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- Cooking Update!
- Youth Aware of Mental Health
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- Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on school students with Disability
- Position vacant at The Benedictine Abbey Jamberoo
Our world is an ever changing place. The world stage is looking at the Ukraine and Russia war. The face of war is changing with the access to information and technology. It is being fought on many fronts and the information that is available on the internet from inside the Ukraine is quite amazing.
However, for our young people to process the impact of this information overload can be overwhelming. We pray for peace, a real and lasting peace. If you haven't seen the Ukraine President's speeches I would encourage you to have a look as he shows real leadership and walks with his people. The images of war can increase anxiety so please be aware and seek help for your young person if required.
We are coming up to Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. This is a time to think of others and prepare for the Easter season. Ash wednesday is a time to recognise our imperfections and honour those around us. This year due to COVID we will be participating in Liturgies as stage groups.
COVID regulations are morphing to living with the virus as we move from a pandemic to an endemic situation. This does not mean we can be less vigilant and no member of the community should be at school when they are showing any symptoms of illness. As a school we will be carefully watching what happens with the COVID numbers before moving back to whole school assemblies. To assist this I would ask parents to continue to contact the school and let us know if students are COVID positive. Hand sanitiser is still available in all classrooms, please encourage your children to continue to use good hygiene practices.
The school will be receiving another delivery of Rapid Antigen Tests sometime in the next fortnight. Parents will again receive an email containing pick-up details as soon as our tests are received. The RATS are to be used only when required and will be the final delivery for the term.
March is our enrolment period for 2023. Please encourage your friends and neighbours to consider our great school and keep an eye on the open days and enrolment dates.
I look forward to seeing our students talk about their experiences of St Joseph’s. They are our best advertisement! We have great kids here!
![Wilson-Amanda-2021-[421515].jpg](https://sjchsdow.schoolzineplus.com/_image/media/1508/wilson_amanda_2021_421515_.jpg?width=114&height=165&ts=1643953840)
Ms Amanda Wilson
Principal
Term 1 Week 5
A warm welcome back to our students and their families, especially those who are new to our school community. So far it has been a smooth start to the year with students stepping straight into their classes. Yr 7 have had 2 days of orientation and other activities and have settled well into their classes.Yr 12 are mid way through the 2nd term of their HSC studies. Yr 11 are taking the first steps along their Stage 6 coursework. Yrs 9 and 10 start the year with new electives added to their timetableswhile Yr 8 have settled in well with their new class structures.
This year will be an exciting year and hopefully free from the disruptions of the past two years.. From a Curriculum perspective the goals we are focussing on for 2022 are:
- A greater emphasis on developing the literacy and numeracy skills of all students
- Using data to better understand where our students are at to support them in their learning
- Continuing to differentiate our teaching approaches to better support students in the classroom
- Continued collaboration amongst staff to support individual and class learning
If you have any questions regarding the learning needs of your child then your first point of call will generally be an email or phone call to the relevant classroom teacher. You can also contact the appropriate LoL or the Curriculum office at any time to discuss other matters should the need arise.
Assessment Manuals
All students have been emailed a copy of the 2022 Assessment Manual for their relevant year group. Students and their parents/carers are encouraged to take the time to review these documents so as to be aware of the requirements around formal assessment. This is particularly important in Yrs 10-12 where students are working towards their RoSA/HSC and must meet the NESA requirements regarding assessment to obtain these credentials.
Home Study
Home study is an important process for all students from Yrs 7-12. Home study is different to completing homework/assessments as it is a way to refine and enhance knowledge of concepts covered in class. All students should be allocating time to home study as part of their weekly schedules, this is particularly important for younger students to help make this process part of their regular routine. To support students we have provided them access to the Study Samurai online study and wellbeing package. This is a useful first step to help understand and prepare to include home study into their schedules.
In the next newsletter we will provide an outline of which subjects will be having half yearly exams this semester so you are aware of which subjects students should be preparing for
Subject Selection
The window for changing electives in stage 5 and Yr 11 is now closed. Students are locked into these subjects for the remainder of the year. Yr 11 students may have the opportunity to review the level of English &/or Maths they are doing half way through the year. Yr 11 students generally are able to drop a subject from their pattern of study at the end of the Yr 11 course at the start of term 4.
Student Emails
We are aware that students are not checking their school email accounts regularly. In some cases students have thousands of unopened emails in their school email inbox. As you would be aware email is an important means to communicate with both individuals and large groups in a modern society. At a school level not only is it important that students regularly check their
Year 7
Best Start (Week 6)
Next week all Yr 7 students will undertake the Best Start assessment package. Best Start Year 7 is a literacy and numeracy assessment package for schools to use in the first five weeks of Year 7. It is designed to:
- provide teachers with consistent and up-to-date information about new students' skills and abilities in literacy and numeracy
- identify students at risk of falling behind
- help inform targeted teaching and intervention strategies.
At this stage the tests will be held on Monday 28/2/21 (Reading) and Tuesday 1/3/21 (Numeracy). Students will complete these exams during set classes. Both tests are completed online using the students digital device (Ipad or laptop). To ensure students can successfully complete each test they will need to bring headphones to school (to listen to any stimulus material that may be included as part of the test) as well as ensuring they bring the device they use to school, fully charged on the day of each test. It is compulsory for all students to undertake each test. Students absent on the day will complete the tests when they return to school.
NAPLAN
Naplan is fast approaching for our Yr7 and Yr9 students. To help your child through this process you may wish to consider accessing the online Naplan Public Demonstration Website. On this page you will find links to the various tests for each year group. It is highly recommended that students take the time to access these practice tests (usually only 10-20 questions / test) as it provides an opportunity to access and familiarise themselves with the online platform and types of questions used for each test. This helps to reduce a lot of anxiety on the day of the tests and supports students in their performance as they know how to access the resources provided such as the calculator, ruler, protractor etc.
More detail regarding Naplan will be provided to students as well as parents/carers in coming weeks.
Mr Brett Moran
Leader of Learning Curriculum
Year 7 2023 and 2024 School Tours & Information Evenings
Shrove Tuesday Pancakes - ORDER NOW!!
Tuesday 1st March is Shrove Tuesday.
Shrove Tuesday takes place before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, it is the day when Christians are encouraged to go to confession in preparation for the penitential season that would end 40 days and 40 nights later with Easter Sunday.
Shrove is the past tense of the English verb “Shrive” which means to obtain absolution for one’s sins by way of confession and by doing penance.
On Shrove Tuesday we will be selling Pancakes with maple syrup at recess for $2.50.
ORDER AND PAY FOR YOUR PANCAKES VIA COMPASS.
All profits raised will go towards Project Compassion.
Please order and pay for your pancakes in advance as you may miss out otherwise.
Cookies for Caritas - Projection Compassion Fundraiser
Support Project Compassion by buying a tub of dough-licious Billy G's Cookie Dough!!
This term we will be hosting a number of fundraisers in support of Project Compassion.
Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough is an exciting fundraiser, made by an Australian, family owned and operated business. There are ten (10) dough-licious flavours to choose from, including the most popular Choc Chunk and Caramel White Choc. You can even order pet friendly cookie dough and make your dog some awesome treats!!
Every student or staff member who sells a tub will receive an incentive prize for their efforts! But why not aim higher? The more tubs you sell the more prizes you will receive! There are 12 prizes available.
Order forms and instructions have be given out in Religious Education classes this week. Orders close the 7th March 2022
We appreciate your support of this cause!!
NSW Premier's Reading Challenge
St Joseph's Catholic High School Library will be running the NSW PRC (NSW Premier's Reading Challenge) this year.
Tennis
The Diocesan Tennis Championships were held at Beaton Park on Friday 14th February. Congratulations to the following students who represented St Joseph’s with enthusiasm:
Open Female team: Eleni Michael, Katelyn Blissett, Ava Boschiero & Rhianna Trajkovska
Male Team: Caleb Short, Robert Frew, Noah Jewiss & Tim Gilmore
Thank you to Mrs Hensman and Mr Lowrie for coaching the teams.
Swimming Carnival
The annual St Joseph’s School Swimming Carnival was held at Corrimal Pool on Friday 17th February. Whilst participant numbers were down it was great to see around 50 students attend and get involved in the action on the day. Special shout out to our Yr 11 students who stepped up on the day. We had a number of students participating in races as well as a number of SLR students who helped with timekeeping, recording and handing out place ribbons. They did an outstanding job.
We witnessed many keen and talented swimmers with the highlight being able to watch the students from our newly established Mackillop Learning Centre joining in on the fun for a couple of races as well. Congratulations to the following students who are our 2022 Swimming Age Champions:
|
Age |
Place |
Male |
Female |
12 |
1st |
Curtis McWilliams |
Jessica Doan |
|
2nd |
Amy Jedrzejczak |
||
|
3rd |
Addison Straney |
||
13 |
1st |
Te Ari’i Aperau-Bob |
Xara-Jade McCrimmon |
|
2nd |
Kobe Dunn |
Emily Daly |
|
|
3rd |
Samson Schwingen |
Lily Tecles |
|
14 |
1st |
Declan Bone |
Chelsea Whalan |
|
2nd |
Samuel Shepherd |
Stevie McLaren |
|
|
3rd |
Tasman Rippon |
||
15 |
1st |
Flynn Gould-Anthony |
Katelyn Blissett |
|
2nd |
Kobe Cox |
||
|
3rd |
Alexander Daly |
||
16 |
1st |
Lucas Thompson |
Tayissa Buchana |
|
2nd |
Caleb Short |
||
|
3rd |
|||
17+ |
1st |
Bailey Miller |
Halle Bone |
|
2nd |
Lucas Ruprecht |
Grace Pomery |
|
|
3rd |
Lachlan Haining |
Jaylah Yates |
|
Congratulations to Flynn Gould-Anthony who set a new school record in the Male 100m Intermediate Breastroke event.
Our 2022 swim team has been selected and will represent the school at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival Friday 11 March. The list of swimmers can be found on Compass. We look forward to watching their progress and know they will do a great job flying the flag for St Joseph’s.
Mr Moran, Mr Armstrong & Ms Sharkey (Swimming Carnival Convenors)
Upcoming Events
Soccer Clinics
Focus Health and Sports Coaching will be conducting soccer clinics in the lead up to the Diocesan Soccer Championships. These clinics will take place on our school Oval commencing on Thursday 3rd March. They are for students who have pre-registered. Students must attend these clinics if they would like to represent Joey's in soccer. .
Wollongong Boys Touch Football Team Selection
A selection trial is being held on Monday 7th March from 9.00am - 11.00am at Dalton Park for male U15 and open players who wish to be considered for selection in the Wollongong Diocese touch football teams. Players need to email Mrs Garbutt if they would like to attend this trial. Players nominated should be talented with a good touch background and some representative experience. Players will need to organise their own private transport to the trials. No St Joseph's staff member will be attending.
Southern Country AFL Trials
Nominations close today for the 2022 Boys U15's Southern Country AFL Trials to be held in Canberra on Wednesday 9th of March 2022. Open to boys aged 13-15 in 2022 (Years 8, 9 & 10). The structure has changed for 2022 and a Southern Country team will be selected from the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn and the Diocese of Wollongong. The selected team will play at the NSWCCC trials in Wagga Wagga over two days - 2nd & 3rd of May, 2022. Enter your nomination via this link by Friday 25 February, 2022.
Triathlon
The NSW All Schools Triathlon Championships is being held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on Wednesday 16th March. Our Intermediate girls team is looking for a cyclist. Our junior male team requires a swimmer. There’s also interest for a junior girls team. Please email Mrs Garbutt if interested
U15 and Open Rugby League Trials
Nominations are open for the U15's and Open Rugby League Selection Trials to be held at Gibson Park Thirroul on 16th March. For the U15 trial, students must be 14 or 15 years of age as of 31st December 2022. For the Open trial, students must be 16,17 or 18 years of age as at 31st December 2022. Enter your nomination via this link by Friday 4th March, 2022.
Cross Country Information
The St Joseph’s Annual Cross Country Carnival is being held at the Kembla Joggers Running Park at West Dapto on Tuesday 22nd March. It is a full school community event. The carnival is compulsory for all students in Years 7-12. Please be advised that the school office will be closed on this day. Students who have medical certificates will be allocated as officials. Students have formed their own teams of 6 and will participate in a tabloid of events including inflatables! Prizes will be awarded and the aim of the day is for maximum participation and enjoyment. All students are required to complete this Google Form to assist with the organisation of the carnival. Parents are most cordially invited to attend.
Mrs Michelle Garbutt
Representative Sports Coordinator
Year 10 Food Technology were cooking pancakes this week to cater for Shrove Tuesday.
Year 11 Hospitality Kitchen Operations started their practical adventures with Thai beef salad.
2022 SCHOOL FEE INFORMATION
School fees for 2022 have now been invoiced and statements will be issued by the end of Week Two with annual or first instalment payment due on 28 February 2022. You may view school fees in the Compass Parent Portal. We apologise, an issue with TechOne some families have not received an email. Statements will be sent next Tuesday 1/3/2022. Please advise the office if you still do not receive an email.
WHAT CENTRALISATION OF FUNCTIONS MEANS FOR FAMILIES
The invoicing of school fees and the distribution of school fee statements each month, is now a function carried out by the Catholic Education Office. Payment of fees, whether as an annual payment or payment by instalments is due on the date/s provided on your school fee statement.
Please note that if an adjustment is made to your school fee account e.g. your child changes subjects in a secondary school, etc., we will email a new school fee statement. If you are paying by instalments, they may need to be regenerated and a change may occur in your payments. If this is the case, a new schedule of payments and due dates will appear on the last page of your statement.
REMINDERS FOR LATE PAYMENTS
In 2021, the issue of reminders for late payment via email was introduced and in 2022 the ability to send SMS messages will be added to the system. These reminders are automatically generated by the software based on the number of days a payment is overdue and are distributed by the Catholic Education Office. For those families that may have difficulty in paying their school fees, these reminders may cause some distress. This is not our intention. Our intention is to manage the collection of school fee accounts with new technology and in so doing, alleviate some of the administrative work of our schools.
SCHOOL FEE ACCOUNT ENQUIRIES
Please note, despite the centralisation of various functions, your school/s will always be your point of contact for matters pertaining to fees. If you wish to discuss your school fee account, please contact your school office. The role of the Catholic Education Office is to action centralised tasks on behalf of schools.
IF YOU WISH TO PAY BY INSTALMENTS
Many families have already elected to pay their school fees by instalments. If you wish to avail yourself of this option please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on your school’s website or at your school’s office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit it at your school’s office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your account and a schedule of payments and due dates will be provided on your next school fee statement. Please note it is only necessary to complete this form once during the period of child/children’s enrolment, unless you wish to amend your payment frequency.
DIFFICULTY WITH PAYMENT
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, we encourage you to contact the school in which your child/children are enrolled to discuss an arrangement that will assist you meet your commitments. This may include the completion of a Diocesan Application for Fee Concession which is available from the administration office of each school. Be reassured that your situation will be treated with strict confidentiality and respect for your circumstances.
For those families that received a Fee Concession in 2021, you will receive an email prior to your annual review date attaching a further Application for Fee Concession. If you wish to submit the application, please do so at your child’s school. Please note, if you have children in more than one school, it will only be necessary to submit one application.
For further information regarding school fees, please access the Diocesan School Fee Management Policy and Frequently Asked Questions which is available on your school’s website.
The Local Health District has developed 5 information sheets to help people navigate:
- How to register a RAT with Service NSW
- What to do if you test positive
- What to do if you are household contact
- What to have ready in a COVID home care kit
- How to help slow the spread of COVID
We hope these help some people who are struggling with what to do at the moment. These have been dated down the bottom as while these sheet may be current this week, things may change quickly.
The Abbey is looking for one or two carers to assist with some of our elderly sisters living within
our community. The role involves getting the sisters into/out of bed, personal care and meal
assistance. Hours – Tuesday & Thursday 5pm-7pm, Saturday & Sunday 7am-9am. If you are the
person for this job, please send resume or enquiries to Sr Hannah
aged.care@jamberooabbey.org.au