St Joey's great start to the year

New Staff welcomed in

Smiling faces as students returned for their first day highlighted a successful start to the year. Picture: Contributed

THE staff at St Joseph's School have worked very hard to prepare themselves and the school for the school year.

Last week during their planning and preparation meetings, they completed a number of professional development programs on classroom management, Visible Learning, reading improvement, student protection and the Mercy Charism.

The key message from principal Andrew Kendall to all St Joseph's School staff is: "Be the best you can be so that every student has the opportunity to be the best they can be”.

Much work has been completed by the staff to create supportive, stimulating learning environments which promote curiosity, creativity, a sense of reflection and a desire to be an active participant in the learning process.

Over the holiday period the school also made some major improvements to the school's infrastructure including upgrades to classrooms to address sound and glare issues while other areas were shaded and paved to create more useable spaces for students and teachers alike.

The Art room was renovated in the Middle School and a room on each campus has been renovated to create dedicated Technology and Robotics teaching spaces.

New staff at St Joseph's. Picture: Contributed

New staff

ST JOSEPH'S School is very pleased to introduce the following new teachers who have joined the school this year. All bring experience, enthusiasm and a passion for teaching.

They also strengthen the leadership at the school.

Mrs Brooke Butson an experienced and successful Biology and Science teacher who has held a number of Middle Leadership positions at Somerset College on the Gold Coast.

She will be teaching Year 11/12 Biology and Science and is Acting Head of Curriculum (Science & Home Economics) for 2019.

Brooke's qualifications include a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education: Career Guidance and Counselling. She also has strong pastoral care and student well-being experience.

Mrs Lisa McPherson has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Chemistry and worked for nearly a decade as an Analytical Chemist in Research and Development at a major pharmaceutical company before completing a Graduate Diploma of Education and becoming a teacher.

Her love of science and chemistry is reflected in the many awards she has received and academic publications she has written.

Lisa comes to us highly recommended from Sandgate High School where she led many initiatives to develop student learning and leadership in Science. Lisa will be teaching Year 11/12 Chemistry, Science and Maths.

Mrs Courtney Law grew up in Ballandean and graduated as a teacher with a Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education degree from the University of Queensland in 2018.

She loves her football (soccer) and will be teaching Health and Physical Education and Maths.

Mrs Courtenay Mason returns to St Joseph's to develop our Visual Arts curriculum having worked here as a Humanities teacher in 2017.

She is excited to be back and share her passion for art.

New deputy principal

MATTHEW Brown is the acting deputy principal for 2019. Matthew brings a wealth of experience with him having worked at a number of schools, including St Joseph's School, as a teacher and Middle Leader in a variety of curriculum, pastoral and sport positions.

He will have responsibility for the leadership of the Secondary Campus at St Joseph's and the leadership of key programs across P-12.

We look forward to watching the staff and students they flourish.

Originally published as St Joey's great start to the year