DEPUTY PRINCIPAL LEARNING AND TEACHING
SENIOR PATHWAYS INFORMATION EVENING
On Tuesday 25 July, we held our Senior Pathways Information Evening for students who will be in Years 10 to 12 in 2024. There were presentations on Year 10 and the VCE/VCE Vocational Major. The evening involved most staff and ran from 7:30pm to 9:00pm.
Thank you to everyone who was involved in this evening. It was an invaluable opportunity for students and their families to engage in the important process of subject selection and highlight the extensive range of subjects and opportunities we offer our students. The evening was well attended and received by our college community.
The Snow Camp Information Session was also held concurrently with the Senior Pathways Information Evening. This was implemented to reduce the number of nights parents needed to attend school information sessions.
CURRENT YEAR 8, 9, 10 & 11 STUDENTS
Students currently in Years 8, 9, 10, and 11 are selecting subjects they wish to undertake in 2024. It is an important but not always easy process. Students should take the time to familiarise themselves with the various subjects offered.
We use 'Web Preferences', an online subject selection platform. For those unfamiliar with this process, you can view an instructional video, along with subject selection handbooks via this link.
On Tuesday 18 July, I presented to the Year 8 students so they could begin their subject selection process. Students have received their access codes and passwords which enable them to select their subjects online via Web Preferences. Years 9, 10, and 11 students received their access codes and passwords on Tuesday 25 July via their Homeroom rolls.
It is important for parents to involve themselves in this process. I encourage parents/caregivers to talk to their child about what they want to do, why they want to do it, and how best to achieve their goals.
During this time, Homeroom teachers will also work with students from their homerooms to ensure that students fully understand the process as they undertake these important selections.
Students must have completed their subject selections by 4:00pm Friday 11 August. We use the data from their preferences to create the timetable for next year. If students have not completed their selections by this date, their choices will not be considered when creating the timetable. Ultimately, this could mean they cannot undertake the subjects they were hoping to in 2024. It is in their best interest to complete their selections on time.
A selection of St Joseph's College students in Years 11 and 12, along with a number of staff presented to the Year 10 students in the lead up to the subject selection process. This presentation was focused on how important decisions about Year 11 and 12 can be.
Decisions made now can have a significant impact on not only Years 11 and 12, but also much further into the future. If you are the parent of a Year 10 student, I would recommend that you read the information provided in the 'Choices' letter below.
TERM 3 HOLIDAYS – YEAR 12 PRACTICE EXAM CYCLE
We know one of the most effective ways to improve student results in VCE is for students to complete and receive feedback on as many practice exams as possible. Therefore, we are running a formal Year 12 practice exam cycle during the first three days of the Term 3 holidays.
These will be run just like the actual Year 12 exams. We will employ invigilators to supervise the exams, and the exact conditions as those for the VCAA exams will apply to this exam cycle. Students will be given an exam timetable and expected to be in full college uniform.
We are hopeful that the vast majority of students studying Year 12 subjects will be able to make the most of this opportunity and consequently improve their VCE results. The full practice exam schedule details can be found within the document attached below.
SNOW CAMP
We are very excited to prepare for the Year 11 Snow Camp, which will occur in Week 8 of Term 3. Year 11 students and their families attended an information session for the Year 11 Snow Camp on Tuesday 25 July and are eager to be heading to Australia’s premier snow destination, Perisher.
Perisher Ski Resort is Australia’s most popular ski area and the largest in the southern hemisphere. Perisher is located in Kosciuszko National Park. The resort spans seven peaks and is home to more than 1,245 skiable hectares. It also has 47 lifts and 113 runs.
We are staying at SkiRider, which is 1400 metres above sea level and is close to Perisher Resort. This will make the commute to the resort each day much shorter, which will mean more skiing and snowboarding time.
COURAGE TO CARE PROGRAM
Years 8 and 9 students were fortunate to participate in the 'Courage to Care' regional outreach program at the college recently.
Courage to Care’s workshops and volunteers educate children and adults about the dangers of racism, prejudice, and bullying while examining how these intersect with bystander behaviour.
This innovative program uses the backdrop of the Holocaust to initiate discussions on how to counter discrimination and increase awareness of an individual’s power to make a difference. Live and recorded testimonies from survivors’ lived experiences lend meaningful weight to the presentations and activities.
Participants left empowered with newfound knowledge and practical tools to help them take positive action in their own lives and communities.
I want to thank our Humanities team, in particular Mrs Amanda Morrison, Mrs Michelle Winderlich, and Mrs Andrea Chamberlain for their work in getting the program to St Joseph’s College and for their detailed organisation of the two days.
Students and teachers alike really enjoyed this workshop and learned so much. Being brave and having the courage to work for justice can seem challenging, but Courage to Care has given our young people insight into what they can do to become ‘Courageous Upstanders’.
STAFF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE DAY – FRIDAY 28 JULY
We were very fortunate to have Emeritus Professor John Warhurst present to the entire school staff on Friday 28 July. John’s academic background is in the Political Science field. John has a PhD in Political Science, is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the Australian National University, and was made an Officer in the Order of Australia for services to Political Science and the community.
John was a member of the Plenary Council and has served on many boards and advisory councils, including the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Catholic Welfare Australia, Catholic Social Services Australia, and Caritas Australia.
With a career spanning several decades, John has been at the forefront of navigating the intricate intersection of politics, society, and religion. As a group, it was an opportunity to hear John’s thoughts as he draws from his wealth of knowledge and experiences. John presented on two topics: The Church of Pope Francis and Lay Catholics – what is the role of the modern lay Catholic?
NAPLAN RESULTS
Families of Years 7 and 9 students can now collect their NAPLAN results from the front office.
You will notice a few important changes to NAPLAN reporting.
- This year’s scores are not comparable to previous scores as they are on a new scale.
- Subsequent results will be on this scale, just not the results prior to 2023.
- The names of the levels have changed to 'Exceeding', 'Strong', 'Developing', and 'Needs Additional Support' (NAS).
- Year 9 students who achieved 'Exceeding' will receive certificates.
You can find more details of reporting at https://nap.edu.au/naplan/results-and-reports
ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE INTERNAL SCHOLARSHIPS
To encourage excellence and to acknowledge our diverse student population, the college offers a number of scholarship opportunities to our students in Years 11 and 12 to recognise and reward the students for their achievements. The scholarships fall into three categories: Enrichment, Inspiration, and Achievement.
ENRICHMENT
Mercy Academic Scholarships are offered on the basis of academic merit to students continuing Years 11 and 12 at the college in 2024 and 2025. The scholarships have a tenure of two years and are for the remission of 50% of the school fee. These scholarships are offered to a limited number of Year 10 students ranked in the top 10% of the Year 10 cohort.
We congratulate the following recipients for 2024:
Evie Oldham
Taylor Gregg
Annabelle Munn
Fiona Maria Denny
Lily Detenon
Charlotte Ferdelja
Juliet Moodley
Giorgia Zappia
Harneer Singh
Makenna French
Bolin Zhu
Mayah Midgley
Sebastien Klarich
Abbie Gibson
Bailey McLaughlan
Ella Byra
Rebecca Hayes
INSPIRATION
Year 11 Founding Sisters of Mercy Scholarships & Virtue Conquers Scholarships
The Sisters of Mercy have established a wonderful and rich legacy in the Sunraysia community. These scholarships both reward and preserve educational excellence and personal integrity at St Joseph’s College. Our Catholic heritage and Mercy Core Values remain integral tools that support our vision and mission to educate future students within the Mercy tradition.
St Joseph’s College present scholarships annually to Year 10 students who respect and display our Mercy Core Values: Hospitality, Compassion, Service, Community, Justice, Excellence, and Spirituality.
The college offers internal scholarships of $1,500 to Year 10 students transitioning into Year 11 at the college. These internal scholarships recognise students who have shown excellence both in their academic and personal school life.
We congratulate the following recipients:
Adam Ryan
Aleisha Hoyle
Alice Ryan
Cooper Hobbs
Estelle Floramo
Jordan McKenzie
Mabel Morrison
Makayla Pel
Peter Argiro
Rhianna Neyland
Sarinna Chun
Sumaya Maaroof
Mr Greg Kluske
Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching