Term 4 Week 8 - 2 December 2022

End-of-Year Celebrations & Ceremonies

We are fast approaching the end of the 2022 school year with the last day for students being Friday, 16th December. We have many great achievements to celebrate and fun activities planned at St Joseph's Regional College before the final bell rings.

Students receiving awards: Families of students who will be presented with an award will be notified via SMS prior to the event. 

Principal's Awards

Calum Aldridge Nevaeh Bayly Ethan Begley x 2 Eleanor Bennett-Tonkin Aedan Bull Sophie Cheers Lila Chuwen Myles Cooper Kieran Copeland

Benjamin Evans Madison Forsyth Eva Francis Kallin Furlong Hendrix Harrison Ava-Grace Hawker Teleah Hicks Nicholas Honeysett Oliver Koivu x 3

Byron Kolk Isabel Krige Alexis Lambert Noah Langdon Anneque Moad Jayla Nixon Ethan Smith Zoe Swan Brendan Walsh

The Choice is Yours

Senior Constable Steven Jeffery, School Police Liaison Office, addressed our students this week at our Wednesday Assembly. Snr Const Jeffery focused on a state initiative that is being delivered to all schools in NSW called OPERATION PIVOT. The presentation aimed to empower our students to “Pick your path” and “The choice is yours”, reinforcing the need for young people to make positive decisions and avoid risky behaviour.

Snr Constable Jeffery warned about anti-social behaviour, criminal offences and dangerous actions that young people can be charged with, lose their place in a school as a result of, or injure themselves or others. These included;

• Driving without P or L plates on
• Speeding in cars or on motor bikes
• Possessing gel-guns
• Violence
• Loitering with gangs in public spaces
• Graffiti or possession of spray paint (U/18)
• Non-attendance at school
• Shoplifting
• Vaping
• Possessing, selling or using illegal drugs

Snr Constable Jeffery acknowledged the importance of making good choices but equally as important is learning from our mistakes. I am hopeful our students have listened to Snr Constable Jeffery and make good choices over the summer holidays.

ONSTAGE Nominations

We congratulate Danielle Magbanua on her Onstage Nomination for her Costume Design- The Visit.

We congratulate Tai Khan on his Onstage Nomination for his Video Drama- Ascension.

As only a small percentage of HSC Drama Projects are nominated for consideration, both Danielle and Tai should be extremely proud of this achievement.

Congratulations also to Mrs Fiona Jensen on the support and guidance you have given the students throughout their HSC course.

Aladdin Jr

Congratulations to all students and staff who participated in or assisted with the 9 performances of Aladdin Jr at our College last week. The Creative Arts Nest has worked hard to foster a sense of community across all of our Parish schools while developing and showcasing the tremendous talent we have.

Well done to the following students for their participation:

Olive Andersen, Alliyra Bentley-King, Ava Bourne, Isabella Campbell, Zoe Cooke, Kieran Copeland, Jack Duff, Samuel Duff, Ella-Jasmine Gardner, Rebecca Garland, Matilda Green, Anika Grogan, Alyssa Hyland, Sophie Kahler, Tori Knox, Bella Lahey, Charlee Maher, Samantha Milnes-Thurling, Anneque Moad, Jarrod Muller, Alicia Norwood, Emmalee Purnell, Sophie Pynaert, Archie Robertson, Evan Rowe, Brigitte Steele, William Stephens, JesseThurling, Summer Rose Tilston, Tahlia Van den Boom, Felix Wade, Aysha Wilson, Jack Davies, Georgia McMahon, Lily Vinter Forth, Brock Holiday, Lauren Johnston, Teleah Hicks and Olivia Moore.

Gratitude to our staff who carried out many roles prior to and during the production; Sarina McNamara, Leanne Johnson, Katelyn Opedisano, Chelsea Roulston, Jane Egan, Claire Goldie, Holly Daly, Sharon Green, Catherine Morton, Emily Leahy, Wendy Welsh, Jennifer Furney, Jorja-Rose Styles, Abigail Gammon, Kerry Houghton and Kylie Joseph.

Back to the PAC

On Wednesday night the college came alive with parents, staff and students as they celebrated our very talented performing artists.

Back to the PAC showcased Dance, Drama and Music students and was a colourful and vibrant evening that was full of positivity and joy.

The evening kicked off with our fabulous Concert Band, followed by Concert 1 in the PAC. After this, we were entertained by the Jazz Band and then Concert 2 which featured our award-winning eisteddfod dances and a variety of performances from our junior drama and music classes. The evening concluded with a Christmas finale where all performers graced the stage, led by our very own Sharon Green.

Back to the PAC was a wonderful evening with indoor and outdoor entertainment, delicious food and a high calibre of quality performances from approximately 100 of our students.

Thank you to all those who attended and I’m sure you’ll all agree that the performing arts are in safe hands for the future years at SJRC.

Sincere thanks to Mrs Fiona Jensen for organising the event and the team who worked together to bring it to life: Sophie Woods, Sarina McNamara, Sharon Green, Emily Smallwood, Deb Kennaugh, Katelyn Opedisano, Chelsea Roulston, Jorja-Rose Styles, Abbi Gammon, Tracy Pares, Renee May, Toni Howard, Donna Eames, Dave Constantine, Kylie Joseph, Wendy Welsh, Mahni Lewis, Mark Robertson, Mark Spence, Matt Cato and Shane Hyland.

The Voice

Tanya Daley
Principal

Reports for students in Years 7-10 will be available on Friday, 16th December via our Parent Portal. All reports are now issued electronically, and paper copies will only be issued on request.

The Parent Portal is a secure web-based application that contains information about the College and your child, including timetables, attendance, and semester reports, along with class and teacher information. All past reports can also be accessed on the Parent Portal, and future reports will be uploaded as they become available.

Any parent not yet registered to access reports electronically will need to create an account as the first step. For security reasons, the username for this account must be your email address recorded at the school.

Instructions on how to access the Parent Portal are below and can also be found on the College website.

Report Feedback - Friday 16th December

Staff will be available at the College on the morning of Friday 16th December from 8.30am-12noon for report feedback.

Please call the College Office to make an appointment time.

We’re excited to announce that parents of our College have exclusive access to Elevate Education’s Parent Webinar Series this year. Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing and exam preparation. By tuning in to their webinar series, you will learn how to better support your children at home by reinforcing the skills they learn at school.

I encourage you to join this exclusive webinar series where you will be shown – as parents – how to best support your child through school.

Setting up for SUCCESS

This webinar is great if you have children heading into Years 7-12 in 2023.
Elevate will guide you through the foundational study skills required to hit the ground running in January.

Wednesday 23rd November 2022
6:30pm-7:30pm

Register your attendance at -https://get.elevatecoaching.info/au/schoolwebinar

The presenter will share Elevate’s key research and skills, and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly.

If you are unable to make the webinar, don't worry! If you sign up to attend, you'll receive the webinar recording on Thursday morning:

Mr Tim McCosker
Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

Vaping: Information & Awareness

Vaping: Why is it attractive?
Young people can be drawn to vaping for a number of different reasons including peer pressure, accessibility and affordability, the belief that vaping is harmless and curiosity. Sometimes a family member who vapes can also influence children and young people to try vaping.

This short video provides some insights into why vaping is attractive to young people and is important viewing before parents and carers use the conversation starters at home.

Conversation Starters

Be ready to have these conversations with your child with a sense of calmness and interest in what they have to say. Be ready to listen to their responses without jumping in too quickly to correct them. Choose your timing wisely, perhaps during a relaxed moment at home, when driving somewhere together, or when no other stress or distractions are present.

1. Why do you think more children and teens are vaping? Listen to understand. Your child may mention one of the reasons listed above or have another opinion. This conversation starter opens the door to healthy dialogue.
2. Could you confidently say no if you were offered a vape? How could you do this? Help your young person create an ‘exit plan’ if they are offered a vape.
3. How do you think the person offering you the vape would react to you saying no? How might that make you feel about this friendship?
   Now might be a good time to talk about what your child values in their friends.

Peer pressure can be powerful, so coming up with realistic action steps and practising them together in a safe environment will prepare and empower your child to make good choices when it matters. Remind them that not everyone is vaping. There are many young people making healthy choices to say no.

Headspace

Code of Presentation - College Uniform 2023

The following uniform items have been phased out and are no longer available to purchase or wear in 2023:

• old style plain black SAPSS sports shorts
• white SAPSS sports socks 
• white formal socks
• grey formal socks. 

Sports Uniform
From 2023, all students must wear the new black sports shorts with the yellow strip down the side and black SAPSS sports socks.

Formal Uniform
Boys may still wear their grey formal shorts, however, will be required to wear the new style black socks with white stripes.

Girls will be required to wear the new black socks, either with or without the white stripes.

Not Permitted

• Invisible “sockette” style socks or branded socks such as Nike or Adidas.
• Jewellery items such as beaded anklets

These items are not part of our College uniform and are not permitted to be worn at school.

I thank families for their assistance in ensuring the high standards of our Code of Presentation are maintained.

First Week of Advent

At this week's assembly, James Merkus, Jack Duff, Declan Juric, Matilda Shields and Hannah Thompson of PC F03, presented a lovely prayer and information about 'Advent' which I would like to include in my article this week.

Thank you to Ms Jamie Hart, Mrs Biddle and PC F03.

This week, we celebrate the first week of Advent. Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming". The advent season symbolises both the waiting for the birth of Christ and his return.

A popular tradition during Advent is the advent wreath. The wreath has four Candles - one is lit each Sunday of the four weeks of Advent, each representing a new focus.

This week, we celebrate the first week of Advent through the theme of 'Hope'. Paul, in Romans, says: May the God of Hope fill you with all with joy and peace as you trust him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father,

Advent is a time for remembering and reflecting on the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Father, I pray that you will turn our hearts toward you as Christmas approaches.

Let us not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season this year and miss the chance to celebrate the gifts of hope, peace, joy, love, that you sent to us on that first Christmas.

Father God, every word in scripture points to the gift of hope that we have because of Christ Jesus. The Christmas story wasn’t the beginning of that message of hope because the old testament is full of glimpses of your plan to redeem your people and restore them into a relationship with you, but we are able to truly begin to see and understand just how great your love for us is when we read the story of Jesus’ birth in scripture.

Help us to see that you are with us. Nothing is too difficult, too messy, or too dirty for you.

Jesus came to give us the gift of eternal life through the salvation that only you, our Heavenly Father, can give when we believe in your Son, repent of our sins, and confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.

Movember 2022

Mr Michael Walsh
assistant Principal - Mission

SANTA IN THE VINES PHOTO

Saturday 10 December
10:00am-1:00pm

Book online at:
https://www.facebook.com/santainthevines?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Cultural Immersion Camp

Last week, our Year 10 Burray group and our Mitjigan girls' group travelled to Corinidi Beach to participate in a two-day cultural camp run out of Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Students experienced a range of activities including bushtucker and beach walk, dreaming stories, damper making, music and dance workshop and a visit to the Red Rock ochre site. All activities were led by local community members, Aunts and an Elder. Students were immersed in culture for the two days and worked together to build strong connections with each other and their Indigenous team leaders.

A big thank you to Mr Braden Saggers for organising the excursion, and to the students for their positive attitude and willingness to participate in all activities.

Thank you also to  Mrs Carly Taylor, Mr Frank Johnston and our Indigenous Education Trainee, Nelson Young for joining the group for this experience.

UNE Oorala Education Facility Visit

This week, 13 SJRC Indigenous students attended the UNE Oorala Youth Program at Armidale. The program guides and inspire high school students to:

• Discover more about life at university, including opportunities available for tertiary study and career opportunities
• Improve skills and develop cultural wellbeing through face-to-face experiences and online programs
• Increase confidence and readiness to approach study as a tertiary student

On-campus experience days:

• Complement school careers advice
• Promote higher education and explore career pathways
• Showcase teaching and learning activities at UNE
• Extend students' expectation of their ability to complete a university course,
• Build confidence in life at University and familiarity with UNE Oorala Aboriginal Centre

On the visit, students experienced and participated in a drama workshop, visited a sport science lab and finished off the night with ten-pin bowling. 

Kylie Wallis
Indigenous student mentor

WorldSkills Competition

This cooking competition was held in order to select candidates to represent NSW in the National WorldSkills Competition being held in Melbourne in 2023. The students were required to demonstrate basic cookery skills including a range of methods of cookery for an afternoon tea-style menu. The criteria included:
Displaying competence in handling tools in all situations

• Show skills in all basic kitchen preparations
• Demonstrate ability to innovate in presentation and explore new ideas
• Show use of garnishes to give general appeal and stimulate appetite

This year, Jemima Scott-Branagan and Jessica Watts represented SJRC in the 2022 Regional competition. Congratulations to Jemima who came away with second place and Jessica who placed fifth. This is an outstanding result for our team. The three-hour competition gave the students the opportunity to showcase their culinary skills and passion for cooking. We are very proud of both Jemima and Jessica who worked to a very high standard and did so with great attitudes and enthusiasm. 

Jemina and Jessica were acknowledged at our College assembly this week, the girls also gave thanks to their teachers Mrs Walsh and Mr Constantine for their valued input and support leading up to and during the competition. They said, "they got to experience what it is like in the hospitality industry while preparing and presenting dishes under pressure".

Mrs Diana Walsh & Mr Dave Constantine
TAS teachers

Year 9 National Capital Excursion 2022

At the end of Term 4 Year, 9 students will have the opportunity to undertake an educational tour of the National Capital, Canberra. Students will participate in a variety of educational programmes focused primarily on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. The excursion is also an opportunity to enhance the community spirit already established in Year 9, develop new friendships and cement old ones and work collaboratively with their teachers outside of the classroom environment.

The excursion is linked to our History Curriculum and educational and cultural venues such as New Parliament House, Old Parliament House and the War Memorial are priority sites to visit as part of the excursion. At Parliament House students will learn about Federation, tour both houses and participate in a fun dress up mock debate. At Old Parliament House there is a focus on the history of democracy, and how elections and voting works. At the War Memorial students will participate in a guided tour which will enhance their study of WWI and WWII this year.

In Canberra we will stay at the Canberra Park which had modern spacious rooms and provide all our meals while in Canberra. We also have two mega night time group activities including a movie, Black Panther Wakanda Forever, at a large cinema complex where students will love the reclining seats. On the other night we have an amazingly large TenPin bowling alley to ourselves complete with a Timezone. These activities are a great chance for the whole cohort to come together socially and experience each others company.

This excursion also presents some opportunities to break up the educational sessions of the excursion with some hands-on activities and other venues of interest. In between the educational and cultural venues all students will visit the following: The National Zoo and Aquarium, the AIS, Questacon and Canberra Aqua Park.

We know that the cost is a burden on families and thankfully the Federal Government does provide some support helping us to lower the overall final cost of the excursion. “The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit their National Capital as part of their civics and citizenship education. To assist you (the parent) in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $45 per eligible student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate Programme toward the travel expenses incurred. The contribution is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion”.

We would like to thank the Australian Government for their support of this program.

We hope that the excursion will be a rewarding and memorable experience for all students.

Regards,

Jason Warneken
Leader of Human Society and its Environment

Tess Franklin graduated from SJRC in 2018 and is now sailing the world in her role as a Combat Systems Operator onboard the HMAS Toowoomba. Her advice is very relevant to our school leavers - you DO have time to explore, and to try something different.

Jackson Coram is making the most of his experience in the RAAF. Besides his very impressive training and representational duties, he has operated as a team member working on the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft at RAAF Williamtown, participated in aircraft rescues, been recognised for his excellent performance and his attitude, participated in significant multinational exercises, and represented NSW at the ADF Touch Football Nationals. Jackson speaks highly of the opportunities made possible for him as a member of the ADF. Congratulations Jackosn - the sky is the limit!

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 Donna Hamlin through the College Office on 5525 4100.

Price Increase - Week 4

The Canteen opens at 8.00 am every school day.

CLICK HERE for the Canteen's everyday menu.

Ms Donna Hamlin
Food Services Manager

College Uniform 

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 - 50 year Celebrations

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