17 September 2021 - Newsletter (Vol 38 No 15)

Assistant Principal Mission 2022

Earlier in the year I wrote to the College community explaining a change in the Assistant Principal model here at the College from the beginning of next year.

There will be three distinct roles:

Mr Michael Stubbs AP Pastoral Care, Mr James Furey AP Learning and Teaching and our newest member of the Leadership team, Mr Scott Hardgrove as AP Mission.

Scott is currently the middle school coordinator at the Frankfurt International School in Germany and has held the following positions prior to his appointment there;

• Director of Student Leadership and Head of Religious Education - Bishopsgate School in England
• Deputy Head Pastoral Care - Metropolitan School Frankfurt Germany
• Head of Formation and Boarding - St John's Beaumont Preparatory School - England  
• Middle School Teacher and Coordinator - St Aloysius College – Sydney

I look forward to welcoming Mr Hardgrove in early 2022.

New College Leaders 

I am so proud to announce to the College community that the following students have been elected by their peers and the staff to student leadership positions. Ordinarily we would be celebrating these appointments at a whole school assembly but due to current restrictions we won’t be in a position to do so.

College Captains: Harrison Colyer and Courtney Martyn

Vice Captains: Joseph Clarke and Ariella Coster

SRC: Jayden Duff and Lilli-Yana Moody

Voting for all other student leaders took place this week online and the successful students will be announced early next Term.

A Simple Message of Thanks

How wonderful it is to have all the students back on the campus. I know that for many families it was a long time coming and for others they wanted their children home just that little bit longer.

It is not until we go through lockdowns that we begin to appreciate the value of real human contact and interaction and yes whilst we had social media and alike all the students said how good it was to see their friends ‘in real life’. Perhaps this was a reminder for all of us, not to take for granted those moments when we do share ourselves with others and how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to do so, unlike those in Sydney who are now more than 80 days into their lockdown!

To our Year 12 students and families, know this – we have your backs and we will get there together!!

As we end Term 3, I want to thank all families who made it through the lockdown and thank you to the remarkable staff who moved from one setting to another literally with little notice.

We are prepared to adapt to the changing circumstances as are your children and my wish is for a return in Term 4 where we continue face to face teaching. Until then have a safe holiday and remember to make real connections with family and friends where you can.

Stay safe and God bless

Michael Carniato
Principal

Many lessons have come from the past few weeks where our community was thrown a curve ball and flung into lockdown with very little notice. As a College community I feel we adapted to a different way of learning in a very positive manner. This smooth transition, I believe, is due largely to the competency of our staff and the resilience of our students and parents.

Dr Karen Gallaty of CBT Professionals sights Dr Ginsburg (child paediatrician and human development expert) work by proposing that there are 7 integral and interrelated components that make up being resilient – competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping and control. Her list includes:

1. Competence – is the ability to know how to handle stressful situations effectively. It requires having the skills to face challenges, and having had the opportunity to practice using these skills so that one feels competent in dealing with situations.
   
   
2. Confidence – is the belief in one’s own abilities and is rooted in competence. Children gain confidence by being able to demonstrate their competence in real situations.
   
   
3. Connection – children with close ties to friends, family, and community groups are likely to have a stronger sense of security and sense of belonging. These children are more likely to have strong values and are less likely to seek out alternative destructive behaviours.
   
   
4. Character – children with “character” enjoy a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. They are in touch with their values and are comfortable sticking to them. They can demonstrate a caring attitude towards others. They have a strong sense of right and wrong and are prepared to make wise choices and contribute to the world.
   
   
5. Contribution – if children can experience personally contributing to the world, they can learn the powerful lesson that the world is a better place because they are in it. Hearing the thank you’s and appreciation when your child contributes, will increase their willingness to take actions and make choices that improve the world, thereby enhancing their own competence, character, and sense of connection.
   
   
6. Control – when children realise that they have control over their decisions and actions, they are more likely to know how to make choices in a way that they can bounce back from life’s challenges.

Resilience helps young people navigate the obstacles they encounter as they grow. It’s not possible to avoid stress, but being resilient is one of the best ways to cope with it.

This week has seen us come back to ‘a new normal’, if only for a week. The upcoming holidays will hopefully allow us to take a breath, relax and regroup to finish off the year with Term 4.

Until next term:

‘Success is not final,

Failure is not final,

It is the courage to continue that counts.’

W.S.Churchill

Stay safe and God Bless

Post Blended Learning

This week we welcomed back students onsite as we returned to ‘face to face’ learning  and finished Blended Learning. The importance of learning this week has been matched by the level of socialising and community interaction amongst staff and students. I am sure the collective wellbeing will be enhanced by the opportunity of students to talk to teachers, peers and find a sense of normality before we break for holidays. 

Term 4 Year 12 2021

When the College returns for Term 4, we will still need to comply with a variety of COVID restrictions. For our Year 12s this see a unique start to Term 4 with the following guidelines:

• T4 Wk 1-3 will see Yr 12 students continue with their HSC courses 
• T4 Wk 4 will conclude with celebrations and graduation from SJPC
• T4 Wk 5 is devoted to ‘study vacation’ to prepare for HSC exams
• T4 Wk 6 begins the NESA written examination timetable over 4 weeks

Our Year 12s were surveyed this week to gain some insight into what students want Term 4 to look like academically and to offer an avenue for ‘student voice’. This feedback will be used to assist the College in determining what learning will look like next term in the lead up to HSC written examinations. 

Acknowledgement of Staff

I would also like to publicly acknowledge the extra efforts from our teaching and support staff in getting our Year 12s through the Major Projects, Trial Exam/Assessment periods and then all students through the last month of Blended Learning. The work of our teaching staff has allowed us to continually engage our students academically. My thanks also to the parent body who have supported Blended Learning and for maintaining the high levels of engagement levels of the students in our care. 

Study Skills 

Learn more this year about how to improve your results and be more efficient and effective with your schoolwork by working through the units on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au. Our College access details are:

Our school’s access details are:

School’s Username – stjohnpaul

School’s password – 89success

In addition, our subscription to Elevate Education may assist in this area.

This online platform contains resources and useful study tips that all SJPC students will find effective. We encourage them to access this Student Portal and try some of the strategies. Students have the password to this site. The password can also be found on the Curriculum Noticeboard.

AMDG

James Furey
Assistant Principal
Learning and Teaching

This week, students from 10A and 10B Catholic Studies classes have produced an A4 poster for the Romero Centre in Brisbane. The Romero Centre was established in 2000 in response to the needs of people arriving in Australia seeking safety and human rights. In December 2003, the Romero Centre came under the care of The Sisters of Mercy. The Romero Centre is named after Archbishop Oscar Romero from El Salvador, a passionate human rights campaigner. His legacy of hope and courage continues to inspire all that we do.

“The ones who have a voice must speak for those who are voiceless."
Archbishop Oscar Romero (1917 - 1980)

Interview with Jonathan Chojnowski - Year 7 Student

Question 2: If You Had Three Wishes, What Would You Wish For?

I would like us to find better solutions to resolving climate pollution and to stop global warming. It has such profound effects. The climate is changing, some species are completely disappearing and getting extinct and our overall future does not look good if we won’t change our ways of doing things and dealing with this problem.

I wish for the Covid-19 pandemic to go away and for the researchers to find some kind of spray that would stop not only this virus, but future nasty bugs. It would be great if it would be readily available and easy to use, so people all around the world could have access to it even without specialised clinics and medical facilities; especially in countries that are not so well developed or advanced.

Question 3: Why did you choose to go to Transitus?

Question 4: Who is your biggest influence for your faith?

The biggest influence on my faith is my family and school. My family introduced me to, and have since supported me on my faith journey. My school provides a supportive environment, where I can further practice and share my faith with peers and people following a similar path to mine.

It has been wonderful having students and staff return to the classroom this week!

Year 12

The leadership team along with teachers of Year 12 are co constructing a program of study for the first 4 weeks of next term, that abides by NSW government and CSO guidelines, and takes into consideration options preferred by students and staff to maximise HSC examination preparation and student wellbeing.

We thank families for the support they have provided to their children and the College during this challenging time.

All NESA and Curriculum updates will be relayed via the HSC Curriculum Matters Google Classroom, as well as through students’ individual Student Online account.

NESA has released each student’s individual revised HSC timetable via this account.

Year 11

Some Year 11 students struggled to engage meaningfully with the learning activities created by their teachers during blended learning. Studying for the HSC is difficult and we acknowledge that organisation and resilience are vital for success. Year 11 will be starting their HSC course work first week back Term 4. 

It is vital that students are organised and committed to doing their best as they enter the final 12 months of secondary education.  We encourage families to discuss the importance of starting Term 4 with this in mind.

You can pick up Your Term 4 planner from the Curriculum Office or download a copy from the Curriculum Matters Classroom.

Year 10 

We are currently working on the final Year 11 lines for 2022. It is vital that our 2022 enrolment numbers are accurate. Those students who have accepted CHEC placement offers for 2022 are to email the College to inform us of their intentions so that we can amend our data accordingly.

Please do this as soon as possible.

Once our 2022 numbers have been finalised we will send out confirmation packs in Term 4 to students returning to the College.

Year 8

Claudia Brown
Leader of Curriculum

We Can All Benefit From Using Checklists

Checklists Are An Essential Productivity Tool

As parents, we write shopping lists, we delegate lists of jobs to our children and prioritise jobs in the home.

Students develop success criteria with their school work and skill development so that they can gauge where they are with their learning, how to improve and the next steps for improvement.

As teachers we develop the details needed for each step in different processes and write priority lists and schedules for everything that needs to be done so that deadlines are not missed.

Pilots run through very strict procedures before take-off and landing.

These are all examples of checklists and, while incredibly simple, they can be invaluable as a motivator and a reminder of what needs to be done and the order in which things should be completed in order to reduce mistakes and errors in the process and get the best possible results.

The best known work on checklists is by Atul Gawunde in his book, The Checklist Manifesto. In a research study, surgeon  Gawunde, introduced a simple checklist to a number of hospitals in an attempt to reduce the number of patient deaths during surgery. The use of checklists saw deaths fall by 47%.

 
TED talk Atul Gawunde CHECKLISTS

He wrote, "Checklists...remind us of the minimum necessary steps and make them explicit. They not only offer the possibility of verification but also instil a kind of discipline of higher performance."

Types of Checklists

There are two types of checklists

• Read-Do: you read each step of the task, and then perform them in order, checking them off as you go.
• Do-Confirm: you perform a number of steps of the task from memory until you reach a defined pause point, when you go through the checklist and confirm that each step has been completed.

Benefits of Checklists

• Checklists ensure that the essential tasks get done. Even if a step is very simple it can still be forgotten.
• They help avoid distractions by forcing us to focus on the task at hand
• Checklists free the mind from having to remember the steps that need to be completed and worrying about the possibility of forgetting to do something.
• Checklists can save time. Having the steps or lists written simply and in order makes them easy to follow and is likely to result in fewer errors, therefore avoiding time wasted needing to fix issues. They also help avoid the time-wasting “what-should-I-do-next” indecision.
• Checklists provide discipline and consistency and they can help when things go wrong or in times of feeling overloaded and stressed
• Checklists can improve productivity – there is something that humans find satisfying about ticking items off a list and research has shown that using checklists make us more likely to complete tasks.

Let’s put pen to paper and model the effectiveness of checklists and encourage our children to use them as another productivity tool. In times of remote learning and as students aim to further develop independence with their learning, CHECKLISTS just may be the answer.

Maree McKelvie

“The Housing Crisis in Coffs Harbour” doesn’t sound like the sort of topic that a Year 9 student would like to spend extra time exploring, but Alexandra Nealand wowed her Public Speaking adjudicator with this very topic at the recent Legacy Junior Speaking Competition. Alexandra won her division and will now proceed into the semi-finals of the competition.

Alexandra and Tully Gennat represented St John Paul College at the annual state-wide event. The competition was organised differently this year as the students bypassed the normal regional event to compete in a random selection of schools across the state in their heat. The students competed against schools such as Reddam House in Bondi, St Columba Anglican School in Port Macquarie and Glenwood High School in Western Sydney. 

The two students received excellent feedback and as Tully was probably the youngest speaker in his pool, he has plenty of time to improve his understanding and public speaking skills as he develops his response for next year’s competition. 

Linda Gleeson
Public Speaking facilitator

Danielle McAra
Sport Co-ordinator

College Uniform and Appearance

As we come out of lockdown and with the holidays fast approaching, it is timely that students stop and think prior to making decisions regarding their appearance. Students are reminded that extreme haircuts and unnatural colours or patterns are not permitted at the College. This includes hair shaven above the normal hair line. 

It is important that students consult the College Diary and speak to their Year Coordinator prior to making any major changes. No other facial or visible body piercings (e.g. nose studs) are permitted at St John Paul College.

It is essential that parents support the College in these areas.

Roadworks at the intersection of Combine St & Azalea St are nearing completion and we can advise that services will return to original times and path from Tuesday 5 October 2021 (Day 1 of Term 4)

Services that will return are:

AM Services     S300  -  S298  -  S283

PM Services     S365  -  S368

For further information please contact Busways Customer Service on 1300 69 2929 or infoline@busways.com.au

Alternatively you can view the SJPC school bus  timetable services: Busways - School timetables and select the link adjacent to your schools name; “New timetable | 05 October 2021”

Kawalazi Sponsorship

Our Kawalazi sponsorship will wind up at the end of week one in Term 4. That only gives us 5 school days to sponsor as many students as we possibly can.

Thanks to all who have given so far. It has been very encouraging to see the students get on board and support others who are not as fortunate as themselves.

Often good education has been seen as the key to unlocking the potential of the young person. A donation of $50 is enough to support a student for a whole year at school. 

Please continue to give what you can.

Pam Bibby, Joseph Nolan and Maggie O'Brien
Kawalazi Development Project Committee

Want to know Christ…

Want to follow Christ…

Here is an opportunity for you

Our parish family will offer an opportunity for adults to come together in a small group to learn more about and grow in our faith. An Information Session will be held at 7pm Monday 11 October at the Curran Centre.  Sessions will focus on the teachings of the Catholic Church and prepare individuals to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion.

You are most welcome to participate and explore with your questions, your insights and your faith story in a warm, welcoming and accepting setting.

For more information please contact Bill Van Ryswyk on 0419538330 or email bill.vanryswyk@lism.catholic.edu.au