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- Message from the Assistant Principal - Wellbeing & Community
- Teaching & Learning - Mathematics
- Senior Exams - Reminder
- JPC Shines at Act Up
- Maathai House Patron Day
- Senior Construction Pathways
- JPC's Vinnies Sleepout - Donate Today!
- Fire Evacuation and Lockdown Drills
- JPC Biggest Afternoon Tea - Invitation
- Uni of Canberra Creative Competition - Year 11 and 12
- SAVE THE DATE - Justin Coulson - Digital Kids
- Australian Vetrans' Children Assistance Trust - 2025 Scholarships
- Nominations Open - ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Awards
- National Youth Science Forum
- Holy Spirit Parish News
- Community News
- NCCD Portal
- Junior Fishing competition
Message from the Assistant Principal - Wellbeing & Community
This week the Church celebrated the life of St Boniface. Born in England in the 8th Century, he spent much of his time preaching and evangelising in rural Germany. He was an English missionary priest and is sometimes called the “apostle of Germany". His legacy includes unifying the Church in Germany and promoting spiritual values.
For our students, St. Boniface possesses several qualities that make him a role model:
- Faith and Devotion: St. Boniface was deeply committed to his faith and dedicated his life to spreading Christianity. His unwavering devotion serves as an inspiration for students to cultivate their spiritual lives.
- Leadership and Organizational Skills: As an English missionary priest, St. Boniface played a crucial role in unifying the Church in Germany. His leadership abilities and organisational skills demonstrate how one person can make a significant impact.
- Courage and Perseverance: St. Boniface faced challenges, including opposition from pagan tribes and political complexities. His courage and determination in the face of adversity exemplify resilience and perseverance.
- Education and Learning: St. Boniface emphasised education and the importance of knowledge. Students can learn from his commitment to learning and intellectual growth.
- Compassion and Service: St. Boniface cared for the spiritual needs of others, showing compassion and selflessness. His acts of service inspire students to consider the wellbeing of their communities.
Assembly
At our assembly this week, we welcomed John Minns who is the Emeritus Professor of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University. He is a long-term activist in the Refugee Action Campaign in Canberra. He spoke to the students about the plight of refugees, both locally and nationally, and to raise awareness of the issues that refugee families face once they have left their country of origin. Following this address, the senior student then had the opportunity to hear from Mr Minns during Period 6.
Our uniform policy is in place to maintain the integrity of our College image and to ensure that students present themselves in the best possible light. Meeting these expectations is a challenge, but it is a challenge that I know each student can meet.
Farwell to Leaving Year 12
On behalf of the College, we say goodbye (for the time being) to those senior students who are finishing up at the end of Semester One and moving on to full-time work or apprenticeships. Today is their last day of formal classes before starting exams. We thank those students for their contributions to our community and look forward to welcoming them back for our formal and graduation events at the end of the year.
Act Up
It was terrific to see JPC Year 9/10 Drama students represent at the Canberra Theatre’s Act Up Festival. It was a long 15-hour day for our students who got to experience what is expected of them as a professional within the Performing Arts community.
Well, done to all involved.
See the article below.
Exams
We wish our senior students well as they move into their examination period. Senior students are reminded to arrive 10 minutes before their examination, lining up outside the Hall in class order.
I also remind all our junior students to be mindful of their movements around the senior examination area and follow the detours to avoid these spaces.
Tom van de Waterbeemd
Assistant Principal – Wellbeing & Community
Maathai and Van Thuan Houses
Teaching & Learning - Mathematics
Mathematics @ JPC
Many JPC Maths students across the school are deeply immersed in STUDY MODE, preparing for the end of semester exams – an opportunity to present the best of themselves in our last formal assessment task for the semester.
Maths/Exam Anxiety – what to do?
We acknowledge that Maths Anxiety is a real thing for many people. One of the MOST effective ways to reduce anxiety in Maths (and in any subject) is to really engage with the course material, be curious about what you don’t know, work hard at figuring it out (don’t give up!) and be as well prepared for lessons and exams as you can.
What do successful Mathematics students look like?
It is so gratifying to see students who are working hard to improve their maths learning. From Years 7 – 12, the most successful students engage in class, bring the correct equipment (including CALCULATORS!!), do the set homework (and usually a bit more), seek support from their teachers, maybe attend Monday afternoon tutoring or our lunchtime exam preparation workshops, and they are rewarded for their efforts with increased confidence in class that allows their brain to relax, and learn.
Mathematics Reports – break down the jargon!
Many parents ask me questions around the language and terms in our Mathematics Semester Report. In Maths, we are required by the Australian Curriculum 9.0 Mathematics to grade and report on students’ performance in four Mathematical Proficiency Strands – Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning.
But what do these words mean for your child’s Maths skills???
In summary:
UNDERSTANDING: students build conceptual understanding when they
- make connections between related mathematical ideas, or cultivate new ones
- transfer their understanding of the familiar to the unfamiliar
- explore the link between “why” and “how” of mathematics
- represent concepts in different ways
- identify similarities and differences between aspects of content
FLUENCY: students are developing mathematical fluency when they
- choose and carry out appropriate procedures flexibly, accurately and efficiently
- apply knowledge and understanding of concepts
- use computational strategies, and approximations efficiently
- apply definitions, facts and theorems
- manipulate mathematical objects, expressions, relations and equations to find solutions.
PROBLEM-SOLVING: students refine their problem-solving skills when they
- plan and apply strategies (including mental arithmetic) to solve unknown problems with 1 or more solutions from mathematical and/or real-world contexts
- review and analyse their solutions
- make mathematical decisions, drawing on learnt concepts, skills, procedures and processes to solve problems
- communicate their solutions effectively
REASONING: students apply reasoning skills when they
- develop the capacity for logical thought and action and consciously apply mathematical thinking to their processes
- explain their thinking, deduce and justify their strategies and conclusions
- adapt the known to the unknown, transfer learning from one context to another
- compare and contrast ideas or prove that something is true or false
- reflect on and explain their choices
The rubrics for our assessment tasks are a great starting point to see how these strands apply to the work your child undertakes. The rubric interprets each of the four proficiency strands in the context of the task, and you can see where your child’s strengths lie, and what skills might need further development. Your child’s marked rubrics and comments are visible to you in our SENTRAL Parent Portal, 2 weeks after the submission date.
Join the JPC MatheMAGICIANS!
Our MatheMAGICIANS club with Dr Afghan, Mr Gupta, Ms Marot, and other maths teachers runs each Wednesday lunch in JF3.
Some students have already competed in the first round of the Mathematics competitions from Australian Maths Trust (AMT) and the Maths Games/Olympiads by Australian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO). These events will continue into Term 3, so watch this space for the results…..
OR even better, come along and join in some other Maths fun!
If you have any questions regarding any of this information, please don’t hesitate to contact me or your child’s Mathematics teacher (via email is best).
Mrs Jennifer Tually
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – Mathematic Faculty and Ferré House
(On behalf of the Maths Teaching Team)
Final reminder for seniors and families about exams.
Senior Exams
Exam timetables have been sent to students via their school emails.
The final formal classes for seniors are on Friday 7June. Exams begin on Tuesday 11June and follow through the next week. Students are not required to be at school except for their exams and do not need to sign in and out when here. They are welcome to be at school to study or access their teachers. When at school, students should be in their full senior uniform. Jerseys can only be worn over the approved school uniform.
The final days of exams for Year 11 (Monday 17 June) and Year 12 (Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 June) are for Tertiary students only (unless catch-up exams are required). Tertiary students will undertake trial experiences of the various AST (Year 12 skills) exams. All Tertiary students are required to attend.
Exam expectations
Exams can be a new or rare experience for some students. The following is the expectations of JPC students during exams:
- Turn up to your exam at least 10 minutes before the start time
- Bring everything you will need to the exam, as you can’t leave the space to get items you have forgotten
- Leave your phone and bag in your locker
- Enter and leave the exam space in silence
- Please follow all directions given by the exam invigilators
Best wishes for your upcoming exams.
Ms Jessica Stokman
The Year 9/10 Drama class successfully performed in Canberra Theatre’s “Act Up” Festival on Friday night. This term, students devised the performance “Do You Need Help?”. This performance explored how negative experiences influence our mindset, in turn, shaping our sense of self. The three characters revealed their internalised thoughts which determined their mindset. The performance demonstrated how these external pressures could crumble you or when you have the courage to take the first step, you can make a positive change.
The 15-hour day was packed with Industry experiences including professional tech runs, a NIDA workshop, an Industry panel and students contributing to the planning of the future Canberra Theatre. The class also saw a professional production of “The River that Ran Uphill” by Slingsby Productions.
As always, JPC Arts were proudly represented by the performers. This thought-provoking piece effectively included non-realistic conventions to capture the audience’s attention blending movement, puppetry and symbolic gestures. Students relished in the experience of the festival, accepted the challenges of the day, and rose to the occasion to be a show standout.
A HUGE congratulations is awarded to our performers: Rosa B, Charlotte C, Maisy E, Ava G, Zach H, Olivia H, Gabby H, Abigail H, Grace H, Olivia Jc, Natasha K, Bridget L, Mia M, Aliya S, Luka S, Lily S, Eli S, Jacquie T.
Students were also supported by a buzzing group of fans created by family, friends and the impressed general public.
"Chookas" and jazz hands to all students involved.
Mrs Sarah Smith
Drama teacher
On Wednesday 5June, students in Maathai House celebrated their first House Patron Day. June 5was chosen as it is also World Environment Day and Wangari Maathai was a dedicated environmental activist.
A little bit about our House Patron
Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for her work as an environmental activist and politician. She started the Green Belt Movement in 1977, a grass roots foundation with the goal of educating and providing a purpose for women along with combating deforestation and desertification. Since its inception the GBM has planted more than 51 million trees and supported over 30 000 women in obtaining skills that support their income and create a more sustainable world.
How we celebrated the day
A short video about Wangari Maathai was created by our Year 11 House Leaders, Sofia and Noemie. This was shown to all students across the College during PC.
Goodberry’s was sold at lunchtime with $1 for each frozen custard going towards purchasing a tree to plant and all Maathai students shared a pizza lunch. It was a positive day for our Maathai students that has helped to instil pride, spirit and belonging to their House.
Mr Sam McCombe
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing
Maathai House – Year 9
Teacher – Health and Physical Education
Over the course of this term, Year 11 and 12 Construction Pathways students have built 2 cupboards in the Justice wing ground floor corridor. These will be used for some much-needed storage as the school resources continue to grow. On Friday 7 June, students officially handed over the cupboards to Assistant Principal Mr Jacob Knowles, who has been a strong advocate for these projects.
Next semester, students will embark on their project, where they can more independently apply skills learned this term. I would like to thank Mr Grant Peelegrane for his time and patience in working with myself and the students, and Mr Abram Wilcox (student teacher) who has supported students with the continuation of this project over the last 4 weeks.
Miss Chloe McCallum
Leader of Learning (Technologies) and Wellbeing (Van Thuan)
Construction is an accredited course at St John Paul II College which is available to any year 11/12 student doing the tertiary/accredited package. I joined this course at the start of this year and until now this is my favourite class out of all my other classes. Construction is not just about constructing something, it’s more about learning skills and things like teamwork, planning, time management and a lot more interesting stuff. In the first week of this term, we had 2 days of incursion in which we started constructing two cupboards at school which we did with the help of our amazing teachers Miss Chloe McCallum (LLWB - Technologies) and Grant (Building Maintenance Officer), they were our supervisors and helped throughout the incursion which taught us a lot about leadership, supervision etc. We do practical a lot more than theory as they both are important but practical helps you gain more experience. For students who love building things or want to continue their life as a tradie or want to start an apprenticeship, I would recommend them to join this course.
Robinpreet Khosa, Year 11 Student
In my first year at JPC, I chose to do Construction Pathways because theory-only subjects sounded “boring” and I wanted practical subjects in my studies. Through this decision, I ended up making a very good choice as this subject does not just suit students considering going into the construction industry but also caters to students who are just interested in learning new skills, they never knew they would use in their life. As fun as construction can be, the other benefits are that the subject is mainly 70% prac-based assessment and is a suitable subject for students who might not be interested in their last 2 years being spent completing theory for the full 50 minutes. For example, 6 weeks ago we started to do our third assignment, an incursion that consisted of making cupboards for storage in the school, which has been quite enjoyable. The incursion had lots of room to learn as we learned “the first rule of construction” and bonded with friends while safely using dangerous equipment.
Joseph Garufi Del Castillio, Year 11 Student
JPC's Vinnies Sleepout - Donate Today!
Dear JPC Community
On Wednesday 19 June 2024 over 100 students from our College will participate in the Winter Sleepout.
Our Principal Dr Craig Wattam will participate the night after at the annual CEO sleepout, and JPC College students and staff will be fundraising and coming together in solidarity. If you know Craig at all, you will understand that his dislike of cold weather makes this a special challenge for him!
This will be the 11th year that JPC has participated in the Vinnies Winter Sleepout. Over that time, we have raised more than $100,000.00 for St Vincent de Paul in the ACT. Homelessness is a growing problem in Australia, particularly among women in middle and old age. Let us see if we can collectively raise funds to assist those who have found themselves with nowhere safe, dry or warm to go.
The Winter Sleepout is an opportunity for the community to come together and grow in awareness of the thousands of people sleeping rough in our Australian community and, for us in the ACT, to raise much needed funds for our Canberra brothers and sisters who are much less fortunate than ourselves.
On any given night, there are at least 2,000 people sleeping rough, even during Canberra's freezing winters. There are many complex and nuanced reasons why people find themselves in this situation, almost always due to circumstances outside of their control.
The JPC Winter Sleepout will take place after school from 6:30 pm on Wednesday 19 June 2024. There will be some games and awareness-raising activities in support of this initiative. The Sleepout will conclude with a family breakfast on Thursday 20 June 2024 at 7.30 am.
Students interested in taking part in the Vinnies Sleepout on Wednesday 19 June at JPC who have not registered their interest need to speak to Mr Igoe Taylor ASAP. Conditions apply.
Donations for the students and Dr Wattam's CEO sleepout can be made here - https://www.ceosleepout.org.au/fundraisers/craigwattam/actThank you
Fire Evacuation and Lockdown Drills
We encourage you to discuss these drills with your child and reinforce the importance of following instructions from staff during an emergency. If you have any questions or concerns about our emergency procedures, please do not hesitate to contact the College. Your child's safety is our priority, and we appreciate your support in helping us maintain a safe and secure learning environment.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Mr Leon Sanft
Business Manager
Van Thuan House
Uni of Canberra Creative Competition - Year 11 and 12
UC Creative competition: The UC Creative Competition celebrates the creativity of Year 11 and 12 students from across the country. Participating students stand a chance to win a full year’s tuition and semester study grants towards an Arts and Design degree at UC, and cash prizes for each competition category.
SAVE THE DATE - Justin Coulson - Digital Kids
Until now, our challenge has been that so much research is contradictory, there's so little good-quality research, and there has been so much we simply don't know. But all that is changing.
Join Dr Justin Coulson, one of the nation's leading parenting experts, as he unpacks - step by step - the specific conclusions we can draw about our digital kids.
In this presentation you'll discover:
- Why screen time is an unhelpful way to talk about kids and screens
- How boys and girls are affected differently by their screen use
- The true story about screens and social media
- The uncomfortable truth about boys and violent video games,
- Why 'the displacement hypothesis' is the critical lever to pull in balancing screen use for our kids' wellbeing
Digital Kids is the conversation the nation needs to have about our kids and their screens.
Australian Vetrans' Children Assistance Trust - 2025 Scholarships
Please contact Defence School Mentor Zonika Smith for more information regarding the 2025 AVCAT Scholarship Application.
Nominations Open - ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Awards
The ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Awards recognise Australian students in Years 10 and 12 who demonstrate exemplary leadership and teamwork within their school and local community. Named in honour of the Battle of Long Tan, these awards aim to foster values such as determination, initiative, and loyalty. Recipients are chosen based on their ability to lead by example, inspire their peers, and contribute positively to their school and community.
Year 10 students have an opportunity to win a cash prize of $250, while Year 12 students can win $550.
*Submissions close on the 28 June 2024*
How to Nominate Yourself for the ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Awards
- Check Eligibility: Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria. The awards are open to Australian students in Years 10 and 12 who demonstrate leadership and teamwork within their school and local community.
- Write a Personal Statement: Draft a personal statement explaining why you believe you deserve the award. Focus on your leadership roles, achievements, and how you have contributed to your school and community.
- Speak to Your School: Please come and see Mr Tom Van de Waterbeemd or Mrs Zonika Smith in the Wellbeing hub to express your interest in nominating yourself for the award.
Further information - www.adflongtanawards.gov.au
Zonika Smith
Defence School Mentor
Parish Newsletter
For the latest news Click here or you can view it on the Parish App or visit the website below.