Filter Content
- From the Principal
- From the Assistant Principal
- From the Curriculum Office
- TAS - What's been happening?
- From Diverse Learning
- Sports Update
- Careers News
- Administration Reminders
- Parent/Teacher Interviews - Year 11 & 12
- Dates to Remember
- 2024 Athletics Carnival
- School Photos
- Book Week & Premier Reading Challenge
- Come join St Joseph's Vocal Ensemble 2024!
- Uniform Shop
- School Canteen - Volunteers Required
- National Sorry Day Community Event
- Reconciliation and Naidoc Calendar of Events
- Wellbeing
Vale Bishop Peter Ingham
Peter William Ingham, the fourth bishop of Wollongong, died peacefully in the late evening of 26 April 2024. He was 83 years of age and almost 60 years a priest.
Born in Crow’s Nest, Sydney, Peter was the only child of George and Marjorie Ingham (nee Hyndes). He was educated at St Leonard’s Primary School, Naremburn, and St Pius X College, Chatswood, and studied for the priesthood at St Columba’s Seminary, Springwood, and at St Patrick’s Seminary, Manly. He was ordained by the late Cardinal Sir Norman Gilroy in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, in 1964.
Following various parish appointments in the Archdiocese of Sydney, Peter was appointed private secretary to Cardinal James Freeman, and then as the secretary of the Archdiocese of Sydney.
He was nominated as a monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1986, and in July 1993 he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Sydney. On 25 July 2001, Peter was installed as the fourth bishop of Wollongong, and with his typically selfless dedication, served the diocese for 16 years, retiring in November 2017.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
Amen.
Welcome back to Term 2. I trust that all our students had an enjoyable and relaxing break.
Tell Them From Me - Parent Survey
As part of our ongoing focus on school improvement, St Joseph’s Catholic High School isl again participating in an online survey for students, staff and parents – Tell Them From Me (TTFM).
The survey will provide valuable feedback on what our parents think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers, students and parents interact with each other. Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help them improve.
All parents and carers are encouraged to participate in this survey and all survey responses are anonymous. The survey only needs to be completed once per family. If you have more than one child at the school, your response could be based on their shared experience or that of your eldest child at the school.
The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey measures include such topics as emotional and social well-being, physical health, and behaviours and attitudes linked to student success. The survey also allows parents/carers to give their thoughts and feedback in open-ended responses.
Thank you to the 55 families who have already provided feedback through completing the survey. It is really important that we get feedback from as many of our families as possible.
The closing date for the survey is Friday 24th May 2024. There will be reminders sent over the next 2 weeks so that we can capture the voices of as many of our families as possible.
Winter Uniform
Thank you to the majority of students who have returned to school in the full winter uniform. As parents would be aware, the school is working hard to raise the standard to which students present themselves in their uniform. A key element of this is the School Blazer in Terms 2 and 3. Your support in ensuring your child has a blazer that fits is appreciated. Students are required to wear this to and from school each day, and are encourage to wear it during the school day if they choose.
Our staff will be notifying you through Compass if your child presents out of uniform. Your support in following this up at home is always appreciated.
Attendance Matters
As part of our focus on Student Attendance this year, you would now be aware that having regular consistent attendance (>95%) will have a positive impact on how students engage in their academic learning at school as well as meeting the needs of their developing social and emotional well-being.
We have been working with a number of students and their families to help improve attendance so that it ultimately has a positive impact on student learning.
It is pleasing to see improvement in the daily attendance of many students this year in comparison to last year. The most pleasing improvement is in our Year 12 students. Congratulations Year 12!
Parents and carers can help foster positive attendance habits by:
- helping their child learn the importance of punctuality and routine
- ensuring their child arrives on time from the start of the school day, ready to participate in learning
- reducing disruption to learning where possible, by planning any necessary appointments outside of school time
- promptly communicating any absence to the school (within 7 days of the first day of any absence)
- working with the school to encourage and support regular attendance
- notifying PALS of any problems you might have getting your child to attend school.
The following link provides further information about compulsory school attendance - Information for parents
Mr Chris Shelton
Assistant Principal
Welcome back to Term 2. We hope students and families had an enjoyable holiday and have returned ready to jump into Term 2 and finish off Semester 1 strongly.
At Home Study
With Semester 1 Assessment Weeks approaching, students in all years should now be into a routine of regular study/revision at home to prepare for exams. A few things to notes about home study/revision
- Home study/revision is separate to homework and working on assessment tasks
- It is recommended students should be doing around 2-3 hours / week minimum study revision
- Students should be working with their class teachers to understand what content is going to be covered in exams and use this as the basis of any study/revision program
- There is no one correct way to study. Students should choose the method that best suits their learning style as well as the course they are working in ie the approach to prepare for a Maths exam may be different to the preparation for a HSIE or Science exam.
- Some sample strategies can include summary notes, tables, flash cards, practice exam questions, revision activities/quizzes.
- Students should also share their work with their class teachers to get feedback that they are getting the work correct, developing their understanding of key content and developing the skills to apply this knowledge as required in the subject
- Whilst this can seem overwhelming, starting small (eg 10-15 mins at a time) for a particular subject, with a clear goal of what to achieve (eg improve my understanding of fractions, decimals and percentages) and how they will do this (eg review textbook and class notes, complete summary quiz/activity and submit to my teacher for feedback
- Practice writing extended responses. This may sound silly but as students spend more time on devices, the ability to write for extended periods is becoming more challenging
- As students engage more in this process they will develop a better understanding of what works for them and the specific subjects they are preparing for. Class teachers can be a highly beneficial resource in this process.
Year 11 2025 Subject Selection
Due to some ongoing considerations around the structure of Year 11 2025, the Subject Selection Information night has been pushed back to Tuesday 11th June (Week 7). We will start preparing students with some background understanding of Stage 6 requirements in coming weeks to prepare students for this process. A letter will be sent out to all Parents/Carers closer to the date outlining further information and details with regards to the information night.
Trial HSC Exams
The Trial HSC exams for Year 12 will be held in Weeks 3/4 of Term 3. The exam schedule is currently being finalised and will be distributed to students once it is finished.
As always, if there are any issues with anything related to Curriculum, feel free to email or call the Curriculum office at any time.
Mr Brett Moran
Curriculum Coordinator
Year 9 & 10 Food Technology
Year 9 & 10 Food Technology classes made Anzac biscuits as a way of remembering our forefathers who fought in the great war.
They learnt that accurate measurement in cups is more difficult than in grams.
Year 11 Cookery
Year 11 Cookery II students and some Year 9 & 10 Food Technology students made a range of dishes - Vanilla cupcakes, Lemonade Scones, Sticky Date Mini Muffins, Heart Shaped Jam Drops, Almond and Date bliss balls, Chocolate Tartlets.
The students enjoyed the day and produced food to a high standard.
Welcome back to Term 2!
We are starting Term 2 off with a bang! There are lots of events coming up and lots of nominations and trials for students to sign up for. All students can nominate for school sporting teams via google forms on Compass. Please remind your child to check regularly for updates and closing dates to avoid them missing out.
Unfortunately due to wet weather the following events have been cancelled:
- Open Boys Soccer
- 13 Boys & Girls Soccer
- 7-9 Girls and 8-10 Boys Soccer Pathways
The Diocesan Cross Country will now take place on Monday 27th June.
The Impact of Exercise
Exercise is a critical part of developing resilient and healthy teenagers. A recent statistic from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that Australian teenagers rank with some of the least active teenagers in the world. 140th out of 146 countries. This means that only 11% of Australian teenagers reported exercising for an hour per day, as stipulated by the WHO guidelines. The current guidelines state that teenagers (15-17) should:
- Accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, involving mainly aerobic activities at least 3 days per week
- Complete several hours of light physical activities
- Incorporate vigorous activities at least 3 days per week
Watch this video to see some key findings on the correlation between exercise and improved study/success at school.
At St Joseph’s we value your child and their physical activity levels. Whilst PDHPE lessons offer a range of opportunities, we also offer some extra-curricular activities. These include:
- Sport Trials (your child can trial for any sporting by nominating on Compass for the relevant team)
- SJ Fit Club: Runs every Thursday morning from 7:45am in the school gym. This program aims to develop body weight strength, cardiovascular fitness in a fun and age-appropriate environment.
- Get Active Friday’s: Runs every Friday morning from 8:15am in the school gym. Students can shoot hoops and play basketball with their friends. The music is playing and it is a great way to get moving before school starts.
We hope to see as many of our students join in on these opportunities to improve their overall health (both physically and mentally).
School Sport Opportunities
Open Boys & Girls Volleyball
We are now accepting nominations for our Open Boys & Girls Volleyball Teams. Trials will commence in Week for in preparation for our tournament in Week 9.
Nominations close: Week 3, Friday, 17th May
Nominate here: https://forms.gle/CetfME6cLKyfug9W6
Open Boys Hockey
We will be commencing trials in Week 4 this term to prepare for our tournament in Week 9.
Nominations close: Week 3, Friday 17th May
Nominate here: https://forms.gle/yG1HUeqbYjwwNBXZA
Primary School Netball Umpiring Day
Please complete the form below to be considered as an umpire at the 2024 Primary South Coast Region Netball Gala Day. The gala day is on Tuesday 25 June 2024. Umpires will be required at Berkeley Netball Courts for an 8:00am start and should have prior experience in umpiring games.
The gala day concludes at 2:30pm.
Nominations close: Friday 31st MAY 2024.
Nominate here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdy54YXzM44DwGvuv7sekf42NjyODnByBQTemKjSiZPW3_rHg/viewform
Sport Reports
Open Girls Soccer
On Thursday 2 May the Joey's Open Girls Soccer team participated in the gala day at Ocean Park Woonona. The girls started off strong, showing a great defensive side against SMC. This defence was kept strong in our second game against St Patrick's, resulting in a 0-0 draw.
Enthusiasm was kept high in our third game against St John's with the girls showing their growing confidence as they took shots at the goal. The last game against Corpus tested the skills of our team. They played a strong first half, defending off shots from the opposition but unfortunately came out at a loss in the second half.
A great day was had by all and the players should be commended on their behaviour and sportsmanship both on and off the field, as they offered positive feedback and cheered their teammates on. Congratulations to Mackenzie Best and Lola Garcia who have been selected in the diocesan team!
A special thanks to our three referees for the day as well - Nash Burling, Ryan Cergovski and Phoenix Hiscocks.
MVP - Amy Jedrzejczak
Upcoming NSWCCC Trials
If your child plays at a high/rep level for their sport and is keen on trialling for a NSWCCC team, please register via the link below:
https://csnsw.sport/
Please note:
- No late entries are accepted.
- Students attending these trials should be at a representative level/standard.
- Further information regarding each sport is available on the website (see link above)
For assistance with registering your child please see the document below:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kFW57cps5mTHPK7PfJMvpVK4qtM651keNVZcu014gVQ/edit
If there are any further issues please contact me:
NSWCCC 16 YEARS & 18 YEARS BASKETBALL - Closes 3 May 2023
NSWCCC Selections - 18 Years Monday 13 May, 16 Years Tuesday 14 May @ Sutherland $45
NSWCCC 15s & OPENS HOCKEY SELECTIONS - Closes 3 MAY 2024
NSWCCC Selections - Monday 20 May @ Bathurst $45
NSWCCC 17 YEARS & UNDER WATER POLO SELECTIONS - Closes 17 May 2024
NSWCCC Selections Monday 27 May @ Ryde 8:30am - 12pm Boys & 12pm - 3:30pm Girls $35
NSW ALL SCHOOLS CANOEING – Close date SOON
Individual registrations via Sports Unit DASH portal – Canoeing log in >> For More Information >>https://app.education.nsw.gov.au/sport/Events/View?eventId=16717 25 & 26 May South Grafton & Jackadgery.
NSWCCC 18 Years Boys Rugby – Close date 28 May
Individual registrations via CSNSW. Sport portal. 18 Years Boys – 3 June. Rowland Park, Daceyville.
NSWCCC 16 & 18 Years Girls Rugby Selections – Close date 28 May
Individual registrations via CSNSW. Sport portal. 16 & 18 Years Girls – 4 June. Rowland Park, Daceyville.
Sporting Success
Bianca de Swardt
Congratulations to Bianca who has been selected to represent Australia at the upcoming Multisport World Championships held in Townsville on 13th August. She will be completing the sprint distance (5km run, 20km cycle and 2.5km run) and gained selection through doing various qualifying events all across Australia to gain enough points to qualify. Bianca also competed in the Great Volcanic Mountain Challenge earlier this year, where she came first in the junior woman under 20 age group and received the award for "Young woman Canobolas" for the second consecutive year. Goodluck at World Champs Bianca. We will be cheering for you.
Te Ari'i Aperau-Bob
Te Ari’i recently competed at the Oceania Championships on the Gold Coast. The competition consisted of swimmers from NZ, AUS, Samoa, Tonga, PNG, Vanuatu, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Palau, Guam and Cook Islands.
Te Ari'i competed in the Open Mens category, as one of three 14yr olds. He competed in 50m/100m Freestyle and 50/100m Backstroke. He got a PB in the 50m backstroke, placed 14th in Oceania and 4th in Pacific Islands. Congratulations Te Ari’i.
Lewis Mercieca
Congratulations to Lewis who was in Canberra last week competing as part of the NSW All Schools Open Boys Baseball team. The NSW team was undefeated this year, taking home the championship win in the final against Queensland (12-11). Well done Lewis.
Emily Hollingsworth
Congratulations to Emily who headed down to Wagga Wagga this week to compete in a trial for the NSWCCC U15 Girls AFL Team. I was lucky enough to head down and be part of this selection process and it was a true privilege to watch Emily in her element on the field. She was one of the standouts of the tournament and her hard work, training and dedication to this game is paying off with her selection into the NSWCCC team. She will head to Albury in a month’s time to trial for the NSW All Schools Team. We wish her all the best with this trial.
Callie O'Keefe
Callie has achieved swim times that qualify her for recognition in Swimming Australia's Junior Excellence (JX) program. As a result of this she had the opportunity to attend an invitation only swim training clinic at the Australian Institute of Sport last week which she made the most of. She finished the day by taking a tour of the AIS with her guide being a swimmer who is aiming to compete in the 2028 LA Olympics.
Halle Bryson
Congratulations to Halle who has been selected in the Diocesan Netball Team. She went to Sydney this week to trial for the NSWCCC team and we wish her all the best of luck.
Michaela Pereira
Michaela Pereira and the Dance Affinity Team travelled to the USA Orlando Florida to compete in the Worlds and Summit dance competition. They competed in the Junior division contemporary/lyrical section preliminary finals and qualified for the finals. They achieved a ranking of 6th place in the world and were the top Australian team. Congratulations Michaela on your outstanding efforts.
If your child has had sporting success outside of school we want to hear about it.
Please email details to Miss Power (powers01@dow.catholic.edu.au)
St Joseph’s Sports Instagram Page
For all things sports follow social media page @SJCHSSPORTS
CAREERS EXPO
Year 10 and 12 students had the opportunity to actively participate in the expo last Tuesday. Students are complimented on the preparation they did for their session. This was a great opportunity to ask questions, seek information and investigate course information to help their career plans.
Thanks to Mr Hetherington, Mr Maguire, Mrs Rasmussen and Mrs King for all the assistance on the day.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The following events are all available via Expressions of Interest on the Career/TAPP google classrooms for each year group.
Tuesday 14th May - Year 11 UOW Workshop in Hall at Lunchtime
UOW Early Admission sneak peak, UOW degree and study areas, Why Year 11 is important, Demystifying Uni, Explaining HECS/HELP Loans, Exploring UOW opportunities ahead- Expression of Interest forms emailed to all Year 11
Wednesday 15th May - CEO Step into Teaching Scholarship Program
For Years 11 & 12 students interested in pursuing a career in Teaching - Expression of Interest form emailed to Year 11 and 12
Tuesday 28th May - UOW visit to St Joey's
Year 12 Early Admission Workshop. Ins & outs of Early Admission and tips and strategies to apply will be the content we explore. Held in the HALL - Expression of Interest Forms on Career Google classroom to attend
Tuesday 4th June - Apprenticeship Support Morning
Mini EXPO here aimed at Years 9-12 students interested in information about Apprenticeships - see TAPP google classroom for expression of interest to attend
Wednesday 26th June - Year 10 Event to be announced next week - STAY TUNED!
SPOTLIGHT ON A CAREER by a Year 10 Student
If your child would like to book a one-to-one career planning session please email me.
Sue Kennedy
Transition and Pathways Specialist/ Career Adviser
School Fees
A reminder about school fees for those families who have significant amounts still outstanding.
We have been asked by the CEO to follow up outstanding school fees. We ask that you address any outstanding fees as soon as possible.
We appreciate your support with the payment of your fees. If you are experiencing significant financial difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact the finance office or email accounts@sjchsdow.catholic.
The Parent Teacher Interviews for Year 11 & 12, as well as students completing a pathways course, are Now Open. They will be held on Tuesday 21st May from 4pm to 8pm via zoom.
Bookings can be made via your compass portal. They will close at 9am on Monday 20th May and zoom links will be sent out on this day also.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the office.
TERM 2 2024
Week 3
- Tuesday 14th May - Year 10 Immunisation Day
- Friday 17th May - Years 11 & 12 Semester 1 Reports will be released.
Week 4
- Tuesday 21st May - Years 11 & 12 Parent Teacher Interviews via zoom
Week 5
- Monday 27th May - Friday 31st May - Stage 4 (Years 7 & 8) Assessment Week
Week 6
- Monday 3rd June to Friday 7th June - Stage 5 (Years 9 & 10) Assessment Week
- Thursday 6th June - School Photo Day
Week 7
- Tuesday 11th June - Year 11 2025 Subject Selection Information Evening
Week 9
- Tuesday 25th June - Year 9 2025 Subject Selection Information Evening
Week 10
- Tuesday 2nd July - Years 7-10 Parent Teacher Interviews via zoom
Our Annual School Athletics Carnival will be held in Week 4 Term 2 on Thursday 23 May 2024.
It is a whole school event, and all students are expected to attend. The athletics carnival provides students with the opportunity to participate in a range of physical fitness activities both in competitive and social environments. It also provides competitive athletes with a pathway to go on and represent St Joseph’s at the Diocesan Athletics Carnival and the possibility of representing NSW CCC.
Please see below our Athletics Carnival Student Information and Program for the day's events.
St Joseph's annual School Photos will be held on Thursday 6th June, 2024. Please see below information with regards to pre-ordering your photos:
SJCHS will again celebrate Book Week this year between 17th-23rd August 2024. The theme is "Reading is Magic". So put on your thinking hats and start thinking of ideas for this year's dress up!
SJCHS is also participating in the Premier's Reading Challenge for 2024, so don't forget to log all the books you are reading into the PRC online. Your English teacher will have your username and passwords.
The Library Staff
Being a part of the Saint Joseph's School vocal ensemble has a myriad of benefits that extend beyond musical proficiency. The Saint Joseph's School vocal ensemble fosters a sense of community and camaraderie, offering a supportive environment where individuals collaborate towards a shared artistic goal.
Through regular rehearsals (every Wednesday Week B Lunchtime in Music room E01) and performances, students develop discipline, time management skills, and resilience in overcoming challenges. Vocal groups also provide a platform for self-expression, allowing students to explore their creativity and build confidence in their abilities. Not to mention singing is also loads of fun!
All levels of vocal ability and every year group from 7-12 are invited to attend.
Happy Singing!
Mrs Minns
NORMAL TRADING HOURS
Monday 11:30 am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 1:30pm
ORDERING UNIFORMS
Online Ordering - click link below
By Appointment - click link below
This community event will acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and nation. Please see below flyer for more information:
Wellbeing and Digital Technologies Online Webinar
Join the eSafety Commissioner's expert education and training team for a FREE Live webinar on digital skills to protect and support youg people's medtal health and wellbeing online.