SJRC Newsletter: Term 1 Week 4 - 23rd February 2024
- Principal's Message
- School Photos
- Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
- Assistant Principal - Mission
- 2024 Swimming Carnival Report
- 2024 SJRC Swimming Squad Announcement
- Library News
- Careers
- Alumni News
- Busways - Changes to Bus Routines
- Canteen News
- Encounter Youth
- SJRC Social Media
- Community News
Friday 1st March - Pupil Free Day
Next Friday, all staff will be participating in a Professional Development Day to support the College's Mission and Wellbeing goals.
Thank you SJRC!
This past week, we witnessed the dedication of several staff members, Mrs Fiona Jensen, Mrs Tracy Pares, Mrs Toni Howard and Mr Gerard Toohey who went above and beyond their duties as they supervised and organised the four-day Creative Arts Cultural Immersion excursion to Sydney. Additionally, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Mr Damien Kelly and his team for orchestrating a highly successful swimming carnival. I must also express my gratitude to all staff members who contributed significantly to making the swimming carnival a truly memorable day.
Furthermore, my sincere gratitude to our students. They are awesome! Their enthusiastic participation and unwavering College spirit throughout both the swimming carnival and the excursion. Your energy and commitment truly make a difference, and we're immensely grateful for your contributions to our school community.
In this week's newsletter, you will find full reports on both events.
New Staff
This week, we are delighted to introduce two new additions to our staff. Firstly, we extend a warm welcome to Miss Jesse Willis, an esteemed former student, who joins us in the capacity of Classroom Learning & Support. Additionally, we are thrilled to welcome Mrs Tracey Rogencamp, who will be serving as a Hospitality Assistant, lending her expertise to the preparation of practical components within our subjects.
In the tradition of St Joseph's Regional College, we are committed to ensuring that both Jessie and Tracey feel welcomed and valued within our community.
 Miss Jesse Willis
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 Mrs Tracey Rogencamp |
Mrs Tanya Daley
Principal
School photo day is on Monday, 26th February 2024 for all students in Years 7-12. For those students who are absent on Monday, a catch-up day is planned for Wednesday 28 February 2024.
UNIFORM: All students MUST wear their white formal College uniform for the photo. If students have a sport or a prac lesson, they are to change into their sports uniform after their photo.
Families have received an email from MSP Photography regarding 'How to' place an order for school photos through the Compass Portal.
Go to your Compass app, and follow a few easy steps!
How to Guide: SCHOOL PHOTO ORDER
Once you have placed your 'Individual Photo' order, you can place your 'Sibling photo' order, these MUST be ordered before midnight before photo day.
Please remind your child that they are having their photos taken. If they are having a sibling photo, all siblings will need to be ready for their photo at the allocated time set by the school.
Please note:
- After 11th March 2024, an archive fee of $15.00 will apply.
- The College does not manage any money or orders. ALL orders must be placed through the link in your email.
If you have any questions, please contact the friendly MSP team on 02 6583 1968 or by email northcoast@msp.com.au
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Cultural Immersion Excursion
A big shout out to the Creative team for their organisation of last week's successful Cultural Immersion excursion to Sydney. I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mrs Tracy Pares, Mrs Toni Howard, Mr Gerard Toohey, and Mrs Fiona Jensen for their dedication, guidance, and support throughout the excursion. Their passion for the arts and commitment to our learning played a pivotal role in making this excursion a resounding success.
Please find a report below by our Leader of Wellbeing- Flinders, Mrs Fiona Jensen.
We are thrilled to share highlights from the recent senior Creative Arts Excursion to Sydney, which was an incredible adventure filled with creativity, learning, and unforgettable experiences for our Year 11 and 12 Art and Drama students.
Myself along with our dedicated teachers Mrs Pares, Mrs Howard and Mr Toohey, embarked on a journey that encompassed a wide range of activities, workshops, tours and performances, showcasing the vibrant arts scene of Sydney.
Throughout the excursion, we had the opportunity to participate in engaging workshops, where we honed our artistic skills and explored new techniques under the guidance of experienced professionals. These workshops provided valuable hands-on experience and inspired us to push the boundaries of our creativity.
One of the highlights of the excursion was attending 'A Fool In Love' at the Sydney Theatre Company, where we were immersed in the world of storytelling and performance art with a lot of pink! For some of us, it was the first time seeing live theatre and it will be something we remember for a lifetime.
As part of the excursion, students also participated in a photographic competition, capturing moments of beauty, creativity, and inspiration throughout their journey. We are excited to see the creative vision and talent showcased by our students through their photographs at a later date! Watch this Space!
Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to the College for being a staunch supporter of the arts and for providing us as Senior Creative Arts students with opportunities to explore and thrive in our creative pursuits.
Overall, the senior Creative Arts Excursion to Sydney was an enriching and memorable experience for us, reinforcing the importance of the arts in education and inspiring a lifelong love for creativity and expression.
Mrs Fiona Jensen
Leader of Student Wellbeing- Flinders
Year 7 Meet & Greet and Year 11 & 12 Parent Teacher Interviews
On Monday, 4th March we have the Year 7 Meet and Greet and Year 11 & Year 12 Parent teacher interviews.
Further information regarding the evening and the link to book an interview, will be sent out via the Compass App on Monday.
Bookings open on Monday, 26th February and close at 10:00am on Monday 4th March.
We warmly welcome you to connect over a FREE BBQ.
Year 11 & 12 Study Skills Seminars
On Tuesday 5th March, Year 11 and Year 12 will attend Study Skills seminars at the College, conducted by Elevate Education.
These seminars have proved to be extremely useful over the years and are a great opportunity for Year 11 students to pick up skills that will help them handle the increased workload of senior school, and assist Year 12 students in preparing for their major exams at the end of the year.
- Year 11 Periods 1 & 2 (9:05am-11:05am)
- Year 12 Periods 3 & 4 (11:35am-1.35pm)
Mr Ian Lutton
Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
Second Week of Lent
This Sunday will be the second Sunday of Lent. At Mass, we will hear Mark’s version of the Transfiguration of Jesus. The Transfiguration occurs after Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus' prediction about his passion. Jesus takes three of his disciples—Peter, James, and John—to a high mountain. While they are there, Elijah and Moses appear with Jesus. The appearance of these two important figures from Israel's history with Jesus signifies Jesus' continuity with the Law and with the prophets and that Jesus is the fulfilment of all that was promised to the people of Israel. Moses led the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and received from Yahweh the Ten Commandments. In appearing with Jesus at his Transfiguration, Moses represents the Law that guides the lives of the Jewish people. Elijah is remembered as one of the most important prophets of Israel who helped the Israelites stay faithful to Yahweh. Some Jews believed that Elijah's return would signal the coming of the Messiah for the Jewish people.
We also notice that Peter has reverted from his earlier confession that Jesus is the Messiah, calling Jesus rabbi instead. As if in reply to Peter's confusion, a voice from heaven speaks, affirming Jesus as God's Son and commanding the disciples to obey him. This voice from heaven recalls the voice that was heard at Jesus' baptism.
In his Transfiguration, we see an anticipation of the glory of Jesus' Resurrection. Jesus instructs the disciples to keep secret what they have seen until after the Son of Man has risen from the dead. The disciples' confusion continues as they wonder what Jesus means by rising from the dead. The disciples cannot possibly understand Jesus' Transfiguration until they also witness his passion and death. We hear the story of Jesus' Transfiguration early in Lent, but we have the benefit of hindsight. In our hearing of it, we anticipate Jesus' Resurrection, even as we prepare to remember Jesus' passion and death.
Reflecting:
- Can I see Jesus differently? As an integral part of how I live my life?
- What aspects of Jesus teachings am I not obeying as much as I should?
- Do I need to more fully acknowledge that Jesus is God’s beloved Son and that I can find peace only through Him?
Taken from Sunday Connections: http://www.loyolapress.com/sunday-connection.htm
Video clip explaining the significance of the Transfiguration of Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of68qg08HhM#t=12
Second Sunday of Lent
Project Compassion
Leaia's story - Samoa
Not having access to a reliable source of clean water was very difficult for Leaia and her family. But with the support of Caritas Australia, a water tank was installed at their home, improving their health and living conditions.
Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result.Leaia lives with her five children, husband, brother, and sister-in-law on the island of Upolu in Samoa. Not having access to clean water for their daily lives has caused Leaia a lot of worry.
Leaia’s family built the home entirely out of recycled scraps collected from a nearby recycling plant, as not to waste precious income and provide for her children.
Please give generously to Caritas Australia. Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow for all future generations.
With your support, Caritas Australia has been able to assist communities around the world through income generation, water and sanitation, food security, education and disaster risk reduction programs.
You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes and online by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion or by calling 1800 024 413.
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 is produced weekly. In this week's bulletin:
- Pancake Breakfast
- Enrich your Lenten Journey
- Project Compassion
- Young Adults Retreat
The latest edition is available via this link. Parish News Bulletin
Assistant Principal- Mission
20th February 2024
On Tuesday, the 20th of February, the Port Macquarie Olympic Pool hosted our annual swimming carnival. Organisers were greeted with heavy rain showers early, which gradually faded before clearing into a warm, humid February day. Thank you to our students and staff who pushed through the wet start, kept a smile on their faces and were rewarded with a fantastic day.
The carnival started at 9:45am with 100 staff and 700 students in attendance. The first event was the 50m freestyle, followed by breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. Participation points were awarded in the 50m pool (5 points) and 25m pool (1 point). It was wonderful to see so many students collecting points.
We stopped for lunch at 12:00pm and were entertained by the annual body slap competition. Relay teams were announced, and the double points event got underway at 1:00pm.
For the second year running, we ran the Top Gun Relay. A relay involving the two fastest girls and two fastest boys in each house. A staff team also contested the event.
Presentations took place at 2:00pm for age champions, runners up and winning house. A sincere thank you to our special guest Fran Prowse (nee Howard) who still holds the SJRC 1976 50m Freestyle record. Fran was an exception swimmer who went on to claim a number of State and National titles, as well as Australian gold in the 400m and 200m Freestyle.
Some thank yous:
- Port Macquarie Olympic Pool Staff
- Staff – catering, recording, timekeepers, referees, Leaders of Student Wellbeing and assistants, marshalls, starters, announcers, canteen supervisors. A massive team effort!
- Emersyn Smith our Sport trainee – a huge amount of work organising marquees, timekeeping, marshalls and trophies.
- Maintenance Staff – John, Martin and Matt for pre-carnival setup and post-carnival pack up.
- The students – Everyone is to be congratulated for the positive attitude displayed at the carnival.
The SJRC Swimming Squad to compete at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival will be announced this week. If you would like to compete in the following events, you must submit times to Mr Kelly by 8:30am this Friday, 23rd February. Times from a Swimming Australia/Swim Central results page required (available on their website).
- 100m freestyle,
- 100m breaststroke,
- 100m backstroke,
- 100m butterfly,
- 200m freestyle,
- 200m IM.
- The 400m has a special nomination link. 400m Nomination Form
Congratulations to Flinders, who went back-to-back, winning the carnival for the second year running.
Please check the following links for full details of House and Age Champions.
Mr Damien Kelly
SJRC Leader of Sport
21st February 2024
Congratulations to students who qualified for the SJRC Swimming Squad – link below. The squad will be competing at the Lismore Diocesan Championships in Port Macquarie on Thursday the 7th of March 2024.
The link below lists the students who have qualified for the Diocesan Carnival. At the top is the event and how they were split. Age Groups are: 12s, 13s, 14s, 15s, 16s, 17+. Some events, particularly the longer distance events are split Junior (12, 13, 14), Intermediate (15 & 16) and Senior (17+).
2024 SJRC Swimming Squad – Long distance times will continue to be added until Feb 23rd.
400m qualification is done at Diocesan level – entry list will be included once we receive qualifiers.
An email will be sent to parents and students via the Compass Portal and further information this week. A reminder – it is not a compulsory excursion.
- 2024 Lismore Diocesan Swimming Championships – Program
- Warm Up 8:00am - 8:45am
- Start 9:00am
Any questions or problems please contact Mr. Kelly by email damien.kelly@lism.catholic.edu.au
Study Work Grow
Students and parents now have access to a comprehensive Careers resource - Study Work Grow.
Please visit this link to access a host of information regarding post-school options, occupational guides, life-skills and more. You can also sign up to receive regular emailed updates from SWG.
Study Work Grow
Mrs Leanne Tinsey
Leader of Future Pathways
Alumni - Where are you now?
St Joseph's Regional has a rich tradition spanning over 50 years, so if you're a parent, grandparent, community member, interested bystander, and a former student, we would love to hear from you. Our alumni program showcases former students with a story about their post-school journey. Our ex-students can be tradespeople, business owners, entrepreneurs, professionals, and more. They can be dealing with people on a daily basis, researching in a scientific lab, caring for our vulnerable members of society, keeping a protective eye on our communities, writing the stories that make up our history, caring for our environment etc.
If you would like to have YOUR story showcased in our fortnightly newsletter, broadcast across our social media channels, used in information sessions for our students, and spotlighted in our Senior Study, then please send the following to pmreg-careers@lism.catholic.edu.au:
- a bullet point list of what you have done since leaving Regional (please include the dates)
- a short statement outlining advice that you would give to your younger self, knowing what you know now, and
- an appropriate photo of yourself, possibly depicting you undertaking the work that you conduct as part of your career.
Mrs Leanne Tinsey
Careers Pathway
Due to the upcoming closure of Emerald Dr at Ocean Dr, Port Macquarie, multiple School Bus and Route Service changes will be commencing Monday, 4th March 2024. Detailed information regarding how these changes will impact students travel to and from your School are noted in the attached letter(s).The below letter(s) will be distributed to students on the affected Busways service. Please take the time to read the letters below so you are aware of how these changes will impact them and can plan their travel accordingly.
PLEASE NOTE: the completion of these works is weather dependent however, when completed a traffic switch will occur resulting in the closure of Matthew Flinders Dr at Ocean Dr, therefore additional changes to services may be required of which Busways will provide further notification for students, parents, and School administrators.
For additional information, please refer to the timetable for our College at: https://www.busways.com.au/nsw/school-services/school-timetables and select the link adjacent to our school name; “New timetable | 04 March 2024”, we have also attached a copy for your convenience. Alternatively, you can contact Busways Customer Service on 1300 69 2929 or infoline@busways.com.au.
Bus Safety Week
Bus Safety Week reminds all road users to ‘Be Bus Aware’
Our school bus operator Busways is reminding all road users, parents, and students to ‘be bus aware’ as part of Transport for NSW’s Bus Safety Week campaign, running Feb 19 - 25.
Bus Safety Week, part of the ‘Be Bus Aware’ campaign, sees Governments, bus operators, and emergency services raise awareness about the importance of being safe in and around buses and spread the message to ‘Be Bus Aware’.
The initiative provides a timely reminder to parents to have a talk with their children about bus safety; to motorists when giving way to buses; to pedestrians to make sure they are alert of their surroundings; and to cyclists to ensure they can see where buses are. We all have a part to play in bus safety.
The ‘Be Bus Aware’ campaign has been developed with input from Bus NSW, NSW Police and Transport for NSW.
For more information on bus safety or to learn about Transport for NSW’s ‘Be Bus Aware’ campaign, visit https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/campaigns/be-bus-aware/ or visit the Busways website https://www.busways.com.au/.
| Term 1 Week 5 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | Spinach & Ricotta Quiche |
| Tuesday | Chicken BLT Wrap |
| Wednesday | Beef Nachos |
| Thursday | Tuscan Wings & Pasta Salad |
| Friday | Pupil Free Day |
| Term 1 Week 6 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | Chicken Carbonara |
| Tuesday | Honey Soy Wings & Fried Rice |
| Wednesday | Beef Burritos |
| Thursday | Chicken Pesto Toasted Turkish |
| Friday | Chicken Pumpkin Feta Salad |
The Canteen opens at 8.00 am every school day.
Breeanna Stone
Food Services Manager
The Encounter Youth Program kicks off for 2024 this Sunday. Come along and join in the fun.
Week 4: Seasons 25th February 2024
Hot chocolate in summer? Cold showers in winter?
Some things are meant for one season. Come along to Encounter this week to hear about the seasons of the Church.
- - Sunday 25th of Feb
- - 6:00 - 8:00pm @ The Youth Hub
- - $5 for dinner
Zac Parnell
Youth Coordinator
St Agnes' Catholic Parish
49 Hay Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
M 0487 971 744 T 02 6588 7444
E zac.parnell@stagnesparish.org.au | W www.stagnesparish.org.au
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
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RIDE THE WAVE FESTIVAL: TUESDAY 2 - SATURDAY 6 APRIL 2024
Now established as an annual event on Birpai Country in Port Macquarie Ride the Wave Festival held across five jam-packed days raises funds to support local charity Make a Difference PMQ in advocating for the disadvantaged and marginalised members of the community.
In this way, all money raised goes back to the local community.
The hugely popular Ride the Wave festival will deliver a day of music, culture, and community at the Ride The Sound Wave event which sold-out in 2023, as well as three days of surf with a Ride the Wave Junior Pro Surf competition that is run in conjunction with Surfing NSW and sells out nearly as soon as entries are opened, and a Ride The Wave skate competition – all staged at the beautiful Town Beach site. Ticket Sales and Info
MOTHER'S DAY CLASSIC
The Mother's Day Classic has become a significant initiative and has raised over $44 million to the National Breast Cancer Foundation since 1998. Each Mother’s Day, thousands of Australians unite to walk, celebrate, and raise awareness and funds to support ongoing research.
In 2024, we’re extending our support to also contribute to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. Breast and ovarian cancer take the lives of 12 women each day. This year, we’re putting our foot down to raise vital funds for research, and work towards a day where no lives are taken from cancer.
We extend a warm invitation to have your school participate in the Mother's Day Classic event in Port Macquarie on Sunday 12 May.
When you sign up in February, you will receive up to two FREE Child registrations (age 12 and under) with every paying Adult or Concession registration transaction.
