Principal's Report

Our Brain Olympia team competed in the finals on Wednesday in Gunnedah and acquitted themselves exceptionally well! To achieve second place against much larger schools such as St Philomena’s in Moree (242 students) and St Xavier’s in Gunnedah (385 students) is testimony to a bunch of children who really knew the value of testing themselves at the next level and skillfully working as a team. 

As I have discussed at Assembly, this type of team competition is much more complex and challenging than the average sporting contest. Brain Olympia team members bring a variety of different skills and expert knowledge that then need to be applied to many different challenges from current affairs to science to famous people and places, mathematical problems, public speaking and drama. No surprise, not every team member would know or have those exact requisite skills, So, the key to their ultimate success is intentional and clever TEAM WORK!

Here at St Joseph’s, we work relentlessly as a team of skilful helpful adults to teach, model and lead our children to understand they have different God-given gifts and talents that need to be used in a positive and productive manner, not just to ensure that they fulfil their personal potential but to intentionally “make the place better” by working as part of a TEAM. In other words, we want our children to deeply understand what this phrase means in both words and actions - “We are all better off for you being here in our school today!”

By their attendance at school every day. By the positive “open-to-growth” attitude they bring to their learning and partnership with our teachers and EAs. By their willingness to play kindly, sharing and caring for their friend's feelings. They are personally better off and grow their individual God-given talents, as well as contributing to the collective growth of their friends' talents that all flow into a growing, successful, kind and inspiring community of young people that we are proud to pass on to the big wide world!

In closing, I offer public congratulations to both of our Brain Olympia teams and special thanks to Mrs Little for her skilful coaching over the past 2 months.

Keep an eye on COMPASS and Facebook for posts about all of our upcoming religious, cultural and sporting events occurring during the last two weeks of this term. From Pyjama Day to FUTSAL competitions to the Public Speaking Cup, Gala Day, Regional Netball Finals, Nathan Stapleton Rugby League and of course our Stage 3 children receiving the important sacrament of Confirmation, St Joseph's School will quite rightly be a very busy place!

Finally, we wish Mr Withers safe travels and good times as he departs in Week 10 for a pilgrimage to Rome. We look forward to hearing of his adventures on his return in Term 4.

Until next time.

May God go with you.

Geoff McManus

Principal