Dear Parents and Carers,

The end of each school year brings a range of emotions. There is satisfaction with the achievements of the year, happiness with an extended holiday period approaching but also some sadness in the knowledge that some students and staff will not be rejoining us in 2023.

On behalf of the College I would like to wish all exiting students well. I have spoken to many and have assured them they will always be a Joey’s boy and encouraged them to stay in touch.

With a staff of over 260 the end of each year will always bring some changes. I would like to thank and congratulate those teaching and support staff who will be finishing at the end of this year: teachers, Crystal Priestley, Eliza-Jane Rundle, Andrew Clements, Ben Peacock, Lauren Barton, Jane Emerick, Michael Wright, Ellie Purser, David Shalders, Aaron Westgarth, Sam Hughes, Maisie Barlow, Brendan Fairfield, Mark Turner and Michael Anderson, support staff, Noah Biggs, Samara Wall, David Hunt, Libby Eckhardt, Maddy Cole, Matt Manly, Will Paatsch, Carlene Davy, Mary Holmes, Matisse Waight, Charlotte Furphy, and our AFL trainees Max Jones and Sam McKew.

I particularly acknowledge those long-serving members of staff Lauren Barton (12 years), David Shalders (17 years), Mark Turner (18 years) and Michael Anderson (24 years). I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Sena Palmer who retired earlier this year having served the College for 35 years.

All of those leaving depart with our grateful thanks and I hope that each person finds the sadness of leaving offset by the knowledge that they have made St Joseph’s and the world a better place by their influence on the lives of young people.

As we look back over the year there is much to give thanks and be grateful for. I am particularly grateful for the positivity and goodwill of students, parents, and staff as we adjusted to the return to a full year of face-to-face teaching and learning.

Australia is an increasingly secular society fewer of us are religious and even fewer involved in the formal practice of our religion than in previous generations. Christmas however is a time when many of us reengage with our faith and our parishes as family groups attend Mass.

Pope Francis recently spoke about rediscovering the true richness of Christmas by focusing on simple traditional symbols like the Christmas tree and the nativity scene. "In its genuine poverty", the Pope said "the nativity scene helps us to rediscover the true richness of Christmas”, a different Christmas “from the consumerist and commercial one”. It helps us “to become intimate with God, with the fragile simplicity of a small newborn, with the meekness of his being laid down, with the tender affection of the swaddling clothes that surround him”.

I hope you and your family find the opportunity to engage with the true richness of the Christmas celebrations. There is much for us to take from the story of a child born into poverty who grew up challenging the prevailing norms of the day, who accepted everybody, discriminated against no one, and preached a message of unconditional love.

Best wishes for a peaceful and blessed Christmas, a restorative and safe holiday time. I look forward to welcoming all students back-to-school on Tuesday 31 January.

God Bless

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles paid a special visit to the College on 16 November for a lively Q&A session with some politically minded senior students. Hosted by the Year 10 Civics & Citizenship class, the session covered a broad range of topics including the environment and engine emissions, Australia’s commitment the Ukraine, urban poverty and the major issues facing Geelong. Mr Marles said he thoroughly enjoyed being put through his paces by the students who offered up insightful and thought-provoking questions. “They were really good questions and it spoke to the thoughtfulness of the kids about the way they think about their community, the way they think about their future and the way they are thinking about the world. “If that is an example of the level of thought which is going on amongst our young people in this town we should have a lot of confidence about the future.” Mr Marles said it was a pleasure to visit St Joseph’s which continues to make a vital contribution to education in Geelong.“St Joseph’s College has been a great school for our region for a very long time. Over generations the school has been providing excellent education for young men,” he said. “You only have to look at the St Joeys alumni to understand the contribution that it’s made to Geelong. In lots of ways St Joeys is a really, really important school for our town.”

Read the full article on The Geelong Times website 

https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/geelongtimes/news/marles-talks-civics-during-st-josephs-visit/

SJC Mental Health First Aid – Teen course

We now have twelve St Joseph’s staff trained as facilitators of the Teen Mental Health First Aid course delivered by Mental Health First Aid Australia. This four-day training commitment was met with much enthusiasm and appreciation from the staff as the concept and costs associated with the course were supported and funded by our Old Collegians and Parents and Friends Associations. The diverse group of staff ranging from leadership, teaching and non-teaching positions all now feel equipped to deliver the Teen Mental Health First Aid course to our student body. Our initial aim will be to incorporate this course into the Westcourt Wellbeing program in Term 2 next year which we believe will complement the Resilience Project and Lifechanger programs that this year level has immersed themselves in during their time in Waterford.

Students will learn the Teen MHFA Action Plan, as well as information about different types of mental health problems and mental health crisis situations in young people, and the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Developing mental health problems covered are:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Eating disorders
• Alcohol and other drug use disorders
• Psychotic disorders

Mental health crisis situations covered are:

• Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
• Non-suicidal self-injury (sometimes called deliberate self-harm)
• Being very intoxicated from alcohol and other drugs
• Bullying or abuse

Our MHFA trainer Kate Riddle was excellent and we again thank our Old Collegians and Parents and Friends for supporting this initiative. I plan on updating our SJC community when we deliver the course to our Year 9s next year.

Head Start program

We have been pleased with the student engagement during Head Start and we thank families, staff and students for committing to this program, ensuring new relationships, partnerships and study habits are established prior the Christmas holidays.

End of Year student reports

The school reports will be made available on PAM as of Monday 12 December. Due to PAM needing upgrading we recommend families download the reports prior to 16 December as access will be restricted from this time.

Today we gathered as a faith community to celebrate our End of Year Mass. We warmly welcomed Bishop Martin Ashe, the newly appointed Western Auxiliary Bishop as our celebrant.

In the spirit of gratitude, our College Captain Jaeger acknowledged the leadership, compassion and integrity of our Principal, Deputy Principals, Head of Campus staff, Head of House staff, Year Level Coordinators, homeroom teachers, subject teachers and the many support and administration staff who work in the specialist areas across the school to enable everything to run smoothly. ‘As they have all generously provided us with their guidance, support and encouragement. They have given much of their time to organise and support the many opportunities that we have been able to make possible, participate in and enjoy.’ Jaeger F.

Bishop Martin concluded the mass by sharing the blessing prayer of St Bernard as we acknowledged the generous contributions to the St Joseph’s community to those staff leaving to pursue new opportunities on their career journey and we sent our best wishes, particularly to our retiring staff after many committed years of dedicated service at St Joseph’s College, Mark Turner, Sena Palmer, Michael Anderson and David Shalders.

The Theme as we head into this Third Sunday of Advent is one of JOY. The Church names this Sunday ‘Gaudete’ Sunday; Gaudete being a Latin word that means rejoice! Pope Francis reminds us all that Gaudete Sunday is known as the ‘Sunday of Joy’. His reminder is that on this Sunday, people should focus on all the ‘good things life has given you’ instead of worrying and stressing about ‘all the things you still haven't done to prepare for Christmas’. Let us reflect as we begin our holiday season instead on: How will I be full of joy? Where will I find joy? How can I bring joy to others?

One tradition that links strongly to the Christian preparation for and celebration of Christmas is the singing and playing of Christmas carols or hymns. Today we concluded our Mass with our Vocal Ensemble and band members leading us in singing a very old and well-known carol ‘Joy to the World’ as the recessional hymn. This hymn echoes Psalm 98, which has many references to joy.

Shout joyfully to the Lord! Blessing to all our St Joseph’s community as we shout for joy as we head into the holiday break as we prepare the way of the Lord so that we remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us ask Emmanuel to be with us and hear our prayers for peace in the world, those in need and ourselves.

Year 9 End of Year Liturgy Student Reflections

‘Justice and Solidarity. This touchstone is about taking action and being committed to justice and peace, which we do through our service learning, or community service hours. Not only does this help our community, and bring us together, but it also puts a smile on your face. Helping others is a fundamental part of St. Joseph’s, as well as the messages behind the other touchstones, and it is reflected in all of these things that we do.’ Callum W

‘I have endless possibilities to study what I need for my future career paths, because they helped me reach my goals for this year. For that, I give thanks to my teachers. A final note I leave is that you should treat your teachers with respect, they are here to help you achieve your goals and to make sure you get to where you want to be in life. Thanks Westcourt you’ve changed my life for the better and I won’t forget it.’ Archer W

‘By striving for our highest, we can achieve so much more in whatever we are passionate about. In 2023 we all return to Edmund Rice Campus, and move into Year 10. For many of us, this represents a new beginning and an opportunity for a fresh perspective. We can strive for our highest in pursuit of our chosen goals. This year, a lot of people have done so many great things. Like the Westcourt band who have worked tremendously throughout the year to play for us at assemblies. The footy, cricket, soccer and any other sports teams for trying their best in ACC. The teachers and staff for working constantly to make sure we are best prepared for Mt Sion next year. And finally, all my peers who have made a mark on Westcourt which I’m sure will stick around for a while.’

Lincoln B

2023 Student Leaders Planning Day

This week our 44 senior student leaders were introduced to their 2023 theme ‘Lead by Example’, along with the expectations of their leadership roles and the many opportunities for future involvement at St Joseph’s College. The leaders spent half a day together in collaboration, as one united team before, planning for success in their designated House and Touchstone groups. They enjoyed lunch and a game of Ultimate Disc during the break, before being addressed by Mr Mark Kennedy the Deputy Principal, of Wellbeing on the topic of resilience. We would like to thank Mr Kennedy for his valuable time spent preparing and presenting to our student leaders. Some overall feedback from leaders included keywords such as inclusive, helpful and great fun when used to describe the day!

Welcome to the 2023 Student Leadership Coordinator

During Head Start we welcomed Ms Rachael Swatman to the Identity Team as a 2023 Student Leadership Coordinator. We thank our outgoing Student Leadership Coordinator Mr Ashley Crook for all of his positive energy, and the many opportunities he has created to build capacity in our student leaders' skill set and to help them balance their wellbeing and study workloads as he collaborated with students to celebrate living out our college Touchstones of Inclusive Community, Justice and Solidarity, Gospel Spirituality and Liberating Education.

COLLEGE OFFICES

Westcourt Campus will close on Thursday 15 December at 4.30pm and reopen on Monday 30 January 2023.

Edmund Rice Campus will close on Tuesday 20 December at 12.00pm and reopen on Wednesday 18 January 2023.

COLLEGE UNIFORMS

The College appreciates any donations of school uniforms that you no longer need. We have these washed / dry cleaned and gratefully help our community where needed.

Uniforms can be delivered to reception at either Campus. We appreciate your generosity.

IMMUNISATION SERVICE

Has your child missed any school immunisations?

Catch up is free up to 19 years of age available through Barwon Health Immunisation service, see details below, or your GP.

Bookings via this link https://bit.ly/2Ie9F4E 

The music department has finished the year on a high note with the Sunset Soiree on 29 November. We had an excellent turnout of family and friends who enjoyed performances from the SJC ensembles, including the Year 12 group “All That Jazz” who has performed at several College and community fundraising events throughout the year. Highlights of the evening included the World Premiere of Ms Hepworth’s composition “Jousting”, performed by the Intermediate Band, a duet from Hamilton sung by two of our outgoing Year 12 students Charlie and Jett and of course, the finale massed concert band with some Christmas songs while Mr Collinson enthusiastically threw lollies into the crowd. We would like to congratulate all the SJC musicians on a fantastic year of music-making and thank all the SJC music staff for their tireless work throughout the year. Thanks to the parents and staff for their support and we look forward to many more exciting music events in 2023. Stay tuned for information on an exciting band workshop with the Hot Potato Band, SJC live, the Arts Hall of Fame opening and the Term 3 Band Tour to name a few things.

Thursday 24 November was the first time that all thirteen member Colleges of the Associated Catholic Colleges were able to come together, to celebrate the new 2023 College Captains. Our College Captain Jaeger F and College Deputies Matteo B and Jesse C travelled with Ms Cassandra Coogan, Student Leadership Coordinator and Ms Belinda Milverton, Faith Development Coordinator to the 2023 ACC Leadership Launch. This formal event on the ACC calendar was hosted by St Joseph’s, Ferntree Gully.

The launch involved selected student leaders from each of the Colleges, being officially recognised, and joining in a memorable celebration of the inter-connectedness and the unique identity of our school members. The event commenced with a celebration of the Eucharist, followed by the sharing of a special meal and a presentation from each 2023 College Captain, espousing the unique identity and charism of their school. The students who attended gained an appreciation of their school’s broader involvement in the ACC, as well as learning a little about each of the other schools within the Association.

The informal aspects to the launch allowed for student leaders to meet and socialize, with further follow up opportunities planned for 2023. Jaeger did an amazing job representing the core features and values of our College in his two-minute speech, although he had not addressed his peers in a forum such as this before, along with Principals and Deputies, in a full-house of ACC representatives.

The staff on our table complimented him on speaking confidently to the audience, as he passionately discussed St Joseph’s College, our values and especially our various service learning opportunities.

Year 8 students have been working hard in Head Start, learning about the Engineering Design Process. As part of this, they were challenged to build the tallest tower out of spaghetti and play dough. The students researched different tower shapes to see which ones were the most stable. They then put their plans into action, reviewing and modifying them along the way.

We would like to congratulate Thomas B in Year 12, on being chosen as the recipient of the 2022 Deakin Young Influencer Award. This award is open to all Year 11 students and Thomas was selected as St Joseph's College Geelong’s winner, which is an incredible achievement.

The Deakin Young Influencer Award recognises excellence and celebrates students who are truly motivated to make a positive difference in the world - now and into the future. Deakin believes strongly in acknowledging outstanding students, who stand for the same values that we do. The University has rewarded Thomas’ efforts and achievements with a $5000 scholarship to support the first year of study at Deakin in 2024.

Thomas has been awarded the Deakin Young Influencer Award for his leadership among his classmates and the community. Thomas has volunteered to provide first aid at U15 netball games, umpired football games, raised money for the Winter Sleepout, and supported his peers in numerous school roles. Inclusion and excellence are values Deakin seeks to uphold and we commend Thomas for his commitment to them.

Congratulations Thomas, we wish you all the best and can’t wait to see what the future holds for you.

Our final totals are!

Money Raised - $10760/10,000. Congratulations to Owen M who raised $1000

MOVES - 1033km/1000. Congratulations to Josef P who moved 202kms.

Team Members - 109/220 (the 220 member goal is around 10% of our school community)

Conversations promoting men's health = Countless, impactful.

Term Dates 2023

Term 1

Tuesday 31 January - Wednesday 5 April

Term 2

Wednesday 26 April - Thursday 22 June

Term 3

Tuesday 11 July - Thursday 14 September

Term 4

Monday 2 October - Thursday 7 December

* Finishing dates may vary for different year levels in Term 4 due to senior classes having exams etc. All dates may also be subject to change. Please keep up to date with the College newsletter for the latest information.

The 2023 St Joseph’s College booklists for each year level will be listed when available to download on this page. Submission of booklists is to be done online – please do not return the booklist to the College.

Ordering Online

1. Visit www.campion.com.au
2. Choose to set up an account, sign in or continue without an account.
3. Type in the code: “MH3J”
4. Select the relevant year level booklist
5. Complete and submit the order by the due date. Please check carefully that all compulsory items have been selected.

All orders will be home delivered.

CURRENT BOOKLISTS AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION:

• Applied Learning Booklist
• VCE Units 1-4 Booklist
• Year 7 Booklist
• Year 8 Booklist
• Year 9 Booklist
• Year 10 Booklist

Year 7 2023 Booklist

Year 7 Booklist 2023

Year 8 2023 Booklist

Year 8 Booklist 2023

Year 9 2023 Booklist

Year 9 Booklist 2023

Mt Sion 2023 Booklists

Year 10 Booklist 2023

Applied Learning 2023 Booklist

VCE Units 1-4 2023 Booklist

Sustainable School Shop – Booklist items

The College is working with Sustainable School Shop to provide parents with the ability to trade second-hand items via www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au The service is very accessible, it preferences our school first and then provides access to buy and sell items with families attending other schools. Many schools use this service. Access to second-hand textbooks, uniforms, calculators, stationery, musical equipment, etc is available all year. For the best results:
• Register on the Sustainable School Shop website and nominate the school
• A subscription to the service will be provided to you
• List your items for sale
• List wanted ads for those items you are looking to buy (if you’re buying texts, please ensure that it is the booklisted edition and that digital codes are current)
• The College’s uniform and book lists are loaded into the system to make listing ads easy
• The system matches the ads of buyers with sellers and notifies the buyer via email
• Buyers contact sellers and arrange where and when to trade
• Most trading will occur with other parents from our school
• Parents are well supported via Sustainable School Shop’s telephone (0438 743 444) and email help lines
• The system is simple and easy to use. If you don’t have a computer, internet access or an email address, please call the Sustainable School Shop for assistance.
• You can pre-arrange the transaction and then trade after the texts are not required.

The College is providing this service so there is no cost for families. Each family that registers on the Sustainable School Shop will be given a subscription.

Additional Secondhand School suppliers:

Secondhand School Specialists

Secondhand School Supplies

Facebook Group: St Joseph's College Geelong Second Hand Uniforms and Books