Feast of Mary MacKillop

Last Friday, 8 August, was the feast of St Mary MacKillop. Although our patron saint is St Joseph, Mary MacKillop continues to guide us in our school mission statements. Mary’s greatness did not lie in grand gestures but in small acts of kindness and a heart open to others. At St Joseph’s, we strive to embody Mary MacKillop’s values of service, courage, humility and faith.

When students receive a MacKillop Merit award, it is for acts of kindness that exceed expectations. When we practice MacKillop moments daily, we ask students to reflect on their day and interactions with others.

Prayer to St Mary MacKillop

St Mary MacKillop,

You showed us how to live with faith, courage, and compassion.

Help us to see the needs around us and respond with love.

Guide us to be generous in spirit, strong in purpose,

And humble in service to others.

May your example inspire us each day

To walk with God and care for those in need.

Amen.

New Shade Structure

Yesterday, we received the Occupancy Certificate for our new shade structure. A huge thank you to BHP for generously donating $10,000 towards the building. The structure will provide much-needed shade for students between U Block and the Staffroom, which can be a particularly hot area in the summer. Thanks to Brook Bros from Scone, who worked with us to design and engineer the structure, and to the Property Team at the Catholic Schools Office, who helped us get through the compliance aspects of the build.

Congratulations to Will L

Will L was nominated to participate in the World Scholar’s Cup last Friday at St Philip’s Christian College, Cessnock. I asked Will to write me a recount of his days at the Scholar’s Cup.

Last week, on 7 and 8 August, I competed in the World Scholar's Cup. The World Scholar's Cup is a team-based international competition with three rounds. The first round is a regional round, and if you earn enough points, you qualify for the global round, which, as you may have guessed, involves teams from across the globe. However, if you do well enough in the international round, you can move on to the Tournament of Champions at Yale University in America. Each round consists of four activities, the first is a collaborative writing task where each member chooses one of the three topics assigned and must write either a creative piece or an essay to respond. The second activity is an individual multiple-choice test called the Scholars Challenge, which has 120 questions about various topics and only takes 60 minutes to complete. The third activity is a team debate tourney with three rounds of debating; however, the six best debaters are chosen for the debate showcase on the event's second day. The fourth activity is a team trivia challenge called the Scholar's Bowl, with lots of fun and emotion involved. After the Scholar's Bowl is the debate showcase, which I was nominated for. After an excellent debate from both sides, my team emerged victorious. At the end of the day, I won ten awards for various activities and qualified with my team for the global round.

Will L

Trial HSC Examinations Conclude Next Week

Year 12 will complete their Trial HSC Examinations next week. The time between the Trial and HSC Examinations is very important and can make a crucial difference to the final HSC result.

Reflect and review – what worked well? What could be improved? Use this insight to guide your preparation over the coming months. Trials are a stepping stone and not the final destination.
Stay positive and keep focused – keep your eye on your goals and remind yourself of what you have achieved so far.
Seek feedback – talk to your teachers and ask for their advice on how you can improve and target your study more effectively.
Keep revising – don’t stop now that the Trial HSC Examinations are over, develop a study plan.
Balance study and wellbeing – don’t burn out and make time for rest and exercise. Ensure that you are recharged for the journey ahead. Talk to your teacher mentor.
Collaborate - the Trial HSC Examinations are over, and the assessment ranks are fixed. Now, work together as a team and improve everyone’s results.

Funding for Catholic Schools

Recently there has been much public discussion around the Australian Government's model of funding schools. Catholic Schools NSW have put together some data to explain how government funding for non-government schools - such as Catholic and Independent schools - supports your right to choose the best educational environment for your child while also reducing costs for Australian taxpayers.

Using the most recent data, the report outlines how funding these schools through a mixed education model reduces pressure on public education resources, with savings of up to $6.88 billion annually. The report highlights how school choice benefits families and the broader community alike.

To read more, find the report here: Money invested, Money Saved - July 2025

Veronica Rolfe

Principal

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