St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School (SJSS) kicked off the 2024-2025 school year with its annual “Welcome BBQ,” on Thursday,August 29. The event featured presentations for Grade 7 and Grade 9 students, followed by a barbecue to welcome students and their families.
SJSS Principal Joy Martel expressed pride in the school’s strong community spirit, which made the event successful. “We had over 50 students come today to participate in the presentations that we’re going to share and to welcome the families of those students,” she said. “We even had some of our graduates ask if they could return before heading off to their next journey.”
Vice Principal John van Loenen echoed this sentiment,emphasizing the excitement of the start of a new school year. “When you come to school, it’s like those old butterflies. You’re excited to see the kids that keep you young, you’re excited to see the staff — there’s just passion everywhere,” he remarked.
The event was particularly meaningful for Melissa Cameron, an SJSS alumna from the class of 2000, whose two children are currently enrolled at the school. Reflecting on her son’s involvement in the day’s activities and her daughter starting Grade 7, she shared, “Watching my 17-year-old show so much Panther pride—volunteering, pumping up the audience in the assembly, and sharing the fun and excitement this school is all about during the orientation—made ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ the theme song for SJSS, hit a little deeper, knowing my youngest is entering this beautiful new chapter.”
SJSS welcomes many new and returning students this year. As of the event date, over 270 Grade 7 and 8 students and 189 Grade 9 students registered.
