To the community of St John Paul II College,

Today the Church celebrates the solemnity of the Apostles St Peter and St Paul honouring the martyrdom of these men as a result of their deep faith. St Peter and St Paul are pivotal figures in the early Church, both having played crucial roles in spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ and laying the foundations of the Christian faith.

St Peter, originally a fisherman named Simon, was called by Jesus to be a "fisher of men." He is recognised as the leader of the apostles and the first Pope. His unwavering faith, despite his human weaknesses and moments of doubt, is a testament to the power of repentance and the grace of God. Peter's leadership and his role in establishing the early Church in Rome are especially commemorated on this day.

Saint Paul, once a fierce persecutor of Christians known as Saul, experienced a profound conversion on the road to Damascus. His transformation into one of the most devout apostles underscores the boundless mercy and transformative power of Christ. Paul's missionary journeys and his extensive writings have profoundly influenced Christian theology and practice. His letters, which form a significant part of the New Testament, continue to guide and inspire Christians around the world.

During this time, we reflect on their courageous witness, their tireless dedication to spreading the Good News, and their ultimate sacrifice for their faith. Catholics pray particularly for the strength to follow their example in their own lives, to be bold in faith, and to work for the unity and growth of the Church.

Saints Peter and Paul,

Once Christ called you, you responded with total abandonment to His holy will.

Through you, the Church was founded and began to grow. Please pray for me, that I may more fully devote myself to the ongoing mission of the Church, so that God can use me according to His holy will.

Amen

Changes to Technology Use in the classroom:

Like many people, I’m fairly apt at multitasking. I’m not sure if it’s because of the nature of our work or expectation of adults in modern society. In saying this I wonder if you have had this experience: you are working on your computer or sitting on your phone, what you are looking at is engaging. Someone asks you a question. You pause for a moment and need to make a conscious decision of where to focus your attention.  Either to focus on your device or to listen to the message from the person speaking to you. At that moment, neither are getting your full attention. I see this with my friends when we are at coffee. We are talking, they pause, look at their smart watch, and then continue, but you can tell their mind is elsewhere.

We as adults can make that choice, but in that moment, we really need to make a conscious decision.  Imagine how much harder it is for our young people, where the social stakes can be so much higher. John Haidt, psychologist, in his latest book identifies ‘heavy phone or social-media use may also have a cumulative, enduring, and deleterious effect on adolescents’ abilities to focus and apply themselves [1] ’. An article from Columbian University identified that ‘the constant stream of notifications and updates can create a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out, leading to increased anxiety and stress [2]‘. When this happens in the classroom, where does this leave learning?

Cognitive Load Theory, which is the basis of our Catalyst teaching philosophy, identifies that students learn best when they are focussed only on the information being presented to them. In class, teachers plan lessons with guided notes or cloze passages and our classrooms aren’t overly decorated. This ensures we are not providing additional distractions from the learning that is happening. However, at the same time, students are distracted by what is in their pocket or the device in front of them.  If we are going to give our students the best chance to learn, we need to provide guidance and a bold statement about the role of technology. As such we are making some changes in the coming years for students at the College.

Firstly, for Semester 2, 2024, all classrooms at JPC will be a phone and earbud-free zone. A letter will come out next week from Mr Tom Van der Waterbeemd with further information about this decision. This means that all phones must be in lockers (not pockets) between 8.55am and 3.35pm. We are asking all students and families' support to ensure classrooms are for learning, lunchtimes are for social interactions and phones are for use outside of school hours.

We understand that mobile phones are an important communication tool, especially in emergencies. Therefore, we will ensure that all students have access to a school phone should they need to contact you during the day. Furthermore, we encourage you to communicate any urgent messages through our school office or via student email. We understand there will be some circumstances for families such as significant care arrangements or medical requirements that mean a student may need access to their phone. In this instance, approval can be sought from the Assistant Principal Wellbeing via your House leaders.

In addition, for 2025, we are phasing out iPads, with all new Year 7s required to purchase a MacBook or other compatible device. Then from 2026, we will start to phase in technology-free classrooms for Year 7. This will be part of a long-term plan to make Years 7 and 8 BYOD-free at JPC. This will allow our students to focus more on the interaction between direct instruction from their teachers and student response. Students with additional needs, who require access to devices for learning, will still have access to these. These decisions have been made to support both student wellbeing and learning outcomes.

We understand that this transition may require adjustments for both students and families. However, we firmly believe that by reducing phone and device use, we can create a more positive and productive learning environment that enhances student achievement and wellbeing.

References:

Biggest Afternoon Tea

On Wednesday afternoon, the College hosted a community event for the Biggest Afternoon Tea. The event was run to raise funds for those affected by cancer and supported the Cancer Council's Australia Biggest Morning Tea campaign. Afternoon tea was supplied by our JPC hospitality students and music was performed by our talented music students.

I would like to acknowledge student Neve O’Byrne (Year 11, Van Thuan House) who led the event as students, staff and community members who were also in this wonderful event.

Instrumental Music Concert

Last night the College held an Instrumental Music Concert showcasing the wonderful talents of a number of our music students. It was a wonderful evening that is the culmination of months of preparation and rehearsal and all students who participated should be extremely proud of what they produced.

A particular thanks to Miss Sharon Robinson and Mr Aron Lyon for their organisation of the night.

As always, there have been many other wonderful things that have occurred at JPC over the last couple of weeks. We thank all of those involved in these activities and for the collective effort to make them a success.

Jacob Knowles
Assistant Principal – Development