School Mission: Enabling our students to experience the fullness of life

School Vision: In partnership with parents and carers, produce loving, forgiving, generous and happy young adults who espouse Christian values and make a positive impact on society.

Values and Belief Statements:

• Christ is at the centre of all that we do and present in each of us
• Each student must be given the opportunity to achieve to their highest potential
• All members of the SJC community will be treated with love, dignity and respect
• As an evangelical arm of the Catholic Church, all members will be provided opportunities to encounter the light of Christ

St Joseph’s College is a Catholic 7-12 high school operated by St Joseph’s Parish, Tweed Heads, assisted by the Lismore Diocese Catholic Schools Office.

History

In the 1980s the parishioners of Tweed Heads actively sought to create a Catholic, co-educational secondary college. Through their generous efforts and hard work the College of St Joseph’s (SJC) was opened on February 3rd 1993 with 115 students and currently has an enrolment of over 800. The College at Banora Point operates in conjunction with the Catholic Schools Office of the Lismore Diocese. Great appreciation is felt for the wisdom and insight of the founding parishioners.

Wells of Inspiration

SJC works closely with its parents and the community to fulfill the important role of educating the youth of the Tweed Heads region. Our motto, ‘Peace through Justice’ is modified from Pope Pius XII’s motto ‘Opus Justitiae Pax’ – The work of justice is peace. This original motto was taken up in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II. The motto transcends the circumstances of those times to inspire each of us through significant effort in our personal lives, to establish community at local and international levels. The dove of peace reinforces this message.

The crest of SJC represents both traditional and contemporary sources of inspiration for our College. The central motif is the Cross, dividing and uniting the quadrants. The vertical bar reminds us of our relationship with God and the horizontal of our relationship with each other. The Southern Cross symbolises our Australian identity. We are situated in the beautiful Tweed River Valley – the rim of the Green Caldera.

This dramatic landscape surrounds our four hectares which sweep down to the wetlands of Tweed Heads. The environment is a strong presence in our lives and is represented by the three guiding dolphins. They are a powerful reminder of the Tweed Valley’s coastal heritage and are a symbol of a healthy, joyful and harmonious environment. Supporting our faith and respect for the environment, are the traditional symbols of knowledge and learning: the book and the lamp.