Term 2 Week 5 - 21st May 2021

My role as the Principal at St Joseph's Regional College is one that presents challenges as well as great joy and admiration for the young people we are educating. This week, I had the pleasure of visiting a Youth Headquarters (YHQ) session, and I must say, I am very impressed with the quality of conversation and the ideas that students are presenting. This project will continue to run this term with a presentation to a judging panel in week 10.

I sincerely thank the YHQ team leaders: Leader of High Potential Learners - Mrs Amanda Cassegrain and Mr Shaun Ninness who have been instrumental in the design and implementation of this innovative project with our Year 10 students. I also thank the Leader of Pedagogy - Mrs Christine Harmer, Leader of Curriculum - Mr Ian Lutton and Teacher/Librarian - Mrs Karen Bale who have assisted in this entrepreneurial project to develop students' abilities to solve real-world problems using creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

Traffic Management

Further to my article in last week's newsletter on Traffic Management at SJRC, this week I include links to the NSW Government Transport Centre for Road Safety regarding school zone information. School zones help protect children on their way to and from schools. I urge all parents to read the following publications distributed by the NSW Government.

God bless

Mr Jim Dempsey
Principal

The YHQ@SJRC

The YHQ (Youth Headquarters) is up and running with our Year 10 students launching into a whole day of immersion last Friday. Students completed team building activities to determine what skills they brought to the table, and how they could function as a high performing team.

Next, we were lucky to bring in the skills and expertise of Liesa Davies the Group Manager of Economic and Cultural Development from Port Macquarie Hastings Council. This session created an awareness of our demographic, their values and the challenges that exist within our local community.

After lunch students “SCAMPERED” learning to ideate one idea into something else.

Session 2: This week our students continued to impress as we further expanded on ideation and creation. All students are to be congratulated on their enthusiasm, willingness to step outside their comfort zone and creative ideas.

Science and Engineering Challenge

The Science and Engineering Challenge is a day-long competition designed to provide Year 10 students with a positive experience of STEM. This competition has been running for 21 years and Mr Mark Robertson and I were thrilled to accompany 32 students to compete against five other schools at Kempsey High School on Thursday, 19th May.

Each school team is divided into eight groups of four students per group and each group participates in either one full-day activity or two half-day activities. Students are awarded points for each activity and the school with the most cumulative points at the end of the day is declared the winner.

Some of the challenges included bridge-building, code-breaking, building a hovercraft and creating a turbine for a hydroelectric power station.

This group of students are to be congratulated on their enthusiasm, creative thinking and collaborative problem-solving skills. Our students represented the College superbly and scored the second-highest on the day out of six schools. Quite an impressive achievement that they should all be proud of.

The students were elated with their results and most enjoyed the variety of challenging activities they could work on with their peers.

A special thanks to the University of Newcastle and Rotary International for organising the successful day.

Congratulations to all participants:

Leader of High Potential Learners
Amanda Cassegrain

Year 11 Jesuit Refugee Service - Food Drive

Our Year 11 students are supporting the Jesuit Refugee Service - Food Drive. 

The climate crisis has a very human face. It is already a reality for multitudes of vulnerable people worldwide. The Catholic Church shows warm pastoral care for those who have been displaced from their homes by its effects.

Inspired by the generous love and example of Jesus Christ, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, that they may heal, learn, and determine their own future. The JRS serves and assists approximately 3,800 people, refugees and migrants in vulnerable situations.

While this is a community service activity for Year 11 students, I invite all families to be involved by donating a packet of rice or pasta to their fundraising efforts. Donations can be dropped at the college office. 

Thank you to Year 11 Leader of Pastoral Care, Mrs Kellie Croft for coordinating this act of community service. 

The following link will provide further information on the mission of the Jesuit Refugee Service - https://jrs.net/en/about-us/

I thank you in anticipation of your support.

Mrs Tanya Daley
Assistant Principal - Mission

College Diary

Diaries are seen as a way of assisting students to organise their learning and school lives and as one method of communication between parents and the College.

• All students in Years 7 to 12 are required to have a College diary in which to record homework, assignments and important reminders which they take to every lesson.
• Teachers and parents may use the diary as a means of communication by writing comments or requests concerning the student's progress and commitment to learning. Which may be regarding matters of merit, permission, organisation or discipline. The diary is for College business, not personal details regarding birthdays or other social matters.

The diary has a plastic cover which does not require further covering. The cardboard stiffening of the cover is not to be removed There is to be no graffiti, borders, decoration or pictures of any kind in, or on, the diary. If this occurs the student will be required to purchase a new diary.

Students in Years 7 to 12 are required to have their diary present for checking and signing by their Pastoral Care teacher during their Pastoral Care class each morning. They are to have their diary in all lessons. If this is not the case then a ‘Day Diary’ will be issued. Senior students are encouraged to develop their own strategy for Diary use and request guidance as needed.

I thank you for your cooperation and for your continued partnership in the education of your child.

Mr Michael Walsh
Leader of Pastoral Care

North Coast Area Health Service is holding an Immunisation Day at St Joseph’s Regional College on

Monday, 31st May for Year 10 students
and catch up for Year 7, 8 and 11 students

A Parent Information Kit has been sent home with students in Year 10. The kit contains information about the following vaccinations and the disease that it protects against as well as a consent form.

Immunisation offered to Year 10 students on Monday, 31st May:

• Year 10 - Nimenrix (meningococcal ACWY)

Other immunisations available on the day:

• Year 7 - catch up for HPV dose 1 & Boostrix
• Year 8 - HPV dose 2 - catch up from 2020 (must be on a 2020 consent form)
• Year 11 - Nimenrix (Meningococcal ACWY) – catch up from 2020 (must be on a 2020 consent form)

NO VACCINATIONS WILL BE ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS WITHOUT A SIGNED CONSENT FORM, VERBAL CONSENT IS NOT SUFFICIENT.

Signed consent forms are to be returned to the Area Health Nurse on Immunisation Day.

Please do not return completed forms prior to this day.

A record of vaccination will be kept by the Area Health Service and a copy will be provided to the vaccinated student for their records.

Please understand that if you do not have your child immunised in the Year (eg. Year 7 – 10) that is offered by North Coast Public Area Health, you are able to access this vaccine at a later stage at your General Practitioner. The cost of the vaccine, however, will not be covered by this program.

The next Immunisation clinic will be held on Monday, 1st November 2021. On that day the following immunisations will take place:

• Year 7 HPV dose 2
• Year 7 HPV dose 1 & Boostrix - catch ups
• Year 8 HPV dose 2 - catch up (must be on a 2020 consent form)
• Year 10 Nimenrix (meningococcal ACWY) - catch up (must be on a 2020 consent form)

Any questions or concerns regarding the vaccinations can be addressed by calling Kylie Wood at the Public Health Unit on 6589 2120.

Mr Mark Robertson
Leader of Administration

Year 12 Industrial Technology Timber students are working on their major work projects for their HSC, with submission of projects due in August. The course highlights the importance of design, management and production through the construction of practical projects. Students select and apply appropriate design, management and production skills in the development of a Major Project and supporting documentation. The HSC major project and folio contributes 60% towards their final HSC mark.

Watch this space next term where you will see photos of their major work.

Mrs Diana Walsh
Assistant Leader of TAS

"Regionals" Podcast

This has been a work in progress since we held our hugely successful 2019 50 Years celebrations. Now, it is wonderful to be able to release the first episode in the series - Steve Lyons. Please take a listen at this link:

"Regionals" podcast · Regionals - EP01 - Steve Lyons

or....
Visit our podcast website, click the link to the sound file, and explore the images that correlate with the episode.

Indigenous Literacy Foundation Great Book Swap 

Guest Recommender

Mr Inatey is this week's guest recommender. See his valued input below.

SORA

We have an exciting reading service available through Sora, the student reading app, which provides free 24/7 access to ebooks and audiobooks. What better way to engage your student’s mind than through reading?

Starting 5th May – 20th August 2021, the Sora Sweet Reads program will offer a collection of Juvenile and Young Adult titles that will be prominently displayed in Sora for quick and easy unlimited access. You can explore the title offerings and learn more about the program here: https://resources.overdrive.com/sora-sweet-reads/.
How does it work?

Sora provides the quickest and easiest way to get started with digital titles from our school. Students can simply log in and instantly access hundreds of ebooks and audiobooks on virtually any device. Get started today at https://soraapp.com or download the free Sora app for Android or iOS. For easy access, our school’s setup code is ACEN.

AudioBook Sync

Over the next few weeks, various audiobooks will be made available for free download and lifetime ownership. See the attached flyers for more detail.. See below for FAQ about getting set up for downloading your free audiobooks.

Frequently Asked Questions about SYNC

Can I use Libby or the OverDrive app for the SYNC program instead of the Sora app?

The SYNC program will only work with Sora, the student reading app from OverDrive. You don’t need to be affiliated with a school to use Sora with the SYNC program.

First register for SYNC 2021. Then set up Sora.

How do I set up Sora?

1. Download Sora from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, or go to soraapp.com in your browser.
2. In Sora, tap I have a setup code (at the bottom of the screen).
3. Enter this setup code: audiobooksync.
4. Enter the email address you used to sign up for SYNC.
5. Tap Explore (at the bottom of the screen) to see the week’s featured titles [SYNC 2021 starts 29th April]

I already use Sora for school. How do I add SYNC titles?

If you already use Sora, you’ll need to add the SYNC program’s library. Here are the steps:

1. In Sora, open the menu (in the top-right corner).
2. Select Add a library.
3. Search for audiobooksync and select the library from the results.
4. Enter the email address you used to sign up for SYNC.

When does each SYNC week start?

New titles will be available each Thursday at midnight Eastern time (ie, 12:01am ET). You can access the titles for 7 days, until the next Wednesday at 11:59pm.

How long is each audiobook available in Sora?

To keep each audiobook, you must tap Borrow. Each audiobook is available to borrow for one week. Once you’ve borrowed an audiobook, it stays on your Shelf in Sora indefinitely.

I missed last week's audiobooks. Can I still get them?

No, our agreement with publishers is that the audiobooks are only available during their featured week.

If you miss an audiobook, we suggest borrowing it from your local library or visiting the title’s page on the SYNC website for purchasing options.

I have students/patrons who love audiobooks. May I give them copies of my audiobook in class or reading/listening group?

SYNC audiobooks are for your personal use only and may not be distributed to others. Please encourage students/patrons to sign up for the SYNC program and download their own copies.

Can I delete the titles from my device?

Yes, you can delete the downloaded audiobook files in Sora if you need to free up space on your device. If you delete the files, the title will stay on your Shelf, and you’ll be able to download and access it again.

To delete a downloaded audiobook’s files, tap the checkmark next to the title on your Shelf, Stream (when online), then select Yes, delete download.

PLEASE NOTE: If you RETURN an audiobook, it will be completely removed from your account in Sora and you’ll lose access to it once its SYNC availability period is over. We don’t recommend doing this!

Can I access the audiobook’s MP3 files?

No, you need to download and listen to the audiobooks entirely in the Sora app. There’s no option to download separate MP3 files.

Mrs Karen Bale - Teacher Librarian (Monday-Thursday)
Mrs Michelle Lawler - Teacher Librarian (Friday)

Reconciliation Week

27th May - 3rd June 2021

The Theme is:
More than a Word

#arborist #environmental #outdoors #nature

Mrs Karen Bale - Teacher Librarian (Monday-Thursday)
Mrs Michelle Lawler - Teacher Librarian (Friday)

What’s on the radar in Week 5?

2021 SJRC Debating Teams TryOuts

Over 30 students across 7-10 attended an initial debating meeting on Thursday with Mr McKee and Mr Bedwell. This is a promising start for those keen on trying out debating for the first time or for those who are returning to the fray after a successful four years of debating that is taking hold among SJRC students.

Students in Years 7-11 are invited to be a part of the SJRC Debating teams to compete with Mackillop College in Term 3 in a battle of wit, wisdom and teamwork.

What’s required?

It’s easy and fun! To earn a spot in the SJRC 2021 Debating Team you will be expected to:

• attend coaching once per week
• be organised and prepared
• work as a team member

Now what?

Students will all be invited to attend an initial tryout with their coaches and their teams before the end of the term. All students are asked to ensure they check daily notices for information on these tryout days.

Bell Shakespeare: Year 10

COVID and the floods have stalled the appearance of Bell Shakespeare at SJRC, so we’re hoping nothing will stop them in Week 8 when they are tentatively scheduled to attend. We’ll bring you updates as more details are confirmed.

Have you been to the College Library lately?

Don’t miss a moment in this great learning space. We have an excellent collection of resources and late releases waiting to go home with you.
Make sure you pop in to see Mrs Bale and her team in action.

...and check out our Literacy Enrichment page!

See you next week!
The SJRC Literacy Enrichment Team

IGNITE Conference 2021

This exciting conference is back again in September, starting on the first Wednesday of the school holidays. The CSO will be organising a trip which is open to students from Years 9-12 at St Joseph's Regional College. The trip will be subsidised by the CSO to make it more affordable and accessible. Student participants will be asked to make a co-contribution of $245.00. This cost will contribute to travel, accommodation, registration and most meals and is the equivalent of the registration fee alone.

To secure your registration for Ignite, students will need to collect a form from the College office and return it by Friday 11th June. Please include $245.00 (non-refundable) payment with permission note and return to the College office. Registration as a group will be completed once an idea of numbers is known.

Further details on the conference are below:

Mr Timo Gobius
Leader of Evangelisation

Further Post School Information For Students and Families

The following link has a wealth of information for young people with disabilities and their families navigating the next steps to further employment or study after Year 12: https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/finding-keeping-and-changing-jobs/leaving-school

In the next few weeks we have two students representing NSW Catholic Combined Colleges (NSWCCC).

• Phoebe Bentley (Yr 12) qualified for the NSWCCC Swimming Team in eight events and will compete at the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships on 28th May in Sydney.
  • 50m Freestyle
  • 200m Freestyle
  • 100 Freestyle
  • 100 Butterfly
  • 50m Butterfly
  • 400m Freestyle
  • 200m Individual Medley
  • 400m Individual Medley
• Monique Rudder (Yr 12) qualified for the NSWCCC Basketball Team and will compete in the NSW All Schools selection trial at Castle Hill on the 31st of May.

Good luck girls

Mr Michael Cannon 
Leader of Sport

17th May 2021

Congratulations to our Senior Basketball teams who performed well at the Diocesan Championships held in Coffs Harbour yesterday.

The boys' team was defeated in the semi-finals and the girls were runners-up on the day.  

Please see the links below for full results.

Full report to come ....

2021 Diocesan Basketball Round Robin

2021 Diocesan Basketball Finals

Mr Michael Cannon
Leader of Sport

20th May 2021

Each year we run a volleyball competition at lunch and recess.  Anyone can enter a team of eight and there is no restriction on combination (ie. any year group, any gender, staff may enter a team too or be part of a student team).  Please read on for details.

Congratulations to The Defending Champions who defended their title.  Teachers 2 - Students 0

• The Defending Champions (46) def  McLovin (42)

Entry:

• Please read the competition rules (below) before entering
• Teams can be made up of any combination of year group and gender.
• Entries now closed

 Rules:

• 20 minute games
• Draw posted daily on the notices 
• Rally Point Scoring – every rally counts for a point
• 6 on the court at any one time
• Same person keeps serving until they lose
• When receiving the ball back each person MUST rotate one place clockwise
• Serve from the back right hand corner of the court
• May come up to the blue line to serve
• 3 touches only
• Touch the net – point to the other team
• Captains to sign results card at the end of each match

 Prizes:

• 1st = Perpetual Trophy + Pizza Lunch + Out of Uniform Day (same day)

Draw:

• Double Elimination Knockout Competition
• Guaranteed 2 Matches
• Draw
• Games to start in week 3 of term 2.
• Team Lists

Times:

• Recess 11:10 – 11:30
• Lunch 1:45 – 2:05

Results:

Wednesday 9th June (Grand Final)

• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05 (Grand Final)
  • Match 52 - Court B: The Defending Champions (46) def  McLovin (42)

Tuesday 8th June

• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 51 - Court B: Oreos (44) lost to McLovin (32)

Monday 7th June

• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  
  • Match 50 - Court B: McLovin (51) def Empire Spikes Back (33)

Friday 4th June

• Recess: 11:10 - 11:30
  • Match 46 - Court A: Empire Spikes Back (46) def DNA Smashers (30)
  • Match 47 - Court C: McLovin (44) def Jacob's Bar Mitzva (37)
• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 48 - Court A: Hunter's Honeys II (31) lost to Empire Spikes Back (36)
  • Match 49 - Court C: Oreos (35) lost to The Defending Champions (39)

Tuesday 1st June

• Recess: 11:10 - 11:30
  • Match 40 - Court A: Flat Caps Were Back (35) lost to Jacob's Bar Mitzva (43)
  • Match 41 - Court B: The Rookies (31) lost to Empire Spikes Back (46)
  • Match 42 - Court C: Year 13 (37) lost to DNA Smashers (45)
• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 43 - Court A: Oreos (35) def Hunters Honeys II (34)
  • Match 44 - Court B: The Defending Champions (37) def McLovin (33)
  • Match 45 - Court C: How I Set Your Mother (36) lost to Jacob's Bar Mitzva (42)

Monday 31st May

• Recess: 11:10 - 11:30
  • Match 34 - Court A: McLovin (47) def Year 13 (34)
  • Match 35 - Court B: How I Set Your Mother (43) def Over the Top (34)
  • Match 36 - Court C: Sets in the City (37) lost to Jacob's Bar Mitzva (47)
• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 37 - Court A: Empire Spikes Back (55) def Year 12 Girls (26)
  • Match 38 - Court B: Spike That (28) lost to DNA Smashers (49)
  • Match 39 - Court C: Green Machine (28) lost to How I set Your Mother (45)

Friday 28th May

• Recess: 11:10 - 11:30
  • Match 28 - Court A: Over the Top (40) def Blazing Aces (39)
  • Match 29 - Court B: Yr 12 Girls (45) def Set & Forget (41)
  • Match 30 - Court C: DNA Smashers (55) def Hot Shots (28)
• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 31 - Court A: Oreos (36) def Green Machine (25)
  • Match 32 - Court B: Hunters Honey's II (45) def Flat Caps Were Back (27)
  • Match 33 - Court C: The Defending Champions (41) def The Rookies (36)

Thursday 27th May

• Recess: 11:10 - 11:30
  
  • Match 23 - Court A: How I Set Your Mother (45) def Little Digs (43)
  • Match 26 - Court B: Empire Spikes Back (41) def Team Extreme 3.0 (29)
  • Match 24 - Court C: Sets in the City (45) def Big Dig Hitters (37)
• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 25 - Court A: Dave's Devon Devils (46) lost to Jacob's Bar Mitzva (49)
  • Match 27 - Court C: We Showed Up (41) lost to Spike That (52)

Friday 7th May

• • Recess: 11:10am - 11:30am
    • Match 3 - Green Machine def Hasting's Serv-ivors (Forfeit)
    • Match 4 - Big Dig Hitters (24) lost to We Showed Up (36)
    • Match 11 - Dave's Devon Devils (36) def Dream (19)
  • Lunch: 1:45pm - 2:05pm
    • Match 9 - Court A: Sets and the City (50) def Spike That (32)
    • Match 7 - Court C: Set & Forget (43) lost to The Rookies (52)

Monday 10th May

• • Recess: 11:10am - 11:30am
    • Match 1 - Court A: Little Digs (31) lost to Empire Spikes Back (43)
    • Match 2 - Court B: Year 12 Girls (41) def Blazing Aces (27)
    • Match 5 - Court C: Jacob's Bar Mitzva (33) lost to Flat Caps Were Back (41)
  • Lunch: 1:45pm - 2:05pm
    • Match 8 - Court A: Over the Top (53) def Setters of Catan (33)
    • Match 10 - Court B: Year 13 (46) def Hot Shots (44)
    • Match 6 - Court C: How I Set Your Mother(50) def Team Extreme 3 (33)

Monday 24th May

• Recess: 11:10 - 11:30
  • Match 12 - Court A: Blazing Aces (44) def Hasting's Serv-ivors (29)
  • Match 13 - Court B: Set & Forget (38) def Setters of Catan (27)
  • Match 14 - Court C: Hot Shots (67) def Dream (14)
• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 15 - Court A: Oreos (36) def Empire Spikes Back (34)
  • Match 16 - Court B: Hunter's Honeys II (60) def We Showed Up (25)
  • Match 17 - Court C: DNA Smashers (38) lost to Flat Caps Were Back (39)

Wednesday 26th May

• Recess: 11:10 - 11:30
  
  • Match 20 - Court A: Yr 12 Girls (36) lost to Green Machine (43)
  • Match 21 - Court C: The Rookies (37) def Over the Top (27)
• Lunch: 1:45 - 2:05
  • Match 18 - Court A: The Defending Champions (48) def How I Set Your Mother (30)
  • Match 19 - Court B: McLovin (61) def Sets in the City (25)
  • Match 22 - Court C: Year 13 (44) def Dave's Devon Devils (35)

Mr Michael Cannon

Leader of Sport

23rd April 2021

The annual SJRC Athletics Carnival will be held on Tuesday 13th July (Term 3 Week 1).  Due to the size of our College, we are unable to run all events on carnival day.  For that reason some of the events are run at the end of Term 2 – they are listed below.  All high jump events require parents to provide permission on the official form.  All events are optional.  Points accumulated will count towards age champion tallies.

All Year 7 & 8 students will be provided with Fosbury Flop (high jump) tuition during sport classes so they are prepared for their high jump event if they choose to enter.

2021 SJRC High Jump Permission Form

Pre-Carnival Events

Term 2

Week 8
Thur 10th Jun - Athletics 1500m All Ages (Oval - lunch)
Fri 11th Jun - Athletics 800m All Ages (Oval - lunch)

Week 9
Mon 14th Jun - Queens B'day Public Holiday
Tue 15th Jun - Athletics Triple Jump All Ages (Oval - lunch)
Wed 16th Jun - Athletics 400m All Ages (Oval - lunch)
Thur 17th Jun - Athletics 16s High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Fri 18th Jun - Athletics 15s High Jump (Hall - lunch)

Week 10
Mon 21st-Thur 24th Jun - Yr 9 Canberra Excursion
Tue 22nd Jun - Athletics 13s High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Wed 23rd Jun - Athletics 17+ High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Thur 24th Jun - Athletics 12s High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Thur 24th Jun - 14 Boys Cochrane Cup Rugby League Gala Day @ Port Macq
Fri 25th Jun - Athletics 14s High Jump (Hall - lunch)

Term 3

Week 1
Mon 12th Jul - Pupil Free Day
Tue 13th Jul - SJRC Athletics Carnival

Week 5
Thur 12th Aug - Diocesan Athletics @Coffs Harbour

To qualify for the SJRC Athletics Squad, students need to finish in the top 2 of each event.  More information regarding this year's carnival will be out before the end of term.

Mr Michael Cannon
Leader of Sport

12th May 2021

Our College canteen is in need of volunteers. If you are able to spare an hour or so of your time, we would love for you to join us. Please contact Donna Hamlin through the College Office 5525 4100 to arrange.

Weekly Lunch Specials

The Canteen opens at 8.00am every school day.

Ms Donna Hamlin
Food Services Manager

The St Agnes' Uniform Store is open from:

Monday to Friday - 12 noon-5.00pm
Saturday - 9.00am-12 noon

 6 Boronia Street, Port Macquarie