St Joseph's Catholic College Katherine eNewsletter

Principal's Message

Dear Families,

As we move into Week 6, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful week we have just experienced at the College and highlight some important opportunities ahead.

Book Week

Our Book Week celebrations were an absolute highlight. A big thank you to Lisa and Julie in the Library for their organisation, creativity, and energy in bringing the week alive. Their efforts, along with the enthusiasm of staff and students, created an atmosphere of fun and joy throughout the College. The costumes and characters on parade reflected the imagination of our young people and reminded us of the power of reading to transport us to new worlds and open our minds to fresh perspectives.

Moments like these enrich our College culture, giving students shared experiences that they will remember long after the costumes have been packed away.

Tell Them From Me Survey

We also launched the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Survey for parents and carers this week. This is a vital tool that helps us to listen to your voice and understand what is working well and what we can do better. I strongly encourage every family to take part.

Last year’s survey results had a direct impact on College policies and practices. From the feedback we received, we:

Revised our Mobile Phone Policy, ensuring expectations were clear and consistent across all year levels.
Updated our Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan to strengthen how we support students and foster respectful relationships.

Your responses guided these important changes. By completing the survey, you are directly shaping the learning and wellbeing environment of our students.

Catholic Identity

As a Catholic school, we are always called to place our faith at the centre of our actions. The joy of Book Week reminds us of the importance of storytelling. In our tradition, the Gospel is the great story we are entrusted to live and share – a story that inspires us to be people of hope, compassion, and service.

This week the Church also invites us to reflect on the role of Mary, Mother of the Church, whose faith and courage continue to be a model for us all. Just as Mary nurtured Jesus, we are reminded of our role as parents, carers, and educators to nurture the potential of every child in our care.

Moving Forward Together

Thank you for the many ways you contribute to the life of St Joseph’s – whether it is through supporting events, volunteering your time, or simply encouraging your child each day. Together, we continue to build a community that values faith, learning, and care for one another.

Peace and best wishes,
Sunniva Antonucci
Principal

Secondary News

Year 7s Conquer the Outdoors at Batchelor Camp

On Wednesday the 13^th of August, 35 students from Year 7 made the journey to the Batchelor Outdoor Education Centre (BOEC). After a brief stop at Adelaide River to ensure students had enough food to survive the remaining 30-minute drive, we arrived at BOEC.

Students had a chance to consume their food before commencing their first activity of the camp- rock climbing. Most students attempted the challenge, with many making it to the top. Kalem was so enthusiastic he almost didn’t stop!

Students then went to their rooms and set up their sleeping quarters for the next two nights. After some free time to run around or jump on the trampolines and burn off some energy, dinner was served which was lasagne and salad. Remarkably, some students ate the salad! This was followed by chocolate pudding and ice cream.

In the evening, many students enjoyed a game of spotlight chasey before ‘quietly’ retiring for a peaceful night’s sleep.

A wonderful cooked breakfast greeted the students at 7.30am, after which they partook in the first of the day’s activities. Two groups were created with the boys in one challenging the girls in the other. They did separate team challenges, only coming together to battle it out on the tug-of-war rope. This challenge saw the girls win convincingly (with only a little assistance from some teachers)!

After such an energy-zapping event, students were replenished with morning tea, before the girls did some initiative activities involving teamwork, such as carrying items differently with two sticks and manipulating a board without dropping different sized balls through holes. Meanwhile, the boys group headed to the archery range. Despite some infrastructure challenges, the boys competed well, with a couple of arrows hitting the outer bullseye.

After a lunch break to eat hotdogs with bacon, onion and cheese, the girls went off to conquer the high ropes challenge, while the boys went to participate in the initiative activities. Afternoon tea consisted of homemade sausage rolls and fruit, which was quickly devoured. Students then had some free time to play volleyball, jump on the trampolines or to further develop relationships with other students.

Tea was yummy roast meat rolls and salad, followed by ice cream and topping. A campfire was also lit and students had a great time roasting marshmallows (some more well-roasted than others!). Quade decided that the fire needed brightening up and put some coloured packets into it. A possum liked this and came out to investigate what was going on in its home turf!

Friday morning saw students greeted with another delicious cooked breakfast after packing up and cleaning their rooms. A final round of activities saw the boys up on the high ropes while the girls made sure the boys lost another battle by hitting the inner bullseye a few times. Students ate some scrolls for morning tea before boarding the bus for the return journey back to school, via a lunch break at Pine Creek.

Overall, an enjoyable camp was experienced by most of the students and staff with plenty of activities, food and space for students to run around in. Several comments were also made by the staff at BOEC about the excellent behaviour of the group.

Deadly Science Pathways Program in Melbourne

In week 4, Mrs Karen Ashby and Ms Lisa Orcher had the pleasure of accompanying Jessica Campbell, Callie Wilfred and Rickie-Lee Ashley to Melbourne to participate in the Deadly Science Pathways Program supported by the Wesley and Eliza Hall Institute of Research.

We travelled to Melbourne, via Alice Springs on Monday and returned, via Sydney and Alice Springs on Friday. Each of the girls has contributed to the following report of the trip.

On Tuesday, we were at WEHI in the morning, visiting a laboratory to talk to researchers about Malaria. We found out that it can be found in both animals and humans. Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. That means it comes from mosquitos. We had a talk from a researcher who works with children who have brain cancer. She told us that brain cancer is more likely to be found in younger children and it is one of the worst forms of cancer.

In the afternoon we went to Melbourne University and visited the First Nations People’s Hub, Murrup Batak and found out about Uni life. We found out that there is so many different things you can study in one topic, and you can meet and make a lot of new friends.

After dinner we went to a musical presented by the Melbourne Theatre Company at the Playhouse called Kimberly Akimbo. We enjoyed everything about the musical. We thought the actors were really amazing and funny. The cast had great voices and incredible acting along with funny jokes. The cast included Casey Donovan, Marina Prior and Christine Whelan- Brown among others.

On Wednesday, a facilitator, Meg spoke to us about different pathways in Stem. She said that you shouldn’t worry and stress about what subjects to pick when you go to university. She also said that it is a great opportunity, to learn, to make new friends, and help you in the future. All of them are fun, but pick the ones you are most interested in.

Drew from WEHI TV spoke to us about animation. We got a science lesson on cell division; it was interesting because we got to see it as an animation. This included showing the cell components including DNA in 3D. The information covered their job, what they do and how they do it. We also saw animations of the different cells.

Our next activity involved talking to people that work at WEHI and they told us about their experience and what they are studying. They said they had made so many new friends, and that they are having a great time so far. They explained what they were studying and how they came to that decision.

On Thursday, we started the day at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Our guest speakers were Helen from communications, Netty a cardiac case worker and Selena a case manager. We found out that Netty and Selena’s job was to make children feel at home for when they come in from a smaller place. Their job was also to assist families who come from far away with consent forms for loved ones if they needed it.

We then went into the Laboratory working on stem cells. This particular lab was working on the effects of medicines on heart cells. We discovered that each heart cells beats, even when not in the human body. We could see individual cells beating on the computer screen connected to the microscopes. It was very interesting.

Our last activity was to solve a crime. We were at the Gene Technology Centre. We had to solve a crime about birds disappearing and then being found dead. We got to use the microscope and use people’s DNA, we got to look at different cells and tried to figure out who was behind it. It actually turned out to be a real case.

Rickie-Lee enjoyed the trip as she got to make new friends and learn about things she didn’t really know before, and also have lots of fun. Her favourite activity was trying to solve the crime about the birds, because we got to use real evidence. She enjoyed the trip because the weather was nice, we made new friends and discovered new things. We got to have a break from school and did fun activities. Rickie-Lee thought the trip was great, and she wouldn’t change anything next time around.

Callie said that it was a great opportunity to meet new people and explore more about things she didn’t know. Her favourite activity was the one where we had to solve the crime about who killed those birds and got to use all kinds of different equipment. Melbourne was fun because the weather was perfect, and we got to explore around the city and meet new people. Callie thought the trip was great and she had lots of fun so she wouldn’t change anything.

Jess enjoyed the experience because she got to meet everyone and explore other things and to see what it feels like living a city life. Her favourite activity was also when we had to solve the bird crime. She enjoyed Melbourne as everyone had fun and they got to go to Melbourne Night market and to the Storm/Broncos NRL game during Indigenous Round.

Library News

School Events and News

St Joseph’s Teacher Honoured with Prestigious Prince of Wales Award

St Joseph’s Catholic College is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievement of Ron Green, who has been awarded the Prince of Wales Award in recognition of his outstanding service as both an educator and a member of the Australian Defence Force Reserves.

Ron, a highly respected teacher at the College, has long demonstrated exceptional dedication to his students, inspiring them through his commitment to excellence, discipline, and personal growth. His dual role as an educator and Reservist has allowed him to bring unique skills, leadership qualities, and a strong sense of service into the classroom.

The Prince of Wales Award acknowledges members of the Australian Defence Force Reserves who have made a significant contribution to their civilian workplace through the skills and experiences gained in their military service. Ron’s ability to integrate these values into his teaching practice has had a profound impact on the learning environment at St Joseph’s.

As a College we wish to express our admiration for Ron’s achievement:

“Ron’s recognition is a source of great pride for our College community. His commitment to both his students and his service is inspiring, and this award reflects the incredible value he brings to our school.”

Ron’s dedication to leadership, teamwork, and resilience serves as a model for students, encouraging them to strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives. The entire St Joseph’s community congratulates Ron on this well-deserved honour.

St Joseph’s Catholic College Honoured with Master Builders Award for New Administration Block

We are delighted to share that St Joseph’s Catholic College has received a prestigious Master Builders Award for our recently completed Administration Block - a recognition that celebrates the exceptional quality, thoughtful design, and expert craftsmanship of this major addition to our campus.

The Master Builders Awards highlight excellence in construction across the state, with a focus on workmanship, innovation, and functionality. This award is a testament to the vision, planning, and collaboration that went into delivering a space that meets the evolving needs of our college community.

A New Hub for the College Community

The Administration Block was designed to be both practical and welcoming, creating a central hub for staff, students, and families. It reflects our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality facilities that enhance the St Joseph’s experience.

Some key features include:

Modern Design: A contemporary style that complements our existing campus buildings
Sustainability: Energy-efficient materials and environmentally responsible design choices
Purpose-Built Spaces: Dedicated offices, meeting rooms, and reception areas to support daily operations
High-Quality Finishes: Attention to detail in every element of the construction

Built on Collaboration

The success of this project is due to the strong partnership between the College, our architects, and the construction team. We would particularly like to acknowledge our builder Asset Construction, whose professionalism and dedication were instrumental in bringing this project to life. Delivered on time and to an exceptional standard, the Administration Block stands as a testament to this effective collaboration.

A Lasting Contribution

The new Administration Block has already had a positive impact. Staff now benefit from improved workspaces, and visitors are welcomed into a modern, professional environment that truly reflects the values of our College.

This award is a proud moment for St Joseph’s Catholic College - and a lasting symbol of our shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and community.

Share Your Feedback! Tell Them From Me Parent Survey

Your valuable input helps shape our school's future. The Tell Them From Me parent survey is now open, giving you the opportunity to provide feedback on our school and your child's learning experience.

This survey is anonymous, and the data collected is used by our school leadership team to inform future planning and decision-making.

The survey is open until September 17th, 2025.

Your participation is greatly appreciated!