Dear Parents and Carers,

We have ended the semester on a high note with the Year 10 Transition Week. It has been a very informative and enjoyable week for the students. They have felt that they have learned a lot with regard to thinking about and planning for the future. One of the important features of the week has been working with the new JPC Careers website, developed by Mr Ian Pettit. It contains a wealth of information for students and families alike and is also highly interactive. I highly recommend you visit it, regardless of what year your son or daughter is currently in. It can be found at https://jpc-careers.com/

Several of the students, who felt they might be interested in pursuing an Australian School Based Apprenticeship (ASBA), were able to access Work Experience during the week. By all accounts, they found it useful, not only having the opportunity of practically experiencing an area of interest but in learning more about the world of work and options open to them.

Another highly positive part of the week was the inaugural parent information night, 'Maximise Your Future Career', organised by the College Council in conjunction with Ian Pettit. Parents interacted with a panel of JPC parents discussing career paths and possibilities for the future as well as hearing from the presenter of Elevate who had spoken to the students earlier in the day, giving them very solid tips on successful study techniques. We look forward to more parent evenings like this in the future.

Yesterday, in their Reflection Day, the students again appreciated the opportunities offered to them, at school in the morning and with visits outside of school in the afternoon. The Year 10 Social capped off the week with a joyful celebration, greatly enjoyed by all.

Everyone associated with the week commented on how positively all of the students had interacted with the experiences offered to them and their high level of engagement and interest.  I would particularly like to thank Mr Ian Pettit for all of his work in preparing the week and for his passion for assisting students to find their pathway, both for their senior secondary study and into the future. I would also like to thank Mrs Nicola Edghill for organising the Reflection Day yesterday.

Staff news
We sadly farewell several members of staff at this time. 

Ms Madeleine Harley, who has been Leader of Learning and Wellbeing in Drexel and taken responsibility for English for the last three and a half years, is leaving us to take up a new position. We are so grateful to her for all she has brought to us over these years. Her professionalism, care of students and great expertise in many areas have greatly enhanced our community. 

Mr Segun Ogunrinola and Mr Tad Kuzma are also leaving us for new positions elsewhere. I would like to thank them both for their work in Mathematics and their support of students have been greatly appreciated. I thank all three for their generosity and energy and their commitment to our students and wish them every blessing in the future. We will miss them! 

Next semester, we welcome Mrs Carly Conlan, working in both Science and Maths, Mr Samuel Martyn into Maths, Mrs Tanya Shegog into Religious Education, Integrated Humanities and SOSE, Ms Lyndall Visagie into Integrated Humanities, Ms Amber Donoghue into English and SOSE and Ms Wei Zhang into Science. We are also pleased to welcome back Mrs Jie Li in Term 3. She will be working in Chinese while Ms Sarah Zhou takes on Science, as well as Integrated Maths and Science  other areas of passion for her.

Reports
Reports will be emailed out to families by Monday afternoon. We encourage you to spend time with your son or daughter reading the reports together. It is important to view the report as a whole, not simply focusing on the grade achieved, but rather to also consider the comments made by the teachers. Whilst reports are a summative reflection of the semester, they form an important element of our assessment for learning philosophy. We look forward to working with students next term on their academic goals for Semester 2.

Thank you all for your support this semester. I wish you all a very happy holiday and a restful break!

Catherine Rey

Congratulations to all the Year 10 students involved in this week’s Transition Week program. A variety of activities have been completed that included involvement in the “JPC Careers Expo” and a range of career and subject-related information sessions.

Students are complimented on the very positive mindset they have shown towards the information provided, with many guest speakers commenting on the respectful behaviour that was exhibited.

Several Year 10 students who are considering Australian School Based Apprenticeships were taking the opportunity at this time to complete Work Experience as part of the Transition Program.

We take this opportunity to thank the members of the JPC Board who joined the Q&A session at the parent information evening and to also thank all those JPC staff member who offered up their additional lesson time to run many of the Career Modules.

Ian Pettit /Nicola Edghill/Stephanie O’Meara
Transition Week Coordinators

This July holidays, a group of JPC students and Dr Ann Cleary will head off to Houston, USA, for a 13-day adventure with the space organisation, NASA and the CASE Space School.

We would like to wish our interped travelling scientists the very best on this exciting inaugural trip to NASA.

It’s holidays! The Well-being team has had a fantastic semester and has seen many students engage in well-being activities and promote well-being throughout the school.

The holidays are a great time for students to unwind and take a break. However, it’s also a good time for parents to reflect with their children on the previous semester.

• Was it a calm or stressful semester for your child?
• How did your child deal with the pressure of assessments?
• Did your child seem organised?
• Did they submit their assignments and ILT tasks on time?
• Do they still have all of the equipment they need?
• Were they on time for pastoral care class every day?

Reflecting on these questions with your child might help to pinpoint any areas that need improvement. By acknowledging these areas, you and your child can spend some time during the holidays preparing for a successful second semester.

Here are some handy tips coming into next semester:

1. Ensure your child has somewhere they can record all assessment due dates. You should also have access to a copy of these. Some examples include:

• A whiteboard
• A diary
• A calendar poster
• The online calendar on their iPad or technology (this can be shared with parents)
• Countdown apps on their technology

2. Ensure all uniform items have been labelled clearly so they can be returned if lost.

3. Encourage your child to spend 10 minutes each night packing their bag or preparing their uniform for school the next day.

4. Create a strong sleep routine for your child to ensure enough focus for the day.

• Going to bed at approximately the same time each night
• Alarms set for the same time each morning
• No technology at least 30 minutes before bed
• Find your child a good book to read before bed

5. Consider implementing well-being practices for your child on a daily basis.

• Physical exercise – going for a walk together
• Gratitude – “3 things I’m thankful for today”
• Mindfulness – Meditation apps or mindful colouring
• Play – a simple card game played with the family

Celebrating the ART-RAGEOUS Art Club, students have created and hung their first collaborative art work in the Learning Street!

In the style of Street Art, on a canvas of recycled cardboard, students designed, painted and sprayed their individual work on the theme of “Courage”, considering what it takes to have the courage to be creative and also to be a young person, navigating their own path.

Come and see it – outside the Art Studios and the Tech Rooms!

Next term, ART-RAGEOUS Club will continue on Wednesdays at lunchtime in CG4. Cost is $15 for the term and includes all materials.

Last Wednesday the music department had their bi-annual instrumental concert which showcased all of our students' talents in multiple forms. The main focus of the evening was to share the hard work and dedication of those students involved in instrumental/vocal lessons here at JPC.

Those students also participated in their ensembles which were the Senior Rock Band, Jazz Band, Senior Vocal group and Intermediate Concert Band and many more.

A huge thank you to Faye Robertson for assisting with the organisation and supervision on the night. We wish her well as she goes on maternity leave.

I’d also like to thank the parents who encourage the students to be involved in our programs, as well as thank all the students who performed on the night. The students have worked so hard this term to prepare this amazing concert and Aron and I are both very proud of their achievements.

Miss Sharon Robinson

Music Teacher

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

Have you ever thought of a career in the performing arts? A touring musician, music teacher, session musician or maybe even scoring music for major movies and television….

You have to start somewhere! Take the first step and get involved with our performing arts program at St John Paul II College. We have the finest tutors to help you reach your goals, tutoring bass guitar, electric guitar, vocals, piano, strings, brass, woodwind and drums. We also offer many opportunities with our Extra-Curricular ensembles including rock band, unplugged (acoustic groups), choir, concert band and jazz band to name a few. If you’re interested, please follow the link below. We are now taking enrolments for Term 3.

Come and experience Engineering at UNSW Canberra at the YoWIE Program – Young Women In Engineering

• Pull apart and rebuild an engine
• Command a robot to solve a problem
• Simulate realistic-looking trees on a computer
• Test aircraft wings in a wind tunnel
• Fly a drone by remote control
• and much more!

If you’re a young woman in Years 8 or 9 in 2019, you’re invited to attend our FREE Young Women in Engineering (YoWIE) three-day workshop in the January holidays.

Where? UNSW Canberra, in Campbell, ACT

When? 13 - 15 January 2020

How do I apply? Online registration is now open. For more information or to register, go to YoWIE Registration

Or contact:

Jennifer Tually
Leader of Learning (Science)
Email: jennifer.tually@cg.catholic.edu.au

Vanessa Gotting (Project Officer)
Phone: (02) 6268 9578
Email: yowie@adfa.edu.au

1st or 2nd Year Apprentice Carpenter – Position Available.

An excellent opportunity is available for a 1st or 2nd Year Apprentice Carpenter to join Indepth Building Solutions Pty Ltd.

Phone: 0435 771 902
Email: build@indepthbuildingsolutions.com.au
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/831825970243319/posts/2316485155110719/?sfnsn=mo

or contact Mr Pettit for further information ian.pettit@cg.catholic.edu.au

Participants are given an authentic termite-hollowed 'blank' didgeridoo, and through a guided process, create their own instrument in one day. All the tools and materials are provided, and at the end of the day, students get to keep their own, newly made didgeridoo. Equally important, the knowledge and experience are theirs to keep forever.

Designed to be Easy
Didge in a Day is designed to be easy for anyone from Year 7 and above to participate successfully in. No wood working skills are required, and all necessary specific training is provided on the day.
 

Costing
Cost per person is $195 fully inclusive and includes coaching, materials, tools, consumables and the didgeridoo.
 

Date: Term 2, Wednesday 24th July 2019.
Please book through the JPC office - office.jpc@cg.catholic.edu.au
Payment can be made through Qkr.
** For Culturally sensitive reasons this is for Boys Only**
See girls program below.

The Girls program will be run by Aunty Fran, a local indigenous lady and will be making and painting Emu Callers.

Cost: $50.00

For further information contact Annie Daley (Contact Teacher for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Students)
annie.daley@cg.catholic.edu.au

If you ordered JPC Leggings, they will be available for collection from Mr Robertson in Week 1 of Term 3.

Thank you

Attention Students

This year Catholic Education have expanded the Recognition Awards to incorporate the Catholic Schools Cultural Festival highlighting excellence in Catholic Education and recognising student achievement.

The Catholic Schools Cultural Festival highlights student achievement and excellence through a series of curriculum based competitions focused on Religious Education, Literacy, STEM and the Arts.

If you would like to have a go at one or more of the below competitions, go to the Catholic Education Website here

Good Luck!

To celebrate the new partnership between Merici College and Lifeline, Merici College is hosting a themed trivia night and auction to raise money for Lifeline. The night will kick off with a few rounds of trivia, the overall winners of which will get to pick one of two epic prizes. We will also have food and the second prize which will be awarded to the team with the best costume. We’ll then start our auction consisting of heaps of fantastic donations, so please, bring your wallets for this fun night out at Merici!

When: 6pm to 8pm, Wednesday 24th July 2019
Where: Merici College Auditorium
Who: Years 10-12 attending Catholic schools in Canberra
Cost: $10pp (food included)
Tables: 8-10 people
Theme: Per table - The team who coordinates the best group costume will also win a prize

Prizes and items for the auction include paintball, escape rooms and much much more!

Tickets available at:  https://www.trybooking.com/BDVRQ
TICKETS CLOSE SUNDAY 21 JULY

With kind regards,

Olivia Miles, College Vice Captain

Platform numbers and departures are changing from 6 July 2019

Transport Canberra is making improvements to the Woden Interchange, to make it easier for customers to use the new public transport network.

You will notice platform changes as we work to improve customer information throughout the interchange, which includes new and improved signage and a simplified layout.

Our friendly Customer Service staff will be available in the interchange to provide assistance. Please refer to the website below for platform and departure changes for your regular services.

School services will continue to leave from the same location in the interchange, however, the platform number will be updated to reflect the broader changes as seen in the website.

For further information, please visit: transport.act.gov.au.