PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

I am pleased to welcome you back for another issue of Community. Quite a bit of time has passed since our last update at the end of Term 2, and we have a great deal to share with you. 

120 YEARS OF MERCY IN MILDURA

Five nuns travelled to Mildura in 1905, carrying the Mercy ethos in their hearts and bringing with them Catherine McAuley’s vision of improving the lives of women and children through education. 

Those inspiring Sisters of Mercy opened a school in 1906. That humble school grew to become St Joseph’s College. Over decades, countless staff members and families have dedicated themselves to providing generations of young people countless opportunities to learn, expand their horizons and achieve their dreams.

St Joseph’s College commemorated 120 years of Mercy Education in Mildura on Thursday 20 August. The celebrations began with a special Mass in the Mercy Stadium led by Most Rev Mark Freeman, the Bishop of Ballarat. The College was also privileged to host several Sisters of Mercy, a few former College Principals and Deputy Principals, guests from Mercy Education, and many more members of our extended community.

Later that evening, guests attended a special dinner at Powerhouse Place. It was a wonderful celebration of the College’s long history and legacy, reflecting on the past and looking ahead to the future. 

– A future in which we will continue to focus on educating the young people of Sunraysia while living by our Mercy core values, and expressing gratitude for our home here in Mildura.

SCIENCE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

In this issue, we explore all the amazing things happening in the Science Learning Area. From an overseas STEM excursion to engaging National Science Week activities, our students have enjoyed learning that science is a language everyone can speak. Experience it all in the ‘Community Science Lab’. 

MAGICAL MEMORIES

We had the good fortune to hold two Debutante Balls this year. On both occasions, the debutantes and their partners moved across the parquetry at Club Da Vinci with elegance and grace. When you see the photos,I think you will get a sense of why this tradition continues to thrive at the College.

EVERYONE ACTIVE

Look for updates on interschool netball and soccer, as well as state cross country on the College Sport page. While you are there, give a round of applause to our Human Powered Vehicle Team for their success at the 8 Hour Race in Tailem Bend.

Our annual Athletics Carnival brought out the best in students as they ran, jumped, and threw themselves into the spirit of the day. Friendly competition between our five Houses always gives everyone a chance to have fun outdoors and away from screens. Take a look at all the action here. 

PARENT & CAREGIVER SURVEY

St Joseph’s College values continuous improvement. Information about the experiences families have with the College helps us to understand where we need to improve and why.

On Monday 10 August, all parents and caregivers of St Joseph’s College students should have received an email with instructions on how to access a survey where they can have their say on various aspects of the College’s climate.

If you did not receive those details, you can access the survey here. When you arrive at the NSI Partnerships website, enter the code SJMparents into the ‘Start Questionnaire’ field.

The survey closes at the end of the day on 30 August. If you have any problems accessing it, please contact College Reception or the team at NSI via the email hyperlinks in this paragraph.

PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS

Congratulations to these exceptional students who received Principal's Awards at our Term 3 Assembly on 30 July. They are strong role models for their peers and represent St Joseph's College with pride.

Year 12 – Sophie O’Brien (Unpictured)

Year 11 – Addyson Cirigliano

Year 10 – Ahmed Hassan

Year 9 – Iggy Jukes

Year 8 – Olivia Garraway

Year 7 – Jacob Kotsiakos

TERM 3 FORECAST

By the time we publish this issue, the Year 11 Snow Camp will be nearing its end. Before the end of the term, both the Year 7 and the Year 9 cohorts will also leave on their camps. During Week 9, Year 8 students will study at the Enright Campus from Monday 7 to and including Thursday 10 September. They will finish up that week back home at the Mercy Campus on Friday 11 September. For full details, please read the below letter.

Thank you for choosing St Joseph’s College and for catching up with us in Community.

In the spirit of hope and faith,

Mr Greg Kluske

College Principal