Term 3 Week 8 - 3rd September 2021
Term 4, Change of Commencement Date for Students
If we are able to return to face-to-face teaching in Term 4 Week 1, the Staff Professional Development Day that had been scheduled will be postponed to a later date to be advised.
Term 4 will commence for students and staff on Tuesday 5th October 2021. This start date will occur regardless of whether we return to face-to-face or via Blended Learning in Term 4.
As we conclude the third week in lockdown and head into the fourth, we have continued to remain positive and have much to celebrate, especially, within our College. This week's newsletter contains some special moments of celebration for our Year 12 students.
Year 12 Update
This week saw the conclusion of the College's first-ever Online Trial HSC examinations for Year 12. As a College, we are very proud of your resilient, 'can do' attitude and flexibility to our changing environment. I would like to sincerely thank the Leader of Pastoral Care, Year 12, Ms Heidi Flanagan, along with all our Year 12 teachers for their dedication, motivation and continual support of Year 12 students. One such example of this dedication and support can be seen in the beautiful message and 'Well Done' video below that Ms Flanagan created with the staff of SJRC.
Dear Year 12,
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have now all completed your Trial HSC exams!
What an achievement, especially under some very unique circumstances this year. All the staff at the College are so incredibly proud of the way that you have conducted yourselves during this time. For the first time in history (you guys have always been trailblazers) you sat digital Trial HSC exams at home with Zoom cameras on, multiple screens open, and remote supervisors - what a learning curve!
I have been particularly impressed by the way that you have coped with all the changes that have been thrust upon you. Not just one but many. This really has been more than a Trial HSC but a life lesson - what brilliant opportunities you have had to demonstrate to yourselves that you can handle ANYTHING!
I want you to know, that when I put a shout out to staff about making a video for you all, I was inundated with replies. This just goes to show what the SJRC staff thinks about Year 12, 2021, you guys are simply amazing!
I'm so proud to be your Year Coordinator and I just wanted to wish you all a heartfelt message of congratulations...Well done one and all!
Ms Flanagan
Youtube link - https://youtu.be/01Be1YpbGbA
Change of Dates for Year 12 End of Year Events
The Year 12 Graduation Mass, PC lunch and Major Awards Ceremony that were scheduled for Thursday 16th September (Week 10) have now been postponed due to the current restrictions and uncertainty around our return to school. Likewise, the Graduation Dinner will be moved to a new date.
Families of Year 12 students will receive a letter via email outlining the proposed changes in the not too distant future. We keep Year 12 students in our prayers.
Blended Learning Update
Next week students will commence the second week of the classwork that was scheduled on Monday, 30th August. PC Zooms are essential, as are class Zooms.
The engagement of students in their learning is continually monitored by their teachers and we have made a conscious effort to ensure the workload for students is balanced. Families were contacted this week if teachers were concerned with the engagement of the students in their classes. Thank you to the families who contacted the College to determine where their child requires further assistance. Some tips for assisting your child in Blended Learning can be found in Mr Michael Walsh's article in his news article. We appreciate working in partnership with families.
It was also great to contact so many families to acknowledge the great commitment and engagement their child has shown during Blended Learning so far. Certificates of recognition for "Using the Character Strengths of Love of Learning and Perseverance" have been emailed to those students. Keep up the great work!
This time next week, hopefully, we will have more clarity around when we will be returning to face to face learning at the College
Blended Learning Survey
Year 7-10 have been emailed a Feedback Survey today focusing on Blended Learning and wellbeing. Please encourage your child to complete the survey by Wednesday, 8th September.
Wellbeing Challenge
Thank you to the Leader of Wellbeing, Ms Kylie Wallis, for organising another great wellbeing challenge this week - 'Gourmet Gratitude'. Students were asked to show some love, kindness and gratitude to their parents and carers by cooking and sharing a meal with them. There are some very lucky families who ate well this week!
Results for this challenge will be available next week.
Week 2 Catch of the Week Challenge Results
Last week saw students and staff find some very creative ways of catching. While we had many entries, this week's winning entry and runner up is.....
| WINNER: Max Roods - 'Catching Clouds'  |
RUNNER UP: Jorjia Rose Styles - 'Balancing Act' Click on the image below to view Jorjis'a catch  |
TAS and IGA Partnership
Many outstanding skills are learnt by our students in the Technology and Applied Studies Key Learning Area. Each week we are lucky enough to see a snapshot of these in our newsletter.
This week, the impressive work of our Year 10 Industrial Technology - Metal Fabrication students has been showcased at the local IGA up at Sovereign Place. Many thanks to TAS teacher, Mr Colin Mackay, for organising the work of our students to be displayed. My gratitude to Mr Tim Walker, Hastings Co-op’s Business and Community Development Manager and Mr Josh Tang, Sovereign Place Store Manager for their support of our College and students.
Mr Walker commented, “The partnership certainly fits our ethos of community support and engagement and is an extension of the great relationship we already share with the College and St Agnes’ Parish.”
Mr Mackay said: “While there are six fire devices on display, I would like to congratulate and commend this group of fine young men and women for their outstanding success in creating and designing projects that can and will be used for many years to come."
Mr Mackay, guides students through the design and build process, said “Safety is paramount within a workshop environment and as such it is imperative that WHS requirements are met, especially, when using gas cylinders as scrap. All gas cylinders are purchased from a certified cylinder re-valver and as an additional safety measure the first cut is completed off-site.”
The display is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the many talents of St Joseph's Regional College students and I look forward to further displays in the future.
I encourage you to read the full media release on the Hasting's Co-op Facebook page.
Teacher of TAS- Mr Collin Mackay, Mr Tim Walker- Hastings Co-op’s Business and Community Development Manager
& Mr Josh Tang- Sovereign Place Store Manager.
And finally, we wish all our dads a Happy Father's Day for Sunday. We hope you will be thoroughly spoilt.
Latest COVID-19 Information
Please find following the latest COVID-19 information which has been emailed to all families. This link will be updated when new correspondence is sent.
God bless
Mrs Tanya Daley
Acting Principal
Year 7-11 Blended Learning Parent Checkpoints
I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate parents and guardians on the great job of supporting your child(ren) in their learning during this lockdown. We understand that it is not easy juggling family and work commitments as well as the demands of blended learning. Currently, we are finding the majority of students are well engaged in the lessons being posted on Google Classroom. We have put together a few ideas to assist parents / guardians in this process.
Below is an overview of how blended learning is being delivered and some checkpoints for you to encourage and monitor your child’s progress.
Students are enrolled into each of their classes in Google Classroom and their teachers update the classwork every fortnight. Teachers post work on Monday for the fortnight and also list at least 1 zoom lesson for that subject. Students are expected to attend the zoom. This is listed in the “stream” for each subject and students should list the day and time of the zoom in their diaries.
Checkpoint:
- On the first Monday of the fortnight (30/08/21) you should check that your child has noted a “ZOOM” lesson in their diary for each of their subjects for the fortnight.
- If they don’t know when it is scheduled, get them to check in Google Classroom.
- If they still can not find it, have them email their teacher for clarification.
- Once the zoom lessons are organised it's time for students to start to work on each of their subjects.
- They should attempt to stick to the timetable in their diaries and work on each subject for around 30 minutes, completing the work listed in “google classroom”.
- The work listed will vary from subject to subject and rely on a variety of sources (writing books, moodle, external websites, online worksheets, outdoor activities etc).
- For this reason, there is no simple summary that can be provided and we encourage you to view your child’s studies through their Google Classroom access.
Checkpoint:
- It would be good to check your child’s diary each day and have a discussion about what was completed for the five subjects that day.
- If you would like to see what work is set/completed for each subject, have your child log into Google Classroom and view the set work for the individual subjects.
- Students should ask questions within Google Classroom which can be answered by their peers and/or teacher.
- They can also email their teachers directly if they have a question they would prefer to ask privately.
- They should also email their teacher directly if they are unable to attend the zoom so their engagement is noted and any critical information can be conveyed.
Checkpoint:
- If your child doesn't understand the instructions ask them to show you the task and attempt to assist them.
- If you can’t provide assistance ask them if they have emailed their teacher requesting help in “google classroom”
Checkpoint:
- Every Tuesday morning during PC time, students are expected to attend a Pastoral Care zoom with their PC teacher to check in on how they are going.
- This is an important aspect of keeping connected with the College and each other.
- If you are at all concerned that your child is not completing work for a specific subject, feel free to email the classroom teacher..... (firstname.lastname@lism.catholic.edu.au) asking if your child is engaged in the set work.
As a College, we will do our best to keep you informed about their progress. At the end of each fortnight, the teachers review the students' engagement in all classes, and if required, we will make contact with parents to convey any concerns. If you need to discuss an issue concerning your child please contact their Pastoral Care Coordinator, the Leader of Pastoral Care, Mrs Kellie Croft, or with myself, Acting Assistant Principal, Mr Michael Walsh.
We hope that these “checkpoints” might make the process of supporting your child’s learning at home a little easier. For additional information about Google Classroom and Blended Learning, you can go to:
https://sites.google.com/lism.catholic.edu.au/learning-from-home-families/technology?authuser=0
PARENT WEBINARS
There are some great FREE Webinars coming up. Our Catholic School Parent Assembly has the following webinar offer. I would encourage you to register your attendance at these very.
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
Each week the Parish produces a news bulletin. In this week’s bulletin:
- A reflection entitled "You Forget the Commandments of God to Hold on to Human Tradition"
- A request for feedback and suggestions on the Parish Prayer
- A reminder of Adult Faith Formation Online Opportunities
- Parish Pastoral Council now have a new email address
- Fan the Flame towards Plenary Assembly One October 2021
- Caritas asking us to keep Haiti in our thoughts and prayers after a major earthquake
- A reminder that there will be no Masses or Reconciliation until further notice
Acting Assistant Principal- Mission
2022 GAP Year Traineeships and YMO Positions
2022 GAP Year Traineeships and YMO Positions are now open. Year 12 students are invited to apply. Year 12 students have been emailed the details.
?Positions are available at St Agnes' Parish Schools and the Parish Administration Center in 2022.
?Applications close 9.00am on Thursday, 9 September 2021.
Hastings Education Fund
Applications are NOW OPEN and will CLOSE on Thursday, 30th September for HEF grants to assist local young people starting post-school education or training in 2022. Click this link to find info and the online application system, or to donate to ‘Hastings’ to help us to help them: https://cef.org.au/foundations/hastings/
https://www.facebook.com/hastingseducationfund
Charles Sturt University Scholarship
Leader of Careers and University Transition
Hats Off to You Year 12!
Year 12 students have particularly been affected by alterations to their courses. The Creative Arts faculty are very proud of the Visual Arts, Drama and Music students and wish to say 'hats off to you' for the tremendous progress you made in your courses despite the uncertainty you faced. The HSC Creative Arts teachers - Music, Mrs Leanne Johnson, Visual Arts, Mrs Tracy Pares, Drama- Mrs Fiona Jenson have done a fabulous job of preparing our Year 12 students and have a special message for their students.
Year 12 Visual Arts - Body of Work
The Year 12 Visual Arts class will submit their Body of Work on Monday. They have done incredibly well under very trying circumstances. I wish them every success and look forward to being able to share images of their finished work with the College Community in the near future. The attached images were meant to be the catalogue for their graduating exhibition, I just wanted to show everyone how hard they have been working and tell Year 12 Visual Arts students how proud of them I am!
Tracy Pares
Visual Arts teacher
Year 12 Music
Well done to this troop of amazing humans: Logan Byrnes, Lily Cooper, Jessica Ismay, Timothy Kobelke, Nicholas Murray, Thomas Steele and Jorjia-Rose Styles you have been simply marvellous in the way in which you have approached and dealt with the many changes and the uncertainty of the HSC Trials.
We have been fortunate to have had the opportunity for a number of Music students to perform at a College assembly earlier in the year to show their amazing talent to the College.
Following are a few photos of Music rehearsals taken just before Blended Learning began. You can see by these images the amount of preparation and support goes into a performance.
Tim Kobelke working on one of his trombone pieces with Russel Dick (piano), Jacob Corbet (bass), Harry Amon. (Drums), Will Dodds (bass trombone).
Lily Cooper preparing an incredible rendition of Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean for tenor saxophone, accompanied by Mrs Sharon Green ( keyboard) , Harry Turnbull (bass), Jack Downing trumpet, Harry Amon (drums), Russell Dick (grand piano).
Nicholas Murray working with Harry Amon on vibraphone and fellow classmate Logan Byrnes on bass guitar.
Singer, Jessica Ismay rehearsing with accompanists Lydia Wills (piano) and Cheryl Meyer Millican.
Mrs Leanne Johnson
Music Teacher
Year 12 Drama
HSC Drama students have shown incredible resilience and courage in the face of the ever-changing goalposts in relation to their practical works. They have had to say goodbye to their Group Devised and Individual Performances for 2021.
As their teacher, to say I am proud, would be a massive understatement. Each student has rolled with the punches and been supportive and loving of each other in the process. We are a wonderful, little drama family and I have a special place for each of these talented, creative students in my heart.. I'll always remember the 2021 HSC Drama cohort for their passion, their patience, their professionalism and their pizazz.
Fiona Jensen
Drama Teacher
Keep up the good work, Year 12, the year is not over yet!
Mrs Leanne Johnson
Leader of Creative Arts
Year 9 Food Technology
One of the last practical lessons before lockdown occurred was Year 9 Food Technology students preparing and baking good, old fashioned Jam Drops. A classic, easy to follow recipe which students could make at home during lockdown.
Mrs Diana Walsh
Assistant Leader of TAS
Click and Collect
Even in the midst of a lockdown, Library services continue with a smile. Year 11 students can now collect their English texts in preparation for holiday reading prior to commencing their HSC courses in Term 4. Refer to the email outlining your safe, contactless collection procedure. #studentsneedschoollibraries
Guest Recommenders
Thanks to Mr Hyland, Mr McKee and Mrs O'Reilly who each contributed book recommendations in the past week. We do have copies of all these books in the Library if you would like to request a loan.
Ms Karyn Mooney (Fri)
Word of the Week: Patience
Meaning: The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.
Many of us have practised patience, especially when our plans have been delayed or cancelled.
STAY SAFE EVERYONE
If you have been considering participating in the Journey into the Catholic Faith, the Parish is now promoting their next program commencing 5th October either face to face or via ZOOM (depending on restrictions at the time).
CLICK HERE To register your interest in participating in this program
Enquiries go to Vanessa Denham at St Agnes Parish via email: Vanessa.Denham@stagnesparish.org.au
Headspace Free Parent Webinar
Families are encouraged to register and attend the following free Mental Health Education webinar being facilitated by Headspace being held on Monday, 6th September from 12.00pm-1.00pm
Build skills and support the mental health of young people.
Click here to register
Pathways to Post School Life Information Sessions
Calling all 16-25 year olds…
Headspace’s SPILL THE BEANS is here!
A free online group that aims to bring young people together to share and connect – by encouraging self-care and social inclusion, with free coffee and chats. It will be run over 6 weeks in an online format while we are in lockdown.
What:
- FREE coffee delivered to your door (Ruins café)
- FREE headspace care pack
- FREE access to the private online group which includes weekly check-in, connection with like-minded people, tips to keeping a healthy headspace & optional headspace coach session.
Where: Online via zoom
When:
- Every Thursday for 6 weeks
- Starting 16th September 2021
- 10:00am-11:00am
To participate: contact headspacePM@each.com.au and complete the registration form before 14th September.
More details here:
https://headspace.org.au/headspace-centres/port-macquarie/spill-the-beans/
https://www.facebook.com/events/978366179621878/
