PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Language is a truly miraculous tool. It allows us to convey information, instruct others, express ourselves, and pass down the stories that define us. 

Established and agreed-upon systems of communication – both formal and informal, as well as symbolic and coded – lie at the heart of all cultures and communities. Whether we realise it or not, we derive much of our identity from the various linguistic forms in our lives. The jargon we speak, the clothing we wear, the symbols we recognise, the things we do … these all constitute ‘language’ in one form or another.

Our motto and core values form the foundation of the St Joseph’s College lexicon. We rely on them to guide our community, because our actions tell the world what we value, stand for, and aspire to: 

• We emphasise the importance of service by raising funds for charitable organisations and providing students with a variety of volunteering opportunities across Sunraysia. 
• We teach our students that they can achieve excellence in more ways by celebrating several types of achievements and milestones. 
• We prepare students for the future by hosting information evenings and holding careers presentations.
• We show our young people that learning also happens outside of the classroom by focusing on teamwork and ‘soft skills’ during excursions and camps. 
• We introduce young minds to knowledge delivered differently by inviting guest speakers to present workshops that delve deeper into areas of the curriculum.
• We show how committed we are to improving the college experience for students and staff alike by consulting with those affected by proposed changes and by performing facilities upgrades.

All these things speak volumes. What’s more, by listening to all the members of our community – students, staff, and families – we will always find more to add to the St Joseph’s College story.

Migrants from all over the world drawn to Sunraysia by opportunities in agriculture and other fields have enriched our shared home and played an important part in creating the Mildura we know and love today. Recent Languages Week activities explored the increasingly diverse linguistic backgrounds in Mildura and at the college. At the same time, students discovered Mathi Mathi and Paakantji, two local Indigenous languages, by learning common words and phrases from each.

This fifth edition of Community for 2023 features content from the Mathematics Learning Area, volunteer efforts by VCE Vocational Major students, interviews with the leads in our college production of Matilda Jr, and much more. As you read the articles that follow, we hope you will see that a tradition of support and mutual respect continues to shape the language and culture of St Joseph’s College.

God Bless

Mrs Marg Blythman

College Principal