Dear Parents and Carers,

What a beautiful, albeit cold, week we have had here at JPC. On Wednesday, we welcomed Winter and we were blessed with a stunning cover of snow on the surrounding mountain ranges of Canberra. It was wonderful to hear so many students talking about the sight of snow and the joy that this brought them.

This Sunday the Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday recognising the decent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and followers of Jesus. The word Pentecost is Greek and means 50th day with Pentecost Sunday falling fifty days after Easter Sunday.

I would encourage all families to look for an opportunity to join their local parish in celebrating mass for Pentecost Sunday this week.

Community Satisfaction Survey: Tell Them From Me

Over the coming week we are inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.

The survey is one used by all Catholic schools in our system and focuses on the teaching and learning experience. We have been able to add two questions specific to our context and you will recognise these as they are about Student Mentoring and Independent Learning Time.

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 JPC.

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 URL below:

http://tellthemfromme.com/24abb

There have also been a number of community events over the last week that I would like to acknowledge from within our community:

Reconciliation Day – Sea of Hands

On Tuesday morning the staff gathered together in prayer with a focus on reflecting on Reconciliation Day. The Kennedy House Leaders shared with staff the history and important part we all play for the future of Reconciliation in Australia. We were challenged to think about ways that we as teachers could be involved in this process and to share with students the importance of this. The reflection concluded by listening to the haunting words of Troy Cassar-Daley’s song ‘Shadows on the Hill’ which captures the pain and suffering of First Nations people in Australia.

During our mentoring period, the College joined with many other schools in Canberra by participating in the Reconciliation ‘Sea of Hands’ activity. Students were encouraged to think about how they can learn and contribute to Reconciliation in their own networks and relationships and to make a Pledge for Reconciliation for display.

Thank you to Mrs Daley, Contact Teacher for First Nation’s Students & Food Technology/Hospitality for her organisation of the day.

Wellbeing Workshop 2: Maths Mindset

Wednesday evening saw the second session of our Wellbeing Workshops for parents. This session was focused on Maths Mindsets and explored the factors which can contribute to some young people developing negative self-talk when it comes to learning mathematics specifically, which can also generate anxiety about or aversion towards this valuable subject. The session included evidence based research in to the topic and was coupled with practical resources that parents could access to support their child in learning concepts in maths.

We are extremely fortunate at JPC to have passionate experts in these areas and I would particularly like to thank Mrs Kathleen Garvie (Assistant Principal – Learning), Mrs Ame Uidam (College Counsellor) and Mrs Jen Tually  (LLWB Mathematics) for their work in developing and leading this session.

The third Wellbeing Workshop for parents is scheduled for Week 6 of Term 3 and more specific details will be communicated closer to the date.

Multicultural Day 2022

On Thursday, we celebrated the rich diversity of students and staff that make our community so wonderful. Multicultural Day 2022 is a day to celebrate our multicultural diversity and deepen our understanding and respect of other cultures and communities around the world. Students were invited to wear clothing items from their respective cultures and with the support of Mr Whatman, all students were invited to participate in activities including a Cultural competition, watching Cultural Films, Cultural recipes and Cultural Dance lessons.

Thank you to the students involved in planning the day and to Mr Whatman for his guidance in ensuring the day ran smoothly.

Jacob Knowles
Assistant Principal – Development
Drexel and Mathieu House

The Holy Spirit is surprisingly low key. Despite arriving with a roaring of wind and tongues of fire, the Spirit is very much someone who likes to stay in the background. He works behind the scenes.

To many of us, the Holy Spirit seems to be the quietest member of the Blessed Trinity. After all, in sacred scripture, the Father speaks often, and so does Jesus. But you’d be hard-pressed to find famous quotes from the Holy Spirit. It sometimes seems as if the Spirit is the Trinity’s silent partner.

In fact, the Spirit does speak.  Eloquently.  Passionately.  Fearlessly.

It began in the Acts of the Apostles, and the account of Pentecost - moments after his descent, the Spirit gave the disciples a voice – a voice that could not be contained in that upper room. A voice that needed to be spread to the wider world.

Despite the wide range of cultures and languages gathered in Jerusalem that day, everyone present heard and understood. Someone even exclaimed, incredulously: “We hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

Those “mighty acts” transcend time, place, language, culture. God’s work is infinite. It is “catholic” in the truest sense of what that word means: it is universal.

It is limitless. And it is timeless.

Look around you and know this: Pentecost never stopped.

It is still going on. Here and now. And every one of us is a part of it.

Despite our problems, our weaknesses, our broken parts and sinful history, the Spirit continues to abide with us, support us, uplift us, encourage us. He raises up popes and saints, missionaries and martyrs — countless witnesses to God’s goodness in the world, a great cloud of witnesses that includes, incredibly, each of us.

So, Happy Pentecost. Happy birthday of the Church. Celebrate this day and give it its due. Remember God’s never-ending love for the human race and the Holy Spirit’s untiring commitment to us.

But remember, too, that it is more than just one day.

On one day 20 centuries ago, the fire fell.

But it hasn’t stopped burning.

Earlier in May, three teachers from St John Paul II College attended the Australian Institute for Teachers and School Leadership (AITSL), Highly Accomplish and Lead Teacher (HALT) summit. Teachers and leaders from all around Australia, who are certified at the Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher level, gather to learn from experienced presenters while also sharing projects implemented throughout schools in all jurisdictions across the country.

The theme for this year’s summit was ‘building momentum’ and many school leaders presented on projects within their school and the discussion around how we continue to build respect for the teaching profession and attract highly skilled teachers and ensure they have the opportunities to excel in the classroom were discussed. It is wonderful to be part of a school that has three HALTS and to have the support to continue growing and learning is very exciting.

John Cole, a SOSE teacher who started teaching at JPC this year, presented to the policy-makers breakout session for regulatory bodies, alongside Emeritus Laureate Professor John Hattie. His presentation covered his Master of Education research project regarding factors affecting teachers’ decisions regarding applying for certification.

Kelly Candy, a Leader of Learning and Wellbeing (LLWB) at JPC, presented in the HALT share space on projects surrounding the progression of Early Career Teachers at JPC. As a team, Kelly Candy and Kathleen Garvie, (Assistant Principal, Learning, JPC) chaired the ACT HALT network session. 

We all took many ideas away from this summit and look forward to sharing them with our fellow leaders and the JPC Community. 

Mrs Kelly Candy
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing, Ferre House, Wellbeing Y11/12

Dear Year 10 Families,

If you missed the Principal's talk & Panel discussion or the ASBA talk, the recordings are now available on our website here

Thank you

Scholarship information - https://jpc.act.edu.au/continuing-into-senior-years-scholarships

Sorry Day, on Thursday 26^th May began with Acknowledgement of Country and a prayer over the PA during morning PC, followed by a minute's silence and a Reconciliation video to raise awareness. 

The National Reconciliation Week theme 'Be Brave, Make Change', inspired school-wide activities each day to raise awareness including:

• Tuesday - a school-wide 'Sea of Hands' activity. Students pledged their commitment to Reconciliation on a paper hand and placed it in one large hand as a sign of solidarity

• Wednesday - Reconciliation Restaurant hosted by Hospitality students, cooking lunch for our First Nations students and their mentor teachers using native ingredients from our JPC Bush tucker garden

• Thursday - In my Blood it runs with native spiced popcorn in Period 2 ILT and Lunchtime in the Kamberri room
• Friday - Recess - Mindful 'Be Brave Make Change' colouring in and Jigsaw puzzles in the Kamberri Room.

Ms Daley
First Nation’s student’s Facilitator.

On Thursday we held our St John Paul II College Multicultural Day. As part of recognising our diverse culture students were invited to wear cultural dress, engage in cultural dance and film as well as participating in a soccer world cup where countries from around the world were represented. There was a high level of participation and engagement from our students and great to see so many cultures represented. This theme of building our community and connection with culture will be an ongoing theme this year as we celebrate the cultural diversity in our JPC and broader community.

Nic Whatman
Assistant Principal – Wellbeing and Community

Tuesday tunes have been a massive hit in the past few weeks. Aron Lyon has done an amazing job organising countless musicians to entertain the students at lunchtime. There has been a huge range of styles, genres and talents being displayed every Tuesday lunchtime giving the students the opportunity to perform for a live audience.

Sharon Robinson
Music Teacher

Charles Sturt University Visit

On Wednesday, Kristen from Charles Sturt University came to speak to our students about the study opportunities at Charles Sturt campus’. Currently, Charles Sturt is running an early entry program – with some Year 12 JPC students already receiving offers in Veterinary Technology, Medical Science and Environmental Science.

You can find more information here: https://www.csu.edu.au/

Early Entry: https://study.csu.edu.au/study-options/pathways/charles-sturt-advantage

UAC Presentation for JPC students  

The Universities Admissions Centre processes applications for admission to most undergraduate courses at participating institutions (mainly located in NSW and the ACT). If you missed the presentation – you can access the video here.

Ms Teena Zorzi
Leader of Learning (Careers) and Wellbeing (Drexel House)

League Tag

Last Thursday our Under 16’s Girls League Tag Team travelled to Phillip to compete in the ACT League Tag Competition.

They performed admirably showing great sportsmanship, fitness and skill and had some great results.

Results:

• Mt. Stromlo 22-4
• Trinity 4-4
• Crookwell 22-4
• St. Clare’s 40-0

These results were good enough for us to win our pool, Daramarlan College was undefeated in the other pool, meaning we would have placed equal 2nd or 3^rd on points difference between the two pools. But who’s counting?

Mr Steve Thomas
Health and Physical Education Faculty & Mathieu House

Oscar Kelly, Yr7 has been selected to represent the ACT at the 2022 Australian Little League Championships in Sydney next week (6 June to 13 June).

Congratulations Oscar and we wish you all the best for next week.

Parish Newsletter

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

The Dragon Boat Festival Event is a non-profit free entry event to promote multi-culture.

Date: 4 June 2022
Time: 10:30am to 3:30pm

Activity includes dragon boat racing, Chinese street food, animal house, discovery trip, culture game, multicultural performance, table games, dragon and lion dance etc.