9 December 2024

A Message from the Principal

Congratulations to all students who received awards at our Sports Awards on Friday 29^th November and our Major Awards on Tuesday 3^rd December.

On our website we state that St Joseph’s College aspires to be a place where Gospel values are witnessed, excellence in academic, cultural and sporting pursuits is promoted, where students actively engage in social justice initiatives, where leadership skills are nurtured and where a sense of connection to the wider community is encouraged. The mantra of ‘St Joseph’s students can do anything’ is an encouragement for students not only to dream of possibilities, but to adopt a growth mindset so that they can live, learn and achieve. Over the course of these two significant Awards Ceremonies we have witnessed in our students and their achievements that this vision is alive and well – congratulations to all!

Academic Awards

Mrs. Patricia Hales
College Principal

Principal’s Jottings

Staffing Update 2025

Counselling Team

We have been advised that Ms Caitlin French will be moving to ST Paul’s Catholic College Booragul in 2025; Mr Chris Gabrielides will join the team at St Joseph’s in 2025 replacing Ms French. We wish her all the very best for the future and are grateful for the wonderful support she has provided to students during her time at St Joseph’s Lochinvar.

Parent / Student / Teacher Conferences

Parents of students from Years 7 to 11 will have the opportunity to review student learning over the course of 2024 on the 18^th December. Times will be offered across the day and we are conscious that many parents may not be able to attend in person due to the busyness of work schedules particularly at this time of the year. If that is the case you could request a phone call from a particular teacher and we will do our best to accommodate this conscious that the time would need to be negotiated.

Important Calendar Dates

Advanced Notice - Return to School and Pupil Free Days 2025

In discussion with the Executive Team and the incoming principal Mr Peter Antcliff, please be aware of the following important dates for 2025

Ministry Musings

Christmas is quickly approaching and so is the end of our Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Our initiative for this year is to support Vinnies and their work with the many vulnerable families experiencing poverty and financial hardship, who are unable to provide gifts for their children during the advent season. With our Josephite spirit and Jesus' model of charity and love, I ask all staff, parents and students to give what you can in the means of gifts for children, teenagers and adults (parents), so that all can celebrate the joys of Christmas. The drive concludes this Friday 13th December. 

12 Days of Christmas - Bake Sale

A big thank you to the MacKillop Team, SRC members, the College Student Leaders and staff for their contributons to the successful 12 Days of Christmas Bake Sale. The community raised an incredible amount of money, in which all funds raised going to the St Vincent de Paul Society. Thank you to all for their generosity in baking the tasty good, and purchasing them.

Advent Mass and Reconciliation Times

Please find a timetable below, identifying the Mass and Reconciliation times for this Advent Season within the Chisholm Region.

If you have any queries please contact the Parish Office via 49338918

Reading and Reflection - 9th December

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Reflection – From The Light: Advent & Christmas Daily Reflections 2024, Published by the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong.

"Let what you have said be done to me." LK 1:38

I was once directing a man on retreat. I gave him this passage with which to pray. When he returned the next day, he recounted to me that he had asked Mary to explain the Annunciation to him. He clearly heard the words echoing within him, "It was my entrance point into your life." Then my friend began to look at all Mary had brought with her into his life—she did not come unaccompanied. He saw that she had brought the Light in the person of Jesus Christ. Actually, Mary has done the same for each of us, and it all started with Mary’s agreement to do whatever God wanted of her, because life without God was unimaginable.

Still there is more: Mary’s Annunciation is a prototype—it seems to me—of our own annunciations. Our living of God’s way can be an entrance point for the Light as well. When we act as God would have us act, when we live in kindness, Light breaks across the heart of someone else and shines the road to peace. When we live in forgiveness, new life breaks across a broken back of shame in another and reveals a future of hope.

Mary’s Annunciation, like God’s eternal creation, goes on through you and me, and Light always comes into the world.

Here is a little prayer to pray:

Let your light come upon us and we shall live (Ps 43:3). Amen.

MOTHER HILDA SCOTT OSB

From the Assistant Principals....

As the College year draws to a close and we wait eagerly to find out this years' HSC results, it is important to reflect on some of the highlights of this term. In the past three weeks we have held the Sports Awards and Academic Awards celebrating the many talents and growth of our students. Year groups have enjoyed celebrating the year with their peers at their Community Day and year 12 and 10 have marked the rite of passage with the formal and social. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all staff involved in the celebrations, community days and walking with our students both within and beyond the classroom.

We hope that families enjoy the Christmas break and we look forward to seeing you all in 2025.

Mrs. Elizabeth Stokes & Mr Paul Dart
Assistant Principal 

From the Counsellor’s Desk

Ms Caitlin French & Ms Julia Preistley
St Joseph’s Professional Officers

Wellbeing

As the year comes to a close, the wellbeing team reflect on another successful year. Students have enthusiastically engaged in LMG sessions and have positively contributed to the SJL community. Students ended the year on a high with great involvement in the Christmas Giving Day and community days. Staff congratulate students on their excellent behaviour during these events. All students were dressed up in their best Christmas attire and donated generously to the fundraising events. On the community days students enjoyed a morning at the movies watching Moana 2 followed by a fun afternoon at the pool. Students were respectful of members of the public and were a credit to the school community.

During week 8 students nominated and voted for their 2025 SRC members. We are happy to announce the following students taking on this leadership role:

We wish the students all the best and trust that they be wonderful ambassadors for the student body.

Below is a helpful link on how to stay healthy over the holidays from headspace which I encourage students and families to access.

The Wellbeing team wish all students and their families a happy, safe and enjoyable Christmas and holiday period.

The Wellbeing team

Mr. Chris Johns, Miss Alison Lynch, Ms. Alberta Kauter, and Mrs. Abbie Marston
Leaders of Learning-Wellbeing

Curriculum News (KLA’s)

Virtual Academy Showcasr 2024

A Celebration of Student Innovation and Inquiry

St Joseph’s Lochinvar students Jayan Paris, Charlie Collins, Laith Kadri, Hunter See, and Samuel Ramsay showcased their hard work and innovation at the recent Virtual Academy Showcase on the 28th November 2024. These students presented their inquiry to principals, CSO staff, parents, and community members with their thought-provoking presentations and depth of knowledge in their area of interest. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees praising their innovative solution to a familiar real-world problem.

Year 7 students Jayan, Charlie, Laith and Hunter have been exploring their individual inquiries in the Leadership unit. This unit delves into the complexities of leadership, explores leadership styles, and led them to develop and run an activity based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. All students cultivated their leadership abilities through these activities becoming effective change-makers in their communities and beyond.

Year 8 student Sam completed his Virtual Academy journey by undertaking the Imagination unit. This unit explores the transformative power of imagination and creativity in shaping culture and society. Sam’s imaginative contribution involved the computing applications field of endeavour. He created and coded a course in Python programming language in order to spread interest in coding for young people.

The Virtual Academy Showcase featured rich discussions and an evident passion for learning, with students in Years 5-8 from across the diocese encouraging their peers and attendees to think critically about real-world challenges.

We are so proud of all of these students for their dedication, creativity, and intelligence. Congratulations boys for making the Showcase Day such a tremendous success and representing St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar with pride. Lochinvar students can do anything!

Ms Caroline Donohoe
High Potential Gifted Project Officer

Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to Year 7 student Jed Louis who was endorsed as a prominent young Australian rider and elite athlete in the motorcycling discipline of Road Racing. Jed was selected to join the Oceania Junior Cup Championship. The Oceana Junior cup program has been endorsed by Dorna Sports, as a road to MotoGP program. This will create pathways for Australian riders like Jed himself to compete at a world level. Jed’s overall place in the Oceania Junior Cup Championship was 7^th, this is a fantastic achievement for his first year of road racing. Along with this achievement, Jed was also selected this year to compete in the Trans Tasman team. The Australian Team won and Jed came 7th overall.

Well done Jed!

Celebrating Creativity: The Inaugural EMERGE Showcase

St Joseph’s College recently launched the ‘EMERGE: A Visual Arts and Design Showcase’, a celebration of our vibrant and diverse young artists, featuring not only every student in Years 7 and 8, but also, Elective Students from Years 9, 10 & 11 Visual Arts and Visual Design. This also provided a much deserved opportunity for our incredibly talented 2024 HSC Visual Arts students to display their final Body of Work!

Stan Twentyman of Year 11 Visual Arts eloquently summed up the event below.

‘On Monday the 25th, Saint Joseph’s displayed the very first year 7-12 visual art and visual design exhibition, ‘Emerge’. A long-awaited and essential celebration of the dedication countless students have put into crafting their pieces. Whether they be a carefully engineered and tweaked composition or a 10 minute expulsion of whatever feeling was in that moment, every frame and sculpture in that hall showcased the passion and work of each and every artist in our community. The true enjoyment of the showcase was not just in the diverse catalogue of pieces, but in the coming together of people from all walks of life. Students, parents, teachers, and even our revered Sisters of Saint Joseph, all caught in conversation and appreciation. The culmination of our hardworking and talented students, passionate faculty and staff, and the wonderful turn out of guests led to a fantastic experience, expressing the Josephite community as its absolute greatest’

Also, please keep an eye out on the schools Facebook page to see the students who were given a ‘People’s Choice’ award!

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 29

Next

Careers – Opportunities & Notices

Seniors Newsletter

Ms Vikki Jordan
Careers Advisor
vikki.jordan@mn.catholic.edu.au

Yalawa Yarnings

Anikanya (Hello)!

Deadly Achievements

In recent weeks we have had many students receiving sporting and academic awards. Such achievements included improved GPA, First in course, Representative sports awards and our annual Yalawa award. This year’s Yalawa award winners are Rubi Walters and Arabella Harrod who have been involved in many events this year both academic and culturally.  Rubi has made valuable contributions to the College through the Virtual Academy, the Diocesan Aboriginal Dance Video, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance group and attended many cultural meetings. Arabella has recently been accepted the Hunter New England Health School Based Traineeship and has participated in several immersion programs this year. Commitment to improvement, Arabella has attended cultural meetings and participated in the NAIDOC ceremony.

We would also like to recognise Kurtis Leverton in year 10 who has been selected as one of the House Leaders for next year. We believe Kurtis will make an excellent contribution in this space and are very proud of his selection.

Community Events

There is a wide range of Aboriginal cultural events on Wonnarua country across the school holidays. For more information, please see Mindaribba Land Council and Maitland AECG Facebook pages.

Student support

If there are any issues that we can support students with or that you think that we need to be aware of please do not hesitate to contact one of us.

If your student is also doing amazing things in the community, please let us know so we can give them a shout out in the ‘Yalawa Yarnings.’

Mrs Hannah Allen, Ms Anabel Holle and Mr Thomas Germon
Aboriginal Education Teachers

Message from the Finance Office

School Fees were due on 30/11/24, thank you to families who have now finalised their fees.

Please note, it is our policy that financial hardship should not prevent a child from attending a Catholic School and no child will be denied a Catholic Education because of a family’s genuine inability to pay the required school fees. For families experiencing financial hardship or wishing to discuss other payment arrangements please contact the College Principal or Finance Office on 0249 307291 or email finance@lochinvarsj.catholic.edu.au

These discussions and arrangements regarding fees are strictly confidential.

2024 School Fees can be viewed at any time through Compass and updated statements are emailed at the beginning of each month, please check your emails and also your junk emails.  Families who have a nil balance will not receive a statement. 

Each school year the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, through its agency the Catholic Schools Office, reviews the fees for students in our diocesan schools for the coming year. By far the greater part of our schools’ funding now comes from State and Commonwealth government grants, but the commitment and continuing financial contribution of parents and parish communities is still essential to fill the gap between the funds provided by government and the actual cost of running our schools.

Health Care Card and Pension Card Holders / Family Discount on Tuition Fee

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle offer a lower tuition fee to ‘means tested’ low income families such as Health Care and Pension Card holders. This rate is 50% of the Diocesan Tuition Fee full rate for each child.

If you are a fee payer and hold a current Australian Government Health Care Card/Pension card you may be entitled to a discount on your school fees, please email a copy of your card to finance@lochinvarsj.catholic.edu.au

In 2024, the family discount on full rate diocesan tuition fees are:

• 1 child family 0% - full rate to be applied
• 2 child family 15% - each child
• 3 child family 25% - each child
• 4+ child family 50% - each child

If you receive a family discount and hold a Health Care Card/Pension Card a combined total of 50% tuition discount is applied.

Mrs Cathy Duff
Finance Officer

Canteen News

Lunch Orders

Lunch Orders are still available through the QKR app. Orders made via QKR need to be placed by 8.15am.

Canteen Menu

Qkr! – Getting Started

Mrs Tania Cullity
Food Operations Manager

Contact us (Email addresses)

In order to keep our records up to date:

FOR STUDENT SERVICES – Please email studentservices@lochinvarsj.catholic.edu.au 

FOR FINANCE – Please email finance@lochinvarsj.catholic.edu.au

ALL OTHER MATTERS (other than Finance) - please use the email admin@lochinvarsj.catholic.edu.au

Alinta Uniform Shop

Holiday Closure and January Trading

New Uniform Price List