SJRC Newsletter: Term 3 Week 6 - 29th August 2025
Term 3 Reminders
Tuesday 23rd September: Year 12 Graduation Mass
Wednesday 24th September: Year 12 Major Awards Ceremony
Friday 26th September - Staff Development Day (Pupil Free Day)
Shine Conference
Last week, we had almost 100 students attend the annual SHINE conference in Coffs Harbour. SHINE is a vibrant gathering that invites students to encounter Jesus Christ in a personal and life-changing way. It offers the chance to experience dynamic faith, be equipped for ministry, and be empowered to live out the Christian life—impacting both the Church and the world. More than just an event, SHINE is a celebration of faith and fellowship, bringing together Youth Ministry (CSYMA) students from Catholic secondary schools across the Diocese of Lismore.
The Youth Ministry program is open to Year 9 and 10 students who desire to deepen their faith, grow in Christian friendship, and strengthen their spiritual formation. For students enrolled in the ministry class at SJRC, attendance at SHINE is a compulsory and significant part of the journey.
Over two days, SHINE blends powerful peer-to-peer ministry with uplifting praise and worship, inspiring keynote talks, personal testimonies, small group discussions, interactive workshops, prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, and Mass. Senior Ministry Team members are also encouraged to step into leadership by serving as small group leaders, testimony sharers, and workshop facilitators.
Photos courtesy of Proclaim Lismore Students Facebook page
Success at the Wauchope Rotary Public Speaking Event
We’re incredibly proud to share that three of our students - Kaitlyn Joyce, Mayriah Spicer, and Chelsea Copeland - recently represented our school at the Wauchope Rotary Public Speaking event. This annual competition brings together young speakers from across the region to showcase their skills in writing and public speaking. All three students delivered thoughtful, well-prepared speeches in response to Rotary’s “Four Way Test”: is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better friendships, will it be beneficial to all concerned? Our students explored crochet, the life of John Lennon and the anime show ‘Inanimate Insanity’.
A special congratulations goes to Chelsea, whose speech titled "Bringing the World Together One Stitch at a Time" earned her first place on the day!Public speaking is a valuable life skill, and we’re so proud of all the students for their hard work, confidence, and commitment. We look forward to seeing Chelsea continue her journey as she progresses to the next round of the competition - good luck, Chelsea!
Two Students Head to State Finals in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee
We’re thrilled to announce that two of our students, William Ashton and Lucy Bennett-Tonkin, have advanced to the State Finals of the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee — a remarkable achievement given the scale of the competition. This year, over 82,000 students registered to take part across Australia, and only 200 students have progressed to this final stage in NSW.
We wish them the very best of luck as they prepare for the next round — we know they’ll bee brilliant!
Mrs Tanya Daley
Principal
Completion of HSC Trials
Congratulations to our Year 12 students who have been completing their Trial HSC exams. These exams help prepare the students for their HSC written exams commencing on Thursday 16th October with the English Paper One. Over the next few weeks many students will also be undertaking their HSC performance exams (our HSC Dance have already completed this component of their HSC course) and submitting major projects. After the trial exams, Year 12 students will go into an intensive revision program to identify any gaps identified in the trial exams and aim to fill in those gaps to ensure the best outcome possible in their HSC exams. During this period our initial focus is to ensure that students attend class every day to complete the final touches to their HSC preparation, often students will say that they can ‘study’ better at home, our experience is that this is normally not the case.
To support this and our students during this revision period, we have been emphasising with our Year 12 students the following points:
- When we gain, I gain. The focus now is on maximising every student’s performance in every class and subject. We want our students collaborating and ensuring each can achieve the maximum marks possible to fulfill their potential.
- As mentioned, attendance is critical, you learn best by being in the classroom and utilising the skills of your teachers to once again maximise their performance in the final exams.
- The focus is all about filling in the gaps in knowledge, skills and understanding identified in the Trial exams. Students need to have a whole of subject and overall pattern of study focus. It is less impactful to focus on those aspects of individual subjects that they have performed well in. Focus on those weaker aspects and ‘fill the gaps.
- Finally, we will continue to offer significant academic support to our Year 12 students over the next six weeks. The regular ‘Food for Thought’ in the library will continue and regular seminar sessions have been scheduled over the next three weeks. The library will also be open during the school holiday period and further information regarding this will be communicated with our students in the next few weeks.
Year 10 Transition
This week has also seen the conclusion of the Year 10 into 11 transition program for our Year 10 students. Most students have chosen their pattern of study for 2026 and we wish them well as they prepare for the start of Year 11 in 2026.
Ian Lutton
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
Year 11 Leadership Formation Day
Our Year 11 students recently took part in a Leadership Formation Day, where they engaged in a range of activities designed to strengthen teamwork and leadership skills. Throughout the day, they faced team challenges, discovered one another’s strengths, and began shaping their identity as a leadership group. This experience marks the beginning of their journey in building a shared vision and leaving a lasting legacy within our school community.
Exciting Opportunity for Alannah Steele
Congratulations to Alannah Steele (Year 12) who has been accepted into the National Evangelisation Team (NET) Ministries for 2026. NET is a peer-to-peer Catholic youth ministry where young adults dedicate a year to sharing their faith through retreats, school visits, and parish programs across Australia and New Zealand. This is a wonderful achievement, and we congratulate Alannah as she steps into this meaningful path of service, faith, and leadership.
Alannah has shared a glimpse of what lies ahead for her next year, and we look forward to supporting her on this exciting journey.
Hi everyone! My name is Alannah Steele, and you might know my face from around the school, Parish or at our Encounter Youth Group. I’m so excited to share that next year I’ll be serving as a missionary with NET Ministries Australia. NET (National Evangelisation Teams) is a Catholic organisation that sends young people across the country to run retreats, share their faith, and walk alongside students in discovering God’s love.
As a missionary, I’ll be giving a year of my life to serve full-time, and part of this journey includes raising support to help cover training, travel, and living costs. I’d love to invite you to partner with me, through prayer or financial sponsorship, in bringing the message of hope and faith to young people across Australia.
If you’d like to support me, please use this QR code, LINK or get in touch with me directly. Thank you so much for your prayers and generosity!
Upcoming Stewardship Initiatives
Our Stewardship Leaders have announced three initiatives designed to help us care for the environment and each other.
Earth Hour – A global movement where we’ll switch off technology for one hour to save energy and enjoy time without screens.
Stewards of September – Staff and senior students are encouraged to bring their keep cups throughout September, helping to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
PC Grass House Challenge – Each PC will receive a Grass House kit to grow, care for, and decorate. Prizes will be awarded for the best growth and most creative designs.
These initiatives are a fun and meaningful way for our community to show leadership in stewardship. Let’s get involved and make a difference together!
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
Save the Date - Year 8 Camp Info Night 16th September (6 - 7pm)
Year 8 parents will shortly receive a Compass notification regarding the Year 8 Camp. This Camp has been a memorable experience for Year 8 students at our College for many years. The event is consistently identified by students as a highlight of their time at SJRC. Information relating the Camp’s learning outcomes and practical details will be shared with parents at an upcoming information night. We encourage all parents of Year 8 students to set aside time to attend the information night. It is hoped that at least one parent or carer will be in attendance for each Year 8 student.
Save the Date - School Community Group Meeting 9th September (5:30 - 6:30pm)
This term’s School Community Group will focus on sharing with interested community members our 2025 Tell Them From Me Survey results. Please keep an eye out for further information and RSVP details via email next week.
Contact via mobile phone for illness/early departures
Parents and carers are reminded of the following excerpt from the Electronic Devices Policy in relation to mobile phones at school:
Mobile phones, if brought to school, will be switched off on arrival at school in the morning and may be switched on again for the journey home. The exception to this rule is that Year 11 and Year 12 students may use their mobile phones at recess or lunch but only in the Senior Café and Senior Area.
If it is necessary for home or parent contact to be made during college hours (8.45am – 3.15pm) it is to be done by a call from the parent/guardian to the school office, or a phone permission granted to the student by the Principal or Leader of Student Wellbeing.
Students using a mobile phone at school during school hours will have it confiscated. It can be collected from the front office at 3.15pm.
Should you wish to collect your child from school, please do not make contact with them via their mobile phone. If students are unwell at school, they should be present to the College Office where appropriate care and support can be offered and parent contact made if necessary. Please do not arrive at the College Office to collect your child if they make contact with you via their mobile phone. If you are concerned that your child is unwell at school, please call the Office to make our staff aware of the problem so care and support can be provided.
Mrs Jennifer Furney
Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care
Ask an Alumni - Sessions Begin in Study Lessons
We were delighted to launch our new event in study lessons this week with the first of our AAA sessions. A huge thank you goes to the wonderful Mia McCullough and Annie Mepham for generously taking time out of their busy schedules to share their journeys with our students.
Mia, a successful NSW Police Force applicant, is currently progressing through training at the Police Academy in Goulburn. Her knowledge and first-hand insight into the application and training process was both valuable and inspiring.
Annie, in her first year of a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at SCU Coffs Harbour, spoke with great enthusiasm about her studies and future career path, offering students an engaging glimpse into this rewarding profession.
We are incredibly proud of our SJRC Graduates of 2024 and grateful for their willingness to give back to our community.
Mrs Leanne Tinsey
Leader of Future Pathways
Karyn Mooney
Teacher Librarian
Encounter Youth
The Encounter Youth Program is held every Friday at the Youth Hub.
Come along and join in the fun.
Encounter Kick-on’s (Sunday’s after the 5:00 pm Mass)
Group games and supper. Come join us.
St Agnes' Catholic Parish
49 Hay Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
T 02 6588 7444
E zac.parnell@stagnesparish.org.au
| Term 3 Week 7 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | No specials |
| Tuesday | No Specials |
| Wednesday | Garlic Bread |
| Thursday | Salami, Pesto & Tomato Toasted Turkish Sandwich |
| Friday | Butter Chicken & Rice |
| Term 3 Week 8 Lunch Specials | |
| Monday | No specials |
| Tuesday | No specials |
| Wednesday | Garlic Bread |
| Thursday | Vegetarian Ravioli in Pesto |
| Friday | Gourmet Sausage Dogs |
We have a delicious variety of 'Lunch Specials', available for $7.00 from Wednesday to Friday, and an 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.
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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
Free Parent & Staff Presentation
Parents and staff of Newman, MacKillop and St Joseph’s Regional Colleges are invited to a FREE presentation by Brent Sanders - former police officer and highly regarded speaker known for tackling sensitive topics with clarity and respect.
Join us on Monday, 8 September at Newman College for an important session on empowering young people and their guardians. Bookings via CompassTix.
https://compasstix.com/e/a8zgpscps2
POSTPONED - Coast to Country Charity Walk
The organisers of the Coast to Country Charity Walk scheduled to take place in October have announced they are postponing until April 2027, in order to protect the integrity of the event and the scholarship. This extra time will allow for:
- Building the right support team and structures to ensure the walk mission is achieved.
- Continuing to engage sponsors and partners who can amplify the impact of the scholarship.
- Strengthening the media and community story so that when April 2027 comes, there is the broadest reach and long-term momentum.
Hastings Education Fund looks forward to continued association with and updates from the incredible family planning this huge and generous undertaking.
Bonny Hills Lake Cathie Cricket Club
