Yesterday, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a day that invites us to reflect on the paradox of the Cross. Once a symbol of suffering and death, the cross for us is a sign of hope, redemption, and love. The Cross reminds us that through Christ’s sacrifice, we are offered new life and the strength to carry our own burdens with courage and faith.

This feast challenges us to see beyond hardship and to recognise that even in moments of struggle, God is present, working through us and with us. As a community, may we continue to draw strength from the Cross and be people of hope and compassion in all we do.

Prayer for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross God of mercy and love, Through the Cross of Christ, You have shown us the depth of Your love. Help us to carry our own crosses with courage, To support one another in times of struggle, And to live as people of hope and faith. May we always find strength in the power of Your love. Amen. St John Paul II… Pray for us.

Congratulations to Our 2026 College Leadership Team

At last week’s College Assembly, we were pleased to announce the students elected to positions on the 2026 College Leadership Team. These students have been selected for their character, commitment, and capacity to lead our community into the future. Over the coming months, they will work alongside our current 2025 leaders, learning from their example and beginning to shape their vision for the year ahead.

• College Captains: Olive Odoemena & Baylen Whittaker
• Justice Captains: Natasha Hartley & Matilda Bowen
• Peace Captains: Kayla Bryant & Georgia Lloyd
• Courage Captains: Isaac Burns & Tessa Kelley
• Culture Captain: Claire Akachili

Dr Wattam spoke to all students about leadership, highlighting that the work of leaders is not often glamourous or easy. Instead, it requires hard work and commitment. He said that our leaders “act on behalf of the college as our representatives” and in doing so "are examples to follow and to seek to emulate”.

As a community, we wish them every success as they begin this exciting journey of leadership and service.

Celebrating Global Science Excellence

Also at our assembly, we were privileged to hear from Owen Hernandez Fino and Andrew Dunn, two of our Year 12 students who recently returned from the London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF). This once-in-a-lifetime experience gave them the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s leading scientists and institutions, including Oxford University, Cambridge University, Imperial College London, and even a lecture from Nobel Prize winner David Macmillan.

We congratulate Owen and Andrew on representing JPC with distinction and thank them for sharing their insights and experiences with our community.

Write a Book in a Day – A Creative Challenge for a Cause

We also extend our thanks to the staff and the 14 student teams who participated in this year’s Write a Book in a Day competition on Tuesday 10 September. This incredible challenge saw teams of 5–10 students plan, write, and illustrate an entire book in just 12 hours.

Each book created will be made available to children in hospitals across Australia, offering comfort and joy during treatment. Funds raised through the event support vital research into childhood cancer. This is a powerful example of how creativity and compassion can come together to make a real difference.

As we approach the final two weeks of Term 3, again we remind students that they are to be in full winter uniform. It is important that the correct uniform is worn each day and students should expect to be challenged if they fail to meet the expectations. Details of the required uniform are available in student diaries and on the College website.

Kind regards

Jacob Knowles
Assistant Principal – Strategy and Staff