Week 9 has been another busy week with many events occurring. On Tuesday our Year 11 and 12 students were given the opportunity to view Sean Coolburra a First Nations performer, comedian and artist. Sean performed his interactive comedy show Alive & Deadly which included dancing, comedy sketches, and playing of the didgeridoo. Well done to both Alexander Ratajkoski and Kaden Waugh for participating in the show and to the rest of the cohort for being a great audience.

Our Year 9 students embarked on their Urban Challenge excursion over the past two days. This is the first time that St John Paul II College has embarked on this excursion to Sydney for the Urban Challenge. Students engaged in many tasks in which they had to use transport in Sydney to get from one location to another, budget within their group for their meals and work together to ensure that each of the students' roles within the group were fulfilled. Amongst all of the fun a highlight was the opportunity for students to give back through working alongside the Cook for Good crew. Cook for Good is a company that supports children to cook meals guided by a qualified chef for distribution to their charity partners including homeless shelters and street kitchens. This valuable experience for our students to provide service for others and hear stories of hardship was truly an experience they will never forget. On behalf of the College, we would like to thank Urban Challenge and also the Leader of Learning and Wellbeing Mr Sam McCombe for organising this experience.

Lastly another chapter of the annual Year 12 students vs staff volleyball game was held on Wednesday. With a large crowd in attendance, it was the staff coming out victors 8-2.

see all images on Facebook

As you may be aware I am finishing up this term as Assistant Principal of Community and Development. Tom Van De Waterbeemd has joined JPC and will be taking over my role for Term 4. Tom has introduced himself in the next article, and I wish him well in his new role.

We hope that everyone has a safe and happy weekend as we move into Week 10 next week.

Mr Nic Whatman
Assistant Principal – Wellbeing and Community
Maathai and Van Thuan Houses

It is a pleasure to join the Leadership team at JPC for the remainder of the year. I have previously held teaching and leadership positions at Marist, Saint Mary Mackillop and St Clare’s Colleges and have mainly taught Geography, Business and Economics and Religion. I have a passion for student wellbeing and am a strong advocate of running events and programs that support both staff and student mental health within schools.

I enjoy being involved in cocurricular opportunities coaching rugby teams at both a school and a representative level.  I have been lucky enough to take sports teams to New Zealand, England, Ireland and Wales. I enjoy the outdoors and believe outdoor education and programs like the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme provide wonderful opportunities to extend student learning beyond the classroom.

I have found the JPC community to be incredibly warm and welcoming and look forward to being to celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the school and being part of the end-of-year graduation events.

Tom van de Waterbeemd
Acting Assistant Principal – Wellbeing & Community
Maathai and Van Thuan Houses

JPC is participating in AusDance ACT’s Youth Dance Festival 2023. Our performance, featuring dancers from various year levels, is scheduled for October 19th at the Canberra Theatre Centre. During our recent rehearsals, we were fortunate to receive a visit from our Ausdance mentor who provided valuable advice.

We are brimming with enthusiasm and are excited to have this opportunity to showcase our passion for dance to the Canberra community on stage.

Keep an eye out for ticket sales, which will be available soon through the AusDance website! Stay tuned for updates!

Ms Haynes and Mrs Dowling

The senior construction class have finally had the opportunity to place their plaque on their first project. Students learned to work in teams, create timber frames for triangular walls, sheet and plaster, create a door jam, hang the door, paint and finally trim the room with metal strips. During this process students were expected to work with a client, draw plans and accurately quote and source materials. The students conducted themselves professionally, worked together and ensured they reduced the impact on the rest of the school environment as much as possible. I am extremely proud of their successes during this project and look forward to the next job.

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

Please forward immediate payment, via Bpay, for any overdue fees.

Leaving Students - Fees are required to be paid in full prior to leaving.

Please email the finance team JPC.Finance@cg.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions.

Thank you

Are you Leaving JPC at the end of Term 3 or the end of 2023? 

France Trip 2024

REMINDER - The second instalment for the France Tour is due by 18 September 2023 via Qkr!

Thank you

Interested in your child doing an experience that lasts a lifetime?

Come to the information evening about the Duke of Edinburgh to learn about:

• what it is
• how it works
• time and cost
• impact and benefits, and
• Q & A’s.

Email Mr Adam McDonnell if you cannot make the information sessions or have any questions - adam.mcdonnell@cg.catholic.edu.au

Mr. Adam McDonnell
Teacher – Outdoor Education, PE
Leader of Wellbeing - Drexel House

Parish Newsletter

For the latest news Click here or you can view it on the Parish App or visit the website below.

Transport Canberra has announced today that a new bus timetable will be implemented from Monday 9 October to align with the start of the school Term 4. 

The timetable features more frequent weekday bus services, most of which will run at least every 30 minutes throughout the day.

A return to 30-minute daytime frequencies will ensure improved off-peak services can be provided between 9.30 am and 3.30 pm, while maintaining reliability. The increased frequency has resulted in changes to the first and last service times for some bus routes.

Some refinements have also been made to 14 school services based on school and community feedback, and to align with updated school bell times.

The new timetable does not include changes to weekend bus services and there are no changes to light rail frequency.

School packs and timetables

Updated school packs and timetables are now available online to view and download.

University of Canberra Open Day

Saturday 16 September, 2023
10 am - 2 pm

Click here for full details

October is also known as Frogtober - as it's the time we conduct our annual Frog Census.

Frogs are like the canary in the coalmine - they are an important indicator of ecosystem health, that's why we make it our business to check up on them at this time of year.

We are running a series of events to share the world of frogs with the Canberra community and have devised an evening specifically for young folk aged 15-30yrs.

FROG FACTS AFTER DARK

Save the date and get spooky on black Friday - October 13th - with a special event just for bright young things.

Make your way to Gungahlin Valley Ponds for some spooky frog facts after dark. Meet beside Birralee Scout Hall at 6:30 p.m. for a hot drink (look for the glowing lanterns). Join FrogWatch Coordinator Anke Maria from Ginninderra Catchment Group and Sally Holliday from Landcare ACT's Wellbeing through Nature program to explore this wetland habitat under the cloak (or even croak!) of night. Attune your sensory perception, identify calls of different frog species and learn how you can be involved in citizen science. Gungahlin Valley Ponds are opposite Burgmann Anglican School. Park next to Birralee Scout Hall. *Please note there are no toilet facilities on site. Rug up, wear comfortable enclosed shoes, and bring a torch.

Registration is via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spooky-frog-facts-after-dark-tickets-671249113167?aff=oddtdtcreator

More information about Landcare ACT's Wellbeing through Nature program can be found on our website (including a video and report) - https://www.landcareact.org.au/wellbeing

Facebook group for the Wellbeing through Nature program - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wellbeingthroughnature