Principal's Video News
Dear Parents / Carers,
Welcome to the final newsletter of the year, although there will be a final communication to families after we receive our VCE results on 11 December . Last week at school with our 2024 timetable operating has been really interesting. We have been delighted with how quickly staff and students have adapted to it and I reiterate my gratitude to all involved in making things run so smoothly.
2024 has been another successful year for St Joseph’s. I would like to thank families for working cooperatively and collaboratively with us to help produce the best possible educational outcomes for the year. There have been many highlights and I will leave it to the ‘Virtus’ when it is published to record these highlights in detail.
With a staff of almost 300, it is inevitable as we approach the end of the year, that some will move on, all either seeking new challenges and opportunities or into retirement. The following staff have either finished their time at St Joseph’s during second semester or will finish at the end of the year. Those leaving have served for periods of time ranging from a couple of months to almost 40 years (those with lengthy periods of service have the number of years after their names). Each has in their own way contributed to the rich tapestry of life and ongoing success of St Joseph’s and on behalf of the community I thank each of them sincerely and wish them well in their post Joey’s pursuits.
Support staff: Oskar Walter, Caitlin Nelson, Sue Collins (10), Sam James, Sean Edmondstone (10), Eliza Abbott, Liam Dougherty, Lisa Maher, Charlie Harris, Grace Malley, Willem Sanders, Raelene McMahon (12), Amanda Williamson, Mary-Ann Anderson (17), Nat Stephens, Noah Collins, Jack Thompson,
Teaching staff: Simon Taylor (39), Isabelle Dwyer (5), Tania Willard (22), Jason O'Connell (27), Caitlin Gulli, Peter Adams (8), John Collinson, Vin Brown (25), Jordan Livesay, Tania Talevski, Brendan Reed (10), John Harmon (15), Mark Kennedy (8), Rachael Swatman (5).
Singling out individuals runs the risk of disappointing others, however I would like to mention two of those departing. Simon Taylor has made a remarkable contribution to St Joseph’s for almost 40 years including 27 as a year level coordinator. Simon retires with the gratitude and admiration of many thousands of students and many hundreds of colleagues. Mark Kennedy has been Deputy Principal for 8 years including time spent as acting Principal. Mark has been instrumental in promoting well-being initiatives that has been integral in ensuring that child safeguarding is paramount in our policies and procedures. I am also personally grateful for his support of me.
Earlier this week the College Advisory Council, members of the governance and risk committee and the Finance and planning committee gathered for dinner to celebrate the year and acknowledge long serving departing staff. On your behalf I would like to thank and acknowledge all those who contributed to the College Advisory Council and committees this year for their commitment and generosity. In particular I thank Shona Eland (Advisory Council Chair), Executive members Paul Clohesy and Prof Chris Hickey, Andrea Kelly (Finance and Planning Chair) and Matt Waller (Governance and Risk Chair).
It is less than three weeks until Christmas, a celebration which, in modern Australia is both a secular and religious feast. The (relatively brief) recorded story of the first Christmas is one that is very familiar to us. A loving mother, a supportive partner and a much-loved infant whose arrival (albeit in somewhat controversial circumstances!) is celebrated by friends and family.
With the birth of any child we welcome a human being “made in the image and likeness of God” (Gen 1:27). The story of the first Christmas has an edge however. In welcoming this child named Emmanuel (“God is with us”) we are welcoming divinity incarnate and celebrating the presence of God in world.
I wish you and your family a joyous, peaceful and blessed Christmas and a relaxed and safe holiday period. I look forward to seeing all students back at school on Wednesday, January 31.
God Bless
Tony Paatsch
Principal
Deputy News
Year 12 VCE or Unit 3-4 Results
VCE Results, ATARs and VTAC scaled study scores will be released through the online portal “ VCE Results and ATAR Service” from 7am on Monday 11 December.
Students must register for the Results and ATAR service before they can log in to the website or app. To access their VCE results and ATAR from the website or app, they must enter their VCAA student number and the password they created when registering for the service.
The website service is free and available 24 hours a day from 7.00am Monday 11 December until 5.00pm Friday 15 December 2023.
We wish our students all the best for their impending results and look forward to recognising student achievement at the Mt Sion & Westcourt Awards early in term one 2024.
End of Semester Reports and Awards
The End-of-semester reports will be made available via the student and parent portals on Wednesday 13 December. These results will be a summary of all assessment results, as well as further information on the learning dispositions and learning progressions for each student in their classes. Students who are identified as the dux of their subject will be recognised in our Awards Ceremonies which take place during the school day on the dates indicated below.
Mt Sion and Westcourt Awards - Wednesday 13 February
Waterford Awards - Tuesday 12 February
Headstart and New Timetable
We would like to recognise the seamless transition of our students with the new College timetable. One area we would like to encourage is ensuring our students are onsite early enough to go to their lockers, gather their materials and be ready for class by 9.00am. Whilst we understand at times students can be late, the goal should be for all students to be at school around 8.50am to make sure they are not missing important learning time.
The College leadership team will review the week in the upcoming staff days, but we have been very impressed with the students and their ability to adjust quickly to the changes that have been put in place.
Start of the Year 2024
The College Leadership team will be back on site from Wednesday 24 January, with all teaching staff back on Monday 29 January. All students will start back on Wednesday 31 January.
Lisa Pope
Deputy Principal - Learning
Identity News
Service Learning Connecting Communities
The 2023 Newtown and Chilwell Primary School Mentoring program provided an opportunity to a group of Year 8 Leaders to be role models by helping some Year 5 students to engage more positively with school. The experience allowed us to step up and be role models to students who we may not have otherwise got an opportunity to mentor.
At the beginning we had some slight difficulties learning names and opening up with the rest of the group but as soon as we started playing some sport and just being around the group it was as if we had been friends for years. The experience was really a good chance to help out with, hopefully for some future Joeys students. By teaching them little values and some ways to better their communities, whether at school, on the sporting field or at home. Like many of us, these students have struggled with the challenges of life, post-Covid, and getting ‘back to business’. Over a 6-week period, the interactive hands-on program, targeted all areas of school life. I won’t lie, there was some trepidation and nerves as we entered the gym to meet the bubbly group of Grade 5’s for our first session. However, within a few minutes of warm up games in the gym, there were plenty of laughs, which allowed us to break the ice with everyone and become closer as a unit.
The program concluded with the group heading back to Chilwell Primary to discuss the importance of Service Learning, how it makes us feel, and its positive role in our community. Speaking in front of all of the Grade 5 students was a nerve-racking but a great experience overall. We can’t thank Mrs. Irving enough for developing and leading the program. It was a wonderful positive experience for all involved.
- Year 8 Students Liam Walker & Kai Dumbell
Leah Irving Service
Learning Coordinator
St Joseph’s End of Year College Mass Celebration
Our St Joseph’s Community began our Headstart week by celebrating our End of Year Mass. We welcomed Fr Darien Sticklen to lead us in a joyful celebration to close our 2023 academic year as we are prepared for the first week of Advent and our Headstart journey into 2024. We gave a special blessing to the staff we are farewelling due to either new job opportunities, family commitments, retirement or adventures further afield.
As we lit the first Advent candle we prayed:
May the blessing of Christ come upon us,
brightening our way and guiding us by his truth.
May Christ our light, guide us in hope.
May Christ our light, bring us joy.
May Christ our light, lead us to peace.
Our College Captain Michael Ahearn inspired the College sharing, ‘2024 is well placed to be a successful and bright year, make sure you position yourself to enhance your success.’
Identity Theme 2023
‘Open our Hearts and Minds to Build a Better World for all’ Romans 12:2
This became our theme for the year based on a reading from Romans 12:2. This year the Identity Team helped provide an array of engaging and enriching opportunities to support our students and staff to live out our Edmund Rice Touchstones, opening their hearts and minds to build a better world wherever we could.
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). 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
Our 2023 College Captain Jaeger Fawcett reflected his year inspiring the next year’s cohort of students stating, “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
I would like to congratulate and thank the 2023 Identity Team, Student College Leadership Team and Touchstone Leaders who have led many of the Identity team initiatives and are all a shining example living the touchstones and gospel values through service leadership, that includes the elements of: empathy, stewardship, empowering others, a balance of focus and flexibility, attentive listening and serving with humility. We wish all of the St Joseph’s community a safe and blessed Christmas. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may His light illuminate our paths and His peace fill our hearts. May you make time for the message of Christmas to fill your homes with new hope and joy.
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born, will be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35
Mary Malone
Director of Identity
End of Year Information
The Westcourt Campus office will be closed from 14 December at 3.30pm and reopen on Monday the 29 January.
The Edmund Rice Campus office will be closed from Wednesday the 20 December at 12.00pm and reopen on Wednesday the 17 January.
Both Campuses will be closed on Friday 15 December.
Any donations of books or uniforms are more than welcomed. The College appreciates the support this allows us to provide families needing assistance.
In 2024 SJC will be employing a new staff member for the Westcourt Canteen. As Sharelle will be a staff member for SJC we are fortunate we can now have parents/carers/grandparents on site to volunteer in the Westcourt Canteen. An Operoo will be sent to Year 9 families in late January to ask if you can assist in the Canteen. You will be warmly welcomed with a cuppa and a great lunch. You will also have your child receive a canteen voucher to use at his leisure.
I ask all families to use the Parent Access Module (PAM) to enter absences for your child in 2024. This is our preferred method of notifying the College as it enters the absence directly onto our roll marking system. It also allows your son to sign in / out at reception without requiring parental notes and signatures of specific teaching staff.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the families I have had communication with throughout the year. I wish you all a Blessed Christmas and look forward to supporting you and your children in 2024.
Bernerdene Carthew
SJC Office Manager
Term 4, Week 9 - Careers News
DownloadSUSTAINABILITY NEWS
TERM 4 CUT THE WRAP WINNERS
The reintroduction of the CUT THE WRAP initiative at Years 7 and 8 over the course of this semester was an integral step toward re-launching our pre-COVID waste management regime. Once again, waste management has now become a topic of conversation in many families’ households, increasingly so, with the implementation of Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme in November. Each strategy to reduce waste to landfill, based on key sustainable practices including: Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, collectively impact and contribute to the ultimate goal of reducing waste to landfill.
It has been rewarding to witness many families adopt our CUT THE WRAP approach to making lunches and it has been evident that once the transition is made, students are likely to maintain this approach.
We are thrilled to announce the Term 4 CUT THE WRAP winners for both year levels;
7I (Brad Lynch/Fletcher Long) with 129 participants, followed by 7B (94) and 7H (78).
8K (Chris Conroy) with 100 participants, followed by 8B (57) and 8J (54)
Thank you to families that have already adopted our CUT THE WRAP approach to making lunches, helping your son/s reduce their carbon footprint and improve the environment both locally and globally. We encourage students at all year levels to transition to plastic wrap free lunches on a daily basis.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
VICTORIA’S CONTAINER DEPOSIT SCHEME
There is no denying that the implementation of the Cash Deposit Scheme across Victoria on 1 November, provides a wonderful opportunity to streamline our recycling efforts with the incentive for cash or voucher rewards, or alternately, a donation to a selected Charity. In relation to the scheme, two of the most prevailing questions from students have been; What can be recycled and where can we recycle them?
According to the CDS Website, many aluminium, glass, plastic and liquid paperboard (carton) drink containers between 150mL and 3 litres are eligible. Containers must have the 10c sign and readable barcodes. Tips: Lids may be left on and containers should not be crushed.
There are various methods for recycling including; Recycling depots, Reverse Vending (RVM) Machines and over the Counter Returns (OTC). To find out more regarding eligible containers, refund point types and locations nearest to your home, visit the Victoria Container Deposit Scheme site at; https://cdsvic.org.au/
For more information regarding local Recycling Depot, Recycle for Change, 116 Furner Avenue Bell Park, visit their website at; https://recycle4change.com.au/
Kelly Jenkins
Sustainability Coordinator
Parents and Friends
Throughout 2023 the P&F events along with the incredibly generous support of our St Joseph’s community we have been able to support students through First Aid and RSA qualifications, ManCave for the Year 10 boys and for the College Bursary Program. All of these have enabled growing opportunities for our Joeys boys to thrive and set them up for success in the wider world.
Some of the P&F events throughout the year included the Trivia Night that had such a great atmosphere and competitive spirit amongst the teams! The Comedy Night had a re-invention being held in the PAC in August. Despite a hiccup with the lead comedian coming down with gastro 3 hours before the event, due to some quick thinking we were still able to offer 3 very talented and funny comedians that were enjoyed by all who came along.
The major P&F fundraising event, the annual Fashion Dinner was held in October at Mount Duneed Estate. With the sun shining, cocktails and delicious canapes out in the gorgeous gardens it was a perfect start to the evening. 180 guests were entertained by the stunning models, including some special appearances from SJC staff, and we were able to reach our fundraising goal and raise $17,000 to take the total fundraising efforts for Kensekka to over $300,000.
I want to thank all those that attended P&F meetings throughout the year, bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas and looking forward to what new initiatives and success we can bring in 2024! Wishing you and your families a safe and happy Christmas holiday period.
Sasha Dickson
President