Newsletter Term 4, Week 2, 2021

Dear SJC Families and Friends

I trust that during these trying times that you find yourself in a good place as you read this newsletter.  Whilst not to the level of our friends in other parts of NSW, ACT and Victoria, the impacts that COVID-19 has had on communities, families and individuals in the area cannot be understated.  As NSW moves into a new phase on its path to recovery on this day (October 11), it is worth taking heed of the repeated phrase used by new Premier, Dominic Perrottat during his press conference yesterday when he said, "Please show kindness and respect to others". 

Enough has been unnecessarily stated about our new premier's faith to this point, but it was very refreshing to hear a leader echo what is at the basis of the Golden Rule or our Catholic faith; treat others as you yourself would like to be treated.  In the past three to four months in our country, there has been an ever-increasing divide in the "yes/no, will/won't, can/can't" camps in society.  I will avoid stating the obvious issues that currently divide the public discourse, but I have read an ever-increasing number of editorials lately that speak of the diminishing ability of society to either accept or enter into respectful dialogue with others whose opinions may differ from that of their own. 

It is why it was so refreshing to hear our new Premier push such a simple but vital message to the constituents of NSW; please show kindness and respect to others. 

COVID Restrictions

Please understand that all schools in the state of NSW are still operating under Level 3 restrictions and as such, all of the limitations and conditions that were in place during Term 3 will remain during Term 4.  This includes, sadly, the restriction of visitors on-site at schools.  This includes our parents and carers.  Unfortunately, there are still a number of family members who, despite all the signage to the contrary on the approach to the College Office, walk into Parent Reception.  This puts our College staff in the awkward position of having to remind individuals of what is required and expected.  Please do the right thing.  

If you need to collect your child early, a parental note is still required.  With that note recorded in our system, and your child waiting at parent reception, all you need to do is phone the College Office (07 5524 9002) when you arrive at the school property and your child will be sent out to meet you at the busbay.  Similarly, if you have been contacted by the College to collect your child from sickbay, please phone from the busbay to advise you have arrived and your child will be sent out to meet you.

This week, our Year 12 students and parents/carers will be provided with a document outlining the recently developed conditions under which HSC examinations in 2021 will be sat.  It is vital that all students and families understand these as there are some significant potential ramifications for all involved.  This week our Year 12 students will be sitting mock examinations under HSC conditions as they move toward their delayed College Graduation to be held on Wednesday 27 October.  Again, sadly, there will be no parents or loved ones permitted to attend the event for the second year running. 

If there are any changes to the current restrictions being imposed, all members of our community will be informed immediately. 

Changes for this term and 2022

Over the next two weeks, a number of documents will be shared with families relating to some changes that will occur prior to the end of 2021 and from the commencement of 2022.  A number of these have been delayed due to COVID and our most recent lockdown so it is important that prior to the end of the year, we commence the delayed rollout.  The information that will be shared relates to mobile phones, timetable structure and student wellbeing.  All of these decisions and changes have been arrived at following a consultative process.  All decisions and changes, as always, are made in the best interest of our students to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for all. 

Student Vaccinations

Mr Mathew Lynch, Leader of Student Wellbeing, speaks briefly about vaccinations in this newsletter but I wanted to reiterate what was shared in an app alert last week relating to COVID-19 vaccinations; NO VACCINATIONS WILL BE ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS WITHOUT THE EXPLICIT AND WRITTEN CONSENT BY THEIR GUARDIAN.  To my knowledge and recollection, there has never been an instance where a student has been vaccinated without a parent or carers consent and this will not occur at any time in the future. 

Kind regards

Mr Scott Thomson
Principal

Student Appearance

With our return to face-to-face lessons, it has become necessary for the College to reinforce our expectations regarding uniform and grooming.  Similar to previous communication, please take the time to read through the letter below regarding some specific areas of focus.

Student Appearance Letter

Road Safety Message

The Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly has a road safety message for the attention of all our students - and we are seeking parental support - about our students being conscious of traffic conditions when exiting the school buses.  As the image below states, 'when travelling by bus, you are most at risk in the minutes after getting off the bus'.

We ask that all children be mindful of the road conditions.  Don't leave your headphones in, or focus on your phone screen, when exiting the bus.  This could also be extended to getting out of the car.  Please pay attention to your surroundings when travelling to and from school.

Mr Eamon Brown
Assistant Principal - Mission

Further to the SZapp alert last week, NSW Health would like to further clarify that at this time the NSW School Vaccination Program will not be offering any COVID 19 vaccines in the school environment, and will continue to provide the scheduled vaccines as outlined here.

If your child misses a consented school vaccine, NSW Health will offer a catch-up in Term 1 2022.

The other message reinforced from NSW Health is that parents and carers need to ensure that if your child is having the a COVID 19 vaccine, that it is at least seven (7) days either side of the scheduled school vaccine for which you consented this year.

Should you have any questions, please contact Jennie Tolman, NSW School Vaccination Program Coordinator (Northern NSW LHD), at the North Coast Public Health Unit (Lismore office) on 02 6620 7503.

Mr Mathew Lynch
Leader of Student Wellbeing

2021 Parent information vaccination for COVID

COVID vaccine interval

Sixty-five finalist artworks by school students from around Northern NSW were recently displayed by the University of New England, in the UNE Schools Art Prize - Let's Hang It! exhibition.

Layla McKee in Year 8 won the Junior Secondary category, for her outstanding portrait 'School Me'.  Layla’s work will enter the collection of the University of New England and be displayed on the walls of the Department of Education building.

We congratulate Layla on her great achievement!  If you would like to view her work, click on this video link (and forward to approx 3m:23s) 

Ms Suzi Predi
Art Teacher

Edrolo

A letter will be issued this week to the parents of students enrolled in the 2022 Year 12 cohort regarding Edrolo. The College has purchased Edrolo for our Year 12 students who commenced their HSC Courses this term. We have also purchased Edrolo for our Year 10 Accelerated students.

What is Edrolo?

Edrolo is an interactive online video and exam simulation resource for Year 11 and 12 students. It covers several Preliminary and HSC subjects and will provide our students with the best opportunity to perform to their potential.

You can see Edrolo in action by visiting this link: https://edrolo.com.au/parents/

You can see the subjects available by visiting this link: https://edrolo.com.au/nsw/catalogue/ 

How do students use Edrolo?

Edrolo is currently used by over 800 schools and 85,000 students. Created by HSC teachers (including exam markers and textbook authors) and built-in accordance with the Preliminary and HSC syllabuses, its curriculum-specific and engaging content will provide our students with a differentiated and targeted level of support as they embark on the final stage of their secondary schooling.

How will our students and teachers use Edrolo?

We will use Edrolo as a teaching and learning tool to further enhance what our teachers and students are doing day-to-day.

The teachers at St Joseph’s College have been provided with training on how to best utilise the resource and will guide students to use Edrolo in a range of ways across the year, including:

• homework;
• pre-class work;
• post-class consolidation;
• assessment preparation; and
• exam revision.

We are also actively communicating with students regarding how to access Edrolo and use it to consolidate their learning and for revision.

We hope that students using Edrolo find this a valuable learning and support resource. 

30 minute HSC Exam Prep Webinars

Next week Edrolo is launching free 30 minute webinars for HSC students. I encourage all students in the 2021 HSC cohort to register.

You can register using this link.

Mrs Georgia James
Leader of Learning Technologies

In Year 8 during BLE last term, we were studying a unit looking at poetry and how we craft imagery.  Students were learning about different types of poems and how to create imagery through specific poetic techniques and word choice.  Our focus was on looking at the mundane and ordinary world around us and taking it to make it extraordinary- to focus on the simple pleasures of life.  Students created varied haikus, cinquains, free verse and poems from the comfort of their own homes, drawing inspiration from around them.  Here are some student samples!

Ms Charmaine Vella
Leader of Learning – English

Haikus Goodnight: The wind has now ceased Growing silent, cold and dark So go get some rest. (Jasmine Hunter) English: Words across a page Writing poems of all sorts Opening your mind. (Jasmine Hunter) Follow the old road Pick a colour you like Throw it in the air  (Arielle Lyon) Smoky firewood Roasting marshmallows at night Warmth covers your skin (Frankie Thomas)

Free Verse Poem So much depends upon... A lonely jewellery box Standing and still glimmering in the spotlight Beside a gentle hand which lifts it open. (Alyssa Marshall)

The Widows dance They partied in the chill of the air, they’d come and go as more logs appeared-. they watched as shadows sat around them.  They must be admiring the beauty that surrounds them.   A nest of flickering hair whipped at  the cold night air.  It danced to the breeze as everyone came to ease.  The party of flames  began to smoulder.  (Mikayla Teale)

Stand with pride Swoosh. Tall like a giant. Whipping its rays of arms. Dancing to the breeze that echoed the valleys around them. Through the stormy night of terror. It howls.  It sheds its golden green leaves. Naked. So Naked. Just. Bare. (Mikayla Teale)

A single seed is planted in my heart, It gets watered each day. Branches made up my arms, Roots shaped my bones, Bark spread across my flesh. A beautiful tree. Tall, lush, and green. Starts to breathe one last breath. As the bones grow weak, The branches die, The bark chips away, leaving nothing but a single leaf left on display. (Jasmine Hunter)

A dark grey monster stalking me from the corner At night it taunts me with its doom Four long legs and a huge scaled body I hear creaking on the stairs ‘Creak, creak, creak’ Fear grows like a thunderstorm the monster begins to stare clasping my phone for its light I stare in all its fright… The piled clothes sitting on my chair Making it appear like a monster! (Charlie O’Brien)

Prop stand Up, down Splish, Splash Wind blowing through my hair, Smashing the cat against the water Pushing down then pulling the tinny up,  Going up higher and higher each time Up and going on and off the throttle  Holding on tighter and tighter  Then going up to stay up Finally, redlining Staying up Up, Up, Up! (Blaize Best)

Cinquains Tree Green, tall Swaying, dancing, rustling Shields from the sun Paper (Arielle Lyon)

Mirror  Large, magnificent Reflecting, illustrating, echoing Light travels through beaming Looking glass (Charlie O’Brien)

Christmas Presents, family Twinkling, squeals, wrapping End of year joy Magical (Frankie Thomas)

Fire Red hot Dancing, blowing, prancing Warm heat spreading everywhere Flames (Claire Cropp)

Covid 19, Lockdown, sick Sleeping, eating, exercise Spreading it to everyone, Virus (Anjileen Downey)

Titration Competition

HSC Chemistry students at St Joseph's have competed for the first time this year in the Titration Competition run by The Royal Australian Chemical Institute.  Although the two teams did not progress to the second round of the competition, Edward Nuttall was awarded a distinction for his extraordinary accuracy, achieving a result within 0.52% error.  This is a credit to his technique and perseverance in the competition.

Mrs Ana Chevalier
Acting Leader of Learning - Science

Cooper Matty, Irene Antu, Amelia Martin, Edward Nuttall, Declan Jones, Larni Borger

Irene Antu, Larni Borger, Amelia Martin

Study Skills Tip for October – Asking For Help

Powerful learners have a number of things in common and one of the most important ones is that they seek help when they need it.  If you are struggling in aspect of your life, the best thing you can do is to reach out and ask for assistance.  The worst thing you can do is to do nothing or pretend the issue doesn’t exist.  For example, if there have been aspects of your learning this year that you have find difficult, or have fallen behind in, this last term of school before the end of the year is the perfect time to reach out for help. 

Where can you find help when you are struggling at school?

Personal Issues

If things in your life are upsetting you or stressing you, this will affect your ability to learn effectively.  Talk to your family, talk to your friends or other people you are close to or teachers you feel comfortable sharing with.  However, if you need additional support you can approach the counsellor at your school and they can give you some professional help or find someone who can help you with your specific problems.  There are also lots of support agencies, for example Kids Helpline, a free confidential service: 1800 55 1800 or use the online service at  www.kidshelp.com.au.  It is much better to talk to someone rather than lock it all inside you.

Subject Specific Issues

If you are finding a particular subject difficult, or have fallen behind, the first place you should seek help should be your classroom teacher.  Firstly, ask questions in class as problems arise.  If you find you have too many questions that it is not practical to ask them all in class, then ask your teacher if you can make a time to discuss the issues you are having outside of classtime.  Teachers are happy to help students who do their best and are keen to improve.  Other places you might be able to find subject-specific help are: books or extra textbooks in the school or local library, other students in the class, students in older years, other teachers at the school, family members, family friends.  If you try all of these options and are still having problems, then you might consider looking for a tutor.  Often ex-students from your school who are at university might be interested in doing some tutoring or even teachers at other schools.  Your parents could ask your teacher if they can recommend anyone.

Learning Issues

If you aren’t having trouble with a specific subject, but are finding learning for school in general difficult, the first people to talk to are your parents.  You might like to write down your feelings or what you are experiencing so you can explain things to them clearly.  Your parents can then help you decide what steps to take next. It is probably a good idea for them to talk to your teachers first to get their perspectives.  They might make an appointment with one of the pastoral care staff like a Year Coordinator to discuss with you and your parents to talk through the issues you are experiencing.  The school might also have learning support staff who can help you work out what your issues are and who the best people are to help you.  If the learning support staff can’t help you, they will be able to refer you to outside services who can diagnose and address any learning issues you might have.

Learn more this year about how to improve your results and be more efficient and effective with your schoolwork by working through the units on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au – our school’s access details are:

Username:   sjc
Password:    24results

Mr Carlo Trimboli
Leader of Pedagogy

A week in and we’re back in full swing in the College Library.  Long awaited parcels of books have arrived to be catalogued.  Opening a box of new books fresh from a publisher or distributor can be more exciting than birthday presents for me; there’s a rush of anticipatory mind hunger.  My mother said to me that one of the poignant things about getting older is realising she might not have time to read every single book on their shelves.  I can relate - so often I want to read, and I devour stories whenever there’s a spare moment that isn’t already allocated to work, family, life stuff, and wanting to do other things as well!

One of the best bits about being a librarian is having the role of a kind of fairy book mother.  After years of teaching, names can drop out of my brain but I have an elephantine memory for a student or staff member who mentions they enjoyed a novel set in WWII Germany, a fantasy in Venice, realistic Middle Eastern dramas, or that they’re interested in emergency medicine or minecraft or frogs… It’s so satisfying to then encounter a book that matches and expands those interests.  Part of that too is to do with a currency of the imagination.  It’s a form of trading, but with an ever expanding yield that further bonds people through shared pleasure and a sense of connection by immersing in and loving the same stories.

With that in mind, and so I can enjoy more of those: ‘yes, and what did you think about etc etc?’ conversations - I’d like to recommend a few additions to the library.

	Hive by A J Betts is an Australian dystopian novel, set in a community beneath the earth that has all the hallmarks of a cult ignorant of what might be above, along with the curiosity of what salvaged science has enabled their existence to continue.  Hayley is a bee-keeper and also a young woman whose path has been determined by her elders.  Or has it?
	Slasher Girls & Monster Boys, selected by April Genevieve Tucholke, is a collection of YA based horror stories.  Usually I don’t read horror (too scary - seriously…) but these were a fascinating compendium of stories that paid homage to earlier horror stories and films, and were written in a way that felt clever, striking, specific.  The most bizarrely creepy to me featured the March Hare and his woodland picnics with participants who were…
	Of Ashes and Rivers that Run to the Sea by Marie Munkara... I have the pleasure of knowing Marie (so it was a book club trump card when Marie surprised everyone by popping out of the kitchen when we met to discuss her memoir).  This is a beautiful uncompromising exploration of what it was like for Marie to be raised as a stolen generation child in a wealthy non-Indigenous family and then her journey of returning to her original family.  When I first met her, she told me she had narrowly escaped being thrown by her grandmother to the crocodiles when she was born.  If that sounds horrific, there’s actually a very powerful and poetic reasoning behind it.  Read and you’ll discover why.

Ms Melaina Faranda
Acting Teacher-Librarian

Apprenticeships for 2022

2021 School Leavers Training Opportunity

Training Services NSW and Industry are working together to support 2021 school leavers with their transition into local job opportunities and further training (fee free) post school.

1. If you would like to gain skills over summer with free training, the Summer Skills program has been designed specifically with school leavers in mind.  The program allows students to explore their interests and gain valuable skills that they’ll be able to take with them, wherever they end up!

Training will be delivered from 15 November 2021 to 30 April 2022.  Once students register via the QR code, students will be contacted with further information about courses of their interest post school.

You can chooose from a range of short courses where there are plenty of jobs available in the following industries, scan the QR Code now:

A reminder of the free webinars for parents and carers this term, as organised by the Catholic Schools Parent Assembly:

• Anxiety in Kids and Teens: Building their Brave with Karen Young (Hey Sigmund) on Tuesday, 19 October (Week 3)
• Getting Real with Teens About Respectful Relationship with Paul Ninnes from Real Talk on Monday, 25 October (Week 4)

Please see the attached flyer for more information, and to register for any of these free webinars.

Homework Hub will run again in the College Library for anyone who needs it after school.  Monday to Thursday from 3:10 - 5:00pm.  It is fully supervised and if you need help with Homework or assignments this is also available.  Everyone is welcome.

Mrs Fin & Mrs Williams

As our families would be aware, the Lowes On-campus Uniform Shop has reopened, returning to normal trading hours, those being Tuesdays from 12:00noon to 3:30pm and Thursdays from 8:00am to 12:00noon.

As previously advised, and in line with current public health orders, parents and carers are still not permitted on school grounds, however, students can visit the on-campus shop to make a purchase on their behalf.

Alternatively, parents and carers can telephone the shop (Ph: 07 5523 9300) during the hours stated above, or they can make an online purchase using the following link.

Lowes has also advised us that they are having a very special 20% off three-day sale event this week, from Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 October (see flyer attached).

Please note that this discount is available online and in-store (at their main stores) for that three-day period, to all zero and rewards card holders. 

This discount is extended to sales made in the on-campus shop this coming Thursday, 14 October, (trading from 8:00am to 12:00noon).  Again, parents and carers are able to phone the on-campus shop during the hours stated.