Congratulations to the students for the Liturgy at Monday's assembly the Environment group did a fantastic job. We all have our Laudato Si moment. This legacy from Pope Francis is important for the future of our planet. Laudato Si, encyclical from Pope Francis asks us as Catholics to care for our common home. It is part of our Catholic Social Teachings to be Stewards of Creation where we recognise the environment often impacts the poor. This week the school will have lessons focused on the environment in Science and Catholic Studies.

“Nature is a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness. Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise” (Laudato Si', 12).

Right relationships between people are so important in our world. Kindness and compassion for others is a primary teaching of Jesus. Unfortunately ‘payouts’ and bullying are more common examples in our world. If your child is having difficulty at school with other students and that it is continuing to happen please contact the school. I cannot do anything about poor student behaviour unless I know about it. In the first instance contact the relevant PAL if it doesn’t resolve, don't give up, come back - When we check in with students we want to know the truth, not just the OK. Young lives are so important to grow and develop in a positive way. The school is a microcosm of society and not all students hold the same values of the school and have to be taught and some of them are slow learners.

Attendance Matters

At St Joseph’s, we continue to focus on improving student attendance as a key factor in supporting academic success and student wellbeing. You may already be aware that regular attendance above 95% has a direct, positive impact on a student’s engagement in learning and supports their social and emotional development.

Over the past year, we have worked closely with a number of students and their families to support improved attendance patterns. It is pleasing to share that this focus is already showing results.

These improvements reflect a growing commitment across our school community to prioritising daily school attendance.

How Parents and Carers Are Making a Difference

We are grateful for the support of families in promoting positive attendance habits. Some of the most effective ways parents and carers have helped include:

• Emphasising the importance of punctuality and consistent routines.
• Ensuring students arrive on time and ready to engage in learning from the start of the day.
• Minimising disruptions to learning by scheduling appointments outside of school hours where possible.
• Promptly communicating absences to the school.
• Booking family travel during school holiday periods only.
• Partnering with the school to identify and remove barriers to regular attendance.
• Accessing support through the PALS (Pastoral and Learning Support) team when challenges arise.
  

Your partnership in fostering regular attendance is deeply appreciated and continues to make a measurable difference in the lives of our students.

Tell Them From Me – Parent Survey

Thank you to more than 100 families who have already completed the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Parent Survey.

As part of our ongoing commitment to school improvement, St Joseph’s is once again participating in the TTFM survey—a confidential, online tool used to gather feedback from parents, students, and staff about various aspects of school life.

The survey provides valuable insights into:

• Student wellbeing
  
• Learning environments
  
• School communication
  
• Relationships between staff, students, and families

⏱️ It takes just 10–15 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous.

We encourage all families to participate. If you have more than one child at the school, your responses can reflect their shared experiences or those of your eldest child.

In 2024, we recorded our highest number of parent responses ever. This year, we are aiming even higher, as your feedback directly helps us to build a stronger, more connected school community.

Complete the survey here:

http://tellthemfromme.com/joeys25

Survey closes:

Friday, 30 May 2025

Reminders will be sent via email and SMS in the coming weeks.
Thank you in advance for your support in helping us capture the voices of as many families as possible.

Stage 6 Reports

Reports for Years 11 and 12 were released last week. These can be accessed via your Compass.

Year 7-10 Assessment Weeks

Years 7 and 8 have their assessment week scheduled for next week (Week 5). This will be followed by Years 9 and 10 the week after (Week 6). Students should be preparing based on the guidelines provided in their formal assessment notifications as well as details provided in class.

Trial HSC and HSC Exam Timetables

NESA have released the exam schedule for this years HSC. The full schedule can be accessed online, students individual exam schedules have been posted on their personal Students Online account. The schedule for the Trial HSC exams (Term 3) will be released to students in the near future.

Yr 11 2026 Subject Selection Information Evening

A reminder that we will be running the Subject Selection Information Evening for Year 11 2026 on the 11th June (Week 7). Further details will be provided in the next newsletter as well as shared directly with Year 10 students and parents via Compass. All students and their Parents/Carers considering returning for Year 11 2026 should attend the event so please mark this on your calendars.

Parable of the Lost Sheep: A book reading by Bishop Brian Mascord

Bishop Brian Mascord will host a very special online reading of the classic Bible story ‘The Parable of the Lost Sheep’. This unique online event, organised by the Council of Catholic Schools Parents (CCSP) is part of the Jubilee Year of Hope celebrations and will take place on Tuesday 27 May from 7.00 pm to 7.30 pm.

Register here!

The first 100 registrations for the reading will receive a free copy of the book to read along with Bishop Brian!

Year 12 Cookery

Year 12 Cookery had a busy practical this week. Fruit fritters with chocolate ice cream (made by the class).

We used our new sous vide machine to cook, eggs, salmon with grilled asparagus and pears and an interesting coffee oil and reduced balsamic vinegar drizzle. Also some eye fillet and chicken breast to be finished later this week.

Some of the Year 8 SRC students were invited to the Student Leadership Formation program at the Xavier Centre Wollongong last week. The day involved the challenge to the students of creating and planning a ‘digital discipleship’ project that will benefit their year group back at their school.  The purpose of the day was also to connect students from other schools in the diocese and strengthen a Catholic lens in the formation of pastoral care and leadership through the diocese.

Recent News and Events

Spotlight on Work Experience

Over the past few weeks students at St Joseph’s have undertaken a variety of work experience opportunities. It is great to see our young people engage in post school pathways, explore potential career options and develop a better understanding of where their strengths and interests lie. Below is a brief overview of just some of the work experience program our students have engaged in:

Qantas - Work Experience Program, Mascot

Dylan Dhiresh and Kevin Praveen (both Year 11) took part in a week-long placement at Qantas headquarters in Mascot. Below are some reflections from their experience:

Can you describe the work experience and what your role was?

During the 5 days we were there we had to engage in many team based activities and follow the team's instructions as they took us through the many destinations in Qantas such as the domestic airport, the planes, the cockpit, etc. The work experience was a thriller of an experience and we took many valuable lessons from it, most noticeably the engineering side of Qantas. We both really enjoyed visiting Qantas over the 5 days it definitely beat going to school.

Were there any particular tasks that stood out to you? Why?

KEVIN - Yes, I really was interested in the activity where we did practice Job interviews with the graduates and workers in Qantas. I had an interview with one of the workers in Qantas. The feedback he gave me has really helped me to better understand how I should approach future interviews. Some tips that he gave me was to be more confident and try to talk to the interviewer like he is your friend in a formal way. It really stood out to me because I never expected this in Qantas as I thought we would learn what they do around here and not how to get a job. Overall i really enjoyed this task.

How did the work experience help you understand more about the industry?

It helped us have a better idea of the different types of jobs that are available in Qantas for example HR in which they make sure humans are satisfied to work and Finance where they manage all the money that Qantas earns and their profits. It helped us to understand the process of becoming a graduate in Qantas.

Has this influenced your career aspirations or future plans? If so, how?

Yes it has, Now we both plan in the future to become a graduate in Qantas when i get my degree in the future. we plan on doing the engineering/tech stream in qantas and try and better my skills in engineering with the support of qantas

What advice would you give to other students considering work experience placements?

Most important thing in work experience i would recommend is to make the most out of it and dont waste time. Everything that is explained in work experience is really valuable and you should really listen to this information.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned from your work experience?

One thing that the Qantas team said to us was for us to be optimistic in what we want to do. This message took a whole toll on us and now because of that I put more effort into our work.

You should be a Cop - Police Work Experience Program, Bulli PCYC

Alex Daly (Y12), Lachlan Nixon (Y12), Mia Neill (Y12) and Gemma Cresswell (Y11) took part in the five day police force immersion program held at Bulli PCYC earlier this term. They weren’t hanging around there for long however. During the five day experience, the students visited the Port Kembla Water Police, the Police Dog Unit in Camden and even got to watch a graduation ceremony in Goulburn.

Some reflections from Alex Daly:

What was the most memorable part of the work experience?

Meeting the Canine Cops! The dogs were extremely well trained and amazingly displayed the intelligence that dogs are capable of. It has led me to very much want a career in the canine section of the cops

Were there any particular tasks that stood out to you? Why?

Watching the Police Graduation Parade. It was quite a long parade, longer than I expected. There was a lot of work from the audience, and the work that went into the parade (about 2 hours of rigid, no breaks training a week!) was amazing

What advice would you give to other students considering work experience placements?

If it is a career you are already considering, go for it. This work experience has only confirmed that I want to be a cop when I leave school. It's always good to try out work experience, to see if you actually like it or not. In this case, I absolutely loved the cops.

NSW Health - Careers in Health Program

Brooklyn Brown (Y10) has spent the past three weeks in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Health Education Centre at Wollongong Hospital getting hands-on experience, working as a nurse in a hospital setting.

Primary Teaching - St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Albion Park

Eight Year 12 students are currently engaged in a work experience program developed in partnership with our neighbour, St Paul’s. These students are assisting classroom teachers deliver lesson outcomes and offering one-on-one support to students.

Cabinetry, veterinary, real estate and so much more…

We also have had multiple students from Year 10 to 12 organise their own work experience placements through their community networks, engaging in a wide variety of industries and roles.

The school is always willing to support these requests, provided they align with the student’s future career aspirations and do not clash with formal assessment tasks.

Students in Years 10 to 12 interested in arranging work experience should reach out to me via email (morleyl01@dow.catholic.edu.au) or swing by the Careers Office for a chat during Recess or Lunch.

Upcoming Events at Joey's

White Card Course - 6 June 2025

Students interested in gaining work experience opportunities on construction sites in NSW are required to hold a general construction induction card (White Card)

St Joseph's is offering to run a White Card course during school hours. Details below:

Date: Friday 6 June 2025 (Term 2, Week 6)

Time: 8.15 am to 2.40pm

Cost: $100

There are 20 spots available. Positions will be based on merit.

Students interested in attending this event must lodge their expression of interest by clicking the link - https://forms.gle/zk9fWmcFtjqKBnHp8

St Joseph's Apprenticeship Careers Exhibition - 10 June 2025

This event will offer our senior students a valuable opportunity to explore various industries and career prospects within the Illawarra/Shoalhaven region.

We have secured representatives from a wide array of industries and training organizations. Each representative will be stationed at their own 'Industry Conversation Table.'

Students will rotate between tables, allowing each representative to discuss topics such as: a typical day in their profession, training pathways, employer expectations (including desired skills and qualities in new employees), tips on job preparation, strategies for securing employment, and future career opportunities within their industry.

All students from Year 10 will attend the event, along with students in Years 11 and 12 currently enrolled in VET courses.

Nursing & Health Careers Workshop - 19 June 2025

University of Wollongong (UOW), wl be running a Nursing & Health Careers Workshop targeted at Years 10-11 students who have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in nursing or healthcare.

Activities for the day include:

Basic health/clinical and career pathway information into nursing and other health careers

Hands-on practical activities in Nursing & Exercise Science

An expo area with health industry professionals from areas like Age & Disability Care and Occupational Health

Students interested in attending this event must lodge their expression of interest by clicking the link - https://forms.gle/29ZDX7cv1BSQ68BB6

UOW Y12 Early Entry Presentation + Y10 HSC Subject Selection unpacked - 16 June 2025

On Monday, June 16, 2025, our UOW school liaison officer, James Terry, will visit St Joseph’s. Accompanying him will be current university students who will assist our Year 12 students with their early entry and UAC applications. Additionally, James will conduct a separate session for our Year 10 students, guiding them through the HSC subject selection process and exploring pathways into university.

2025 SJCHS TRIVIA FUNDRAISER -  REPRESENTATIVE SPORT

Come join our 2025 St Joseph’s Catholic High School Trivia night that is fundraising for our school representative sport teams for 2026. All funds raised will go towards new team uniforms, updated sporting equipment and assisting with transport costs.

The theme for the night is ‘Countries of the World’, so come dressed in your best sporting attire.

Tickets are $80 per table with 8-10 people. BYO snacks, drinks and table decorations.

PLEASE NOTE: This is an adults only event with no students able to attend.

We will have a raffle available on the night and prizes to be won for best dressed, winning tables as well as other competitions on the night.

There will be plenty of games on the night to buy in on, so please bring some cash to join in on these games and there will be prizes for best dressed and winning tables.

Donations: If you or someone you know is able to donate to this year's Trivia, please get in contact with Miss Power (powers01@dow.catholic.edu.au). Thank you for your support.

7-12 Oztag Regional Championships

Last week we had 5 teams represent our school at the South Coast Regional Oztag Tournament. It was great to see so many of our students getting to show off their skills against some tough competition in the Illawarra. I want to thank the parents who attended this day to assist with managing a few of our teams as well as the teachers who attended. Overall, the students had a great day with some wins and losses.

Congratulations to the MVPs on the day:

7-8 Girls OzTag - Aylah Skerrit

9-10 Girls - Lani Graham

11-12 Girls - Mia Santos

NSW ALL SCHOOLS BOYS NETBALL – BOYS 15 YEARS and UNDER NETBALL TRIALS

Trials are being staged for a Boys 15 Years and Under Netball for selection in a NSW All Schools team to compete at SSA Games in Queensland from 26 July to 1 August 2025. Trials are scheduled for Friday 20 June, with nominations closing on Friday 13 June.

Please see the attached flyer for further registration and information.

 

Primary South Coast Region Netball Gala Day - Umpire Registration

Please complete the form below to be considered as an umpire at the 2025 Primary South Coast Region Netball Gala Day.

The gala day is on Tuesday 24 June 2025. Umpires will be required at Berkeley Netball Courts for an 8:00am start. The gala day concludes at 2:30pm.

Your nomination does not mean you have been selected. You will be informed if you have been chosen AFTER the closing date.

Nomination form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd39cTc0nFlDRBBVDP9iy9K0dySPvam3w5R_KoVEVRGEPHndw/viewform

CLOSING DATE 6 JUNE 2025

Tennis Nominations

We are looking for students to trial for our Tennis Team for 2025.

If you are an experienced Tennis player, can you please nominate below (Only years 7-11)

Trials will begin in Week 6.

Nomination Link: https://forms.gle/wSWjB96qtGwH6u8J6

Nominations close: Week 5 - Friday 30th May

 

St Paul’s Athletics Carnival Helpers

We are looking to send some student helpers down to Croome Athletics Track to assist with the St Paul's Primary Athletics Carnival.

If you are interested in nominating for this, please see details below:

Date: Thursday 12th June

Location: Croome Athletics Track

Transport: You MUST be able to get your own way to and from the venue.

You can get house points for your service to the community.

Students are only eligible to apply if they are in years 8-11. You will be notified if you are successful.

Applications close: Friday 30th June

Nomination form: https://forms.gle/FqN5WJLVEwLzotNx9

 

If your child has had sporting success outside of school we want to hear about it.

Please email details through to Miss Power (powers01@dow.catholic.edu.au)

St Joseph's Sport Instagram Page

For all things sport follow our social media page

SJCHS SPORTS

SCHOOL FEES

Thank you to all the families that make such an effort to ensure that their fees are up to date. Your URGENT attention to school fees payments is requested. For those falling behind we urge you to make every effort to bring your account up to date.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties and are unable to make payments, please contact the finance office or email accounts@sjchsdow.catholic.edu.au

Our Annual Can Drive has begun!

Students and families are asked to bring in cans to support our local St Vincent de Paul branch at Albion Park and Oak Flats. Items needed are:

• Canned goods,
• Pasta and sauces
• Baby food and nappies in a range of sizes (more toddlers than newborns this year)
• Coffee jars
• And any long life items

Joey’s Can Drive is also a House competition! Bring in cans to help show your support for those doing it tough this Winter and also to win house points. Finishes Week 10 - 3rd July 2025.

Vinnies NSW supports tens of thousands of individuals and families each year who are experiencing financial and housing insecurity. This year, the theme for the Vinnies Winter Appeal is “no one chooses to be homeless”.  This winter Joey’s contributions will help rebuild lives and dismantle the communal constructs that lead to disadvantage and homelessness. Please give generously. Your support is very much appreciated.

Thursday 5 June is School Photo Day

Please order your photos online as soon as possible!!

Two easy ways to purchase:

• Visa, MasterCard or PayPal
• Cash – complete the envelope supplied and return it to our photographer on photo day

Order School Photos Here

We prefer that orders are placed online; however, if you wish to pay by cash, please have your child collect a photo envelope from the school office, complete the back of the envelope and return your completed envelope with correct cash payment to the photographer on photo day.

Change in Location to our School Uniform Shop

Online Orders

Online orders will be delivered to the school each Tuesday afternoon and students will be notified to collect these orders from the front office.

CatholicCare courses are Now Open for enrolments! Their range of Courses focus on: 

•    strengthening relationships
•    parenting
•    post-separation
•    supporting parents with children in care
•    managing challenging emotions
•    grief and loss

Courses are held in a supportive environment with others who share similar life challenges. 

They are held online or in-person at our Nowra, Campbelltown and Wollongong offices. Please see below flyer which outlines the courses and dates: