2015: GROWTH ( GRATITUDE; RESILIENCE; ORGANISATION; WELLBEING; THE BODY; HAPPINESS)

Principal: Mr John Barrington

Tel: (02) 4230 8500

Fax: (02) 4256 5793

Student Absences: 4230 8585

Postal Address: PO Box 130, Albion Park NSW 2527

Email: info@sjchsdow.catholic.edu.au

Website: www.sjchsdow.catholic.edu.au

Date: 19th November, 2015 Term 4 Week 7A

Dear Parents, Staff and Friends of St Joseph’s Community,

Praying for World Peace

The recent events in Paris as well as numerous places in the Middle East,

reinforces the urgent need for a lasting world peace. While many world

leaders and influential commentators focus on retaliation and vengeance, we

must turn to the Prince of Peace - Jesus Christ. The following Prayer for

Peace, written by Sr Joan Chittister (a Benedictine) was prayed at this week’s

P&F Meeting. You might like to use this prayer with your family.

Pray for Peace

Sister Jan Chittister - Benedictine Sisters of Erie

Great God, who has told us

“Vengeance is mine,”

save us from ourselves,

save us from the vengeance in our hearts

and the acid in our souls.

Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt,

to punish as we have been punished,

to terrorise as we have been terrorised.

Give us the strength it takes

to listen rather than to judge,

to trust rather than to fear,

to try again and again

to make peace even when peace eludes us.

We ask, O God, for the grace

to be our best selves.

We ask for the vision

to be builders of the human community

rather than its destroyers.

We ask for the humility as a people

to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.

We ask for the love it takes

to bequeath to the children of the world to come

more than the failures of our own making.

We ask for the heart it takes

to care for all the peoples

of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel

as well as for ourselves.

2015: GROWTH ( GRATITUDE; RESILIENCE; ORGANISATION; WELLBEING; THE BODY; HAPPINESS)

Give us the depth of soul, O God,

to constrain our might,

to resist the temptations of power

to refuse to attack the attackable,

to understand

that vengeance begets violence,

and to bring peace - not war - wherever we go.

For you, O God, have been merciful to us.

For you, o God, have been patient with us.

For you, O God, have been gracious to us.

And so may we be merciful

and patient

and gracious

and trusting

with these others whom you also love.

This we ask through Jesus,

the one without vengeance in his heart.

This we ask forever and ever. Amen

Source: http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/invocations/great_god_who_has_told_us.html

Annual School Report - Parent Survey

Parents are invited to participate in the preparation of 2015 Annual School Report by completing a short “on

line” survey that will take only two or three minutes. Please click here to access the link.

Canteen Volunteers Luncheon - Canteen Closed

This is advanced notice that the canteen will be closed on Tuesday 1st December while the canteen

volunteers have their annual thank you luncheon.

Students Leaving at the end of 2015

The school would be grateful to receive early notification of any students in Years 7 to 11 who will not be

returning to St Joseph’s in 2016. There are waiting lists for a number of year groups. Please contact the

school at your earliest convenience.

Mr John Barrington, Principal.

Our children can be very impacted by games of one-upmanship that

parents can play. This might happen when a relationship breaks down,

when parents disagree about how to raise their children or other pressures

adults feel. Sadly, when a relationship breaks down, one parent may even

overindulge a child/children out of spite. Grose points out that competition

and disloyalty between parents can cause confusion and unhappiness for

children and relationship breakdown can negatively impact a child’s

wellbeing and learning if not handled carefully. He goes on to explain that consistency is the greatest gift

parents can give their child. This week’s article is a corker!! I see so many families battling with this

problem. Sadly, some families can’t stay together, but the impact on children can be minimal if everyone’s

on the same page - for the sake of our children!

Mrs Megan Schibeci, Pastoral Care Coordinator

©St Joseph’s Catholic High

School

Licensed

under Neals

Year 12 Formal @ University of Wollongong - Friday 20th November Students are advised that pre-Formal photos will be taken in the Wollongong

Botanic Gardens - the Rose Garden between 4:45pm-5:45pm.

2015: GROWTH ( GRATITUDE; RESILIENCE; ORGANISATION; WELLBEING; THE BODY; HAPPINESS)

The P&F Association invites Expressions of Interest from persons who would be able to work in the Uniform Shop when the Shop Manager is absent, as well as a few days at peak times of the year. The successful applicant will be paid an honorarium based on the number of hours worked. Please send an Expression of Interest to the school via email to info@sjchsdow.catholic.edu.au by Friday 4th December, 2015.

The P&F also wish to advise school families, that due to a price increase by our uniform supplier, Rainer, there will be an increase in prices for school uniforms effective from 1st March, 2016. This will mean a 6% increase across the whole uniform range.

End of Year Presentations

Thursday 10th December

Year 11 - 9:30am-11:00am

Years 9 & 10 - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Friday 11th December

Years 7 & 8 - 9:30am– 11:00am

Don’t Forget!!

The Finance Office will close for 2015 on

Friday 11th December!

NO PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED OVER THE

COUNTER. PLEASE SETTLE ANY OUTSTANDING

FEES PRIOR TO THIS DATE.

THANK YOU

Uniform Shop

FINAL DAY OF TRADING FOR 2015

will be Thursday 26th November.

Re-Open 21st and 22nd January, 2016

from 9:30 till 3pm and then normal

trading hours when Term 1 commences.

Canteen Roster 2015

23rd Nov Kim Power

24th Nov Hilary Tavernese, Danelle McNeilly

25th Nov Emma/Garry McLaughlin,

Carmen Formosa

26th Nov Cathy Sperring, Sandy O’Connor,

Joanne Barker, Jodie Duff

27th Nov Mary Daly, Wayne Thomas, Nicole Roach

Important Dates for your Diary

20th Nov - Year 12 School Formal

25th Nov - Annual Sports Presentation 9:15am in the Gym

1st Dec - Volunteers Luncheon 4th Dec - End of Year Mass

10th Dec - Years 9, 10 & 11 Presentation Day and last day of school

11th Dec - Years 7 & 8 Presentation Day and last day of school

14th Dec - Parent Teacher Interviews Years 7-10

16th Dec - HSC Results released 17th Dec - ATAR’s released &

Year 12 Celebration 11am-12:30pm

18th Dec - End of Term 4

Cancellation—Hunger Games Movie Night

Unfortunately the Year 10 Child Studies Hunger Games Movie Night scheduled for next Thursday 26th

November has been cancelled. Please see Mr Hughes in the Curriculum Office @ recess on Tuesday for

your refund. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

2015: GROWTH ( GRATITUDE; RESILIENCE; ORGANISATION; WELLBEING; THE BODY; HAPPINESS)

Mundey for Senior Students Mundey has been a huge success this term as our Year 11 students begin their HSC courses. Mundey gives senior students an opportunity to access library resources, share valuable study time with their peers and collaborate with their classroom teachers as they prepare for assessment tasks and examinations. Thank you to the many students who have attended in recent weeks.

As we move closer to the Christmas holidays, it is important that senior students are mindful of the fact that their HSC courses are only beginning and that they will need to maintain the momentum of having a diligent and a conscientious approach throughout the holidays and into the New Year. Many thanks to Miss Gazzola, Mrs Schibeci, Mr Brown, Miss Boniface, Miss Hurley, Mrs Quinn and Mrs Stewardson for sharing their time and expertise with our senior students on Monday afternoons during this term.

Summer School Program The School for Excellence is an education provider that specialises in the development of high quality lectures and resources for HSC students. These summer holidays, they are offering a program that prepares senior students for the HSC in a variety of subject areas. For further information, please reference the flyers attached to this week’s newsletter or visit the Library for further details.

Book Week Competition This year the Children’s Book Council of Australia celebrated its 70th Anniversary and the book week theme was ‘Books Light up our World’. In preparation for Book Week, the library in conjunction with the English Faculty held a competition to promote, encourage and embrace a love of reading amongst our school community. There were two aspects to the competition, a visual and a written component. A huge thank you to Ms Vlaski and her Year 7 English class for the wonderful entries that were received. Congratulations to the following students and winners in each of the following categories:

Visual - Poster “One minute’s Silence’ - Holly McGuigan

Visual - Poster “The Simple Things” - Chloe Markulic

Speech - “Why Books Light Up Our World” - Patrick Ong

These students will receive their certificates and vouchers at their next year meeting. Mrs Francis Schneider, Teacher Librarian

Parent Teacher Interviews Years 7-10

End of Year Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Monday 14th December, 2015.

For students in Years 7-10, interviews will commence @ 8am to 10:30am.

Bookings can only be made through the Sentral Parent Portal and will open on

Monday 7th December at 3pm and close Sunday 13th December at 5pm.

2015: GROWTH ( GRATITUDE; RESILIENCE; ORGANISATION; WELLBEING; THE BODY; HAPPINESS)

By Mrs Michelle Garbutt & Mrs Jodie Linsley - Sport Coordinators

Downie Shield Cricket Match

Last Monday, the St Joseph’s Senior Boys played in round one of the Downie Shield Cricket competition. They faced a highly skilled and professional team from Edmund Rice College. The

boys started well taking an early wicket but found if difficult in the field conceding 254 runs. With the bat, the St Joseph’s boys gave it their all but were outclassed by their opposition and were all out for 41 runs. Edmund Rice went on to defeat St John’s Nowra in similar fashion and we wish them well as they progress through the rounds of the competition. Our team was Captained by Curtis Faughlin and consisted of: Alan Stewart, Jarrod Cann, Saxon Dwyer, Peter Willis, Jesse Stanway, Matt Gaynor, Joshua Liaropolous, Corey Dunn and Tayne Joliffe.

Annual St Joseph’s Sports Awards Presentation The Annual St Joseph’s Sports Awards Presentation is being held next Wednesday 25th November in the school Gym commencing at 9:15am. Parents/Guardians of students receiving awards have been notified and are most welcome to attend. There will be a special morning tea after the presentation for award recipients, family members and special guests. This will be held in the staff common room.

A reminder to please continue to support the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Each homeroom has been allocated a local family and students are asked to bring in an item to contribute to a Christmas hamper for this family. The response so far has been outstanding and we encourage every student to keep up the support for such a worthwhile cause. As important as it is for a child to experience the joy of receiving a gift at Christmas, this act also affords parents dignity. Please DO NOT WRAP the gifts and don’t forget you can also contribute food items that can be enjoyed - things that these families would not normally be able to afford. Thank you and lets keep up our great tradition of supporting the families of Albion Park and Shellharbour experiencing disadvantage this Christmas.

Earn & Learn 2015 Our school participated in Woolworth’s Earn & Learn program last term, which allows schools the opportunity to receive new educational equipment. This year, we collected over five thousand stickers; thank you to the many families who contributed.

After meeting with the Social Justice League, the students identified the need for new whiteboard markers for teachers, saying that many teachers markers had run out! We also

purchased a number of game sets for students to use in the Library during breaks, as they are especially popular, particularly on rainy days. Miss Senitta Hurley, Social Justice League

2015: GROWTH ( GRATITUDE; RESILIENCE; ORGANISATION; WELLBEING; THE BODY; HAPPINESS)

What’s happening at St Joseph’s

Follow Us on Twitter!!

It’s just another way to keep in touch!

Carpentry Apprenticeship Interested students should email a copy of their current resume to this email address and it will be passed onto the employer. Email erin_hurrell@megt.com.au or see Mrs Kennedy. HSC Head Start Lectures SUMMER SCHOOL Any Year 11 student interested in Head Start lectures at University of Sydney in January 2016 please go to www.tsfx.com.au for further details. The following is an extract from MHSCAREERS NEWS. If you wish to see more please email me kennedys01@dow.catholic.edu.au. Illawarra TAFE: Choices Day Saturday 5th December, 9.00am – 1.00pm, Wollongong Highlands District: Cooma, Goulburn, Moss Vale, Queanbeyan, Yass South Coast District: Bega, Moruya, Nowra, Ulladulla Seek advice on course options, see if you qualify for a fee-free scholarship, gain assistance with the application process, and get help creating a Unique Student Identifier. https://www.illawarra.tafensw.edu.au/about-us/newsevents/events/796-choices-day or www.tafeillawarra.edu.au/choicesday Rural Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship Applications close: Tuesday 12th January, 2016 The RAMUS scheme assists selected students with a rural background to study medicine at university. In addition to their rural background, RAMUS scholarship holders are selected on the basis of financial need and demonstrated commitment to working in rural Australia in the future. Around 140 scholarship places are awarded each year. Recipients receive $10,000 a year during the completion of a standard medical degree at their chosen university. http://ramus.ruralhealth.org.au/home University of Canberra: Big Day In - Save the Date Thursday 2nd June 2016, Boiler House Auditorium, University of Canberra. IT Conference for high school students. http://acsfoundation.cart.net.au/BiG-Day-In-University-of-Canberra-2-June-201 UNSW: Information Day Tuesday 5th January, 9.00am – 4.00pm, USNW Kensington. An opportunity to speak with current students, academics and UNSW staff before close of UAC preferences. https://futurestudents.unsw.edu.au/info-day Western Sydney University: New Bachelor of Anthropology The new Bachelor of Anthropology offers students the opportunity to examine social patterns and practices across cultures, discover similarities and differences between cultures, and to understand the processes by which humans organize and create meaning. http://www.uws.edu.au/school-of-social-sciences-and-psychology/ssap/course_areas/anthropology Bendigo Bank: University Scholarships Applications open: Tuesday 1st December, 2016. Applications close: Monday 25th January, 2016. Bendigo Bank and Adelaide Bank offer a number of scholarships to students commencing university in 2016. Scholarships available include agriculture based scholarships and those connected to community bank branches. To view the scholarships available, visit: http://www.bendigobank.com.au/public/community/scholarships

Western Sydney Institute: Summer Skills Western Sydney Institute is offering free training this summer to get job seekers ready for work. Courses are being held in-person throughout November and December, and some courses are also available online for anyone wishing to study at their own pace. http://wsi.tafensw.edu.au/courses-and-careers/free-training/summer-skills/ Sydney TAFE Events Tertiary Preparation (HSC equivalent) Info Session: Monday 23rd November, 4.30pm – 6.30pm, Gymea Textile Design & Development Graduate Exhibition: Monday 23rd November – Fri 27th November, Ultimo Runaway 2015 – Fashion Design Showcase: Tuesday 24th November & Wednesday 25th November, 7.30pm Pathways to Higher Education Info Session: Thursday 26th November, 2.00pm – 3.00pm, Ultimo Visual Arts and Arts Admin Info Session: Wednesday 2nd December, 10.30am – 2.30pm, St George College Pathways to Higher Education: Wednesday 2nd December, 5.00pm – 6.30pm, Ultimo Entertainment Design & Illustration: Wednesday 9th December, 6.00pm – 8.00pm, Enmore Childcare Degree Info Session: Thursday 10th December, 10.00am – 12.00pm, Randwick Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care: Thursday 10th December, 10.00am – 12.00pm, Loftus College, Petersham College, Randwick College Diploma in Early Childhood Info Session: Thursday 10th December, 10.00am – 12.00pm, Loftus College, Petersham College, Randwick College Early Childhood Early Education Degree: Thursday 10th December, 6.00pm – 8.00pm, Randwick College. http://sydneytafe.edu.au/newsevents/events Australian College of Physical Education: Scholarship and Awards Program 2016 Applications close: Monday 15th February, 2016 Scholarship audition (Bachelor of Dance and Applied Dance): Tuesday 16th February, 2016 The Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE) awards scholarships to high academic achievers, community leaders, elite athletes, people from regional Australia, people who have endured hardship, and those wanting a scholarship to underpin a career or career change. http://www.acpe.edu.au/admissions/scholarships Artexpress An annual exhibition of exemplary artworks created by students for the Higher School Certificate Visual Arts examination. Saturday 9th April – Sunday 19th June, Wollongong Art Gallery. Cultural Care Au Pair: Info Meetings Wollongong: Saturday 28th November, 10.00am, Wollongong City Library. http://culturalcare.com.au/join-info-meeting/ Casual and Part Time Jobs Now is the time to start searching for casual and part time jobs that can compliment tertiary studies or provide money for a Gap Year. Many retailers and fast food chains accept online applications and expressions of interest. KFC: http://www.kfcjobs.com.au/ Coles: http://www.colescareers.com.au/ McDonalds: http://mcdonalds.com.au/#/careers Woolworths: http://www.wowcareers.com.au/wowcareers/woolworths/home/ Many job opportunities and careers websites can be found by googling a business name and the word "careers".

more on page 2

INSIGHTSBuilding parent-school partnerships

parentingideas.com.au

Want more ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilient young people? Subscribe to Happy Kids

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WORDS Michael Grose

© 2015 Michael Grose

Parents using kids as bargaining chips

It’s been said that children are the

unwitting victims of a breakdown

between partners, but it doesn’t take a

separation for kids to be caught up in

their parents’ disputes.

In particular, kids of all ages can be

impacted by games of one-upmanship

that can be played out even when

parents are together.

It happens when one parent criticises

the other parent’s child-rearing either

verbally or non-verbally: a raised

eyebrow can send a strong message.

This type of criticism creates doubt and

uncertainty in children.

It happens when one parent

intentionally overindulges children by

buying them toys, gadgets and clothes

or granting them excessive freedom out

of spite. Competitiveness and disloyalty

cause confusion and unhappiness in

children.

It happens when a parent withholds

affection and attention to children

to punish their partner for some

transgressions they may have

committed. Callousness leads to feelings

of unhappiness and guilt in children.

Consistency is the greatest gift parents can give Kids crave consistency from their parents.

They love to be able to predict how

their parents will raise them as this puts

them in control, which is vital for their

healthy development. When they grow

up in a predictable, caring environment

they are more likely to take the learning

risks necessary to grow and develop. In

unstable, unpredictable environments

kids either go into their shells to keep

safe or they rebel. Consistency requires

parents to use predictable routines, to

stick to a known set of rules and to act

always in their children’s best interests

when raising them.

Avoid negative partnership spill over Families have many relationships within

them. Parents have relationships with

children as individuals and as a group.

Children also have relationships with

each other and with each parent, if

there are two. Parents also have a

relationship with each other, which can

be compromised when there is family

breakdown. The challenge for parents

is to prevent a breakdown in their

relationship impacting on their other

relationships including each person’s

relationship with children. Positive parent

relationships also have a positive effect

on children’s learning and wellbeing.

Conversely, anecdotal evidence suggests

that the spill over to children from

their parents’ negative relationships is

significant indeed in terms of negatively

impacting children’s learning and their

wellbeing.

Kids are mood detectives If two parents are in dispute there is

an absolute imperative for the parents

to keep the breakdown or conflict

between themselves and to minimise the

negative spill over to children. Inevitably,

children will experience a tension if it

exits between couples no matter how

well their parents try to keep a dispute

private. Kids are mood detectives.

They’re generally better than we think at

picking up the nuances of relationship

tensions.

... Parents using kids as bargaining chips ...

2

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Want more ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilient young people? Subscribe to Happy Kids

newsletter, my FREE weekly email parenting guide at parentingideas.com.au. You’ll be so glad you did.

INSIGHTS

Building parent-school partnerships

Michael Grose

© 2015 Michael Grose

Stick to the business of parenting It helps if parents in dispute can stick to the business

of parenting and don’t confuse it with the business of

partnering. If a parent isn’t getting along with a partner,

then this is a problem to be worked out between them.

Acting in the best interests of children means that we

separate the partnering from the parenting when it

comes to childrearing. This means that parents may

have to compromise about many issues ranging from

the straightforward, such as bedtimes, to more complex

issues such as how best to manage children’s behaviour.

Giving some ground to the other parent maybe

problematic when relationships are troubled, but it’s not

impossible. Plenty of separated couples do so successfully

by consciously putting their children’s best interest before

their own.

Putting aside differences in children’s best interests Relationship breakdown can bring out the worst and the

best in people. It brings out the worst when parents put

their individual interest before their children’s, particularly

when they interact with each other. Parents show their

best side when they don’t let emotions rule their heads

when they are in dispute with their partner. That means

refraining from using kids as bargaining chips when

interacting with their partner or ex-partner. Instead they

stick to the business of parenting and make decisions in

the very best interests of their children rather than their

own interests. That’s the adult thing to do.