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- PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
- DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL PRIMARY & TEACHING & LEARNING
- ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL FORMATION & IDENTITY
- WELCOME TO ST JOSEPH"S
- 2025 PREP ENROLMENTS
- CELEBRATING CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
- CHESS SUCCESS
- FINANCIAL LITERACY
- READERS CUP
- DEBATING SUCCESS
- MESSAGES OF SUPPORT
- ST JOSEPH'S HUGE SUPPORT FOR THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL WINTER APPEAL
- HAVE YOU GOT YOUR BOOK WEEK COSTUME READY ?
- P & F FUNDRAISER
- TREVOR McLUCAS MEMORIAL CHAIR
- SPORT
- UPCOMING EVENTS
It has been a very busy fortnight at St Joseph’s School with much to be proud of.
The Athletics Carnival was a wonderful community event on a beautiful, sunny Stanthorpe day. Thanks to all students for competing enthusiastically and with great spirit, and to all the families and friends who turned up to support the students.
On the sporting front, many of our students have been involved in trials and competitions. The highlight, no doubt, is Year 6 student Emma Pradella competing for Queensland at the National Schools Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast.
Similarly, our debaters have showed they can compete successfully against all comers in the reaching the regional finals of the Queensland Debating Union Competition. Debating is a very intellectually challenging activity which our students have excelled in for a number of years.
In another intellectually challenging sport, our primary and secondary chess players enjoyed their involvement in the Warwick Regional Interschool Chess Tournament, hosted by Assumption College Warwick. They came away with a number of good performances.
Well done to all students for getting involved in the many activities on offer as students at St Joseph’s School, doing their best and competing in the right spirit.
Finally, I would like to once again congratulate Mrs Sarah Yates, Assistant to the Principal Primary and Teaching & Learning, and parent, Mrs Jodie Cosmo who won their respective categories at the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards -Excellence in Leadership - School/Kindergarten Leadership (Sarah) and Excellence in Education Support - Volunteer Support (Jodie). We are blessed to have such wonderful staff and parent volunteers at St Joseph’s School.
God Bless
The Year 7 Open Day for students transitioning to Secondary in 2025 was held this week. I thank all Secondary staff for their time in attending and running this afternoon and evening. It is an important part of what we do in terms of showcasing the excellent opportunities that exist at St Joey’s.
A huge thank you to Brooke Butson and Hayley Pfeiffer who are coordinating the Year 10 SET planning meetings. It has been wonderful to hear the diversity of career aspirations that many of our Year 10 students have. The SET planning process is such an integral part of what we do here at St Joseph’s to ensure that each student is supported in their individual learning journey so they can transition to the chosen post-school pathway.
Call to be… Christ-Like
Called to live… Mercy
Matthew Brown
Deputy Principal
Since the last newsletter, we seem to have been very much focused on sport on the Primary Campus with a number of school events as well as competitions held across the local area. Specific details can be found else where in this newsletter but I would like to congratulate all the students who have taken part in these events and especially those who have had the opportunity to participate at a higher level in representative teams. This year, we have had a number of primary students for whom this is the case and their commitment to their sport is admirable whilst also maintaining their academic focus. Thank you also to the many families who have supported their children and the school. It was wonderful to see so many of you at the Athletics Carnival last week.
A chess competition at Assumption College, Warwick also featured in the calendar during the last two weeks. Thanks to Ms Jones and Mrs Gordon who accompanied the students and well done to Orlando in Year 6 who walked away with third prize.
This week, the students from P - 5 have been involved in clay workshops as part of their Arts curriculum program. We thank Mrs Wilshire for organising this and also the experts from Stanthorpe Pottery Club for their assistance as well as the volunteers who gave of their time over the two days. The finished products will be placed in the 3-6 nature play area in due course.
There has been time for learning in amongst the other activities and it has been particularly pleasing to note the progress that our younger students are making with their literacy skills following the introduction of the Diocesan Approach to Reading this year. Similarly, there are stories in every class of students mastering skills due to their willingness to practise and persist. One teacher admitted to being teary this week following such a display from a learner in their classroom. I encourage parents to talk to their children about what they can do now that they couldn't do last week. or what they are better at having devoted time to it.
Looking forward, the weeks ahead are equally busy and filled with exciting opportunities for the students. These include a netball competition, book week and of course the school play. Rehearsals are going well for this and we are excited to see the performances in a few weeks. Final preparations are also being made for the Yr 5 and Yr 6 camps in Week 9.
Next week we begin our Prep 2025 enrolment interviews and any parents who have not yet submitted the online enrolments forms for their child are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.
Finally, I would like to welcome Jackson and Makayla and their families to our school community. Both have joined use recently and have settled into the St Joseph's 'way' with the help of their class mates and teachers.
With God's blessings
Sarah Yates
Assistant to the Principal Primary & Teaching & Learning
Nurturing Compassionate Learners: A Journey of Values and Character
In our ever-changing world, education extends beyond textbooks and exams. As educators, we have a profound responsibility to shape not only young minds but also young hearts. In partnership with families, our goal is to develop confident, caring learners who embody the teachings of Jesus and embrace our Mercy values: courage, service, compassion, and respect.
Jesus, as a teacher and role model, exemplified compassion, forgiveness, and love. His teachings transcend time and culture, inspiring us to treat others with kindness, empathy, and understanding. As educators (teachers and families), we can weave these timeless teachings into our everyday lives:
- Compassion: Encourage your child to walk in others' shoes. Discuss real-world scenarios where compassion makes a difference. How can we support those who feel lonely? How can we extend kindness to someone facing challenges?
- Service: Service goes beyond volunteering—it's about selflessness and making a positive impact. Being involved in community projects fosters empathy and a sense of purpose.
- Courage: Jesus faced adversity with unwavering courage. Teach your child that courage isn't the absence of fear; it's acting despite fear. Whether it's standing up against bullying or speaking up for justice, courage shapes character.
- Respect: Respect is the cornerstone of harmonious relationships. Model respectful behavior and discuss its importance. How can we treat everyone with dignity?
As educators of our young people, we mold not just future generations, but also compassionate citizens. Together, let's nurture confident learners who carry Jesus' message in their hearts and live out our Mercy values. Together, we create a legacy of love, kindness, and character—one child at a time.
Megan Mahoney
Assistant to the Principal Formation & Identity
At the start of Term 3, St Joseph’s School introduced two new members to its teaching team.
Ms Lucienne Camenzuli, an experienced educator, joins as a secondary teacher, bringing her expertise from Our Lady of the Southern Cross in Dalby.
Ms Camenzuli holds a Diploma of Teaching Secondary – Arts/Humanities, a Graduate Diploma of Education - Resource Teaching, and a Graduate Certificate of Catholic Education Studies.
Additionally, Miss Anika Spiller, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Secondary Education with a double major in HPE (Health and Physical Education) and Biology.
Ms Spiller has been granted an early Permission to Teach by the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT).
We welcome them both to St Joseph's School.
Catholic Education Week is a time of reflection, celebration, and community for St Joseph’s School in Stanthorpe. This annual event, deeply rooted in the values and traditions of the Catholic faith, offers a unique opportunity for students, staff, and the wider community to come together and celebrate the essence of Catholic education.
Catholic Education Week here at St Joseph's started with Mass on Sunday, where we had a number of staff and students attend and participate - Thank you!
During CEW, we also acknowledged staff who have given significant contributions to the Catholic education over many years through long service awards. Thank you and congratulations to the following staff:
| Kayelene O'Dea | 20 Years |
| Lesley Grant | 20 Years |
| Patricia Armstrong | 30 Years |
| James Armstrong | 40 Years |
| Mary McLucas | 40 Years |
We also congratulate Mrs Sarah Yates, Assistant to the Principal Primary and Teaching & Learning, and parent, Mrs Jodie Cosmo who have WON their respective categories at the annual Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards Night held Thursday evening, 25th July.
These awards recognise those staff and volunteers who are inspiring and experts in their field across the 32 schools in the diocese. We are very thankful for the exceptional work they do for the school and our community. We are blessed to have
Importantly, as a Catholic School, we are keen to ensure that every student at St Joseph’s School, no matter what faith or beliefs, has an opportunity to be able to say:
“I belong, I am valued, I will be successful here.”
Last night, Year 5 students Isabelle, Maia, Patrick, and Riley participated in the Readers Cup competition at Warwick State High School in Warwick.
They performed admirably as a team and are already discussing their plans for next year’s Year 6 competition. How exciting!
Congratulations to our Year 7, Year 8 and Senior debating teams who competed in the Queensland Regional Union Regional Finals in Toowoomba on Wednesday night, 24th July. All teams and students performed very well.
Our Senior team did particularly well, progressing through to the semi-finals which were held on Wednesday 31st July. St Joseph's came up against Toowoomba Grammar School and even though they lost, it was a very close debate and we are all very proud of the team. They are an outstanding group of debaters.
Great work all and thank you to all our coaches.
Supporting the Winter Appeal isn’t just about donations; it’s about embodying our Mercy values in the simplest, most compassionate ways. By assisting the poor and ensuring dignity for those in need, we create a ripple of kindness that resonates far beyond our immediate community.
St Vincent de Paul has consistently called for increased support as demand for their services continues to grow. And this year, that call was even more urgent.
But guess what? With everyone’s unwavering support, we managed to fully stock the shelves with non-perishable groceries and provide plenty of warm blankets for those who need them most. The generosity pouring in is truly heartening.
To each person and family who contributed -Thank you! Your continued support for this incredibly worthy cause makes a tangible difference.
Together, we’re weaving a safety net of compassion and care.
The Children's Book Council of Australia's annual Book Week returns in 2024 with the theme "Reading is Magic".
As part of the P&F’s continuing fundraising efforts to support our school, a Fundraiser Lunch Day will be held on the PRIMARY Campus on Monday 12th August and on the SECONDARY Campus on Wednesday 14th August.
PRIMARY
Chocolate and Strawberry donuts can be ordered for morning break and Chicken Burgers and poppers can be ordered for lunch break. There will be no
items for sale for morning break. Ice blocks for $1.00 however will be available for purchase at lunch break.
All orders must be placed through the QKR app and ordering will close Thursday 8th August at midnight.
SECONDARY
Chicken Burgers, chips, drinks and ice blocks will be available at lunch break. Normal tuckshop items will still be available for Morning Tea only.
All orders must be ordered through the QKR app and will close Tuesday 13th August @ 3.30pm.
The students will have the option to add lettuce and mayo to their burgers if they choose.
The cost of the burgers will be $5.00 or in a meal with a popper for $1.00.
For the observant members of our Joey’s community, you may have noticed the Trevor McLucas memorial chair has not only been given a little bit of TLC, it has also been moved to a new home in the Year 3-6 Nature Play area.
Trevor McLucas was a St Joseph’s parent and active member of our P&F for over 20 years. He served as President for 10 years and lead a committee who worked passionately to develop the Primary campus gardens.
Trevor’s children remember spending many a weekend at school working bees along with their mother and St Joseph’s teacher Mary McLucas. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Trevor’s daughter and current Joey’s parent Jane Muller, has been an active member of the Nature Play Project. Her daughters Evie (Year 1) and Imogen along with husband Dale, can also be found at most working bees following in the family tradition.
The McLucas family is honoured that Trevor’s chair is now incorporated into the Year 3-6 Nature Play space. This is exactly the type of school community project Trevor would have been passionate about. How fitting that the chair has also been restored by his son-in-law Dale along with Dale’s father Kerry Muller.
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
Congratulations to each age group winner and runner-up and to the winning Houses for the various awards. It was a very close and competitive carnival.
| Primary House Spirit Trophy - sponsored by The Fleming Family |
McAuley |
| Secondary House Spirit Trophy - sponsored by St Joseph's Alumni |
Davadi |
| Primary Wining House - sponsored by the Kay Family |
Davadi |
| Secondary Winning House - The Sullivan Cup |
McAuley |
| Overall Winning House - sponsored by Santina Leonardi |
McAuley |
|
Runner Up |
Age Champion |
|
|
Under 9 Girls |
Poppy Wilshire |
Georgia Robinson |
|
Under 9 Boys |
Kai Fox |
Oliver Tuvukica |
|
Under 10 Girls |
Anthea Sunderland |
Alanna Fox |
|
Under 10 Boys |
Oliver Fraguas |
Zackary Kerridge |
|
Under 11 Girls |
Havana Torrisi |
Chloe Inch |
|
Under 11 Boys |
Archie Reimers |
Jordan Pradella |
|
Under 12 Girls |
Sophia Kunze |
Camilla Watts |
|
Under 12 Boys |
Benjamin Kerridge |
Billy Skuse |
|
Under 13 Girls |
Milla Fraguas/Hannah Petrie |
Georgia Petrie |
|
Under 13 Boys |
Aiden McCosker |
Will Favaro |
|
Under 14 Girls |
Natalie Gasparin |
Lily Tuvukica |
|
Under 14 Boys |
Alexander Stevens |
Kai Lang |
|
Under 15 Girls |
Jessica Pradella |
Addison McCosker |
|
Under 15 Boys |
Billy Gallaway |
Stephen Ellis |
|
Under 16 Girls |
Jessica Ellis |
Eliza Bonner |
|
Under 16 Boys |
Henry Searle |
Harry Wren |
|
Open Girls |
Brigid O'Dea |
Claire Williamson |
|
Open Boys |
Darcy Daddow |
Ryan Whitticker |
ORIENTEERING
It was a highly successful weekend where overall, Darling Downs was the champion region and St Joseph’s School was the first placed school (we are the Queensland school orienteering champions!)
During the championships competitors competed in three events - a sprint (a quick event in an urban environment), a hagaby (a mass start, one-person relay in the bush), and a long-distance course (in the bush). Orienteering challenges competitors both physically and mentally, and takes a fair bit of courage to battle through the events.
Great work by Mr Allan Lahey to get so many students involved in orienteering at the school. It was an excellent weekend of competition by the students in a very challenging sport.
Well done St Joey’s!
GRANITE BELT & BORDER DISTRICT ATHLETICS
After our successful school Athletics Carnival, our Primary students moved on to compete at the Granite Belt Athletics carnival, held here in Stanthorpe while the Secondary students participated in the Border District carnival which was held in Warwick.
It’s wonderful to see students getting involved in athletics and representing our school.
Congratulations to all students and a special mention to the following students on their achievements for the day:
| Runner Up | Age Champion | |
| 10 Yr Boys | Zackary Kerridge | |
| 10 Yr Girls | Alanna Fox | |
| 11 Yr Girls | Havana Torrisi | |
| 12 Yr Boys | Benjamin Kerridge | |
| 12 Yr Girls | Camilla Watts |
Congratulations to the following Secondary students as they have all successfully qualified either in times or distance to compete for the Darling Downs teams:
Hannah Petrie
Georgia Petrie
Indianna Harding
Hannah Grogan
Addison McCosker
RED LION FOOTBALL (Soccer)
On the 23rd of July, a number of students embarked on a sports-filled adventure to Captain Cook Oval, Toowoomba where students competed in the SSI Red Lion Football (soccer) tournament.
The air buzzed with anticipation as both the girls and boys geared up for their matches.
Boys’ Performance:
- They played in the Plate (Pool 2).
- The scoreboard revealed a mix of triumph and challenge: 1 win, 2 draws, and 1 loss.
- Ultimately, they secured a respectable 3rd place in their pool, landing them at the 5th spot out of the 9 teams in the Boys Plate.
Girls’ Performance:
- The girls, equally determined, took their place in the Plate (Pool 2).
- Their record: 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss.
- With heads held high, they clinched the 3rd position in their pool and claimed the 4th spot among the 10 teams in the Girls Plate.
A massive thank you to Mr Damian Petrie and Miss Anika Spiller for taking these students away for a day of camaraderie, teamwork, and spirited competition!
SWIMMING
Year 6 student, Emma Pradella, recently represented Queensland at the National Schools Swimming Championships held at the Gold Coast.
Emma powered through the intense 50m Backstroke race, securing an impressive 12th place. But that’s not all! She dove into the 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay, narrowly missing out on a medal. Emma’s personal best time in the freestyle event left her beaming. And guess what? She’s already eyeing next year’s opportunity to make an even bigger splash.
Way to go, Emma!
FUTSAL
Both girls will now go on to compete in the State Championships to be held in Toowoomba from the 17-20 October 2024.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Congratulations to Lily Tuvukica, Milla Fraguas, Keely Gilbert, and Monique Barker as they all recently tested their skills at the Darling Downs Rugby League trials which were held in Toowoomba.
A special spotlight shines on Year 6 students Keely Gilbert and Monique Barker. These two fierce competitors have clinched coveted spots in the 11-12 Year Girls Darling Downs team. They will go on to compete in the State Championships which will be held from the 12th -15th of September in Met East Brisbane.
Congratulations to all girls and well done to Keely and Monique !
| 5 - 6 August | Prep 2025 Enrolment Interviews Commence |
| 7 August | Primary Schools Netball Gala, Toowoomba |
| 8 - 9 August | Just Motivation Presentation |
| 12 August | Toowoomba Primary School Futsal Cup |
| 12 - 16 August | Science Week |
| 13 August | Year 7 Ekka Visit |
| 15 August | School Play - Rehearsal (Little Theatre) |
| Stanthorpe Cricket Blasters Gala | |
| 16 August | National Day of Action Against Bullying |
| Southern Downs Career & Employment Expo (Yrs 10 & 11) | |
| School Play - Little Theatre | |
| 17 August | School Play - Little Theatre |
| 18 August | Vietnam Veterans Day |
