Dear Parents and Guardians,
Rosie Harrison
I remember at the outset of my contract when I took on the mission of this amazing new school in Weipa. One important aspect of future proofing is of course to always hold at the heart of all we attempt, our Mission and Vision. We continue to build upon the solid foundations of our forebears in Catholic education in the Cairns diocese.
At the heart of all I administer is the core business of any good school and that is to ensure the highest quality teaching and learning for all stakeholders. To this end one contribution to this goal is that I ensure a small teacher/student ratio. All this is underpinned by our core values of humility, justice and compassion.
Each year our overarching Strategic Renewal Framework guides us. From this plan we develop our goals for the year based on consultation with all stakeholders in our local community and the priorities of professional bodies and governing authorities. To the end, a recurring theme each year is to ensure a safe, healthy, holy and productive school environment is provided for all stakeholders and that the principle of stewardship directs the allocation of school resources.
We continue our commitment to offering quality teaching and learning which draws on pedagogical practice that is data informed and evidence based and aligned with the Australian Curriculum and the Cairns Catholic Education Services Learning Framework. We also want to ensure that our contemporary learning environments are responsive to the changing structures of schooling and diverse student populations and that our students are given every opportunity to utilize information, communication and learning technologies. A high percentage of our resourcing is given to this commitment. Professional Development of staff in the forms of conferences, training, mentoring, master classes and coaching has resulted in high levels of improved practice. Financial resourcing in the forms of grants and P&F support has ensured that more and more portable technical devices are available for students on a daily basis. We wish to ensure that our academic climate for learning is a contemporary learning environment in our digital world. Our 1:1 Device program exists from Years 3 to 6.
Of high priority for myself as a Principal is whilst always aiming for academic excellence, is to cater for the healthy well-being of all students. I make it my major goal that they are safe in their environment, and safe in their social/emotional/spiritual intelligence. It is my aim to continue to ensure that the special charism of Saint Joseph the Worker and the charism of Mary MacKillop permeate the development of the whole person of all students in my care.
The sense of Mission in Outreach is paramount to all stakeholders in the St Joseph’s Community. Our active school community has provided financially, physically and pastorally to the following: Lenten money to Caritas, Rosie’s Van, St Vincent de Paul, Daniel Morcombe Foundation, distressed families within our own community, Catholic Mission, and St Joseph’s in Uganda through the Uganda Kids charity.
We are fortunate now to enjoy State Of the Art Facilities, including well equipped classrooms and break out areas, the Stage 2 additional new classrooms and Flexible Learning space have made the Library and learning spaces open and spacious – all outstanding in their function and enrichment for all.
Finally I take this opportunity to thank our students for doing their ‘best’ in all they do, our staff for their remarkable commitment to their vocation and to you, our parents, for your strong support in assisting us to shape the learning pathways for the students in our care. May we continue to Bring Faith and Learning to Life in all we do for the greater glory of God in 2018.
God Bless,
Rosie Harrison – Principal
(M Ed Leadership; B Ed; Dip Teach; Grad Dip RE; Grad Cert Systemic Theology).
