To the community of St John Paul II College,

On Thursday of this week (September 21) the Church remembers the feast day of Saint Matthew the Apostle. Matthew was one of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus to be one of His closest followers. He is best known for his role as a tax collector before he answered Jesus' call to become a disciple. Saint Matthew is often symbolized by a winged man or angel, representing his Gospel's focus on the human ancestry of Jesus. He is credited with writing the Gospel of Matthew, one of the four canonical Gospels in the New Testament, which provides a detailed account of Jesus' life, teachings, and ministry.

Saint Matthew's conversion from a tax collector to a devoted disciple exemplifies the transformative power of faith. His Gospel emphasizes Jesus' teachings on righteousness, the kingdom of heaven, and the importance of fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. Saint Matthew's commemoration on this day serves as a reminder of his significant role in spreading the message of Christianity and his enduring impact on Christian theology and scripture.

A prayer to Saint Matthew the Apostle:

O Glorious St. Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant.
Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in His Church and to follow His teaching in our lives on Earth so that we may live forever with Him in heaven. Amen. 

Farewell Mr Whatman

As many of you will know, Mr Whatman will leave our community at the end of the Term Three holidays. Staff have had the opportunity to farewell him across the final few weeks of term and to celebrate all that he has achieved in his time at the college. 

Mr Whatman's dedication to JPC is unquestionable. He has a strong ability to connect with all people within our community on a personal level and always has a listening ear, a kind word, and a solution to problems that have been presented to him. His compassion and empathy have not only helped the college to navigate challenges but have also contributed to the sense of connectedness and community that exists here.

On behalf of the entire school community, I want to extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for Mr Whatman’s tireless service, unwavering commitment, and the countless moments of inspiration and guidance he has provided. While we will miss his daily presence, we know that farewells are not goodbye forever and that he will always remain connected to us as part of our school community.

Year 9 Urban Challenge

On Thursday and Friday of Week 9, our Year 9 Students participated in the Urban Challenge program in Sydney. Students were placed in groups with other students who are not in their direct friendship group and needed to work together to solve problems and complete tasks requiring dedicated teamwork. Some of the activities include cooking meals for the homeless, scavenger hunts through the city and importantly, getting their group leader (JPC Teacher) a morning coffee.

The stories that have been shared this week coupled with the photos on social media highlight the success of the program. Students were able to demonstrate many and varied skills including leadership and collaboration to ensure they were able to both achieve the desired outcomes and also to have had an extremely enjoyable experience.

A program like this requires a great deal of dedication from a committed group of staff. I would like to thank all of our teachers who participated over the two days and who ensured it was such a success. A particular acknowledgment must go to Mr Sam McCombe who was the lead organiser and who has worked closely with our Year 9 students this year to support their wellbeing and growth as individuals and as a group.

See the report from students in the following article

Parent / Teacher / Student Meetings

On Wednesday evening, we held our Term Three Parent/Teacher/Student meetings here at the college. Thank you to all parents who responded to requests for interviews as well as those who booked in to meet up with their child’s teacher. The focus of these meetings is to set clear and measurable actions to support learning for student. There is another opportunity for parents to come and meet with teachers in the first week back of Term 4.

End of Term Three 2023

The staff at JPC would like to wish all students and their families a safe and relaxing two week break. We encourage students to also ensure they use the time as necessary to complete any homework, revision or assessment tasks that have been issued. 

A reminder that Term Four commences on Monday 9 October (not a Tuesday as in previous terms) and students are to return in their Summer Uniform. Details about the uniform expectations can be found on the JPC Website.

Of course there have been many other wonderful things that have occurred at JPC over the last couple of weeks. We thank all of those involved in these activities and for the collective effort to make them a success. 

Jacob Knowles
Acting Principal

Last Thursday morning the year 9 cohort started the day off early, loading onto buses to travel to Sydney. We were excited as it was the school's first time participating in the 'amazing race' like adventure around Sydney, called the Urban Challenge. Students got to test their independence with this camp, by allocating different roles such as navigator, leader, treasurer, accommodator and caterer among their group of 16. Each team chose a fun theme to dress up as including, Rappers, Pyjamas, Hawaiian, Spies, the Matildas soccer team, Adam Sandler, Batman, Men in Black, Barbie and the 80's.

Once dropped in Darling Harbour, teams were sent to various places with riddle-like clues and tasks to complete. Students were placed in the driving seat, having to manage their own transport, accommodation, money and food. Some of the highlights for different groups on the trip were the ferry ride, camping on Cockatoo Island, staying at their different accommodations, making food for the homeless, the clue chase, wondering around Sydney and engaging in small activities along the way such as making music videos and finding the best deal for a frozen coke.

Everything that each group participated in earned them points and were posted as photos and blogs, these decided their spot on the 'unknown' leaderboard. In week 2, term 4, the urban challenge winning team will be announced. Leftover money from each team will be donated. The Urban Challenge was an innovative way to strengthen the year 9 cohort, give back to the community, develop skills like independence, collaboration and leadership, and overall have fun!

By Tessa Kelley and Bela Koljanin
Year 9

This week our Year 9 Youth Ministry class presented some amazing activities for their peers! This term students have been investigating various Catholic organisations, individuals, and Saints by looking into the work they have done in combatting social injustices, and how these practical actions have ‘healed the world’.

As part of a fun and interactive assessment task to end the term, students created some practical Youth Ministry games and activities that symbolised the work of a chosen individual or Saint. In presenting their activities, students explained the symbolism of their activity, presented some amazing information about the work of their individuals and Saints, and analysed how these people have followed the teachings of Jesus in their lives.

From tug of war symbolising the work of St. Maximillian Kolbe in helping others win their ‘tug’ against addictions, to a blind obstacle course symbolising Marie Helene Mathieu’s work in supporting and advocating for the rights of those facing disabilities and many things in-between, these students sure can think creatively and engage their peers in a whole heap of meaningful fun - all while encouraging them to think about how they too can take practical action to heal the world…

Well done Year 9 Youth Ministers!

This week in Year 9/10 Food Technology our students have been learning about marketing and the importance of presentation, plating and garnishing. They produced their own “Instagrammable Hamburger” in class on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are some of the amazing results of their hard work. Congratulations.

Megan Hajduk
Food Technology and Hospitality Support

Fitness Club ended the term with a HIIT circuit yesterday morning. Every week on Thursday morning students come to school for some fun and fitness to start their morning. Anyone is welcome, just bring PE shoes and sports clothes.

Thank you to Michael Hanna for your support of this awesome group.

Sharon Robinson
Music teacher

St John Paul II College is celebrating 10 years with a Gala Evening on Friday 27 October 2023. JPC would like to acknowledge this milestone with our Alumni (Staff and Students) Staff, Parents, and the community.

The evening will be a semi-formal occasion with dinner and live music performed by "The Tutes" hosted at St John Paul II College.

This event is an 18+ event (no current students).

The tables are in groups of 10, but you can book 1 or 10 tickets.

Bookings can be made through Trybooking at $80.00 per person.

This event is an 18+ event (no current students).

The CE Virtual Learning (VL) school offers students at JPC an opportunity to study through an online learning platform. The VL is currently taking expressions of interest from students who wish to complete one or more subjects as part of their Year 12 Certificate at JPC, in place of a face-to-face class. This is the second year the Virtual Learning school has run. While only open to Tertiary students in Year 11 and 12,  students who join a class in Year 12,  are able to complete a minor in their chosen subject, to count towards their Year 12 Certificate and ATAR.

If you are interested in any of the subjects offered in the attached book, please email Mrs French with your name and the subject interested. This expression of interest will be sent to the VL school, and JPC will be notified later in the year of the subject that will be running. The following link contains the subjects and a description about how the VL school runs.

https://sway.office.com/32uhtLtR00HofsXq?ref=email

Please do not put in preferences for Religion. JPC traditionally offers an in school online RE Class to student in Year 11. Students will be offered this option at the start of Year 11. Expressions of interest for this will not be required until the online unit is discussed early Term 1.  

Mrs Kathleen Garvie
Assistant Principal -Learning
Kennedy and Ferré Houses

All tertiary Students in Year 11, 2024 have an opportunity to enrol in a H-Course as part of their Year 11 & 12 package. A H-course is a course approved by the BSSS. Students complete these courses at university (after hours), while completing their Year 12 Certificate at school. H courses can contribute to a student’s ATAR score. Information about these courses for 2024, is available through the following websites:

• ANU Extension-  https://extension.anu.edu.au
• UC Extension - https://www.canberra.edu.au/campaign/accelerated-pathways-program

All administration and admissions vary with different Universities.

Mrs Kathleen Garvie
Assistant Principal -Learning
Kennedy and Ferré Houses

ACT Schools Athletics Carnival

The following students participated in the ACT Schools Athletics Carnival held on Tuesday 19 September at Woden Athletics Park. The students represented the school with pride and showed great athleticism in all areas of the track and field. Some of these students will be waiting to hear if they move on to the Australian Athletics Championship in December competing over in Perth.

The Results are as follows: 

Australian Junior Club Championship

Reuben R, Yr 8 Van Thuan has been selected for the ACT U14 Basketball team who will be competing in the Australian Junior Club Championship in Melbourne during the holidays.

We wish Reuben and his team all the best and we look forward to hearing your news.

2023 ASSRL Championships

Congratulations to Oliva S, Yr 10 Maathai & Reese P, Yr 10 Kennedy on being selected into the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League Team (ASSRL).

Term 4 commences on Monday 9 October 2023 for all Staff and Students.

Students are to wear full Summer Uniform and must have a hat for break times.

Please see the uniform policy for details.

Have restful break and travel safely to those who are leaving Canberra for the holidays.

The office will be closed in the first week of the school holidays (25 - 29 September).

Monday 2 October is the Labour Day Public Holiday.

The office will reopen in the second week of the holiday on Tuesday 3 October - Hours 10 am to 2 pm each day during this week.

Normal office hours will resume at the start of Term 4, Monday 9 October 2023.

Please email the college office.jpc@cg.catholic.edu.au in the first instance.

Regards

College Office

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.

The ACT Government is holding the inaugural Sustainable Canberra Expo on 13 and 14 October 2023 at Thoroughbred Park.

The Expo is free to attend and open to the ACT and surrounding community.

At the Expo you can discover how to save money on your energy bills and live a happier, healthier, more sustainable life. Some of the activities include:

• Discover the latest sustainability products and services from over 60 exhibitors
• Test drive an electric vehicle and hear from owners and suppliers
• Learn about induction cooking with MasterChef finalist Simon Toohey alongside five of Canberra’s favourite chefs
• Get free expert advice on how to save money at home or at work
• Learn a new sustainable skill, like composting, in a free workshop
• Hear from inspiring speakers and see live demonstrations on the latest innovations in sustainable living.
• Find out about government support that could help you make your home more energy-efficient
• The kids can enjoy face painting, a Questacon pop-up, an art workshop and take home a tomato seedling.
• Enjoy delicious food and drinks from Canberra providers.

Public transport to and from the Expo on Transport Canberra bus and light rail services is free. Just let the bus driver or light rail customer service officer know where you’re going, and you won’t need to tap your MyWay card on or off.

More information on the webpage - https://www.climatechoices.act.gov.au/events-news/events/sustainable-canberra-expo-2023