This week's Gospel from Luke 5:1-11 called for the first disciples of Jesus to leave everything and follow him. It required those early disciples to not be afraid and trust Jesus. The Gospel story calls for Peter, a fisherman, to take a risk by going to the deep fishing waters far from the shore. This was not a short journey or process, it required Peter and his fellow fisherman to invest considerable time and effort in this, something that was not normal at this time. It required these fishers to be not afraid, have courage and follow him. Our motto at JPC inspires our community to do the same, Then come, follow me.

At the start of the school year it is easy to proverbially stay close to shore. However, with a new year comes new opportunities, perhaps to find new friendships, develop new study and revision habits, look out for someone in one of your classes or our school community that may be vulnerable, or even just find ways to nurture your own mental health. Like Peter going to deeper waters, we achieve these things by investing our time and trust. I congratulate all students who returned to school last week and hope they are able to find the courage to live out our College motto this year.

Welcome to new families

Last week we welcomed many new families from Years 7 though to 12 into our school. While new starts can be daunting, it was reassuring to hear from many families that their start had been a positive one. This Tuesday we have our information evening for all Year 7 and new families starting at 5.00pm in the College Hall. There is no set timeline transitioning a student into a new school year however I encourage any family, new or returning to contact their child’s Pastoral Care Teacher or House Coordinator. 

Year 11/12 BSSS Information Evening

On Tuesday night there will be information evenings for both Year 11 and Year 12 starting at 5.00pm. Information regarding each of these presentations has been sent to families. Any questions about these should be directed to Ms Jenna Martin Senior Studies Coordinator.

Parent Teacher Conference (Pastoral)

Bookings for our Pastoral Care Teacher family interviews are now open. The evening aims to connect families with their child’s Pastoral Care Teacher and should be made so that their child is in attendance. This meeting will give families an opportunity to finalise student goals and go over assessment calendars. For Year 12 families, ATAR estimates will be available for families to discuss with their PC teacher. If you are unable to make this day you are encouraged to make an alternate arrangement with your child’s PC teacher.

Year 11 Conference

Our senior students spent the opening week enjoying ‘A taste of Leadership’ program facilitated by Optimum Experiences. Over the three days students reflected on personal challenges, vision, team cohesion, and group support. Students were provided with ample opportunities to demonstrate their ability to lead, support other leaders, work as a team, and build strong relationships within their team. The challenges they were presented with pushed them out of their comfort zone which taught them how to deal with change while becoming more productive and creative. Each challenge finished with group debriefs allowing students to reflect on how they approached the challenge, time to reflect on both individual and collective responsibility and initiative, and how this impacted their team effectiveness and efficiency. 

The final part of the conference gave students an opportunity to reflect on their personal strengths and values and how these shape their lives within our Catholic context. There was also time in the evenings to relax and connect with their peers and JPC staff. Students are to be commended for their maturity and willingness to engage in a very busy and challenging program.  Thanks must go to those staff who came to add their expertise, Mr Dom Charter, Mr Andrew Rose, Mr Mac Mackenzie, Mr Michael Hanna, Ms Bree Foley, Ms Kirstie Gibson and Mrs Maria Tolfree. We also thank Dr Wattam for spending a day with the group and agreeing to be flung off the giant swing. In the famous words of Ted Lasso Year 11 – Be Curious… not judgemental.

Opening Mass – Tuesday 25 February 2025

As a Learning and Faith community, the students and staff of St John Paul II College are looking forward to celebrating our Opening Mass on Tuesday 25 February. Father Rob Galea and Father Troy Bobbin are the celebrants of this very special occasion. It will be an opportunity for our College to animate and remember the history and traditions of our Church and to open our hearts to remember those who give us hope, those who love us, and those who show us how to love others. The Eucharist, (which is another word for the Mass) comes from a Greek word which means “giving thanks”.

Parents are welcome to attend! Please RSVP at this link https://www.trybooking.com/CZDFJ

Fr Rob Galea is an ordained Catholic Priest and is currently serving in the Sandhurst Diocese, Victoria after moving to Australia from Malta, his home country. He is the founder and executive director of ICON Ministry, a charity organisation that ministers to over 2,000,000 people each year across the world.

Fr Rob is an internationally acclaimed author, singer, and songwriter with eight album releases and a debut book (Breakthrough) accompanied with a companion journal. After being selected to sing and write the English and International versions of the official 2008, 2016, and 2019 World Youth Day songs, Fr Rob entered the realm of the cast of musicians, having performed in some key events before an estimated single live audience of over 1,200,000 people. He has been featured in newspapers, magazines and TV shows worldwide and was a contestant in Australia's 2015 The X Factor.

Fr Galea has a significant evangelistic and outreach ministry as a speaker to students and teaching staff, as well as speaking and singing at conferences and churches around Australia and the world. In all this, while greatly appreciating his gifts, he recognises that before everything he is a follower of Christ, a priest and only then, a speaker, musician and artist. https://www.frrobgalea.com/

We want to inform parents and carers about an issue that occurred last week involving our HVAC cooling system. Unfortunately, the system experienced a malfunction, resulting in reduced air circulation to some areas of the school.

We have engaged technicians who have been working to resolve the issue. In the meantime, we have taken several measures to ensure the comfort and wellbeing of our students and staff:

• Hydration Reminders: Students and staff were reminded to stay hydrated and encouraged to bring drink bottles to classes. We have water filling stations available throughout the college building.
• Classroom Monitoring: Teachers have been monitoring their classrooms and in areas where the heat became excessive, classroom changes were facilitated to support a comfortable learning environment.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to address this issue. Our priority is always the safety and comfort of our school community.

Let's Dive Into a World of Reading and Discovery!

The library doors are open, and we are thrilled to welcome students into a space designed for reading, research, and relaxation. Whether you are searching for your next favourite novel, a quiet study spot, or support in navigating information, the library is here to help.

Starting Week 3, the library will follow the schedule below:

Library Opening Hours

Additionally, we are excited to announce that there will be an official library opening event later this term—a celebration of this wonderful resource and all it offers to our community. More details to come!

Reading for Pleasure – At Home and at School

Reading isn’t just about assignments—it’s a gateway to imagination, knowledge, and relaxation. Research shows that students who read for enjoyment develop stronger literacy skills, creativity, and critical thinking. Young people who “read for pleasure are likely to do significantly better at school than their peers” (p.1), developing more accomplished skills in reading and writing, increased self-confidence, general knowledge, vocabulary, and cultural understandings (Department of Education, 2012, p. 9). 

We encourage every student to find a book they love and build a habit of reading at home. Please don’t hesitate to make book recommendations!

Our Reading Program

The Literature Circles program will immerse students in engaging books while fostering discussion, collaboration, and oral fluency. With structured role cards and guided activities, students will develop confidence in reading aloud and analysing texts in a supportive environment with their classroom teacher and the Head of Library.

In today’s digital world, knowing how to find, evaluate, and use information responsibly is more important than ever. Our Information Literacy Program will equip students with essential research skills, from identifying credible sources to avoiding misinformation. With hands-on lessons covering databases, search strategies, and citation skills, students will become confident, critical thinkers in a media-rich world.

At St John Paul II College, Compass is our central Student Information System, providing families with easy access to important school information and communication. Through Compass, parents and students can stay informed and engaged with:

✔ Whole school, cohort, and group daily announcements
✔ Class announcements
✔ Notifying the school of absences
✔ Timetable access
✔ School calendar updates
✔ Semester reports
✔ Excursion details

To ensure all families are confident using Compass, we are offering in-person drop-in support sessions.

Upcoming in-person drop-in support for families with Compass and Canvas

Year 7, 11 and 12 Families: Tuesday 11^th – from 4.15-5pm (Library entrance way prior to the Year 7 and Senior information evening)

Year 8, 9 and 10 Families: Tuesday 18^th – 4.30-6.30pm in the Wellbeing Hub area (this will be signposted on the night). This is the same night as the Parent/Tutor meetings.

Canvas

In addition, we are excited to introduce Canvas, our new Learning Management System, which is up and going! Canvas offers you an opportunity to stay connected with your child's education in ways that Moodle couldn’t offer. This week, we encourage you to explore the Canvas Parent App. It's a fantastic tool that allows you to monitor your child's assignments, grades, and course content right from your phone. The following website contains more information: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Video-Guide/Canvas-Parent-App/ta-p/383772.

This year there has been some changes to the Careers space, firstly Mrs Teena Zorzi, has departed JPC to start a new adventure and I thank her for all her work in this space. Secondly, in past years, careers specific information came out in its own newsletter. This year all careers information and spotlights will be found within the College’s weekly newsletter.  

What is the purpose of the Careers space?

The careers space works alongside, and in partnership with, the student’s pastoral team and families to help develop and support our young people to be successful learners and members of the broader community. We work with students in a wide range of ways, we help support our students participate in work experience, undertake Australian School Based Apprenticeships (ASBAs); discuss various university pathways and explore possible career pathways. We also offer opportunities to support our young people and families to help make decisions when it comes to selecting the right electives and subjects.

We are extremely fortunate enough to have numerous guest speakers coming into our College this year to talk with our young people. These will range from specific industry people discussing their industry, universities, and trade schools. It is highly encouraged that our students take advantage of these opportunities.

Who can access the Careers space?

Every student, regardless if they are in year 7 or in year 12! The careers space is focused on meeting every individual student where they are at on their journey, whether they are investigating what universities are best for them, looking to start an apprenticeship, or even looking to build the necessary skills to be confident in their subjects and effectively managing their time- we are here to help!

How can students and parents access the careers team?

To contact us to either book an appointment or ask any questions please email 

Careers.jpc@cg.catholic.edu.au

Further information can be found on our career’s website https://jpc-careers.com/

FOR SALE

St John Paul II College Umbrella

$40.00 ea
Available from the College Office
Cash or Card 

Never be caught in the rain again,
stay dry with a JPC Umbrella.

• Full-sized umbrella to protect you from the craziest of storms
• 8 ribbed frame made from fibreglass and vented wind panel
• The shade is made from a 190T pongee fabric
• Automatic button release and a matching pongee sleeve.