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Yesterday, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a day that invites us to reflect on the paradox of the Cross. Once a symbol of suffering and death, the cross for us is a sign of hope, redemption, and love. The Cross reminds us that through Christ’s sacrifice, we are offered new life and the strength to carry our own burdens with courage and faith.
This feast challenges us to see beyond hardship and to recognise that even in moments of struggle, God is present, working through us and with us. As a community, may we continue to draw strength from the Cross and be people of hope and compassion in all we do.
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Prayer for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross God of mercy and love, |
Congratulations to Our 2026 College Leadership Team
At last week’s College Assembly, we were pleased to announce the students elected to positions on the 2026 College Leadership Team. These students have been selected for their character, commitment, and capacity to lead our community into the future. Over the coming months, they will work alongside our current 2025 leaders, learning from their example and beginning to shape their vision for the year ahead.
• College Captains: Olive Odoemena & Baylen Whittaker
• Justice Captains: Natasha Hartley & Matilda Bowen
• Peace Captains: Kayla Bryant & Georgia Lloyd
• Courage Captains: Isaac Burns & Tessa Kelley
• Culture Captain: Claire Akachili
Dr Wattam spoke to all students about leadership, highlighting that the work of leaders is not often glamourous or easy. Instead, it requires hard work and commitment. He said that our leaders “act on behalf of the college as our representatives” and in doing so "are examples to follow and to seek to emulate”.
As a community, we wish them every success as they begin this exciting journey of leadership and service.
Celebrating Global Science Excellence
Also at our assembly, we were privileged to hear from Owen Hernandez Fino and Andrew Dunn, two of our Year 12 students who recently returned from the London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF). This once-in-a-lifetime experience gave them the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s leading scientists and institutions, including Oxford University, Cambridge University, Imperial College London, and even a lecture from Nobel Prize winner David Macmillan.
We congratulate Owen and Andrew on representing JPC with distinction and thank them for sharing their insights and experiences with our community.
Write a Book in a Day – A Creative Challenge for a Cause
We also extend our thanks to the staff and the 14 student teams who participated in this year’s Write a Book in a Day competition on Tuesday 10 September. This incredible challenge saw teams of 5–10 students plan, write, and illustrate an entire book in just 12 hours.
Each book created will be made available to children in hospitals across Australia, offering comfort and joy during treatment. Funds raised through the event support vital research into childhood cancer. This is a powerful example of how creativity and compassion can come together to make a real difference.
As we approach the final two weeks of Term 3, again we remind students that they are to be in full winter uniform. It is important that the correct uniform is worn each day and students should expect to be challenged if they fail to meet the expectations. Details of the required uniform are available in student diaries and on the College website.
Kind regards
Jacob Knowles
Assistant Principal – Strategy and Staff
Chinese Language Day Celebration
Our school recently celebrated Chinese Language Day with enthusiasm, alongside other schools from Canberra, at Albert Hall. Principal Dr Wattam joined the festivities and delivered the opening speech in Chinese, showing wonderful support for our languages program and students' multicultural learning journey.
The celebration featured outstanding performances from our talented students. Mackenzie Shain and Yar Alier delivered a beautiful poetry recitation, showcasing their language skills and cultural understanding. Sopiato Mchao captivated the audience with a melodious Chinese song performance.
Chinese Language Awards Recognition
We are proud to announce that two of our senior students have received prestigious recognition for their excellence in Chinese language learning. Both students will attend the award ceremony at the Australian National University (ANU) on Sunday, representing our school with distinction. This recognition reflects their dedication and the high quality of our Chinese language program.
- Zac Cook - Most Proficient Student Award
- Sean Blakely-Kidd - Achievement Award in Chinese Learning
Upcoming Languages Events
French Department
Our French students have an exciting culinary adventure ahead: a lunch excursion to Les Bistronome, where they can practise their language skills in an authentic French dining environment while experiencing French cuisine and culture firsthand.
Korean Department
Korean language students look forward to an engaging Taekwondo incursion scheduled for Week 9. This cultural immersion activity will allow students to explore Korean martial arts traditions while reinforcing their language learning through physical and cultural practice.
Mrs Jie Li
Languages Faculty Coordinator
And what a day it was! A huge congratulations to everyone who took part in Write a Book in a Day. Fourteen teams, 12 hours, teams of up to 10 students, five parameters, countless ideas and one shared goal — write and illustrate a book in a day as a team for The Kids’ Cancer Project.
We should all be proud of the time, effort and teamwork on show. Students demonstrated compassion, empathy, communication and collaboration throughout the challenge. Each story was unique, creative and well planned, and even more powerful is the impact this initiative will have for children undergoing treatment for cancer. This event was about far more than producing books in a single day — it was about supporting a vital cause.
Sponsorship remains open until the end of the month, so there’s still time to support a team or the whole event.
Support the teams here:
https://writeabookinaday.com/school-groups/?id=2319
Thank you to all students, staff and families who made the day possible.
Jessica Stokman
Library Coordinator
This Senior Outdoor Recreation trip helped our students prepare for the upcoming alpine camp as we hiked the Mulligans Flat trail from JPC. On the walk, students practised navigation, teamwork and observational skills—much like the early surveyors who helped scope out Canberra. It was a fantastic opportunity to build fitness and fieldcraft in a local natural environment.
Adam McDonnell
Teacher – Outdoor Education, PE, Duke of Edinburgh Award Leader
Tuesday Tunes returned in the warmth of the sun last week and featured a variety of polished performances from our Year 9/10 music classes. Students performed a range of repertoire, from Stela Cole’s “Love Like Mine” to “No Surprises” by Radiohead. We thank our performers — Payton H, Eamon M, Melody T, Sopiato M, Thurstan N and Riley P — for sharing their art with an appreciative JPC lunchtime audience. Keep an eye out for the next Tuesday Tunes and a new batch of performers and music.
Thurstan N (guitar), Melody T (vocals) and Riley P (drums)
Matt Dennett & Jonathan Goodwin
Music teachers
If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument and improving their theoretical and practical skills, individual tuition is available through the JPC Music Program. Our experienced tutors and professional performers cover a wide range of styles and instruments, including:
• Violin, cello
• Saxophone, clarinet
• Guitar, bass
• Drums
• Vocals
• Piano – and more
Band opportunities and instrument hire are also available to support students in their musical journey. If interested, please fill out the form via the link below and visit the JPC Music Tuition page for more information.
Matthew Dennett
Music Teacher
