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- From the Principal and Assistant Principal
- From the Curriculum Office
- TAS - What's Been Happening?
- Careers News
- Sport News
- Administration
- Student Spotlight
- Dates to Remember - Term 3
- Uniform Shop
- Post School Pathways for Students with Disability
- Temporary Bus Route Changes - West Dapto Area
- CatholicCare Courses - Term 3
- Learning Curve
NAIDOC Week 2025 – Celebrating Culture and Connection
Last week, our school community came together in a vibrant and moving celebration of NAIDOC Week 2025, honouring this year’s theme: “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy ” The event was a powerful reminder of the richness of First Nations cultures and the importance of truth-telling, respect, and unity.
We were honoured to welcome Community Elders to our school, whose presence brought wisdom, warmth and deep connection to Country. Aunty Jo and Sam led the celebrations alongside Ms Smith, guiding students and staff through a series of cultural experiences that were both joyful and deeply respectful.
One of the highlights was the playing of the didgeridoo, its ancient sounds echoing through the school grounds and stirring a collective sense of reverence. Our students also had the special opportunity to dance with our sister school, Corpus Christi, sharing in movement and story that celebrated connection and culture.
These moments not only honoured the First Nations peoples of this land, but also strengthened the bonds within our school community. It was a wonderful acknowledgment of the continuing contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – past, present, and emerging.
We thank all who attended and participated, especially our Elders and cultural leaders, for generously sharing their stories, language and spirit. May the fire continue to burn brightly in our hearts and classrooms.
Remembering Fr David Catterall – A Life of Faith and Service
This past week, members of our school and wider diocesan community gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of Fr David Catterall, whose funeral was held with deep reverence, gratitude, and love.
Fr David was a man of quiet strength, deep faith, and unwavering commitment to the service of others. His pastoral care, joyful spirit, and heartfelt preaching touched the lives of many — students, families, colleagues, and parishioners alike. He lived out his vocation with humility and generosity, always making time for a conversation, a prayer, or a word of encouragement.
The funeral Mass was a moving tribute to a life dedicated to God and God's people. Surrounded by fellow clergy, family, friends, and members of the Catholic community, Fr David was honoured through prayer, song, and shared memories. His presence was felt deeply — not only in the rituals, but in the silence, the tears, and the gentle smiles of those who knew him.
As a school, we give thanks for the time we shared with Fr David. Fr David was a student of St Joseph’s and he had a special place in his heart for our community. It was a privilege to have his wake in the school hall he grew up in. Thank you to all the staff who prepared for this event. It was greatly appreciated. On the day the Year 9 and 10 SRC were outstanding ambassadors of our school guiding visitors to the Hall - thankyou. We hold his family and brother priests in our prayers and commend his soul to the loving embrace of God.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
Year 12 Trial Exams – A Time for Focus and Growth
Over the next two weeks, our Year 12 students will undertake their Trial HSC Examinations, marking a significant milestone in their academic journey. These exams are not only a key part of their assessment but also a valuable opportunity to reflect on their progress and prepare for the final HSC exams later in the year.
We wish each student clarity of thought, the ability to study effectively, and a sense of calm and confidence as they navigate this important time.
The trials provide a realistic insight into the HSC experience and help students identify the areas where further focus and improvement are needed. It's important to remember that the effort you invest after the trials can make a significant difference to your final results.
How you respond to your results matters. This is a time to build resilience, take feedback on board, and persevere with purpose. True growth often comes through challenge, and this is an opportunity to strengthen both your academic skills and your personal character.
We encourage all students to reach out to their PALS, mentors or subject teachers if they need support, clarification, or encouragement. You are not alone in this journey — we are here to walk alongside you.
Best wishes to all our Year 12 students — you’ve got this!
Hospitality Students Shine at SSO Appreciation Lunch
Last week, our talented Hospitality students hosted a beautiful three-course meal to show appreciation for our incredible School Support Officers (SSOs) — and what a celebration it was!
Held in the school hall, the event was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the students’ culinary skills and hospitality service. The SSOs were treated to a delicious, restaurant-quality meal that they truly raved about, with many commenting on the exceptional food presentation, warm service, and the joy of being so thoughtfully spoiled.
A special thank you goes to Mr Milburn and Mrs Rogers, who supported and guided the students in preparing and serving the meal. The highlight of the afternoon? An amazing selection of desserts that left everyone smiling and satisfied!
Events like this not only recognise the dedication of our support staff but also give our Hospitality students invaluable hands-on experience in catering, service, and teamwork. Well done to everyone involved on a job exceptionally well done!
Amanda Wilson
Principal
Fortnightly Focus Initiative – Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting growth in student learning and wellbeing through the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) framework, we are introducing a new school-wide initiative: the Fortnightly Focus.
Each fortnight, we will highlight two specific areas of focus:
- A Learning Focus that promotes positive academic behaviours in the classroom, moving beyond our Ready to Learn principles.
- A Uniform Focus that supports pride in appearance and a respectful learning environment. There are no changes to the existing Uniform and Grooming policy.
These focus areas will be communicated to families before the end of the preceding week via Compass notifications, email, and school social media platforms. This allows students and families to be informed and prepared for the focus areas of the fortnight ahead.
In classrooms, teachers will actively recognise and reward students who demonstrate the targeted Learning Focus through positive reinforcement and merits. This recognition aims to encourage persistence, academic responsibility, and classroom engagement. There will also be a school-wide focus on teaching these important learner attributes to our students.
At the same time, students who are not meeting the Uniform Focus expectations will receive reminders and corrections during lunchtime playground withdrawals. Repeated issues will lead to an after-school community service being assigned. The points incurred for uniform focus area breaches will reset each fortnight. It is our hope that students comply with the uniform and grooming policy in full so that our teachers can direct their energy into teaching and learning.
Thank you for your continued support in working together to help our students thrive.
Semester 1 Attendance Update
At a recent assembly, I shared our Semester 1 attendance data with students. While we began Term 1 with a strong start, the onset of winter, and with it, the usual cold and flu season, has understandably impacted student attendance. We acknowledge that when students are unwell, staying home is the right decision for their wellbeing and the health of others. However, some patterns of absenteeism can and should be addressed.
During the final week of Term 2, a rainfall event affected the Illawarra region. Our data shows that many students were absent on Wednesday and continued to stay home on Thursday and Friday to close out Term 2. While the school always monitors conditions closely and will communicate with families if access to Albion Park or the safety of our school site is compromised, this particular event did not meet that threshold. In this instance, the expectation remained that students should attend school as usual.
It’s important to reflect on the long-term impact of absenteeism. While occasional illness is unavoidable, sporadic absences, even just a day here and there, quickly add up. Over time, this can lead to significant disruptions in learning.
To put it into perspective: Semester 1 included approximately 100 days of schooling. Each day a student is absent equals around five hours of lost learning.
As shown in the graph below, students in Year 9 and Year 12 have recorded an average absence rate of 12%. This equates to around 12 days and 60 hours of lost learning, well outside our school’s target of 95% attendance.
Thank you for your continued commitment to helping your child ‘Arrive to Thrive’ every day.
Christopher Shelton
Assistant Principal
Welcome back, students have generally returned to school after the break focussed and ready to take on the challenges of a new semester. Semester 2 is always busy with plenty happening across all year groups. As previously communicated the focus for Years 7-10 should be taking on board the feedback students received by way of grades, reports (comments and profiles) and parent teacher interviews from semester 1. The challenge for students is to apply that feedback and set some personal goals to try and improve/grow academically across the semester. Growth of 10-15% in a subject should generally correlate with a a student processing up at least 1 grade. This is a realistic goal for most students.
A few options to consider to support this include:
- Organisation (bringing all materials to class, organising books and digital files etc)
- Greater focus on formal assessments (starting early, completing drafts and submitting for feedback etc
- Minimising distractions in class (devices, friends/peers), paying more attention to teacher instruction and completing set work to the best of your ability
- Establishing a regular home study routine/program
- Increasing engagement in class (setting personal learning goals, working collaboratively with others)
- Seeking out and using teacher feedback to improve completed work
The approach students take to learning in semester 2 is up to them however, a collaborative approach between the student, teachers and families is always the most effective way to support students to reach their academic potential.
Parent Teacher Interviews
Thanks to all who made the time to attend our zoom and face to face PT interviews in recent weeks. It is encouraging to see families eager to work collaboratively with teachers to support our students. A reminder that teachers are always available to discuss any concerns you may have regarding your student(s).
Trial HSC Exams
Good luck to our senior students who undertake their Trial HSC exams starting Monday (week 3). Students have been well prepared and are encouraged to use the 2 weeks of flexible attendance to apply the knowledge and strategies they have been developing to navigate this experience. Students are strongly encouraged to follow all the exam requirements that have been shared/discussed with them. A reminder if any student is unable to complete an exam they need to contact the school prior to the exam to inform us, complete an Illness/Misadventure form and submit to the Curriculum Office ASAP along with the appropriate documentation eg Medical Certificate from a GP/Pharmacist. Online Medical Certificates are not acceptable documentation.
Year 11 students doing a trial exam in a 2unit elective subject are entitled to one day of flexible study leave prior to their exam in that subject. To receive the flexible study day students must complete the form shared via email by Friday 1st August.
Students doing Year 12 SOR Pathways will have flexible attendance from the end of Periodd 4 the day before their SOR exam. Students may leave school at the end of Period 4 on that day or alternatively space will be provided at school for students to work independently to prepare for the exam. More information will be provided to these students in the coming days.
Year 11
Term 3 is the final stage of the preliminary HSC course for Year 11. This is a great opportunity for Year 11 to adapt and modify their approach to learning both in the classroom and at home before starting the HSC course in term 4. Students should be well into the process of implementing a regular home study routine in preparation for their end of year exams in weeks 9 and 10.
Subject Selection 2026
Year 11 2026
Students have now completed their subject selection for 2026. In some cases classes are overfull and numbers will need to be reduced. This decision will be made on academic performance, approach to classwork both in class and at home and suitability for the subject. Students are strongly encouraged to ensure they are working diligently across all these subjects from the start of the Semester and work closely with their teachers to endure they are meeting the expectations above.
Yrs 9 and 10 2026
With senior subject selection finalised we will now proceed to finalise elective choices for students in Years 9 and 10 2026.
For Year 10 2026 students we will be having a meeting and finalising students looking to do Year 11 Pathways subjects first. This will then be followed by the remainder of the year group choosing their electives. Students will be provided with more details during week 3.Once these students have finalised their selections we will begin the process of subject selection for Year 9 2026. This will begin with an Information night at the school on Tuesday 12th August. More details will be provided next week, ALL students and at least 1 parent/carer are expected to attend the event.
If there are any issues or concerns around subjects and lines please contact the Curriculum office to discuss.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN was held for students in Years 7 and Year 9 earlier this year in term 1. We have now been provided with the students results which we have sent home with students last week. The student reports have changed this year. Education ministers have agreed to change the way NAPLAN results are reported to parents and carers, now that all students are taking the tests online, and with the move to an earlier NAPLAN in March. New proficiency standards with 4 levels of achievement for each year level will replace the previous 10-band structure that covered all 4 levels tested and the old National Minimum Standard set in 2008 when tests were on paper. The new proficiency standards include a baseline benchmark to identify students who are likely to need additional support.
The numerical NAPLAN bands and the national minimum standard will be replaced by the following 4 levels of achievement:
- Exceeding
- Strong
- Developing
- Needs additional support
The descriptors for each category will make it clear to parents what their child’s literacy and numeracy skills are at the time of NAPLAN testing, and support discussions with their school on their child’s progress.
Please refer to the flyer attached from ACARA for more information. (insert this link please - https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf)
Year 12 Cookery
SSO Luncheon
Year 12 Cookery Class
Salmon with Pasta
Year 11 Hospo
Mixed Sandwiches/Catering
Recent News and Events
Year 10 Work Experience - Term 2 2025
Towards the end of last term, a number of our Year 10 students participated in work experience placements. This was a valuable opportunity for them to explore career paths of interest and gain firsthand insight into the world of work. Their experiences ranged from auto mechanic workshops to veterinary clinics, covering locations across the Illawarra region.
We extend our sincere thanks to the following businesses for generously opening their doors, sharing their time, and supporting our students:
- Blair Build Pty Ltd
- Bunnings, Shellharbour
- Can’t Stop Painting Pty Ltd
- Carr Brothers Motorcycles, Yallah
- Cavtech Pty Ltd
- CJR Building Pty Ltd
- David Russell Bricklaying
- Galways Refractory Pty Ltd
- GM Fabrication
- John McEwan Electrical Pty Ltd
- McLeish Electrical
- Natural Choice Family Day Care
- Novotel Wollongong
- Pro Tech Auto Repairs
- Ray White Shellharbour City
- SweenScapes Landscaping
- Unanderra Vet Hospital
Work experience opportunities are currently available for students in Years 10 to 12. For more information, please contact Mr Morley via email.
Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong Teaching Scholarships
Congratulations to Ellie Micovski on being awarded a prestigious scholarship into the 2026 Step Up Into Teaching Program.
The Year 11Step UP into Teaching initiative, a collaborative partnership between Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) and Australian Catholic University (ACU). It is designed to support aspiring educators in gaining their qualifications and securing employment within the Catholic education sector.
Year 12 Step Into Teaching Scholarship applications
This scholarship opportunity is aimed at Year 12 Students interested in Primary or Secondary teaching. Successful Scholarship students receive:
- Total benefit of $20,000 distributed over a 4 year period- $5,000 per year
- Paid SSO employment for the first 3 years (1 day per week in a CEDoW school)
- An indentured full-time teaching position in the Dioceses upon completion of the course
- An academic mentor for support
- Spiritual development and support throughout the degree.
Click on the LINK to apply. Application period - 8 August to 19 September 2025.
For more information, please contact Mr Morley via email.
Upcoming Work Experience / Industry Networking Events
Illawarra Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Jobs Expo - 12 August 2025
What the event offers:
This is a fantastic opportunity to meet with over 30 exhibitors focusing on jobs, apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities, industry experts and professionals
The Expo is being held on Tuesday 12th August at the Illawarra Hockey Centre from 2pm – 7pm and is free to attend.
For further information speak to Mr Morley
5 WEEKS UNTIL 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 costume 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 & lucky seat, as well as the 1st place table taking home $700 worth of prizes. There will be plenty of games on the night to buy in on, so please bring some cash to join in on these games.
U14's Rugby 7's
Our team of U14 girls performed above expectation to finish 2nd in today's NSWRU 7's Event at Dapto today.
The girls had a couple of outstanding wins against Bomaderry High, 19 - 7, and SAC, 33 - 5 in the early rounds. A frustrating game against Holy spirit meant we would have to beat them in the final play off round to progress to the state finals. After slogging it out in a much improved performance, the girls ended up going down 14 - 0 to finish second overall.
Outstanding leadership and go forward from Scarlet Richardson and dynamic running from Sophia Greig, kept the team on top for most of the day. Notable performances from Sienna Poidevan, Poppi Timbs and Violet Proud added to the success. Caydence Langlands, Nyjah Tomo, Brielle Windle and Tayah Cambourne never stopped trying.
A big congratulations to each of these first time rugby players who did our school proud.
Upcoming Events
Joey's World Cup Soccer - Nominations
In Term 3, we will be hosting our annual Soccer Tournament. This tournament will occur at lunch times and will be a knockout competition. Your team will be required to referee games.
Team: 5 players per team (mixed gender allowed)
When: Lunch time (a playing schedule will come out)
Only ONE person per team needs to fill in this form to register the team.
Age groups:
Juniors 7-9
Seniors 10-12
Nominations Close: Week 3, Friday 8th August
Nomination Form: https://forms.gle/fRuS4VqcoeiecBpAA
Any questions, please email Miss Power.
Primary School Refereeing Gala Day - Nomination Form
Please complete the form below to be considered as a referee at the 2025 Primary Gala Day Soccer Day. The gala day is on Friday 29 August 2025.
Students should have knowledge of the rules of soccer.
Referees will be required at Albion Park - Terry Reserve at 8:15am. The gala day concludes at approximately 2:00pm.
CLOSING NOMINATIONS DATE - Monday 11 August
Nomination Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScAPLIBf0V6Huce41N1u-ZZkWDY8Eo5Lo4k5USeFvoDlEKJrQ/viewform
Term 2 Sport Value Awards
The Term 2 Sport Value Awards recognise students in our sporting teams who show respect, courage and service. These students have been nominated by their coaches over sporting events from this term.
Respect:
The respect awards go to students who show exemplary behaviour towards their coach, team members and also students and staff from other schools. These students are committed to their training and making the team better as well as being a role model of what it means to be a Joey’s student. Congratulations to the following students:
Junior - Harrison McDonald
Intermediate - Jaedyn Stowers
Senior - Chloe Norris
Courage:
The courage awards go to students who show leadership in training, who continually get out of their comfort zone, students who work hard to improve and students who are willing to try new things. Congratulations to the following students:
Junior - Ben Street
Intermediate - Memphis Didusko
Senior - Olivia Alaban
Service:
The service awards go to students who assist others who are in need. This may be coaching other students, assisting their coach with equipment and training as well as serving the school by refereeing or coaching duties at sporting events. Congratulations to the following students:
Junior - Molly Mansbridge
Intermediate - Brady Tomasi
Senior - Mia Tarlinton
Term 2 MVP Awards
Our MVP awards go to a team member from each team that has shown outstanding teamwork and sportsmanship. They have been a dedicated student who has performed to their full potential on the day of the carnival. Congratulations to the following students:
|
Aylah |
Skerrit |
7-8 Girls Oztag |
|
Lani |
Graham |
9-10 Girls Oztag |
|
Mia |
Santos |
11-12 Girls Oztag |
|
Ella |
Whittle |
7-8 Div 1 Netball |
|
Kaylee |
Marsh |
7-8 Div 2 Netball |
|
Cadence |
Hardy |
Intermediate Girls Netball |
|
Kiana |
Rieck |
Open Girls Netball |
|
Thomas |
Hofman |
Open Boys Netball |
|
Jack |
Woodward |
7-8 Boys Netball |
|
Alexandar |
Sipka |
9-10 Boys Netball |
|
Solomon |
Liu |
9-10 Boys Basketball Qualifier |
|
Scarlet |
Richardson |
U14 Girls Rugby League |
|
Emily |
Hollingsworth |
U16 Girls Rugby League |
|
Max |
Elliot |
Diocesan Open Boys Hockey |
|
Breanna |
Creswell |
Diocesan Open Girls Hockey |
|
Jayden |
Mare |
NSWCCC Open Boys Hockey |
|
Lilly |
Partridge |
NSWCCC Open Girls Hockey |
Individual Sporting Success
Maya Huetter
Maya has been selected in the U14s State hockey team, broken foot and all. She will be heading to Nationals in Brisbane in October. Congratulations Maya.
Jayden Stowers
Jaedyn was invited to play in a development game against the Sydney Roosters. Jaedyn got picked for the group 7 bulls team, which led to being lucky enough to get an invitation to play in this game. Congratulations Jaedyn!
Ella Whittle
Congratulations to Ella who in the holidays played at state netball. Her teams went incredibly well finishing as the 2nd best team in the state for their age group in the Championship division. Ella has also been selected by Basketball NSW to be part of the Talented Athlete Program (TAP).
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:
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 speak to the finance office.
Behind-the-Scenes at BlueScope Steel
On Tuesday, Nathan Berto had the exciting opportunity to attend an excursion to BlueScope Steel for a special behind-the-scenes tour, organised in collaboration with The Disability Trust. This experience allowed Nathan to explore the inner workings of one of our region’s major employers, gaining valuable insight into the steel production process and learning about potential future pathways. It was a fantastic day that supported both Nathan’s interests and his post-school planning.
Dapto Retail Store
Shop Details:
Address: 2 Marshall Rd, Dapto NSW 2530
Phone: (02) 7259 9200
Email: dapto.retail@permapleat.com.au
- Tuesday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
- Wednesday 1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
- Thursday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Saturday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ph: 02 7259 9200
Parking Information:
Customer parking is available at the rear car park on Bong Bong Rd, with a ramp leading directly to the uniform shop. Limited street parking is also available nearby.
Don’t forget that online orders can still be placed through the school website and will continue to be delivered to the school for student collection.
Thank you from Perm-A-Pleat
From Tuesday 29 July, there will be changes to some school bus services in the West Dapto region.
Due to impacts from the closure of West Dapto Road for road upgrade works by Wollongong City Council, some school bus services may run on altered routes, have different boarding and alighting times, use different bus stops and have longer journey times of up to 22 minutes.
These changes will be in place for approximately 12 months.
Important – Trip Planner will be updated closer to the 29 July commencement date. For now, more information can be found on transportnsw.info.
Relocation of Rainbird Drive bus stop in Stream Hill to two new bus stops on Darkes Road
From 29 July, the existing Rainbird Drive school bus stop in Stream Hill will no longer be accessible to buses, due to the closure of the Rainbird Drive and Yard Street intersections on West Dapto Road.
Students who normally use this bus stop to travel to and from school will need to use new bus stops on each side of Darkes Road near Summit Street instead (see map below).
These new stops are a 1km walk from the old Rainbird Drive stop. Students should plan ahead to ensure they know which side of the road to catch their bus from, depending on their school bus route, and take note of timetable differences.
The following school routes, operated by bus operator Premier Illawarra, have changed for St Joseph's Catholic High School students.
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: