Newsletter 27 – Term 3, Week 7

https://www.sjc.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Diocese-of-Toowoomba-Catholic-Schools-Student-Protection-Working-Together-brochure.pdf

Student Protection Survey

Next week (Week 8) we will be asking all staff, students and parents to be involved in completing a Student Protection Survey. The survey is intended to gather feedback on how well we are implementing our student protection processes and understand what we are doing well and what we can do better.

This week we will provide students with an information sheet about the survey and the reasons we are asking their views about safety and wellbeing at school.

The survey is being administered by an independent research organisation, who will collate results and provide us with recommendations for improvement. Students will be completing the survey at school, and parents will be provided with a link to the online survey. The survey is confidential and anonymous.

Student safety is very important to us and we value the input of our school community. Please contact the office if you have any questions, or if you specifically do not wish your child to participate.

Year 7 Retreat

Year 7 Retreat was held last Friday 23 August at the James Byrne Centre. The day was facilitated by the staff with the help of some Year 10 leaders. We thank these Year 10s for stepping up into this role and embracing the spirit of the day. We could not have asked more of them.

The Year 7 students found the day both enjoyable and thought provoking. They engaged in activities, they learnt about the importance of diversity, discovered the gifts they bring to the community and hopefully they made a new friend or two!

We thank the staff who attended this day for their contribution and enthusiasm.

Year 8 Retreat

Year 8 Retreat was held on Tuesday 27 August in the MacKillop Centre and was facilitated by ‘Real Talk’. This day was an opportunity for the students to hear from trained presenters about the topics of sex, relationships, and personal identity based on Catholic Christian values. Thank you to Mrs Puhakka, Mr Fitzpatrick, Miss Dwyer and Mr Goodall for their assistance.

MND Orange Day Fundraiser

Thank you to everyone who participated in Orange Day on Wednesday in support of MND. It was great to see the school community rally together and get involved for this great cause that is so close to our heart.  Over $600 raised from gold coin donations.

After assembly students gathered on the oval forming the letters ‘DANO’, supporting our much loved staff member Dan O’Neill who is living with MND. Dan and his wife Karen were present as we spelt out DANO on the oval.

We are still accepting donations towards the St Joseph’s Team via this link <https://www.mycause.com.au/payment/frp_donation/207285>. Our goal is $5000 so please give generously!

Click here to view the ‘Dano’ drone footage taken by Mr Daniel Vonhoff.

Year 12

Year 12’s have received a copy of their draft exam block timetable which commences on Friday 6 September.  Please check with your son or daughter about these important assessment dates.

Students need to wear full academic uniform and attend on time. They may sign in and out of the College as they are required for exams.  If a student is behind in their work, their teacher may request them to attend school.

As in previous newsletters I have outlined the process for QCS for Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 September. Please ensure you arrive on time, have had a hearty breakfast and have all of your equipment.  Thursday 5 September is a study day for all Year 12’s at home.

Year 7-10

Please ensure you have signed the web preference form for your son or daughter’s subject selections for 2020. There are many outstanding forms which need to be returned to student entrance.  I would appreciate your support in ensuring you know and have approved what your son or daughter has selected online for 2020.

The ‘Fashion’ class embarked on an excursion to the Ekka a couple of weeks ago to attend the ‘Nature in Bloom’ fashion parade event. Showcased were the state’s best natural fibre fashion from daywear to formal and bridal by 16 Queensland designers including White Label Noba and Kirsten Fletcher. Students were lucky enough to have a meet and greet with the models from the catwalk. This was an excellent opportunity to evaluate the designs making their way down the catwalk and gain inspiration for their upcoming project.

‘Cooking around the world’ has been focusing on Australia by investigating the influences on our country’s evolving cuisine. Tasty bush spiced kangaroo and crocodile were foreign feasts for some while the classic beef pie and pavlova were crowd favorites.

‘Becoming independent’ students have just completed their baby blankets which considered numerous factors to ensure they successfully met the brief, just in time for our simulated babies to make their way into the care and responsibility of the students. They are learning about the needs of those throughout the different life stages.

The ‘Beginner chef’ class have been assisting the community with catering by putting their newly learnt garnishing skills to good use. One of the many garnishing techniques students have learnt to use are piping techniques to enhance visual appeal.

Thank you to the 20 students who volunteered to cater at the Legends at Their Game event in support of the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation.

‘Kitchen operations’ students are preparing for lunchtime cafes which will be available to staff and students next week for take-away options. Breakfast and barista coffees will be available for purchase as take-away or dine-in before school, during Term 4.

M1 participated in Breakfast Club this week along with our regular Brekky Club crew. They had a fantastic morning talking and interacting with the Clifford Park Students. It is great to see the relationships between the regular Breakfast Club group and the Clifford Park students continue to grow.

Roster

Liturgy of Word with Holy Communion:

Celebrated in the College Chapel on Fridays at 1.30pm

This Sunday’s Gospel Reading – Luke 14:1, 67-14

…when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind [because]; …they cannot pay you back…

https://www.agnusday.org/comics/207/luke-14-1-7-14-2007

Summary:

Jesus is invited to a meal at a Pharisee’s house. Making use of a parable, he explains to the guests how the Kingdom of God can happen and who will be a part of it.

The world behind the text:

• Status, and therefore a place of honour, was considered important. Someone who was important, or wanted to be considered important, would always sit at an important place at a banquet or party. To be seated in a place of importance and then asked to move, would have been very embarrassing and humiliating. The reverse was true; seating yourself in a humble place and then invited to a place of honour would mean a person was celebrated and acclaimed!
• It would be expected that you reciprocate an invitation to a party/banquet, otherwise you would be considered rude and poor mannered.
• The poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind were people afflicted in body and were, therefore, going to be excluded from heaven. To associate with anyone like this, or to include them in anything, could mean that you would also be excluded from heaven.

The world of the text:

Jesus is challenging the commonly held understanding of his time by saying that those who are truly humble and outcast will be part of heaven, as opposed to those who are self-important.

The world in front of the text:

What a challenge for us! What are the motivations for our actions? Are we humble, a meaning of which is to have one’s feet on the ground? Do we include everyone, or only our friends and/or those who will help us? Jesus is quite clear on what would best for each of us – to be humble and inclusive – but it can be challenging…

Great News! Our school now has a mobile phone app. It will give you instant access to our school information when you click on it, 24/7. The app is going to give parents the ability to instantly access newsletters without going to the website, or to send in an absent note. You can download it to your smartphone by going to either the Apple App Store or Android Google Play Market and search for St Joseph’s College Toowoomba. Once you have found it press install or download. Instructions are attached with this newsletter. We look forward to a great year of communication!
Please ensure you upload the correct St Joseph’s College icon

All Schools Touch Toowoomba

On August 18, six teams went out to Kearneys Spring to play in the Toowoomba Swans All Schools Touch Competition.

I am very appreciative of the help and support that parents gave on this weekend to enable each of the teams to have a coach and support on the sideline. Special thanks to Troy Deakin, Ellen Pengilly, Craig Young, Mike Rafter and to Luke McKenzie for giving up their day to offer their expertise for these young athletes.

We had mixed results with the 13 Years Girls team making the quarter finals but unfortunately, they were knocked out in this game.

The 13 Years Boys showed great courage and play well for the size team they had.  They managed to make the grand final but were defeated by St Mary’s.

The 15 Years Girls played very well, but we were not lucky enough to make the play offs.

The 15 Years Boys only lost the one game and that was to St Mary’s in the grand final. This was a great outcome for a team with fresh players who were new to Touch Football.

The Open Girls played seven games for the day. The girls played really well and won each of their games to collect the medal at the end of the day. No final was held so it was a terrific effort on their part.

The Open Boys had one draw and the rest wins to make the grand final against St Mary’s. They showed great fight but St Mary’s came out on top.

Teams will now travel to Brisbane for the All Schools competition to compete in one of the biggest events in Australia.

Senior Vicki Wilson Competition

On Sunday 25 August, 11 teams arrived at Glennie to participate in this competition. Unfortunately, most of the St Joseph’s Open Girls were involved in the QPL competition being played at Warwick. Five very courageous girls arrived and played the first two games and I am so grateful to their dedication and effort. Later in the day we borrowed two girls from the Glennie boarding house who helped us out. We did win some games and gained great experience.

AAG Positive Choices 15 years Basketball

Two very keen teams arrived at St Mary’s to challenge for the Positive Choices Cup.

The boys were going along quite well until they came up against Toowoomba Grammar who were convincing in their win against us which left us to play Harristown State High School in the semi-final. Harristown were also slightly better than us and we missed out on playing in the grand final.

The girls played really well and won all games going through to the grand final. In this game they played Toowoomba State High School. It was a really close game, but we managed to come out on top and won the gold medal.

Many thanks to Ms Minns and Mr Canning who were able to support the two teams on the day. A big thank you to Mr Jason Krienke who coached both teams and spent many hours training them for this occasion.

Wednesday Night Netball

For the past two terms a team of eleven girls from Year 9 and 10, under the coaching guidance of Jemma Bradshaw have been involved in a netball competition at the Glennie Stadium.

On Wednesday night the girls participated in the grand final against a Downlands side. The girls played exceptionally well but we were unable to take out the top position.

The final score was 25 to 33. The girls were a pleasure to spend time with each week and played for fun and pleasure rather than the end result. We now look forward to the Junior Vicki Wilson competition on Sunday September 1, where we have two teams competing for the day.

Key Dates 2019/20                                                                          

August

• 1 QTAC Applications open

September

• 4-5 QCS test
• 28 early closing dates for some courses
• Scholarship applications due for some institutions

October

• Reminder to get EAS & supporting documents submitted before Yr12 finishes

November

• 15 First Offer Round for Year 12

December

• 14 OPs are released
• 23 Offer Round

January

• 7 last day to change preferences
• 15 Offer Round
• 24 Top up Round
• 31 Top up Round

February

4 onwards – Top up Rounds

QTAC Application Checklist

To fill out your application you’ll need:

• A valid email address – make sure you will have access to this email account after you finish school; don’t use your school email.
• To create your own password.
• Your Learner Unique Identifier (LUI) – must be 10 digits, preface with zeros if necessary
• Authorise someone (eg: a parent or older sibling)
• List of preferences, in correct order – it is easier to have the QTAC codes written down in order
• Credit card to make a payment which is processed overnight. Other options include B-Pay

For more information please register and apply directly for the position online at http://apply.goldenwest.org.au/vacancycurrent.aspx

*Closing dates may be subject to an extension as appropriate.

Please send your name and email address to
toowoomba@goldenwest.org.au

PART 2 of St Joseph’s College CBCA Book Week celebrations

Story Telling with Mr Fitz – Day 4

Screening of the original BBC Chronicles of Narnia

Day 4 Golden Ticket winner, Sarah Douglas.

Day 5 Golden Ticket winner, Monique Thiele.

The Secret Power Design Competition opened on Friday 16. Congratulations to all student who participated. There were two prominent entries which we could not delineate. As such, our two winners are Isabel O’Dempsey and Monique Thiele; congratulations girls.

Secret Power Design Competition winner, Isabel O’Dempsey.

Secret Power Design Competition winner, Monique Thiele.

I wish to thank the staff who gave up their time voluntarily to help make Book Week 2019 a success. Your efforts and time are always appreciated.

POPULAR BOOK PASSAGES

The business of books is seldom about light-hearted virtues such as the personal experiences felt when reading a book. Books are about eye and page, about one human brain in conversation with another. Publishing usually centers on the mass: What do people want? What will most people buy? What do people respond to?

The next few newsletters will showcase some favourites.

The Popular Book Passage from last week was taken from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Can you guess from where this passage is taken?

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

The book title will be in next week’s newsletter along with another passage.

Don’t forget, the next meeting is this coming Tuesday night – September 3 – 7pm – Library.

Come join the fun.

Friday 30 August

DD Field – Warwick

Saturday 31 August

Sunday 1 September

DD Cricket boys 10-12 years
Diocesan Feast Day Mass
Junior Vicki Wilson Gala Day

Monday 2 September

DD Cricket boys 10-12 years

Tuesday 3 September

QCS Test
P & F Meeting , 7pm

Wednesday 4 September

QCS Test

Thursday 5 September

Year 12 Study Day
Year 9/10 Drama Excursion  ‘The Twits’  9:30am

Friday 6 September

Year 12 Block Exams

Saturday 7 September

Sunday 8 September

Full 2019 Calendar

Click here to all upcoming events…

https://www.sjc.qld.edu.au/calendar/

Canteen Roster

Monday          2       Toni Burton

Tuesday         3

Wednesday   4

Thursday       5        Adul Lual

Friday            6        Maureen McIntosh

In stock:-

Boys Formal Hats in size S, XS & XXS

All orders have been put on hold.  Please collect ASAP

Murphy Bucket Hats L-XL

If you have items on hold at the uniform shop please call in and collect.  If you are unsure, please email sjct@midford.com.au or call 4631 8514 to check.

Out of stock of the following:-

Cotton tights size  XTall

Online orders.

Online ordering available through the school App, select Uniform Shop (bottom left) and follow the instructions.

Second hand uniforms are also available at the Uniform Shop.

If you have used uniform items that would like to donate, please drop off to the Uniform Shop during opening hours.  Donations are greatly appreciated.

If you have used uniform items that you would like us to sell for you, please call into the uniform shop and collect a “Used Clothing” form. Used uniforms items MUST be in good condition, no holes, stains, missing buttons and hems intact. They also need to washed, ironed and current uniform.

If you have any questions, please call us on 4631 8514 during opening hours.

Please remember to send a note with your child, to show the classroom teacher, if they need to leave the College early for any reason.  Parent/Guardian are require to be physically present to sign out and collect a student.

Student Absentees

If your Child is absent please notify the College before 8:30am by either phoning, 4631 8500 using the new App or emailing office@sjc.qld.edu.au 

When phoning, please remember to speak clearly and leave the child’s full name and PC class.

Are your details correct in our system?

Is your information up to date?
Will your report card go to the right address?
Don’t miss important messages and updates on excursions send through the email system or App notification.

Please email any changes to office@sjc.qld.edu.au