This Week JPC celebrated the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s 71^st annual Book Week. Mason Cooley once wrote “reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are” and Stephen King once penned “books are a uniquely portable magic.” 2020 has been a year where we have all had to stay where we, some painfully so, and a year where we’ve all needed some portable magic. In short, 2020 is a year like no other to celebrate the magical and restorative power of books and reading.

To celebrate Book Week, the JPC community has played picture book trivia, written 6-word stories, run the inaugural JPC Great Literature Debate and had a character dress up parade. It’s been fun and competitive, and most importantly, a celebration of books.

Special shout outs go to:

• Faaris Mustafa, Wanin Tessema and Mr Matt Caldow for their (audience chosen) victory debating against the proposition that JK Rowling’s novel series Harry Potter should in fact be titled Hermione Granger
• Jaysie Nielsen, Georgia Wallace and Ms Kat Allan for their (superior) performance in the debate. (The clear winners if you take out a Year 12 partisan judging audience!!)
• Kai-Lani Dawson for her winning 6-word story (And just like that, the kingdom fell.)
• Daniela Roginic, Sarah Greib and Ms Chloe McCallum for best dressed character awards
• Maathai 6 for the only PC who achieved full marks in the Children’s Book Trivia Competition
• College captains Gage King and Georgia Wallace for all their hard work in making the week a success.

Madelaine Keogh
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing (Maathai House)
Leader of English

Last week, JPC held our annual Feast Day celebrations, which gave our community a chance to explore the influence St John Paul II has had on our identity as a Catholic school, and we were also able to raise $2957.30 through the sale of tokens for our Feast Day Fun Fair. These funds are to be donated to the Catholic Missions.

Our students should be proud of the way they embraced the afternoon – it was an atmosphere of fun and camaraderie – the stuff or which memories of school are made.

We choose the Catholic Missions as the recipient for our fund raising, as they are the international mission agency of the Catholic Church in Australia.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10

The Catholic Missions 

Compelled by the message, life and love of Jesus Christ, Catholic Mission forms Australians for mission and raises funds for mission—in Australia and around the world.

Catholic Mission operates in over 160 countries to support initiatives in 1,100 dioceses, including remote Australia. Grassroots needs are identified by local Catholics, to give people the opportunity for a full, enriched life—physically and spiritually—regardless of race, stigma, religion or gender.

The Catholic Missions were founded in 1822 by a lay woman named Pauline Jaricot, and today, Catholic Mission is the Pope's own mission organisation. Catholic people are called to give priority to Catholic Mission as the agency provides essential funding for the Church in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and parts of South America.

"Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love another."

John 13:34

Mrs Tually
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – Mission and Ministry

Earlier this week, current year 8 and 9 students were emailed their 2021 Elective advice for year 9 or 10. The email has gone to the students' school email address, failing that, it was sent to parents email addresses.

Students may request consideration for a change to one (1) elective in each semester, that is two (2) elective changes in total. These requests will be considered in light of other student requests received and changes will be made where requests can be accommodated.

Please indicate any request for change by emailing the 9/10 2021 Subject Changes Form to belinda.hammond@cg.catholic.edu.au by close of business Wednesday 4 November 2020.

Please note that requests for changes cannot be accepted after this date.

Students will be advised of the success of their request at the commencement of Term 1 2021.

The Year 10 hospitality class made a fabulous lunch for all of the JPC year 12 students on Wednesday. We wanted to give the year 12s a lift and do something special for them as it has been a difficult and challenging year and they have handled it so graciously.

We served native strawberry gum cordial, garlic herb bread, ‘Outback Spirit’ BBQ chicken and passionfruit pavlova. Many ingredients were harvest from our JPC garden – how fantastic!! Many thanks to Megan Hadjuk for her tremendous help and support as always.

Annie Daley
Hospitality teacher

On Tuesday, Years 10-12 students learning Chinese went on an excursion, we watched the current movie “Leap” that documented the history of China’s women volleyball. After the movie, we had lunch at Sichuan Chinese restaurant, and students enjoyed a wide spread of Chinese traditional dishes. Here are our students’ feedback.

“This excursion was a great opportunity to not only experience Chinese filmmaking and culture but also put our knowledge of Chinese that we had learnt throughout school into practice. We had great fun connecting with other language students across grades and schools.” (From Maddie and Mia, Year 12) 

"It was both a learning experience to learn the history of volleyball in China and even though I was hesitant about the food that were new to me, the dishes surprisingly tasted good” (From Jacob Randell-Sly, Year 10)

We would like to share that we have been particularly happy within JPC as we have enjoyed these past few events such as Book Week and Feast day. We have been feeling more connected with the great spirit of the JPC community through its festivities and can’t wait to celebrate more!

Dimitree Bariesheff and Madison Roberts, Yr 10

Continuing our series of commemorating Remembrance Day and the 75^th Anniversary of the end of World War II, we are again privileged to share the stories of our JPC family members who served for their country during World War II. Stories which portray a generation of resilience, mateship and strength. Stories we should be proud of.

Remembrance Day. Let us remember. Let us honour. And may we never forget.

Vicki Walsh, DSM

We Remember…

Captain Hugh Simmons (Grandfather of Mrs Belinda Hammond)

Hugh enlisted at the outbreak of WWII as a Lieutenant and was field promoted to Captain during the war. Hugh was a Prisoner of War in a Thailand POW Camp. After the war, Hugh returned home and discharged from the Army. At his wedding, his Best Man made a speech. In that speech, he told a story of the walk from their POW camp to the railroad they were building. As they were only given a cup of rice a day to live on, the men were very weak and if they fell at any stage, they were left on the side of the road or at the railway to die. On that walk, one of Hugh’s men fell. Hugh, in his own weakened state, picked the man up over his shoulder and carried him the rest of the way. That man survived to come home at the end of the war. The man who fell was the Best Man at Hugh’s wedding. He The Best Man said he owed his life, his children and his grandchildren to Hugh. 

 Lance Sergeant Clement William Jones (Great Grandfather of Melanie Fisher)

Clement served in the 2/1 Field Ambulance with the Australian Army.

Flight Lieutenant Antony Howard Cox
(Great Uncle of Paris, Tia & Amity Morris)

Antony, a pilot, served with the British Royal Air Force. Sadly, Antony was killed in action when his Wellington Bomber crash-landed on operations on 29 September 1940. He was only 23 years old.

Signalman Eric Norman Beves (Great Great Uncle of Rinn Rodda)

Eric served in the 8 Division Signals for the Australian Army. He enlisted in 1939 and unfortunately died on 13 July 1945 in Changi Prison.

Private Charles Hector Somers
(Great Grandfather of Josh Backwell)

Charles was an admin clerk and served in Papua New Guinea from 1943, working in the Australian General Hospitals and 2nd Field Regiment. Charles contracted malaria and had to be transported back to Australia. He discharged in 1945.

LEST WE FORGET

Careers guest speaker – Detective Cameron from the ACT Police

On Thursday, Detective Cam from the ACT Police spoke to our students about his current role as a Homicide detective. He shared very valuable advice about the application and recruitment process, sparking many questions about job opportunities in the police.

He also shared his experience and insight into his past detective jobs and talked about his very busy current role!

Thank you so much, Detective Cameron!

Parent Seminars

Y10 Work Experience

A reminder that Year 10 work experience week is on in Week 7 (23^rd-27^th November). Students have been emailed a ‘checklist’ to help them begin their work experience search (click here to access the checklist). The work experience application forms are due no later than the end of Week 4! (NEXT WEEK!) Students who are not participating in work experience will have lessons as normal in Week 7.

Work Experience

Last week, Grace Shoemark participated in the work experience program at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) where she took part in artistic and technological animation, game and film visual effects design. If your child would like the opportunity of work experience at the AIE, register your interest here https://aie.edu.au/student-information/work-experience-canberra/.

Mrs Teena Zorzi
Leader of Learning (Careers) and Wellbeing

Next Monday, the ACT Health School Immunisation team will return to JPC to give Year 7 students their second round of vaccines: the second dose of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, as well as the Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (dTpa) booster.

If you have any queries or concerns, especially if you have questions about whether or not your child can receive the vaccine, you can’t remember if your child has signed a consent form (or you know you didn’t), your child has received one or both of these vaccines recently, or your child missed out on the first round of vaccinations at JPC, please call the ACT School Health Team directly on (02) 5124 1668 – (as JPC front office staff do not have any immunisation records and so will not be able to answer!)

ACT Health have recommended a few things that parents can do to help reduce their child’s fear, anxiety and stress about getting their immunisations:

• Discuss with your child what the vaccines are for and explain the diseases that the vaccines help protect them from.
• Inform your child that the immunisations are happening, so they can prepare themselves
• Practice positive self-talk – “I can do this”.
• On the day of immunisations, encourage your child to eat a substantial breakfast and drink plenty of water throughout the day
• If your child is very anxious, you can come and be with your child while they have their immunisation.

Any students who are away on Monday have the opportunity for a catch-up on Tuesday. If a student is away both Monday and Tuesday, you will be contacted by ACT Health about how to receive these vaccines free through your GP.

Sally Mordike
College Support Officer

Payments are now overdue: please pay through Qkr! today

Thank you

Dear Staff of JPC, 

2020 has been a uniquely difficult year for our international neighbours and friends, our nation, and our community. The JPC Community Council recognises the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for you and students. Your leadership, resilience, and persistence to deliver strong results in supporting the education of the students has not gone unnoticed.

The JPC Community Council would like to take a moment to reflect and thank you for your efforts this year. As our children grow into young adults, they will reflect on how you have supported them to be more resilient, to understand adversity, to reason with the unreasonable and to learn to be patient and understand the difference between needs and wants. As a result, our children will grow to be strong and considerate citizens of our community; you should be proud that you have stewarded them through these trying times.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic persists. While you have delivered great results thus far, we all should be prepared for these times to continue. Your ingenuity and strength will continue to be called upon as we push ahead into 2021. The Council is confident you have the skills, attitude, and stamina to ensure JPC continues to deliver strong results for our children's education.

Once again, thank you for doing what you do. Your role in our children's lives is a legacy they will take into their adulthood. The Council wishes you a safe and enjoyable upcoming festive season - you have all earned a well deserved break.

Kind regards,

JPC Community Council

If you know that your child will be leaving JPC at the end of this year, please email the college office (office.jpc@cg.catholic.edu.au) as soon as possible. 

Year 10 & 12 families - There is no need to respond.

Thank you to those who have notified us already.

The College Office