Secondary News
We Made It!
The last week of term has been busy and full of exciting activities.
Year 9 Excursion to Parliament House
Despite some morning rain during the Amazing Race around the gardens, Monday’s excursion was fantastic. Our students represented the school admirably and everyone learned something new. A big thank you to Steele Davey and Cat Naughton for being our parent helpers and sharing the day with us.
Year 10 ViSN Camp
Nineteen Year 10 students returned to school on Tuesday to attend an overnight camp at Trinity College (UWA). This camp was an introduction to the Virtual School Network, where they met their teachers and fellow classmates.
Year 7 – 9 Reward Day
Students had a fun-filled day yesterday, either enjoying the pool and slides or participating in activities back at school. Everyone also enjoyed a delicious sausage sizzle.
St Joseph’s Got Talent
A huge thank you to the wonderful Mrs. Nicki Parker for organizing both the pool reward and St Joseph’s Got Talent. We were treated to some very enjoyable acts.
End of Year Reports
The End of Year reports were released yesterday. If you have been unable to access these reports, please let the school know, and we will assist you.
Thank You, Parents!
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the parents who have helped out over the past year at sports events, excursions and other activities. Your support makes it possible to run so many events.
Holiday Wishes
Please have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year vacation. We look forward to seeing you next year.
God Bless.
Sharon Cusack
Head of Secondary
Curriculum News
Year 9 HASS Excursion
On Monday 2 December, the Year 9 HASS classes undertook an excursion to the Parliament of Western Australia to consolidate learning in the Civics and Citizenship component of their studies. Students were given a tour of the building, including the ‘wall of women’s firsts’ where they were told the story of Edith Cowan, a woman who overcame significant personal tragedy to become the first woman elected to any parliament in Australia.
Students were also given a tour of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council chambers. As this was not a sitting week for parliament, students were able to take the seats of Members of Parliament including the seats of the Premier, Leader of the Opposition, and Speaker of the House. Students enjoyed proposing a Bill, to pay high school students for attending school, debating its merits, and ultimately voting on its passage (it passed with near unanimous approval).
We were also fortunate to be able to meet with our local member, Mia Davis, who briefly addressed the students on her own experiences in politics. Students also participated in an ‘Amazing Race’ around the grounds of the Western Australian Parliament and the adjoining Constitutional Centre.
Altogether it was an engaging excursion where some important knowledge about our State government was imparted to our students.
Head of English, Languages & HASS
2024 Virtual School Network (ViSN) Camp
On Tuesday 3 December at 6:45am, 19 Year 10 students, accompanied by Mr Vogel and Ms Cusack, departed Northam for Trinity Residential College in Perth to participate in the Virtual School Network (ViSN) Camp.
The camp aimed to bring together students enrolled in Year 11 ViSN courses for 2025 and the teachers delivering these courses. This live-in experience, facilitated by Peggy Fitzgerald (ViSN Coordinator) and Kylie Kingdon (ViSN Consultant), was designed to foster connections between staff and students, provide guidance on key aspects of online learning, and offer an introduction to the students' courses of study.
Over the two days, the students had an amazing time, forming meaningful connections with peers from various Catholic schools across the state. They gained valuable insights into their 2025 ViSN courses, with some even getting a head start on next year’s content.
Some of the activities the students participated in included:
- Team-building and "Get to Know You" activities
- Class content lessons
- Recreational and creative activities such as yoga, giant games, board games, LEGO building, a river walk, and other creative sessions
- A virtual escape room
The camp was a fantastic experience for all involved. The students departed camp at 2:00pm on Wednesday 4 December to return to Northam, feeling excited and prepared for their Year 11 ViSN journey.
Gerhard Vogel
ViSN Coordinator
News from the VET Office
Careers Week
Year 10 students not sitting exams participated in Careers Week from Monday to Thursday of Week 7. The week included guest speakers, fun career activities, careers information and career pathway planning.
Industries in the spotlight included Mining, Health Care, Tourism, Heavy Diesel Mechanics, Law Enforcement, the Australian Defence Force, Electrotechnology and Fashion Design.
Other topics included Entrepreneurship, Apprenticeships and Traineeships, Women in Business, Technology Advances and AI.
Try-a-Trade
The Careers Week culminated in a Try-a-Trade day for interested students at Central Regional TAFE. The students spend half the day in the timber workshop using carpentry equipment to build pine scaffold and half the day cutting and building with limestone blocks. All the students were surprised to see a real world application for their maths knowledge and had a wonderful time working in teams to complete set tasks.
Caroline Marriott
VET Coordinator