Filter Content
- From the Principal
- From the Assistant Principal
- From the Curriculum Office
- Administration Reminders
- School Chaplaincy at Joey's
- Career News
- Sports Update
- Principal's Gold Awards Presentation
- Parent/Teacher Interviews
- St John's Dapto Primary School - New Buildings Opening Ceremony
- 2023 Premier's Reading Challenge
- Kembla and Macquarie House - Thanksgiving
- Student Return to School Dates 2024
- Shellharbour City Council Mayoress' Giving Tree Appeal
- Catholiccare Term 4 Courses
- Uniform Shop Trade Days
- Learning Curve
Christmas is a beautiful time of year. We get to see family and friends. There are presents to be shared and a mountain of special food that gets eaten. In all this sometimes we are too busy to look at the meaning of Christmas. The celebration of Christ’s birth - the meaning of peace and goodwill to all. We live in a world where we often don't get the time to give peace to others. The peace that comes from being truly present in the moment to those we are with. Not distracted by phones or what jobs we need to complete. Memories are created from being ‘present’ and in that we are all a gift at christmas.
Congratulations to our Year 12 Captains and SRC for all the organisation of our school Christmas celebrations - they are doing a fantastic job.
Last week I had the privilege of taking four Year 8 students to the opening of St Johns Primary School’s new buildings at Dapto. Millie, Libby, Jacob and Aaron were excellent ambassadors for St Joseph’s and I was extremely proud of their interactions with staff and parents on the day. Please see their report of the event in this newsletter.
On the 5th December we are doing a community consultation on the bus times for St Joseph’s and St Pauls. All parents are welcome to attend. Premier Illawarra will be present. Please see the Compass email from last Tuesday for a copy of the proposal and details of the meeting.
Meeting date: Tuesday 5 December
Venue: St Joseph’s Catholic High School, School Hall
Time: 7pm
Please enter off Macquarie Street.
This year we will be having a full school assembly for our Academic Awards Presentation. I would encourage all parents to attend. A Compss event notification will be sent to parents of students receiving awards. This will be published as soon as possible.
Academic Awards Presentation Yr 7-11
Date: Thursday 14 December 2023
Venue: School Gym
Time: 9:45 am
Ms Amanda Wilson
Principal
Responsible Use of ICT/Social Media
In recent days I have unfortunately had to work with some students and their parents concerning significant breaches of the CEDoW Student Responsible Use of ICT Agreement. These breaches have included the photographing and filming of both staff and students without consent, and the creation of inappropriate memes about students and staff. In some cases, technology has been deliberately used to harass and embarrass staff/students and has caused significant distress to the victims. These types of incidents have no place at St Joseph’s and they do not align with our Josephite Values.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind students (and parents) about the CEDoW Student Responsible Use of ICT Agreement that is signed at the start of each school year.
I encourage all parents to regularly check their child's use of social media and camera rolls including any password-protected folders that your children may have created on their devices.
The eSafety Commissioner website is a valuable resource for both parents and young people. I encourage you to explore this website for information on how to best support your young person in navigating the digital world in which they live.
Updated 2024 Uniform and Grooming Policy
In our last newsletter, I wrote to you about our updated 2024 Uniform and Grooming Policy. To ensure that all students and parents/carers receive this information, I have included it once again in this newsletter.
It is important to be aware that students who return to school in 2024 and whose presentation does not align with this policy risk being sent home from school until their uniform and grooming adhere to the standards outlined in this policy.
Uniform Revisions and Areas of Focus:
- School Shoes: Polished, plain, black hard leather lace-up school shoes (jogger style, canvas, soft leather, vans or boots are not acceptable).
- Sports Shoes: Sports joggers/Trainers; (no skate–style, vans, canvas, Converse or slip-on shoes).
- Girl’s Skirts: Skirt length must touch the top of the knee. Rolling of the skirt is not allowed.
- Outerwear: Students may only wear the school-approved blazer, jumper and windbreaker jacket during cooler weather. Plain white undershirts can only be worn if the sleeves do not exceed the length of the school shirt sleeves.
- All students must have the school-issued navy blue school bag with the school crest.
- When wearing the uniform, students are expected to be in full school or sports uniform – not a mixture of both.
Grooming Revisions and Areas of Focus:
- Haircuts: Haircuts that invite comment including 'tracks', 'rats tail', 'mullet', ‘horsey’, extreme hair parting/cuts, undercuts or extensions are not allowed. The Leadership Team will determine if future hairstyle trends conform with the intent of this policy. Hair must be grown/cut/groomed in a neat and professional manner.
- Hairstyles: Hair below the collar must be tied back. Half-up/half-down hairstyles are not permitted. Students who choose to colour their hair must use a natural hair colour.
- Earrings: One simple gold or silver sleeper or stud per ear lobe to a maximum of 5mm diameter. Piercings in any other part of the ear are only permitted if a clear plastic stud is worn. Students wearing other types of piercings will be instructed to remove them.
- Nose Piercings: These will only be permitted if a clear plastic stud is worn. Students wearing other types of piercings will be instructed to remove them.
- Banned Piercings: Tongue, lip, nasal septum, eyebrow, cheek, and chin piercings are not permitted. Students will be instructed to remove them.
- Nails: Acrylic and artificial nails are not permitted and students will not be permitted to attend practical sessions with acrylic/artificial nails as this is a safety issue.
- Eyelashes: False eyelashes and eyelash extensions are not permitted.
Upcoming Dates
Sports Award Presentation
We will be celebrating our year of sporting success for 2023 on Wednesday 13th December commencing at 11:20 am in the School Gym. Our Guest Speaker will be Olympic middle and long-distance runner - Jessica Hull. We invite all parents and Year 12 students to attend this celebration of sport and success with the rest of the school.
Year 7 - 11 Academic Award Presentation
We will be celebrating our year of academic achievement for 2023 on Thursday 14th December in the School Gym. The presentation will commence at 9:45 am. We ask that parents/carers please arrive at 9:30 am so that we can organise seating. Parents and Carers are warmly invited to attend these presentations. The awards that will be presented include:
- Academic Achievement - 6 A grades over the two semesters
- Academic Excellence - 10 A grades over the two semesters
- ADF Leadership Awards (Year 10)
- CAPA Perpetual Trophy
- Spirit of Micah Awards
Mr Chris Shelton
Assistant Principal
HSC Assessments
A reminder about NESA requirements around assessment for HSC courses. For a school in NSW to be accredited to run the HSC and to maintain the integrity of the system, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has put in place for all schools – state, Catholic and independent – strict guidelines regarding students’ satisfactory completion of courses.
Formal school-based assessment comprises 50% of a student’s final HSC mark in a subject. As such it is important to highlight a few requirements related to school-based assessment for HSC courses.
- All requirements are outlined in the HSC Assessment manual that was shared with students earlier this term.
- The HSC Assessment manual has the assessment outline for each HSC subject. This includes the type of tasks, weightings and a guide to dates that tasks will be set - note exact dates for 2024 tasks cannot be provided as the 2024 timetable is not developed at the time the manual is distributed.
- Students are required to complete assessment tasks on the date set for the task to be completed. Not following this protocol can create a range of issues such as giving some students an advantage / or even disadvantage over the students as well as impacting the integrity of the actual task.
- As outlined in the assessment manual we appreciate that from time-to-time circumstances may dictate that a student is unable to successfully complete a task such as illness or a death in the family. Provisions for these circumstances are again clearly outlined in the assessment manual and have been clearly outlined to students.
- Family holidays, trips away or other personal business such as driving tests/lessons are generally not considered valid reasons for students not to be at school and completing set formal tasks.
- In the case where a student has not completed a formal assessment task as / the assessment requirements a student will be issued an N Warning for the task. A mark of 0 will be registered for the task impacting the student’s final school-based assessment. The student is also required to complete the task at a later date to ensure they are fulfilling course requirements.
Again, we remind students and parents/carers that you consider events such as holidays (short or long) and other activities and schedule them outside of school hours as much as possible. Whilst we do our best to try and support students across their HSC journey, we also need to ensure that the HSC requirements put in place by NESA are followed by all students. In all cases, please refer to the HSC Assessment manual regarding HSC requirements. Please contact the Curriculum office at any time for further clarification.
All My Own Work
AMOW is an online course developed by NESA. It is a program 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.
It is a requirement for all students to complete AMOW before starting Year 11 course work. Students in Year 10 that have not undertaken Studies of Religion 1 or a Pathways elective this year are required to complete the course as are students in Year 9 who have chosen to study Studies of Religion 1 &/or a Pathways elective in 2024.
The course is completed online via a Google Classroom page that has been shared with students. The course involves completing 5 modules and students are asked to have successfully completed the course by the end of week 9.
Students that have not completed the course by this date will not be able to start Year 11 courses at the start of 2024. For students in Year 9 their place in SOR1 &/or Pathways electives may be reviewed as a consequence.
Mr Brett Moran
Curriculum Coordinator
2024 School Fee General Information
School fees for 2024 will be invoiced and statements will be issued by the end of Week Two with annual or first instalment payment due on 29 February 2024. All school fees are 30 days accounts payable in full unless you wish to pay by instalment or agreement (Both explained below). You may view school fees in the Compass Parent Portal.
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 St Joseph’s website or in the holder on the wall at St Joseph’s finance office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at St Joseph’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 detailed school fee statement at the beginning of the year. Please note if you are paying by instalments at St Joseph’s or at a primary school you are coming from, no need to complete another request to pay by instalment form unless you want to change the frequency. 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. You may only have ONE instalment frequency across schools eg fortnightly at both.
Completion of a Request to pay by instalment IS NOT an authority for payment from your bank account, you need to setup BPay or a regular payment from your bank.
IF YOU WISH TO PAY BY AGREEMENTS
Many families wish for a more flexible payment arrangement paying irregular lump sums throughout the year ensuring fees are paid in full by year end or an annual payment at tax time or after the 30 days deadline in February have lapsed. Your Agreements need to be updated yearly, please contact St Joseph’s Finance office by phone 4230 8525 or email accounts@sjchsdow.catholic.edu.au.
REMINDERS FOR LATE PAYMENTS
These reminders are automatically generated 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.
SCHOOL FEE ACCOUNT ENQUIRIES
The invoicing of school fees and the distribution of school fee statements each month, is 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.
St Joseph’s will always be your point of contact for matters pertaining to fees. If you wish to discuss your school fee account, please contact St Joseph’s finance office.
DIFFICULTY WITH PAYMENT
If you are experiencing financial difficulty and unable to increase your payments or pay, there are concessions available. We encourage you to contact St Joseph’s to discuss an arrangement that will assist you meet your commitments. This includes the completion of a Diocesan Application for Fee Concession which is available from the holder on the wall at St Joseph’s finance office.
Once the completed Fee Concession form is received, the school may be able to write off some of your outstanding fee balance. 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 2023, 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.
Recently our Sunday reading was the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30. This is an interesting story with a couple of levels of understanding that we can use to reflect upon.
In this story, a wealthy man heading out of town entrusts his property to three servants. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability, where a talent is a measurement used to weigh precious gold or silver (equivalent to approx. 34 kgs)
The men with the five and two talents trade them and double the wealth entrusted to them. The third man buries the money as he is afraid that the master will punish him if he loses the money.
The two men who invested and double their portion are congratulated as good and faithful servants and the other man is labelled as lazy and wicked.
At a cursory glance, it appears that Jesus is congratulating two men for their great wisdom in being able to double their investment while a third is reprimanded for not taking any risks and merely burying his, but this is not a story about how well these men have invested money, it is not a story of taking risks on the stock exchange.
Often this parable is used to encourage us to make use of our God given talents because of the obvious similarity of the English word ‘talents’ to the biblical unit of measurement. This is a terrific way of looking at the parable but, I would suggest that there is an even deeper meaning that we can get out of it.
The most precious thing that God gives us, as his people, is his mercy and his love. It is a free gift from God that is unable to be measured. It is priceless. He gives it to us freely and abundantly and this parable is all about what we do with that gift.
What we cannot afford to do with this gift is selfishly hold onto it or bury it like the man in the parable does, no when we use the gift properly, we ‘spend it’ as lavishly and generously, as God has done for us. When we do this, it will increase in value as it rebounds back and forth amongst all those it is shared with.
We are called to love and show mercy to each other in our school community but to also do everything in our power to look out for those in the wider community, especially as we enter the season of Advent leading up to Christmas where so many families are doing it tough.
It is not enough simply to live out the Christian life. We need to speak and tell people about Jesus, whose supreme gift of love is revealed in his death on the cross, and sealed when he conquered death and rose again in order that all your sins and all my sins are forgiven.
Will we be judged to be the ‘wicked lazy servant’, who refuses to share God’s love and mercy, or will we be the ‘good and faithful servant’?
Our challenge is to not be selfish or timid with the gift of love and mercy that God has given us, but encourage and love one another, so we can fulfil the mission he wants of us.
If you or your child would like a chat or would like to make use of my services in any way, please contact the school Ph: 4230 8500 email: info@sjchsdow.catholic.edu.au or by contacting your child’s PALS teacher.
What's happening in the careers space!
Year 12
Discovey Day at UOW is coming up on February 14th, 2023. Year 12 have registered to attend the sessions of their choice. Parents should see the Compass Parental Portal and give permission for their child to attend this event this year in preparation for the day early next year.
UOW Yr 12 Future Me Program
If your child is considering UOW as an option for a future course, please see the flyers attached that have been shared with Year students via goggle classroom
CYBER ACTIVITY DAY
On December 1, four students will be going to UOW to attend this event. Students will be part of an elite threat-hunting team to solve a mystery… What they will get out of the day is :
- Actionable cyber behaviours that you can apply and share with others to safeguard privacy and personal data
- A glimpse into the role of a cyber defender
- The opportunity to meet students and staff from the University of Wollongong’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences and find out about career pathways.
(Ethan Thompson and ex student Michael McMillan pictured below)
POSITIONS VACANT
Employer in Unanderra looking for an Apprentice
Mustapha at Airserv Airconditioning Unanderra 0412 901 533 He is looking at putting on an apprenticeship for 2024. Interested students to call and to then send in a resume to Mustapha.
Qualification Airconditioning and Refrigeration
Business started in 2017
Employ currently – 6 (1 x apprentice 2nd year)
Residential air-conditioning and some light commercial work
Hours of work 7 – 3:30 pm but overtime sometimes Monday - Friday
Qualities/skills – attendance, reliability and positive attitude. Good critical thinking, consider that they will be working in confined spaces
Licence preferrable – or 2/3 months close to achieving
Course/Career Information
UOW College Nursing Information Session 9 January
Are you considering studying the HLT54121 Diploma of Nursing, have you applied, or already have an offer and still need answers? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Please join us for our upcoming online info session to find out how to become an enrolled nurse or progress onto the Bachelor of Nursing at UOW in just 18 months. Find out about: • Evaluation Days • Course structure • Entry requirements • Job outcomes • Scholarships • VET student loans • Clinical placement • Class days • Orientation • Enrolment
APPRENTICESHIPS
See link
Secure your career early with 1300apprentice. Learn about the choice of careers on offer & secure your place now, apprenticeships & traineeships start in 2024. We are seeking motivated individuals for a wide variety of apprenticeships in various locations across Sydney, the Illawarra & Southern Highlands. These opportunities are commencing in late 2023 or early 2024.
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
Have you read the News?
Some of our students have featured in the recent Catholic Sports Stars Feature Paper, promoting our schools excellence in sport.
Term 4 Sport Value Awards
The Term 4 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 - Mitchell Whalan
Intermediate - Madeline Suleman-Wright
Senior - Emma Judd
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 - Kiara Shelton
Intermediate - Tristan Denmeade
Senior - Hunter Graham
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 - Pacey Moylan & Emma-Lee Sutton
Intermediate - Kiana Rieck
Senior - Hunter Graham
Aspiring/Elite Athlete Program 2023/24
The Athlete testing and education day at Bai Med Performance Centre was a resounding success, fostering a holistic approach to athletic development. Athletes underwent comprehensive physical assessments, including strength, speed, and endurance tests, providing valuable insights for personalised training programs. The educational sessions covered nutrition basics empowering participants to optimise performance and longevity in their respective sports. It was great to be joined by our new Year 6 students who will be attending St Joseph’s next year.
Sports Award Assembly
Looking into 2024
Currently we are in the process of selecting our Tennis, U15s/Opens Touch teams, Rugby League and Soccer teams ready to go for Term 1 next year. Term 1 is one of the busiest sporting terms so locking our teams early gives us an improved chance at success. Goodluck to all students who are trialling for these teams.
SJCHS Swimming Carnival
The 2024 swimming carnival will be for competitors only, however, we encourage all students to enter in events to get valuable points for their house. Students will register to compete via compass from Week 1, next year. Last year Warrigal took an early lead in participation points which contributed to them taking home the Swimming Champion House Trophy for 2023….Who will win next year???
Sporting Success
Madeleine Varga
Congratulations to Madeleine on her success at the NSW Country Tournament. She came runners up in the U16s Girls age group after 3 days of back to back games. A huge effort and one she should be very proud of. Well done.
Thomas Frew
Congratulations to Thomas who played in the Illawarra Open Men’s Div 2 team and placed 2nd in the final of this competition.
Latisha Akuoko
Congratulations to Latisha who has been selected in the Lisa Fiaola 2024 training team. She is in the training squad for St George Dragons and training in Kogarah for 5 weeks then will play 3 trial games to decide who will make the squad. We wish her the best of luck.
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
This week, we held presentations for the Principal's Gold Awards Recipients. Congratulations to the following students who have achieved and were presented with Principal's Gold Awards at this week's assembly.
Parent/Teacher Interviews
Parent teacher interviews will take place on Friday 15th December (Term 4, Week 10) Bookings are now open and can be made via compass.
The interviews will be held via zoom between 11:30 am - 1:00 pm and 1:45 pm - 3:15 pm. This is a great opportunity to chat with your child/childrens class teachers to reflect on their performance throughout 2023 and identify areas to focus on to improve as we move into the new year of 2024.
On Tuesday, 21st of November, 4 former students from St John’s Dapto Primary School, accompanied by our dedicated teachers, Mrs. Wilson and Miss Janson, had the distinct pleasure of participating in the grand opening ceremony of St John’s Dapto Primary School’s newly built buildings. While these facilities weren’t exactly newly built, the challenges posed by COVID had delayed the official opening. Nevertheless, it was still a significant day for us all.
The day commenced with the attendance of a heartwarming liturgy, joined in the presence of Bishop Brian and Father Francis (Parish Priest of St John’s Dapto), where we joined the St John’s community in celebrating this significant milestone. The liturgy provided a heartening reflection of how far St John’s history and community has come.
Following the liturgy, we all had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations over a delicious morning tea. This particular occasion allowed the four of us to catch up with some of our beloved teachers. A special shout-out to our cherished teacher, Mrs. Steep, an influential and longtime figure at St. John’s. As she embarks on her well-deserved retirement, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude for her commitment to our education, Thank you!
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the guided tour the four of us with Ms Wilson and Miss Janson took. Led by Mr. De Battista and Mr. Downes, we strolled through the buildings where we remembered our good-old memories in the classrooms, exploring the facility and innovative learning spaces. The tour not only showcased the dedication of the St John’s community to providing an exceptional education environment but also served as an inspiration to our own.
We extend our gratitude to St John’s Dapto Primary School for their welcoming hospitality and for sharing this exciting chapter in their school’s history with us. It was a very memorable experience fostering a sense of pride in our wider Wollongong Diocese Community. We would also like to thank Ms. Wilson and Miss Janson for the wonderful opportunity to revisit this lovely primary school once again.
Congratulations to Gabriella Alessi, Myah Bramstedt and Oliver Gana for successfully completing the challenge this year and reading well over twenty books each!
We're very proud of you! Well Done!
This week, in the spirit of Thanksgiving in the US, Kembla and Macquarie Houses wrote notes for the things they are thankful for in their lives. These lovely notes have been displayed for us to celebrate our appreciation for the many things that we are thankful for.
Please note below the Return to School date for 2024:
- Years 7, 11 & 12 will return to school on Thursday 1 February 2024.
- Years 8, 9 & 10 will return to school on Friday 2 February 2024.
Shellharbour City Council is undertaking a 'Giving Tree Appeal' for families in need this christmas. Some 450 children, who come from low income families within Shellharbour City, will not receive Christmas presents this year. The assistance and support received from local schools last year greatly ensured the success of the 2022 Appeal.
If you wish to make any donations of gifts to the Shellharbour City Council Mayoress’ Giving Tree Appeal they can be left in the box located next to the tree in the foyer on the ground floor at the Shellharbour Civic Centre from 3 November 2023. Please note, Donations of gift vouchers should be marked to the attention of Joanne Frasca and left with customer services on the ground floor at the Shellharbour Civic Centre. Gift Vouchers for Target and Kmart are preferred, not Coles Myer as they cannot be used for Alcohol.
If you have any queries please contact Joanne Frasca on 0422 794 483. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated and will contribute to the success of the appeal.
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.
Group Program dates for Term 1 2024 are now open on the Catholiccare website. Please click on the following link for more details: Catholiccare Programs
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