St Joseph's School calls out for its first middle school enrolments

This sponsored post is brought to you by St Joseph’s School, Murray Bridge.

Children’s lives are filled with big dreams as they progress into adolescence.

The principal of St Joseph’s School hopes its coming expansion into middle schooling will help its students make those dreams a reality.

Expressions of interest have opened for families interested in joining the historic first wave of year 8s who will attend Murray Bridge’s Catholic school in 2022.

Principal Adrian Brown encourages all local families to consider the ways in which St Joseph’s will be best placed to guide their children through years 7-9.

For families with children already at the school, that means reflecting on the reasons they chose St Joseph’s in the first place.

“All of those positive reasons for coming into this school – value for money, a quality Catholic education, academic success – none of them have changed,” Mr Brown says.

“Our core beliefs – respect, community, inclusion, compassion, kindness and co-operation – they’re still the same.

“We’re asking you to take a leap of faith and go to the next stage.”

School board chairperson Scott Pearce says the leap from primary school to high school can be a big, emotional one.

Keeping students in a familiar environment until they are ready for their SACE years will give them the support they need to succeed.

In the meantime, educators at St Joseph’s will continue to hold true to the Catholic Education SA framework of living, leading, learning.

St Joseph’s School is committed to helping students become engaged learners, inquisitive thinkers, empowered creators and relationship builders.

It is already leading the state in encouraging gratitude, empathy and mindfulness in its young learners through its involvement in the Resilience Project.

The school also compares favourably to others in Murray Bridge on the basis of both academic results – as shown by NAPLAN – and cost.

Its fees have been heavily reduced to start 2021, from around $3000 to $2000 per student per year, or $1200 for school card holders, with further discounts for families with more than one child.

Middle school fees have not yet been set, but Mr Brown promises they will deliver good value.

What facilities will be available to year 7-9 students?

Right now, the space that will be occupied by the new middle school building is just a hole in the ground.

But by the end of the year it will be a state-of-the-art, adaptable space suited to 21st century learning – you won’t find any woodworking workshops here.

What you will find are spaces focusing on:

• Food innovation: from paddock to plate, including a barista course to help students into the workforce
• Science: a fully equipped laboratory
• Making: virtual reality, digital printing, laser cutting and CAD
• Creative arts: from drama and music to sound, lighting, video and every aspect of theatrical production.

Every child in years 7-9 will be given a laptop.

In years to come, further stages of work are planned that will transform the rest of the school, just as the junior primary play area along the Florence Street fenceline has already been transformed.

“I reckon it’s going to be a bright future at St Joseph’s,” Mr Brown says.

Let your child share in that bright future – pick up an enrolment pack today.

• More information: Visit www.stjomb.catholic.edu.au, email info@stjomb.catholic.edu.au, call 8534 2000 or visit the school at 1 Florence Street, Murray Bridge.