As the end of term fast approaches, I would like to wish all our families a safe and blessed term break and thank you for a smooth start to the 2024 academic year. Our Year Twelves are no doubt disappointed that their Retreat had to be postponed, but let me reassure you that the joy and excitement of the retreat will keep. If anything, it will provide a much needed break to the 11-week term!

Please note that school resumes on Monday 15 April. For the Secondary School, students are required to wear the winter uniform. I look forward to our new Year Tens sporting their blazers for the first time.

St Joseph’s College will be trialing a new format for the Term Two Parent-Teacher Interviews. In keeping with our proud tradition of being a K-12 school, we will be holding all meetings in the College gym. Particularly new for Junior School parents, specialist teachers will be available for bookings. In the past teachers have stayed back for two afternoons/evenings. It has been decided to have one day of interviews. The teaching day will be reduced for the interviews to take place during school operating and after hours. For students unable to be picked up at lunchtime (12.50pm) or use the bus service, supervision will be provided until the end of the school day.

Date: Wednesday 17 April 2024

Time: 1.15pm – 7pm (teacher breaktime 3.30pm-4pm)

Parent-Teacher Interview bookings will be available during the school holidays. A link will be sent via email.

Parents are encouraged to prepare for the interviews. I would recommend the following:

·      Prepare specific questions for the teacher based on your child’s demonstrated ability and engagement with the subject.

·      Secondary School parents to read through the Interim reports.

Please contact the relevant Head of school if you have any questions.

Finally, I wish you all happy and holy Easter.

St Joseph - Pray for us.

Amen

Early Years - Edward Y2

Junior School - Aleeyah Y5

Middle School - Anthony Y9

Senior School - Daniel Y10

A total of 2260 house points were awarded this term. Thank you to the P&F for sponsoring the $20 gift voucher prizes.

In HASS this term, the focus has been on History. Students were lucky enough to engage with History Handling boxes provided by the Museum of the Great Southern. The Year 7s examined artefacts from Ancient Rome such as a gladius and shield. The Year 8s have been leaning about life in Medieval Europe and were able to feel the weight of chain mail, try on a variety of medieval helmets and examine a map of medieval Edinburgh, which encouraged an insightful discussion on the key features of a medieval town. The Year 9s have been studying about WWI, in particular the Australian experience. The Year 9 Handling Box included a replica uniform and gas-mask, which students were able to wear, a device to send Morse code messages and multiple artefacts that highlighted the harsh conditions in the trenches.

The Handling boxes provide an important experience for hands-on learning and are valuable educational tool.

This term in HASS, we have been learning about ancient history. Ms Ferrell organised a hands-on activity to test our knowledge and the dig project was the best way to do an assessment. We made a power point on a chosen ancient civilization, then we made things like clothes, armor, jewelry, and artefacts from that civilization. Next, we got a box and filled it with sand so we could bury them in it. Then the fun part came, and we got to dig it up and guess what civilization it was from! I really enjoyed this process and so did many others. I wouldn’t change a single thing about it, I think that it went smoothly. Overall it was a really fun project!

By Violet Morgan, 7G

Last Friday a number of students joined the PE staff to celebrate National Cycle to school day with a ride form Middleton Beach to school. It was a lovely morning and the coastal ride towards Emu Point was spectacular. Thanks to Head Prefect Lachlan Gorman and Sports Prefect Isaiah McLeod for assisting on the ride.

Hopefully some of these and other students realise the rewards of choosing active transport to get to school.

To raise awareness for Project Compassion, the Junior School were involved in a colouring competition. We had so many entries this year and with everyone doing such a fantastic job, it was very difficult to select our winners.

Category winners for 2024 are:

Year 1 and 2 - Grace and Marshall

Year 3 and 4 - George and Kiera

Year 5 and 6 - Mary and Toby

Thank you to the students who participated and to Mrs Nash for displaying the work in the Library. We look forward to doing it again in 2025!

Mr Luke Bogoni

Religious Education Coordinator K -12

Saint Oscar Romero

Feast Day: March 24

Patron Saint of: El Salvador & persecuted Christians

Life:

Oscar Romero was the Archbishop of San Salvador from 1977 until he was assassinated in 1980. In a time of civil war, he became outspoken about the the human rights violations in El Salvador. He became a voice for the poor with his weekly radio broadcasts and denounced the violence. After urging soldiers and police not to kill the innocent, he was shot dead the next day while offering Mass. The world today needs more figures like Romero - leaders with the courage, faith and love to stand up for the poor against injustice.

Prayer:

Loving God, Give us the strength, to be humble, to be faithful, to stand with our sisters and brothers. Give us the strength, to be like our brother Oscar, completely committed to Christ. Amen. St Oscar Romero, pray for us.

As we begin Holy Week, we continue to reflect on the lives of people vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice and how we can respond through supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion appeal.

Your generosity is the pebble that allows Caritas Australia to create the ripples that will improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities, supporting them to flourish and create opportunities for future generations to live to their full potential. 

A reminder that our last day for any final donations will be this Wednesday. On behalf of the College, I thank you for your enormous generosity and support throughout this Lenten season and hope that you have a safe and Holy Easter!



Mr Luke Bogoni - Religious Education Coordinator K-12

Thank you for participating in the 'Lots of Socks Campaign' to raise awareness of Down Syndrome on World Down Syndrome Day, last Thursday. It was fabulous to see students and staff wearing bright, bold, interesting and odd socks!

Over the weekend, a number of College students auditoned and were successful in becoming part of the cast and ensemble for Disney's The Lion King Jr., being produced by Albany Children's Theatre. Congratulations to:

Simba - Thomas (Yr 7)

Shenzi - Cass (Yr 12)

Ensemble:

Abigail (Yr 7)

Ayla (Yr 3)

Finn (Yr 2)

George (Yr 4)

Hope (Yr 8)

Indiana (Yr 5)

Lucia (Yr 3)

Oliver (Yr 1)

Tayte (Yr 5)

Drawing inspiration from both the timeless 1994 film and the acclaimed Broadway musical, this enchanting show brings Simba’s epic adventure to life on stage in a whole new way. Over 80 young local performers will whisk you away on a journey filled with joy, laughter, and heart.

From the stirring opening number “Circle of Life” to the Academy Award-winning ballad “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” every moment of this production is infused with the unforgettable music of Elton John and Tim Rice. Get ready to groove along to the lively “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” and join in the carefree spirit of “Hakuna Matata.”

With stunning costumes, captivating choreography, and a cast brimming with talent, Lion King Junior promises an experience that will leave audiences of all ages spellbound. Don’t miss your chance to witness the magic of the Pride Lands – secure your tickets and prepare to be swept away by the splendor of this beloved tale!

Playing at the Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany

June 22nd 2024

Performances at 11am and 2pm

Tickets available from Albany Entertainment Centre box office or online at

www.artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au

Please note tickets go on sale – April 2024

On Tuesday 19th March the Year 7-12 swim team competing in the Great Southern A Division Inter-School swimming carnival at the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre. Many of the team have been training hard with the Saints swim club each Monday and Friday and were keen test out the opposition from the other schools.

There was a great feeling amongst the team and St Joseph's were the only school who fielded a full team of competitors in every race. Well done team!

In the end it was the closest carnival result in history with the three competing schools only separated by 13 points. The final result was:

Albany Senior High School 1st 1039 points

Great Southern Grammar 2nd 1034.5 points

St Joseph's College 3rd 1026.5 points

St Joseph's College won the Senior boys shield for the Year 10-12 division and were top in the Senior school overall as well.

Congratulations to the following students for their excellent individual results on the day.

Neha Reddy Year 7 Runner Up Champion girl

Abigail Molenda 3rd Year 7 girls

Hope Vrbasso 3rd Year 8 girls

Jack Heslop Year 8 Runner Up Champion boy

Lillian Molenda Year 9 Runner Up Champion girl

Peri Wood Year 3rd Year 9 boys

Storm Pietropaolo Year 10 Champion boy

Jess Williams Open Runner Up Champion girl

Alicia Coutts 3rd Open girls

Training resumes next term for the Saints swim club on Monday and Friday afternoons from 3.30-4.30pm. Please speak to Mr Mola or Mr O'Donnell for further details if you are interested in joining.

Please contact Cassandra, St Joe's wonderful Arts Prefect for further information.

In a heartwarming display of camaraderie and creativity, a group of Year 12 students recently devoted their time and talents to assisting Year 2 students in crafting delightful Easter cards. This collaborative endeavour not only bridged the age gap but also fostered a sense of community within the school. Special thanks to Mrs Bogoni, Mrs Meuzelaar. Miss McCann and Mrs Naughton for organising this special morning.

This year, both Year Five classes attend their Library borrowing sessions with the Kindy Gold and Kindy Blue classes. In this half hour, the Year Five students assist the Kindy students to select books and then they read with them. This not only makes book borrowing much smoother for the Kindy students, but helps foster a positive relationship with students outside the safety of the ELC, making the transition into the ‘big school’ much easier for our younger students as there will be many familiar faces when they reach Year One.

The Year Five students are also benefited by practising their oral reading skills and are learning the value of patience when working with our younger students. Both the Kindy and Year Five students look forward to Library Buddies each week!

Congratulations to all of our Easter Prize Winners listed here - we hope you all enjoy your goodies! Thankyou to you all for your generous donations and ticket purchases, to our awesome P&F Committee & Helpers who made this happen and Thankyou to our excellent Yr 6 Leaders for sorting the donations each day & for handing out the prizes today, it's very much appreciated. We raised $3,584 which is amazing!!! Stay tuned on hearing all about what our P&F funds have already gone towards this year and what our P&F is working hard to achieve for our school and our children for Term 2.

Currently, headspace Albany is recruiting new members for our youth reference group.

We are looking for young people aged between 15 and 25 to be a part of a group of young people that help us decide on how best to support the young people of Albany.

This includes co-designing programs, connecting with others and contributing to the Albany community.

Please see link below for more information.

https://headspace.org.au/headspace-centres/albany/hac2024/

Easter Raffle tickets on sale now!

See link below or scan the QR code.

https://www.raffletix.com.au/stjosephscollege

Vikings Hockey Club registration for 2024 season is now open.

For more information, visit https://www.revolutionise.com.au/vikingshc

We at Outdoors Great Southern are offering a great opportunity for those in Year 9 and 10 to get out and about this April holiday by participating in a 3 day 2 night expedition hike in the Walpole area.

Please see the link below:

https://events.humanitix.com/yr-9-10-expedition-hike-april-10-11-12

DENTAL THERAPY CENTRE NEWS

Spencer Park Dental Therapy Centre offers free dental examinations, oral care advice, preventative, restorative and emergency treatment for children from pre-primary to Year 11.

Enrolment forms will soon be issued to your child if they have recently changed schools or enrolled in Pre-Primary, please return the forms to your school by Friday 19th April if you wish to use our service.

Parents of enrolled students are reminded to contact the centre to update your details if you have moved in the last few years. All appointments are posted home, many are returned due to incorrect addresses, this means that your child misses out on their dental visit. If you no longer intend to use our service and attend a private dental clinic, please let us know as soon as possible as your valuable appointment could be taken up by someone else. You can call us on 9841 3967 or send us an email to spencerparkdtc@health.wa.gov.au.

Unfortunately, our clinics do not have reception staff, your child will be enrolled as soon as possible. They may not receive an exam appointment for up to 12months. Please call us if your child is in pain.

Our awesome skate programs are back!

Junior Learn to Skate ages 8-17

Junior Roller Derby ages 10-17

We start the first week of term 2.

Head to the website albanyrollerderby.com.au to register now! Places are limited

WE WILL ROCK YOU

Musical by

QUEEN and Ben Elton

‘Guaranteed to blow you mind!’

Tickets on sale NOW! Row Seating only!

12 performances over 4 weekends May/June

Book: https://paperbark.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/129832

Since 2002 over 16 million theatregoers in 28 countries have been thrilled by this awe-inspiring production which is based on the songs of Queen with a book by Ben Elton (The Young Ones, Blackadder, Popcorn).

Elton fashioned this hilarious futurist comedy around more than 24 of Queen’s biggest hit songs including 'We Are the Champions', 'Radio Ga Ga', 'I Want To Break Free', 'Somebody To Love', 'Killer Queen', 'Don’t Stop Me Now', 'Under Pressure', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Another One Bites The Dust' and of course, 'We Will Rock You'.

The musical takes place in a future age on a planet once called Earth that is now controlled by a mighty corporation...rock music is unheard, and all musical instruments are banned. The hope of breaking free rests with an unlikely resistance-an alliance of rebel Bohemians.

Directed - Donna Markovic

Musical Director - Jen Graham-Taylor

Choreography - Andrea Le Page and Carmen Fasolo

Join us at the Town Hall for a FREE Youth Week event on Friday 5 April 2024

Get dressed up for an evening of live music, dancing, food and a great time with your friends in an immersive “Winter Wonderland”.

There will be free winter themed face painting, games, a snow zone and a “chill” out zone. Ensure you line up at the photobooth created by talented local high school students to have your picture taken so you have a memento to remember the night!

Register here: https://albany-events.bookable.net.au/#!/event-detail/ev_007c478f25c643409a005e52ac3fa91c

Event duration: 5:30pm - 8:30pm

What to wear? Formal attire

Ages: 12 - 15 years

Cost: FREE

For more information contact Laura Saunder at the City of Albany on 6820 3130 or via email commdevel@albany.wa.gov.au

U17’s winter indoor cricket competition commencing the beginning of term 2.

The competition will run through to the end of term 3, with a break for school holidays.

All enquiries can be directed to adca.indoor@outlook.com or contact 0468 420 184.

Interested in playing hockey? Join the club now!

We are excited to announce that our 2024 MSWA Albany Swim will be making a splash this April at the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre on Saturday, 20 April.

This unique 8-hour swimming relay challenge aims to raise awareness and funds for people in the Great Southern region living with neurological conditions.

Teams of up to 10 challenge themselves in the swim - they must always have one swimmer in the water for the duration of the event. There are no rules on how the competitors swim the event (freestyle, backstroke, doggy paddle!) and we allow the use of swimming aids or devices (including flippers!).

Take your marks, get set… GO! Are you looking for your next challenge? Gather your classmates, teachers, friends, and family and register a team for the 2024 MSWA Albany Swim, Saturday, 20 April at the Albany Leisure & Aquatic Centre.

For more details, and how to register visit www.mswaswim.org.au

All Ability activities and information sessions coming up in Feb/March.

1. Lets Go Surfing' - Disabled Surfers - Albany | HumanitixTo Register: Lets Go Surfing' - Disabled Surfers - Albany | Humanitix

1. Following on from the very successful 'Puzzle Project' in 2023, we are launching our very own Danceable class. This class for all abilities will learn varying dance genres in a safe environment where expression and creativity are encouraged and diversity and individuality are championed. Suited for all ages with a disability.

We will start this class on Friday February 23rd and run it for 5 weeks. Link to Register: Danceable | Humanitix

1. PWdWA's NDIS Reviews and Appeals Information Session - Albany Registration, Tue 20/02/2024 at 1:00 pm | Eventbrite

Please find attached some flyers for services affected by the closure of North Rd from 29 Jan to 22 April for the Sandford Rd Roundabout construction.

We expect the buses to arrive 5 minutes later in the AM than usual due to the deviation, but we cannot be sure until school resumes.

Justin Goldsmith

Operations Supervisor Great Southern