Principal's Report

As promised in the previous newsletter I have some excellent news to share about our recent academic success in the 2022 NAPLAN assessments and the Year 6 Religious Education Test. To set the context for our NAPLAN success, it is important to remember that NAPLAN is not an achievement test. NAPLAN’s main purpose is to give feedback to parents and teachers about how well the students are performing against the Australian literacy and numeracy standards. Ideally, a Year 3 student should be performing at a Band 2 level or above and a Year 5 student would aim to be performing at or above a Band 4. That said, when such a high proportion of our St Joseph’s Glen Innes students are measuring themselves so ably against the upper two Bands, it is worth shouting their success from the roof-tops! Similarly, and in perusing the summary table below, it is wonderful to celebrate the fact that every single student in Year 3 and Year 5 has met the minimum national standard for Literacy and Numeracy, thereby ‘future-proofing’ themselves for success after primary school. Well done to our very capable young people in Years 3 and 5, as well as our strong team of skilful, helpful adults in leading a rigorous and highly successful academic program.

As a proud Catholic school, one of our valued benchmarking tools is to measure our collective capacity to teach the core catechetical knowledge to our children across the 7-years of study at our catholic primary school. Hence, every one of our 19 catholic primary schools across the Armidale Diocese assesses the catechetical knowledge of our Year 6 students via a 30-question test conducted annually in Term 2. I am very pleased to report that not only did our Year 6 students achieve an average mark of 22.4 which is above the Diocesan average of 21.2, but they also managed to better the school achievement of last year’s Year 6 students by almost 3 marks. Once again an affirming reflection of the expert collaborative work being done between our kids and their teachers!

While our Open Rugby League players just missed out on moving to the next level after their regional finals game in Port Macquarie, we should be especially proud of not only the way in which they played tough, smart and fast but also the way that they represented their families and the school in a positive and respectful manner. We have received nothing but positive feedback about their sportsmanship and competitive spirit. Against a school with an enrolment of over 1000 students and a team comprised purely of Year 6’s to only beat us 16-6 in the final game of 3 rounds, bears strong testimony to great achievement and a valuable life experience. The Port Macquarie families commented to our parents that this game was the hardest challenge their team has had in years. Enormous thanks to Jackie Barratt, Shad Bailey, Mark Barratt, Andrew Hancock and all of the families that made an active contribution to our success.

In closing, I put out an early plug for a unique opportunity to share a light lunch with Bishop Michael Kennedy in the Parish Hall on Saturday 3 September. In such a vast Diocese it is indeed a rare opportunity to actually meet the shepherd of our flock face-to-face in an accessible social environment. Mark it on your calendar and feel very welcome to attend. Similarly, it is the same date that our Confirmation candidates will receive their final Sacrament of Initiation at the 6:30 pm Mass. Please keep these Year 5 and Year 6 candidates in your prayers.

Stay warm and stay well!

May God go with you

Geoff McManus

Principal