2023 | ISSUE 1 | SJC Newsletter

Welcome back

Last Tuesday we welcomed students back for the 2023 school year and there was a palpable sense of excitement as students re-engaged with school friends. The excitement was mixed with trepidation for our new students, particularly those commencing in year 7. In addressing the year 7’s I emphasised student’s obligation to do their best in every aspect of school life and to help everybody else do the same using the analogy og climbing to the top of the mountain and reaching down to help others.

At our opening school Mass last Friday, I was reflecting that one of the most basic human needs we have is for connection and belonging. Celebrating the Eucharist together confirms our connection to one another and to the worldwide church. On a more local level we were also celebrating our membership of the community of St Joseph’s and to individual home rooms, year levels and sub-schools. In chatting range of students during last week I had a strong sense of positivity and am confident that our student cohort feel this connection, feel that they belong, and have started the year extremely well.

Welcome the following new teachers and support staff to the College:

New parent information night

Families of all students new to the school, including those in year 7, are asked to attend an information night next Monday, 13 February. The evening will commence with hospitality from 5.30pm with presentations commencing at 6.15 in the College gymnasium. Invitations have been sent and are also posted on our website.

Fees and funding

St Joseph’s is committed to keeping our fees at the lowest level possible. We receive government funding based on the average taxable income of families within the school community. This is calculated as a number referred to as the ‘CTC’, (capacity to contribute). The higher this figure the lower the level of government funding and vice versa. This year our CTC has increased from 101 to 102 which means a slight reduction in the level of government funding we will receive but there will be no increase in school fees beyond the modest increase advised last year.

Families have been provided with fee statements recently. The fee statements include a voluntary contribution of $80 to the Edmund Rice Foundation Australia (ERFA). Families are advised of this each year in the ‘operoo’ message detailing the fee schedule. Last year our community contributed a total of approximately $100,000 through this contribution which supported a variety of charitable works including health and education in East Africa, women and children’s initiatives and Edmund Rice camps Australia. Further information on the work of the Foundation can be accessed on their website https://erf.org.au/

It is important to note that the voluntary contribution to ERFA is separate to our fundraising conducted as part of our celebration of Edmund Rice day in May which is primarily directed to St Joseph’s Kensekka (Uganda).

News from Kensekka

For many years the College has supported the development and operation of a school at Kensekka in rural Uganda. We purchased land, funded most building costs and contribute most of the ongoing costs of running the school. Real progress is starting to be made. I recently received an email from Parish Priest Fr Emma summarising the achievements 2022. They include:

• the new three classroom block completed
• successful project applications to Edmund Rice Foundation Australia supporting tailoring and brickmaking
• development of a strategic plan
• seeking bids for the installation of three-phase solar power
• applications to the government for funding support toward payment teacher salaries
• an increase in the number of students from 150 to 200

Fr Emma’s report also notes the ongoing challenges of drought in the region. These include reduced ability for parents to make any financial contribution to the school and poor crops leading to reduced food production for student lunches. There are also issues with the lack of electricity.

Our community is providing hope and creating a future for the families of Kensekka. Our fundraising on Edmund Rice day in May and the Parents and Friends fashion dinner later in the year will be more important this year than ever.

A thought for the start of the year.

Pope Francis recently wrote the following

"You can have flaws, be anxious and even be angry, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can stop it from failing. You are appreciated, admired and loved by so many. Remember that being happy is not about having a sky without storm, a road without accidents, a job without effort, a relationship without disappointments.

“To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become the author of your own fate.” It's walking through deserts, but being able to find an oasis deep in the soul. Is thanking God every morning for the miracle of life. It’s kissing your children, cuddling your parents, having poetic moments with your friends, even when they hurt us.

“Being happy is letting the creature that lives in each of us live, free, joyful and simple. You have the maturity to be able to say: "I've made mistakes". It's having the courage to say I'm sorry. It's having the sense to say "I need you". Is having the ability to say "I love you". May your life become a garden of opportunities for happiness... that in spring he may be a lover of joy and in winter a lover of wisdom.

"And when you make a mistake, start over. Because only then will you be in love with life. You'll discover that being happy isn't having a perfect life. But use tears to irrigate tolerance. Use your defeats to train your patience.

"Use your mistakes with the serenity of the sculptor. Use pain to tune into pleasure. Use obstacles to open the windows of intelligence. Never give up ... Above all never give up on the people that love you. Never give up on being happy, because life is an incredible spectacle. ".

God Bless

Tony Paatsch

As our students return for another academic year, we extend a warm welcome to our community as we embark on another exciting year of learning. This year, we have implemented some exciting changes at Westcourt, introducing the Westcourt project, a project-based learning initiative that focuses on critical and creative thinking, personal and social capabilities and ethical understanding. These projects have a diverse range of themes including entrepreneurial and technology-based subjects. We have also updated the curriculum of our core subjects and implemented changes to the way these units will be delivered. Similarly, we have modified the timetable and curriculum at Mt Sion, so that our students have greater allocated time per week for each subject, to prioritise depth of learning. A deeper focus on a fewer number of subjects will allow our students to develop a more thorough and complete understanding of what they are studying, to benefit future academic and career pursuits. A deeper understanding of a subject can lead to greater critical thinking skills, better problem-solving abilities, and a more well-rounded knowledge base. At Waterford, we implemented minor changes to the Year 7 program, with our students studying both languages Italian and Chinese before narrowing their language choices in Year 8.

This year we will continue to work with Sacred Heart College on the “Time project”, where we have been exploring different models of learning and the use of time in schools to support the complex range of learning preferences among our students. Late last year we surveyed our senior students, asking them several questions about effective learning, this survey provided great insight into times of the day when our students believe they learn best, their preferred timing or length of classes and the desire for flexibility in their learning pathways. The data also strongly encourages the College to look at offering some models of online or hybrid learning for our students as well as provide independent study opportunities. We are hoping to present a collaborative model to implement in 2024, that meets the needs of our students for their future and we will keep parents updated in the newsletter as the model develops.

Homework Guidelines

The College has reviewed and updated our Homework Guidelines, which we have articulated to our students through our Subschool briefings in the first week. Homework helps students to establish behaviour patterns involving work outside formal school time and to establish a habit of revising or studying work on a regular basis in order to improve retention, conceptualisation, recall, and understanding.

Our Heads of Learning have communicated the College Homework expectations at each subschool, and our expectations increase as our students progress each year. We also have a set of family responsibilities in our guidelines which are outlined below:

• To work together in setting schedules that allow for the recommended weekly time for work at home.

• To provide a setting that allows work to be done effectively.

• For parents to monitor student work regularly and check their PAM accounts.

• To take an interest and be involved in your child’s homework, but minimise direct assistance to develop independent learning.

• Discuss the work set in order for encouragement to be given and as a means of keeping parents informed.

As a guide for parents the hours of Homework you would expect for your child at each Year level is

Year 7&8 5 hours a week

Year 9 7- 8 hours a week (subject choice dependent)

Year 10 10 hours a week (subject choice dependent)

Year 11 12 hours a week (subject choice dependent)

Year 12 15 – 20 hours a week (subject choice dependent)

The variation in elective subjects and acceleration opportunities will impact the hours required to study and complete homework for each child.

The College library is open Monday to Thursday until 5 pm to support students who need a quiet place to study, and provide tea, coffee and biscuits to our senior students during this time. Our College Library team will also deliver study skill sessions to students who have allocated study time, and we will continue to engage and use the resources of Elevate Education.

Elevate offer a series of free online webinars for parents to support their child at home. The information regarding Elevate and their first session is below.

Elevate Education works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series you will learn how you can help better support your children at home by reinforcing the skills they learn at school:

When: Wednesday 15 February

Time: 6.30 - 7.30 pm

Theme: How to help and get your child Motivated

Cost: Free to elevate schools

To register: Registration Link

Key Testing Dates across the College for Semester One

This year we have had some changes to the mandated testing schedule for students in Years 7, 9 and any student studying VCE Units 3-4 or Year 12 VCE VM. It is really important where possible to avoid making student appointments on the dates outlined below.

NAPLAN

• Year 7 (those not on camp 1) will complete the testing schedule on 15, 16, and 17 March

• Year 7 (those who were on camp 1) will complete the testing schedule on 20, 21 and 22 March

• Year 9 will complete the testing schedule on 15, 16, 17 March

The GAT

For all students who complete one or more VCE Unit 3-4 sequences (scored and unscored), Scored VET or Senior VCAL or VCE VM units. This will take place on Thursday 15 June.

ACER PAT testing 7 - 10

This will occur in English and Maths classes during the first few weeks of Term 1.

Semester One Exam Week - Years 8 - 11

This will start on Monday 19 - Thursday 22 June, and timetables will be released closer to the date.

Academic Awards Celebration

To celebrate the success of our 2022 Academic Year we will be holding our annual awards ceremonies in the coming weeks. These awards recognise the hard work and dedication of our students and provide an opportunity to showcase the diverse talents of our community.

The Waterford Awards will be held Monday 13 February and will acknowledge the efforts of our 2022 Year 7 and 8 students. The Westcourt & Mt Sion award ceremony will be held Tuesday 14 February and will acknowledge the efforts of our Year 9 - 12 students. Both award ceremonies will be filmed and made available to parents shortly after the events.

Parent Access Module (PAM)

Over the holidays the developers of our student management system upgraded our Parent access module we refer to as PAM. Please contact the College if you do not have access to your account.

We have asked our teaching staff to begin to place outlines of the student's lessons through the lesson plan section to enable parents to gain insight into what their students are studying in each class. Whilst this was previously done in the College for students to access, this upgrade gives parents the opportunity to view it as well. The College teaching team have been asked to transition to this module over the term and we expect full implementation and access to parents for the start of Term 2.

‘Open our hearts and minds to build a better world for all’ (Romans 12:2)

The Identity Team have had a busy start to the school year as we launched our new theme for 2023 at our College Commencement Masses. At the Edmund Rice Campus, we welcomed and Fr Daryl Montecillo from St Francis Xavier in Corio and St Anthony of Padua in Lara, to celebrate the Mass. At our Westcourt Campus we welcomed Fr Sang Ho from St Bernard’s Parish who both welcomed families from St Joseph’s to be a part of their weekend Parish celebrations of the Mass. Our College Captain Jaeger Fawcett, Deputy College Captains Matteo Bove and Jesse Conroy along with the Westcourt Campus Captains Henry Martin, Noah Marcus and Henry Grogan shared their understanding of our theme and goals for our academic school year at our St Joseph’s College in the Edmund Rice tradition.

Our theme this year, ‘Open our hearts and minds to build a better world for all’, stems from the Liberating Education Touchstone statement which states, ‘We open hearts and minds, through quality teaching and learning experiences, so that through critical reflection and engagement, each person is hope-filled and free to build a better world for all’ (EREA, 2016, p.5).

Further to this, Romans 12:2 expresses, ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ Romans 12:2

“As College captain this year, I have the privilege of looking back on my time at St Joseph’s thus far, and reflecting on what this place has afforded me. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities, the challenges, the special moments and even the hardships I have experienced as all of these things have shaped me into the person I am today. When making your choice about the kind of year you would like to have, look around you first. Take notice of the opportunities presented, the ones you would have looked past, notice the potential friendships you could make, take notice of service learning opportunities that could enrich your lives, and imagine the progress you could make with your studies with some fine-tuning of your schedules and self-motivation. Make your choice with your heart and mind open, have the year you deserve.”
College Captain Jaeger Fawcett

“As a Joeys student, we have always been encouraged to have strong minds with a gentle heart. This is a profound notion. Our mind is the most powerful asset we have. If we are able to demonstrate resilience, grow from mistakes and have a positive mindset, then our lives become rich and fulfilling. If we allow ourselves to be compassionate, show empathy and be selfless, our hearts are guided by gentleness and purpose.”
Deputy College Captain Matteo Bove

“This idea is the foundation of our theme for 2023. ‘Open our hearts and minds to build a better world for all’ (Romans 12:2). It is the message from Romans chapter 12, and we can easily find relevance in its words and meaning. Shifting your patterns and focus can change your life. Renewing your mind, changing the way you think and opening your heart to others can create a better life for yourself and the world around you. In doing so, we will be living out our school motto to really, ‘Strive for the highest’, in all we do.
Noah Marcus Westcourt Campus Captain

Yr 8 Time & Space Event

Registrations are open for our upcoming annual Year 8 Father-Son Night on Wednesday 8 March 2023 in the O.S. Adams Centre (Gym) 6.45pm for a 7.00pm start.

St Joseph’s College is delighted to offer you an opportunity to experience a lifetime memory with your son at the annual ‘Father and Son’ Night. This innovative single evening program is an event we have planned especially for our Year 8 students and their fathers, grandfathers (or male mentors). We think that this is a great time to bring you together.

To register please:

Visit the link http://bit.ly/SJCG823

This helps with our activity planning for the session.

This session is exclusive to Year 8.

Lake Mungo and Culpra Milli Immersion

This year we are offering Year 10 and Year 11 students the opportunity to take part in the Lake Mungo and Culpra Milli immersion program which will take place on Monday 10^th – Saturday 15^th July 2023. We have 14 more places available. See link below for details and contact [email protected] if your student is interested. We will have staff from Red Earth give an onsite information session in the coming weeks.

https://www.redearth.edu.au/destinations/lake-mungo/

World Youth Day 2023 Melbourne to Lisbon

If your son is interested in living out our theme for 2023 to ‘Open minds and hearts for a better world for all’, we have a unique opportunity for Mt Sion students over 16 to go to the World Youth Day 2023 Melbourne to Lisbon Pilgrimage with St Joseph’s staff and fellow Edmund Rice school representatives. Please see the link below for some details. Send expressions of interest to [email protected] and I will arrange an information session regarding further details and sponsorship/funding opportunities.

https://udisciple.melbournecatholic.org/wyd

Mary Malone - Director of Identity

The St Joseph's Cricket Club would like to extend a huge thank you St Joseph’s College for their generous contribution in support of the u15 New Zealand cricket and cultural experience 2023.

This year 15 boys were fortunate enough to travel to Auckland for 10 days to play 8 games of cricket and soak up the local experiences with adrenaline filled activities, geothermal natural wonders and an experience like no other with the Maori cultural education experience.

This is the 4th trip to New Zealand the cricket club has coordinated and the first after a four year break due to restrictions on international travel. The theme of the trip is to help build on skills such as leadership, respect, independence and promote mateship and inclusiveness while enjoying a unique international cricket experience.

One of the key objectives achieved was also to reconnect with the local host clubs that have made our previous trips so memorable. The travelling party were able to again align with some existing clubs including; Kumeu Cricket Club, Hibiscus Coast Cricket Club, Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club and Saint Kentigern’s College. The team were treated to amazing hospitality and look forward to the the chance to return the favour when our international friends decide to tour in Australia.

All of the boys can proudly say they have added international runs and wickets to their cricketing resume and have an experience that will provide lifelong memories. Thanks St Joseph's College for your support.

The St Joseph’s College community is being called on to nominate former students they wish to put forward for possible inclusion on the SJOCA Alumni Arts Honour Wall which will be on permanent display in the foyer of the Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre.

The Alumni Arts Honour Wall is one of the activities which will mark the 80^th anniversary of the St Joseph’s Old Collegians’ Association in 2023.

The Arts Honour Wall is planned to launch on August 31 to coincide with the Music Live celebration.

The Honour Wall aims to recognise excellence in creative pursuits such as performing arts, visual and graphic arts, architecture and design, music, literature, and film and television production.

Nominations are now open via this link: https://bit.ly/3JpkEa9

The Mt Sion Welcome Evening is scheduled for Monday 20 February. Starting at 7pm in the Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre, the evening is an opportunity to hear from key Mt Sion staff, including House Coordinators, Clinical Lead Mel Dobson, Careers Coordinator Karen Shum, and VET Coordinator Claire Hugo. The evening will allow you to learn more about Mt Sion pathways, service learning, wellbeing structures, and support options available to your son. All Year 10 families are strongly encouraged to be in attendance as your son starts his journey in Mt Sion.

In loving memory of Joan Ketzer who passed away 7 January 2023. Much-loved grandma of Alex Lee (2022) and Thomas Lee (Year 12). Treasured mother of Jo and mother-in-law of Barny (SJC Advisory Council member). Sadly missed and will live in our hearts forever.

A message from the Torquay Police Station

Following a small number of recent incidents at Torquay beach parties, local police would like to take this opportunity to encourage parents to have a conversation with their kids about the risks of underage drinking and anti-social behaviour.

A small number of offences have been detected at recent beach parties in Torquay including one serious assault, as well as underage drinking and drug use.

Police understand that there have been three beach events this year attended by approximately 100-200 teenagers.

Local police will maintain a high presence in the Torquay beach areas, with increased visible patrols on foot and on the roads to deter these gatherings.

We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable time on our beaches, however underage drinking and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.

Victoria Police want to help you keep your kids safe and remind you that now is a great opportunity for families to have important conversations around the risks of underage drinking, drug use, and attending unsanctioned parties.

If any parent wishes to discuss any of these issues, please feel free to contact A/S/Sgt Peter Christo at Torquay Police on 5264-3402 or via email [email protected]

'Then and Now' Performance

The 'Then and Now' Performance will be held on Sunday 26 February at 3pm at the St Joseph's College Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre.
Tickets are available via trybooking.com - children and students are free.

Ash Wednesday Canteen Menu - 22 February 2023

Breakfast

Cheese Toasties $2.00

Recess

Nachos $2.50

2 x potato cakes $2.50

Lunch

Margherita pizza $4.50

Fish and chips (Tempura flathead tails and chips) $6.00

Salad no meat rolls/sandwich/plate (Usual prices)

Egg and lettuce rolls/sandwiches/plates (Usual prices)

Tuna and salad sandwiches/plates (Usual prices)