In our calendar, this is the most important liturgical time of the year, where on Sunday we celebrate our Lord’s rising from the dead. However, before we get to the joy of the resurrection, first we must encounter Jesus through the agony of his betrayal and denial, his suffering, crucifixion and death. We remember that Jesus died for all of humanity, so that we might have life.

As we come to the end of Holy Week, I am conscious that you will receive this newsletter on Holy Thursday afternoon or evening. This is the night that Jesus gathers the disciples in the upper room, he predicts the betrayal, and yet he celebrates with his friends and institutes the Eucharist – the first sacred meal. He blesses and breaks the bread and gives it to his friends, he offers the wine and gives it to them to drink. His body and blood become for us our spiritual meal. We commemorate this every time we gather to profess our faith, to worship as one, and to participate in the Eucharist.

Every one of us can perhaps call to mind our own moments where our friends might have let us down, where we have experienced much loneliness and perhaps fear, and we have endured our own nights of torture. Perhaps we can identify with Our Lady, who waited by the Cross. And maybe we can also relate to our own Easter times in our lives where new birth arrives, and we gladly rejoice. All of this and more, is reason for us to remember that the Christian story is ultimately one of hope. We remain an Easter people.

I wish all families a happy and holy Easter.

RESPECT

Aretha Franklin famously sang about it. I am sure that our students are well versed in the fact that our College has only three attitudes of behaviour that we call behaviour norms. These are: respect yourself, respect others, and respect the environment. I think these are a neat encapsulation of all that is necessary for a calm, well-ordered learning environment. Respect speaks to our core values of justice, peace, and courage. I would hope that our students are well informed about how we best animate these three fundamentals of respect.

I have noticed that increasingly, many agencies, shops and commercial organisations now have signs that remind customers and clients about respect, and announce a zero tolerance approach to abusive and threatening behaviour and language. Often, when calling an organisation on the phone, this announcement will form part of the triage process before speaking to a real person! My local post office has this sign:

 I used to wonder what precipitated the need for these announcements and warnings, but I guess it is because the incidence of abuse aimed at staff is very much on the rise, and people cannot refrain from demonstrating their intolerance, impatience and disrespect. At our College, similarly, we cannot accept abusive behaviour or language, or intimidating emails or phone calls. I remind all parents and students, that like hospitals, post offices and other agencies, we will not respond to, nor tolerate language, or behaviour that intimidates, threatens or disrespects staff.

I like to think that as Catholics, we afford one another the inherent dignity and respect afforded all humanity, and we treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves. In both the Gospel of Matthew (7:12) and Luke (6:31) we have the Golden Rule from where this mutuality comes: “In everything do to others what you would have them to you, for this is the law and the prophets.”

Dr Craig Wattam
Principal

Arts Up Front

At JPC, when students study Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts or Photography and Media, they develop skills in the areas of creative and critical thinking, collaboration, and effective communication skills while developing new friendships. Additionally, these subjects begin developing realistic and essential workplace skills like problem-solving, innovation, self-management and positive self-esteem.

Arts in the classroom:

Dance – Students in Years 8 – 12 studying Dance this term have been exposed to different dance styles like hip-hop, contemporary and vogueing. Dance lessons have required students to not only learn choreography reflective of a particular style, but also compose their own performances demonstrating technique.

Drama – Drama has seen students in Year 7 develop and refine physical theatre skills by learning about different practitioners to devise their own performances. In Years 9 – 12, Drama students are exploring the historical and contextual influences that have shaped the world of theatre to inspire their own unique performances.

Music – Music students have been busy mastering their musicianship across a range of instrumentation. From Introductory Music in Year 7 to Year 9 – 12 students ‘mastering their craft’ and College Bands, Music students have a hands-on approach to their learning.

Photography – Students in Year 9 – 12 studying Photography have been exploring how to manipulate images to reflect particular themes. By using the SLR cameras, students have been manipulating photographic devices in the style of street photography.

Visual Arts – Visual Arts students have been exposed to various artmaking practices like ceramics, sculpture and printmaking. These mediums allow for exploration of communicating meaning and self-expression.

Arts on location:

The learning doesn’t stop in the classroom. This term, Music students attended a workshop with Grammy Award winning musician, Skip Martin. Photography and Media students have visited the Gunghalin centre and Yerrabi Ponds to capture their take on the theme ‘first world problems’. Drama students are preparing for next term’s performances with different industry experts and will attend shows at Canberra Theatre next term, not to forget the lunchtime clubs like Theatre Thursdays and Music Sessions. The Arts are alive with the sound of learning!

Mrs Sarah Smith
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – The Arts

Kennedy House continues to look for ways to develop a connection with our Patron – Father Ted Kennedy and what we represent as a house community.

On Tuesday afternoon, the 2023 Kennedy House Captain – Gemma O, presented our 2024 Kennedy House Captains- Deepinder B and Micah H, with our Kennedy House message stick. 

A message stick is usually a flat, rounded piece of wood with ornate images that convey important messages and hold the stories of Aboriginal people. The use of message sticks is believed to be thousands of years old and was typically carried by messengers over long distances to reinforce oral histories or deliver news between Aboriginal Nations.

The Kennedy Message stick was made by Kennedy staff member Mr Andrew Rose and the message image was designed by Kennedy student Sami C.

The message image includes hands and arrows which symbolise belonging to a community and moving with that community. The image also includes a goanna which represents being your best self. Together, these symbols embody the core values of Kennedy House – working as a community to be our best.

The message stick will be passed from the previous Kennedy House Captains onto the new Kennedy House Captains each year.

Ruth Hill & Simon Abbott
Leader Wellbeing Kennedy House

This week, Christopher Carroll from Canberra Youth Theatre led a 100-minute workshop with the Year 11/12 Drama class. Christopher is an industry professional who has expertise in physical theatre, training in Paris and working in many professional productions.

The Senior Drama class is workshopping different methods to creating theatre through physical theatre approaches. Chris led students through training techniques in varying levels of difficulty inspired by Jacques Lecoq’s technique.

Students were challenged when working in different groups to bring ideas to life, exploring the space to create dynamic images and movements for the audience.

The class is commended on their courage and flexibility to accept all challenges and experiences offered over the intensive incursion.

Chookas!

Mrs Sarah Smith
Drama teacher

In Week 8 of Term 1, the Senior Outdoor Education crew had their excursion to Kangaroo Valley, NSW along Lake Yarrunga. We travelled by canoe and camped in remote locations along the river which proved to be a very unique and fun class.

New skills were learnt, including navigating, canoeing and cooking. It was great for the students to experience this area, which is only accessible by canoe/kayak.

A big thanks to Kyanah Goggin for joining the trip!

Mr. Adam McDonnell
Teacher – Outdoor Education, PE
Drexel House

During March, staff and students of JPC have been supporting Orange Sky and their work with the homeless. We have walked laps of the oval every day to raise awareness of the challenges faced by homeless people when it comes to washing clothing, bedding and personal hygiene.

The volunteers at Orange Sky provide a platform for everyday Australians to connect through a regular laundry and shower service. The focus is on creating a safe, positive and supportive environment for people who are too often ignored, or who feel disconnected from the community. The volunteers provide a listening ear and are great conversationalists in working with people who need their services.

We are immensely proud to announce that the community at JPC has walked or run 1048 km in the last month in support of the work Orange Sky does and a donation will be made to the charity from our community.

Kathy Kinnane

In the photographs, we can see Mr Maloney and Miss Cao’s class having fun drawing and labelling their castles. The lesson was designed by the teachers to check the students' understanding of the main architectural features of medieval castles. Who says history can’t be fun?

Well done! Year 8.

Mr Gary Seckerson
LLWB - SOSE

Year 8 and 9 defence students had our Birrigai excursion on 22 March.

Students had a great time working in teams of two. Two participants worked together to climb a tower of milk crates being built by the remaining team members on the ground. Not only was this a great activity promoting teamwork and leadership but also pushed our students out of their comfort zones. The highest number of crates reached was 11!

We then moved on to our next activity, the Giant Swing! A Challenge by Choice activity where students choose the height the haul-up team raises them to and release themselves for a swing with an amazing view!

A very big thank you to Mr Michael Hanna for coming along!

Mrs Zonika Smith
Defence School Mentor

Make your performance dream a reality with Wakakirri this year!

Wakakirri is a nation-wide performing arts festival celebrating the art of storytelling and dance. All dance and performance abilities are welcome and there will be opportunities for students to take on a leadership role. This year’s theme is “BELONGING”.

Check out the Wakakirri website for more information and ideas:

The Canberra Wakakirri festival will be held in Term 3 showcasing different ACT primary and high schools.

If you are interested in being part of the JPC Wakakirri group, attend the meeting on Tuesday lunch in the theatre to hear more.

THINGS TO KNOW:

1. AUDITIONS: Term 1, Week 11. Monday and Tuesday.
2. WAK-CAP: Dance Leaders to complete an Expression of Interest form. Collect forms from Mrs Smith and submit Term 1, Week 11 Tuesday.
3. REHEARSALS: Term 2, every Wednesday after school 3:45 pm – 5:00 pm
   • Term 3, every Wednesday after school until the festival.

4. WAKAKIRRI FESTIVAL: Term 3, Week 2, 29 – 31 July at Canberra Theatre

AUDITIONS. Learn the routine Week 11, Monday lunch, dance room.
Perform the routine Week 11, Tuesday lunch, theatre.

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

Parish Newsletter

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