30 June 2023 - Newsletter (Vol 40 No 10)

As we near the end of another semester, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your ongoing support and commitment to our College community. There has been much to celebrate and be proud of whilst addressing some challenging issues along the way.

Congratulations on the hard work and determination demonstrated by many of our students. Your continued application and commitment to learning and growth is very pleasing indeed, and as I have often said, it is a privilege to be part of your learning journey.

To our parents, I want to extend my deepest appreciation for your continued support. Your ongoing encouragement, involvement, and collaboration have been invaluable. You continue to play a crucial role in fostering an environment that promotes academic success and personal development. Your partnership with the staff has made a significant impact on the overall well-being and achievements of our students.

As we approach the well-deserved break, take the time to rest, recharge, and reflect on your accomplishments. Use this period to nurture your passions, explore new interests, and spend quality time with loved ones. Take care of your mental and physical well-being, as it is the foundation for a fulfilling and balanced life.

Looking ahead, let us enter the next semester with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous improvement. It marks the last term for our Year 12 cohort and I look forward as together, we work to overcome obstacles, celebrate achievements, and create a vibrant and inclusive community that empowers each student to reach their fullest potential.

Enjoy the Semester break!

Michael Carniato
Principal

Last week I had the great pleasure of accompanying 6 dedicated Year 11 students to Street Retreat 2023 in Brisbane - a unique CSO facilitated hands-on program, which not only promotes school evangelization and catechesis but also fosters a compassionate commitment to living as Christian disciples within our community.

The Street Retreat program, through volunteer outreach with the marginalized, enabled our students to witness firsthand the challenges faced by those living on the margins of society – individuals experiencing financial disadvantage, homelessness, abuse, and more.

During the retreat, I was profoundly impressed by the willingness of our students to step outside their comfort zones. They embraced the opportunity to offer much-needed support and compassion to those in need. It was heartwarming to see them channel their energy and enthusiasm into making a positive difference in the lives of others. Street Retreat has been a transformative experience for our Year 11 students. It has enriched their understanding of social justice and nurtured their compassion for those in need. We hope that this experience will continue to inspire them to be lifelong advocates for the marginalized and empower them to live as Christian disciples within our wider community.

Individual Student Reflections

Riley Andrews

Street Retreat was an eye-opener to what life is like for some people in our society, and was an amazing experience. Alongside meeting some truly wonderful people, one of my main highlights was having the ability to help put a smile on the faces of those doing it tough. This also coincided with my main challenges, saying goodbye to these people knowing that I have somewhere safe and permanent to go back to whereas most of these people did not. Another challenge was definitely building the courage to start conversations with these patrons as in some instances, you were put out of your comfort zone. Nonetheless, the experience was rewarding (people you hadn’t met before put their trust in you - that in itself is rewarding).

Street retreat really put into perspective how lucky I am and how grateful I am for the wonderful people and opportunities in my life. It made me realise that these people doing it tough are genuine people who have run into unfortunate circumstances and upon this, I discovered nothing should be taken for granted. 

One major thing I took away from the trip was serving in Rosie’s Sunshine Coast Ministry. I spoke to a man who had been asked a few minutes before if he had found housing yet. His response was “Yes, but I’m okay in my car, I’d rather know that someone worse off than me would have the housing.” That in particular really stuck with me as he was obviously struggling, but he still had enough compassion and kindness in his heart to put others before himself. Hearing that was an overdue reality check (I realised that some of my complaints are truly just complaints, there are so many bigger problems out there), and I’m very thankful to have had the chance to hear it.

Overall, Street Retreat is an experience that I was honoured to be a part of and would most definitely recommend to anyone. Not only is it an opportunity to become aware of the injustice in our communities, Street Retreat also provides wonderful opportunities to help find practical solutions to these problems while meeting some amazing people along the way.

Flynn Oates

First off I'd have to say that Street Retreat was a truly great experience, from being able to actually get out and help people in need to meeting new people and everything else in between. While at first it was a bit of a challenge to get out of my comfort zone and acknowledge my own predetermined stereotypical beliefs about homeless people, I quickly discovered that these people were all genuine good people with some sad, unfortunate stories. After getting over the initial nerves I was able to actively get out there and get involved in face-to-face genuine conversations with the patrons as they shared some touching stories with me.

On the first day Riley and I were in one of the first groups to actually go out and help at the ministries. We visited the ministry ‘Street Level’ where we were tasked with handing out meals to the patrons and talking with them. I remember walking in the front doors of this place and immediately being shocked out how many people there were, to be quite frank I found it fairly confronting and eye opening. While handing out the meals and talking with the patrons it was very evident how grateful these people were to be inside with some warm food and to have us helping them out. Even just having a conversation with them really seemed to brighten their day.

After this there was probably the most beautiful chapel service I have ever been a part of. People shared their stories and although everyone's singing was a bit out of tune, (my attempt of singing included,) they were together and they were all truly grateful for this community that they had. Throughout this trip there were many other experiences like this that I experienced, Rosies being the most memorable one for me as I experienced another closely knit community like Street Level. I would have to say, although it was difficult getting out of my comfort zone, talking with these people and helping them was the greatest highlight of the trip. Just seeing their faces lighting up and being truly grateful for our help will stick with me forever.

While this trip was good it was also a real eye opener for me, to see these people genuinely struggling for things that I take for granted everyday has really made me more grateful for everything I experience in my day to day life. I now plan to join as many social justice teams that I can outside and inside school to give a helping hand wherever I can. Overall, it was a great experience and I have gained so much perspective about those people who experience genuine hardship and disadvantage. I would highly recommend Street Retreat to any student interested in expanding their understanding of social justice and learning practical ways to help those less fortunate.

Will Nulty

For me Street Retreat was an amazing experience that allowed me to connect with new and amazing people and created strong bonds with those sharing the experience with me. Coming into this I’d have to say I was scared beyond belief of what was going to happen and who I’d meet, but within minutes of arriving at the Youth Hostel, in Brisbane I already knew this trip was going to be AMAZING. We arrived on Thursday at around lunch, after a very comfortable drive up (special thanks to Mrs Gennat for keeping us safe and well looked after), and went to get some lunch from the shopping centre across the street. After our rather ‘brutal’ attack on a roast Chook we went back to the Hostel. We met the lovely team that would be supporting us over the coming days and started to get to know each other. After a rather long briefing, we were finally able to get to our rooms and meet our roommates (who were students from other schools in the Diocese that we had never met before). After a quick chat we were straight into the action, with my first team doing a little trip near Brisbane's Southbank, with a sneaky little ride on the Ferris Wheel to count solar panels (huge thanks to Andrew who let us go for a quick spin). The second day saw me waking up early to go to Eddie’s Van, which is a group that feeds the city’s homeless population with generous help from one of the local boys schools. We provided food and a chat to those who had been doing it tough. I then went to St Vincent De Paul's Warehouse in South Brisbane and spent the whole day having fun and sorting clothes and items to go off to either other countries or into the shops throughout the Brisbane LGA. That evening each group was challenged to act out a scene from a movie for a bit of light hearted fun, and in my personal opinion, my team won. Over the next few days we enjoyed many challenging but nonetheless rewarding experiences. It was sad to say goodbye to all my new friends but I look forward to seeing them again. I highly recommend Street Retreat to everyone and I will never forget the experience or the people because of it.

Koko Nichols

Street Retreat is the most heartwarming and heartbreaking school activity that I have ever done. Travelling to Brisbane for 4 days, I never anticipated the ways that I would be moved. From the students from other schools that we met, to the Mission Assistants, the people organising our ministries, and those that we helped, I’d like to say that they have all changed me in tiny, effective ways. My highlights for the trip are definitely the different ministries that I participated in. I went to Eddie’s Van, the St Vincent De Paul Society, Ignite High and Catholic EarthCare. If I had to shortlist this, it would have to be Eddie’s Van and our final debrief session. Waking up at 4:40 am, we left for St Joseph’s College to participate in an initiative that served a hot breakfast for homeless and houseless people. Zach, the man in charge of this mission, made a clear distinction between the homeless and the houseless. Houseless people are those who do not have a designated structure to sleep in at night. These people have to resort to sleeping on the street, under bridges, in tents. Homelessness, on the other hand, affects those that do have a place to stay (eg. a unit, apartment, or shelter) but experience poverty and do not have people to support them. These people lack friends, family, someone to confide in. Therefore, by giving these people a sausage and egg sandwich, a waterproof jacket, and a blanket at Eddie’s Van, we offer them a tiny moment of solidarity. Serving strangers breakfast humbled me greatly. It was beautiful to see that I could do something so simple and so meaningful. But it also highlighted the fact that anybody can end up in this situation. At the breakfast, I met a person called Leia, a Turkish migrant who only entered Australia 2 weeks ago. He didn’t speak any English (his story was told to me by another at breakfast) and was experiencing homelessness with his wife and two children. To this man, his worries concern how his family are going to eat, how they can stay warm during the winter nights, whether his children will be able to find an education, and trying to seek assistance in a language he doesn’t speak. The threat that these people face on the daily absolutely broke my heart. At that moment, my concerns - my birthday present, getting my P-plates, going well in my Maths test - all seemed selfish. It was hard leaving these people knowing that I could sleep in a bunk bed that night and wake up to breakfast and friends. But our final debrief session reminded me of what we should take from this experience. 

Sunday, our final day, saw us come together to celebrate Mass and engage in a final group reflection. Kate Nestor, the wonderful woman in charge of Street Retreat concluded our final gathering by reminding us of something important. She told us to not feel guilty about our own privilege. We need to return to our communities willing to help those in need, and believing in social justice. Our experience of empathy towards these people proves that change can be made; and that it is as simple as cooking sausages and buttering bread! Street Retreat makes the inaccessible accessible. It brings to light the injustices that people face in a country where many of us ignore homeless people begging on the side of the street. The children who have to sleep in tents night after night, the elderly who can’t find support after a life of supporting others, the impoverished who have to choose between food and rent, we keep them out of sight and mind. This mission was about bringing people together and offering our time for a greater cause. We needn’t feel guilty about our privilege. Instead, we should endeavour to make it possible for others to experience our privilege too.

Street Retreat is really the best school activity that I have ever done. If you want to make incredible memories, make devastatingly heartwarming relationships, and be moved into meaningful and significant action, I invite Year 11 students to pick up an application form when they come out in 2024.

Lauren Gibbeson

Going to Street Retreat I was a little unsure what to expect and what I would take away from it. After taking on that experience I can say that Street Retreat is the best school trip I’ve been on and it was a real eye-opener to what our Australian community is like. Every person that went to Street Retreat has not a bad thing to say and wants to help our community after the experience. Meeting so many people that are there for the same reason made it easy to make friends across the Diocese. One of my highlights of the trip was going to Andy’s Place at St Andrews Uniting Church on Saturday morning. I was in the setting up and serving group where we set up a hall with around 20 tables with tablecloths, cutlery, cups and napkins to look like a big restaurant. We created this space for the homeless, rough sleepers, and people who couldn’t afford a meal, to come together and sit down to have a 2 course meal together as if it was a real restaurant where they could receive a free meal. It surprised me to see that a lot of these people coming in for a meal weren’t dressed looking like they had it tough. Everyone I encountered was nice and made me realise how big of a stereotype around homeless people there is, although in some cases it was correct. I really felt for what these people were going through and some of them were just so kind you’d wonder how or why someone like them would be in such a difficult situation they are in. I feel so inspired from the compassion these volunteers have, giving up their time every week to give back to their community. Even building relationships with the regulars! Seeing the kindness between these people sitting down together having a meal makes me question how humans have so much greed when they can be giving as little as their time back to those in need. This retreat has made me have a second opinion on society and drop some of the judgement I have on those I've never met. Though I had many highlights from this trip, I found it challenging when talking to some of these people and seeing the emotional reality of those in need of help. When I  was serving coffee in the hall this old man came to ask for a coffee. When he saw my name badge he said he had a granddaughter named Laura back at home, and started to break down in tears. I didn’t know his situation. I didn’t know if he still lived at home and saw Laura, or if he lived in his car or on the streets. But seeing this man break down in front of someone he doesn’t even know over a similar name reminding him of something good he has or had in his life was really heartbreaking and made me feel so much sympathy for not just him, but every person who was in similar situations not being able to afford a meal. I realised how grateful I should be of my own fortune and how we all take things for granted, like having a warm bed to go home to each day and just be able to afford enough meals each day to not go hungry. At the end of each day we had a debrief with whoever was at the hostel at the time and not at a ministry. This allowed us to go through what everyone experienced, giving everyone an understanding of what these ministries are like even if they weren’t there. Being put into rooms with complete strangers forced us to talk to these strangers and become good friends with them. Even walking or driving to and from ministries I feel everyone made so many friendships and everyone got along so well. On Saturday night we had our Vinnies dressup and runway ( Will definitely earned best dressed male as Trev the pub grandpa) and everyone had so much fun playing with hotwheels in the hallways, getting ready together (including putting makeup and dresses on the boys), walking the catwalk, singing and dancing to music. 

With all that said this whole retreat was a whole different experience for me, being both physically and mentally demanding. I have a lot to take away from it, including meeting so many amazing people. It has shown me how we can all be more kind and compassionate for the less fortunate in our community, and how making a bond with someone is so easy when you have something in common. I definitely would recommend this to next year’s year 11s as it has such a great impact on a change of perspective.

Ty Stephenson

Street Retreat for me was an experience that ultimately changed the way that I act and think of both myself and the people around me, it was a transformative journey that exposed me to homelessness and different aspects of poverty and how others live. This experience allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and witness firsthand the struggles faced by those living on the streets.

During the street retreat, I temporarily abandoned the comforts and privileges of my everyday life and immersed myself in the world of the homeless. I walked the same streets, slept in the same city. This experience showed me how people can make a difference in others lives through the generosity of strangers for basic necessities. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of the daily challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness, such as finding shelter, food, and safety.

One of the most impactful aspects of the street retreat was the connections I formed with people who were homeless. I had the opportunity to engage in conversations and listen to their stories. Their resilience, strength, and resourcefulness in the face of adversity left a lasting impression on me. It shattered the way I look at people and reminded me of the humanity in every person, regardless of their circumstances.

This experience forced me to confront my own biases and judgments. It made me reflect on the privileges and opportunities I had taken for granted in my life. I became more conscious of the impact of my actions and choices on others, and I developed a greater sense of empathy and compassion.

Below are some of the ministries that we participated in while at Street Retreat:

Rosies - Rosies aims to offer friendship and unconditional acceptance to those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or are experiencing social isolation or loneliness. Just as you would offer a cup of tea or coffee to a friend who was visiting your home, we do the same for our friends on the street.
Emmanuel City Mission - is a ministry of Emmauel Community and was established in 2009 to serve the vulnerable of Brisbane.  Originally named Blind Eye Ministries, the ministry was created as a volunteer, street-based outreach service and from 2014 a place-based sanctuary at 19 Merivale Street in South Brisbane. They are open 7 days a week to serve our brothers and sisters.  Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm.
Catholic Earthcare - In the spirit of Laudato Si’, Catholic Earthcare works with communities and individuals across Australia to create Earthcarers - a network of living Laudato Si’ communities across Australia. They do this by developing and delivering Earthcare Programs, Earthcare Formation and Earthcare Advocacy, and by working with Earthcare Partners, to build an Earthcare Network across Australia in schools, parishes and communities.
The Romero Centre - provides warm welcome and the right support for people seeking asylum. Their individualised case management service enables people seeking asylum to access the right mix of support and expertise. They provide and connect asylum seekers living in Brisbane with practical support (like food and shelter), legal connections, English classes, medical care, trauma counselling, community events and more.
Street Level - A centre run by the Salvation Army where people can feel safe to drop in. The emphasis is to have warm, hearty meals around the table, Chapel services and fun activities. They aim to provide a community that is supportive and strong. Their Mission is to be a place where all people are valued, accepted and loved. This reveals the heart of Street Level and what they are all about.
Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) - Tim Cox, a farmer at Yandoit near Ballarat, began CVA in 1982 as a small group planting trees on weekends. Forty years later, Conservation Volunteers Australia is the nation’s leading practical environmental group, with thousands of volunteers right across Australia rolling up their sleeves for nature. Their vision of a world where nature and people flourish together drives everything they do at CVA. Activities include big community clean-up and planting events all the way through to citizen science projects that anyone can do anywhere, anytime.
Andy’s Place - An organisation run by St Andrew’s Uniting Church that supports the vulnerable and homeless in Brisbane City by providing a 2-course sit-down meal, essential clothing and toiletries, and giving a sense of community to those living on the margins in society.
St Vincent de Paul - the Society is a lay Catholic organisation that aspires to live the gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice, hope and joy, and by working to shape a more just and compassionate society. The St Vincent de Paul Society aspires to be recognised as a caring Catholic charity offering “a hands up” to people in need. They do this by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope, and encouraging them to take control of their own destiny.
Ignite High - believe in real-world evangelisation; revealing Jesus Christ through ministry of authentic relationships. By engaging young people where they’re at and empowering them to use their God-given gifts to see young people not just changed for a day but transformed for life.
Missionaries of Charity Soup Kitchen - The Missionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1950 by Saint Teresa of Calcutta, better known as Mother Teresa. In 2012 it consisted of over 4,500 religious sisters. A member of the congregation must adhere to the vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and the fourth vow to give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of poor.”

Leanne Gennat
Assistant Principal - Mission

Semester Reports Year 7-10

Year 7-10 Semester 2 Academic Reports will be published this week via Compass for families to access. An email will be sent to parents explaining how to access their son/daughters Academic Report with an email link to our IT Staff, should there be any technical issues. 

Study Skills

Learn more about the ‘managing stress’ resources through the units on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au . Our College 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

NAIDOC School Assembly

Year 9 Music

Contributing to our NAIDOC Week celebrations, our Year 9 elective music classes have been writing songs! Drawing on Australian Music idioms and crafting lyrics sympathetic to the cause, our Year 9 musicians performed their compositions this week as part of a lunchtime concert.

They shared the stage with junior musicians performing “My Island Home” by Christine Anu, as well as senior musicians and teachers performing “Treaty” by Yothu Yindi, with Aunty Vicki sharing a Welcome to Country - in Gumbaynggirr language - in the song. What an exciting and significant celebration for our whole college community!

NAIDOC Staff T-Shirt

"For Our Elders", staff had the opportunity to purchase an iron-on original artwork to wear on Wednesday 28 June celebrating NAIDOC week.

All things Literacy, because Literacy matters in all things

Mrs McKelvie and Mrs Brennan recently ran the WRITE A BOOK IN A DAY competition for interested students from Year 7 and Year 8, and what a fabulous day it was!

On the morning of the competition each group was assigned a unique set of parameters outlining characters, setting, key words and the issue to include. Students worked in teams to plan, write, edit and illustrate a book in a day.

The students worked collaboratively with extraordinary passion, positivity and skill to successfully complete their task. The library was abuzz with enthusiasm from 8am until 8pm and students then had the opportunity to submit their finished books and proudly share their success with parents.

Congratulations to all students involved. Please enjoy these images of students exploring their literary and illustrative skills during this creative team writing competition. The illustrated books the students created will become part of the reading material available for students in the college library.

Mrs McKelvie & Mrs Brennan
Literacy Coach & LOL Technologies & Librarian

Bell Shakespeare Company

On Thursday of Week 9, our Year 8 English cohort had the privilege of watching the Bell Shakespeare Company Players perform a version of the classic "Romeo and Juliet". The performance included explanation of some of the metaphor and specialist language that Shakespeare used, as well as clarification on elements of Shakespeare's context. They were horrified that Juliet, at age 13 - their age! - was being married off by her father! The performers were thoroughly entertaining and held their audience captive for the duration of the show. It is always wonderful for us in the English faculty to provide our students with the special intimacy of live performance and the opportunity to show them Shakespeare as it was intended -  loud, vibrant, intense, and full of that unique sweet sorrow. We look forward to the return of the Bell Shakespeare Company Players in 2024.

Siobhan McCosker
Leader of Learning - English

Lex Carruthers
Duke of Edinburgh Leader

Paul Corsalini
Careers Adviser

Year 8 Pop Art

Year 8 Visual Art students have explored the vast realm of popular culture from the past and present-day and how it greatly influences our everyday lives. Artists and their artworks from the Pop Art period of the late 1950s and early 60s were investigated and where objects from everyday life were used as subject matter in their artmaking. Students explored the idea of party food as a concept where they developed their problem-solving skills by transforming a drawing into a 3D form using a variety of sculpture-constructing techniques including papier mache. As you can see, these food forms are visually exciting and capture the viewers' attention immediately. Below are additional Pop Art images which weren't shared last newsletter. 

Vicki Foggiato
Leader of Learning - Visual Arts

College Athletics Carnival

The date for the College Athletics carnival is Friday 28 July. This is a compulsory school event and a Compass notification has already been issued to all families regarding consent. Late consent will not be accepted. If you have problems accessing Compass, students can go to the front office for a printed copy of the permission note. Consent is due by 25 July. 

Representative Sport

Variety Active Inclusion Day

On Thursday 15 June, two of our students attended a very special sport event at Woolgoogla. Tiana Legge (Year 10) and Zavier Duyster (Year 7) tried their hands at a variety of sports and activities, making many new friends along the way. Well done Tiana and Zavier!

Mountain Biking 

16 riders from Years 7 - 10 competed in our first Interschool Mountain Bike competition at Woolgoolga. Congratulations to all riders who displayed grit and determination. See Mr Burke’s account of the day. Thank you to Mr Burke and Mr Moore who managed the team and to the parents who provided such strong support for this new sport.

As SJPCs first foray into mountain biking, the Superflow interschools event was a huge success! With numbers limited to only 16 for this test event, the odds were against us when competing with almost 200 students from as far as Sydney and Brisbane. However, the SJPC kids did us proud, with the incredible support of their families. Parents were called on to run students to and from the event, as well as after school training/trial sessions. Many went above and beyond, choosing to stay all day for the event. The end result was an incredibly positive day with students thoroughly enjoying themselves, behaving in the classic SJPC way - understated yet determined, and achieving great success with multiple riders in the top 10 in both junior and intermediate categories. Judging by the success of this event and the groundswell of interest, it looks like MTB racing may have to become a mainstay at SJPC. Well done team!

Nick Burke

Fast 5 Netball

Two senior teams represented the College at the annual NSW Netball Fast 5 gala day in Port Macquarie. The Year 11s worked well as a team and despite limited netball experience prior to this year, were outstanding to attain equal 1st in their division. The Year 12s returned for a second year to easily account for all opposition, being crowned champions of their division for the second year in a row. More importantly, our students were humble and displayed excellent sportsmanship at all times. Well done! Thank you to Mrs Furey who coached the Year 11 team.

Diocesan Touch Football

Four teams headed to Port Macquarie on 26 June to compete in the Southern conference tournament. The 15s girls were a strong and determined team with many exceptional individual and team moments throughout the day. They were unlucky to be defeated in the semi finals. 

Please see the reports following for details of the other teams performances. Congratulations to all teams on a stirling effort all round and thank you to Mr Haworth, Mrs Snow, Mr Podesta, Mr Duff and Mr Gregson who coached the teams.

Bill Turner Cup 

Our Bill Turner Cup boys were impressive in their Round 4 homegame win against Coffs Harbour High School. The double extra time and penalty shoot out to win provided the College audience with an appreciation of the how tough Football can be. Our boys now play St Joseph’s Regional from Port Mcaquarie in order to progress to Round 6 and the quarter finals of the Bill Turner Cup. Good luck!

Cochrane Cup

Congratulations to our U14 boys League team who played in the Cochrane Cup North Coast finals on Tuesday 27 June. The boys had 2 massive games against well drilled teams from St Joseph’s Regional and Mt St Patrick’s College Murwillumbah. Despite going down in both games, the boys demonstrated resilience and a unrelenting spirit to do their best. Thank you to Mr Podesta and Mr Gregson who coached the team.

Date Changes 

Please carefully check the up-coming dates as a number of sports have changed dates and/or venues recently. Compass notifications will have the most accurate dates. 

Compass Permissions 

Families and students are reminded to check Compass for sport consent and payment. Due dates need to be strictly adhered to. Should families need an extension to payments, please contact the Finance department directly. Students who miss representative sport deadlines will no longer be able to provide permission after the due date.

Sport Assembly 

This week marked a momentous occasion as our educational institution convened its inaugural sport assembly, an event filled with a palpable sense of pride and admiration. It served as a platform to commemorate and commend the exceptional accomplishments of our sporting teams, encompassing the period from Term 4 2022 through to Week 8 Term 2 2023.

A splendid exhibition unfolded, displaying a remarkable diversity of sporting disciplines, showcasing the unwavering pursuit of excellence in sport, and highlighting the unyielding determination exhibited by our student athletes. It was a testament to their dedication, persistence and resolute attitude on the sporting field.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each and every student who proudly wore the distinguished SJPC sporting uniforms, embodying the true essence of our College. Your unwavering commitment to represent our school has not gone unnoticed. Also, none of our sports would go ahead without the generosity of our SJPC staff who coach our teams. Thank you for all you do!

School Sport

Year 7 and 8 Sport

Please check your Compass notifications as events have been sent to parents regarding Weeks 1- 5 and Weeks 6 -10 of Term 3. If consent is not provided by the due date, students will be placed in sport detention/non-sport until consent is given.

Term 3 Sport overview - Off campus Sports (require parental permission)

Coming Up - Term 3 2023

Danielle McAra
Sport Co-ordinator

U15s Boys Touch Football 

Back Row L-R- Lincoln, Riley, Cooper, Jaxon, Jack, Beau
Front Row - Jonathan, Ty, Kden, Darcy, Kyle

The U15 boys' touch team entered the day brimming with confidence, bolstered by their belief in their individual abilities and respect for their fellow teammates beside them.

Game 1:

In our first match against St Joseph's Regional College (SJRC), we experienced a 7-3 defeat. Ty initiated our scoring with a well-executed try on the wing, followed shortly by Cooper's contribution as he surged through the center, placing the opposing defense on the back foot.

Game 2:

In game 2 we picked up with a resounding 6-1 victory over St Paul's Kempsey. Cooper's impactful opening try, featuring a crafty dummy pass that led to a center-field score, set the tone for our team. Noteworthy was Lincoln's interception on the wing, resulting in a dominant full-length field try.

Game 3:

A hard-fought contest ensued against Mackillop Catholic College, culminating in our triumph with a 6-3 scoreline. Although Mackillop drew first blood, our response was swift as Kden intercepted a pass and showcased his exceptional speed, sprinting the length of the field for a crucial score. Jack Harrison's nimble footwork led to another try along the right-hand side, while Cooper once again dazzled with his masterful execution of a dummy pass, covering the entire field for yet another try.

Semifinal:

Building on our prior successes, we progressed to the Semifinals, facing Mackillop once more. Mackillop demonstrated early prowess by securing the initial try and exhibited great determination throughout the match. However, Cooper's ability to penetrate the defense with his signature dummy pass and step resulted in a pivotal try. Jaxon emulated this deceptive maneuver, propelling our team into the lead. Although Mackillop mounted a quick response with two consecutive tries, our determined Kden intensified his efforts, relentlessly breaking through the defense up the center and providing several offloads to his supportive teammates. This propelled us ahead and our team progressed into the final.

Final:

Our ultimate challenge materialized in a rematch against St Joseph's Regional College (SJRC), the team that bested us in our initial game. Our boys commenced the final with fervor, showcasing dominance in the ruck and commencing the scoring through a brilliant cut-out pass from Cooper to Lincoln on the wing. SJRC retaliated with a series of tries, as did our resilient team, leaving us trailing 3-4 with mere minutes remaining. In an impressive display of resilience and determination, our boys exemplified character and will. Jaxon's superb cut-out pass to Jonothan resulted in our fourth try, equalizing the score and triggering the implementation of the "drop-off rule." As the number of players dwindled to Cooper, Kden, Jaxon, and Darcy, our team summoned their strength. Darcy, in particular, rose to the occasion, exhibiting unwavering resolve in defense and providing the team with an advantageous field position. With the score remaining level, an additional player had to depart the field, leaving the contest with only three players per side. Through a collective effort, our boys paved the way for Cooper's exceptional display of power and speed, evading a fatigued defense and securing the decisive try that clinched our victory.

Heartfelt congratulations are due to all the boys for their remarkable teamwork, unwavering resolve, and exemplary conduct both on and off the field.

Nick Haworth
Year 10 Leader of Student Wellbeing - Coach

Open Boys Touch Football

The Open boy's touch football team had an eventful day on the field, showcasing their skills and determination. Although they faced some tough competition, the team gave it their all and had a few standout moments during the matches.

In their first game, the team faced an unusual opponent, the bye. It was an opportunity for the boys to warm up and fine-tune their strategies. The Open boys demonstrated excellent teamwork and coordination, securing a convincing win against the bye. The players displayed their agility, passing skills, and effective communication, setting a positive tone for the rest of the day.

The second match of the day was against Newman College, a formidable opponent known for their strong touch football program. Both teams showcased their athleticism and tactical prowess, engaging in a thrilling and closely contested game. Despite their best efforts, the Opens boys narrowly lost the match, with the opposition emerging as the victors. The team exhibited resilience and determination, fighting till the very end.

Next up, the team faced off against St Paul's College, another tough competitor. The match was highly competitive, with both teams displaying skillful maneuvers and strategic plays. However, despite their valiant efforts, the Open boys were unable to secure a victory. They played with great sportsmanship, supporting one another and exhibiting their passion for the game.

In the final match of the day, they took on Mackillop College. It was a hard-fought battle, with both teams showcasing their speed and agility on the field. While the match was closely contested, the Mackillop College team managed to come out on top, leaving the Open boys disappointed but determined to learn from the experience.

The highlight of the day came during the match against Mackillop, when Xavier Hartley and Benjamin Perin executed a perfectly timed and coordinated set play known as the "mouse trap." This play involved a clever diversionary tactic that deceived the opposition and created an opening for a scoring opportunity. The precision and teamwork demonstrated by Hartley and Perin were commendable and left spectators in awe.

Despite the mixed results, the Open boy's team displayed excellent teamwork, resilience, and sportsmanship throughout the day. They can be proud of their efforts and take valuable lessons from the matches against strong opponents.

Will Gregson
Teacher - Coach

Open Girls Touch Football

The Open girl's touch team had a slow start to the tournament but were able to build on their team play, defence and attacking prowess throughout the day. By the time they had finished the five round games they had managed to finish in 4th place and score themselves a place in the semi-finals against the first place finishing Mackillop. SJPC were dominant from the outset, Mia McKeon, Ruby Flanders and Poppi Flanders dominated in attack and were instrumental in breaking the Mackillop defensive line. Mia Blackett, Amber McKeon, Isabel Kelly, Bella Morrison and Madeleine Clark were consistent in providing support in both attack and defence. Diaz Volgsinger and Mykenzie Smith did not falter on the wing. With 10 minutes to go SJPC were up 3-1. At full-time it was 3-3 and the game went to a drop off. The drop off went down to 3 on 3 players. Both teams showed exceptional endurance, grit and determination. In particular Mia McKeon, Ruby Flanders and Poppi Flanders who were on the field for most of the drop off, which lasted an additional 7 minutes. Unfortunately Mackillop scored first and won to progress through to the grand final. Overall an excellent display of skill and sportsmanship demonstrated by the students throughout the day.

Carla Snow
Teacher - Coach

Compass - Permission to Leave from SPORT - Early Departure

Students must bring a written note from their parents/carers to the College Office before they depart for sport. Early departure from Sport cannot be submitted via the Compass App only a written note will be accepted. Only full day absences can be submitted using the attendance note via the Compass App.

SJPC Communication - Facebook

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To start following St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour please click on this link

Lost Property

Please encourage your child to visit the Office if they have lost any school items. Please mark your child's name on all school items, including airpods, pencil cases, drink bottles, sport bags and all items of school uniform. 

Uniform Shop

Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 7:30am - 9:00am

Homework Centre

Hours: Monday - Thursday 3:20pm - 5:00pm

Finance

For fee related enquiries and payment plan assistance, please contact the Catholic Schools Office by email: cofhs-fees@lism.catholic.edu.au

The Catholic Schools Office Fee Enquiry

Ph: 6653 1655 - Mell and Tess

Office Hours: 8:30am to 4:00pm
Email: cofhs-fees@lism.catholic.edu.au

THE PUSH-UP CHALLENGE 2023 is complete. Over the 23 day challenge our staff team tallied 18,613 push-ups and raised $1370. Our SRC representative team also completed 10,999 push-ups and this was all in the name of raising awareness and funds for mental health.

Thank you to the SJPC community for your support.

Of most value through the competition were the  DAILY MENTAL HEALTH FACTS  and these were shared with students and are also attached for your reading.

Congratulations to our student representative team:

Our school has been registered on the NSW Vinnies Community Fundraising website and this is where people can make donations:

Vinnies School Sleepouts 2023 - SJPC Fundraising

Please spread the word among your friends, family, neighbours and colleagues and help us reach our target of $10,000!  All donations will go to our local St Vincent de Paul Conference in Coffs Harbour and will be used directly to help people in our community experiencing homelessness. While we will be roughing it and sleeping out in the cold, the evening will be filled with loads of fun activities designed to build connections and strengthen the bonds of community within our College. So why not challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone and support this worthy cause?

Students from Year 7 - 12 are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to take part in this event. EOI forms will be available from the College Office in Term 3. It will be a wonderful community event that you do not want to miss! Please come and see me if you are keen to take part in the sleepout and want to know more about it or if you can help out in any way. Of course, all donations are welcome!

Leanne Gennat
Assistant Principal - Mission