St Joseph's Catholic College Newsletter

From the Principal

your Year 12 Retreat

Next week, Year 12 are on Retreat at Forster with Mr O’Toole and several other staff. Please keep them in your prayers as they reflect on their time here at St Joseph’s, both their academic and spiritual journey and look to their lives ahead after school. We have had the privilege of nurturing and transforming them to grow into responsible and community-minded young adults. The Retreat is a sacred pause amid the pressures of examinations, giving them time to contemplate their spiritual growth over the past six years. We pray that they will return with a sense of faith, hope and confidence in their future paths.

 

School Student Use of Mobile Phones and Wearable Technologies Guideline

Last week, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle released the School Student Use of Mobile Phones and Wearable Technologies Guidelines. You can access all the Catholic Schools Maitland Newcastle Guidelines and Policies through our school website or the Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle website https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/policies/. Within this document, they covered:

  • Benefits associated with mobile phones and wearable technologies

    • Safe travel to and from school

    • Learning tools or apps

    • Medical apps for students with health conditions

  • Risks associated with mobile phones and wearable technologies

    • Learning distractions

    • Cyberbullying

    • Access to inappropriate materials

    • Social media interaction challenges

    • Compromise of privacy caused by unauthorised recording

There are three options for schools to adopt within the Student Use of Mobile Phones and Wearable Technologies Guidelines:

  1. Switched off and away during school hours

  2. Stored in locked pouches during school hours 

  3. Devices stored in the school office during school hours

From these options, only the first was feasible for St Joseph’s as we don’t have the locked pouches or the capacity to store devices in the school office. In addition to the three options, principals have the discretion to apply variations that fit within the context of the school if applicable. So, during this term, we will review our current school mobile phone policy and develop a new Statement of Practice that follows the Diocese Guidelines. We will listen to the opinions of the staff, parents, and students at the next P&F Meeting and the students via the SRC meetings. We must consider the incidents and issues that mobile phones and wearable technologies cause, the impact on the school community, and the benefits and risks covered in the guidelines. We aim to have a new Student Use of Mobile Phones and Wearable Technologies Statement of Practice for St Joseph’s for implementation next term.

 

Professional Development

We have two pupil-free days this term, so please put them in your calendars. 

 

The first is on Monday, 19 May, when the teachers will be trained on Understanding Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can significantly impact students’ ability to benefit from the school environment and to make progress that reflects their potential. This course looks at the impact ADHD can have on a student's life, and it will assist teachers in making their classrooms and practices more inclusive for these students.

 

Please note that this pupil-free day backs onto the Scone Cup gazetted holiday. Students have been reminded that this gives them a four-day weekend to study for their upcoming Semester One Examinations in Week 5 (26 May – 30 May). 

 

The second pupil-free day is Friday, 6 June, when teachers will be engaged in designing quality assessments. Mr Dent and Mrs Paine completed a course that follows the University of Newcastle Quality Teaching (QT) Model on Quality Assessment. Mr Dent and Mrs Paine will lead staff in enhancing their assessment practices through practical activities. Additionally, on this day, staff will complete their practical first aid assessment after completing the online component last term, bringing all staff up to date with their first aid skills.

Please note that this pupil-free day is before the long weekend of King’s birthday.

 

Winter Uniform

Beginning next week, Monday 12 May, all students should be wearing Winter Uniform. If there are any issues, please contact your child's Leader of Wellbeing.

 

Veronica Rolfe

Principal