As our Advent liturgical season begins this Sunday, the end of year celebrations at JPC are well underway with the announcement on Tuesday of our school’s Senior Leadership Teams’ specific portfolios for 2018, and also with the Year 10s’ final Mass, Certification and Award Ceremony, and Social Function on Wednesday night.

The presentation of the Growth Mindset Award was a fitting conclusion to the past weeks re-invigoration of our commitment to continually developing the Growth Mindset of our students, staff and wider community and a great ‘Segway’ into asking for some feedback!

GROWTH MINDSET Reflection / Feedback – a quick survey (<1 minute!)
PLEASE HELP US OUT….

Since the beginning of this term, our Key Messages ran a series of information articles on Growth Mindset for parents and wider school community, as we have re-invigorated the awareness of the benefits of a Growth Mindset with various activities for students and staff. We would like to gauge the impact these sessions may have had on your understanding of the importance of developing a Growth Mindset.

Please open this link to complete a VERY SHORT questionnaire on your learning about Growth Mindset (as a parent within our school community - students and staff will also be asked to contribute to this process at school).      It should take <1 minute!

Link to the Growth Mindset survey:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=1sKomye-g0WmhlxvXEqelwgnwCHJGhxBk9cc6-INYzxUQ0dWSUlCQjJBVkEzNEJKR0wxUUM4TTA1NS4u

Jennifer Tually
Leader of Learning (SCIENCE) and Wellbeing (FERRE HOUSE)

We will be running a modified program in Week 9.

Monday and Tuesday - lessons will be as normal.

On Tuesday afternoon student’s will complete a Reflection on semester 2 and will also clean out their lockers and take all their equipment home. We are asking that no iPads are bought to school after this. All locks need to be removed from lockers by Wednesday afternoon. Students will carry their bags with them for the rest of the week and only need to bring their lunch and recess.

On Wednesday student’s will sign up for a variety of creative and sporting activities which they will rotate through. Our activities will continue on Thursday morning and in the afternoon we will hold our “JPC Has Talent” showcase where any student who wishes to perform can nominate to participate in the showcase. This begins at 1.30 and parents are most welcome to join us.

Our final day include a Christmas liturgy in the Hall and a celebratory picnic lunch. Students are asked to bring their lunch and recess on this day. There will be no Canteen facilities on Friday.

Students who have permission may leave school at lunchtime. A permission note for this will be sent home early next week. Students who are unable to leave school will be supervised here. 

Given the number of activities students will be involved in they may wear their PE uniform for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Stephanie O’Meara and Rachel Francis-Davies
Assistant Principals

Tuesday afternoon saw the last of this year’s Drama Showcases. However, this term, the showcase featured the Vocal Group and a variety of Dance performances as well. The showcase had over 20 acts with more than 60 students from Years 7 – 11. Each act was presented by two very confident MCs for the afternoon, Emma Brahmam and Alex Revell from Year 8.

The showcase began with Emma and Alex cleverly setting the tone for the predominantly comedic performances. The drama students involved were from the two Year 7 Drama classes, the whole Year 9/10 Drama class and the whole cast of this semester’s drama club - D2. The Dance section of the showcase featured performances from the two Year 8 Dance classes, the Year 9/10 Drama class, the Year 11 Dance class and Kulture Break.

With the intention of celebrating students’ successful assessment performances and encouraging performance confidence, the Showcase aimed to replicate a cabaret styled atmosphere. Each performer ‘broke a leg’ as they presented a polished and well-rehearsed piece.

Chookas to the following performers: Amber Telford, Emily Burgess-Orton, Codie Haycraft, Ivy Keating, Jade Rethman, Maddie Moore, Jason El-Khoury, Ian Edwards, Jarrod Koenig, AJ Veikune, Churinan Tongu, Jordan Skerrit, Aditya Gopalakrishnan, Olivia Henssen, Sharee Mudaliar, Jacob Brassington, Gomez Cook, Jeremy Chan, Logan MacMahon, Brie Pilicic, Emily Lin, Kym Bryan, Montana Borjeson, Matthew Pheng, Ryan Horsburgh, Cameron Pepper, Jake Robinson, Nic Nascimento, Callum Bartlett, Colby Owen, Claire Brooker, Olivia Mugridge, Anna Young, Margret Mupangure, Audrey Lister, Jordan Sarri, Ary White, Adau Kuir, Tanesha Chong, Molly Young, Andrijana Juric, Mia Elyes, Darcie Crowther, Tiana Hoare, Olivia Johnson, Lordana Ibrahim, Gaby Jordan, Angel Kavaliku-Skinner, Kiara Allan, Olivia Green, Tatenda Nyamukuvhengu, Mikayla Tilley, Georgina Genero, Chloe Whybrow, Georgia Norris, Mikayla Evans, Jackson Evans, Harrison Elsom, Kate Jenkins, Annie Jenkins and Celeste Gibbs.

Again, a special mention to Alex and Emma who created their own show whilst introducing each act.

The round of applause goes to the Tech Crew members, Michael Woodman, Nick Dale, Tom Mugridge, Harry Collis, Cullen Salve and Billy Wood. The boys seamlessly made each act shine whilst on stage.

Chookas and thanks to Miss Elle Boller and Miss Sharon Robinson for supporting the dance and vocal group performances. Thank you to Mrs O’Shae for taking photographs and recording the showcase.  Finally, thank you to the performers and their adoring fans - the audience - who clapped, cheered and supported each act.

Miss Sarah Keane

The end of the year also sees the finale of this year’s second after school drama club - D2, and it lived up to its expectations! Once again, close to 30 students from Years 7 - 11 spent their Thursday afternoons with Miss Keane learning different skills in the art of classic comedy. Through the D2 session, students, who aren’t necessarily studying Drama, worked to develop their confidence, performance ability and created self-devised pieces of theatre.

Students focussed on the physical form of comedy and developed characters using these techniques. They engaged with physical theatre, learnt clowning skits and workshopped a variety of classic and contemporary comedic scripts. D2 members also explored the playbuilding and script writing process, devising their own performances which were performed during this term’s Showcase.

The final session for D2 was a celebratory one. Members came together for an afternoon of theatre sports and an ‘after party’. Each student committed to the weekly sessions and commented that they not only had fun, but their performance ability and friendships have grown. Chookas to each and every member of D2!

Miss Sarah Keane

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

Over the past year, the Integrated Humanities students have strived to work hard to achieve his or her very best. Self-directed learning has been at the core of our studies with a Growth Mindset guiding the spirit of our successes. Over the past three weeks, the Year 7 students were challenged one final time in Integrated Humanities. The idea was simple: to create a business and succeed. The reality, however, proved to be much more difficult.

Students worked hard to conceptualise a business idea. Some chose to work in groups, others alone. Their ideas transformed into plans, their plans into models, their models into realities. True to inquiry-based learning, the teachers had minimal input into how students were going to design, run, and implement these plans. The teachers provided students with only two things: A4 and A3 paper.

Yesterday, we were visited by 80 enthusiastic Grade 5 students from Holy Spirit Primary School. He or she had 10 tokens to spend. Having arrived on JPC grounds, they saw before them were a vast array of different businesses, ready and awaiting their patronage. As soon as the siren sounded, the Grade 5’s were off spending tokens, collecting brochures, winning prizes. The atmosphere was electric with excitement as the Year 7’s battled to win those precious tokens. After all, to the victors goes the spoils.

We had a range of businesses operating. From sumo-suits to Angry Birds, video games to lucky-dips, games of chance to obstacle courses. There was something for everyone. Needless to say, the day was a roaring success.

It has been a privilege to watch our Year 7’s grow and mature over the past year. From once shy children to now confident young men and women, our students have proved that through hard work, success is absolutely within reach.

Patrick Wood
Integrated Humanities Facilitator, 2017

Australian Border Force Career Opportunities Australian Border Force. Find out about about career opportunities in the operational arm of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection at http://www.border.gov.au/australian-border-force-abf/abf-careers/career-with-abf

Alternative pathways to higher education | myfuture Remind students about their career options and pathways. Research the range of alternative entry pathways to university and consider the 500 plus occupations across Australia that offer apprenticeships in a variety of certificate levels. Myfuture is Australia’s National Career Information Service that assists with career planning and career pathways. https://myfuture.edu.au/career-insight/details?id=alternative-pathways-to-higher-education#/

Sydney Science Experience Workshop, 10-12 January 2018 Students commencing year 10 or 11 can come and help solve a murder mystery on University of Sydney campus. Students employ real science through hands-on laboratory sessions and interactive lectures to solve this crime. Students interview suspects and collect evidence against them, culminating in a mock trial. Info:http://sydney.edu.au/science/outreach/high-school/experience/index.shtm

US Uni Application Articles In the lead up to US university application deadlines we wanted to share a few articles which you may find useful. Recommendations Letters 101 provides tips and examples of writing strong US recommendation letters. What is the Common Application? provides an overview of this online application portal. These articles and more can be found here:http://www.internationallyeducated.com.au/news

Career Bullseyes - a great place to start Encourage students to explore learning areas that they enjoy by viewing the updated Career Bullseyes. Students can discover occupations and learn about main tasks, average salaries, study level required and related courses. myfuture is Australia’s National Career Information Service that assists with career planning and pathways. View myfuture Career Bullseyes: https://www.myfuture.edu.au/bullseyes

JPC is now taking enrolments for the Instrumental Music Program and the Cocurricular Music Program for 2018.

Music is the perfect complement to academic work. Not only is it fantastic to be able to play an instrument, music builds confidence, works both left and right sides of the brain, de-stresses, helps build friendships and is great fun! We encourage your child to be involved in 2018.

Instrumental Music Program 2018
We have some of the best music tutors in the ACT, who offer individual half-hour weekly Instrumental Lessons in the following instruments:
• Guitar
• Electric Bass/Double Bass
• Drums
• Vocals
• Piano
• Woodwind (Saxophone, Clarinet)
• Brass (Trumpet, Trombone, Flute)
• Violin

Please click here for more information regarding the Instrumental Music Program 2018

If your child is interested in taking Instrumental Lessons in 2018 (either as a new instrumental student or continuing lessons from 2017), please return the form to the Student Office by Friday 8 December.

Cocurricular Music Program 2018
Students have the opportunity to be involved in a number of different music groups at St John Paul II College, including:

• Rock Band – playing contemporary and classic rock music
• Acoustic/Unplugged Bands – playing arrangements of contemporary music
• Concert Band – playing popular and well-known music
• Vocal Group – contemporary and classic music, both a cappella and accompanied
• Production Crew – manages sound, lighting, multimedia and stage production

For more information, please see attached form.
FORM LINK HERE for Cocurricular Music 2018

If your child is interested in being part of the Cocurricular Music Program in 2018 (either as a new student to the program or continuing as part of a group from 2017), please return the attached form to the Student Office by Friday 8 December.

Instrument Hire 2018
St John Paul II College currently has the following instruments available for hire in 2018:

• Guitar
• Bass Guitar
• Saxophone (Alto and Tenor)
• Euphonium
• Clarinet
• Trumpet
• Trombone
• Flute

If you are interested in hiring an instrument for your child in 2018, please fill in the attached form and return to the Student Office by Friday 8 December.
FORM LINK HERE for Instrument Hire 2018
Although at this stage we cannot fully guarantee hire due to number of available instruments, we will do our best to accommodate all requests.

Thank you to all families and students who have been involved in the Cocurricular Music Program and the Instrumental Music Program in 2017. We look forward to another fabulous year of music at JPC in 2018!

Aron Lyon
Instrumental Music Coordinator
aronlyon@hotmail.com

Sharon Robinson
Music and Band Teacher
Sharon.robinson@cg.catholic.edu.au

Dear Friends

The annual St Vincent de Paul “Doorknock” is on again, last year we raised almost $30,000 in the Gunghalin, which made a real difference to the delivery of a range of services in our area including unique home visitation services, emergency accommodation, and the Young Carer’s Program, only to mention a few.

We are collecting again in February 2018 and with the Gunghalin area continuing to grow WE NEED YOUR HELP, so we are knocking at your door to become a Vinnies collector and make a real contribution to our community.

To be a volunteer you need to be able to commit to visiting homes in allocated streets to ask for donations for the appeal, you will be provided with all the information.  You are able to collect on any day during February and it should only take 1-2 hours for each area.

For further information on being a volunteer please feel free to contact Anne Cantlie on 0404 319 138 or email vinniesannecantlie@gmail.com