SJRC Newsletter: Term 3 Week 10 - 26th September 2025
Dates to Remember
Term 4
Monday 13th October - Staff Professional Development Day (Pupil Free)
Tuesday 14th October - Students return for Term 4
16th October - 31st October - HSC Examinations
Congratulations and Farewell Year 12 2025
This week, Year 12 celebrated the culmination of their six years at St Joseph’s Regional College. The Year 12 cohort had a fitting end to their formal lessons on Monday with a special lunch and informal awards ceremony in the Library. The theme of celebration continued on Tuesday with a trip to Stoney Aqua Park, a great way to conclude their last full day as students at the College.
On Tuesday night, our Year 12 students and their families joined in a wonderful celebration with the Graduation Mass at St Agnes’ Church. This Mass, celebrated by Fr Paul, was a wonderful spiritual event that brought together all elements of our College community to recognise the connection this special cohort of students has with both the Parish and the College.
Wednesday saw the celebrations continue with our Major Awards Ceremony, where we celebrated the outstanding academic and cultural achievements of our Year 12 students. As part of this ceremony, the staff, under the leadership of Mr Matthew Bushe, Assistant Principal - Mission, sang a special blessing to the students, a moving moment that brought tears to the eyes of many students and parents alike. Finally, the highlight of the day was the final procession of our Year 12 cohort through a Guard of Honour lined by all the students across Years 7-11.
As we conclude the term, I'd like to share the following more detailed overview of the final events that took place for our Year 12 cohort this week.
Year 12 Graduation Mass – A Time to Reflect and Give Thanks
On Tuesday evening, students, families and staff came together at St Agnes’ Church to give thanks to God for our graduating Year 12 Class of 2025. It was truly a beautiful and meaningful celebration for all in attendance.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Father Paul Gooley for his support and the invaluable words of wisdom he shared during the Mass. A special thank you also goes to Deacon Shane Hyland for his organisation and for being an important part of this celebration.
During the Mass, Fr Paul offered profound reflections on the students' time here at St Joseph's Regional College. He reminded the Year 12 cohort that while graduating is a great achievement, there is something even greater to strive for: happiness and contentment in life by simply being the best you can be.
Most importantly, as we send you into your future, he urged you to be a witness through how you live and act, reflecting all that you have learned and been given during your years at the College.
Our appreciation also goes to our commentator, Mr Matthew Bushe, Assistant Principal - Mission, for organising the Mass. Thank you to the Year 12 students who willingly stepped forward to take on various roles throughout the Mass: Ella Hurrell, Z Cabrera, Christie Preston, Audrey Cassegrain, Brooke Instrell, Lilah Hawkins, Jeremy Auckram, Madalyn Scott and Joshua Kobelke.
Special recognition goes to Year 11 students Phoebe White and Adam Jennings, whose thoughtful farewell speech to Year 12 students was a highlight of the evening. Our talented musicians and singers further enriched the celebration. We are grateful to you all for enhancing the atmosphere of the evening with your musical gifts.
Year 12 Major Awards Ceremony
| Kate Ainsworth Bailey Andrews Layla Armstrong Jeremy Auckram Eliza Bajt Jasmyn Barbuto Nevaeh Bayly Ashley Bell Elizabeth Bell Caeley Bentham Mila Bi Emilijana Bosnjak Z Cabrera Audrey Cassegrain Tyler Charnock Bonnie Clark Maxwell Cole Lily Cook Jazmin Cooke Ashton Cooper Jackson Cooper Kieran Copeland Elkie Croft Esther Cummins Isabel Cusato Ashton Daley Ryan Dalton Bianca Duong Rebecca Ebrole Ella Ecott Emily Eggert Imogen Elliott |
Grace Field Lilly Fraser Rae Venice Gaviola Evie Gill Cameron Gray Paige Haleblian Max Hanley Lilah Hawkins Jacob Hill Charlotte Hollingsworth Bella Hopper Ella Hurrell Brooke Instrell Isabella Johnson Grace Keena Lauren Kelly John King Tenisha Kinnaird Joshua Kobelke Brielle Latham Mia Lawrence Isaac Lewis Alyssa Lynch David Madzivire Dexter Maher Lilly Maher Gideon Marr-Grogan Talia Marsh Dominic Matheson Nina McGahey Brae McGregor Liliana Merrill |
Sienna Monk William Newell Lilien Nguyen Matthew Nicola Charli Paine Christie Preston Ned Quinn Millie Read Anna Reynolds Jarvis Ring Sean Robinson Candice Ronson Asher Russell Kiara Ryan Khussh Sachan Madalyn Scott Summer Shafer Matilda Shields Alannah Steele Phoebe Stubbs Isaiah Sutherland Cooper Taylor Hriday Thakrani Caitlyn Thompson Hannah Thompson Max Troth Jamieson Walsh Kaden Ward Eliott Williams Van Rijn Theo Wright Madison Wyndham |
Year 12 Major Awards
| Student of the Year | Grace Field |
| College Leadership Awards | Jacob Hill Bonnie Clark |
| College Commitment Award | Eliza Bajt |
| Quiet Achiever Awards | Cooper Taylor Kate Ainsworth |
| Father Donnelly Outstanding College Service Award | Alannah Steele |
| St Agnes’ Parish Service Award | Mia Lawrence |
| Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award | Ashton Daley |
| Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Award | Lilah Hawkins |
| Citizenship Award | Charli Paine |
| Outstanding Service to the Community Award | Christie Preston |
| St Joseph’s Regional College Spirit Awards | Esther Cummins Phoebe Stubbs Joshua Kobelke Lauren Kelly Max Troth |
| Instrumental Award | Theo Wright |
| Vocal Award | Alannah Steele |
| Outstanding Involvement in Sport | Talia Marsh |
| Father Donnelly Champion House Shield | Flinders |
Congratulations, Major Award Recipients
First Place in Course
| Ancient History | Alyssa Lynch |
| Business Studies | Kate Ainsworth |
| Community & Family Studies | Caitlyn Thompson |
| Design and Technology | Rae Venice Gaviola |
| Drama | Matthew Nicola |
| English Standard | Ella Hurrell |
| Food Technology | Ashton Daley |
| History Extension | Rebecca Ebrole |
| Hospitality - Kitchen Operations & Cookery | Emily Eggert |
| Investigating Science | Millie Read |
| Legal Studies | Grace Keena |
| Modern History | Audrey Cassegrain |
| Music 1 | Dominic Matheson |
| Personal Development, Health and Physical Education | Elkie Croft |
| Economics Studies of Religion II |
Esther Cummins |
| Engineering Studies Mathematics Advanced |
Kieran Copeland |
| English Extension 2 Visual Arts |
Paige Haleblian |
| Industrial Technology - Timber Mathematics Standard |
Ashton Cooper |
| Chemistry Mathematics Extension 1 Mathematics Extension 2 Physics |
Jamieson Walsh |
| Biology Earth and Environmental Science English Advanced English Extension 1 Geography Studies of Religion 1 |
Eliza Bajt |
Congratulations to First Place Award Recipients
Academic Excellence Award
Awarded to students who have been ranked in the top 10% in three or more of their courses.
| Kate Ainsworth Eliza Bajt Kieran Copeland Elkie Croft Esther Cummins Ashton Daley |
Grace Field Rae Venice Gaviola Paige Haleblian Ella Hurrell Isabella Johnson Grace Keena |
Charli Paine Anna Reynolds Khussh Sachan Caitlyn Thompson Jamieson Walsh |
Outstanding Involvement in Sport
To receive this award, a student has represented the College in
five or more sports during Year 12.
House of the Year
Mission Awards for Service
This award acknowledges those students who actively participated in acts of service to the community during the last semester.
Congratulations to the following students:
| Elkie Croft Brooke Instrell Audrey Cassegrain Grace Field Grace Keena Brae McGregor Christie Preston Mia Lawrence Sienna Monk Alannah Steele |
Kate Ainsworth Eliza Bajt Lilly Fraser Rae Venice Gaviola Isabella Johnson Kiara Ryan Bonnie Clark Charli Paine Phoebe Stubbs Kieran Copeland |
Award Sponsors
I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the local businesses, organisations, staff and families who so generously sponsored our awards. Your support plays a vital role in recognising and celebrating the hard work, dedication and achievements of our graduating students.
On behalf of the College, we express our sincere appreciation
to every one of the sponsors.
Celebrating Gordon West's Retirement
Today, we officially say farewell and celebrate the retirement of Gordon West, a valued and long-standing staff member who has dedicated an incredible 40 years to his teaching career. We feel incredibly fortunate that for the past 32 of those years, Gordon has shared his passion and expertise with our Port Macquarie community, teaching at the old Regional College, St Paul's, MacKillop, and most recently, dedicating the last 16 years to us, here at St Joseph's Regional College.
Throughout his career, Gordon has served as a mentor and leader at six different schools, starting at La Salle Academy in Lithgow. He has held numerous leadership positions, including Campus Principal and various coordinator roles in Curriculum, HSIE, PDHPE and Religious Education. Gordon’s expertise spans a wide range of subjects, including PE, Geography, History, Business Studies, Commerce, Economics, Mathematics, Asian Studies and, of course, Religious Education, reflecting his dedication to a holistic education. Beyond the classroom, he generously gave his time to run the History Club and coach several sports, including the State Catholic Schools team for Volleyball and Rugby League.
For the past 16 years at SJRC, Gordon has been a cornerstone of our community. On behalf of your colleagues, we offer our heartfelt congratulations on a stellar career. We wish you all the best, Gordon, as you begin the next phase of your life. You will be fondly remembered for your kindness, wisdom, humour and the friendship you have so freely given to so many.
Gordon West being clapped out at the Year 12 Guard of Honour
Finally, I wish all students and staff a well-deserved break. To our Year 12 cohort, I encourage you to maintain a steady study routine as you approach your final HSC examinations.
Mrs Tanya Daley
Principal
A New Chapter in our College History - A Ceremony to Introduce our new House names.
As we approach the end of Term 3, our College community is buzzing with excitement for a momentous event that will mark a new chapter in our history. On Wednesday, 15th October, we will hold a special ceremony to officially launch our new House Patrons. This event is a celebration of our history, a recognition of our core values, and a welcome to the new names that will inspire our students for generations to come.
This special assembly will bring our entire College community together in the main car park on Day 3, Week 1, Period 1 (9.05 am). It’s a chance for students, staff and families to gather and witness a significant milestone. To ensure a smooth event, please note the following key details for the morning of Wednesday, 15th October:
- Student Drop-off: The College entrance car park will be closed from 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 14th October. On Wednesday morning, all students should be dropped off at the bus bay.
- Gate closures: from the commencement of the assembly (approx 9.00 am) the main vehicular entry gates will be closed for safety and for reverence for the ceremony.
- Attire: All students are required to wear their hats for the duration of the ceremony. Students should wear the uniform required for their timetabled Day 3.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, students will be dismissed House by House, returning to their PC classes. As a small memento of this special day, each student will receive a House Patron pen. We will also introduce and pray the new House prayers, which will be used on occasions such as House assemblies.
We look forward to sharing this special occasion with all of you as we honour our past and look forward to a bright future.
A reminder about the event and the traffic changes will be sent through Compass on Tuesday of Week 1.
St Agnes' Church Gospel Reflections
Fr Paul Gooley is continuing to provide Gospel readings and reflections via email and online, Monday to Saturday, for those interested in connecting with their faith in this way.
Click to watch Fr Paul's Gospel Readings and Reflections.
St Agnes' Parish News Bulletin
The Parish news bulletin will now be published monthly.
The latest edition is available via this link Parish News Bulletin
Mr Matthew Bushe
Assistant Principal - Mission
HSC Nominations
We are excited to share that St Joseph's Regional College has received nine HSC nominations, an outstanding achievement that speaks volumes about the talent and hard work of our students.
This is a true testament to the dedication our students have shown in their areas of study. These nominations are a prestigious recognition from the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), identifying their exemplary work for potential inclusion in the annual HSC showcase events: ENCORE, OnSTAGE or the SHAPE expo. This accomplishment is a source of immense pride for our College and a fitting celebration of their efforts.
Congratulations to:
Dominic Matheson for his possible inclusion in the HSC Music Showcase, ENCORE. Dominic was nominated for his Music 1 Performances.
Ashton Cooper, Jackson Cooper, John King, William Newell and Jarvis Ring , who were nominated for possible inclusion in the SHAPE expo.
Bonnie Clark for possible inclusion in CALLBACK
Liliana Merrill, Tenisha Kinniard and Ella Ecott nominated for possible inclusion in ONStage for their Drama Group Performance.
Year 12 Holiday Study
As you head into the holiday break, we invite our Year 12 students to take advantage of the study sessions offered at the College. It's important to stay focused and maintain your study routine during this time as you prepare for your final exams.
Ian Lutton
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
CATCH-UP CLINIC DATES:
Term 4 - Friday 24th October 2025 - Catch Up Clinic
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- Year 10-12 Nimenrix (Meningococcal ACWY) - catch up
- Year 7, 8 & 9 HPV and Boostrix - catch up
Student Information - What to Expect
Providing Consent for School Vaccinations
Preferred Method: Online consent through Service NSW
If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, you can now provide online consent for their routine school vaccinations through Service NSW.
Please note: Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.
How to provide consent:
Give Consent - Service NSW:
Paper copy: The College has a limited number of hard copies of the Year 10 consent form available. If required, please ask your child to collect the package from the College office.
A printable copy of the consent form is available for download and printing below.
| Term 4 Week 1 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | No specials |
| Tuesday | No Specials |
| Wednesday | Garlic Bread |
| Thursday | Hawaiian Chicken Burger |
| Friday | Morrocan Chicken Salad |
| Term 4 Week 2 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | No specials |
| Tuesday | No specials |
| Wednesday | Beef Nachos |
| Thursday | Bacon & Cheese Burger |
| Friday | Tuscan Chicken wings & Pasta Salad |
We have a delicious variety of 'Lunch Specials', available for $7.00 from Wednesday to Friday, and an everyday menu.
Breeanna Stone
Food Services Manager
St Joseph's Regional College has a number of different social media platforms. We would love for you to follow us.
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St Joseph's Regional College
- Website - https://www.pmreglism.catholic.edu.au/
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SJRCPort
- Instagram - @sjrcport
St Joseph's Regional College - 50 year Celebrations
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SJRC50years
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sjr50years/
Digital Ministry
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sjrcdigitalministry
Library
- Website - https://pmreglism.libguides.com/home
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sjrcexchange
- Instagram - Instagram - @sjrcexchange
Careers
- Website - https://www.sjrcportcareers.com/
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sjrcportcareers
Encounter Youth
The Encounter Youth Program is held every Friday at the Youth Hub.
Come along and join in the fun.
Encounter Kick Ons (Sundays after the 5.00 pm Mass)
Group games and supper - Come and join us!
St Agnes' Catholic Parish
49 Hay Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
T 02 6588 7444
E zac.parnell@stagnesparish.org.au
Dyslexia Awareness Month!
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month! Dyslexia Support NSW Mid North Coast are excited to partner with Port Macquarie Library, Jess Manton Specialist Education Services, and SPELD NSW to bring you a series of workshops this month.
Calling all parents, teachers, tutors, and allied health professionals! We invite you to attend our free sessions to learn more about supporting students with dyslexia.
Free Parent Workshop
Friday, 17 October | 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Port Macquarie Library, Grant Street
This workshop, led by the acclaimed Jess Manton, will give you practical, hands-on strategies to help your child with reading and writing skills right away.
Wear red and join us at Port Macquarie Library for one or all of our informative events in October! Places are limited, so please register now to reserve your spot.
