As Arts educators, we are always thinking about the skills our students will need to feel successful in their future lives. Multiple studies show that future generations need skills developed in the areas of critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, creativity and innovation, communication, self-management, social responsibility and digital fluency.

So, why study Arts subjects?

At JPC, when our students are offered a wide range of subjects in both Performing and Creative Arts subjects. Students study a combination of Dance, Drama, Media, Music, Photography or Visual Arts, learning empathy and identification as classroom experiences opens individuals to new dimensions of emotional experiences. All Arts subjects increase a student’s creativity, self-esteem and confidence. Working independently and collaboratively, students learn the skills of listening, negotiating and communicating and, they develop new friendships!

These creative subjects increase our students’ ability to think; creatively, imaginatively and divergently, learning to think ‘outside the box’. From Years 7 to 12, our students interpret and devise performances and create artworks using conceptual thinking, exploring unique genres and techniques developing their problem-solving skills. These are the skills that teach students how to become critical consumers, rather than just passive viewers. Each lesson, Arts students are expected to question and critique their own and others’ processes and products.

The Arts student engagement is not only present in the classroom. Countless students engage in extra-curricular opportunities offered by the enthusiastic and committed Arts teachers. The Music program offers private instrumental and vocal lessons, as well as multiple bands in various styles. In addition, the Tech Crew allows students to develop their skills in backstage stage management for different events. Students are also offered many performance opportunities through Drama lunchtime clubs and the Musical. The musical provides the perfect experience for students, with different creative expressions and talents, to combine their skills and create an amazing finish product where everyone shines. This year’s musical, Cinders, is a great example of this!

Cinders is showing over three nights, Thursday 29^th – Saturday 31^st July. Tickets will be available next week via: https://www.trybooking.com/BSHIZ. We look forward to seeing you at the show!

Mrs Sarah Smith
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – The Arts and Van Thuan

Year 8 Made 4 More Retreats – a resounding success!

Over this week and next, our Year 8 students have been taking part in the small group retreat program - Made for More - here at JPC, which is the first step in their introduction to Youth Ministry.

These 1-hour sessions are run by our own Youth Minister, Caitlyn D’Cruze, and our Year 10 who are currently completing the Youth Ministry Elective in their Year 10 RE course, AND senior members of our very active Youth Ministry Team.

The OBJECTIVES of the Made 4 More retreats include helping students:

• understand the unique, meaningful life for which they have been created
• understand they have a life with the potential to change the world through their actions and faith;
• see other young people who live their lives in this way;
• consider a valued based approach to life;
• consider opting in for the very popular Youth Ministry Elective Units within the Religious Education course over Years 9 and 10.

The themes will also be explored with the students in their RE lessons before and after the retreat. Please discuss this experience with your Year 8 child. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me via the email address below.

A big shout out to the volunteer Yr 10 student leaders for the Yr 8 Made 4 More retreats today!

Back Row L-R: Ashish Nair, Jayden Robinson, Ella Cortes, Jack Evans, Madeline Holmes, Samantha Howarth, Keira O’Connor
Front Row L-R: Nic Colquhoun, Mahi Agarwal, Jordan Jonathon, Hayley Silcock

We are truly proud of this group of talented, faith-filled young people who, as leaders of the Made for More program, are acting as inspirational role models to our Year 8 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, and we are very grateful for their commitment to our school’s Catholic identity.

Jennifer Tually
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – Mission and Ministry

jennifer.tually@cg.catholic.edu.au

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am very sorry to be writing this message to you all, however, we are experiencing ongoing vandalism of the boy’ toilets throughout the school. Images of this vandalism are below. This recent series of vandalism was sent to us by the school cleaners who are very concerned with the constant vandalism they are seeing and having to clean. We are asking parents and carers to raise this issue with their son. If their child has any information of who is causing this vandalism we would ask that they speak to their mentor teacher. All information will be treated confidentially.

We imagine that this vandalism is due to a small number of students but the impact they are having on the school is huge with regular and expensive repair work having to be conducted on a weekly basis and we need this to stop.

The JPC Community

This week our Year 9/10 Photography & Media students were very privileged to have a visit from the lovely Mel and Michael from Mel Hill Photography (https://www.melhillphotography.com)  in Harrison.  They discussed the ins and outs of the industry, and how to best to approach a career in Photography. They showed us some of their work, and talked to us about their journey to becoming a high profile photography business in Canberra – I believe the key is hard work, and being reliable! Many thanks to them for taking the time to come and talk to us - Mrs Jewell

Mrs. Danni Jewell
Teacher of P.E & Health and Photography & Media

Year 9 students were introduced to the UK’s Joe Wicks, during their wet weather lesson this week, as a follow on to their Health Unit of Nutrition. Joe uses Youtube, Instagram and other social media platforms to educate people around the basics and balance between Healthy Balanced Nutrition and Effective Short Duration Exercise to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you are interested in his ideas check out his Instagram (@thebodycoach) or Youtube Channel (The Body Coach TV) and join his 4.1milion followers.

Photo taken from sbs.com

Mrs. Danni Jewell
Teacher of P.E & Health and Photography & Media

This weeks’ ‘Tuesday Tunes’ was filled with performances from our amazing music tutors. Chris Van Der Wielen played the guitar and sang. He is such an entertainer and a fabulous teacher who we are so glad to have on our music staff. Chris currently works on Wednesday’s and Friday’s teaching piano and guitar.

John Burgess played the bass guitar for our Tuesday tunes performance and absolutely loves playing music with others. He is an amazing bass guitar teacher who comes to JPC on Thursday’s.

Of course, we also had the fantastic Mr Aron Lyon on drums, who simply loves anything to do with music and adores teaching his bands. Aron runs multiple bands during ILT for students interested in learning an instrument and playing with others.

If anyone is interested in getting lessons from these amazing teachers or joining one of our music groups please fill out the forms below as we are now taking enrolments for Term 3.

Thank you to our amazing audience of students who made it a pleaser to perform for. We will definitely be doing another concert like this in future.

Sharon Robinson

CIT Taste Excursion

A few weeks ago, students in the Hospitality class and well as some Y11 and 12’s were able to participate in CIT’s TASTE program. This afternoon highlighted the hospitality and tourism courses available to study at CIT. The students made mocktails, muffins, dumplings and learnt about tourism. It was great fun!

Transition Week

Next week Y10 students will participate in Transition Week. A letter has been sent to parents/carers and students with information about this week. It is really important that the excursion permission form (for Tuesday excursions) is submitted by Monday through Qrk.

Ms Teena Zorzi

Don’t forget to rsvp for our Defence Families dinner next week. For more information please contact me vicki.walsh@cg.catholic.edu.au   

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Vicki Walsh
DSM

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

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

Parish Newsletter

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