This term, we are excited to welcome Mr Abram Wilcox to the Technologies department. Mr. Wilcox brings a diverse set of skills to our team, teaching Food Technology, Design and Technology, as well as a HASS course. His wide-ranging expertise adds great value to our department, and we are thrilled to have him on board.

In our senior Design and Emerging Technologies class, students are getting hands-on with innovative techniques that combine the timeless craft of woodworking with modern materials like resin and laser cut acrylic and veneers. Parquetry, the art of assembling small pieces of wood into decorative patterns, has traditionally been a meticulous and time-consuming process. However, with new tools such as laser cutters, students can now create incredibly precise designs faster than ever before. They're also using epoxy resin to add a contemporary twist, filling gaps and giving their pieces a glossy, durable finish that enhances both beauty and practicality. This allows for endless creativity, as students experiment with embedding pigments, creating unique colour schemes, and even adding metallic effects to their parquetry projects. It's exciting to see how students are embracing these innovations, crafting eye-catching designs that wouldn't have been possible a few decades ago.

At the end of last term, you might have spotted some posts on our socials showcasing the incredible chalk art created by our Year 9/10 Graphic Design students. In their final double lesson, students worked in teams, exploring how graffiti can be a powerful tool for communicating messages. This term, they are diving even deeper into street art, studying the works of Banksy, and examining how his rule-breaking approach transformed him into one of the world’s most iconic artists. Students are learning about the intersection of art, activism, and creativity. We can’t wait to see how this inspires their projects!

A special shout-out to Thomas A (Yr10 Drexel), whose redesigned graffiti-style JPC logo caught the eye of his teacher, Miss Allan. With Thomas' permission, she turned his design into custom t-shirts for the teachers attending a professional learning event in Sydney this week. This is a great example of how an idea can be taken from concept to digital design and then applied in a practical and creative way. Well done, Thomas!

Miss Chloe McCallum
Leader of Learning (Technology) and Wellbeing
Van Thuan House