Principal's Report

A very warm welcome to all of our students, staff and their families. An extra special welcome to our new students and their families. I trust you will find St Joseph’s College a place of warmth and welcome; a place where we all commit to getting to know each other and being kind to one another.

This year will continue to be highlighted by the development and growth of our College as a multi-campus school. Kildare Campus now hosts our Year 7 and 8 students, with stage 2 building works progressing well. Our Brigidine Campus has reduced its numbers to now only hold our Year 9 -12 students. This has made a significant difference to the space and yard areas where there will also be some significant renovations and upgrades to follow in the coming years.

This year, as a College, we will be focusing on a number of key areas as part of our Strategic Plan implementation. These include:

enlivening our core values of Hope, Wonder, Compassion, Courage, Justice and Hospitality
focusing on quality student data, attendance and results - all with a view of improving learning
continuing our implementation of the Berry Street Model
building leadership capacity among our leaders and our staff.

I commend and thank those staff who have been involved in the planning and preparation for our staff and student return. Our College was ready to welcome our students back to the new academic year and that’s due to the willingness of our Leaders and our staff to get the work done!

As always, we work in partnership with our families, so I ask that you inform your child’s Learning Mentor of any concerns or issues that you have about their learning or wellbeing. However, please be mindful that a return phone call or email response may take a couple of days. Our staff are not expected to be on their emails until late in the evening; they too have families and other commitments.

We welcome a number of new teachers to the College from all over Australia and the world. You can see a full list of these staff on subsequent pages. We are grateful that these staff have accepted our invitation to join this wonderful faith community and we are excited for the many skills and talents they bring.

Before signing off, I would like to take this opportunity to touch on a very important issue around teenagers and parties. Our adolescents are navigating a complex world, where the allure of social gatherings can sometimes overshadow the inherent risks involved. It is imperative that we engage in open and honest conversations with our children about the potential dangers present at these events, including the consumption of drugs and alcohol, engaging in aggressive or violent behaviour, and the sharing of videos and images across social media. By fostering an environment of trust and communication, we can help guide them towards responsible decision-making. I can’t stress enough how important it is to know where our children are, who is supervising any gatherings they may attend, and to impart upon them the importance of prioritising their safety and wellbeing above all else. Together, with compassion, understanding and love, we can empower our teenagers to make informed choices and navigate the challenges of adolescence with resilience and strength.

The resources below are full of helpful information on keeping teenagers safe at parties. Please take the time to check them out.

https://positivechoices.org.au/parents/how-to-keep-your-teenager-safe-at-a-party

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/partying-safely-tips-for-teenagers

https://adf.org.au/talking-about-drugs/parenting-talk/teenagers-aod-use/safer-partying/

God Bless.

Anne Marie Cairns

Principal