14 February 2020 - Newsletter (Vol 37 No 2)

"I have called you by your name you are mine"      Isaiah 43:1

It has been a wonderful start to the year and by all accounts, the students and staff have settled into the new year very smoothly. I would like to especially mention how great the new year 7 cohort have transitioned to high school – all 208 of them! For the 1025 students and over 120 staff who come here every day, it is so important that all have a sense that they belong to a community who cares and knows them.

My genuine wish is that all feel welcomed, known and ultimately loved by each other and know that they are loved by God. We are reminded in the book of Isaiah that God has called each of us by name - he knows us and loves us.

I would like to extend an open invitation to all families to attend the many events and functions that occur during the course of the year. Please refer to the calendar and check Facebook for all the updates and events which occur.

A very warm welcome to the following staff who join the community this year, I am very excited about the skills and gifts you all bring to your vocation.

Michael Carniato
Principal

Dear Parents

It is wonderful to join St John Paul College in 2020 in the position of Assistant Principal – Mission - Staff and Student Wellbeing. My family and I have relocated from Wagga Wagga, where we have spent the past twenty-five years at different schools. I am pleased to say that I have been warmly welcomed by staff and students alike.

I firmly believe that for a student to be successful at school, they must feel safe and happy to be themselves, within obvious guidelines. These guidelines are clearly explained in St John Paul College’s Code of Behaviour that is visibly present right across the College. Highlighting the need for student personal engagement, being responsible for their own behavior, having respect for themselves, others and the College and a willingness to cooperate with others is a great recipe for personal success in any organisation. While we all slip up from time to time, I encourage all members of the College community to do their best to follow these principles as we seek to establish the best learning environment for our young people.

Being a parent is no easy feat. My wife and I are parents to three young adults and one teenager, and I assure you that there have been, and continue to be, times where I wonder if what I am doing for them is in their best interest. The College has membership to various professional organisations. The one I would like to draw your attention to today is Parenting ideas. Through the College’s membership, parents have access to free Webinars throughout the year (valued at $37 each). Topics explored include:

‘Future proofing your child’ – March 18

‘Understanding techno tantrums’ – June 17

‘Teaching young people about healthy relationships’ – September 9

‘Parenting like a cat and dog’ - November 11

Vouchers for these Webinars will be made available closer to presentation dates.

The end of the school day is always going to be problematic, and the recent soaking rains have even made it more difficult at times (not that we are complaining about the life giving falls). The best way to alleviate this problem is for students to use the public transport supplied. However, if this is not possible parents are asked to always follow the guidelines for student pickup. If you drive past the pickup area and your child is not in sight, please head to the car park adjacent to the all-purpose courts. Do not continue around and stop in the pickup zone to wait for your child. This causes a bank up of traffic and eventually a situation of grid lock. The aim is to keep this area flowing as much as is possible. Parents are also reminded that the top carpark is NOT a student pickup area. With the buses arriving and departing between 3:10pm and 3:50pm, this is not a safe area for pedestrian traffic. Thanks to all for your patience thus far at this very busy time of the day.

Until next time:

‘There is no one giant step that does it ……… It’s a lot of little steps’

In the last newsletter article, you were introduced to the Catholic Studies faculty. This week it’s the turn of the Youth Ministry team to be in the spotlight.

Over the last five years we have been blessed to have the support of the Youth Ministry officers (YMO’s). As part of their role, the YMO’s work in classes throughout the school building relationships with the students and helping to make the face of Christ more visible and relevant to our students. In addition to classroom activities, the YMO’s support and implement many student discipleship events throughout the year. Initiatives such as Jesus Over Lunch Time (JOLT) and Awaken where students have the opportunity to develop friendships and engage in faith formation activities are just a couple of recent examples.

 Typically, our YMO’s have been graduates of the school who have elected to continue developing and strengthening their faith life by being actively involved in this school-based ministry. This year is no exception as we welcome back Abbie McConnachie from the graduating class of 2019. In addition to Abbie, we also see the return of Amber Scanes, who was part of the YMO team from last year and who has been able to stay on for a second year. Abbey Coman from Brisbane and Hannah Morson who has come from Port Macquarie are fresh faces for 2020, along with our new Parish Youth Coordinator, Adrian Brannan who has moved up from Sydney.  In the coming weeks as different events come up, we look forward to sharing more news and pictures.

Ash Wednesday Liturgy

Our next major event will be the Ash Wednesday Liturgy held on Wednesday 26th February. This is the first day of Lent, a time of preparation where we as Catholics are encouraged to take stock of our spiritual life, repent before God for those areas where we have failed, and to take the opportunity to realign ourselves with God by setting some spiritual goals to achieve before the celebration of Easter. The liturgy tends to run for approximately 30 minutes starting at 9 am in the school hall. As always, we warmly invite parents and carers to join us for the liturgy and to receive the ashes as part of our community.

 Until our next catch up, God bless and may the peace and love of Christ guide us all.

Caroline Doyle
Leader of Learning – Catechesis

Welcome to 2020, especially to those who are new to our College community.

Throughout the year we will keep you abreast of Curriculum issues across the College, along with links to current educational research and advice.

On Tuesday 11th February, we hosted two Parent seminars, presented by Elevate Education’s Sarah Lhuede. We hope those parents who attended gained some insight into how they can support their children in developing effective study habits.

The following day Year 11 and 12 students participated in workshops run by Sarah Lhuede and her colleague Jasper Heaton. These workshops provided opportunities for our students to develop a deeper understanding of what constitutes effective study habits and what strategies have been proven to work.

As was the case in 2019, we have access to the Elevate Education Student Portal. 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.

Time management is one of the first of many study habits that will lead to improved outcomes, especially for those Year 11 students who may be struggling with the increased workload Stage 6 requires. Remember….

It is vital that students maximise the effectiveness of this time at this early stage of their senior study regime. If they are still struggling to dedicate this amount of time to their school work, please seek support.

2020 has already been a testing year for many in our community. It may be timely for all of us to remember the advantages of approaching our lives with a growth mindset.

This video gives some insight into what we mean by a Growth Mindset.

Our new Assistant Principal for Learning and Teaching, Mr James Furey, along with myself and our Curriculum Officer Mrs Reeves, have met with Year 10 and Year 11 students to outline the College’s Assessment Policy and Protocols, and the NESA (New South Wales Education Standards Authority) requirements for obtaining RoSA and HSC qualifications.

We were impressed by their positive attitude and respectful behaviour at these meetings. It can be a challenging time for Yr 10 and 11 students as they develop the improved study habits needed to cope with the increased rigour required by the courses they are studying. The College offers many support structures, all of which the students can access with ease. Years 10, 11 and 12 have access to their own Curriculum Matters Google Classroom in which all matters regarding Curriculum can be easily accessed.

Please encourage your children to access all the support structures available at the College.

Claudia Brown
Leader of Curriculum

Parents and teachers share a common goal: to facilitate the best educational experience possible for students. When both parents and teachers seek out opportunities for communication with one another they are able to work together towards this common goal. Current research clearly demonstrates the significant influence that parents have on their children’s engagement with learning, and on their children’s educational achievements.

When parents are actively engaged in their child’s learning, children are more likely to:

• develop positive self-esteem
• be motivated to learn
• be positive about school
• achieve good grades
• maintain high aspirations
• plan to go on to further education and build a career

Adolescents are less likely to:

• have discipline issues
• get involved in substance abuse
• drop out of school

 Parents can make a big difference when they:

• hold high expectations for their children
• show interest in the things their children are interested in
• value learning and model the behaviours of successful learners
• give specific, rather than general, praise, and
• establish routines that promote health, well-being and regular study

Our first Parent Teacher Conferences for the year are scheduled for Weeks 7, 8 and 9. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s learning you are invited to communicate with your children’s classroom teachers before then via an initial email or telephone conversation.

Research tells us that it is what parents do at home that really counts. I will touch more on how to make your home a rich environment for learning in our next newsletter.

Further information:

Leanne Gennat
Leader of Pedagogy

Our new college counsellors

Andrew Hart has over twenty years experience as a Psychologist. He has completed a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and is an endorsed Clinical Psychologist.  Andrew comes to St John Paul College from TAFE NSW, Port Macquarie where he was the TAFE Counsellor.  When not at St John Paul College, Andrew is trying out the local surf breaks, growing a native garden and veggies, as well as exploring our local natural places. 

Denise Andrade has completed a Master of Professional Psychology degree and Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) degree. She comes to St John Paul College and St Francis Xavier after her role as College Psychologist at St Edward's College, in the East Gosford area, and before that she was the School Psychologist for the NSW Department of Education in Yass and Coffs Harbour.  When not at St John Paul College, Denise is at the local farmers markets or at the beach.   

What do they do?

The School Counsellor assists children, young people, families and teachers to support a young person to get the best out of life at school.  They help children and young people to achieve academic success, psychological health, and social and emotional wellbeing. 

School Counsellors are professionally qualified, and are able to provide counselling to students individually and in groups.  A student’s reasons for seeing a School Counsellor may include worrying about school work, friendships or other relationships, bullying, general mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, or grief and loss.  Parents and carers may seek advice from School Counsellors about their child’s emotional and social well-being.  They may also seek information about getting help from other local services.  The School Counsellor may refer students and their families to appropriate health and welfare agencies as required.

How do I make an appointment?

At St John Paul College, students and their families can request an appointment with the School Counsellor by

• Contacting the School Counsellors, Andrew or Denise directly on 6653 3155.
• Discussing your concerns with the Year Co-ordinator
• Discussing your concerns with the Principal or Assistant Principals
• Completing a referral to School Counsellor form (available from the Front Office)

Young people under 14 years will need both parents to complete and sign a consent form prior to commencing counselling.  Students 14 and over who are requesting information or support, may self-refer through any of the above mentioned ways. 

Privacy and confidentiality

The information shared with the School Counsellor is kept private and confidential.  The School Counsellor’s files are stored securely, and only accessed by the School Counsellor.  If concerns arise about safety, the School Counsellor has an ethical and legal duty to inform professionals who can assist with the situation.  If you have concerns about privacy, please discuss these with the School Counsellor. 

What other supports are available in the Community?

There are agencies in the community that offer specialised counselling and support to young people and their families.  These services include drug and alcohol, mental illness, homelessness, employment, financial assistance, disability, sexual assault, violence, criminal behaviour and family law matters.  If your concerns relate to any of these areas, referral information can be provided to you.

Other supports that may be of assistance include:

Local Health Services and General Practitioners

Helplines and helpful websites

Welcome to our Japanese exchange students

Three students from our sister school, Reitaku Mizunami High School, in Gifu, Japan have joined us at SJPC for Term 1. Hanna Sakamaki, Yushi Sawada and Akihiro Yokoyama. These students are being hosted by SJPC families and are attending classes in Year 11 this year.

How have you found Coffs Harbour so far?

Hanna: Everyone is so nice.
Yushi and Akihiro: It is so hot.

What is your favourite thing so far here?

Yushi: Lunchtime!!!
Akihiro: Being able to swim in the pool everyday.
Hanna: The beach.

Are you enjoying SJPC?

Akihiro: Yes and I am enjoying PE classes.
Hanna: It is fun, I have made lots of new friends.
Yushi: Everyone is so friendly, it is great.

 Kirsten Binnie
Leader of Learning - Languages

Canberra 2020 – Year 10 students have received some information about the Term 2 Canberra trip this week. They received information on –

• Travel to and from Canberra
• The accommodation at Leumeah Lodge
• Venues that will be visited
• Clothing to bring
• Dietary and Medical requirements
• Teachers attending
• Behaviour expectations

Important Information - The trip to Canberra is an educational experience that is highly valuable to developing knowledge and understanding of Australia’s history and society. It requires students to follow instructions and listen to presentations in a responsible and respectful way and to show engagement with what is being presented to them. Students who behave in an irresponsible or disrespectful way, or who do not engage with their learning whilst here at St John Paul College may be excluded from the trip. Students need to be on a minimum of level 4 to be able to participate in the Canberra excursion. Year Coordinator and Assistant Principal meetings are held every fortnight to ascertain whether a student will go down a level; in some cases, after a major negative incident, their level will go down immediately. At the same time, students who are on Level 3 or lower can work their way back up to Level 4 or higher should there be a record of improvement from their initial level drop.

Students were made aware that should they be excluded from the trip, refunds can only be given should their place be taken by another student. This is because bus costs and accommodation have to be paid for in advance.

Parents and caregivers will receive more information about the trip towards the end of this term, however, you can find the PowerPoint of this week’s presentation to the students here. A final permission note with up-to-date details regarding medical and dietary requirements will be issued towards the end of this term and will need to be returned by Week 11 of Term 1.

Finally, the second payment for Canberra is due on February 19 ($250) and the final payment needs to be paid by April 8 ($125). If you have any questions, please email me at bridget.punch@lism.catholic.edu.au

Bridget Punch
Leader of Learning - History

Swimming Carnival

If anyone is unable to participate in the swimming carnival and would like to be an assistant to Mrs McAra, please see her in the Palace on Wednesday.

School Rep Soccer Trials

Years 7-9 Girls and Years 7-10 Boys teams for Turner Cup will be open to sign up at the Palace until Friday 15th.

CSNSW Representative Sports

Any student who would like to trial for a CSNSW team must access the new CSNSW website. Only students of a very high level will be accepted to trial. Most trials occur in Sydney. Please access the CSNSW calendar to locate closing and trial dates. A copy of the calendar is located on the Sport Notice board for students to view during the school day. 

Coming up Term 1 2020

February

18        Closing date Diocesan Touch trials (Individual - register with Lismore Diocese sport)

19        Closing date for School Triathlon team (see Mr Marle before this date if interested)

21        SJPC swimming carnival, Coffs Memorial Pool

24        Closing date CCC Tennis (Individual -- register with NSWCCC)

25        Closing date for SJPC swim team notes and nominations

26/27   NSW All Schools Triathlon, Penrith

30        Nominations for Diocesan touch representative team due (Individual - register with Lismore Diocese sport)

March

3          Diocesan Touch football representative trials, Coffs Harbour
Closing date CCC Baseball (Individual - register with CSNSW)

4          Diocesan Winter Sport (Football and League) representations nominations due (Individual - Lismore Diocese sport)

5          Diocesan Swimming Carnival, Lismore

6          Closing date CCC Tennis (Individual -- register with NSWCCC)

12        Closing date CCC Waterpolo (Individual -- register with NSWCCC)

16        Closing date CCC Hockey (Individual -- register with NSWCCC)

17        Diocesan Tennis Championships, Tweed Heads

            Winter sports trials (Football and League), Lismore

18        Girls League Tag, Coffs Harbour
Closing date CCC Golf (Individual -- register with NSWCCC)

31        NSWCCC Swimming Championships, Homebush

April

1          Diocesan Open Soccer Finals, Kempsey

9          Potential AFL Gala day, Coffs

Danielle McAra
Leader of Learning - Sport

Competitor Information

• Students are to be attired in their school sport uniform. A plain house coloured t-shirt may be worn once students arrive at the pool but must be taken off to travel back to school.
• At the pool, students are to wear their t-shirt or a rashie over their swimmers when not competing. All students should be in appropriate swim wear throughout the day. Please remember to be sun smart.
• All students are to arrive at school prior to Homeroom and assemble in the Hall in year groups once Homeroom begins.
• Students will be bussed to and from the carnival, walking in from the Botanic Gardens. Any student who arrives late or leaves early must sign in and out at the front gate of the pool. Year 12 will be bussed back to school after the completion of the 100m freestyle event.
• All competitors in championship events must have a competitor number written on their shoulder. No student will be allowed to compete in championship events without a competitor number.
• There are no finals on the day. All selection and age championships points will be decided on heat times.
• RELAYS- please note age groups 12/13/14 (Junior), 15/16 (Intermediate), 17+ (Senior). Houses may enter 2 teams in each division. Competitors can only swim in their own age group.
• Race times are approximate- competitors must be ready when marshalled.
• Some heats may have combined age groups (particularly medley events).
• Students qualifying for the Diocesan Carnival on Thursday 5 March at Lismore Pool, will be advised by Mrs Kimber and given a permission note after the team meeting at 2.30pm if they have not received one during the day. The first 2 in each event qualify for Diocesan.
• Students wanting to attend the Diocesan Carnival must advise Mrs Kimber in N Block Staff room by the end of lunch on Monday 24 February or it will be assumed you are not attending.
• Students must have nominated separately to Mrs McAra for these Diocesan Carnival events with ratified times by 20 February
  • All Multi-disability events
  • 100m Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly
  • 200m Freestyle
  • 400m Freestyle - nominate here (Diocese of Lismore Sport website)

Pool Map

2019 Age Champions

Order of Events

Belonging Day and Belonging Night

Finance

SJPC preferred method of payment is Bpay. Please refer to your Invoice for your individual Bpay details.

• Ski Trip 2020
  • Instalment reminder - $750.00 was due 10th February 2020
• Top End Safari 2020
  • Final Instalment of $250.00 due 15th February 2020
• Canberra Trip 2020
  • 2nd Instalment of $250.00 due 19th February 2020 

Student Diary