2024 | ISSUE 4 | SJC Newsletter

Principal's Video News

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a gathering of EREA Principals and senior leaders from our mainstream schools and flexible learning centres across Australia. The task for the two days was to consider and refresh the charter for EREA schools. This process commenced earlier this year with a gathering of student leaders in Ballarat and will conclude with an official launch of the updated charter in November. It was clear in the gathering that the four touchstones are seen as remaining relevant and important in our schools and flexible learning centres and will be retained as the mechanism through which we deliver our vision and mission which flow from the charter.

This week we held the first two of ten open day tours of the College. The tours were led by students, with staff stationed at key points to answer any questions that might arise. Some places are still available for tours early next term and I encourage families with sons in Year 6 to book a tour, this can be done through our website.

Our final two Year 7 camps have been held this week. I have been delighted with the way our Year 7 students have settled in to life at St Joseph’s this term and the camp is a great way for them to feel even more a part of the College. It is also a wonderful opportunity for boys to challenge themselves, form new friendships or deepen those which already exist.

Last week, I participated in the SJC Golf Day at Lonsdale Links. Over 210 alumni, parents, past staff and donors participated on the day, raising over $30,000. A big thank you to our Master Sponsor, Associated Cold Tread Tyres, who have been a part of the day since the event began nearly 30 years ago. Well done to the winning AM team, IDAWS, and the winning PM team, SJC Virtute.

Thank you to those families who have booked parent teacher meetings. As I emphasised in the previous newsletter, strong communication between family and teacher is an important contributor to excellent educational outcomes for our students.

A reminder to anyone interested in joining the Advisory Council, the Finance and Planning Committee or the Governance and Risk Committee to contact me on 5226 8119 or submit an expression of interest in writing to [email protected]

The Easter story has been referred to as ‘the greatest story ever told’ which was the name of the 1965 film which retold the story of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. As Christians, we commemorate it annually during holy week commencing on Palm Sunday (this Sunday) and culminating with the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The story of this week from around 2,000 years ago is the keystone of each of the four Gospels, albeit with slight differences in detail and order of events. There are powerful messages; the importance of forgiveness, ‘Forgive them Lord, they don’t know what they are doing”, the value of ritual “do this in memory of me”, and challenging questions; how can a crowd be so fickle as Jesus from feted ‘king of the Jews’ on Palm Sunday to convicted and executed outcast five days later?, What, if any message do we take from the fact that the first witnesses to the resurrection were women?

The Easter story is the centre of our faith and may well be the greatest story ever told. It is certainly a story that provides us with the opportunity for deep reflection. I hope you and your family have the opportunity to remember, reflect and commemorate this Easter. Best wishes to you and your family for a safe and happy holiday break.

God Bless

Tony Paatsch
Principal

Deputy News

NAPLAN

Last week, our students in both Year 7 and Year 9 participated in the National Assessment Program, also known as NAPLAN. Our students conducted themselves exceptionally well given they needed to do four tests over three days. These tests were conducted online in the gymnasiums of both campuses, and we were impressed with the way our students approached the testing schedule. Students absent for a test will have the chance to complete a catch-up session over the fortnight. Another highlight of the test was the new Year 7 touchscreen computers, which were far more efficient at logging onto our system and enabling supporting staff to quickly help if there was an issue with accessing the testing platform. Thanks to Rebecca Barker and Paul Hood who managed over 2,000 tests last week and our exceptionally patient Information Technology Team

Mid Semester Reports

Mid-Semester Reports will be released to students and available on PAM on Tuesday 19 March after 3.30pm. This year, we built in an acknowledgement in the parent portal to understand that our reports are being accessed and read by parents.

Our Mid-Semester Reports focus on Learning dispositions, which refer to the habits and actions that significantly influence how students approach their learning. These dispositions include:

• Works collaboratively with others

• Takes ownership and responsibility for learning

• Arrives prepared and organised for each lesson

• Completes all learning tasks including homework

• Seeks feedback for improvement in their learning

Parent Student Teacher Interviews

A reminder that our Parent Student Teacher Interviews will be occurring on Wednesday 27 March and Thursday 28 March. The format is different on both days:

• Wednesday 27 March - held face to face in the gymnasium at the Edmund Rice Campus from 4pm – 7pm

• Thursday 28 March - held online through TEAMS (link will be in PAM) from 9am – 12pm.

Our Mid-Semester Report indicates for each subject if an interview is required, however, we encourage all parents to participate as it is a great way to engage directly with your child’s teacher and gain insights into their progress to date. We also ask you to bring your child to the interview, as when students actively participate in these discussions, they gain a sense of ownership over their education.

Student Free Day Reminders

A reminder Thursday 28 and Friday 29 March are student free days at the College. Students return after the term break on Monday 15 April.

Year 10 and 11 Modified Program during Year 12 Renewals

Our commitment to the Year 12 Renewal program sees a change in the way we deliver our curriculum for Mt Sion students in Years 10 and 11 in the first week of May. For planning purposes please note the following changes:

Year 10

Wednesday 1 May – Year 10 will attend the College to complete AAS testing and classes.

Thursday 2 May – Year 10 will attend their normal program at the College.

Friday 3 May – Year 10 will access their classes online and are to work from home.

Year 11

Wednesday 1 May – Year 11 will complete online learning from home, as this is their usual consolidation day. External TAFE will still operate.

Thursday 2 May – Year 11 will attend their normal program at the College.

Friday 3 May – Year 11 will access their classes online and are to work from home.

Timetable Feedback and Monitoring

As we have introduced a new timetable structure, we have developed, alongside Sacred Heart College, a plan to look at different data points along the way to see if we can identify any significant impact. Such data includes student attendance data at significant points throughout the year, behavioural tracking data, well-being data, student assessment data and Staff and Student Feedback.

One point of interest is our attendance data is significantly higher than this time last year and we wonder if this is attributed to classes starting at 9am. Our students have done a great job of getting to class on time and adapting to a changing structure. A student survey was released on SIMON for all students to give feedback at this early stage, and we will run other feedback surveys at different stages throughout the year.

Lisa Pope
Deputy Principal - Learning

SJOCA Golf Day

On Friday 15 March, the SJC Golf day was held in magnificent conditions at Lonsdale Links. A fantastic array of talent, some more so than others, graced the fairways to support the SJC bursary program. Over 210 alumni, parents, past staff and donors enjoyed the day and raised over $30,000. Thank you to all our donors and sponsors who make the day as significant as it is, with teams, donating prizes and auction items to support our day.

Winners on the day:

AM Session Top 5
1. IDAWS  51.8 
2. Associated Cold Tread Tyres 52.43
3. MCP Group 53
4. Cotton On Foundation 53.1
5. Prestige Jayco 53.3

NTP’s
2 – Jimmy Vo
6 – Colin Gillett
7 – Dean Mottram
12 – Tony Brushfield
14 – Glenn Boseley

Longest Drives
 8 - John McKinnon (Over 60)
17 - Sam Saunders

Chip to Win
Chris McFarlane

PM Session Top 5
SJC Virtute 50.6
West Carr Harvey 50.7
Frameline 51.5
Geelong Confectionery 52.07
IST 52.39

NTP’s
2 – Rob Goulay
6 – Steve Menagazzo
7 – David Orr
12 – Steve Menagazzo
14 – Bobby Macloed

Longest Drives
8 – Dennis Davie (Over 60)
17 - Edward Sargeant

Chip to Win
Wade Vautier

A huge thank you to our Master Sponsor, Associated Cold Tread Tyres who have been there since the event began nearly 30 years ago.
If you need tyres for any vehicle, please give them a call on 5278 5533

Community Directory
Please support those who continue to support SJC

SJC Swimming Carnival 

On Friday 8 March, students from across Years 7 – 12 participated in the SJC Swimming Carnival at Kardinia Aquatic Centre. There was a slight change to normal programming this year, with all Year 7 students attending the carnival and students from Years 8 – 12 who elected to swim involved in the afternoon finals session. The morning session gave all Year 7 students an opportunity to participate in all four swimming strokes and qualify for the finals in the afternoon. It was fantastic to see all Year 7 students participate in their first SJC Swimming Carnival and show high levels of house spirit.

The afternoon session was fast-paced with a number of high-quality swimmers putting on a show for the spectating crowd of parents, students, and staff. The Mitchell Classic was one of the closest finishes that had been seen in recent years, with Year 9 student Liam Walker taking out the overall honours. The house points competition was a close affair with Foley House coming out on top, over a fast-finishing Jordan, Brophy, and Butler. All students should be commended on their high level of enthusiasm and efforts across the day, in both participating and in support of their peers. The ACC Swimming Carnival will be held at MSAC Aquatic Centre on Wednesday 27 March, and we wish all students involved good luck and thank them for representing the College.

Results

Identity News

Student Voice on the Future of Geelong Regional Needs

The Committee for Geelong invited student representatives from St Joseph’s College to collaborate with other Geelong young people about building their capacity to have a voice about the future of their Geelong regional needs.

Jack Kayler Thompson (Gospel Spirituality Touchstone Leader) and William Bradley (Inclusive Community Touchstone Leader), recently attended the Future Leaders Workshop with a range of fellow students from across a range of Geelong Secondary Schools. They gathered at The Share Plate Conference Room at The Gordan. The Committee for Geelong (Committee) is developing a Community Leadership led by Committee for Geelong Chief Executive Michael Johnston

Building on its highly successful community leadership programs, Leaders for Geelong and Activate, the Committee has been working with local secondary schools since last year on designing a new program aimed at building community leadership within secondary school students.

The students participated in a workshop, where they heard from Michael Johnston about his connections and commitment to living and working in the Geelong region and his hopes for the future of his children. He facilitated a guided sequence of interactive discussions the students took place in to contribute to building a new ‘Future Leaders’ program that will help participating students to:

• Understand their local community;
• What are its issues?
• What are its opportunities?
• How they can give back?
• How they can lead?

Following a successful workshop with staff from various secondary schools last year, the Committee ran this second co-design workshop on 5 March to provide a student voice to the program’s design.

A further highlight was a guest speaker, Rob Brown, who is the founder of Fruit to Work – Creating Chances which is a social enterprise company that supplies fruit, milk and pantry items to work places. It has been successful in creating chances for those who are seeking re-entry to the workforce after a lived experience in the justice system. Rob shared his own experience of this and the challenges, especially for women, seeking a chance to re-establish themselves.

Catholic Education Week Celebrations

After successfully celebrating our Gospel and Spirituality Assembly, representatives from the Gospel and Spirituality Touchstone team were invited to attend the Catholic Education Week events taking place in Melbourne last Friday. Our students participated in The Mass of St Patrick for Schools at St Patrick’s Cathedral, along with primary and secondary schools from across the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Archbishop Peter Comensoli gave a special acknowledgement to us as a Geelong school who had travelled to the Mass, along with many others to be ‘Welcomed home at the mother Church’.

Following the Mass, we supported student our Year 12 Gospel and Spirituality Prefect, Josef Paatsch, who was participating in a presention at the colloquium at the Catholic Leadership Centre. We enjoyed lunch together, then listened to the ‘The Young Speakers Colloquium.’ This event brings together young people in Catholic Schools across the Melbourne regions to create an afternoon of learning, inspiration, and wonder, with the goal of provoking conversations that matter. The theme for this year’s event was: “Living lives of faith, hope and love in the light of Christ”. The Creative Arts Exhibition reflected students’ interpretation of this theme through various mediums on display.

The Young Speakers Colloquium consisted of students who participated in the ACU School Leaders Program travel to Rome and London for a three-week immersion in the Catholic Western tradition and those who attended the World Youth Festival in Lisbon. There was a collective energy from the panel presenters who reflected on their insights to the importance of their faith journeys and how their journey has changed and grown through their lived experiences and how their recent study tour and pilgrimages internationally have made their faith experiences more tangible and profound.

Here are some reflections shared from Josef’s presentation:

This afternoon, I have the honour of speaking to you about my unique experiences and perspectives of faith, hope, and love, and how through these virtues, I have both witnessed and been called into the light of Christ.

Throughout my childhood we still attended mass every Sunday at my local parish Corio and Lara. Through the participation in mass I was able to do readings which allowed me to foster my leadership skills, in particular my public speaking, something I’m forever grateful for. In addition to attending mass, my faith, beliefs and values were further developed whilst attending St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School Lara. Given my schools name, our faith education placed great importance on the teachings of St Anthony of Padua. St Anthony’s belief that ‘Actions speak louder than words – let our words teach and actions speak!” This inspired me to be called into the light of Christ myself and partake in serving my community through fund-raisers, working bees and helping the vulnerable. Reflecting upon my younger years, it is apparent that these two communities were fundamental in shaping my faith, beliefs and values.

As I grew older, I found myself somewhat drifting away from my faith, with various factors contributing to this distance.

Ultimately, during the challenging Covid years of 2020 and 2021, I gradually stopped attending church and became increasingly disconnected from my faith. This sense of disconnection was exacerbated by personal hardships that I endured during those years. The culmination of these hardships occurred in 2021 with the loss of a close friend to suicide. This tragedy significantly impacted me as a person and deepened the already widening gap between my faith and I.

Following Covid, I was thankfully able to rediscover my faith, through my school, St Joseph’s College Geelong. At school, I was presented with different ways to express my faith beyond just going to Church every week, most significantly was the idea of expressing faith through service and helping our neighbour. I first explored the idea of expressing faith through service within the senior student leadership as a Gospel Spirituality Touchstone Leader. Gospel Spirituality, along with Inclusive Community, Justice and Solidarity and Liberating Education are the four Edmund Rice Education Touchstones St Joseph’s bases it values and teachings on. Gospel Spirituality specifically invites all students and staff into the story of Jesus and strives to make his message of compassion, justice and peace a living reality within our community. As a Gospel Spirituality team, we challenged ourselves to spread this message through our own service, hoping to make it a living reality within our School community.

I undertook this challenge and expression of my faith through my service by involving myself in mental health causes such as Movember, The Push Up Challenge and Life Changer. These causes, that I am still incredibly passionate about, have helped me heal my hardships regarding my friend’s death, but also help create a positive environment for those in my school community surrounding their mental health.

I wasn’t able to fully reconnect with my faith until late last year, when I was appointed to lead the Gospel Spirituality Team as a Year 12 Prefect. As Year 12 Prefect, I was presented with the opportunity from MACS and ACU to participate in the 2023 ACU Young Leaders Program. The ACU Leaders Program was a three week program, with two weeks in Rome and one week in London.

Due to this, I truly believe the ACU Young Leaders Immersion not only made me more connected to my faith and a better leader, but also a better person, therefore I am internally in debt to those who created the opportunity for me to go on the immersion.

In closing, I’d like to reiterate the importance of service and how it can act as an opportunity to express faith. I would also wish to repeat my thanks to Jenna and everyone at MACS for not only the privilege to speak today, but for putting on a fantastic event, celebrating the importance of Catholic Education.
Josef Paatsch - Gospel and Spirituality Prefect

Holy Week 2024

As we move from praying with St Patrick and from the Feast of St Joseph this week, we head into Holy Week. We will gather as a Catholic community on Wednesday 27 March for our Easter Liturgy featuring Palm Sunday and the Last Supper leading to Jesus’ trial, as we await the Easter triduum. The three days, known as the summit of the Liturgical Year, from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. As Pope Francis has proposed that 2024 be marked as a year dedicated to prayer in preparation for the Jubilee 2025, our Chapel is open on a Monday morning and Wednesday lunchtime.

As we celebrated the feast of Saint Joseph, we recognised that we don’t know a lot about Joseph, as he only appears in the beginning of the gospels of Matthew and Luke. We know that he was born of the royal house of David and he was a humble carpenter. From the stories we have, we can see that he cared for Jesus and his mother Mary, and was a good and upright man. Joseph showed great courage, devotion and strength, and is a model of trust and faith in God. Our sculpture of Joseph and the teenage Jesus, greets our students every day as they get off the bus and head to their classes, to remind them that they were humble men of compassion and integrity, they too, can aspire to.

As we move through Holy Week, let us go forth full of confidence, ready to be Christ in the world and sure in the knowledge that, in doing so, we will bear much fruit.

Lord, inspire us to live faithfully in the light of Christ and grant us your blessings on our St Joseph’s Community. Amen.

Mary Malone
Director of Identity

1st XVIII Football

The 1st XVIII Football team showcased it's depth and class on the field this week in two commanding victories, allowing players to shine and build a strong sense of school spirit.

In their first match against Geelong Grammar which exclusively featured Year 12 players, St Joseph’s displayed a commanding performance despite the blustery conditions, clinching victory by 64-points. The match was highlighted by the performances from players such as Jai Adams, Samuel Lyons, Jude Payne and Fergus Luke, who contributed significantly to the team's success. The Year 12 squad demonstrated exceptional teamwork, skill and determination throughout the game in what was a memorable afternoon.

In the next match against Iona College which featured Year 11 players only, St Joseph’s continued their winning ways with an emphatic performance, securing a dominant victory with a final score of 21.13 (139) to Iona's 5.3 (33). The Year 11 squad exhibited exceptional talent and dedication, with standout performances from players like Jordan Monahan, Henry Symes, Tosh Lennon and Archie Gladman. Their coordinated efforts on the field and strategic gameplay underscored the team's depth and versatility.

Throughout term one an incredible 99 players have had the opportunity to represent the College in the 1st XVIII. This inclusive approach not only fosters player development but also strengthens team cohesion and unity, and contributes to a strong sense of connection.

Looking ahead, the team is gearing up for their final friendly of the term against Geelong College, which will feature a mixture of Year 11 and 12 players. Looking to build upon the performances this term, the boys that have been selected will be aiming to once again perform strongly.

The ACC kicks off in week two of term two against St Patrick's College Ballarat.

Term 1 has certainly flown past and it is hard to believe we are only a week out from school holidays!

Last night, our Parent Network “Open Night” was held and it was lovely to see new faces from across all year levels attend. Thanks to Tony Paatsch’s Principal’s update and an informative presentation from Cass Gleeson, Deputy Principal of Wellbeing (along with yummy catering and warm hospitality), parents left the evening with a greater understanding of what’s happening at the College. Cass outlined the various wellbeing programs on offer at each year level as well as exciting initiatives to tackle the social media platform issues that our boys are facing.

Please keep an eye out on the College socials as well as emails and the newsletter with our next meeting being held on 23 April. Looking forward to a restful Easter break as we plan some exciting events for Term 2.

Comedy Night

Our Comedy evening is tonight and ticket sales have been fantastic! It is going to be a fun night filled with laughs and great company with Pete Helliar and Des Dowling. There will be tickets available on the night so if you are free please come along. The bar will be open from 6:45pm and the show will start at 7:30pm.

BOOK NOW

Sasha Dickson
President, Parent Network

End of Term Information

College Closure

The Westcourt Campus office will be closed from Thursday 28 March at 4.00pm and reopen on Monday 15 April at 8.00am. The Edmund Rice Campus office will be closed from Friday 5 April at 4.00pm and reopen on Monday 15 April at 8.00am.

Canteen Roster

The Canteen roster for Term 2 will be sent via Operoo in the coming days. Grandparents are more than welcome to volunteer. If they wish to do so please ring the College on 5226 8100 and chat to Bernie.

For students to ensure they receive what they prefer for lunch we ask that they place a lunch order online at https://shop.sjc.vic.edu.au/mymonitor/ before 9.00am on the morning. Parents can also login to place the order.

Parent Absences

To advise of students absences the College requests families use the Parent Access Module (PAM) to enter them. This is our preferred method of notifying the College as it enters the absence directly onto our roll marking system.

It also allows students to sign in / out at reception without requiring parental notes and signatures of specific teaching staff.

Bernie Carthew
Office Manager

Year 7 2025 Enrolments

Any families who would like to submit a Year 7 Enrolment Application for 2025 are reminded that enrolments close on 3 May 2024.

This enrolment cut off also includes families who currently have a sibling attending St Joseph's College. Applications for any new Year 7 student who wishes to attend St Joseph's need to be submitted by the cut-off date to avoid disappointment.

Places are awarded using the College Enrolment Guidelines. Parents will be notified of enrolment acceptance by mid-June for Year 7 2025.

Information regarding the online application process can be found on the College website.

eSmart Week 2024: Empowering Tomorrow’s Digital Citizens, Today!

At SJC, we take a proactive approach to engaging our student’s as positive digital citizens, through our ICT code of conduct and our online eSafety program conducted in year 7 DigiTech classes and Wellbeing classes across all year levels. Additionally, we encourage students to uphold high personal standards online, stay safe, find a balance and think critically about online information.

Navigating the online world opens up so many opportunities for our young people, and as parents, your guidance is invaluable. Here are some suggestions to help you support your children in their digital journey:

1. Model with empathy: Your online habits can inspire your children. Show them the value of kindness, privacy, and thoughtful sharing online. Additionally, demonstrate balance and self-discipline in relation to your own screentime and how you navigate social situations.
2. Discuss positive digital citizenship: Help your children understand the importance of digital citizenship. It’s about being kind, protecting one’s privacy, and making positive choices online. Encourage them to support their peers and stand up against cyberbullying.
3. Consider a Family Tech Agreement: Together with your children, create a family agreement that reflects shared values on online conduct, screen time, and privacy settings. Advice around games, apps and social media sites and settings can be found here: eSafety Guide. Taking a collaborative approach helps children feel involved and responsible.
4. Stay engaged and informed: Keep the conversation about online activities ongoing. Technology changes quickly, digital trends come and go, and the rapid growth of AI technology is changing the digital landscape. Show interest in the digital trends your children are excited about and discuss the content they come across. The eSafety Commissioner regularly run parent webinars with up to date information: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars.

For a wealth of more information and resources, consider the following:

• eSafety Commissioner
• Raising Children Network
• Alannah & Madeline Foundation

Together, we can cultivate a caring and respectful digital world for our young people to grow in.

China Educational Tour is back on!

Information Night – Presenter Eric Wang – China Best Tour

When: 30 April 2024, 7pm

Where: College Staff Room

Who: Open to all students, parents, staff, families and SJC Community

Further information please contact Katie at [email protected]