Term 4, Week 6

The formal assessment weeks for Years 7-10 are now completed. This does not mean students have nothing to do for the rest of the year. All subjects still have mandatory work to be completed to meet syllabus requirements. A number of subjects still have informal tasks to complete which contribute towards final semester grades and students still have the opportunity to demonstrate the level of achievement in regard to the outcomes that they are working towards that will be on their reports. Students are still required to be at school and working diligently. It is also a great opportunity to further develop / refine the skills needed as students move into the next year group / stage next year.

Year 11 students have now had their final patterns of study confirmed with NESA. For a number of students this has involved dropping one subject from their Pattern of Study. For others they have maintained a full Pattern of Study but can drop one subject if/when they feel it is appropriate. By dropping a subject students generally receive 9 free lessons on their schedule. Students are reminded to ensure that these lessons should not be treated as ‘free periods’, rather an opportunity to consolidate learning, catch up on missed work or unfinished work, complete set homework or start on assessments. Students have been spoken to about the importance of establishing these positive learning habits early to not only support their own efforts but to also minimise the disruption of other students during these lessons as well. The last 2-3 weeks of term 4 are a very busy time for Year 11 with most subjects scheduling their first formal HSC assessment at this time. Students should be using their time at school and home wisely to start planning and working on these tasks, submitting drafts, or getting feedback from teachers to help minimise workload and potential stress/anxiety around this time.

Year 10 students not already doing a Pathways elective or the Studies of Religion 1 unit HSC course were spoken to about the All My OWN Work course this week. AMOW is a NESA mandated course that all students in NSW need to complete before they can begin Year 11 Coursework. The course is designed to help HSC students follow the principles and practices of good scholarship. This includes understanding, valuing, and using ethical practices when locating and using information as part of their HSC studies. Students will be given some time in class to successfully complete the 5 modules associated with the course but will need to complete in their own time if they are absent or do not finish any of the required modules. The course needs to be completed before the end of the year. Students are not allowed to begin Year 11 course work unless the course has been completed. Students in Year 9 who are doing a Pathways elective or beginning the SOR1 course in Year 10 next year also need to complete the AMOW course. These students will be provided with the information and process to follow to complete the course in a year meeting early in week 7.

Across the next 2 weeks students in Years 8 and 9 will receive their confirmation of elective subjects for 2024. We ask that parents review, sign off and return to the Curriculum office ASAP so that these subjects can be confirmed, and students placed in the appropriate classes for 2024.

Mr Brett Moran

Curriculum Coordinator

U16's Mixed Touch

In a thrilling gala day for the Under-16 mixed touch team, our young  Joey’s athletes showcased exceptional skill and teamwork on the field. The game was marked by intense competition against local schools, with our team displaying impressive offensive and defensive strategies. Our team took control of the first game, scoring the first try. However, the opposition came back with 2 tries at the end of the game. Our second game was close with a 12-16 loss. We then had a draw in game 3 and faced Holy spirit in our last game. Our players demonstrated remarkable agility, evading opponents with swift movements and executing precise passes but unfortunately took a loss 14-16. Notably, the under-16 players exhibited great sportsmanship, with fair play and respect evident throughout the game with the final scores of each game reflecting the closely contested nature of the matches, highlighting the balanced skill levels of the competing sides.

Congratulations to Zane Stroemer who was chosen as the MVP on the day.

Sports Awards Assembly 2023

With the upcoming Sports Assembly quickly approaching, can I please ask parents and students to check the below list of sports they have competed in over the course of this year. The criteria for receiving a sport award this year is:

• A student has competed in 3 or more sporting teams
• A student has been nominated as MVP

We will also be recognising:

• A student has received a Secondary Medallion or a Secondary Blue Award
• The Dragons Medallion Winner
• Overall Courage Award
• Overall Respect Award
• Overall Service Award
• Sportsperson of the Year

Please check your sporting teams - Student Sports Teams 2023

Email Miss Power if there are any issues or your name is missing from the team by the end of Week 7.

We have Olympian Jessica Hull as our guest speaker this year. Jessica is currently the record holder for multiple middle distance events for Australia and the Oceania Region. She is an incredible local athlete who will share the highs and lows of her journey as an athlete and I hope our students and parents will enjoy her perspective on the importance of sport for young people.

We hope that parents will join us in celebrating all our students and their sporting success this year. There will be plenty of seating available for family members.

Students receiving an award are expected to wear full school summer uniform (no sports uniform allowed).

Upcoming Events

Week 7

• Tuesday lunch time - 7-10 Tennis Trials
• Tuesday lunch time - Girls Rugby League Training
• Wednesday lunch time - Boys & Girls Soccer Training

Week 8

• Boys & Girls Touch Trials

Student Sporting Success

Ashton Byrne

Ashton did his first half marathon at the Husky running festival on Saturday! It was a great achievement and he really enjoyed it! He couldn't officially be registered as he didn't meet the age requirement but he ran 21km and he took 1:45:09.

Madeleine Varga

Congratulations to Madeleine who competed at the champions of champions tournament for tennis last weekend. She came first overall for the 16 and under girls in NSW and will be competing at Springwood in 2 weeks where she will play the top from all the other states.

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 our new social media page.

@SJCHSSPORTS

What's happening in the careers space!

Work Experience

Work experience is subject to Principal approval and may be granted if the employer grants a work trial to a student or a student wants to clarify their decision making about career progression into a specific industry.

As part of the process the Careers Adviser if possible, will visit the site. I had the privilege of visiting Remondis at Unanderra and found not only our current student - Preston Wall working on site but former Vice School Captain (2000), Benjamin Ford working alongside Preston. In the photo, is L-R, Ben, Preston and Scott on site at Remondis.

NAVY LIFE

Thank you to Joel Dowdell for accompanying our 5 students to an all-day event at Darling Harbour and Garden Island hosted by the ADF.

Navy Life X was a great opportunity to learn more about life in the Navy and the variety of careers on offer in trades, engineering, communications, cyber, IT & intelligence, aviation, and leadership. Students enjoyed an action-packed tour of the Navy’s largest ship HMAS Adelaide and visited the Navy Life Expo to enjoy hands-on demonstrations of Navy life. They also gained their sea legs as they were transported to the Navy Life Expo on board a Navy Landing Craft.

Navy Life Expo gave our students the chance to speak with Navy personnel, get a preview of life in the Navy, learn about the training and professional development opportunities, and explore interactive exhibits at the Navy Life Expo, including:

• Navy VR, flight simulators, drones, and robots
• Top Secret Street (peek into Navy’s highly classified careers)
• Navy Lifestyle, Wellness & Culture experience
• Participate in Navy sport & fitness challenges.
• Watch the Navy E-Sports tournament.
• ADF Careers (start an application or expression of interest)

TAFE

Campus Tours & Information Sessions

• Tuesday 28th November 2023
  Yallah Campus 4pm – 6pm
  West Wollongong Campus 4pm – 6pm
• Wednesday 29th November 2023, Wollongong Campus 4pm – 6pm
• Thursday 30th November 2023, Shellharbour Campus 4pm – 6pm

If you or your child would like to explore careers, build a resume, have coaching for a job interview or explore any other aspect of careers please email me kennedys01@dow.catholic.edu.au

Sue Kennedy

Transition and Pathways Specialist

HSC SHOWCASE NOMINATIONS 

We would like to extend our congratulations to Isabelle Plattner and Isabelle Dimitrievski for their nominations for NESA Creative Arts HSC showcases this year.  

Isabelle Plattner has been nominated for OnSTAGE, a showcase of high-achieving HSC Drama performances held each year at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. Her dramatic monologue from the play "A Woman Alone" is an emotional and frantic account of a woman's frustration at her declining domestic situation. Isabelle's moving performance demonstrated her excellent skill in character development, voice and engaging an audience on an emotional level. 

Isabelle Dimitrievski's nomination for ARTEXPRESS was achieved for her Visual Arts Body of Work titled "Everything You Can't See" was created with Micron pen, embroidery, and hand-knotted net. Her artist statement: Inspired by the concept of 'Sonder,' a term coined by poet John Koenig, my work delves into the realisation that each living being possesses a rich and intricate life. It unveils the larger tapestry of connections that frequently elude our self-awareness. Embroidered lighted windows symbolise the presence of people and life. Lighted windows serve as portals into a world distinct from our own, a world we can only sense without truly comprehending. Nets extend from the intimate and secluded spaces, physically embodying the often-invisible interwoven networks of society. The knots represent relationships, fleeting intersections, and significant moments in time.

This is a great achievement for both Isabelles who have also done their Drama and Visual Arts subjects for the HSC as Pathways students, a year ahead of their age cohort. Well done!

Selections will be announced on 15 December 2023, so we wish both girls good luck in this selection process and look forward to their HSC results in each subject. 

Clean up Joey's Day

Thank you so much for the enthusiastic participation in our latest Cleanup Joey’s day. The gloves & claws kindly donated by the P&C were put to good use as houses cleaned up their allocated areas.

Congratulations to the following houses:

• 1st place- Marshall with 7 buckets
• 2nd place- Warrigal with 4 ½ buckets plus a rusty bike!
• 3rd place- Kembla with 3 buckets
• 4th place- Keira with 2 buckets
• 5th place- Macquarie with almost 2 buckets

It would be wonderful if these cleanups aren’t needed in future because there was no rubbish on the ground. This requires all students to put their rubbish in the correct bin, or even better, bring a waste-free lunch to school each day.

Adopt-an-Animal

Thank you so much to the 257 students and teachers who voted for their favourite Australian animal to adopt.

The Environment Club came up with the idea to sponsor/adopt an Australian animal. This is one way the Joey's community can make a positive impact on the environment. By adopting an animal, we put funds and thoughts towards a beautiful creature that needs some extra love.

Sadly, many Australian animals are becoming endangered. Adopting an animal will allow each house to assist in the conservation and protection of native Australian animals.

We are pleased to announce the following animals, chosen by you as your adopted animal. The house with the highest number of votes for each animal has been allocated that animal.

Kembla- the Platypus. Platypuses are under threat from habitat loss, dams & climate change. They are set to decline in numbers by at least 50% over the next 50 years

Keira- the Koala. Koalas are under threat from bushfires, deforestation and disease. They have recently been classified as endangered.

Marshall- the Tasmanian Devil. Tassy Devils are under threat from facial tumour disease. It is now classed as endangered and populations have declined by more than 60% since 1998.

Warrigal- the Turtle. Turtles are under threat from overfishing and being caught up in nets.

Macquarie- the Wombat. Wombats are under threat from habitat destruction, competition from introduced species, roadkill and mites.

Thank you again for your support and stay tuned for more information from your house leaders about your chosen animal.

SRC Induction

Last week we had many family members and friends witness our Student Representative Council (SRC) Induction Ceremony. This is an important ceremony to recognise our Senior and Junior Student Leaders for 2024. The students were presented with their badges and recited the SRC Leadership Pledge demonstrating their commitment to the school.

Congratulations to all our School Captains, Vice and Sports Captains and Senior and Junior SRC representatives.

GRIP Leadership Excursion

This week, our School Vice and Sports Captains, had an incredible opportunity to attend the GRIP leadership Conference. The event was highly interactive, featuring numerous engaging activities that enabled students to meet and interact with various school leaders and exchange ideas.

Throughout the day, they were introduced to new skills, fresh perspectives, and innovative ideas that will aid them in their roles as Senior leaders and help them make a positive impact in their school community.

Shellharbour Youth Summit

Shellharbour Youth Services successfully hosted the fourth annual Shellharbour Youth Summit last week. Some of our Year 10 SRC students had the opportunity to engage in a diverse range of activities and listen to esteemed guest speakers. The students also had the privilege of networking with Chris Homer the Lord Mayor, Shellharbour Councilor’s, and dedicated staff, along with special guests and fellow students from local schools.

The collaborative and networking aspects of the summit, both with dignitaries and fellow students, contribute significantly to fostering a sense of community among young leaders in the local area. Students were enriched by the experience that was provided throughout the day.

Year 7 Orientation

Year 7 Orientation is an important event for incoming students transitioning from primary school to secondary school. This week the SRC students assisted and guided the students by familiarising them with the school environment and providing essential information in preparation for next year.

Thank you to all the SRC students and other students that assisted and made it a successful day.

EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS

Toy Drive/Christmas Food Hamper Donations

Thank you to all the students and their families and staff that have donated toys/gifts and food for Christmas Hampers for the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Donations will be accepted up to the 4th of December. Your generously donated toys or gifts will be distributed by Vinnies Albion Park volunteers to ensure every child/teen in need will experience the joy of having a gift under their Christmas tree this year. Christmas food items will be provided to families in need and make Christmas more special.  

Please bring your gifts to the front office. Each toy/gift, Christmas food item  is worth 5 points.

Santa Photos/Candy Canes and Cookies

The Senior SRC Leaders have been busy organising fundraising for the Vinnies Christmas Appeal by creating different opportunities for our students to start getting into the Christmas spirit. Students are able to take a photo with Santa (if they have preordered) and order candy canes with a gift tag.

Year 12 students will be baking cookies during this Christmas period.

Upcoming Date:

12th December - Christmas Giving Liturgy and Christmas in the Cola and Christmas Dress up.

Flora Curcio-Borg

AREC/SRC Coordinator

On Tuesday 14th November, some of our Year 12 Student's and Mr Dribbus attended the The Illawarra Schools Excellence in Vocational Education & Training (VET) Awards.

These awards are to recognise the extraordinary achievements of students across a wide range of industry categories. The following students were awarded a Certificate of Excellence and represented the Joey's community with Pride.

• Sienna Bourke
• Tara Massey
• Noah Bechara

Well done to these students!

Thank you for all of the support over the past twelve months.  It has been a pleasure to serve the St Joseph’s School Community.

The Online Booking System is now open for parents to be able to make their fitting appointments. Please see below last day of trade for 2023, back to school trading hours and resumption of normal trading hours.

Last day of Trade:

Thursday 14th December - 8:30am - 1:30pm

Back to School Trade 2024:

Monday 15th January - 8:30am - 4:30pm

Thursday 18th January - 8:30am - 4:30pm

Monday 22nd January - 8:30am - 4:30pm

Thursday 25th January - 8:30am - 4:30pm

Monday 29th January - 8:30am - 4:30pm

Resume Normal Trade 2024:

Thursday 1st February 8:30 - 1:30pm

Tracey

St. Joseph’s Catholic High School Uniform Shop

Email:  stjosephs.uniforms@permapleat.com.au

Catholiccare offers a range of group work courses focusing on strengthening relationships, parenting, post-separation, supporting parents with children in care, managing challenging emotions and grief. Group programs are held in a supportive environment with others who share similar life experiences.  

Click below to view the Term 4 2023 group work courses.