MATHIEU

This week sees big changes in our house as we make the transition from Veritas to Mathieu.

The transition which commenced last year has come about as a result of a considered and collaborative consultation process.

Marie Helene Mathieu, our new House Patron, is a French disability rights activist who has dedicated her life to working with people with disabilities and their families. She found herself called to the vocation as a young woman, who saw the suffering of one of her peers, and studied to become a special needs teacher.

Throughout her journey in advocating for people with disabilities, she has founded and assisted with the creation of a number of movements and charities to further this cause. Her focus has been on creating communities of inclusion and diversity, in particular through the foundation of the Faith and Light movement (a community of people with disabilities, their family and friends, who meet to share friendship, pray together, and celebrate life).

Our new logo has been designed with input from staff, students and leadership and reflects Marie Helene’s values and ideals. Special thanks goes to Jess Reid and Yolandi Swart for leading the process. The key symbols of our new logo are: 

• Cross
  • Cross at the centre of the logo, Catholic identity
• Light
  • Light is radiating from the horizon, and envelopes the cross signifying the significance of the cross as being at our centre.
• Boat
  • “We are in a boat and we are travelling together. Sometimes the sea is rough, sometimes it’s calm, sometimes you need to row, and sometimes the wind blows in the sails.” These are the words of Meb, an intellectually disabled painter who painted the artwork that formed the early emblem of the Faith and Light Community, and we have, like Larche House, adopted this theme in our logo.
• Latin Words
  • Representing the core values of our House, the principles of Marie-Helene Mathieu, and a link to our past name, Veritas, to acknowledge our history as a house.
    • Fides: Faith
    • Veritas: Truth
    • Lux: Light

 Mathieu Leaders

Tell Them From Me Parent Survey

Closes 4.30 pm, Friday 11 June 2021

We would like to invite Parents and Carers, to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning Survey.

As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community, we would greatly appreciate your feedback.

The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at St John Paul II College.

The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You are able to access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device by using the link which was emailed to families on Thursday 3 June 2021. If you did not receive the link, please email the college office.

Thank you

Next Wednesday, our Year 9 students will take part in the Catch the Wave retreat here at JPC, the next step in their retreat experiences from last year’s Made for More program.

This 2-hour session is run by our Archdiocesan Youth Ministers, a group of talented, faith-filled young people who act as inspirational role models to our students. They are open and willing to share their gifts and faith experiences, and will help our students work through some important milestones in their personal and faith development.

The objectives of the Catch the Wave retreat include to help students understand the unique, meaningful life for which they have been created - a life with the potential to change the world through their actions and faith; to show students other young people who live their lives in this way; to consider their value-system and how they are approaching life; and, to invite students to participate in the Youth Ministry Elective within the Religious Education course next semester.

The themes will also be explored with the students in their RE lessons before and after the retreat, so it is expected that every Yr 9 student will attend this experience.

Please discuss this upcoming experience with your Year 9 child. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me via the email address below.

Jennifer Tually
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – Mission and Ministry

jennifer.tually@cg.catholic.edu.au

Starting week 2 Next term our School Counsellor, Ame Uidam, will be offering students the opportunity to participate in a self-help program to learn information and skills to cope with worry and anxiety in everyday life, called The Brave Program.

This program has been developed by researchers and mental health professionals at the University of Queensland, it offers evidence-based strategies for worry and anxiety, and there is no cost to participate.

Interested students will progress through a series of online workshops, with associated activities to complete independently, over a suggested period of six-weeks. In addition to this, participating students will have access to a brief weekly ‘check-in’ with the School Counsellor to help understand and apply the online content and support students to problem-solve challenges they may face during this program.

Since The Brave Program is a brief self-help style intervention, it is designed for young people who struggle with worries or anxious thoughts that seem to compound or escalate quickly, and other mild-to-moderate level anxiety symptoms. Brief self-help style programs are generally not suitable for young people experiencing severe anxiety (including OCD or PTSD), or other severe mental health concerns. If you are unsure whether this program is right for you/your child, please contact the School Counsellor to discuss.

Students wanting to participate in The Brave Program in Term 3 should use this link to register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WHF2QTH

Registrations close end of Term 2, Friday 25^th June 2021.

Ame Uidam
School Counsellor

ame.uidam@cg.catholic.edu.au

REMINDER

Students currently enrolled at JPC do not need to re-enrol for Year 11 2022.

However, in order to assist us with our planning for next year, we ask that ALL families complete the Commitment form to indicate your intention for your son or daughter next year.

Forms are available on the JPC Website - click the link below.

Forms are due by Wednesday 23 June 2021.

College Office

On Wednesday, the Senior Drama class participated and performed in Act Up Festival at Canberra Theatre Centre. Students had a huge day at the Theatre which involved workshops, tech runs, matinee and evening performances.

This term, students have been working hard to devise their own performances for this event and, as part of their assessment, showcased their hard work to a live audience. Two groups performed in the student festival; Cardboard Box and Same Old, Same Old and also presented to a student and teacher audience at lunchtime on Tuesday.

As always, JPC Arts were proudly represented by the performers. Both pieces were comedic in style, however, explored the Festival’s theme of “New Normal” in different ways. Students relished in the experience of the festival, accepted the challenges of the day and rose to the occasion, assisting event organisers and other schools throughout the day.

A HUGE congratulations is awarded to ten performers! Ella Colquhoun, Jason Shore, Jordan Skerritt, Nina Buckley and Olivia Donovan created and presented Cardboard Box. Follow the story of a basic high school girl at the ultimate procrastination station. She’ll meet new friends and overcome challenges in a lazy way. If you thought procrastinating on TikTok is bad, just wait until you see what she does with a cardboard box.

Lilith Prado, Jacqui Koina, Keely Gould, Dakota Alderton and JP Marsden wrote and performed Same Old, Same Old. This piece follows the story of a person in need of getting out more and a new outlook on life, and their unsuspected ‘travel guide’ sends them to Britain, France and Greece in the hopes that they will find their purpose and along the way discover themselves.

All students performed with great energy. A special mention to the four Stage and Assistant Stage Managers: Will Kelly, Sultan Ahmed, Christiaan Bothma and Alex Rose. They were a great support for the students and allowed for their production elements to heighten their on-stage performance.

We look forward to our next entry into this festival – chookas!

Mrs Sarah Smith
Senior Drama Teacher

Our JPC Indigenous group spent a lovely Wednesday morning in the sunshine on a guided cultural history tour of Reconciliation Place. We set off from the National Library and ended at the National Portrait Gallery, where, after morning tea, we enjoyed another guided Reconciliation Tour of portraits of “awesome” Aboriginal people. What an inspiring and educational way to end our Reconciliation week together. Thank you Mrs Conlan for your company.

Annie Daley
Contact Teacher for Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander students

On Wednesday, the JPC Vocal Group visited the Grove and performed multiple songs for the residents. After the year we've had it was lots of fun to perform in front of a real audience and see the smiles on their faces. After we finished the performance, they had a lovely spread for afternoon tea and conversation. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience and we are looking forward to visiting again next term.

Genevieve Beckett, Year 8

Dear families,

What is happening

Due to changes in music administration, we will now no longer be able to accept new students into bands in the first weeks of each term. All details and payment will be required by the end of the previous term, in order to have students’ details noted and band times set up in the updated school attendance system.

What you need to do – new to band program

If your child is interested in joining a cocurricular band for Term 3 2021, please ensure you have submitted an Expression of Interest form, found on the JPC website, by the second last week of this term (that is, by Friday 18 June.)

You will then be contacted by the music department, who will confirm which band/s your child will be in and their rehearsal time/s. Your child’s details will be updated to the Qkr! system, and you will then be able to pay the cocurricular band fee for the term via Qkr!.

What you need to do – continuing in the band program from Term 2

If your child is already in a cocurricular band, you don’t need to fill in an expression of interest form – please ensure, however, that you have paid your child’s Term 3 cocurricular music fees via Qkr!

Any questions, please email music@jpc.act.edu.au

Thank you for your patience as we move to this new system.

Your friendly Music Team

Sharon Robinson
Music Teacher

Ever wondered about learning to play a musical instrument??

Here are some great reasons why you should sign up!!

Expressions of Interest Co-Curricular: Rock Band, Unplugged, Concert Band, Vocal Group:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf44I5Ty1-ovvP7-0EHj-eRbwtcjBAYp-mObW90R70L1NgDSQ/viewform

Instrumental Music Lessons: Guitar, Bass, Piano, Vocals, Brass, Woodwind, Strings, Drums, Percussion:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnECYqJRieDKOj7plLfBm2WYWya20-d2UYrDerNNtedhUv2Q/viewform

Careers Newsletter Week 16

Highlights include:

• Y12: Early entry applications for UC, ACU and Macquarie Uni
• Interested in SPACE? A free webinar from Macquarie Uni and Canberra Space Camps
• Defence Careers - upcoming information nights
• NIDA open day
• Study/play sport in the USA - information night
• AND SO MUCH MORE!

Ms Zorzi

Family Liaison Officer Position

Looking for an exciting career to help Defence families connect and engage with their community? DCO have just advertised their FLO position (Family Liaison Officer) for Canberra. For more information click on the link below.

Choose Your Own Adventure

There are still some tickets available for DCO’s Choose your own Adventure

The Riddle Room (Child free event) on Sunday, 20 June. To register, click on the link below.

Trooping of the Queen's Colour

Trooping of the Queen’s Colour on Saturday 12 June. Join the Band of the RMC and Staff Cadets as they celebrate the official birthday of the Queen. For tickets follow the link below. 

Save the Date

Save the date for the Partner Employment Assistance Program (PEAP) to be held at Duntroon Community Centre (DCC) - Monday 21 June. More information to come soon.

Defence Families Facebook Group

Please contact me if you would like to be a member of our Facebook group. This is open to JPC & HSP ADF families only. vicki.walsh@cg.catholic.edu.au

Vicki Walsh, DSM

Parish Newsletter

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