SJRC Newsletter: Term 1 Week 2- 14th February 2025

Happy St Valentine's Day!

In the spirit of St Valentine, a 3rd-century Roman priest known for his courage, compassion, and acts of kindness to persecuted Christians. Some enthusiastic staff members greeted students with big smiles, sweet treats, and much love for our College. Our creative leaders crafted a giant frame of love hearts to capture friendships, kindness and fun. I even got a little kiss from our therapy dog, Madge.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability

The following is information regarding the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD).

Tanya Daley
Principal

Opening PC Prayer Space

As a Christian community, St Joseph’s Regional College values the place of prayer in its life. It is also very much a part of the Catholic tradition to pray with your community. Today, our Pastoral Care groups participated in prayer to open the sacred spaces in their classrooms. These sacred spaces provide a focal point for staff and students to remember, through symbols, the purpose of our community, which is to learn all we can and become disciples of Jesus Christ. When we recognise this we can live in the fullness of life that Jesus offers to us all.

The opening prayer from the ritual reads, "As we create our Sacred Space, let us be aware that in all we do and create, we share in the creative love of God who made all things."

Advance Notice: Ash Wednesday Invitation

Wednesday signifies the beginning of the Season of Lent within the Catholic Church. This is a preparation season for Easter, where we focus on the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (charity). On Wednesday, 5th March in Week 5, we will be celebrating the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Hall. A smoking ceremony will precede this gathering, and students, staff, and visitors will be invited to pass through the smoke as they enter the hall. This is a traditional Aboriginal cleansing ritual that aligns nicely with the theme of repentance for Ash Wednesday. We seek to turn back to God and cleanse ourselves of those things that distract us from being all that God calls us to be.

We warmly invite our parents to attend our Ash Wednesday service, which will commence at 9:05 am and be finished by 10:00 am.

Save the Date: Year 10 Parents only information night on Monday

On Monday, the 16th of February, at 6:00 pm, we are hosting a very important Parent Information Evening in preparation for the Year 10 retreats.

These Retreats occur in Week 7 of this term, with:

• Retreat A occurring from the 11th to the 12th of March and
• Retreat B from the 13th to the 14th of March.

Both retreats will be held at St Francis Retreat Centre in Bonny Hills. Students will be allocated to one of these retreats over the coming weeks.

This retreat is always a highlight for our Year 10 students as they begin to make decisions about their future beyond school.

Essential information will be presented at the parent meeting on the 16th. It will not go for more than 1 hour. We kindly ask that parents make every effort to attend, and ideally, each student should be represented by one parent or caregiver. Students are asked NOT to attend this meeting.

We look forward to meeting with our Year 10 parents and caregivers on the 19th at 6:00 pm in the College Performing Arts Centre (PAC).

It’s getting closer! Mr Hyland’s Ordination (Sunday 23rd February)

Mr Shane Hyland, one of our dedicated teachers and our Leader of School Evangelisation, will be ordained as a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church in just one week! This is a very special occasion for our college and parish.
A Deacon is a special role within the Church. In other Dioceses around the world, it's a common and very important part of Church life. Think of it as a unique way of serving God and the community.

Shane has spent many years preparing for this, studying and reflecting on his faith. This decision is a lifelong commitment made in partnership with his wife, Leanne, and our Bishop. Ordinations like this are incredibly significant, as the person being ordained is dedicating their life to this special calling.

Priests in training are also Deacons for a short period of time; however, the role of a Permanent Deacon is a distinct one in the Church. Deacons are ordained through a special ceremony called the Sacrament of Holy Orders. They are called to serve the Church in various ways, working alongside our priests and bishops. This might include reading the Gospel at Mass, performing Baptisms and Marriages, and helping those in need. Unlike priests, Permanent Deacons can be married men, and they often continue to work in their everyday lives, bringing their faith and service to the wider community. They act as a link between the Church and the people, helping to address local needs and share God's love.

Shane's Ordination is on Sunday, 23 February, at the 5:00 pm Mass at St Agnes’ Church on Hay Street. This is a truly momentous occasion, and we warmly invite all our staff, students, and families to join us in celebrating this special event.

We continue to pray for Shane and his family as they begin this beautiful ministry within our Church.

Upcoming Retreats

Transitus - Year 7

This week, during Year 7 Catholic Studies class, we introduced Transitus. Transitus is a retreat for Year 7 students to grow in their discipleship of Jesus Christ, membership of His Church and to strengthen their transition into Catholic Secondary School. The word ‘transitus’ was chosen because it is the Latin word for passage, crossing, movement over, transition, transit.

We encourage you to have a discussion with your child about attending Transitus. If they wish to attend please ensure that your child completes the google form application which is available in their Catholic Studies Google Classroom.

Applications close on Friday 7th March, 2025 and shortly after, you shall receive all of the details of the retreat through the events module in your Compass App where you can give consent for your child to attend.

LEAD Retreat - Year 11 & 12

LEAD is a Student Leaders Conference that enhances Senior Ministry Teams of Year 11 and 12 students to be equipped for ministry in their schools by nurturing their own faith and developing them into supportive communities. Returning from LEAD, these students will be encouraged to meet regularly to support each other and facilitate Youth Ministry initiatives within their school communities and at regional events such as SHINE.

We encourage you to have a discussion with your child about attending LEAD. If they wish to attend, please ensure that your child speaks to Mr Hyland, Leader of School Evangelisation or Mr Bushe, Assistant Principal, Mission to have their name included for the Conference.

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

This week in our College assembly, we celebrated our 2024 HSC results and welcomed back our Dux of 2024, Abhishek Amada, to present him with his Trophy for Dux of 2024. Our Runner up to Dux, Charlotte Shee prepared a video that was played at assembly, outlining her experiences during her HSC journey. Both Abhishek and Charlotte provided sage advice and reflections as they spoke of their experiences in Years 11 and 12 and offered advice around HSC preparation but also school approaches, in general.

The following advice was provided by both Abhishek and Charlotte :

1. Use your time wisely- use every opportunity during class and study periods to complete course and assessment work. This enabled me to maximise my time outside of school for my other interests rather than just having to complete schoolwork.
2. Balance is critical. There were times when I prioritised my assessment work and other times I could spend more time socialising with my friends. I always kept a balance of schoolwork, part-time work, sport and friends and family.
3. Get involved at school. When I applied for scholarships the activities I had been involved in at school made a big difference to my applications, they helped them stand out from all the other applications.
4. Stay on top of your study notes. Complete your notes then look for other sources to add any detail missing. I constantly refined my notes and would do various revision methods to ensure they progressively moved into my long term memory.
5. Keep practising actual questions and past papers. It was only when I did questions and past papers that I could see the gaps in my knowledge. It is when you go to write and answer or complete a problem that I realised if I did or didn’t understand that syllabus component.
6. Finally, probably the best advice for our Year 11s. Use this year to work out what works best for you, and you can only do that by making mistakes and trying new techniques. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow the progress is, you are still way ahead of those who aren’t even trying.

We are incredibly grateful for these past students giving up their precious time to provide their experiences and advice to our current senior cohort and those in Years 7-10 as they progress through their junior years at school.

We were also treated to a slideshow presentation of many of our Year 12 cohort from last year and their varied post-school pathways. We have some budding occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, archaeologists, criminologists and programmers in our midst! St Joseph’s Regional College has nurtured, supported and offered rich learning experiences to these students, and we remain invested in their success.

Congratulations Year 12, 2024.

Dux Year 12 2024 - Abhishek Amada

Please take a moment to read Aghishek's inspiring address to our College community.

Good morning, St Joseph's staff, teachers, and students.

It is a privilege to stand before you as the DUX of 2024 after the most difficult, challenging, but most of all, rewarding year of my life. To be recognised in this way and to speak on behalf of the cohort is truly an honour. Firstly, I’d like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunities and support that the college has shown me, thanks to the dedicated and hardworking class teachers, principals, year and careers advisors, school counsellors, and of course, PC teachers, without whom our success would not be possible.

While my experience of the HSC was rather stressful and demanding at times, it was ultimately fulfilling, as I had come to understand that it had taught me resilience, discipline – and what I believe is most important, how to push beyond one’s limits. Presenting this speech, I’d like to recognise that success is not purely about good grades or marks but also about individual passion and the willingness to embrace challenges to achieve your goals.

To start, let me give you a glimpse into my own Year 12 journey. I took on a fairly demanding workload, with Physics as my best-performing subject, alongside Biology, Maths Extension 1 and 2, English Advanced, and Studies of Religion one unit. I chose these subjects primarily because they aligned with my strengths and interests while also allowing me to maintain a balanced and manageable lifestyle — for the most part. My first piece of advice, one of the most crucial and one you’ve probably heard before, is selecting subjects not based on their scaling, how difficult it is, or if your friends are doing them, but rather if they genuinely suit your abilities and long-term goals. Choosing the right subjects can set you on the best path for your future. For me, excelling in the subjects I chose paved the way to studying a Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) at the University of Sydney.

This next piece of advice is directed especially at Year 12, and I cannot overstate its importance. Throughout senior studies, you’ve likely been reminded time and again by your teachers and Mr Lutton that working together is essential, and as such, you should actively participate in after-school activities such as Food for Thought. Many of my friends were sceptical of this idea. We saw success as an individual pursuit where personal effort alone determined our own outcome—which is true to an extent. However, the reality is that in the HSC, your performance is measured against students from across the state, not just those in your own classroom. Rather than focusing on competition at school, it is far more valuable to create an environment of support and shared growth. While academic achievement and individual ranking are undoubtedly the most crucial components pre-HSC, equally as important is your willingness to support and uplift those around you.
Rather than focusing entirely on personal success and fostering a culture of tense competition and rivalry, collaboration is the key to achieving greater collective growth. Success is not a zero-sum game. Simply, by lifting your classmates’ skills, and as such marks, you lift yourself up as well.

Finally, I’d like to say just as success takes different forms, I’m sure every one of us has our own ways of studying and retaining information. Every long night spent, every moment of frustration, has been part of my journey and many others, and ultimately reinforced the value of hard work and perseverance. However, one of the most important lessons I have learned is that success is not just about working hard, it’s about managing expectations and maintaining balance. I understood that the dedication I invested would be reflected in my results. To achieve this, I made deliberate sacrifices—staying off social media until the end of Year 12, limiting the time I spent on sports, especially cricket, and committing to at least two hours of focused study each day pre-HSC.

Ultimately, our results are not the final measure of success, and they don't limit your future. What truly matters is the dedication you put in, the lessons you take away, and the ability to move forward with purpose.

As we all have our own journeys — whether it be completing the HSC, going straight into apprenticeships, taking a gap year or going to university to explore new passions — I urge each of you to embrace the challenges ahead with confidence. Success is not defined by where we start, but by how we navigate the road ahead, and as a college, we are fortunate to have a supportive community that provides us with the opportunities and guidance needed to reach our targets. So, remember, set ambitious goals, remain true to your values and your friends, get off social media, and never underestimate your own potential.

Thank you, Abhishek

What are you learning and why?

This week, we've been discussing "pedagogy" with students, which simply means the way we teach and learn. Our teachers are dedicated to your child's success, providing clear pathways for them to achieve their individual goals. We've emphasised that success looks different for everyone, and it's a journey of growth.

We have high expectations for all of our students, and we encourage them to become the best learners they can be. This includes fostering a positive attitude, encouraging collaboration, teaching them to seek help when needed, promoting a growth mindset, ensuring they understand the Learning Intention of the lesson, normalising mistakes as learning opportunities, and stressing the importance of consistent homework.

This week at assembly, students were presented with the 5 Critical Questions for Learning, which are displayed in every classroom. These questions focus on the "What, Why, and How" of their learning, prompting self-reflection and action. We expect students to consider these questions to maximize their classroom time, enabling them to leave each lesson feeling successful. Throughout the school day, during scheduled learning walks, staff will engage in conversation with students about their learning. Students are supported by their classroom teachers to apply these questions in each specific subject to develop into confident and successful learners.

Ian Lutton
Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

Claire Goldie
Leader of Pedagogy

Family Connect Service

Families are reminded that our onsite social worker, Jasmine, is available at school to confidentially assist families with accessing a whole range of support services. Please contact Jasmine via the information above to see how she can support you or your family. This service extends to any immediate family member of an enrolled SJRC student, including parents, siblings or other residential relatives of an enrolled student.

Excursion Policy

Please be advised the SJRC Excursion Policy and Procedures document has been updated to include reference to student use of mobile phones during off-site and overnight excursions and/or camps.

The policy now states that students are expected to demonstrate “compliance with mobile phone limitations and/or check-ins as specified by the excursion organiser”. Staff organising excursions and camps are asked to consider the value of, and need for mobile phones on a given experience. Any SJRC student attending an overnight excursion can expect (should mobile phones be permitted on the excursion) that they will be asked to adhere to a mobile phone curfew and check-in procedure as a condition of their participation in the excursion. As always, please contact me at the College by email or phone if you would like to discuss any student-based policy or procedure.

Year 10 - Love Bites

Year 10 parents will shortly receive information relating to the Love Bites Respectful Relationships Program. Year 10 will participate in this program on Monday, 10th, March (Week 6), before heading off on the Year 10 Retreat. More information about this fantastic program can be found at THIS LINK.

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 17 - 23.

Bus Safety Week, part of the ‘Be Bus Aware’ campaign, sees Governments, bus operators, and emergency services raise awareness about the importance of safety in and around buses and spread the message to ‘Be Bus Aware’.

The initiative provides a timely reminder to parents to talk with their children about bus safety, to motorists when giving way to buses, to pedestrians to ensure 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/

Free Webinars

The Council of Catholic School Parents offers several free webinars for parents and carers. Please register your attendance.

2025_Term_1_CCSP_Free_Webinars_for_Parents_and_Carers.pdf

2025_Term_1_CCSP_Free_Webinars_for_Parents_and_Carers _pdf 285.86 KB

Mrs Jennifer Furney
Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care

jennifer.furney@lism.catholic.edu.au

Swimming Carnival

A reminder that entry for a number of trials for Diocesan teams close today, Friday 14th of February.

These sports include 15s and 18s Boys Rugby League, 16s and 18s Girls Rugby League and 18s Boys and Girls Football (Soccer).

Diocesan Touch Football, Diocesan Netball and 400m Freestyle Swimming will also close soon.

Stduents can nominate for these opportunities through the Diocesan Sport Website

Any questions or queries about representative sport can be directed to myself via email at damien.kelly@lism.catholic.edu.au or by calling the College on 02 55254100.

Warm regards,

Damien Kelly

Leader of Sport

Hansen Scholarship - Congratulations Gabriel Moore

A huge congratulations to 2024 Year 12 student Gabriel Moore on being awarded the prestigious Hansen Scholarship from the University of Melbourne.

The Hansen Scholarship is one of the university’s most esteemed programs, recognising outstanding students from across Australia who have shown resilience in the face of adversity and a deep commitment to helping others. As a recipient, Gabriel will receive financial and personal support, accommodation, and an allowance for his degree.

Gabriel’s achievement is a testament to his academic excellence, leadership and unwavering determination. He has:

• Excelled academically and is dedicated to success in university studies.
• Overcome significant challenges with resilience and perseverance.
• Used his skills and strengths to uplift and support those around him.
• Demonstrated teamwork and leadership, inspiring others to strive for greatness.
• Showed immense potential to thrive as a Hansen Scholar and contribute meaningfully to the program.

The selection process was rigorous, involving written applications, references, creative submissions, and face-to-face interviews—and Gabriel’s hard work and dedication shone through every step of the way. Balancing the demands of his HSC while putting together a winning Hansen Scholarship application is no small feat, and it speaks volumes about the kind of person Gabriel is—determined, driven, and destined for great things.

We are so proud of you, Gabriel, and can’t wait to see your impact on the world!

SJRC students, let Gabriel's success be your inspiration—apply for that scholarship, no matter what! Give it your all because you never know what amazing opportunities await.

University Roadshow 2025

On Tuesday, 11th February, Year 12 were fortunate to begin their future pathway journey with the Regional University Roadshow team visiting the College.

Many thanks to the following Universities and their Schools Liaison Officers who presented:

• Charles Sturt University
• Southern Cross University
• The University of Newcastle
• The University of New England.

The session was very informative and covered the following topics:

• Why go to University?
• University Admissions Centre (UAC)
• Why choose a Regional University?
• What life at University is actually like.
• University costs and how to afford university.
• Early Entry Schemes and Scholarships.
• University-specific information.

Year 12 could then talk personally with the university staff members and collect resources to clarify any of their questions. Year 12 are to be congratulated on the intelligent and confident manner in which they approached this session. Thank you to our university guests. Your willingness to share your time and expertise with all things university' is invaluable to us.

Alumni - Emilee Gibbs

After graduating from St Joseph’s Regional College in 2020, Emilee spent two years as a valued member of staff at the College, fulfilling the role of Hospitality Trainee.

During this time, Emilee commenced a Bachelor of Education (Technology & Applied Studies) at Southern Cross University and was a recipient of the 2022 Deans Honours List for achieving a GPA above 6.5. In 2023, Emilee deferred this path to undertake a Gap Year Personnel Capability Specialist role in the Royal Australian Air Force. This experience translated into Emilee signing on as a full-time member of the RAAF in 2024. Emilee is currently working towards a equivalent Certificate III in Business Studies, a prerequisite to promotion.

Emilee speaks of her many opportunities: “Whilst it’s certainly not a typical education pathway, the RAAF has provided me with so many opportunities that you can’t get anywhere else. I’ve seen the Western Australian coastline from the open ramp of a C17 Globemaster, stood next to the runway as fighter jets from all around the world take off into the sunset, made lifelong friends with the same values and interests as myself. The RAAF has provided me with an education of our nation, the world, and a firmer understanding of myself that I couldn’t get from my choice of university studies.”.

Congratulations Emilee! Your brave decision to divert from your initial pathway after leaving school has resulted in an achievement that gives you great rewards. #aHSC4opportunity #wherearetheynow #servicewoman

Mrs Tinsey - Leader of Future Pathways

Ms Flanagan - Year 12 Leader of Student Wellbeing

Mrs Croft - Year 11 Leader of Student Wellbeing

The Encounter Youth Program is held every Friday at the Youth Hub.  Come along and join in the fun.

When: Every Friday
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Where: @ The Youth Hub
Cost: $5 for dinner

Week 3: Colour - 21st February

Encounter Youth is kicking off the year with some colour!

Join us at the Youth Hub from 5:30-7:30pm on Friday the 21st of Feb for pizza, a colour run, some games, and more.

We can’t wait to catch up and hear how your holidays have been.

Encounter Kick-on’s (Sunday’s after the 5:00 pm Mass)

 Group games and supper. Come join us.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

We have a delicious variety of 'Lunch Specials', available for $7.00 from Tuesday to Friday, and an everyday menu.

CLICK HERE to view the Canteen's 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.

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

Calling all budding photographers!

As part of the Jubilee Year, the Vatican is promoting an international photography contest, titled: ‘Sport in Motion’. It is for young photographers, professional or amateur, under the age of 25.

There are five categories: sport and hope, sport and family, sport and disability, sport and politics, and sport and ecology.

The winners will be awarded a meeting with the Holy Father, a visit to the Vatican Museums, a workshop in the Osservatore Romano newspaper and their photo will be published internationally.

Do you know a young person - student or teacher - who may be interested in entering this competition?

The deadline to enter is 30 April 2025.