Dear Parents and Carers,

While many workplaces are winding down for the Christmas break it seems that schools are at their busiest at this time of year with a number of important end of year events.

Last week we held our Year 12 Graduation Mass and Certification ceremony. It was a beautiful evening with many students receiving recognition of their efforts through Growth Mindset Awards, Distinction and High Distinction awards and First In Course Awards.  There were also six special awards that students received on the night.

Our congratulations go to the following students:

• Moira Nadjecki Academic Excellence Award: Georgia Wallace
• Moira Nadjecki Academic Excellence Award Runner Up: Jackson Palombi

BSSS Excellence Awards

• Academic Award - Georgia Wallace
• Excellence Award - Kate Jenkins
• Community Service Award - Paris Morris

JPC Perpetual Awards

• JPC Award for Peace - Paris Morris
• JPC Award for Justice - Bayne Hessenberger (Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Gungahlin)
• JPC Award for Courage – Churinan Tongu

ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award Year 12 Award – Wanim Tessema

Our last week with the Year 7 – 9 included many wonderful events including our annual “JPC Has Talent”, which is always a highlight. I am constantly amazed by the talent and courage of not only our students but our very talented JPC staff who sang, danced and played in many acts – much to the delight of the students.

On Friday the 2020 school year came to a close with the Christmas Liturgy and Awards assembly. The Liturgy was a beautiful reflection of this very special time of the year, my thanks to Mrs Jen Tually and Mrs Sarah Smith for their work in inspiring the very reverent and thought-provoking liturgy. The Awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of students in Semester 2 and I congratulate all the students who received awards in this very challenging year.

Friday night was a very special night as JPC hosted the Year 12 formal. It was an event that the whole school worked together to produce a magical night.

Special mentions to the following staff

• The live-streaming of the arrivals: the IT tech team, Caitlyn Richards & Emma Bramham
• Photography – Mr Andrew Soeseman
• Arrivals – David Johns, Teena Zorzi and Nic Whatman
• The 5-star food and drink– the Canteen staff
• Drink station – Kris Davis and Anne McKenna
• Floral arrangements – Design inspiration by Jo Brown and helped by Front office staff
• Arrival signage, seating plan, menu design, table numbers and place cards – Chloe McCallum and the D&T team.
• Table setting – Annie Daley
• Table set up and chair covering – numerous staff & students
• Archway set up – numerous staff.

In particular, I must acknowledge the work of Natasha Bramham – our event coordinator extraordinaire, whose vision and oversight of the Formal was the inspiration for such a wonderful night. 

Lastly, I would like to thank our wonderful Year 12 students who truly made the night memorable. 

Farewells

The end of the year is always a sad time as we say goodbye to families and staff.

We bid a fond farewell to the following staff:

• David Johns is moving to Kempsey to take up his role as Principal at St Paul’s College
• Sara Rowley is moving to Thursday Island with her family in a Defence transfer.
• Jessie Thearle has taken a PE position at Radford College
• Rosie Moss has taken an IT position at Emmaus school.
• Jerry Yanuyanutawa is joining Grammar as a Specialist Rugby coach

The following staff are finishing their contracts with us and thank them for their contributions to the JPC community.

• Sue Paton
• Ainsley Maurer
• Elspeth Collins

Mr Ian Pettit is taking leave next year.

Next year we welcome the following staff members to the JPC community.

• Catherine Rey is re-joining the JPC community after her 12-month secondment at the CE.
• Mr Jacob Knowles will be joining JPC as a new Assistant Principal. Mr Knowles joins us from St Edmunds and is very excited to be joining the JPC community.
• Mr Michael Nicoletti has joined the JPC community as a Leader of Van Thuan.
• Mrs Allana Haines is returning from maternity leave
• Mrs Vick Williams is re-joining the JPC teaching team.
• Mr Brenton Reid is our new Information Technology teacher
• Blake Hamilton is joining the PE team.
• Mrs Jessica Stokman is joining the RE team
• Mrs Kate Manning is joining the SOSE/English team
• Emma Gao is joining the Maths team

We are also very pleased to let the community know that Mrs Li and her family welcomed baby Carolyn last week. Mother and baby are both doing very well.

Finally, I would like to thank our parents and staff for their amazing support and work in a very challenging year. It has been a great joy to have been the Acting Principal of such a wonderful community. I look forward to continuing the journey next year, if in a slightly different capacity as I return to my Assistant Principal role.

I hope you all have a well-deserved holiday. -one that has been a long time in coming, and a Holy and peaceful Christmas.

Stephanie O'Meara
Principal (Acting)

Last week, our Year 12s celebrated their final Mass at JPC – a very special Graduation Mass of Thanksgiving for the gift of education, their families, each other and most importantly, for the love of God they have come to know in their journey through their years at our school. On Friday, our Junior students experienced the dramatisation of the nativity story in our Advent Liturgy:

“This is the meeting place of heaven and earth. For this is the stable in which God keeps his appointment to meet with his people.

But, if only strangers met, that would be enough.
For Bethlehem was not the hub of the universe,
Nor was the stable a platform for famous folk. 

In an out-of-the-way place, which folk never thought to visit -
There God kept and keeps his promise;
There God sends his son.”

The advent story is one with which most of us are very familiar. It shows us that Advent is a time of waiting and preparation – for Christ’s coming. We prepare for the festive season, we buy gifts for those we love, and we make plans to help us show our love to those around us.

Christmas is a time to remember and join with your community to celebrate the birth of Jesus at a church service in your local parish. Pause to find a place in your prayers to give thanks for His coming. Take some time this Christmas season to truly be with your loved ones – engage with them and strengthen the bonds that help your children feel supported and loved, and allow them to thrive within the complex world in which we live.

Don’t underestimate the impact this year has had on all of us – whilst we have slowed our normal hectic pace, the strain that Covid-19 has had on our relationships, communities, faith connections and Churches, mental and physical health, and our livelihoods is significant. Reach out, show love and support to each other during this special season of renewal, and make a space for Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

Mrs Jennifer Tually
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing, Mission and Ministry

This term the year 9 PE classes have been completing a Sports Education unit which focused on developing leadership in the context of being a member of a sports team. Throughout the unit, they performed in roles such as captain, coach, referee and competed in a season long competition against their fellow classmates for the honour of being crowned the inaugural COVID Cup Champions.

We are very proud of their excellent display of sportsmanship, enthusiasm and participation across the competition.

Well done!

Miss Zedde and Mrs Jewell

In Term 4 our Year 8 SOSE classes have been studying cities and how they have grown and changed. Last week the students were given a group project where they had to design and create their own city. In our last lesson students went around and learnt about each other’s cities, and then voted on which they thought was the best. The winner out of Miss Maskell and Mr Yanu’s class was Maher Rahman, with his city “Utopia”. Special mention also goes out to “City Plaza” (Mayurica, Harshdeep, Kurt) and “Cityville Town” (Tom V, Adam S).

Thanks to Mayurica for the photos.

Miss Shaylie Maskell
French & SOSE Teacher (Maathai House)

Congratulations to Adam Schranz, Year 8 who has been selected as a delegate for the National Questacon Invention Convention to be held in January 2021.

The National Questacon Invention Convention is an all-expenses-paid, five-day workshop held in Canberra. This program gives 25 delegates aged 14-18 the opportunity to play, make and create, designing and developing a prototype that solves a real-world problem. Participants use tools, tech, and materials, work with local mentors and entrepreneurs and forge friendships that last a lifetime!

Well done and Adam and Enjoy the experience.

The JPC Office will close at 4.30 pm on Tuesday 15 December and reopen at 8.30 am on 27 January.

We wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday.

The College Office

The stationery list for all students new and returning is available in the New Student Guide (page 10) on the Website.