Our School Values underpin all that we do
At St Joseph's Hindmarsh students are provided with opportunities to develop leadership skills and demonstrate the school's value of service through deed and action to become
"Thriving people, capable learners, leaders for the world God desires".
We have long-understood that learning excellence depends as much on providing a supportive and enriching environment as it does on providing a strong academic program.
At St Joseph's we actively embrace programs and approaches that reinforce 5 aspects of respect.
Our 5 Respects:
Through this, we give witness and bring our motto of "In all things love" to life in our school and beyond.
We believe teaching social and emotional skills leads to positive
outcomes for student achievement. It also helps students to build
the resilience to deal with change and unpredictability and to
achieve success into the future.
We provide students with opportunities to learn and practice cooperation, managing conflict, making friends, coping, being resilient and recognising and managing their own feelings.
We embrace restorative practices to encourage and build positive relationships and refer to cutting-edge programs including, "Friendly Schools Plus", "MindUp" and "Be You" to help students achieve their best.
Identifying and recognising emotions, recognising personal interests and strengths, and maintaining a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.
Establishing and maintaining healthy and rewarding relationships based on co-operation and resistance to inappropriate social pressure, preventing, managing, and constructively resolving interpersonal conflict, and seeking help when needed.
Being able to take the perspective of and empathise with others, and recognising and appreciating individual and group similarities and differences.
Making decisions based on a consideration of all relevant factors, including applicable ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms, the likely consequences of taking alternative courses of action, and evaluation and reflection.
The school creates a learning environment where student voice, agency and leadership enable students to reflect and understand their identity development. Students have opportunities to develop the skills and confidence to become highly effective, independent learners who experience success and thrive!
Senior students can nominate and participate in a selection process to become a School Captain or House Captain, representing the four house teams.
School gives children and young people important opportunities to consider leadership and develop their skills as models for others in all year levels.
Each year at St Joseph's, student representatives from Reception to Year 6 are elected to a Student Representative Council. They meet regularly to contribute to the development of the school, promote a sense of wellbeing and belonging among the students body and to learn responsibilities of leadership.
Named after Mary MacKillop who founded the order of Sisters of St Joseph and became Australia's first Catholic Saint.
Named after Father Jules Chevalier, the Founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, whose charism is reflected in the life of the Hindmarsh-Findon Catholic Parish.
A positive way to increase personal, academic and wellbeing outcomes.
A key focus of this is the spiritual growth of the children in our school community. We invite every student to participate in a range of activities to develop and promote their spiritual wellbeing.
Faith Formation
Opportunities to discuss, share and reflect on our life journey as people of faith led by staff who we support in their own spiritual development
Social Justice and Outreach
Programs that reflect the charism of St Mary MacKillop and the religious order she founded, the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Liturgies, Masses and Celebrations
Participation in Liturgy, at the Parish, School and class levels.
Sacramental program and celebrations within the Hindmarsh-Findon Parish.
Family Masses, held for the families in our community.
Religious Education
Following the Crossways Curriculum, developed by Catholic Education of South Australia (CESA).
This includes 'Made in the Image of God', a program focussed on family life, human sexuality and development.
We are committed to out shared responsibility for the care of God's creation - people and planet. Our focus on Education for Sustainability (EfS) aligns with the Papal document, 'Laudato Si' and we actively involve the St Joseph's School community in ecological conversion and sustainability.
Integral to our approach are our Environmental Warriors. These passionate students make a difference by helping our school community to deepen our understanding of environmentally sustainable ways of thinking and living.
Reducing Waste and Landfill
Through 'nude food' promotions and banning plastic straws and minimising landfill through composting, recycling and improving our resource management system.
Improving Biodiversity
Bringing back the butterflies, bees and frogs to our greenspaces.
Reducing our carbon footprint by growing fruit and vegetables in our orchard and gardens.
Deepening Partnerships
With strategic partners, including the National Management Education Unit of Catholic Education of South Australia and the Australian Association for Environmental Education SA chapter.
