JPC Key Message Week 7, Term 1 2020

Dear Parents and Carers, 

The situation with the COVD-19 situation is a rapidly evolving one. As you have already noticed, things are changing very quickly and what was acceptable last Sunday, such as attending the football, has quickly changed to limiting groups to one hundred. 

I wanted to reassure Parents and Carers that we are following the guidelines that have been put out by the Australian Government, the NSW Department of Health and the Catholic Education Office around students attending schools at this time – including cancelling assemblies and other large group gatherings and sadly, key school events, such as Try High School Days and Open Nights. 

Schools are open and we are ensuring that all hygiene protocols are followed. If you come to the school can you please ensure that you use the hand sanitiser which is located near the front door. We also ask that if you are unwell with flu-like symptoms that you contact the school by e-mail or phone, rather than coming into the school in person. We are required to send any student with cold or flu symptoms home and that we need to have them placed in an area that is not sick bay. At this stage students are waiting outside my office till they are picked up and we are explaining to them that this is a requirement that school must put in place. We are not doctors, and so we cannot assess how unwell a student is when they present to sick bay with sore throats and stuffy noses and so we are deferring to the professional judgment of the medical profession in assessing if a child has a cold or the flu. We ask that students do not return to school until they are free of their symptoms. Again, this is a requirement that has been set down to ensure the health and safety of the other members of the community and appreciate your support in this.  

As a school community we are preparing for the possibility of remote learning, if it eventuates that schools do close. Staff are currently working on what remote learning will look like and how to ensure that teaching and learning in this environment is as engaging and students remain connected to their classes. Staff are spending many additional hours here at school learning about on-line learning platforms and are spending time with their classes ensuring that the students also understand how to use these new platforms. Many classes have been learning about ZOOM meetings, which we envisage will be one form of communication for teachers and students. I think we are very lucky at JPC as we already have the concepts of Independent Learning in place and many of the capabilities of working remotely align with the skills required for ILT. We also have many of the structures in place such as MOODLE and teachers planning collaboratively in teams. 

To assist us in the preparation of the possibility of remote learning, we are asking all parent to ensure that their students have their school e-mail active and that they are familiar with using the school e-mail system. All communication with students must take place via their school e-mail. We are asking students to ensure this is set up, but a double check from parents would be appreciated. Any student who is having trouble with their school e-mail needs to see the IT Support team as a priority.  We are also asking parents to consider their internet capabilities and to check that this will be sufficient for their child to access the internet during the day, if we have to put remote learning into place. 

Could I also ask parents to reinforce our “hands off” rule? We are also highlighting this rule at school and a consistent message from home and school would help reinforce the message, especially at this time when social distancing is seen as a key strategy for managing the spread of the virus.

We are aware that this situation is being felt by all in our community, staff included. We will always ensure the best possible learning environment for the students under our care; however, we do need to be flexible. Our staff, like many members of the community are equally challenged by the situation as it unfolds and some staff are requiring additional support or absences from school because of their own personal health concerns. Our aim is to minimise the disruption to classes as much as possible. 

We also understand that some parents have chosen to self-isolate their children. We cannot, at this point provide remote learning for these students. We do however, have numerous resources, activities and assessments uploaded onto MOODLE for students to access at home. Please ask your child to show you MOODLE using their login. We do say that the MOODLE login in is a family login and parents are encouraged to go in and have a look at the work set for their child. There is a link to MOODLE on the Webpage for parents to be able to easily access.

This is a new state of affairs for all of us and we are working through each new update and situation as they arise. We will continue to work together in ensuring that JPC is a safe and nurturing learning environment for our students. I will communicate any updates as they arise and continue to keep you informed on our progress for remote learning. I have attached a link to Beyond Blue which sets out some excellent advice on managing the stress and anxiety at this difficult time. I particularly liked the video how to talk to our young people about the current situation. I am quite surprised at many of the misconceptions that our student have about COVID-19.  I think they are getting much of their information from Social Media which is unreliable or just inaccurate. As teachers we address these misconceptions  as they arise, however, parents play an even more a very important part in this as often these conversations are taking place in social settings, rather than in the classroom. The site also gives reliable sources of information that you might refer your child to look at. 

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

Have a safe and restful weekend. 

Stephanie O'Meara

Be part of the solution!

This week has seen some wonderful examples in our communities, of people deliberately acting to show Solidarity, to uphold Human Dignity, to work for the Common Good, to give Preferential Option for the Poor and to promote Peace.

You may recognise these terms as some of the elements of Catholic Social Teaching!

With human dignity at its core, Catholic Social Teaching covers all spheres of life – the economic, political, personal and spiritual. It is a holistic approach to how we operate, which creates a highly functioning society that cares for the vulnerable in our midst.

There are MANY links between Jesus words, and the way we work together to love one another, such as those in Matthew 25:35 -

Matthew 25:35 

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

Please take time to consider how YOU can give to others, and welcome strangers.

CARITAS Project Compassion Donations

at JPC are now on Qkr!

JPC House groups are currently running a competition for the biggest collection, and families can contribute to their child's House collection in this way. Our goal for 2020 was $10,000 ($~10 per person over Lent) and in our current unsettled climate, we have quite a long way to go!

Project Compassion donations can now be made on Qkr! under Donations to Charities – CARITAS.

Take care and love one another.

 Jen Tually

Leader of Learning - Mission and Ministry

For more information on Catholic Social Teaching, go to http://www.caritas.org.au/about/catholic-social-teaching-values

Senior Attendance and Assessment

A crucial requirement for supporting our senior students continues to be open communication between families and the College about individual students’ circumstances. At this current time, we are maintaining our published expectations around BSSS (the certification authority) requirements for Attendance and Assessment, given one of the key benefits of the ACT senior secondary system is the high degree of in-built flexibility. The BSSS has also published preliminary COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) advice to students and families: http://www.bsss.act.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/465438/BSSS_Information_for_Students_Parents_and_Carers.pdf. The BSSS advice notes: “BSSS policy and procedures make provision for students unable to attend school as a result of a travel ban, self-isolation or school closure”. If a student is healthy, but not attending school for the aforementioned reasons, then written notification to the school from parents/carers will cover the BSSS attendance requirements. These students are expected to engage with resources that are on Moodle, ILT tasks and complete assessment as scheduled. They may need to make early contact to discuss options for some types of assessment tasks.

The full detail of all senior requirements can be found in the Senior Assessment Handbook located on the JPC website under the Year 11 & 12 tab: 

https://www.jpc.act.edu.au/year-11-12-2/senior-assessment-handbook/

As noted in the JPC handbook (p9), “Students should only miss assessment tasks in the case of illness or exceptional circumstances.” If a student is unwell, we continue to ask that the teacher/faculty head is contacted prior to the submission time/test by phone or email. Our expectation is that a parent’s note (1-3 days absence) or doctor’s certificate (>3 days absence) is provided to the school (preferably scanned and emailed to any teachers expecting assessment). If, in the current climate, it is not possible to get a doctor’s certificate on the 4th day of absence from a task date, we will need to discuss this situation with you.

The current situation dictates a degree of flexibility, but we are also responsible for fairly ranking Tertiary students for their ATAR.  We therefore need students and parents to be clearly identifying when students are sick and when they are healthy, but working at home, so we can make fair provisions. The BSSS will provide further advice as the situation evolves and particularly if remote learning becomes a requirement.

Dr Ann Cleary

Let’s be the Community who look as after each other

This week, I watched, as I am sure you all did, the sad stories of people missing out due to some very selfish behaviour that is been exhibited by so many people in supermarkets. My heart is so sad when I see elderly people not able to buy essentials and when young mother’s cannot buy children’s paracetamol because others have taken more than they need. I am sure we all have seen or heard of such stories.

This is in such contrast to the generosity that we saw at the time of the Bushfires where the community banded together and everyone helped each other out. Each year, here at JPC  we proudly fill up baskets of goodies for the Vinnie’s Christmas appeal and send them off to the most needy in our community, again a wonderful act of generosity. 

Instead of being sad and angry, I would like the JPC community to be part of the solution.

So, what can we do??

If you do not have an essential item that you require please contact contact the JPC Office.

We will see if the school can help out. If not, we will be put out a request anonymously onto our JPC Facebook page which will simply state the item required.  If anyone in the community could help supply this particular item, they can let us know and then drop the item into school. We will ensure that the person requesting the item will receive it.  If someone hears of a family or elderly member in our community who is struggling, can you also let JPC know so we can see how we can support them?

Kindness and generosity must replace the craziness that seems to have taken over so much of our lives at the moment.

Please keep safe.

Stephanie O'Meara

In and Around JPC

Arts Up Front

Sport

Careers

White Card & Asbestos Training

Students in Y9-12 are being offered the opportunity to complete both the White Card and Asbestos courses on Wednesday Week 9 and 10 (1st and 8th of April). This is run by CIT (but will take place at JPC).

The courses are essential to be able to enter a construction site. The cost is $100 for both courses (usually $140, but JPC has subsidised some of the cost)

All forms are on the Careers Moodle page and are due by next Thursday 26 March!

Defence

ANZAC Day Ceremony

Regretfully our ANZAC Day Ceremony at JPC has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 environment.

As ANZAC Day is a significant and integral part of who we are as a Nation, we will be showing a presentation to our students in lieu of our Ceremony. We will honour and remember our brave and fallen during Week 9 when our ANZAC Day Ceremony was scheduled for.

 Lest We Forget

Canteen

From the College office

Dear Families,

Please check your child's details in Qkr! and that they are allocated to the correct year level and house.

This is important for finance to make sure money is allocated to the correct child and house.

To change your child's profile follow the steps below:

1. Select school (JPC)
2. Click on Profiles
3. Select child
4. Edit Profile then click on Update Profile

Many thanks

Lost Property

There is still lost property from the swimming carnival, athletics carnival and year 7 camp.

If these items are not collected by the end of the term, they will be donated.

Thank you

Parish News

Community News

If you have a jacket or jumper that you can donate, please give them to Mrs Teena Zorzi in the Drexel area - Thank You