18 September 2014

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s News

The end of the Term is finally upon us and I know many will be looking forward to some well-earned respite. It has been a very busy 10 weeks at St Joseph’s, which is increasingly becoming the norm, rather than the exception.

As you know the Rivertree Trail Ride is not going ahead in this year, so families were urged to support our other scheduled fundraising ventures. The Trivia Night was held last Friday evening, and 21 tables were booked. This is an excellent result for the P&F Committee and those who were members of the organising group. These things are always a team effort, but on behalf of the school I offer my thanks to Jodie Cosmo who coordinated the event. The night runs so well because of the people who commit their time and talents over several weeks. From the PowerPoint presentation, to the multi-draw raffle, the organising of sponsorship and the set-up and pack down: it is a very significant task to run this event. To all those involved I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation for your work on the Trivia Night.

Last Saturday afternoon, a band of students, two teachers and two parents set off to Warwick to participate in Relay for Life. This event raises money for cancer research which sees participants walking/running/dragging themselves around an oval for around 18 hours. Each team must have a member on the course at all times. So, it’s a huge effort and a tiring one at that. This is the second year our school has participated in the relay, and was ably organised by the Leo’s Club headed by their President, Zoe Kay. The students raised $2000. I want to thank the student participants and their parents for their support, as well as the Leo’s Club for their organisation. I also want to acknowledge the work of Steve and Sandra Kay, who assisted with the logistics, walked the course several times and stayed overnight with the students. Miss Gia Nicholson and Miss Maria-Nella Di Mauro were our staff representatives at the event, staying overnight with the students and enthusiastically participating in the relay. I thank them very much for giving their time across the weekend – it wouldn’t have happened without them.

For the second weekend running students, staff and parents have travelled to Toowoomba for the Vicki Wilson Netball Junior & Senior cups respectively. Netball is a developing sport at St Joseph’s School and the girls are being given as many opportunities as possible to play quality opposition in order to understand what competitive netball is all about. These competitions draw in schools with established netball programs, consisting of students who are playing at representative level. Our players are better for each of these experiences, and if it wasn’t for the commitment of the staff and parents, our female students would have very little opportunity to play netball. I offer my thanks to Michelle McCarthy, Kate Learmonth and Linda Perrett for donating their time over these weekends, and to our parents for assisting with transport, canteen duty and cheering.

Each family received a link to a School Improvement Survey in the last week of July. The response rate to this data collection was quite low, which means that the reliability of the information gleaned was reduced. Furthermore, the response rates were low across the Diocese, which says more about the survey itself, rather than families’ readiness to respond. At the last P&F Meeting this matter was raised, and it was uncovered that the survey had a number of flaws, with length being chief among these. It then led to a conversation about how we can most effectively and efficiently get the feedback we need, and the monthly P&F Meeting was considered to be a part of this strategy. It was proposed that the P&F Meeting be used as a forum or focus group to collect data on school improvement, designed in a way that families can provide honest appraisal of the school’s progress in a safe and constructive way. This proposal will be forwarded to the Catholic Education Office for further consideration, and we will work on developing a local process over the next year for possible implementation in 2015. The P&F Committee would be happy to hear your thoughts at the next meeting, through one of the members of the Executive (Peter Aldridge, Jo Fox, Natalie Raccanello, and Jodie Cosmo) or via email: STAPandF@twb.catholic.edu.au

Term 4 is always a very hectic (shorter) term. Our Year 6, 7 and 12 students come to the end of important educational milestones; we recognise the achievements of our students from P-12 at our annual Awards Night and all the things in between means that the vacation period is the ideal time to re-energise.

Dr Michael McCarthy
Principal

Leader’s News

On Thursday 18th September 41 students from Year 11 and 12 with four staff head off to the ski fields of Perisher, NSW. This snow season has seen the best snow falls for a decade. This for many of our senior students is regarded as a highlight of not only the term but also the year. It is commonly anticipated that Term 3 in secondary schools is full of expectations, challenges and deadlines. Not only do Year 12 students participate in the QCS tests they also have block exams to prepare for during this term. The year certainly seems to ramp up from Term 1 to now. These past three weeks have reminded our Year 11 and 12 students of the importance of utilising time management skills to ensure that assessment tasks are completed and that they aptly prepare for exams. It is also important to remember those key interpersonal communication skills that allow clear two way communication with peers and teaching staff.

The transition program for our Year 6 and 7 students has continued during Term 3. Students have engaged in Mathematics, HPE, Home Economics and English during these past five weeks. These lessons on a Friday morning have enabled students to become more familiarised with the secondary campus. Our two transition days on September 2nd and 3rd were well received and students had the chance to meet some new faces, students from outlying schools who are enrolling for 2015.

To further the importance of communication there will be Parent Teacher Interviews on Thursday 16th October 2014 from 3:30 – 7:00pm. A letter in relation to these interviews was sent home on Monday this week with students. Bookings for parent teacher interviews are booked via the school website www.stjosephs.qld.edu.au under For Parents menu or can be accessed below following the link. These interviews are valuable as they provide teachers with the opportunity to discuss student progress with parents and students.

As Term 3 comes to an end and the weather warms I look forward to being able to write in my next article about a successful St Joseph’s School ski trip.

God Bless

Linda Perrett
APA Secondary

School News

Prep News

This term both Prep classes have been kept busy with indoor and outdoor activities, book week dress ups and excursions.

One of the highlights in Prep A was the ‘Fancy Nancy’ party which included a short excursion to Woolworths to do some shopping in preparation for this occasion. Both teachers and Preps dressed up in their fancy dresses and suits and turned their classroom into a spectacular dining room where they enjoyed their party food.

Prep M also enjoyed an excursion as part of their Geography learning. Prep M walked downtown to Zest’s Bakery but along the way the children had to observe the different shops and buildings they saw. At Zest’s the Preps had the opportunity to watch Baker Steve roll out pastry, make some of his mouth watering pastries, mix icing for cupcakes and the best bit was watching Baker Steve ice and decorate the cupcakes which were then enjoyed later on with the delicious sausage rolls. Baker Steve made and donated both cupcakes and sausage rolls for all to enjoy. Once leaving Zest’s we concluded our excursion with a walk to Weeroona Park for lunch where sausage rolls and cupcakes were thoroughly enjoyed. Preps had a lot of fun and played before returning to school.

Both Prep classes also had the opportunity to visit and take part in Child Protection Week activities in Weeroona Park on 10th September where children had the opportunity to listen to stories being read by Cr. Denise Ingram; miniature tepee making, Indian headband making and the painting of a large tepee.

All Preps have worked very hard this term 3 and look forward to a well-earned holiday break.

Glenda McNichol

Year 9 News

Term 3 has been very busy for all year 9 students. Students have been designing storage in Manual Arts, designing and making pyjama pants in Home Economics, learning about war literature in English, congruency and algebra in Maths, Basketball and European Handball in PE, and the list goes on. Not only have students been busy at school, working hard on assignments and class work, they have also been busy getting involved in extra-curricular activities. Earlier in the term as part of Catholic Education Week, students visited Carramar, hearing stories from the elderly and giving them a bright new face to talk to for a few hours. We also had a number of Year 9 students representing the school for athletics, showcasing their athletic talents and school spirit. Over the past two weekends students have been involved in a netball competition in Toowoomba playing 10 with games each day, each of the girls showing great leadership.

This weekend, a number of Year 9 students also got involved in Relay for Life. Camping out in Warwick in the cold was no easy task, and getting up at 2am to walk around a track for an hour was even harder. All the girls who attended had great spirit and worked very hard to raise money for this worthy cause. Needless to say, Year 9 is looking forward to holidays next week, gearing up for a busy Term 4 ahead.

Maria – Nella Di Mauro

Year 3 Underwater World Trip

Year 4 Brisbane Writers Festival

Well nothing is more exciting to primary school students than an excursion, but an excursion to meet your literary heroes is one that brings an overwhelming enthusiasm that had the St Joseph’s Year 4 and 5 students of hoping from foot to foot.

On Friday the 5th of September, 55 St Joseph’s students set out in the early hours to attend the Brisbane Writers Festival at the Queensland State Library on a day trip that would see them meeting some of their favourite writers.

Students attended three sessions that included a lesson in how to speak wombat with author Jackie French; watching a story come to life when authors Michael Gerard Bauer and Joe Bauer acted out scenes from their new book; and a very special lesson with Andy Griffiths, who illustrated to students how entertaining nonsense and flights of fancy can develop into ideas for a bestselling book.

A definite highlight for the day was when St Joseph’s Year 4 Student Hamish Alldridge took to the stage beside author Andy Griffiths to chair what would be one of the festivals most popular sessions. Hamish was preselected from hundreds of students and, showcasing a stage presence to rival the most experienced presenter, earned the respect and friendship of the famous author.

Excitement for the festival had been building for the students throughout Term 3 as they prepared by researching authors, reading featured novelists work and even attending a production of ‘The 13 Story Tree House’ by Andy Griffiths earlier in the year.

Students returned to school exhausted and happy clutching signed books, autographs and photos of the day.

“I loved seeing Michael Gerard Bauer acting out his book, it felt like we were taking part in the Word Play, not just watching it,” said Isabelle Kay.

Relay for Life

The Relay for Life is a major fundraiser for the Cancer Council. It was held in Warwick on the 13th & 14th September. St Joseph’s entered two teams. One was organised by the Leo’s club and the other was a Year 12 team.

The Relay involves having a team member carrying a baton on the walking track for 18 hours from 3pm to 9am the following morning. Some of our students walked 100 laps which is about 33 kms. There is plenty of entertainment during the afternoon and night. Each of the 51 teams also had a fundraising stall. Our teams offered face painting and sold cupcakes, bubbles and flowers.

The Relay replicates the journey of the cancer sufferer. The teams started off the Relay full of energy ready to face the journey ahead. Then stormy weather and darkness settled in. A Lantern Ceremony remembered those that have been lost and offers strength for those suffering and for the survivors. After midnight it was dark and very cold. But everyone had a sense of humour, playing cards & chatting away. Any sleep that was had was on the hard ground in the open tent. Walking from 2am to 5am was a struggle, a test of endurance pushing past the exhaustion. I’m sure some were sleep walking! Then as the sun rises, so does hope. The Relay concludes with Hope Ceremony at 9am where it is everyone’s wish that the money raised can help find a cure so that no one has to suffer cancer in the future.

Our teams raised nearly $2000 from fundraising before the Relay. Thank you to all those who helped with the bake sale and sponsorship. The total funds raised this year by the Relay was $122,000.

Thank you to all team members and also to Miss Di Mauro, Miss Nicholson, Dr McCarthy, Steve and Sandra Kay who supervised. What a fantastic effort from everyone!

Sports News

P & F News

On Friday 12th September the annual P & F Trivia Night was held in the Bathersby Centre. Preparations for this event began early in the term and culminated to a fantastic night complete with buccaneers, surfies, sailors and a pirate ship.

I would firstly like to give a very special thankyou to the Trivia committee- Dan O’Dea, Julianne O’Brien, Kirsten Widderick, Liz Alldridge, Kylie Beckett and James Ellis, who all worked so hard to make the recent Trivia Night such a success!

Thank you to Jemma Tripp who created the presentation and to those who worked tirelessly to set up and work on the night – Raymond and Chrissy Mattiazzi, Dan and Kayelene O’Dea, Rose-Alba Musumeci, Michael and Julianne O’Brien, Liz and Peter Alldridge, Kirsten Widderick, James and Sandra Ellis, Andrew Gasparin and Michael McCarthy.

Thankyou to Kominos Wines, Keith Allen, M & J Cosmo, Central Hotel Bottl-O, Stanthorpe Aerated Waters and Denise and the Care and Concern Ladies for their generosity in sponsorship and donations on the night.

This year’s Trivia Night was a roaring success with 21 teams participating and everyone getting into the spirit of the theme ‘Surfies, Pirates and Sailors’. Congratulations to our winners for the night The No Idea’s taking home 1st Prize of $240. 2nd Prize went to The Web Surfers, Video Pirates and Noah who took home $180 and 3rd Prize went to Pirates of Cavities Been.

We look forward to making next year’s trivia evening just as fun and just as big a triumph.

Jodie Cosmo

Reminders and Updates

HOLIDAY FUN

The Stanthorpe Pottery Club will be holding their annual children’s workshop during the first week of the September school holidays. We would very much appreciate it if you would include a copy of the attached form with your school newsletter.

If you have any questions please contact the following club members: Mary Miller (President) on 4681 0000, Yvonne Gray (Vice President) on 4681 1878 or Dianne Whitford (Children’s Workshop Co-ordinator) on 0488 054 151.