Dear Parents and Carers,

The staff at JPC are very expert, dedicated and passionate and I have learned so much from them in working with them over these years. My grateful thanks go to all of our current staff and all of our previous members of staff who have worked so hard to make JPC such a great College.

We are also so fortunate in welcoming Dr Craig Wattam as the new Principal. As you are aware, he comes to us with enormous credentials and experience and I know you will enjoy working with him as he takes JPC to the next stage of its journey.

I have been overwhelmed by the warmth, the kindness and the affirmation of so many in this last little while. The students have been incredibly generous to me in many different ways – the Whole School Assembly when they spoke so beautifully to me and showered me with presents was an obvious highlight – but the kind words of individual students are equally powerful. They add to the wonderful memories that I already hold of my time here at JPC. I have been so blessed! It goes without saying that I will greatly miss the students and the community. You have all enriched me.

I would like to particularly thank each of you for the support you have given me personally over the years and for your ongoing support for JPC. I am well aware that not all schools are fortunate enough to receive such whole-hearted, generous support from their families. JPC is a very special community and it will always be a part of me. I will keep you all in my prayers and I wish you and your families every blessing for the future.

Catherine Rey
Principal

Today we presented students in years 7,8,9 and 11 with a range of awards that reflected commitment to their studies in Semester Two this year. Students were presented with either Academic Excellence, Distinction or High Distinction awards based on their semester’s grade point average. Up to two students per faculty were also presented with Growth Mindset awards in recognition of their approach to learning.

Our six houses also presented a Spirit and a Respect award, these awards acknowledge two students who embodied the values and attributes of their House Patron by being a leading example throughout the semester. The support these students have shown to their peers and their contribution to their house help further develop the spirit and culture within our community.

We also presented the inaugural VET Student of the Year award to Sienna Gerstenberg. This year Sienna has completed her VET certificate in active volunteering alongside her studies, much of which was completed outside of her class time.

In recognising our award recipients, we also acknowledge the efforts that are made by all our students here at JPC. We all have gifts and talents that as individuals we show in various ways. As a College, we encourage students to give their best in all aspects of their learning and strive to continue to make positive contributions to St John Paul II College.

Tom Van De Waterbeemd
Acting Assistant Principal, Wellbeing and Community

On Thursday 7th December it was tremendous to celebrate our community day at Big Splash in Jamieson. Years 7 -9 made use of the pool and slides on a hot summer’s day. Most teachers also managed to enjoy tipping a toe into the water, with some staff taking on the role of repeated slide safety inspector, just to make sure things were safe for our students.

All in all, it was a terrific day for our junior cohorts to join together with their friends and the wider school community. 

Tom Van De Waterbeemd
Acting Assistant Principal, Wellbeing and Community

This year’s theme for the Arts Enrichment Days was “Storytelling.” These days allowed for students to explore different types of storytelling by developing their creativity, crafting and collaborative skillset. Students had the opportunity to experience the world of creative arts.

Monday – Year 8 ‘Subject Sell’

Year 8 students experienced ‘subject sample sessions’ of Dance, Drama, Music, Photography and Visual Arts. From a Shrek themed dance troupe to life-size paper puppets, jam sessions gel printmaking and a photography challenge, students were well engaged. We concluded the day with a showcase sharing the artworks, photographs and recorded performances from the day.

Tuesday – Year 9 ‘Arts on Tour’

Year 9 were invited to experience the world of the Arts on location! Students were able to see the “Australians and Hollywood” exhibition at the National Film and Sound Archives where the Canberra-exclusive exhibition celebrates iconic moments in contemporary Australian film. Additionally, students were able to see the ANU School of Art and Design graduate exhibit and engaged with some creative challenges at Acton Beach.

Wednesday – Year 7 ‘Showcasing Short Stories’

Year 7 students engaged in a ‘Short and Sweet Film Fest’ where they planned, filmed and edited a short film restricted only by their imagination. Each film needed to include a significant prop – a balloon, including compulsory dialogue with a selection of specific camera angles to create meaning and mood for the audience. Following this, students engaged in a massive Trivia Challenge answering a variety of general knowledge questions about Arts subjects and collaborative physical challenges. Congratulations to the winning films of the Shorties Showcase!

Mrs Sarah Smith
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – The Arts
Van Thuan House

On Tuesday, the Year 8s participated in their Wellbeing Enrichment Day, focusing on nurturing their mental and emotional health. The day started with sessions exploring mindfulness, meditation, empathy, and gratitude to help students better understand and manage their feelings.

Following recess, students were assigned to design board games inspired by the morning's discussions and other important wellbeing topics like physical health, friendships, and cyber safety. Working in groups, they created the games from scratch, making the board, cards, instructions, and game pieces themselves.

After lunch, students played each other's games, learning wellbeing lessons while having fun. Staff were impressed by the creativity and effort in each game. During gameplay, both staff and students voted on their favorited game.

In third and second place were games called ‘Friendships' and 'Excel's Game,’ creatively designed and portraying clear wellbeing concepts. However, the game that won first place was 'Monopoly - Wellness Edition,' cleverly merging classic Monopoly with essential wellbeing concepts, receiving the most votes from students.

It was fantastic to see students engage so passionately in promoting mental wellness. We were incredibly proud of their creativity and understanding of these important life lessons.

Mrs Emily Brak
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing, Mathieu House
Teacher of English and SOSE

School Counselling at JPC only operates during the ACT Catholic school terms. If your child has recently attended an appointment with one of the school counsellors, then a plan would have been made regarding whether your child feels okay to look after their mental health and wellbeing independently during the summer school break or whether engagement with an external psychologist or other support was recommended. We will continue supporting many of these students when school resumes in 2024. Please check with your child if you’re unsure.

We have attached some information about looking after mental health during the school holidays, which you may find useful to read and share with your child. Students recently engaged with school counselling would have already received this attachment via email directly, however, you may wish to discuss it with them.

If you feel that your child could benefit from school counselling in 2024, please contact your child’s mentor teacher or House Leader of Learning and Wellbeing (LLWB) when school resumes for 2024. However, please note that any emails sent over the summer break will not be received until school resumes at the end of January so if your child requires urgent mental health support please engage with an external psychologist or crisis support service. Discussing your concerns with a GP is often a good place to start if unsure. We have included some options for community mental health services in the attached document.

We look forward to continuing to support students in our school community in 2024.

Ame & Mac
School Counsellors at JPC

The full list of Resources for 2024 is now available on the JPC website - click the link below

Parish Newsletter

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

Children in Years 3 – 9 who would like to be involved in the Christmas Nativity on Sunday 24 December are asked to complete the form in the foyer of the church or in the link below by Friday 15 December.

Practice times will be held at St John Paul II College on 23 and 24 December.

Registration form click HERE

To see the full edition of Parent Talk 2023 - Issue 7, click on the link below.

YoWIE 2024 Registrations close soon!

We’re excited to share our passion for engineering and encourage students currently in Years 8 - 11 in 2023 to apply for our next round of YoWIE.
This free three-day event, hosted by UNSW Canberra Engineering Staff, will provide the opportunity to join with young women from around Australia to create the next generation of leaders in engineering. 

If you would like to be considered for YoWIE 2024,
please register by Friday 15 December 2023

 
Dates: 16-18 April 2024
Who is the event for: Young women in years 9-12 in 2024 (currently years 8-11 in 2023)
How to apply:  Students (in years 8-11, 2023) can register directly by visiting the web page https://unsw.to/yowie 
Event cost: FREE
Meals: Provided
Transport/Accommodation: If travelling from outside of Canberra, transport and accommodation is at own expense
 
The YoWIE Program has several fun hands-on activities designed to show young women where studying maths and science in high school can take them, as well as increasing their skills and confidence in engineering.
 
We invite you to encourage your STEM educators and career advisors to promote YoWIE to the girls in years 8 to 11 this year. To help, we have attached our YoWIE flyer and link to our YoWIE promotional video for circulation.