Welcome back to Semester 2! We hope students had a wonderful holiday break and are now ready to return, building upon the challenges and successes of last semester. The following information is about teaching and learning for this semester.

To align with the JPC philosophy of self-regulation, there will be some slight changes to the ILT (Independent Learning Time) timetable and student planning.

Year 7-10 ILT Planning: During the second part of mentoring and the start of ILT, we strongly encourage each student to spend time planning for the upcoming week or two. Students will work through a planning template with their mentors and ILT teachers each week and take this home for discussion. It is important for students to keep these planning documents on their desks during mentoring/ILT sessions, so teachers can provide any necessary support.

Year 7-10 ILT Timetable: We have made some adjustments to the ILT timetable for Years 8-10. At times, when it is beneficial to learning, students may have multiple tasks to complete at one time. This change came from feedback given by students in semester 1 and we hope fosters variety and aids concentration for students. The rationale behind single tasks for Year 7 is we would like to further work with students to ensure quality work and the processes around the requirements of completing high school assignments. Please find the timetable for this semester below:

Supporting students to keep on top of assessments: Throughout the semester, there will be busy periods for all students, with multiple assessments due and quieter periods that can be used by students for ongoing revision. By Monday of Week 3, the student assessment calendars will be published on the school website. Additionally, assessment information can be found in the unit outlines, which will be available on Moodle/ACS by the end of Week 2. One of the mentoring lessons will be dedicated to designing individual assessment calendars for students to use at school. It is recommended that students also keep a copy of this calendar at home to support their preparation.

Year 11 &12 Hours Semester 2: As per the requirements of the BSSS (Board of Senior Secondary Studies), students must fulfill a minimum of 55 hours of learning each semester. Due to the shorter duration of this semester, additional tasks will need to be assigned and completed during study periods. It is important to note that these additional hours contribute to the overall learning experience, and failure to complete them may result in students voiding their classes. To ensure clarity, teachers will provide students with a list of this additional work (to be posted to Moodle) and the specific method of submission of this work by the end of week 2. If students encounter difficulties with any aspect of this work, they are strongly encouraged to reach out to their teachers for assistance and collaboratively devise a plan to move forward.

Staying in contact: We believe that education is a collaborative effort involving students, schools, and families. As we begin this new semester, we want to assure you that if any concerns or issues arise along the way, we would like to work with you to resolve this. Your first point of contact should be your child's classroom teacher (for subject-specific questions) or mentor teacher (for all other concerns). One of the easiest ways to reach out to teachers is via email. Email addresses typically follow the format Firstname.Lastname@cg.catholic.edu.au, with a few exceptions. In case you are unsure of how to contact a specific teacher, please feel free to leave a message at the front office, and the teacher will get in touch with you. It is important to note that teachers generally respond to inquiries between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:00 pm. We value the partnership between the school and families, and we look forward to working together to support your child's educational journey.

We wish all students the best for Semester 2 and look forward to seeing students’ growth and achievements.

Kathleen Garvie
Assistant Principal
Ferré/Kennedy

Senior Economics Students Unravelling the Theories of John Maynard Keynes:
Our senior economics students have been actively involved in conducting social experiments with other (willing!) senior students to test and validate the theories put forth by the renowned economist, John Maynard Keynes. They discovered that fear and greed can sometimes skew all logical economic models when it comes to the stock market. 

Business Students Mastering the Art of Marketing Diamond Rings:
Our enthusiastic business students have been delving into the world of marketing by studying the intricacies of promoting diamond rings. They explore various marketing strategies, consumer behaviour, and the impact of advertising in the jewellery industry. Armed with this knowledge, many are reconsidering whether to say it with diamonds or just pop the question with a burger ring when the time comes. 

Junior Students Uncovering the Hidden Costs and Benefits of University Education:
Our junior students are uncovering the hidden costs of pursuing a university education. By examining both financial and non-financial aspects of financial planning for their future lives, they are empowered to make informed decisions about their future, setting them on a path towards successful academic and professional pursuits.

At John Paul II College, we strive to nurture a passion for commerce, inspiring our students to become future leaders and change-makers in the world of business and economics. These engaging experiences offer them practical skills and insights that extend beyond the confines of the classroom. We look forward to witnessing our students' continued growth and accomplishments.

Nicholas Carey-Ide
Commerce Teacher
Maathai House

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of the Pooch Pal team, Penelope (Penny). Penny is a two-year-old Poodle X and will be accompanying Mrs O’Sullivan to her classes. Weighing in at just under 5 kgs, Penny loves cuddles and curling up on a lap. Penny has passed the initial stages of her Pooch Pal training and induction into the JPC community and has now commenced her two-week probation period. 

For the first few weeks of term, if you see Penny around the school, please do not approach her or touch her without talking to Mrs O’Sullivan first. We need to ensure that Penny doesn’t get too overwhelmed being in such a busy and noisy environment. 

If you have any questions about the program, please speak to Mrs Mcnamara or one of the handlers at school.

Yo, yo, yo Wildcats come to the happenin’ hallways of East High, St John Paul II College presents Disney’s High School Musical: On Stage. Get ya head in the game and get your tickets now - https://www.trybooking.com/CGWFR

A huge congrats to Cooper M (Year 10 - Ferré) who is due to return this weekend from a 6-week Baseball tour in the USA. He was selected for the Australian Select Colts team, which includes a mixture of players from around the world as well as Australia. The tour included 3 (U15-U19 international teams and Cooper played in each of the teams at different times in numerous tournaments against pre-college kids. They have travelled over 7000 miles driving through many US states. You can check out a video here. Which was shown on TV in the US and features Cooper talking about his experiences. You can find more information on the tour on The World Baseball Showcases FB Page We are very proud of him and wish him every success with his Baseball career in the future.

Well done Cooper!

Ever wondered about learning to play a musical instrument??

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