From the Acting Principal

On Friday 5th May, the Annual School Athletics Carnival was a wonderful community event with students and staff thoroughly enjoying the excitement and competition generated by the tremendous House spirit that was very evident on this day. At the School Assembly on Monday 15th May, the Athletics Age Champions were congratulated and awarded their medals and the Athletics Champion House Trophy was presented with victory enjoyed by the members of Macquarie House! It was also wonderful to see several students presented with Sports Value Awards in the categories of courage, service and respect in recognition of their outstanding contribution to a number of School sporting competitions. Our student body is to be commended for embracing the many sporting opportunities on offer so far this year.

The Vinnies Winter Appeal

At this week's assembly, the Vinnies Winter Appeal was launched by Guest Speaker, Mr Tony Young from the St Vincent de Paul - Albion Park Conference. The valuable contribution that we can make to members of the broader community who are struggling at this time was emphasised and it has been great to see so many students already being generous by bringing in multiple ring pull cans of food over the past few days to help those in need. Religious Education Coordinator, Miss Biddle has encouraged every student and staff member to bring in at least one can of food to support this appeal with two bonus House points to be issued for every can of food that a student donates. As a school community, we hope to raise at least one thousand food items during this year’s appeal.

Joey's Life Coaching

This has been a regular feature at our recent assemblies. At the Week 3 School Assembly, SRC Representatives, Lucas Thompson (Year 11) and Aiden McEwan (Year 9) spoke about the theme of building a sense of positivity and confidence through the four simple steps of belief in yourself, identifying your strengths, planning for personal success, and taking action. Examples of the words of wisdom shared included: "Magic is believing in yourself. If you do that, you can make anything happen" and "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them". The students are to be commended for this inspiring presentation.

All students were also reminded to visit the Careers Room to seek information and advice from our Careers Adviser, Mrs Kennedy regarding careers that they may be interested in pursuing in the future. On Wednesday 10th May, Years 10 and 12 students enjoyed their excursion to the 2023 Illawarra Schools Careers Expo where they gained valuable insights into the various career options available to them. Thank you to Mrs Kennedy for organising this valuable opportunity for those who attended this event. Many thanks also to Vocational Educational and Training (VET) Coordinator, Mr Milburn for organising Year 11 Work Placement, which has been an excellent experience for the Year 10 Pathways and Year 11 students involved.

Upcoming Year 7 -12 Assessment Tasks

As we approach Week 5, Years 7-10 students are preparing for their upcoming formal assessment tasks. If parents could please support and encourage your child to be completing extra home revision as they complete these over the next couple of weeks. They are acquiring the foundational knowledge which will equip them for the subsequent years of their studies at St. Joseph's. While Year 11 will also be preparing for various assessment tasks this term, Year 12 students are being strongly encouraged to complete extra revision as they work towards the HSC Trial Examination period which commences in Week 3 of Term 3. Please be mindful to support and guide your young person to maintain a balanced lifestyle at home to support their learning and wellbeing.

Mother's Day Morning Tea

A sincere thank you to the many parents and carers who joined us for the Mother's Day morning tea last Friday, 12th May. We were blessed with a beautiful warm sunny morning, and the delicious Joey's Cafe barista coffees and teas were enjoyed by all members of the school community who attended this gathering to celebrate this special day!