony Pearce, Alyssa Gasparin, Michael Westerhout, Travis Murphy, Stephen Baronio

Credit – Grace Caruso, Sal Coco, Hayley Danzey, Taryn McCosker, Taylah Organ, Billy Webb, Hamish Alldidge, Ruby Dieffenbach, Caitlyn Ellis, Georgette Forbes, Kira St John, Madison Vinaccia, Taylah Zahner, Vanessa Petroccitto, Franco Pozzebon and Benjamin Rogers.

Amazing Results!

History Comp Winners

In Term 2, all students in Year 8 and 9 sat the Australian History Competition. This annual competition tests students’ knowledge of the National Curriculum and is run by the History Teachers’ Association of Australia. The test comprises of 50 multiple choice questions that focus on testing historical knowledge; historical skills; and historical understandings.

Our students achieved to a pleasing level, with almost 40% of those who sat the test receiving a reward. Of particular mention, two of our Year 8 students – Spencer Jensen and Lucy Holland achieved a High Distinction, meaning they answered over 86% of the questions correctly. This is the first year the History Competition has been run and due to the success of the students, it will no doubt become a fixture on our academic calendar. The award recipients are as follows:

Year 8:

• Lucy Holland - High Distinction
• Spencer Jensen – High Distinction
• Ginevra Marsden – Distinction
• Holli Brunckhorst – Distinction
• Natasha Petroccitto – Distinction
• Liam Hitchiner – Credit
• Ann Mary Vincent - Credit
• Isaac Carlson – Merit
• Susan Cobon – Merit
• Martin Dachs – Merit
• Alexandra McLellan – Merit
• Sophie Raccanello – Merit

Year 10:

• Stephen Comino – Distinction
• Arwyn Reeves – Distinction
• Andreas Gaskell – Distinction
• Daniel Kisby – Credit
• Lillian Manahan – Credit
• Zara Menz – Credit
• Emily Desgrand – Merit
• Samuel Miles – Merit
• Sarah Saxby – Merit
• Daniel Sims – Merit

Sports News

Athletics Carnival

In sunny Glasgow athletics may have been the spectacle of the Summer but all School Students in Stanthorpe have come to appreciate the crunch of frost beneath their feet during the events at their yearly Athletics Carnival. This is why many students from St. Joseph’s School Stanthorpe were a little taken aback on Thursday the 31st when, upon arrival at the C.F. White Oval, they were greeted with one of the most glorious days of the year. There would be no need for the blankets and spray jackets at this year’s Athletics carnival and it quickly became apparent that the seasonal warmth further fuelled the competitive spirit between McAuley and Davadi houses. Students from both the Primary and Secondary Campus’ set record numbers for participation in all events on the day and throughout the entire carnival.

Leading in to the final (and main) day for events in the carnival, there was less than 100 points difference between McAuley’s Green Machine and Davadi’s Red Army and the carnival was always well poised for a tightly run finish. As the day progressed ribbons were distributed hand over fist and record after record continued to tumble but the overall margin between the 2 houses never even looked like blowing out. With the blue ribbon event of the 100m sprint on the horizon, spectators and competitors were tense and fingernails all over the arena were getting a true working over with the knowledge that only a few points were separating these 2 proud tribes. As McAuley House Captain Arbcil Kamara effected the completion of the individual events by crossing the finish line in first place in the open boys 100m sprint, a large cheer erupted from the Green Ants on the hill. They saw the significance in the victory by one of their leaders in the showpiece race. McAuley House, as a collective unit, took this confidence in to the relay races in all ages but Davadi matched their participation and weren’t going away without a fight. The relays were engaging and some very quick times were run from the under 9s group all the way to those seniors who all ran so admirably for their houses for the last time.

As the adage goes however, he who cheers last cheers loudest and for 2014 McAuley House did just enough to hold off their fast finishing rivals in the Overall Points championship on both the Primary and Secondary Campus. Kamara and his co-captain Ellie Griffiths raised the Santina Leonardi Shield with pride on behalf of their House to the loudest cheer of the afternoon but Davadi were not to go home empty handed as they picked up the prestigious spirit trophy on the Primary Campus. St Joseph’s would like to congratulate all students who attended and participated for making 2014 one of the most successful carnivals ever and as always a special mention goes to all age champions and new record holders. The School would also like to acknowledge all sponsors, convenors and supporters who contributed greatly to the carnival especially; Stanthorpe City Football Club, the primary and secondary tuckshop committees, Derik and Terry Bau from Granite Belt Tyre Services, Tony and Mary Comino from Kominos winery, Santina Leonardi, Julie Spiller, The St Joseph’s Alumni Association and the Kay, Sullivan and Fleming families.

As the warm sun set on another Athletics Carnival at St. Joseph’s School and the chill of winter crept back with the afternoon breeze it was clear that the atmosphere, competition, enjoyment and sportsmanship showed throughout the day gave a perfect snapshot of what school sport should always be at St. Joseph’s School.

RESULTS TABLE
AGE GROUP	AGE CHAMPION BOY	AGE CHAMPION GIRL	RUNNER UP BOY	RUNNER UP GIRL
9 Years	Billy Webb	Taryn McCosker	Jordan Waterworth	Caitlin Hennoste
10 Years	Joshua Carlson	Charlotte Widderick	Neil Perrett	Mya Perrett
11 Years	Ky Rashleigh	Karma O’Reilly	Ashley Haynes	Lara Beckett
12 Years	Ben Armbruster	Hannah Reeves	Ben Rogers	Bridgette Kay
13 Years	Ben Green	Anika Spiller	Lachlan Swan	Ally McLellan
14 Years	Dylan Politch	Eve Perrett	Liam Hitchener	Abbie Reeves
15 Years	Lachlan Hendry	Alyssa Mouws	Lloyd Kisby	Caitlin Debnam
16 Years	Kai Robertson	Danika Newman	David Musumeci	Natalie Wust
Open	Abcil Kamara	Mikaela Sullivan	Lachlan Williamson	Anna Yates

Broken Records
EVENT	NAME	NEW RECORD	OLD RECORD
Under 16 Girls Shot Put	Izabella Menz	8.66m	7.97m
Open Girls Shot Put	Alkeer Kamara	7.62m	7.52m
Open Girls Triple Jump	Mikaela Sullivan	9.44m	8.74m
Open Girls High Jump	Mikaela Sullivan	1.33m	1.39m
Open Girls 800m	Mikaela Sullivan	2.44.16	3.05.09
Open Girls 1500m	Mikaela Sullivan	5.58.72	6.49.54
Open Girls 200m	Mikaela Sullivan	30.16	30.22
Open Girls 400m	Mikaela Sullivan	1.09.20	1.15.38
Open Girls 100m	Mikaela Sullivan	13.94	14.06
9 Year Boys 100m	Jordan Waterworth	13.24	13.57
16 Years Girls	Danika Newman	13.69	14.40

P & F News

Water Cooling Bubblers were installed on both the Primary and Secondary Campuses over the school holidays, with thanks to students Sophie Raccanello and Zac Thompson, and the P&F Committee. Sophie and Zac raised half of the funds needed and the P&F matched them dollar for dollar. A very big thank-you to Remo Raccanello from Aqua Rural and Justin Hitchener who kindly donated their time free of charge for the installation. The Bubblers are proving very popular despite the below zero temperatures, but we are sure the full benefit will be felt during the summer months.

Next P & F Meeting – 26 August. Everyone is welcome

Reminders and Updates

Help us win a $20,000 staffroom makeover!

Thanks to QT Mutual Bank we have the chance to win a $20,000 staffroom makeover as part of their “Staffroom for Improvement” competition.

The prize is a complete makeover of our school’s main staffroom. The winning school will be the one with the most votes weighted against the number of students, so any school, small or large has an equal chance to win. We need as much support from our local school community as possible. Even if we don’t take out top prize we have the chance to win a $10,000 as part of the People’s Choice award.

Simply visit www.staffroomforimprovement.com.au to read the terms and conditions and register your interest today. The competition kicks off on 18 August so spread the word and get as many people as possible to vote for our school.