A message from the Principal

When I meet former students and talk about the school, a common observation is of the enormous range of opportunities that boys have at St Joseph’s today. One area where opportunities continue to grow is in overseas immersion experiences.

Once again this year our students have been involved in the Victorian Young Leaders to China program with students spending six weeks living and studying in China. Later this year, we will have a group involved in the Victorian Young Leaders to India program with a small group of Year 9 students spending three weeks on the sub-continent. These programs are in addition to the long standing language trips undertaken annually to China and Italy.

Last year, a group of 2018 Year 12 graduates travelled to East Africa spending time visiting and assisting in Christian Brothers ministries in Kenya. In 2019 the graduates will again include Kenya in their itinerary along with Mannya, Uganda; where the College has been involved in supporting education for over a decade.

As part of our commitment to reconciliation, students have the opportunity to visit and learn from our Indigenous communities in Daly River, Ampilatwatcha and the Tiwi Islands. We also have a group visit our nearest overseas neighbours in Timor Leste.

These experiences help equip boys for life in an increasingly globalised world and can be life changing. No wonder we marvel at the opportunities available for our students to learn outside the classroom.

My father trained a number of apprentices during his career as a builder. He worked on the very basic premise that if a boy would “work hard and do what he’s told” he would be ok. St Joseph’s graduates of today are also required to think critically, collaborate, communicate, be creative and flexible and be literate in a range of areas including Information Technology and Media. This requires us to adjust our teaching and learning.

The Project Based Learning model of teaching and learning is now in place for most subjects from Years 7 to 10. It focusses on developing these 21st Century skills. Senior boys are also being exposed to the flipped learning model of instruction which requires more independent learning.

Adjusting curriculum and programs is only one aspect of providing high quality contemporary education. We also need to continue to improve facilities. We are now in the final stages of completing our current masterplan. The final two elements are the gymnasium at Westcourt (under construction and due for completion in December) and the extensions and upgrade of the Performing Arts Centre on our Edmund Rice Campus scheduled for 2020.

The Westcourt gym will provide an indoor basketball and multipurpose facility along with three teaching areas. The Performing Arts Centre extension will expand and upgrade the centre from its current 260 to 350 seat capacity. There is a lovely synergy to these final two projects providing opportunities for both sporting and music drama activities.

Earlier this year we were delighted to welcome Bishop Mark Edwards (OMI) to the College to formally open and bless the Peter Chanel Centre containing Music and

Science facilities and nine classrooms. Bishop Mark was joined by Chanel Old Collegian Fr Kevin Bates, a first day Chanel student. The Bates family have been closely connected both with Chanel and St Joseph’s with Kevin’s brother Phil having taught at both schools for lengthy periods. It is fitting to recognise the role of Chanel College in providing Catholic education in Geelong with the naming of this building.

One important measure of success each year is our VCE results. In 2018, 13% of our VCE students achieved an ATAR of above 90. The mean ATAR was 66.86, up from 66.45 in 2017. Improving the mean ATAR indicates we are providing more boys with access to a wider choice of tertiary courses should they choose to pursue a university course of study. 91% of our 2018 Year 12 boys were offered a place in a tertiary institution in the first round of VTAC offers. 72 of these were at Deakin University. The most popular courses were in areas of sport and engineering.

Dux of the College, Ricky Ivelja having achieved an ATAR of 99.3, Charlie Roach (Biology) and Pat Richards (Legal Studies) achieved perfect scores of 50. These students and all other award recipients were recognised at our awards ceremony at which we were delighted to welcome back Nick Maxwell as our guest speaker and presenter. In the most recent Ad Alta, I outlined plans for an organisational redesign of the College structure. This new structure including sub schools commenced this year and is helping ensure that every boy is well known, well cared for and has the opportunity to feel part of the College.

Year 7 and 8 are now “Waterford”, Year 9 “Westcourt” at our Herne Hill Campus and our senior boys are “Mt Sion”. Boys at Mt Sion now belong to Butler, Brophy, Jordan or Foley House rather than a year level. The naming of the sub schools reflects our Christian Brothers heritage with Westcourt Edmund Rice’s birthplace and Waterford the site of his first school named Mt Sion.

Throughout its 84 years of educating young men St Joseph’s has helped prepare graduates to make their way in the world beyond school. At its simplest level this means that graduates depart with the “three Rs”, work ethic and a certificate. On a deeper level however, they leave with something far more important; a capacity and willingness to make the world a better place by the way they live their lives.

Tony

College Principal