Last Friday we celebrated one of the key events on our community calendar with our Father’s Day breakfast. It was a wonderful opportunity to pause and reflect on the vital role fathers play in our lives and communities. This special day is much more than just giving gifts or sharing a meal — it is about honouring the dedication, love and sacrifices that fathers make for their families.

The Gospel reading for Father’s Day (Luke 14:25–33) tells the story of Jesus speaking to a large crowd about what it truly means to be his disciple. Jesus uses strong and even forceful language, calling listeners to put commitment above all else and to follow him wholeheartedly. At first the reading may seem unrealistic for many people. However, despite the jarring language, the key message is about the seriousness of commitment and the need to prioritise our faith journey.

So, how does this relate to Father’s Day? Fathers often embody the spirit of commitment and sacrifice in profound ways. Whether it is working hard to provide for the family, offering guidance and support, or teaching valuable life lessons, fathers demonstrate the kind of dedication Jesus describes. They understand that true love requires putting others’ needs before their own comfort. Father’s Day is a perfect occasion to acknowledge and celebrate these qualities.

It is also timely to remember those fathers who are no longer with us. May the example of their selfless love and commitment live on in those they loved.

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers, grandfathers and those in our community who take on fathering roles.

Kathleen Garvie
Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning 

In the whirlwind of homework, extracurriculars and digital distractions, creativity can sometimes take a back seat. But imagination doesn’t need hours to thrive; often it just needs five minutes.

Creative thinking is more than painting or performing; it builds confidence, problem-solving, empathy and emotional expression. Even brief moments of creative play can help young people process their thoughts, reduce stress and spark joy. In our fast-paced world, giving space for imagination can be a powerful gift.

“What if…” questions

Try asking your child a playful hypothetical: “What if trees could talk?” or “What if the kitchen table could teleport?” Let the imagination run wild and join in. It’s a great way to encourage storytelling and creative problem-solving.

The Scribble Game

Draw a quick squiggle and pass it to your child to turn into something — a robot, a sea creature or a silly character. It’s quick, fun and great for visual thinking.

One-song Listening Challenge

Play a song from a different genre or decade and ask, “What kind of scene or character do you imagine with this music?” It’s a fun way to build emotional awareness and storytelling through sound.

One-minute Doodle

Set a timer and let them draw anything, no rules, no erasing. This encourages self-expression and helps ease the pressure of being “perfect” on the first try.

Object Reimagined

Pick any household item (a whisk, a sock, a pen) and ask: “What else could this be?” A wand? A creature’s antenna? A gadget from the future? This boosts creative thinking and encourages lateral problem-solving.

Encouraging moments like these doesn’t just help your child be creative — it helps them think more flexibly, feel more confident and build a stronger sense of self. You don’t need art supplies — just curiosity, a little silliness and a willingness to wonder out loud.

In the bigger picture, these little creative moments help fuel larger successes. At JPC we don’t just make art; we make space for creativity in all its forms. Nurturing imagination isn’t just about producing a performance or a painting; it’s about helping young people thrive.

Sarah Smith
The Arts Coordinator

Understanding the BSSS Framework for Responsible Use

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are becoming increasingly common in education, offering new ways to support learning, research, and productivity. For Year 11 and 12 students, AI can be a powerful resource—but only when used ethically and transparently.

The ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) has released a national support document to guide schools, students, and families in navigating AI use responsibly. This framework reinforces the importance of academic integrity, skill development, and clear communication about how AI tools are used in assessment and learning.

What Students Need to Know

AI tools—such as writing assistants, summarisers, and citation generators—can help with:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Clarifying complex concepts
• Organising information
• Practising revision and retrieval

However, students must ensure that:

• All work submitted reflects their own understanding and effort
• AI-generated content is acknowledged where appropriate
• Direct quotes, paraphrasing, and references follow BSSS academic integrity standards
• Assessment tasks are completed independently unless otherwise permitted

Using AI to replace critical thinking or to generate full responses without understanding the content is considered a breach of academic integrity.

For Parents and Carers: Supporting Ethical Use

Families play a key role in helping students use AI responsibly. You can support your child by:

• Discussing the purpose of AI tools and when their use is appropriate
• Encouraging transparency—students should be able to explain how AI supported their work
• Reinforcing the importance of original thinking, effort, and ethical scholarship
• Staying informed about school policies and BSSS guidelines on AI use

Moving Forward

As AI becomes part of everyday learning, our shared goal is to ensure students use it as a tool for growth—not a shortcut. With clear guidance, ethical habits, and open conversations, Year 11 and 12 students can harness AI to enhance their learning while upholding the values of academic integrity and personal responsibility.

If you have questions about how AI is used in your child’s learning or assessment, please contact Miss Martin for further information or refer to the BSSS support materials.

Jenna Martin
Acting Senior Studies Coordinator

Parent–teacher interviews are fast approaching and are an opportunity to keep up to date with your child’s progress in the classroom. This is not the only way parents receive feedback, as student results are made available through Canvas once marked by the classroom teacher. This semester our Parent/Teacher/Student interviews will be in person at the school. There will be two sessions held on 23 September and 13 October.

You will need to be registered on Compass to access and book your interviews. Please contact the school if you are unable to access Compass.

We ask that your child is part of the discussion with the teachers.

Interview bookings for both sessions open on 17 September 2025 at 9:00 am and close 24 hours before each interview session starts.

Interview bookings are six minutes in duration.

On Monday of Week 9 at 12:00 pm all students will receive an interim report, which will indicate if the classroom teacher requires an interview. Parents will be able to access this report via Compass under Learning Task → Reports (the same way you accessed Semester One reports).

Some teachers may want to speak with you and your child specifically. If this is the case, you will see on the interim report rubric that the teacher has indicated “Yes,” requesting that you book an interview with them. If you do not receive a notification, you are still very welcome to book an interview. However, please remember that the number of sessions available to all parents is limited.

If you are unable to secure a booking with your child’s teacher, please contact the teacher directly via email to arrange another time to have a discussion.

Should you experience difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact Jody Crocombe for assistance via email: JPCParentConferences@cg.catholic.edu.au

The Pooch Pals Program is JPC’s Wellbeing Dog Program. Its purpose is to promote student and staff wellbeing, enhance mental health, and contribute positively to the school culture. The program operates under the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn (CECG) Animals in Schools Policy, the School Wellbeing Dog Plan and Agreement, and JPC’s local procedures. The program ensures that all welfare, safety and risk-management obligations are met for students, staff and dogs. The Pooch Pals Program has been running at JPC since 2017.

We are excited to introduce Tali, a miniature schnoodle, to the Pooch Pals Program at JPC! A miniature schnoodle is a cross between a miniature schnauzer and a miniature poodle, making him an affectionate, intelligent and gentle Therapy Dog. His hypoallergenic coat makes him a great choice for a school environment, as he is less likely to trigger allergies.

Tali is a 19-month-old, fully trained Therapy Dog through Therapy Dogs Australia. He has undergone extensive training in both obedience and temperament to gain his accreditation with his handler and new school counsellor, Stephanie Foxley. They work as a team to provide animal-assisted therapy in the counselling space.

A Therapy Dog is a dog specifically trained to react and respond to people and their environment, under the guidance and direction of their owner. Through animal-assisted therapy (AAT), a Therapy Dog can help build rapport and trust between a student and the therapist, develop self-esteem through positive social interaction, and improve emotional regulation by decreasing cortisol levels and increasing oxytocin, leading to a greater sense of calm and wellbeing. AAT also encourages learning. Above all, animal-assisted therapy helps reduce stress and anxiety and can quickly assist in the de-escalation of various situations.

JPC is very lucky to have both support dogs and a therapy dog working within its community.

The main role of support dogs (like Buddy, Baxter and Bickie) within the school is to promote staff and student wellbeing and enhance the learning environment through their positive interactions with our community.

To help Tali integrate into his new role, he has had a staged start to his work. As Tali settles into his new environment, you will start to see him in the wider community outside of the counselling space. Tali will be working with School Counsellor Stephanie on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, offering animal-assisted therapy alongside the usual counselling therapies.

For his safety and wellbeing, Tali will always be kept on his lead while visiting the school. He has also undergone a complete vet check and is fully vaccinated, ensuring he is healthy and ready to interact with our school community.

If you have any questions about the Pooch Pals Program or have an allergy or a fear of dogs, feel free to reach out to Nerissa Hannaford in the Learning Diversity staffroom.

Nerissa Hannaford
Learning Diversity Teacher

Our Senior Outdoor Recreation students (Years 11–12) have been putting in impressive effort this semester at Blochaus. Students Caelan Alling, Evan Ball, William Bennett, Luke Brasnett, Harry Neumann, Harrison Tegg and Rhys Webster have used these sessions to build the fitness, teamwork and resilience needed for the upcoming expedition program.

The Blochaus training has given students practical, hands-on experience in:

• developing physical endurance and core strength for long-distance travel

• improving communication and leadership within small teams

• problem-solving under pressure during outdoor challenges

• practising safe, responsible outdoor skills and risk awareness

These sessions are more than fitness training — they are deliberate opportunities to practise collaboration, accountability and outdoor decision-making. The students have shown great commitment, and their progress is already evident in both confidence and capability.

Well done to the group for their dedication.

Adam McDonnell
Outdoor Education

Congratulations to Seung Woo Chu (Year 11) on his fantastic achievement as a member of Lindfield U18E, who were crowned Northern Suburbs Football Association U18 Division 3 Finals Series Winners 2025 after the Grand Final on Saturday 30 August.

Well done, Seung Woo — the College is proud of your dedication and success.

Kym Darmody
H&PE Coordinator

If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument and improving their theoretical and practical skills, individual tuition is available through the JPC Music Program. Our experienced tutors and professional performers cover a wide range of styles and instruments, including:

• Violin, cello
• Saxophone, clarinet
• Guitar, bass
• Drums
• Vocals
• Piano – and more

Band opportunities and instrument hire are also available to support students in their musical journey.  If interested, please fill out the form via the link below and visit the JPC Music Tuition page for more information.

Music Tuition Form

Matthew Dennett
Music Teacher