Term 1 Week 2 - 10th February 2023
At the end of last year, our Junior Pastoral Care and Year 11 Leaders were announced for the 2023 school year.
Students, in consultation with their PC teachers, were asked to make nominations for leadership positions. One Leader was then subsequently elected for each Pastoral Care group.
Throughout the year, this group of Junior Pastoral Care and Year 11 Leaders, along with the Year 12 Leaders form the Student Leadership Team. The team will work together in a comprehensive way in representing the student voice of the College, fostering a greater sense of belonging.
I congratulate all students on being elected to the Student Leadership Team. I have no doubt, that you will fulfil your role with enthusiasm, maturity and a commitment to work together.
Congratulations to our:
Junior Pastoral Care & Year 11 Leaders
| FLINDERS | MACQUARIE | ||
| PC - F01 PC - F02 PC - F03 PC - F04 PC - F05 PC - F06 PC - F07 |
Samuel Duff Cooper Taylor Hannah Thompson Till Squires Lara Novella Sophie Bentley Savannah Nowak |
PC- M01 PC- M02 PC- M03 PC- M04 PC- M05 PC- M06 PC- M07 |
Zoe Scott-Branagan Emily Walsh Lilly Maher Ioan Williams Julia Martin Charlee Maher Sharni Graham |
| PC - F11 | Grace Kruk Harry Turnbull |
PC- M11 | Sophia Dominguez Aryan Vaishnav |
| HASTINGS | OXLEY | ||
| PC - H01 PC - H02 PC - H03 PC - H04 PC - H05 PC - H06 PC - H07 |
Grace Keena Neive Dwyer Akir Baird-Philp Audrey Cassegrain Brae McGregor Grace Field Airlia Matthews |
PC- O01 PC- O02 PC- O03 PC- O04 PC- O05 PC- O06 PC- O07 |
Lilly Fraser Paige Hudson Tyce Lee Lauren Kelly Max Troth Eliza Bajt Ceara Walker |
| PC - H11 | Alaska Webber Mary Slater |
PC- O11 | Zoe Copeland Jamie Vinod |
| INNES | WILSON | ||
| PC - I01 PC - I02 PC - I03 PC - I04 PC - I05 PC - I06 PC - I07 |
Tenisha Kinnaird Esther Cummins Sarah Fiorenza Olivia Hollingsworth Eleanor Bennett-Tonkin Joshua Kobelke Charlotte Hollingsworth |
PC- W01 PC- W02 PC- W03 PC- W04 PC- W05 PC- W06 PC- W07 |
Charli Paine Isla Dalton Phoebe Stubbs Kayden Cook Sophie Marchment Bonnie Clark Jaxson Clay |
| PC - I11 | Lauren Johnston Jack McManus |
PC- W11 | Olivia Moore Cooper Farrington |
Year 11 Leaders
Junior Pastoral Care Leaders
Mrs Tanya Daley
Principal
Dux of Year 12 2022
Each year we celebrate and acknowledge the academic achievements of all students.
It is with honour, that we can now announce our Year 12 2022 College Dux who achieved the highest ATAR of the 2022 cohort.
Congratulations, Alvin Benny, on achieving an ATAR of 98.1
Alvin was recognised at the High Achievers assembly on Wednesday where he delivered a speech outlining some of the study tools and techniques he accessed in preparation for the HSC examinations. During his senior years, Alvin studied: English Standard, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2, Physics, Software Design & Development and Studies of Religion 2unit; achieving a Band 6 in three courses: Software Design and Development, Maths Advanced, and Studies of Religion 2unit.
Alvin is now in the process of moving to attend the University of Queensland where he will study a Bachelor of Computer Science paired with a Master of Cybersecurity. He plans to work either as a software developer or a cybersecurity analyst.
We wish, Alvin, all the very best as he commences tertiary education and look forward to hearing about his undoubtful success in the future.
High Achievers Presentation
This week in our College assembly we celebrated our HSC high achievers and listened to some sage advice and reflections as they spoke of their experiences in Years 11 and 12 and offered advice about HSC preparation and also school approaches, in general. This year we were privileged to have Alvin Benny, Hannah Daikin, Jimmy Eggert, Jonah Garven and Amelia Stubbs join us to celebrate the achievements of our 2022 HSC cohort.
The following advice was provided by our speakers:
- Use your time wisely. Use every opportunity during class and study periods to complete course and assessment work. This enabled me to maximise my time outside of school for my other interests rather than just having to complete schoolwork.
- Balance is critical. There were times when I prioritised my assessment work and other times I could spend more time socialising with my friends. I always kept a balance of schoolwork, part-time work, sport and friends and family.
- Get involved at school. When I applied for scholarships the activities I had been involved in at school made a big difference to my applications, they helped them stand out from all the other applications.
- Stay on top of your study notes. Complete your notes then look for other sources to add any detail missing. I constantly refined my notes and would do various revision methods to ensure they progressively moved into my long-term memory.
- Keep practising actual questions and past papers. It was only when I did questions and past papers that I could see the gaps in my knowledge. It is when you go to write and answer or complete a problem that I realised if I did or didn’t understand that syllabus component.
- Finally, probably the best advice for our Year 11s. Use this year to work out what works best for you, and you can only do that by making mistakes and trying new techniques. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow the progress is, you are still way ahead of those who aren’t even trying.
We are extremely grateful for these past students giving up their precious time to provide their experiences and advice to not just our current senior cohort but also those in Years 7-10 as they progress through their junior years at school.
We were also treated to a slideshow presentation of many of our Year 12 cohort from last year and their varied post-school pathways. We have some budding occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, archaeologists, criminologists and programmers in our midst! St Joseph’s Regional College has nurtured, supported and offered up rich learning experiences to these students and we remain invested in their success.
Congratulations Year 12, 2022.
Year 12 2022 Achievements
Below is a snapshot of the academic achievements from the graduating class of 2022.
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Ian Lutton
Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
Inaugural Mass - Wednesday 15th February
We are truly blessed to live in a country where we can express our faith without fear of persecution. This is a privilege that many in our world are not afforded.
Next Wednesday, 15th February, we will gather in our College Hall which will be transformed into a sacred space for our prayerful celebration of our College's Inaugural Mass. In all Catholic Schools, the year is typically opened with a Mass. For students and their families who are new to a Catholic School, Mass is considered the high point of worship and prayer in our Catholic tradition. It is a ritual celebration where we listen to the Word of God through Scripture and celebrate the Eucharist (Jesus sacrificing himself for the sins of all humankind). This is also a time when we ask for God’s blessing over our community for the year ahead.
We have a great track record for our reverence during our College Masses, and I am sure that any guests we have, will be impressed with how our whole community participates in Mass.
This is a compulsory school day like any other; the normal timetable will continue from Period 2 on that day. We ask parents and guardians to please ensure students are here for our Inaugural Mass. We also warmly invite parents and guardians to attend Mass to celebrate the beginning of the school year with us. Mass will commence after PC at about 9:05 am on Wednesday morning.
Shove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter.
Why do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?
Traditionally, it was the last chance for a spot of indulgence before 40 days of fasting, and also an opportunity to use up food that couldn't be eaten during Lent. This included eggs, fat and milk, which were made into pancakes and eaten on that day.
The name Shrove Tuesday derives from the practice of Anglo-Saxon Christians going into confession the day before Lent, and being ‘shriven’ (absolved of their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession, which became known as the ‘Pancake Bell’ and is still rung today.
Impact Uganda Raffle
Thank you to all those students who have already purchased tickets in our Raffle to raise money to send children in Uganda to school. We extend a special thanks to Ned McRae in Year 12 who generously donated a large sum to support this cause. Our Student Leaders of Mission will continue to sell tickets next week. We hope to send at least two Ugandan students to school and we can do this if everyone in our College spent only $1 in this raffle. For more information about this cause, please visit: https://www.emmanuelcommunity.com.au/impact-uganda
Thank you Hastings Co-Op IGA Sovereign Place IGA for a generous donation of five two-kilogram blocks of Cadbury Chocolate to give away.
Tickets are on sale at lunch near the canteen area.
$1 each or 3 for $2.
Dates for the Calendar:
21st Feb: Shrove Tuesday - pancakes for sale from the canteen before school. Money raised goes to Project Compassion
22nd Feb: Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Hall at 9:05am - parents and guardians welcome to join us.
St Agnes' Church Gospel Reflections
Fr Paul Gooley is continuing to provide Gospel readings and reflections via email and online Monday to Saturday for those interested in connecting with their faith in this way.
Click to watch Fr Paul's Gospel Readings and Reflections.
St Agnes' Parish News Bulletin
Each week the Parish produces a news bulletin. In this week’s bulletin:
- Parish Educational Services - SJFS, JHI & Understanding Faith
- Shrove Tuesday 21 February
- Journey into the Catholic Faith
- Invitation to join the Music Ministry
- Cenacle at Lake Cathie
- CWL Dedication Mass - 17 February
- Volunteers Mandatory Safeguarding Training
- St Agnes' Gift Shop - 2023 calendars & diaries
Click to read this week's Parish News Bulletin
Assistant Principal- Mission
Uniform Reminders
A huge thank you to our families for your support of the phase-out of the old-style sports shorts. All students are now wearing the new shorts with yellow trim. Feedback from students is that the new shorts are much cooler than the previous style. The draw-string waist also allows for greater flexibility in sizing options. A reminder that all shorts should be “mid-thigh length” as per the Student Code of Presentation.
We appreciate your support in ensuring our high standards of presentation are maintained for all students within our College community.
Swimming Carnival
Next week, Tuesday, 14th February, our College will enjoy the annual swimming carnival. Following my newsletter article is information regarding the carnival, including information about acceptable swimwear. I ask that you please check that your child's swimwear complies with the Code of Presentation. Any student who does not have appropriate swimwear will be required to wear a College rash shirt.
Year 7 Transition Support
When a young person commences High School, this can be a big transition for the whole family. This week, we are featuring the first in a series of fact sheets to assist parents in supporting their young person - and the rest of the family - in navigating this period of transition.
Please see the information attached. If you are concerned about your child in Year 7 for any reason, please contact their PC Teacher or Leader of Student Wellbeing in the first instance.
Navigating Online friendships
This 30-minute webinar being held on Thursday 23 February at 7.30pm is designed for parents and carers of young people in secondary school.
It will cover:
- how to support young people to have safe and respectful relationships online
- what to do when something happens at school and ends up on social media or private messaging apps
- how to report to social media platforms and eSafety.
Register here
Mrs Jennifer Furney
Assistant Principal- Pastoral Care
Swimming Carnival
Our annual SJRC Swimming Carnival is to be held on Tuesday, 14th February 2023 (week 3) at Port Macquarie Olympic Pool. Students are encouraged to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and House spirit. This is a compulsory day for all students and attendance is marked on this year's report.
There are four main events swum on the day – freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. Students have a choice of swimming in these races in the 50m or 25m pool. 4x50m freestyle relays (worth double points) are held after lunch.
Participation is what wins the House Shield. Participation points in the 50m pool are worth 5 points and the 25m pool – 1 point. Students who finish in the top 4 times in the 50m pool are awarded bonus points. The students who finish first and second in the points race over the day are awarded Age Champion trophies and Runners-up medals.
Students who live in Port Macquarie or have parents who work in Port Macquarie may meet us at the pool on carnival day. Students can be dropped from 8:15am onwards. PC teachers are keeping a record of this. Please provide a note if meeting at the pool to PC teachers prior to carnival day. All other students are bussed to the pool. The cost of the day is $10. This is non-refundable for withdrawals on the day and will be billed to your College account.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions, parents/guardians are permitted onsite at school events. Students wishing to remain at the pool at the completion of the carnival must leave the premises and then re-enter paying any fee necessary. NB: No student may leave the carnival until after the presentation – 2:45pm.
Students who finish in the first two places for each event (on times) qualify for the Diocesan Carnival to be held in Kempsey on Thursday, 2nd March 2023.
Due to our large number, some events are not swum on carnival day. Students who wish to compete in the following events have to provide times (from the NSW Swimming Website) to Mr Kelly by Friday, 17th February – 100m freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 200 IM & 200 freestyle and 400m freestyle. The top two times will progress in each division.
Dean Kelly Memorial House Trophy - past winners
Uniform requirements: students may wear House colours to and from school.
Swimwear
Please check that your child’s swimwear is modest and appropriate for a school swimming carnival ie. no bottom cheeks or breasts revealed. As a general rule, swimmers designed for race swimming are preferable. While we discourage bikinis, we understand some brands of two-piece swimwear are specifically designed for pool swimming (Kozi, Funkita, Speedo etc.) and these are acceptable. College rash shirts will be issued to students who are competing in swimwear deemed to be inappropriate.
This information can also be found on the College Website under the SPORT tab.
https://www.pmreglism.catholic.edu.au/
https://sjrcportmac.schoolzineplus.com/newsletter/article/1571
We look forward to a great day. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Mr Damien Kelly
Leader of Sport
Over the Christmas school holidays, our Indigenous students have been selected to be involved in some wonderful opportunities. We could not be more proud of their achievements.
Esther Cummins Australian Engineering School (IAES)
We would like to congratulate Esther Cummins in Year 10 on being one of only 25 students Australia-wide selected to be a part of the University of Sydney Indigenous Australian Engineering School (IAES), run from the 15 - 22 January 2023.
The Indigenous Australian Engineering School is an annual event, established and funded by Engineering Aid Australia. The IAES is conducted in Sydney by the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Engineering on behalf of Engineering Aid Australia.
The week-long program involved hands-on experiences with the engineering faculty, site visits to key Engineering companies in various Sydney locations, curriculum exercises, and participation in cultural activities.
Whilst on the camp Esther was awarded ‘The Hon RJL (Bob) Hawke Capacity for Leadership Award’ In recognition to the January 2023 IAEC hosted by The University of Sydney and to your community.
Esther gave a speech at Admiralty House in front of a number of dignitaries including the Governor General, David Hurley and his wife.
Also, as part of this fantastic opportunity, Esther has qualified for an Engineering Aid Australia Continuing School scholarship to help with education expenses in Years 10, 11 & 12. Also, if Esther completes Year 12, applies and receives a place at any university in Australia to study Engineering or a related course, Esther will be eligible for an Engineering Aid Austalia Tertiary Education scholarship.
Esther continues to be a strong young Aboriginal leader and is well-deserving of this opportunity.
We thank, Esther, for preparing the below report about her experience at the camp
On the first day, we did some sessions learning about the different streams of engineering, an activity where we designed a floating house in teams using limited materials, a session on the different support services available at TAFE and different ways to study at TAFE, a rocketry session where we learnt about USyd's world champion student rocketry group and their rocket that reached 30,000 ft and a session where we toured and learnt about the University of Sydney's Gadigal Centre and the amazing scholarships and support that First Nations students can access through it such as accommodation scholarships that reduce accommodation to $50 a week, a reduction in minimum atar requirements for some courses and free tutoring for two hours per week per subject, just to name a few. We then finished the day with Thai, an escape room and gelato.
On Tuesday, we went to the Opera House to learn about Honeywell and the roles that the company plays in managing the Opera House's Business Management System - temperature, humidity, water use and energy consumption using sensors, code and software. We were also given a tour of the Opera House where we learnt about the history of the building and the technologies and strategic design of the different theatres to produce the best sound for the style of the performances.
After the Opera House, we then did a Tribal Warrior Harbour Cruise where we went to Clark Island and had a bush tucker and island history tour by Aunties. We then went to the Google Office, where we did a tour of their facilities which include an arcade, movie theatre, music room, recording studio, restaurants, kitchens with chefs, libraries and silent study rooms, just to name a few. To finish the day we went to the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence for a swim and to have dinner which was cooked by an elder who shared her fascinating story and life advice with us, she was amazing.
On Wednesday, we had a tour of the facilities at BOC, a major gas company, where we saw the world's only robotic systems that organise and sort thousands of gas bottles and check them for defects, we toured the construction site of the new Western Sydney Airport, toured a crash lab and learnt about the technologies that are used there and then we had a few sessions at the university. We finished the evening with a careers fair where we got to speak and network with engineers and industry partners. I met the Director of Environment and Sustainability, Regions of Transport for NSW who said that she will contact the Port Macquarie office and help me to organise work experience with them which will be really good because Transport combines both STEM and politics.
On Thursday, we went for a swim at a new aquatic centre and learnt about the specific engineering factors that were used in its design and had two sessions at the uni - biomedical and chemical engineering sessions. I was asked by my houseparents on Wednesday night if I wanted to give a speech at Admiralty House and of course, I said yes so they helped me to write it. We then went to Admiralty House because the Governor General is Engineering Aid's patron. We listened to the Governor General and Mrs Hurley speak, alongside some other people who work with Engineering Aid Australia and then I gave mine. Afterwards, we took photos and then we got to talk with many engineers and people from major companies and walk around the grounds of Admiralty House.
On Friday, we toured Arup, a big engineering company, and did an activity where we designed a new tourist attraction for Goat Island on Sydney Harbour, climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge which in total was 1002 stairs and then we had our formal graduation dinner. At the dinner, we listened to an IAES Alumni's speech, the CEO of Engineering Aid Australia's speech and many others. We were then presented with our certificates and another student called Ethan and I were both presented with the Bob Hawke Capacity for Leadership Award.
I learnt so much at this camp and got to meet so many people and learn from their experiences in their various fields of engineering. All 25 of the other students were so nice and we are all still talking to each other over social media.
Once again, thank you for helping me to apply for this camp, it could not have been better,
Esther
Macquarie University Walanga Muru 2023 CAMP ASPIRE
By attending the camp the students were able to gain knowledge and experiences that will help them to make decisions on what tertiary study options are available to them once they finish high school.
The first two days of the camp involved in engaging activities run by various faculties to allow a taste of the degree areas the uni has to offer. Day 3 were activities led by the Walanga Muru centre and focused on available opportunities at the university, pathways into university, scholarships, accommodation options, and opportunities to speak to external stakeholders about job opportunities as well as Cultural activities.
ALUMNI - Luke Banks, Class of 2022
Also in January, Luke Banks, who graduated in 2022, commenced his ADF Gap year. Luke will now commence his training in the area of Air Force Security in Wagga. Once he has completed his training he will transfer to Victoria classified as an Aircraftman for the remainder of the year. Once Luke has completed his training he has the option to continue in the ADF or leave and commence University studies.
Well done, Luke, we wish you all the best.
Carly Taylor
Indigenous Education Team
In Week 3, on Monday 13th February, our Year 7 and 9 students will undertake a whole cohort "cold writing" task during their timetabled English lesson. Cold writing involves students writing without preparation or coaching to reveal writing skills and assess student abilities. The purpose of this task is to acquire some student writing data, which will be used to create a literacy focus for these year groups and will then result in explicit strategies targeting literacy improvement.
Following this, in Week 4, Year 7 students will undertake internal ACER PAT Assessments in nominated English, Mathematics and rounds classes. These are a series of online digital tests that the students will complete on their device for; Reading, Mathematics and Science.
Lastly, the National Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (NAPLAN) will take place in Week 7 and Week 8 for our Year 7 and 9 students; in order to observe student progression against national standards. These will begin with the Writing test on Thursday 16th March.
Why do we complete PAT assessments?
PAT results give your child’s teachers the evidence to help them to grow and succeed in their subject. It provides them with crucial learning data, which they use to adjust lesson content or learning activities so that students are able to participate and learn to the best of their ability. PAT measures what your child knows, understands and is capable of and how to best support their progress.
Why is PAT important?
Individual student data is vital for teachers to monitor their student progress and to identify any areas in which they might need more support. It aids them in pinpointing their learning journey and provides an accurate picture of their knowledge, skills and understanding in their subject area. Learning data is essential for student progression and may also be used to determine the need for adjustments within or between classes.
What does this mean for your child?
This means it is important for your child to try their best in your PAT tests, in order to give their teachers, the most accurate and relevant data.
When discussing the upcoming Cold Write, PAT and NAPLAN assessments with your child, please encourage them to; listen carefully to the teacher instructions, read the questions of the tests carefully and most importantly take their time and answer the questions as accurately as possible. We encourage all students to make the most of their designated test times, and to respond concisely and accurately.
We thank you for your ongoing support of our literacy initiatives.
If you have any concerns at all, please contact Sarah McLeod, Literacy Coach.
Sarah McLeod
Literacy Coach
Regional University Roadshow
This week, all Year 12 students attended the Regional University Roadshow. This annual event comprises representatives from some of our 'smaller' regional universities visiting the College to amplify their own programs, schemes and opportunities, along with imparting valuable generic information about life at university, application processes and timelines, financial considerations, and more. We are very grateful to the University of Newcastle, the University of New England, Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University for their ongoing support for our school leavers.
Mrs Leanne Tinsey
Teacher and Leader of Future Pathways
This week's Alumni is.... Ryan McMahon, Class of 2012
Ryan graduated from St Joseph's Regional College in only the second Year 12 cohort at the College, back in 2012. His path to Medicine is so very interesting and strategic as he uses his built-upon credentials to achieve his goal.
Great to hear from you Ryan!
Mrs Leanne Tinsey
Careers Pathway
Volunteers Wanted
We cannot run the canteen without you; as the saying goes:
"Many Hands Make Light Work".
If you are able to spare an hour or so of your time, we would
love for you to join us.
Please contact Breeanna Stone through the College Office on 5525 4100.
| Term 1 Week 3 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | Chicken Pesto Pasta |
| Tuesday | Swimming Carnival |
| Wednesday | Lasagne |
| Thursday | Bacon & Cheese Burgers |
| Friday | Chicken Pumpkin Feta & Macadamia Salad |
| Term 1 Week 4 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | Vegetarian Ravioli with Pesto |
| Tuesday | Chicken Caesar Wraps |
| Wednesday | (Ash Wednesday - no meat) Cheese Pizza for lunch special |
| Thursday | Butter Chicken |
| Friday | Gourmet Sausage Dogs |
The Canteen opens at 8.00 am every school day.
Breeanna Stone
Food Services Manager
St Joseph's Regional College has a number of different social media platforms. We would love for you to follow us.
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St Joseph's Regional College
Website - https://www.pmreglism.catholic.edu.au/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SJRCPort
Instagram - @sjrcport
St Joseph's Regional College - 50 year Celebrations
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SJRC50years
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sjr50years/
Digital Ministry
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sjrcdigitalministry
Library
Website - https://pmreglism.libguides.com/home
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sjrcexchange
Instagram - Instagram - @sjrcexchange
Careers
Website - https://www.sjrcportcareers.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sjrcportcareers
St Agnes' Parish Uniform Shop
Normal Trading Hours resume on 6th February 2023 as below
Monday to Friday: 12 noon - 5.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am - 12 noon
6 Boronia Street, Port Macquarie
College Uniform
