Dear Parents and Carers,

It is wonderful to be back in the community after my time away. Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me back so warmly. I would like to thank Ms Kathleen Garvie and Mr Jacob Knowles who took on my responsibilities while I was away and who looked after the community so well. I would also like to add my welcome to Mr Tom Van De Waterbeemd who has taken on the Assistant Principal Wellbeing role. 

Whilst Mr Nic Whatman has now moved to his new position at Daramalan, I would also like to take this opportunity to personally recognise all of the contributions he made to our community over many years. Nic took on many different roles in those years, most notably, in recent years, that of Assistant Principal with responsibility for Wellbeing. His dedication to our students and to their learning meant that he continuously went over and above to support students and families in working through difficulties and finding ways to meet individual needs. Nic is a very reflective leader who, when faced with a problem, spends time carefully thinking through how it could best be solved. With students, this meant that he often suggested innovative solutions which showed how well he knew that individual student and that he was intensely concerned with helping them work through whatever the problem was and find a positive path forward. Many of you will have experienced this with Nic as you worked through some difficult situations together. He is also a very strategic thinker who made great contributions to our whole-school development. We will all miss him greatly. I wish him every success in his new role and the next phase of his journey as well as my gratitude for all that he has brought us as a College.

Term 4

The term has begun very positively. Students have returned and are working very productively. As you are aware, we are focusing on ensuring that the standard of uniform is very high in these first few weeks and it has been wonderful to see students responding positively to this. 

We have also formally commenced our Commendation Scheme leading to the awarding of the Spirit Cup at the end of the year to the winning House. Our Year 12 Student Leadership Team and our staff wellbeing team have worked together to refine and finalise this and our students are very excited by it. Individual students receive commendations from staff if they demonstrate behaviour which is above and beyond expectations. Houses can also win points. We formally launched the scheme this week and the first opportunity for Houses to earn points was the singing practice for our College Song in preparation for our Feast Day and 10 Year Anniversary Mass. I would have to say that it was a great success – not only in the way the students sang but in the fun we all had! Needless to say, there are more House points up for grabs in the actual House attendance, participation, and singing at the Mass itself.

Another associated innovation is the introduction of Affirmations for students. Staff will award these to students who are making very real efforts to meet College expectations. These will not be counted in the Commendations scheme but will serve as encouragement for students to continue to strive towards commendations.

Finally, in what can feel like quite a short term, we are urging students not to slacken their academic efforts. There is still lots of learning and assessment to be done. I spoke earlier this week to our senior students about not giving in to the feeling that it is all over. This term can make a very big positive (or unfortunately negative) difference to their final results. Helping keep each other motivated and working together to maximise the effectiveness of their efforts for the remainder of the term is crucial. I know that as parents and carers, you will also be encouraging them to persevere until their final exam is completed. 

We are all looking forward to Feast Day and 10 Year celebrations. We are delighted to see that our students appear to be very committed to attending the great community building day. It is always a very special day but made even more so tomorrow by the extra features that we will have organised for to mark our 10 years.
 

Catherine Rey

On Wednesday, the JPC Youth Ministry Team and some of our Active Volunteering students assisted in running a beautiful retreat day for the Year 6 students at Holy Spirit Primary School. 

Alongside the Catholic Education RE team, our amazing group of students led the Year 6’s through a number of games and activities that centred around the theme ‘journey with Jesus’. Our students showed immense vulnerability on the day with some stepping up to share their own experiences of finding faith amidst challenging times and how they have come to know the love that God has for them. In a special way, these students were able to encourage the Year 6’s to seek out the trusted voices in their lives that guide them in the right direction, and invited them to think that maybe Jesus can be a guiding light and trusted voice for them too. Our team spoke especially into the challenge of transitioning to high school - a place often filled with a lot of other voices telling them who to be, what to do, and what to like. But as incredible witnesses of hope, our JPC students showed other young people that it is possible have found that one trusted voice amidst all the others, and that living an often counter-cultural life of faith is something that has filled them with great joy and hope of what lies ahead on their own journeys. 

Visit - Facebook to view the story

Bree Kuhn
JPC Youth Minister

Our talented dancers have been working extremely hard and were excited to showcase their dedication and hardwork on Thursday 19^th of October at Dance Festival. This was held at the Canberra Theatre, providing an amazing performance opportunity for our students. We also organised a dress rehearsal earlier this week, offering the school a glimpse of the incredible talent within our community.

In the lead-up to the festival, we're excited to share an article featuring our very own year 12 dance student, Tristan Penfold, on Rioact. This article provides a wonderful glimpse into the vibrant dance culture here at JPC and highlights the enthusiasm and passion our students bring to the stage.

You can read the article here

Thank you for your ongoing support with Dance here at JPC,

Ms Haynes and Ms Dowling

Students going into Year 9 or Year 10 in 2024 will receive an email this week, advising them of their allocated electives for 2024. Students will be given the opportunity to request a change for 2 of the 4 subjects (one each semester) by using the form attached to their email.

They will have 2 weeks to request any change. Changes can only be made if there is space available to do so. Students will find out if their request has been successful at the commencement of the new school year in 2024.

Please encourage your children to request their changes now, as changes will not be made after the deadline. If students are happy with their allocation, no response is required.

Thank you

The following are important dates for the end of Semester 2023

*Please note a change of time from the Senior Handbook.

*Please ensure all school resources (English books, etc.) are returned on or before 16 November.

The following are important dates regarding assessment

•  Appeals only take place after all avenues of review within the Faculty have been exhausted. Timeframes are strictly adhered to. Refer to Senior Studies Moodle page for the ‘Senior Assessment Policy’ and the BSSS ‘Your Rights to appeal’. http://www.bsss.act.edu.au/information_for_students/your_rights_to_appeal
• The BSSS will release student task results, final Unit and Course Scores, including ranking and z-scores through each students’ BSSS Profiles Online. Please ensure that you have access. http://www.bsss.act.edu.au/information_for_students/profiles_online
• ALL Year 12 students must pick up their certificates in person. Written authority by the student naming a responsible adult to pick up certificates in their absence must be personally signed by the student and given to Mrs Garvie prior to the House and School Farewell on Thursday 16^th of November. Any certificates not picked up will be returned to the BSSS in February.**
• Students in Year 11 will be issued with an ATAR estimate during Week 1, Term 1, 2024. If available early these will be emailed through to students, via their school email.
• Students in Year 11 wishing to change their subjects or packgage in 2024 are encouraged to organise a meeting with the LLWB- Senior Studies during weeks 18-20.

Are you Leaving JPC at the end of 2023?

Did you miss the Duke of Edinburgh Award Information Evening?

The presentation is now available here

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Adam McDonnell - adam.mcdonnell@cg.catholic.edu.au

On the back of the success of the previous Carpentry Careers evenings, Master Builders ACT will be hosting the event again this October. This will take place on Thursday 26 October from 4.30 pm onwards at MBA Fyshwick. 

In line with our last event, the purpose is to promote a carpentry career in the construction industry, provide a tour of the MBA’s training facilities and connect prospective candidates with employers looking to recruit apprentices. This is a registered event free of charge to attendees, for both prospective carpentry apprentices and their parents.

The format will run as follows:

Section 1: Careers Presentation Session (ALL ATTENDEES) – approximately 30 minutes

A presentation outlining what a carpentry apprenticeship looks like, and career progression opportunities.

Section 2A: Employer Networking Session in Workshop, combined with Workshop Tour (POTENTIAL APPRENTICES ONLY)

An opportunity for employers to meet with prospective carpentry apprentices and discuss the next steps in a career in construction. Employers will showcase and promote their business with the aim to recruit a carpentry apprentice.  At the same time, the prospective apprentices will be given access to the workshop and will meet our trainers while they showcase projects and demonstrate tools and equipment used in carpentry and construction.  Based on earlier events, several attendees may be interested in work experience and / or a school-based apprenticeship (ASBA).

Section 2B: Parents Q&A Session (PARENTS ONLY)

While prospective apprentices are meeting with employers, parents will have the opportunity to have a Q&A session with a panel including a representative of Sarina Russo, MBA staff, a graduate carpentry student and an industry employer of carpenters. 

Attendees must register online

• DATE: Thursday 26 October 2023
• TIME: 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
• VENUE: Master Builders ACT, 1 Iron Knob Street Fyshwick
• COST: This session is free to attend, with registrations essential below.

Parish Newsletter

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

The next PERKS Parenting Seminar covers disordered eating and body image concerns. Learn about the warning signs, practical strategies to best support your teen or pre-teen with recovery and when you need to seek professional help. Details are: 

• Date: Tuesday, 7 November
• Time: 4-6 pm
• Venue: Woden Community Hub, Westfield Woden, above Commonwealth Bank
• Cost: Free 
• Register below