11 August 2023 - Newsletter (Vol 40 No 12)

Thinking of enroling your primary school child into SJPC in the future?

Things you need to know

Every year SJPC is in a fortunate position that applications for enrolment far outweigh the places available in all year groups. Having just finalised the Year 7 2024 intake, I wanted to share some important facts and information with our community in order to be transparent about the intake process.

Did you know: 

• The enrolment policy has changed across the whole diocese as of this year to reflect a more common approach. You can see more through this link.
  
  
• First priority for Year 7 will now be given to students enroled in our feeder schools of St Augustine’s, MHOC Sawtell and SFX at Woolgoolga.
  
  
• Siblings who attend non feeder schools are not guaranteed spots if the number of students from feeder school exceeds the places available. I expect the number of applications from feeder schools to increase in the coming years and you may need to consider where your child attends primary school if SJPC is your high school of choice.
  
  
• For Year 7 2024 we had 291 applications for 208 spots.

The College is currently at capacity with an enrolment of over 1100 students, and, it is always difficult to finalise the families who are offered places, but please know that the process is thorough and transparent and we will continue to offer places to those on the waiting lists as soon as places become available.

Building Update

The current insurance works are scheduled to be completed by November at which time most of the work should be over. I would encourage you to come and visit the campus to see what we’ve done, please contact the Office to arrange a time.

Have a great fortnight!

God bless

Michael Carniato
Principal

This week we celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, an amazing Australian saint who is a source of inspiration for us all. Mary MacKillop, the co-founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, lived a life dedicated to serving those in need, especially the poor and marginalised. Her unwavering commitment to education, compassion, and social justice earned her the title of Australia's first canonised saint in 2010. Mary's life exemplified the virtues of humility, courage, and faith, making her an exceptional role model for our students.

Mary's significance lies not only in her numerous charitable works but also in her resilience and determination to overcome adversity. She faced numerous challenges in her mission to provide education to underprivileged children and establish schools, yet she remained steadfast in her faith and relied on God's guidance throughout her journey. Her life story reminds us of the power of perseverance and the need to stay true to our values and principles, even in the face of obstacles. 

She famously said ‘Never see a need without doing something about it’. By following Mary’s example, we too can become better individuals, contributing positively to our community and making the world a more compassionate and just place.

Beautiful and loving God, you filled the heart of Mary MacKillop with compassionate love for those who are in need at the margins of our society.
Grant that through her example we may reach out to our brothers and sisters in need.
Give us generous hearts to respond to the cries of those who are poor in our community and in our world.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Leanne Gennat
Assistant Principal - Mission

At our College Assembly this past week I spoke to the students with regard to the link between leadership of Christ and the Emmaus Project. The following is a link to my address to the College assembly.

Leadership - College Assembly

As parents we are also leaders. Any parent who wonders about what it takes to be a “good parent” must answer a simple question: Do you want to be a leader or a boss? A boss’ primary role is management. A leader empowers, inspires, shows the way forward and makes it their business to connect with their staff every day. Good parents make great leaders, but being a successful leader is no easy task. Great leaders and great parents know that strong relationships must be founded on good communication. Research suggests that having clear and appropriate expectations of your child largely influences their behaviour and their educational outcomes. Great parents and great leaders inspire. Great leaders inspire and motivate others, so do great parents. We now know that children learn how to react to different situations by watching us. Great parents and great leaders are also great cheerleaders. Your child needs to know that you’ve noticed when they are doing a good job, even when (especially when) that progress is slow and painful. Great parents and great leaders focus on building trust in their relationships. Like great leaders, great parents care about building relationships built on trust. When it comes to parenting, this is more than just being able to trust your child; they too need to be able to trust you and to count on you. Great parents and great leaders are not omnipresent. Overparenting can make them less confident in their ability to succeed, decrease the likelihood that they will take up leadership roles, and thus prevent them from developing problem-solving skills and learning necessary life lessons.

We are now entering the nomination period for leadership at the College for 2024. Our students have been asked to think carefully who they feel would make the best student leaders of our College for the next twelve months. When being asked to consider their leaders they should be looking at fellow students who exhibit confidence, responsibility, integrity, empathy, and communication skills. Please encourage your child to nominate for a leadership position, for without them the idea of student voice just becomes that …. an idea alone.

Until next time:

How to Bounce Back from a Disappointing Assignment Grade

We've all been there – eagerly awaiting the results of an assignment we thought we had slayed, only to be disheartened by a disappointing grade. It's completely normal to feel down at first but remember, setbacks are opportunities for growth and improvement. Here are some steps you can take to handle a disappointing assignment grade and turn it into a learning experience: 

1. Analyse and Understand the Feedback:

When you receive your assignment back, take the time to review the feedback provided by your teacher.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Did you meet all the criteria outlined in the assignment?
• What specific feedback did your teacher provide?
• Do you fully comprehend the feedback given?
• Can you identify the reasons behind the grade you received?

If you're unsure about any aspect of the feedback, don't hesitate to ask your teacher for further clarification. Understanding where you went wrong is crucial to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.

2. Choose to Accept or Review:

Once you've gained a clear understanding of the feedback, you have two options: accept the grade or review it.

• Accept: If you realise that the grade reflects your performance accurately, don't dwell on it too much. Acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes, and view this experience as an opportunity for growth. Embrace the mindset that successful individuals use failures as stepping stones toward improvement.
  
  
• Review: If you genuinely believe that the grade awarded does not align with your efforts and adherence to the criteria, approach your teacher respectfully and seek clarity. Politely ask if they would explain the grade while providing evidence to support your case. Remember, advocating for yourself should always be done with respect. 

3. Learn and Adapt:

Improvement comes from learning from your mistakes and taking action to rectify them. Make a conscious effort to identify where you went wrong and devise a plan to correct it. Consider these steps:

• Re-do the Assignment: If you have the dedication and time, consider revisiting parts of the assignment and resubmitting them. Revising your work not only demonstrates your commitment but also helps you apply the feedback effectively.
  
  
• Seek Inspiration: Ask your teacher if you can examine assignments from students who received top grades. Analyse their work to understand what elements contributed to their success and identify areas where your assignment fell short.
  
  
• Seek Early Feedback: For your next assignment, share your plan or draft with your teacher before the submission deadline. This proactive approach allows you to receive valuable feedback early on, giving you ample time to make improvements.

Remember, your academic journey is about learning and growth. Embrace every assignment, whether successful or disappointing, as a chance to hone your skills and become a better student. Stay persistent, and don't let setbacks define your capabilities. 

With a positive attitude and willingness to learn, you'll be better prepared to face future challenges and achieve your goals. Keep striving for excellence and improvement.

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

Festa Christi

From Tuesday - Friday of last week Year 8 boys and girls joined with around 120 other students from around the diocese to attend Festa Christi which was held at Bonville Adventure Centre. 

The focus of Festa Christi is for the students to participate in a variety of activities that focus on ‘walking in another person’s shoes’, having the students overcome their fears and gaining a greater awareness of social justice. The program also includes time for prayer and reflection and concludes with the celebration of the Eucharist. In 2023 the Catholic Schools Office trialled having two Festa Christis at the same venue and same outdoor activities but separate male (Tuesday-Wednesday) and female (Thursday-Friday) retreats.

Students worked together to face some challenges and had success’ linked to Catholic Social Teachings and the beatitudes which will help them to see the connections with their life. Some of the outcomes of the activities included- leadership, resilience, compassion for others, self-responsibility, bringing students together to engage with the spirit of who they are and how their faith impacts their life.

Most of these students have participated in previous faith formation retreats linked to the CSO’s Discipleship Continuum and it was good to see them reconnect with each other turning the focus outward to focus on ‘walking in another person’s shoes’, having the students overcoming their fears and gaining a greater awareness of social justice. The Catholic Social Teaching incorporated into the program explored practical ways of putting faith into action.

A great time was had by all and we thank Mr Sultana and Mrs Munokoa for taking our students and accompanying them through their retreat experience.

Year 8 Festa Christi Boys

Year 8 Festa Christi Girls

On Wednesday 16 August Elevate Education will be hosting another free webinar for parents. By tuning into the webinar series, you will learn how you can help better support your children at home through reinforcing the skills they learn at school:

Wednesday 16 August 2023
'How You Can Make Technology an Ally
(& Not the Enemy!)'

Click here to register for free

Here's what Elevate will be covering on the night:

• Technology addiction and how to reduce technology dependence 
• Practical strategies and apps to minimise procrastination
• How to help your child use technology productively to enhance their learning 

Year 12

The Trial Examination period ends today for most students and they will be back in class ready to continue their HSC preparation. Year 12 students are to be congratulated in regard to how organised they have been in their approach to the HSC Trial examination period and meeting Term 3 deadlines.

Well done!

HSC Markers will be on the College premises over the coming weeks to mark Year 12 Major Works and Performances in Drama and Music. A very exciting time for these students. Please pray for them.

Students will start receiving feedback on their HSC Trial examination responses over the coming weeks. We do understand that it may be difficult to maintain momentum at this time, but you can be certain that we are here to help students continue to improve their knowledge and understanding, and skill set across all courses.  We encourage all students to keep communicating with their teachers so we can work together to improve and make the most of the next 5 weeks of class time.

We remind students of the following; 

• Attend all classes as per your timetable
• Work with the feedback your teachers have provided
• Keep up to date with NESA Advice via the following link. NESA student guide
• Access the Stay Healthy HSC hub  - stay active and keep connected during the HSC with resources brought to you by the NSW Education Department and Reach Out.

Year 11

Preliminary Examination Block 

A reminder that the Year 11 Final Examination period starts on Wednesday 30 August and finishes Friday 8 September. 

Students will not be attending timetabled classes during this time. 

We encourage students to have a nightly study regime in place in the lead up to this examination block, and to make effective use of the many resources the College provides.

Subject Selection Years 8 and 10

Thank you to all those Year 8 students who have been dropping their signed Elective Choice submission forms into the Curriculum Office. A reminder that the online portal will close Thursday 17 August.

It was wonderful to see Year 10 students and their families take the opportunity to delve deeper into what Stage 6 at SJPC looks like on Wednesday night. Thank you for coming. Staff really enjoyed the conversations and I hope students are now more confident in their subject selection as a result.

The online portal is now open and you will be able make changes via this platform up until the platform closes on Monday 21 August.

A reminder that at SJPC student choice determines which courses run in 2024, so please choose wisely! If you are intending not to return to the College in 2024, there is no need to complete the subject selection process. Once choices have been finalised, students will receive confirmation packs with information needed for continuing at SJPC in 2024.

It is timely to remind ALL students of their responsibilities as learners.

Your teachers are designing and setting activities that will help you develop the knowledge, understanding and skills that are important throughout life. Trust them!

Do the work, 
ask for help, 
create learning opportunities, 
be innovative

Claudia Brown
Leader of Curriculum

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

SJPC Communication - Facebook

Do you follow SJPC's Facebook page? This is where you will find reminders of upcoming social events, sporting updates, transport delays, job advertisements and photos of SJPC students participating in everyday life at the College.

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

Arriving Late or Returning from an Appointment

Students MUST sign in at the College Office if they are arriving late to school or if students are returning to school after an appointment.

Compass - Attendance and Permission to Leave School during the Day - Early Departure

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.

Online conversation with Seiwa students

During their summer break, students from our sister school in Sasebo - Seiwa, kindly offered their assistance to our Year 10 elective Japanese class. They took part in a virtual Zoom session to help our students practice their speaking skills in preparation for an upcoming assessment task. The virtual meeting allowed for cultural exchange and learning, and our students had the chance to improve their language abilities while gaining insights into Japanese culture. The collaboration between the two schools fostered a sense of camaraderie and reminded our students of the significance of international connections in education. It was a valuable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved and we look forward to this being a regular occurrence between our schools.

SJPC Exchange students

Next week, we will farewell 4 of our Year 10 students who will be participating in SJPC’s Exchange program with our sister school, Reitaku Mizunami in Gifu, Japan. 

These four students are Pepper Bowie-Ford, Eamon Browne, Jayden Phillips-Manwaring and Theodore Wood. 

The students will spend 5 months in Japan, experiencing school life in the dormitory as well as homestay with their host families. 

This wonderful program is an opportunity for these students to consolidate their Japanese language learning and prepare them for their senior studies as well as introduce them to the Japanese way of life. 

Kirsten Binnie
Leader of Learning - Languages

Year 11 Visual Arts students visited Glasshouse Gallery in Port Macquarie to view the 2023 ArtExpress exhibition. 

Vicki Foggiato
Leader of Learning - Visual Arts

9PDM Surreal Composites using Adobe Photoshop

Year 9 Photography and Digital Media students have been learning how to manipulate Adobe Photoshop tools to create surreal imagery from their investigations into the Surrealist art movement and its immense influence on contemporary digital media. In doing so they have been creating hybrid animals and a jellyfish sky among other tasks to have viewers look twice to find the discrepancy. The students have been very creative with their interpretations so far and we look forward to seeing their future creations of a Surreal Landscape or Dreamscape, Surreal Self-Portrait, Mystical Surreal Beast, and an art history-inspired composite.

Renee Berrisford
Teacher - Art

College Athletics Records

During the College Athletics Carnival, a number of outstanding individual performances were witnesses, in particular:

• Evie Hill (Year 8) broke the 200m record with a 28.69 performance. She then backed up to set a new Triple Jump record with a massive 9.31m smashing the previous record of 8.46 set in 2022.

• Hargraves 12/13 years girls 4 x 100m relay team set a new record of 59.65 beating the previous record of 59.78 set in 2003.
• Hargraves 15 years boy 4 x 100m relay team obliterated the previous record of 51.00 which has stood since with their blistering 49.75 performance.

Representative Sport

Rugby 7s Local Round

We had 6 teams compete across two separate days with our girls taking to the Coffs Harbour paddock on Tuesday 1 August and our boys on Thursday 3 August. 

The two 14 years girls and 16 years girls team were enthusiastic and enjoyed plying their skills against many local and regional high schools. We are proud of their deterrmined efforts and willingness to improve their knowledge and skills.

The 14s boys and Open boys enjoyed their day, and like the girls, displayed real development of understanding and skill level as the tournament progressed. The 16 boys were outstanding from the start, being dominant and qualifying for the state final in Sydney in September. Congratulations to all teams and good luck to our 16s boys. 

Thank you to coaches Mr Daniel Burbridge, Mr Kris Kent, Mr Joshuah Moore, Mr Paul Harrison and Mrs Ngahine Munokoa who coached the teams and have been key in the development of Rugby in our school community.

Diocesan Junior and Intermediate Basketball

On Tuesday 8 August and Wednesday 9 August, our 4 junior teams travelled to Port Macquarie to contest the Diocesan Basketball Championships. Over the two days our teams were relentless, determined and dynamic on the court, courteous, thoughtful and supportive off it. 

Our boys teams worked hard and were successful with 7/8 finishing 1st and 9/10 finishing their pools at the end of Day 1. Despite many moments of brilliance and cohesive team work during the semifinals, neither team was able to progress to finals. The boys from both teams should be proud of their efforts, sustaining intensity and sportsmanship throughout some tough situations.

The girl teams both comfortably finished at the top of their Day 1 pools to progress to the semifinals on Day 2. Again, both teams were unabating in their creative attack and dogged defense, progressing to the finals against Xavier in both divisions. The 7/8 girls gained a lead early on which they never gave up defeating Xavier 25 - 19, while the 9/10 girls were in a nail biting tie at full time. Some insightful strategy and never say die attitude saw our girls hold out a 3 point attempt by Xavier in the dying seconds to win 52 - 49. Diocesan Champions! Thank you to Noah Fluechter who was selected to referee this intense high level game and congratulations to both girls teams who now automatically qualify to represent the Diocese at the NSWCCC Basketball Championship in Sydney in October!

Congratulations also to some of our awesome students who performed refereeing duties throughout the carnival. Beau Amos, Gunsanjh Brar, Noah Fluechter, Kira Juffermans, Tahlia Amos and Claudia Simpson were outstanding in the black and white stripes!

Finally, thank you to the coaches and managers who accompanied the teams - Mr Nick Haworth, Mr Jayden Duff, Ms Jessi Reeves and Mrs Carolyn King.

7/8 and 9/10 Boys

7/8 and 9/10 Girls

Year 9/10 Sport Selections

Sport selections for Term 4 will occur in the College from Monday 14 August until Tuesday 15 August. Selection is accessed online so even students who are absent on the day will be able to make their selections. Emails have been sent to all families with details of the sports and selection process. Please ensure all timelines that have been shared with families are adhered to. 

Coming Up - Term 3 2023

Danielle McAra
Sport Co-ordinator

It has been a very solid start to our Kawalazi collections in Homerooms. Thanks to all who have been donating their hard earned money to this very worthy cause.

Connor Harrison 11D - sponsoring a Kawalazi student

10H rallied together quickly to raise $50! Fantastic effort!

Leanne, Noah and Tully Gennat choosing their family sponsorship

Upcoming events include:

Tuesday 15 August - T3 Social

Wednesday 16 August - Kawalazi Assembly, Sausage Sizzle & Mufti Day

A whole school Kawalazi Assembly with a visit from the Kawalazi Development Project Committee (Pam Bibby, Joseph Nolan and Maggie O'Brien). At lunchtime the College Student Leaders will be selling sausage sandwiches for $3. It's mufti day for students, please wear Black, Red and Green and bring a gold coin donation.  

2023-2024 Kawalazi Sponsorship Form

Please do all you can to support this tremendous initiative.

Food Stalls: BBQ, Donuts, Hot Dogs, Hot Chips, Drinks, Pancakes, Milkshakes, Popcorn, Pizza, Coffee Kart. Please note the Canteen will be closed on Thursday. Pizza: Must be ordered and paid for prior to SJPC day. Orders will be taken at recess and lunch in C Block (see daily notices for details).