5 March 2015

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s News

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Last week the P&F held their first meeting. It was a well-attended meeting, where a number of issues were discussed. Not least among these was the issue of homework.

As mentioned at the meeting, we are in a process of review of our procedures around homework, and teachers have been engaged in initial discussions. At the recent P&F Meeting, parents were given the opportunity to respond to a poll, which was then made available to the school community. I have presented the results below. There are some interesting findings which we will speak about in more detail both as a staff and at our next P&F meeting on Tuesday 31 March.

The School Board is seeking to appoint two new members. The Board is one of the peak parent groups in the School, and has a key role in developing policy as well as assisting the Principal in the development of the strategic direction of St Joseph’s School. Meetings are held bi-monthly, and usually take no more than 90 minutes. If you are interested in offering your skills, knowledge and talents to this important group, please contact me at the School or via email at michael.mccarthy@twb.catholic.edu.au .

Finally, I offer my congratulations to Tom Jensen (Prefect) for his organisation of the inaugural Swimathon held last Friday to raise money for equipment to enable disabled access to the Stanthorpe pool. The event raised $3000 which is approximately 20% of the cost of the required equipment. This is a great achievement. Well done Tom, and thanks to all our participants!

Dr Michael McCarthy
Principal

Leader’s News

As we begin our school year, St Joseph’s School welcomes four graduate teachers to the Secondary campus. Being an early career teacher is both and exciting and rewarding experience. Many years on, senior teachers reflect on these early years of teaching, the excitement of finally having your own classes, those “wow” moments in lessons, and also those endless hours of planning and preparation.

In my upcoming newsletter articles you will get to know what drives our early careers teachers to become the best that they can be in their teaching vocation.

Blessings for the rest of Term 1, 2015.

Linda Perrett

Mr Luke Warwick – Humanities

What is the most challenging part of being a graduate teacher?

The most challenging part of being a graduate has to be the sense of uncertainty you feel around your decisions. Fortunately, within the St. Joseph’s staff, there is a fantastic support network to be drawn upon when needed. More than any school I have taught at previously, the staff at St Joseph’s is there to help in any way they can. This has certainly come across to us graduate teachers, and we are very grateful for it.

What are you looking forward to as the year progresses?

The thing that I am most looking forward to as the year progresses is seeing the development of the students. Education is a process of transformation. The St Joseph’s School students are given experiences that will transform not only their minds, but also their hearts. It will be a pleasure to witness this evolution of their individual selves throughout the year.

What are some aspects of St Joseph’s School that you like thus far?

St Joseph’s has a wonderful, welcoming school culture with this making teaching a pleasure. It is an environment full of heart and compassion, with this enabling those within the community to more easily form a commitment to one another.

What interests do you have outside of school?

Growing up in the household that I did, the watching of Aussie Rules is a great passion of mine. Brisbane has very few chains upon me, however, attending AFL matches at the Gabba is one chain I don’t believe I can break anytime soon. Other passions include a deep fascination with both religion in the local and global communities, as well as a fascination with Australian politics and its relationship with societal issues such as the addressing of disadvantage.

Linda Perrett
Assistant Principal Secondary

School News

Year 2 News

Our students have settled very quickly into the routines of Year 2. This term in history we have been looking at common everyday objects, how these objects have changed and improved over time and the reasons why such changes take place. Many of the children have brought in items from home to show to their classmates and everyone is enjoying observing and discussing these objects. In Science we have been learning about lifecycles and have been lucky to have frog and tadpoles in our classroom to examine the different stages of this lifecycle. We have been engaged in a variety of activities to improve literacy and numeracy skills and are fortunate to have many generous parents willing to assist with these activities when they are able, as well as assistance from Mrs Charlton, Miss Gangemi, Miss Barber and Ms Badcock. We have now concluded our Swimming unit and thank all of the parents who gave their time to assist. The children are also enjoying doing PE with Mr Grew, Music with Miss Daughtree and Italian with Miss Cusack. We are looking forward to our open afternoon with our parents on Thursday.

Year 9 News

It has been a busy start for Year 9 as they begin to adjust to no longer being the “babies” of the Secondary Campus. As we begin the downhill side of the term, students are no doubt putting those time management practices in to place as assignments and exam dates roll in. Just a little insight into what students are studying this term: in History students are learning about the Industrial Revolution; in English students are reading the book Refuge, a novel by Jackie French that highlights Australia’s long history of migration within the context of today’s asylum seeker debate; in Religious Education students are learning about miracles and parables, adapting these for a modern audience; and in Home Economics students are learning about Convenience Foods, and how to cook these foods from scratch. If this is any indication of what this year is going to be like, it is going to be a very busy year for Year 9, full of exciting content for them to engage with in their development as learners.

Luke Warwick and Maria-Nella Di Mauro

Queensland Government Next Step Survey

The Queensland Government is conducting its annual state wide survey of all students who completed Year 12 in 2014. The Next Step survey is a brief, confidential survey that gains a comprehensive picture of the employment, study and life choices made by Queensland school completers in the year after they finish Year 12.

Between March and June, all our students who completed Year 12 last year can expect to receive instructions to complete a web-based survey or a telephone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office to complete the survey. Please encourage them to take part. If their contact details have changed, please assist the interviewer with their updated details or forward the survey to their new address so they can participate.

Thank you for your support of the Next Step survey in 2015.

Further information on Next Step is available online at www.education.qld.gov.au/nextstep/ or on toll free telephone 1800 068 587.

Traffic Talk Over the Christmas school holiday period, road users may have noticed new signs have been erected on Davadi and Corundum Streets just prior to the intersection with High Street. These signs restrict motorists from turning right into High Street during specific high traffic periods. These signs have been erected to ease congestion around St Joseph’s School at peak times and to reduce the likelihood of traffic crashes. The signs only refer to School Days and between the hours of 7am to 9am and 2pm to 4pm. The aim of these restrictions is to assist traffic flow around the school and reduce the danger to students and motorists. Those motorists who regularly use this intersection around school times would agree that it is a troublesome area that can be difficult to negotiate. Motorists should plan their journey and arrange an alternative route rather than turning right into High Street during these restricted times. Police and Main Roads recognise that these restrictions may be inconvenient for some motorists, however with some planning and thinking ahead, safer roads can be achieved. Failure to abide by these new signs may result in a fine of $91 and 3 demerit points.

Parking Police from Stanthorpe Road Policing Unit have noted in increase in inappropriate parking behaviour since the start of the new school year around St Joseph’s School. Police have observed vehicles parked in the bus zone and a surprising number of parents double parking when dropping off their children in front of the Administration Building on High Street. Parking in this manner is not acceptable. It may seem innocent however double parking causes traffic congestion and puts the safety of other road users and pedestrians at risk. A drop-off parking bay has been provided on the eastern side of High Street just before Davadi Street. This is where parents should park for quick drop offs. Drivers should remain with their vehicles when utilising this parking bay. A fine of $45 may be issued by police for any parking offence. Your assistance is requested to make our roads safer for all motorists and our children. Sgt Daniel O’Dea Stanthorpe RPU

Performing Arts Flying Start

This year has gotten off to a flying start in the St Josephs’ Performing Arts Department. The music room was moved down to the Secondary Campus over the holidays and has been renamed as the Performing Arts Room. As a result the upper primary students get to experience the Secondary Campus once a week for their Music and Drama lessons. This has been met with a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm from both staff and students.

On the Secondary Campus, the Year 10 Performing Arts students have taken on a new responsibility this year of running and maintaining the new Jam Corner. This corner was set up for the students in order to give them a proper rock band setup to practice with. The Year 10 students took on the task of setting up this corner with the Jam-hub technology as well as the schools new drum kit and bass guitar. This has attracted a lot of interest from the senior grades (mostly due to the amount of joyous noise the students can now make whilst practising).

This year the Primary students get to experience Drama studies for the first time. This change has been embraced by all, especially the upper primary grades. The new Drama program focuses on students being citizens of Stanthorpe, Australia, the World and of Christ. The Prep’s and Year 1’s have experienced popular stories from around Australia, including Dream Time stories and stories of very adventurous cats. They’ve taken great joy in acting as both themselves, and multiple different animals and story characters. The Year 5 and 6 students have been learning about the use of masks in theatre to create character. They have been required to identify the positive qualities both within themselves and their community in order to create drama and masks that represent these qualities.

As this year’s performing arts teacher I am looking forward to the rest of the year ahead with the Border Districts Eisteddfod, Primary Arts Afternoon, Annie, and Christmas Carols Evening all still to come yet this year.

Miss Emily Daughtree

Did you miss out on our 2014 Yearbook? We are currently taking orders for reprints. COST $25 If you would like to order a yearbook please see Jemma in Administration or email Jemma.Tripp@twb.catholic.edu.au by Friday 13 March.

POLICIES AND PROCEEDURES – For New And Exisiting Parents

Early Departure/Leave Pass

Students are required to bring a note signed by a parent to Administration BEFORE the start of school to get a Leave Pass.

Leave Pass should be presented to their classroom teacher or, for Secondary, the classroom teacher of the lesson they will be in when required to leave.

All students must then sign out at the office.

Note – Students from Prep to Year 10 will not be allowed to leave school premises without a guardian/parent to pick them up.

When returning to school students must sign back in at Administration.

Visitors and Guests

All visitors and guests to the school campus MUST sign in at the office and collect a numbered visitor’s badge.

Please Note – For student safety and fire and evacuation procedures, under no circumstances are parents to be on school grounds during school hours without having signed in at Administration.

Teacher Contact

Teachers are available to contact via email.
To email teachers - Firstname.Surname@twb.catholic.edu.au ,
Eg. Michael.McCarthy@twb.catholic.edu.au

Absentees

If your child is absent please contact the office by phone or
Email – Stanthorpe@twb.catholic.edu.au
Messages will then be passed onto necessary teachers.

Sports News

Laura Geitz Cup

On Sunday 22nd February ten girls from Year 8 and 9 and 3 Year 10 students travelled to Toowoomba to play netball in the Laura Geitz Cup and undertake a netball umpiring course. Laura Geitz is the Captain of both the Australian Netball squad, The Diamonds and the Qld Firebirds. She hails from Allora and grew up playing netball on the Darling Downs. The girls played 7 games of netball against the representative sides from other schools including: Fairholme College, Our Lady of the Southern Cross College, St. Joseph’s Toowoomba to name a few. The girls had a fantastic day and continued to narrow the score as each game progressed. The girls came very close to beating Fairholme College, who have won the cup several times in recent years, and beat St. Saviour’s College in a very fast game. I was extraordinarily proud of the way in which our girls carried themselves on the day, they demonstrated grace under pressure and never ever gave up. Our umpires also showed great improvement in their calls throughout the day and received very positive feedback from the umpiring coaches. As the day came to a close, Laura Geitz arrived to meet with the teams and cemented her status as an amazing woman and a fantastic role model for our girls. The girls were able to have photos with her and get her autograph which was the highlight of the day for many.

Michelle McCarthy
Netball Coach

Good luck to all of our Border District competitors who will be competing in Darling Downs trials in March

P & F News

Our first P&F meeting of the 2015 year was held on 24th February. It was wonderful to see so many new faces at our meeting, we hope to see you all again next month, and maybe even “bring a friend”. Please consider coming to one of our meetings this year. Parent input is invaluable to our P&F meetings.

Our AGM was held and the current executive committee were re-elected.

President - Peter Alldridge
Vice President - Jo Fox
Treasurer - Jodie Cosmo
Secretary - Nat Raccanello

At the meeting Michael McCarthy presented his plan for the 2015 school year. After that an informative parent forum was held on “Homework”. The results of the survey will be discussed at our next meeting.

We also discussed the idea of holding a school Fete/Dinner Dance this year to coincide with our 140 year anniversary celebrations. This would be a perfect opportunity for past and present students to come together, whilst also creating the opportunity to raise funds for the P&F. Please feel free to contribute any ideas that you may have.

After a long discussion we will not be offering the sporting grant this year. Whilst we acknowledge the wonderful achievements of our students that excel in school sports, we will be focusing on projects that will benefit every student at St Joseph’s. We exist for the benefit of our school and all of its wonderful students. We have pledged an annual amount of $5000 per year towards the building and assets at the school. This year’s money will go towards the cost of a covered cement area on the primary campus, where children will be able to utilise and play handball during the lunch breaks.

If you require any further information about our P&F Association, please feel free to email us on Stanthorpe.PandF@twb.catholic.edu.au or contact our President, Peter Alldridge on 0438 157 195.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 31st March in the Library at 7pm.

We hope to see you there!

Reminders and Updates

MUSICAL REHEARSALS