On Supervision

We cannot be with our children every minute of the day. Relative to their stages of maturity and development, we gradually increase the freedoms that our children enjoy, and allow them to make decisions (and mistakes) and wear the consequences of those decisions. Perhaps this is somewhat a rite of passage where we allow our children at times to stumble, fall and get up again, without always intervening.

I have lost count of the number of books and journal articles I have read over the years on working with adolescents and young adults. Because our world changes, the advice similarly adjusts along the way. When I first started teaching, we did not have to worry about the perils of technology, and stranger danger was confined to walking home from school, or being approached in a park. Interestingly, many adolescent psychologists, neurologists, and parenting experts will tell us that the supervision we engage with our children in terms of their physical whereabouts is more vigilant than ever. Many children these days are not left unsupervised at home even when they are 16, and many are dropped off and picked up by a parent wherever they go. We have all heard the terms helicopter parent, lawnmower parent, snowplough parent and the like, and while they are sometimes an exaggeration, we worry for our children and how safe they are in their world.

The irony though remains that for many of our kids, possibly the most unsafe place they are likely to find themselves is in their own bedrooms, with their device in their hands. They have the most powerful tool at their disposal, allowing them access to complete strangers, not all of whom are who they pretend to be. This is the place where too many of our children are left under-supervised, or at worst, completely unsupervised.

I readily accept that raising a young person is tough work. It is more complex than ever, and there are competing forces that make being a gold-standard parent an almost impossible task at times. However, we cannot abrogate our responsibility in looking out for their actions, behaviours, and online lives. Too many children and adolescents have unfettered access to a device with no down time. We know that our children are using a device outside of school time for more than seven hours per day.

We must engage our parenting to the extent that it reaches into their online lives and that we are aware of who they are seeing, and talking to, and what they get up to. Many times, I have asked a parent to look at their child’s device and see what they have been accessing and they are genuinely shocked by what they see. As educators, we navigate this on an almost exponential basis because when things go awry online, they nearly always blow up at school. Whatever transpires online is met head on at school where students come into face-to-face contact with each other.

As parents, in the full knowledge that nearly every other parent grapples with these issues, I implore you to consider the following:

1. Do not allow your child to have a phone or any device in their bedroom after a reasonable hour each evening. Sleep for an adolescent (10-12 hours per night) is crucial.
2. Actively supervise your child’s online activity. If you refuse to do so, at some stage, there will likely be something to unpack or to deal with.
3. Delay the age at which they get a smartphone or other device. This applies especially to students in Years 7 and 8. The usual response from parents here is that they need a phone to contact home to get a message re pick up, etc., They actually don’t need a phone. They are able to get themselves home quite capably without a mobile.
4. Phones are banned at JPC during the school day. I still get parents even telling me that they contacted their child at lunch time, or in class time. Please do not. Your child should not have their phone on their person during the school day.
5. Actively encourage holidays, days, weekends away from devices. Play board games, go camping, go bike riding, canoeing, skiing, walking…indeed anything that does not require a screen/device.
6. 
   My favourite: no phones at the dinner table. Have the evening meal together and at the table. Talk to each other instead. (It is still a rule at my house with my adult children). 
7. Take some comfort in the knowledge that this stuff is hard to tackle and that you are not alone.

Supervision takes many forms. Although we cannot and should not be everywhere all the time, we can take a risk mitigation approach to our supervision. That would suggest to me that our vigilance should be more attuned to our children’s device use, than their physical whereabouts. Without putting too fine a point on it, in my mind, the most dangerous place they inhabit is the world of the internet.

The most life-giving place that nurtures their spirit and their soul is in real time, with real people, and with those who love them.

Dr Craig Wattam

Dear Parents/Carers,

Parent teacher interviews are fast approaching and are an opportunity to keep up to date with your child's progress in the classroom. This is not the only way parents receive feedback, as student results are made available through the Sentral Parent portal once marked by the classroom teacher. This semester our Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews will be held online via Microsoft Teams.

• Term 3 Week 10, Tuesday 24 September 2024 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

You will need to be registered on the parent portal to access and book your interviews. You will require your own access to Microsoft Teams. https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-teams/log-in

We always advise that your son or daughter is part of the discussion with teachers.

Interview bookings open on Monday 16 September 2024 at 12:00 pm and close on Monday 23 September at 12:00 pm.

Interview bookings are 6 minutes in duration. Please do not book your interviews back to back. Some teachers may want to speak with you and your child specifically. If this is the case, you will receive a notification through the portal, requesting that you book an interview with them. If you do not receive a notification, you are still very welcome to book an interview. However, please remember that the number of sessions available to all parents is limited.

If you are unable to secure a booking with your child’s teacher, please contact the teacher directly, via email to arrange another time to have a discussion.

Should you experience difficulties please do not hesitate to contact IT Support for assistance, email JPCPortal@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Kathleen Garvie
Assistant Principal – Learning

On Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September, Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver participants completed their Adventurous Journey component along the Murramurang South Coast Walk in NSW. It took 35km, 45,000 steps and 8hrs for us to reach the finish line hiking with a pack.

Students gained many independent skills such as setting up a tent, packing light, cooking and caring for themselves. We also encountered tidal waters where students had choices to navigate the terrain due to the tide.

The Duke of Edinburgh participants did a great job and are now confident to do an overnight journey.

A huge thank you to Miss Kyanah Goggin for assisting the team with this trip, Miss Tori Dallas for helping with the logistics of the trip and Mrs Darmody for supporting the trip. I could not have done it without these great teachers.

Mr. Adam McDonnell
Teacher – Outdoor Education, PE, Duke of Edinburgh Award Leader
Drexel House

Thursday and Friday saw Year 11 Construction Pathways students Dani, Joseph and Robin back in their fluoros applying their skills once more. Students created matching cupboards to the ones built last semester (upstairs as opposed to downstairs), this time taking a lead role, demonstrating what they have learned and working together to recall steps required to create quality results.

Thursday saw students creating compound joints in aluminium track framing to account for the odd shapes found in our beautiful building. Students used a combination of hand and power tools to achieve accurate results. By Friday morning, they had progressed to sheeting the cupboards and hanging doors, ready for painting in the near future.

I am extremely proud of the way in which these three young men conducted themselves, their commitment to bettering our school environment through their learning and their efforts to get the job done. As always, a huge thank you to Grant Peelegrane, our Building Service Officer, for his patience and commitment to encouraging our young people to develop real-world trade skills in preparation for their future.

Chloe McCallum
LLWB (Technologies)
Construction Teacher

On Thursday, the Senior Outdoor Education class had the opportunity to volunteer at Pegasus Equine Centre, an organisation dedicated to helping children with disabilities experience the joy of horse riding. Our responsibilities included maintaining the facilities by tidying up the paddocks and gardens. In future visits, we may have the chance to care for the horses and assist in preparing them for lessons.

This experience provided the JPC students to see a different side to Outdoor Recreation while covering the BSSS unit ‘Connection to the Environment’. We will be volunteering at Pegasus later in September 2024.

If you wish to make a donation to Pegasus – riding for the disabled you can do so here https://www.givenow.com.au/pegasusridingfordisabled

Mr Adam McDonnell
Teacher – Outdoor Education, PE, Duke of Edinburgh Award Leader
Drexel House

On Wednesday, 4 September, a group of JPC students proudly represented our school at the 2024 Battle for Australia Commemorative Ceremony held at the Australian War Memorial. This service commemorates the period between 1942 and 1945 when Australia faced the threat of foreign invasion. It aims to educate students about the bravery and sacrifice of Australians during the Second World War in the Pacific.

Their participation in this significant event emphasised the importance of remembering our history and paying tribute to those who served. Students had the privilege of meeting three war veterans and listening to their powerful stories from the Second World War.

Thank you to the students who represented JPC with respect and pride at this commemorative ceremony.

Zonika Smith
Defence School Mentor

Please do not park in the disabled parking zones at any time unless you have a valid permit.

These spaces are reserved for those who need them.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Join us for JPC’s inaugural VET Pathways Showcase – A Hands-On Future!

Vocational Education and Training (VET) has never been more essential! Over half of the 2023 national skills in demand are directly linked to VET pathways, such as apprenticeships and traineeships.

We are excited to welcome our special guest, Maja Rathouski, JPC Alumni and 2023 ACT Vocational Student of the Year runner-up, who will share her inspiring journey.

Explore a wide range of opportunities from leading VET education providers and career organisations, including:

AND MORE!

Parish Newsletter

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

Weekend Mass times, Holy Spirit Church, Amaroo

Saturday Vigil: 5:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 am, 9.30 am, 5:00 pm

JPC Community Mass

Wednesday: 8:20 am - 8:45am - JPC Chapel

Visit - https://www.holyspiritgungahlin.org.au/mass/mass-times/

The Sustainable Steps Poster Competition invites Canberra school students to create a poster that will inspire Canberrans to take a simple action for sustainability.

The competition is open to school students from preschool to Year 8. Entries close on Friday 11 October 2024.

Finalists’ posters will be displayed and winners will be announced at the Sustainable Schools Awards in early December 2024. Winners will receive a book prize.

Find out more and download the entry form.

A FREE programming opportunity for Year 7–12 Girls at ANU

Sunday22 September 2024

The Australian Signals Directorate (Department of Defence) is excited to announce the

2024 Term 3 Girls’ Programming Network event.

What is the Girls' Programming Network (GPN)?

• The GPN is a workshop series for girls in Years 6-12.
• It is a community of women and girls interested in computer science, programming, and information technology.
• The workshops are led by GPN tutors and local women studying or working in IT across industry, academia, and government.
• In the workshop, girls will use coding skills to play a game of ‘Guess Who’? using a software package called Replit. Students of all skill levels are welcome—whether new to Python or already proficient. Tutors will cover the basics for beginners and introduce advanced concepts for those with more experience.
• The Australian Signals Directorate has a long-standing relationship with the GPN and supports the Canberra node of this fantastic program.
• The workshops are free, and no prior coding experience is required.

We look forward to welcoming you and seeing you thrive in this exciting opportunity!

For further information, please see any of these Faculty Leaders, or go to the link provided.

• Jennifer Tually (Science)
• Chloe McCallum (Technologies)
• Jie Li and Sophia Afghan (Maths)

​​MyWay+ is Transport Canberra’s next generation ticketing system which puts all public transport services in one place. It will offer more ways to pay for public transport and introduce new digital platforms for journey planning and accessing real-time information.  
The switch over to MyWay+ will happen later this year. Until then, students should continue to use their current MyWay card or a paper ticket from a ticket vending machine to pay for travel on bus and light rail services.  
Families should ensure their child’s MyWay card is registered to protect the balance, as Transport Canberra can only process refunds and transfer credits for registered MyWay cards.​ 

Register your MyWay card: https://www.transport.act.gov.au/tickets-and-myway/register-myway