6 May 2022 - Newsletter (Vol 39 No 6)

Welcome back to Term 2, I hope your break was enjoyable and a time of celebration during the Easter period. This week we celebrated Catholic School’s week, a time where we focus on all the many things that we have to offer as a College community, the obvious and not so obvious. My sincere thanks to all the staff at SJPC who make this a special place, without them and their commitment to Catholic Education we would not be the great school that we are.

Today we celebrated all our mothers at the mother’s day breakfast and what a morning it was, thank you to all those that were able to make it. We also spent the day highlighting SJPC with College Tours and over 100 people took the opportunity to sign up and take a walk around the grounds led by our student leaders.

Having a look at the calendar for this term, there is no doubt that the College is as busy as ever, however, the one major difference is that parents and the community can be back on campus, involved in all the facets of College life. Volunteers will be working in the canteen, parents who are coaching will be back training the students and our P&F meeting in Week 5 will be in person, not via Zoom, (more details in the next few weeks about the agenda etc.) and coinciding with the P&F, is of course the school social, the first for a long time!

A few updates:

BUILDINGS

• The new Library is nearing completion with a few more details needing to be finalised on the roof top learning and gathering space.
• The completion of N Block refurbishment and the start of B Block is on track for around week 5 this term and this will continue in all blocks through to the start of 2023.
• The second PDHPE building is finally beginning after a long period of wet weather delays and should be ready by the end of Term 3.
• The new concrete driveway that will encircle the campus is starting this week in a staggered implementation and is on track for completion by the start of Term 3.

 PARKING – please help!

• Can I encourage families to elect for students to take buses where possible? As you can appreciate and have no doubt experienced the long delays and congestion, which is the result of so many parents trying to pick up all students at the same time. Perhaps a later pick up may also help us.
• Don’t park or wait on grass areas, no parking zones or stop where you will impact the flow of traffic (particularly at the rear of the hall)
• The top car park and visitor spots ARE NOT for student pick up. Please do not park anywhere in the top carpark in the afternoons.

Year 7 ENROLMENTS 2023 are now open

• Please refer to the College websites for more details and closing dates.

Michael Carniato
Principal

Celebrating the Spirit of our Community

As this newsletter goes to press, we are in the midst of celebrating our Catholic schools through the annual Catholic Schools Week. This is a fantastic opportunity to review what our Catholic schools have to offer and to renew our purpose for making the choice to have our children educated in a Christ centred environment. A number of prospective students and parents will also be exploring the College in preparation for Year 7 enrolments which close on the 18 May. 

Whilst we are proud of many of the new physical changes that are occurring such as building works, I hope that it is a week for us to really celebrate the diverse and talented teachers and students who make up our community. 

There is no doubt that Catholic education has changed over the years, as it should, to evolve and meet the changing needs of our young students. Numbers have dropped in Mass participation and many families find themselves in a situation where their own faith may have dwindled or taken a back seat. Perhaps during this Catholic Schools Week, you may feel also welcomed to take a look at the changes that have occurred and talk with your children about how they feel about their own faith. At school, we do much work to embody the mission of the school in all that we do. We invite all students on their journey of formation.

To help support them to take the next step we offer a range of engagements such as youth ministry, retreats and reflection days, hearing witness from staff, prayer, liturgy and the sacraments. They also have many opportunities to join social justice, charity and ecology groups. Faith formation occurs in and through various experiences in the life of the school. 

An important goal of the Catholic school is that its education program is intentionally directed at the growth and formation of students.  At St John Paul College, we aim to encourage the growth of students in the fullness of their humanity - intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally, morally, aesthetically and spiritually. This holistic formation enables students to live in and engage with the present and future world with faith, hope and love. We are blessed to be able to work with our families and be entrusted to be companions during this significant time for our young people. For us, Catholic education is a privileged part of the life-long formation of the whole person. 

So, we have much to celebrate in this Catholic Schools Week which is themed ‘ Experience the Spirit of Community’ and I can think of no better place to experience that spirit than right here at our own College.

Yours in Christ

Starting to Write an Assignment

As we begin a new term, many students will be submitting assignment based assessments. The following are some thoughts to consider in order for students to do their best. 

When helping students with assignments, the focus is often just on the research process. These tips will focus on getting started with the writing.

1. CHECK REQUIREMENTS

   So you have done all of your research, collected the information you will need and are ready to start writing your assignment. Before you begin, revisit the requirements, format and criteria for the task. Be very clear on what the assignment is asking you to do and any guidelines you have been given for the assignment. If you are unsure at all, check with your teacher. It can be good to have the assignment questions written on an index card that you keep next to you while working so you stay focused on answering the question and meeting the requirements.
   

2. PLAN A STRUCTURE

   Your approach will vary depending on the style of your assignment (eg. essay, speech, presentation or report) but regardless of this, unless it is explicitly given to you, you need to decide the structure of your assignment.  Have you determined the main points, the headings and subheadings? Have you made sure you have gathered information about all parts of the question? Have you found any diagrams, images, photos, quotes needed to reinforce any points? Before you begin the writing, create a structure for your work listing all of the headings and subheadings you will write about. Keep checking back with the criteria or requirements to ensure you are answering the assignment questions.
   

3. JUST START WRITING

   The best thing to do if you have no idea how to begin your writing, is to just start writing. Now this may sound a little strange, but many students do not start writing because they want what they write to be perfect or ‘right’ the first time. Don’t worry whether your writing is up to standard at this stage. Instead concentrate on getting your ideas down onto paper or screen. Choose a section and start putting down ideas on the sorts of things you could include in that section.  The hardest part of any writing is starting. Once you start putting down ideas this generates other ideas and before you know it you have some text to work with. So even if you have no idea where to start just write or type ‘I don’t know what to include here’ and even writing this will get your subconscious thinking about what could be included.
   

4. USE YOUR NOTES

   Once you have started, you can use your notes from the research you did to build your ideas and arguments for your assignment. This means that you integrate your own thoughts and ideas with the research you have done using this to help support your ideas. Make sure that you reference correctly, this means that when you use materials you have researched, particularly quotes, you make it clear where this material has been sourced from. You may find holes in your research as you progress and have to then do additional research about those areas.
   

5. BE CREATIVE

   Unlike an essay, you generally have a bit more scope in how you present an assignment. Think about how you can bring the material to life for the reader. Photos (appropriately referenced) are a good start and sometimes diagrams, tables, examples, statistics or flowcharts may be appropriate. You might use lists, bullet points or colour to make the material more user-friendly. Your teacher will be reviewing many assignments on the same topic, so what can you do to make yours stand out or have a unique angle.
   

6. REVIEW AND REVIEW AGAIN

   Have you ever had that experience where you write something, leave it, come back the next day and read it again and find a whole heap of errors you didn’t see the first time? This is why it is important to space out your work on your assignment over a number of weeks and days. You need time to edit your work and you need space between edits. When you come back with a fresh eye, you will be able to look at your work from a different perspective and get ideas on what you could do to improve your work. As you review your work, look for spelling and grammar errors, possible repetition or unclear areas. Reading your work out loud is surprisingly a great way of locating errors or things that don’t make sense.

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:

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

Interview with Julian Na - Year 11 Student

What is your dream job? 

From when I was a kid I always wanted to be a vet and look after animals. Now I’m aiming more towards becoming a doctor or engineer.

If you could live in any country, where would you live and why?

If I could live in any country, I would love to live in Canada. I enjoy the cold climate (snow!) and skiing! Autumn in Canada is beautiful.

Who has had the most influence on your faith?

My parents have probably had the most influence on my faith; how they have raised me within a christian household has definitely helped me along my faith journey and in understanding my purpose on earth.

Where are you in your faith journey at the moment?

I am definitely still learning. There are many times in my life where I still find I am lacking in my faith or am striving, but life is just a learning curve, so I will always be reinforcing my faith and learning from my mistakes.

Gabriella Majarich & Darcy Hartin
Youth Ministry Officers

Kirsten Binnie
Leader of Learning - Languages

Year 7 finished off the first term drawing unit with a line landscape inspired by the work of Christa Rijneveld. They referred to black and white photographs of mountains and used lines to show the contours of the scapes. This work further developed their understanding of how the element of line can create different effects in artworks. They produced beautiful work.

Year 10

Last Tuesday 3rd May 2022, the following Year 10 HP&G students participated in the Ethics Olympiad: Blake Botes, Riley Carniato, Ruby Crosley, Rylan Jones, Molly Joyce, Sam Melinz, Zareth Morgan, Koko Nichols, Claire Pike, Dexter Schley.  Our team competed against four other schools.  Schools competed from around the state, including: St Andrew’s Cathedral School Sydney, St Clare’s Waverley, Radford College ACT, The Scots College, and St Joseph’s Hunters Hill.  An Ethics Olympiad involves the team being presented with an ethical problem and taking a stance.  This is then followed by the other team challenging or contributing to the concepts already raised and the judge asking questions to enable the students to forensically examine the issue at hand.

The students partook in cerebral weight lifting by evaluating the ethical frameworks of each of the following controversial issues: diversity and equality through university admission by lottery case; freedom of speech and hatred; retrospective history and the place of statues; fairness and cheating in the paralympics; restorative justice vs. discipline; the impropriety of subversive art; and the medical university student patriotic obligation.  The ethical frameworks included: utilitarianism and consequentialism; Universalism and Kantianism; Care Ethics; and Aristotlean virtue ethics.  

The students conducted themselves respectfully, and philosophically engaged with the issues and the counter-arguments presented by the other schools. Particular mention should be made of Blake Botes, Ruby Crosley, Molly Joyce, Zareth Morgan and Koko Nicols who impressed the judges with their cogent arguments.

Click here for a recent SMH report about the Ethics Olympiad

Year 9

This week our Year 9 HP&G students commenced the program. They were introduced to the concepts of philosophy and lateral thinking.  We also explored formulating logical arguments and obstacles we can encounter to rational thought.  In Semester Two, students will participate in the Middle School Ethics Olympiad.

Year 8

Our Year 8 HP&G group have started their preparation for the STEM Make a Difference competition. Over the last two weeks the students have been learning about the principles of design, with particular focus on the empathy and defining phase.  This led to brainstorming some of the issues in society that could be improved through the development of an innovation.  More information about the competition can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy1b7pLsmYA 

Year 7 

This week our Year 7 HP&G students commenced the program.  Students revised the concept of metacognition and learnt about some of the academic research underpinning the best ways to learn.  Students learnt about the purpose and importance of lateral thinking, the concept of naive realism, how perception doesn't always match reality.  Students were encouraged to foster their logical and critical thinking and couple it with lateral thinking to look for new ways to solve problems.

Stage 3

Stage 3 students from Mary Help of Christians visited this week for the second cycle of the "Da Vinci Detectives" program.  In this cycle, students learnt more about the science of thinking, obstacles that we encounter when trying to think logically, and the various perspectives we should consider when examining the world.

Some comments from last term’s activities included:

“Everyday we face challenges, so the challenge that we faced was only a bit different. We had to work together to solve a challenging problem. As we get older our answers become more important so we have to choose the right strategy.”

“We overcame obstacles and frustrations by regrouping us and getting us back on track”

“We thought like detectives and we thought outside the box”

“When we were reading the clues we had to think of different solutions”

Aaron Dewhurst
Leader of High Potential Learning

Vocabulary Matters

Few activities in life are as delightful or as valuable as learning new vocabulary.

Vocabulary is essential for communicating ideas.

It improves reading comprehension. Research has shown that children need to understand 98% of the words they read to understand what they are reading.

It's important for language development.

Vocabulary allows us to express ourselves in writing.

It heightens the opportunity for occupational success.

Vocabulary is the key to understanding abstract ideas and deeper content.

• Let’s develop a reading habit with our children. Vocabulary building is easiest when we encounter words in context.
• Using the dictionary and thesaurus exposes us to new words and synonyms.
• Playing word games lets us share the fun of vocabulary.
• Subscribe to “word of the day” feeds and online word games
• Practice using new words in conversation.

You can’t build up a vocabulary if you never meet any new words. 

And to meet them you must read. 

The more you read the better

Word of the Week 2

Eloquent adjective

DEFINITION - Being fluent or persuasive with in speaking or writing 

ORIGIN - Latin eloquentia to speak out

IN A SENTENCE - Amand Gorman is a most eloquent and moving speaker.

Word of the Week 3

Epiphany noun

DEFINITION - a sudden intuitive perception or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something

ORIGIN - C17 Latin epiphaneia an appearing

IN A SENTENCE - She had an epiphany that day, and decided she was going to be more than just an average student.

Maree McKelvie

Paul Corsalini
Careers Adviser

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual tests in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. All NSW schools will sit NAPLAN online in 2022.

Our school will be participating in NAPLAN during Week 3 between Tuesday 10 and Friday 13 May 2022, with catch up sessions running in Week 4.

A copy of the planned timetable is shown below:

Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not recommended. Students can use the public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site) to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and tools available in NAPLAN.

Students must come prepared with a charged device that has the NAP locked down browser downloaded and installed as well as a set of headphones/earbuds.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact the College.

Lauren Smith

Literacy and Numeracy Coordinator

College Cross Country

Due to the wet conditions of the ovals we use to run our traditional cross country, students were requested to nominate for the Cross Country team that participtes in the Diocesan Carnival. However, four age groups required a time trial during sport on Wednesday. On a novel track, the students ran the length of Hogbin Drive between the University and Rugby park in very hot but blessedly flat conditions. 

The top six finishers in each division will be given the opportunity to represent the College at the Diocesan Cross Country Championship at the Grafton Race track (due to McAuley College course conditions) on 20 May. It is from this competition that our Cross Country Age Champions will be determined.

Diocesan Tennis Champions!

Recently our Tennis team headed to Tweed Heads to compete in the Diocesan Tennis Championships. Our three teams achieved outstanding results, with our Open Boys team consisting of Adrian Aranibar, Lucas Burridge, Francis Tran, and Henry Fuller finishing 3rd overall. Noah Baylis and Luke Blackman who formed our Junior team dropped only one set in the day and ended up Runner Up Diocesan Champions! Finally, our Junior girls, Madison Jones and Zoe Mosti were undefeated all day despite tough competition and as a result were named Diocesan Junior Champions (the second year in a row)!

Congratulations to all our teams and a massive thank you to our Coaches/Managers, Mr Hewitt and Mr Boshier who accompanied the students on a very long day.

CCC Swimming Championships

In the last week of Term 1, 12 of our swimmers attended the NSWCCC Swimming Championships at Homebush. All swimmers were outstanding in their performances and represented the College with integrity and pride. Of particular note is the outstanding performance of the following swimmers:

• Junior girls 4 x 50m relay > Matilda Newton, Cooper Andrews, Isla Martin and Josie Straw finished 4th 
• Isla Martin >  Gold medal in 50m backstroke and Bronze medal in 100m backstroke
• Jaxon White > Silver medal in 50m freestyle and PB of 26.73.

 

Isla and Jaxon now go on to represent CCC at the All Schools Swimming Championships later in the term. Well done and good luck.

Sporting Success 

• Congratulations to Loki Marchant and Liam Newbery who were recently selected as part of the Lismore Diocese Open Football team. They will be competing in Sydney against other Dioceses for a position in the NSWCCC Open Football team. We wish them well.
• Three of our girls were recently selected in the NSW U16 Womens country Basketball team. Congratulations to Charlotte Cougle, Charlize Morrison and Kira Juffermans on this outstanding achievement. Congratulations to all and we wish them all the best for the tournament.
• Logan Lacey and Lachlan Mifsud were selected last term as members of the Northern Country Catholic Colleges 18s League Team. This is a significant achievement. Well done and good luck for the upcoming tournament.

Year 9/10 Sport selections Term 3

Very soon an email will be sent to Year 9 and 10 families explaining the sports on offer for Term 3. Families are asked to discuss selections well before the selection day. As a new system is coming in for Term 4 selections, this term students will be completing the selection process at school and we will send a permission slip home to students who have selected a paid sport. Unless contact is made with the Finance or Sport Department in advance, no payment or changes of sport will be accepted after the due date. As always, the following timeline is important to note -

• Week 4 > sport options and costs are provided to families
• Week 5 > selection is made and parental permission due this week
• Week 6 > invoices are EMAILED to parents and selections are posted on the Palace noticeboard so that students can make changes should they find themselves in a sport they do not want.
• Week 9 > Payment must be submitted by the close of business Monday of Week 9 > Failure to do so will result in the student being moved from the paid sport to On-Campus fitness. There will be no exceptions.

We ask that families adhere to this timeline closely as late payment and changes to sports after the due date impacts staffing, buses and the booking of venues, not to mention many students miss out on sports they would have otherwise selected.

Coming Up

Danielle McAra
Sport Co-ordinator

Janine Sawtell
Leader of School Evangelisation

Year 12 Trivia Night and Silent Auction Fundraiser

Our second major fundraising event for 2022 is fast approaching (Friday 27 May) and tables are selling fast. There are a limited number of tables available so get in quick to avoid disappointment. We have a number of items available for purchase through our silent auction and eftpos will be available. We have a Husqvarna Chainsaw, Panthers, Eels, Rabbitohs, NSW Blues, Sydney Swans and Socceroos Jerseys all signed and framed. We also have a signed and framed Dragons Cap and we even have a Keg of beer! We also have loads of raffle and lucky door prizes on offer and be sure to bring plenty of gold coins for our nearest to the bottle competition which is always a real hit!

Payment of $15 per person is required when booking a table. We look forward to a great night of fun and frivolity and remember the dress-up theme When I Grow UP... "Occupations"

If you would like to make any donations of prizes, vouchers, silent auction items please contact me via email at mark.sultana@lism.catholic.edu.au. 

Mark Sultana

Year 12 Leader of Student Wellbeing