This week saw the running of the bi-annual Awards Ceremony. The Awards Ceremony celebrates the academic achievements of students, as demonstrated by their academic grades on their Semester 1 reports (Distinction, High Distinction Awards) and their efforts as awarded by teachers (Growth Mindset Awards). Senior students who achieved the highest score (Tertiary; and A/B grade) or grade (Accredited; A/B grade) were also recognised for their significant efforts in their studies through the presentation of Excellence Awards.

It was fantastic to see so many parents and carers in attendance to support their children. The current climate restricted the number of visitors who could attend, but those who could showed to all recipients that their efforts were publicly acknowledged. It was very clear to us, gazing out on the assembled audience of recipients, students, teachers and guests that the JPC community is now pushing the capacity of our lovely Hall. Something to consider for future whole school events.

A highlight of the Awards Ceremony is the presentation of the House Spirit and Respect Awards. It is always humbling to hear the myriad of ways our students support each other, their House and the College. Their contributions to the life of JPC contribute to making this such a wonderful community.

Dr Ann Cleary
Assistant Principal

Preparation for a possible COVID lockdown

Given the volatility of the COVID situation and the possibility that the ACT will go into lockdown if there are cases here, we have prepared our plans to move to remote learning if necessary. With our electronic learning environment, we are very well placed for our students to continue to learn quite seamlessly if they are required to do so remotely. As happened last year, we will stay in close contact with students to monitor their academic and personal wellbeing during any period of remote learning.

Catholic Education is monitoring the ACT situation very closely and has risk management plans in place for the eventuality of cases appearing here. Foremost for all of us is the safety and wellbeing of our students, our staff and our families.

We will keep you fully informed of plans, should we need to put them in place.

Catherine Rey

Moderation Day is an important day for teachers to attend venues across the ACT to review and moderate the work of senior students. Moderation Day is a requirement for teachers to ensure grade comparability across the senior secondary sector. Moderation Day is a pupil free day and no classes will be running.

Image by Natasja Shearman, Yr 11

Cinders is a classic ‘rags to riches’ – via pumpkin – story and this version is inspired by a pantomime, meaning the songs are pop hits and the jokes are corny! When Prince Charming calls for a royal ball to find the love of his life, the Ugly Sisters, Prosecco and Mojito, ensure Cinderella can’t attend. At this point, enter Fairy Godmother, Bubble and Squeak to save the day. And the rest, as they say, is fairytale history.

Images - Dress Rehearsal by Natasja Shearman, Yr 11

Cinders is St John Paul II College’s long awaited musical production. With around 60 students involved and more behind the scenes, these talented students have continued to uphold the standard of JPC musicals. Our COVID-safe sell-out audiences roared with laughter, felt goosebumps and sang-a-long. The show was an interactive experience especially as we all learnt the “Time Warp” from the cast members to ensure everyone became a ‘Dancing Queen’.

Of course, something of this scale has only possible with a creative dedicated team and the support of the College community. Thank you to all who have helped, supported and joined in to help the fairytale magic come true! Not enough credit can be given to our students. Performers, musicians and the skilled backstage crew created a magical onstage experience. They displayed a professional and inclusive attitude and all worked so hard to achieve. We have all believed in magic, and danced like there was no midnight with lasting memories!

It was with great pride that Mrs Rey accepted the Fairy Godmother’s very magical fairytale book as a memento for Cinders. The magical story of Cinders success will continue with this amazing prop piece.

Would you like a recording of Cinders? Printed logo USBs with an edited recording is available to purchase via QKR for $15. Buy your recording and make sure the fairytale magic lasts forever. Purchases will be distributed at the end of the month.

JPC’s 2022 musical production will be High School Musical. Auditions to join the cast and band will occur in Term 4. More information to come – but don’t miss out on your chance to shine on stage! We can‘t wait to have you as part of our team.

Images by Dr H Schranz

Mrs Sarah Smith
Director of Cinders

Year 10/11 Hospitality

The Hospitality Team have been busy baking for the Cinders production. We fed the cast and crew Curry using Pumpkin grown in our JPC garden and Cinderella Mocktails on the opening night. We also made and produced packets of sparkly Cinderella Dress/ slippers and cupcakes for students involved in the play, as well as more to sell to theatre goers! 

Well done team!

Mrs Annie Daley

Contact Teacher First Nations Students
Food Technology/Hospitality/SOSE

CONGRATULATIONS!

Talented Drexel student Bridie Carder won the supporter photo for NAIDOC week ‘Heal Country’ photographic competition!

Bridie's winning photo will be displayed throughout August at the Belconnen Arts Centre. https://www.belcoarts.com.au/naidoc-exhibition/ 

The ‘Healing Ngunnawal Country’ Photographic Competition was State-wide and open to anyone to participate by submitting a Photo depicting either Ngunnawal Land or what ‘Heal Country’ means to them. Bridie’s winning photo shows a close up of her brother’s hand holding a clump of earth with a small fragile plant growing from it. She won family tickets to Questacon.

Bridie’s photo needs our support to go on to win people’s choice and $250!

Click HERE is the link for you to vote for people's choice.

Congratulations Bridie and good luck with the People’s choice!

Annie Daley
Contact Teacher for First Nations Students

The Year 9/10 and Senior Photography students attended the Australian National Botanic Gardens this week for a workshop on Composition, and Exposure which we have been studying in class. Luckily the weather was kind to us, and we had a stunningly beautiful day. The students were incredible, they embraced the opportunity and showed amazing engagement in the activities, they managed to capture shots from all sorts of intriguing angles and viewpoints demonstrating great vision and creativity. Mrs Smith, Ms Owen, and I were very proud of our wonderful JPC students, their behaviour, and approach to the task was fantastic to see, and we look forward to seeing all of the images they have created. Many thanks to our wonderful Photography & Media Teachers,  Miss Owen and Mrs Smith who helped facilitate this opportunity for our students.

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

On Thursday, selected JPC students participated in the ACT 7/8 Girls Northside Football (Soccer) Tournament at Dickson Playing Fields. In our training session prior to the competition, all girls were full of excitement, eager to practise their skills and get to know each other. On the day, the girls demonstrated great skill, sportsmanship and determination, which resulted in them going through the round games undefeated. Although the girls had this success they narrowly missed out on topping their pool due to goal difference (1 point to be exact). In the semi-final, the girls faced a very tough Merici team and despite playing their hearts out till the final whistle, were unable to score, resulting in them placing 4^th on the day.

A huge congratulations to all the girls who participated on the day and I look forward to future Soccer competitions with them in the future!

Jessica Giovinazzo
Health and Physical Education Teacher

On Thursday, selected JPC students participated in the ACT 7/8 Boys Northside Football (Soccer) Tournament at Dickson Playing Fields. The boys gelled really well together at their training session the day prior to the tournament and brought great enthusiasm into the tournament right from their first match. The boys finished top of their group, going undefeated and following up a strong draw with Campbell High, with big wins against Gold Creek, St.Francis Xavier and Burgmann. The boys were passing the ball around beautifully, leading to many great team goals and emphatic individual strikes. The boys were unfortunate to lose their Semi-Final to Lyneham High 1-0, conceding a breakaway goal against the run of play midway through the first half. Despite dominating the game still and pressing hard for the equaliser until the final whistle, our boys found it more challenging to create the kind of combination play that they had achieved in the group stage, on what was an extremely narrow and quite muddy field. Overall, it was a great and very enjoyable day of football for the boys, who represented JPC with great teamwork and skill.

Andrew Woodman
Teacher – English/IH

School’s Recommendation Scheme

Year 12 students can now apply for the School’s Recommendation Scheme, an early entry offer program for university. All information about the SRS and the JPC process can be found by clicking here.

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 Upcoming Open Days

This is a friendly reminder that Term 3 school fees are due on Friday 13 August 2021.

If you haven’t already done so, could you please settle your account as soon as possible?

This does not apply to those families who have direct debit arrangements in place.

Please contact the Finance Office (JPC.Finance@cg.catholic.edu.au) if you wish to discuss your account or have any queries.

Thank you

Parish Newsletter

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

SWIFF’s Nextwave Youth Short Film Competition is open for entries!

Submissions Deadline Extended to November 12, 2021

Enter a short film into the Nextwave Youth Film Competition for your chance to win awesome awards and prizes, including Best School, and have your film premiere at SWIFF 2022 on the Coffs Coast! 

If you like being creative, and want to have a go at filmmaking, SWIFF wants to see what you can do!

The rules are simple:

• Make a film under five minutes
• Include a pineapple
• Enter before October 12^th to win! Submission Deadline Extended to November 12, 2021

For full terms and conditions, visit www.nextwavefilm.com.au

WVYC Annual Concert–Saturday 7/Sunday 8 August

A full and varied program featuring all our choirs: Nova (Lower Primary); Borealis (Upper Primary/Lower Secondary); Australis (Secondary/Tertiary); Centauri (choir for young men with changing voices).

• 6pm Saturday 7 August Wesley Uniting Church
• 3pm Sunday 8 August Wesley Uniting Church 

 Bookings: trybooking.com/BSSDH

Open Day (Rehearsal)–Tuesday August 17

For ages 8-18. Come and have fun as you sing with one of our age appropriate choirs. No previous experience necessary.

RSVP: info.wvyc@gmail.com

Auditions–Saturday 21 August

For ages 8-18. Take the next step as you join us. Prepare a simple song you sing well. Our director, Olivia, will guide you through the rest.

Bookings: wvyc.director@gmail.com 

For more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by reply email. Or visit our website at wvyc.org.au.