In the hectic pace of the everyday, it is often easy to push aside the seemingly unimportant aspects of our lives. We are often consumed by technology during the day, and then at night, which leaves little room for us to pursue more creative outlets.

Over the past three terms at JPC, we have embarked upon an initiative to inspire our students to read more often, to limit their screen time, to break away from the humdrum of habit. In our curriculum, over 60 minutes each week is devoted to silent reading, both in ILT and English classes. Research shows that reading for enjoyment has many benefits. Not only does reading increase comprehension, retention, and attention, but reading also allows a person to live a thousand lives and experience the world through more than one perspective.

However, we cannot do it alone. Reading needs to be modelled and valued at home, first and foremost. Like any activity, reading for enjoyment increases with practice. Over the next week or so, we encourage all families to put away the technology for an hour, to pick up a physical book, and read together. If your son or daughter sees that you value reading, they will value it too.

Below are some helpful links to get your family started.

• www.dymocks.com
• www.booktopia.com
• Dymocks Belconnen / Canberra Centre
• ACT Public Library – Gungahlin

I am fortunate enough to be taking leave for the next five weeks. I will be combining some sabbatical leave with a holiday.

With regard to the professional learning part of the trip, I will be meeting with academics in universities in Vancouver, Grenoble and Hong Kong to discuss issues related to our teaching philosophy at JPC. I will also visit two schools in Canada who belong to the Coalition of Self Directed Learning schools to enable me to assess where we are at on our journey as a school with this philosophy and to gain ideas about our future development.

Whilst I am on leave, Mrs Stephanie O'Meara will be Acting Principal and Mrs Nicola Edghill will be acting in Mrs O'Meara's Assistant Principal role. I thank them both for their generosity in taking on these positions while I am away.

I look forward to being back with you for the beginning of Term 4 and wish you all a positive and productive end of term and a good spring break.

Catherine Rey

In 2020, the leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia will hold a Plenary Council. The last time a Plenary Council was held in Australia was in 1937, and in the time since, much has changed for the Church. The Council will examine the future of the Catholic Church in Australia: What are we called to do? Who are we called to be? How do we need to change?

In preparation for this Council, listening and dialogue sessions are being held across Australia to enable all Catholics to have their voices heard about the direction our Church is taking. This week, we were honoured to be invited to a Youth Forum with the Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn. Archbishop Christopher Prowse was keen to discuss questions of faith with students from Years 5-8 from across the Archdiocese; to hear their questions about the Church, and to listen to their suggestions about how the Church can continue to develop avenues for young people to participate in the building of the Church for the future. Representatives from Year 9, Caitlin Richards and Ryan Storch, and from Year 10, Cecilia Matic and Merna Gwiargi, attended a Q&A with the Archbishop, exploring a range of significant issues raised by the students. It was a wonderful opportunity to be part of a meaningful exchange of ideas, and I was most impressed by the way in which our students were able to articulate their thoughts, and to dialogue with other students about their faith.

If you would like to learn more about the 2020 Plenary Council, please visit http://plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au . A second dialogue session will be held for our senior students in October.

Mrs. Nicola Edghill
Leader of Learning – Religious Education

Congratulations Year 7 IH students…Ancient Artefact Exhibition a huge success.

Well done all Year 7 students, what an amazing amount of effort and time has been put into your Ancient Artefacts. All the JPC staff have viewed the artefacts and you have been given awesome feedback. Your research and inquiry questions reflect a mindset that has clearly been open to learning new skills and new information about the Ancient World. Thanks to the amazing IH teaching team for planning such a rich learning task!

Thanks also to the families who came to visit the exhibit which will be open again on Monday 10 September from 3.45 to 5.30 pm for those who could not make it previously.

Mr Ian Pettit
Leader of Learning (IH) - Leader of Wellbeing (Maathai)
Careers Advisor

Last Tuesday, our Year 10 students had an opportunity to visit a range of places of worship as part of their study of The Spiritual Lay of the Land in Religious Education. Our journey took us around Canberra to visit Gungahlin Mosque, St. Nicholas’ Greek Orthodox Church, and Canberra Baptist Church in Kingston. At each place of worship, students were greeted by religious leaders who were able to inform them about their faith tradition and its place in Australia. We were particularly interested to find out how different faith expressions enrich the lives of believers, as we have been grappling with census data this term in an exploration of the way religion has shaped Australia throughout history, and asking questions about how religion continues to find a place in a changing world. This interactive and informative day gave our students a unique opportunity to see the differences in architecture, and the styles of worship, unique to each religious expression we encountered.

I would like to congratulate Year 10 on their conduct during the day, and for the insightful questions they posed at each venue. I also extend my thanks to Ms Cheryl Jones, Ms Jessica Tillack, and Ms Jessica Reid and Mr. Patrick Wood for guiding our students on this important excursion.

Mrs. Nicola Edghill
Leader of Learning – Religious Education

The Social Justice Group have organised an ‘Aussie Lunch’ to support our Farmers and rural communities suffering through the drought. In one of the driest countries on the planet, there will always be farmers who need assistance feeding their animals.

You can help!

Wednesday Week 8 Lunch come join us in the canteen to enjoy sausage rolls, spinach and feta puffs, pavlova and lamingtons. Your donation can help purchase much needed bales of hay.

Last Thursday a group of students represented JPC at a North Canberra schools soccer competition. Throughout the day the boys put their best foot forward in four fantastic games played with a positive attitude, excellent skill, and blistering speed. Drafted in a tough pool, JPC had the odds stacked against us from the start.

In our first match of the day JPC went up against Canberra High. Canberra High fielded a very talented team and ended up making the grand final. Our boys did well, then, to hold them out at a nill all draw with excellent positional defending and strong tackles. Our second game was played against a strong Melba-Copland team with a very strong attacking front line. Unfortunately, the boys succumbed to a 1-0 loss, but the game was very evenly matched with a variety of chances for both teams. The third game JPC played was against Emmaus Christian College and our boys came out 3-1 victors in a performance that showed off our attacking prowess.

Despite a solid overall performance, JPC didn’t make it out of the group stages. Fortunately, we were given an opportunity to play a final game against Kingsford Smith. Over the course of this game, JPC never looked in trouble and we displayed our dominance over the opposition. This game was a masterclass in all areas of the field with a strong defence complemented by a creative midfield and a dangerous attack. JPC emerged from the match with a 3-0 win to our name.

I’d like to thank all the boys who played in the competition because they gave me the opportunity to coach a great bunch of lads.

Last Friday 31st August, a group of 13 daring students braved the rain and cold to represent JPC at the ACT Schools Mountain Biking Competition at Stromlo Mountain Park. Around 500 students from schools all over the ACT and NSW participated in the event.

Our four teams of students were quite cold but excited after the warm up lap, and that was when the rain started. Despite this, each person went out for their laps giving it their absolute best and returning with their previously blue sports shirts now covered in mud. It was a wonderful effort by the students and a great team spirit.

A huge thank you to Bike Culture for the use of the marquee, without which we would have been washed away.

Alison Middleton

JPC and Holy Spirit Defence Students were invited to attend the Battle for Australia Wreathlaying Ceremony, on Wednesday at the Australian War Memorial.  This is a beautiful Ceremony which honours the courage and sacrifice of Australians and their Allies who fought on land, air and sea in battles in the Coral Sea and New Guinea, including Milne Bay and the Kokoda Track during the Second World War.  It also recognises those who were left on the home front, working in jobs to support the war effort and holding families together.  The Ceremony includes the students from Canberra Schools by allowing them to make and lay a special wreath at the AWM Inaugural Stone, along with wreaths from our Allies and other dignitaries.

The students from both schools behaved with respect and reverence and were able to meet one of the WWII Vets and Dr Brenden Nelson, AO, Director AWM after the Ceremony.  Most importantly, they got to take away the knowledge that we are indeed a young and free country, because of the sacrifices made by our brave troops during WWII in the Battle for Australia.  We will always remember them.

Lest we Forget.

Vicki Walsh
DTM

On Wednesday we had an excursion to the War Memorial. We travelled on a bus that everyone said felt like a private jet. The group was chosen to attend the Battle for Australia. A select few were given the privilege of making a wreath. The wreath was made from wattle sprigs and gum tree leaves. Kyeton and I were partners chosen to go up and create the wreath. I remember being very nervous I thought that I would stuff up or do something wrong in front of all the high ranking officials. After the ceremony Kyeton and I were able to mingle with the crowd. We met the Air Commander of the American Air Force. I was so bewildered that I kept stuttering after we had a small chat and exchanged goodbyes to the American officer we moved over to where the Australian Air Commander, Air Vice-Marshal Steven Roberton was. We had a long chat and he asked what we wanted to be when we grew up, Kyeton wants to be an engineer in the Air Force and I want to become a pilot. After we shook hands Air Vice-Marshal Roberton came back over to us and shook our hands. When I looked down there was a coin in my hand. It was the Air command coin, not just a 20 cent piece it wasn’t money more of a token. I got really emotional that the Air Commander of Australia had given me a token out of his own kindness.

We then went into the main lobby of the memorial to see the poppy walls and the tomb of the unknown soldier. Soon we decided to go inside and explore the exhibits. JPC students went to explore the bridge of a ship and the Vietnam section before the light show. I remember playing old Vietnam music on my phone as we walked past a Huey helicopter. The time came for us to see the light show and we walked back to where the other half of the group was. After the light show, we had to hurry back to the bus so we could get to school on time. When we arrived Kyeton and I was still surprised that we had got the coins.

Thomas Philpott, Year 7

Today is Badge Day which is part of Legacy Week. Legacy week is the only public fundraiser for the Canberra Legacy Club to support its welfare for widows and dependents. There are just under 1000 dependants registered with Legacy who are directly supported through this fundraising activity.

All of the funds collected during this week go directly to the support of widows and dependents.

Two Defence students from JPC along with two Defence Students from Holy Spirit went along to Gungahlin Marketplace and Villiage to assist with selling bears, badges and merchandise on behalf of Legacy. Remember there is still time to support Legacy this weekend.

Planning for 2019 has commenced and if you know your child/children are not returning to JPC for 2019, please email the College Office office.jpc@cg.catholic.edu.au as soon as possible.

Note - Year 10 & 12 do not need to respond

Many thanks

We are seeking interested parents who would like to bring their expertise, commitment and passion to the St John Paul II College Council.
 

There are several vacancies and we would welcome a cross section of parents to continue the work of supporting the college as it moves forward and representing our diverse community.

Reminder -

• Observe all ACT road rules
• Please observe the signposted speed limits in and around the school grounds
• Only park in parking bays provided
• Disabled parking is only for permit holders
• Do not drop off/pick up your child in the bus zones or any area that blocks the flow of traffic
• Please allow buses to exit the bus zone
• Consider arriving to collect your child after the school buses have left the school grounds.  We have staff on duty until 4.00pm each day
• Consider making arrangements with your child to pick them up at a designated spot outside of the school precinct, for example, local shopping centre or the Perce Douglas Memorial Playing fields off Clarrie Hermes Drive.

Thank you for your cooperation

The University of NSW is offering a free camp in January next year aimed at girls in years 8 and 9 (this year) to get a hands on exposure to STEM topics and hopefully spark an interest in the field.

Information and the registration process can be found at:

https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/school-of-engineering-and-information-technology/yowie/act-young-women-engineering-yowie-2018