18 December 2024 - Newsletter (Vol 41 No 20)

Thank you for a wonderful 2024 - Merry Christmas

Finally, on behalf of the staff at the College, I wish you and your family a Happy and
Holy Christmas. May God bless you and watch over you during the holiday period. Stay safe and I look forward to welcoming you back in 2025.

God Bless

Michael Carniato
Principal

God Bless

Michael Carniato
Principal

Congratulations to all Year 7 - 10 students for a successful and rewarding 2024. This week SJPC staff and students acknowledged the hardwork, dedication and academic achievements of Year 7 - 10 students at their end of year awards ceremony. We are all very proud of you.

Year 7 2024 - click here for Year 7 photos

Year 8 2024 - click here for Year 8 photos

Year 9 2024 - click here for Year 9 photos

Year 10 2024 - click here for Year 10 photos

God Bless

Michael Carniato
Principal

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, a time of joy, giving, and reflection, I would like to take a moment to thank our school community for their continued support in living out our mission of service and compassion. Christmas is not just about the gifts we exchange or the decorations we hang; it’s about embodying the values of kindness, generosity, and the love that Christ showed us.

Last week, I had the privilege of joining our four student leaders along with Helen Cumming, the Coffs Harbour Vinnies Van Coordinator, for the first outreach of the Coffs Vinnies Van in our area. Together, we visited the Boambee East Community Centre, where we offered a cuppa, shared conversations, and made meaningful connections with members of our local community who are doing it tough.

This experience was a powerful reminder of what it means to “walk the talk” as Christians. Supporting the poor and vulnerable is at the heart of our faith, and this outreach showed how our actions can make a real difference in the lives of others.

Our students shared heartfelt reflections on the day, highlighting the impact of this service:

“It was a great day. I got to experience lots of new things, getting to feed the members of the community. The Vinnies Van is a great opportunity for vulnerable members of the community to have both companionship and to give a helping hand!” (Tahlia Amos)

“The Vinnies Van was a great opportunity to be involved in. For myself, it was an exposure to who I am as an individual and an activity out of my comfort zone. Giving my service to the Boambee Community Centre felt calming and gave me a sense of satisfaction. We all had wonderful conversations, shared stories, and felt a connection with one another. I would highly recommend this opportunity to everyone.” (Chayton Chang)

“The inaugural outing with the newly appointed Coffs Harbour Vinnies Van was a successful trip. It provided us, the Year 12 captains and vice-captains, with an insightful experience into how we can contribute to the Coffs Harbour community. It was a great opportunity to support vulnerable members of our region while connecting with the passionate gardening members of Coffs Harbour.” (Riley Woods)

We look forward to continuing our support for the Vinnies Van next year and finding new ways to involve our wider school community, including parents and carers. Together, we can ensure that this valuable outreach grows to touch more lives and inspire more acts of service.

As we close the year, may we carry the spirit of Christmas into the new year ahead, staying true to our calling to serve others with love and compassion. I wish you and your families a blessed and joyful Christmas.

Leanne Gennat
Assistant Principal - Mission

We have made the finish line for yet another year. We have had a very busy year where the students, staff and wider College community have been involved in many wonderful experiences. It is our hope that these activities have contributed positively to their health and wellbeing. As the holidays approach it is important to remember to take time to relax, of course this may not happen until after the busy Christmas period. Rest is vital for better mental health, increased concentration and memory, a healthier immune system, reduced stress, improved mood and even a better metabolism.

It can be difficult to define rest because it can look different for everyone. Rest is any behaviour aimed at increasing physical or mental well-being. It can be active, such as going for a walk outside, or passive, such as taking 10 minutes to sit down and breathe deeply. With work, school, homework, after school activities, friends and more, there are countless activities that compete for time on the family calendar. Holiday breaks can also provide a break from our heavy schedules. Family time can serve as an escape from the demands and deadlines of daily life, and is paramount in building strong relationships. Please do all you can to have a break with the family this holiday season.

Our lives, country and world are far from perfect. There are always challenges and struggles we face both personally and collectively. The good news of Christmas is that even when the world or our circumstances change – the message of Christmas is timeless. Because Christmas is about the birth of God’s Son – Jesus. It is about how he came to give us love, hope and joy. That message doesn’t change from year to year. When there is so much bad news and devastation in the world, this is good news worth celebrating!

This week we have celebrated many of our hardworking students with awards being received for their efforts. Your diligence whether it be academically, culturally, socially or on the sporting field has been duly recognised. If you weren’t a recipient this year please know that your contribution to our College community is also seen and valued.

In recent weeks we have had a group of our very brave students undertake a 100km run for The Red Kite Charity. This was organised through The Snappers Rugby Club on an extremely hot Sunday. Jack Harrison completed the entire 100km which was an incredible achievement. The following students completed varying distances of the run: Riley Patten, Darcy Cruickshanks, Charlie Oates, Kyle Chapman and Jackson Adams. We should also acknowledge their very keen support crew of Ellie Bailey, Matilda Noble & Ivy Newton. Well done everyone, huge effort.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the students, staff and parents for all your support and contributions that make SJPC community such a wonderful school. 

May you all have a safe, happy and holy Christmas. God bless.

Until next time

Year 7 Big Banana Fun Day 

What an incredible way to celebrate the end of a wonderful year for our Year 7 students at St John Paul College. The recent End of Year Activity Day at the Big Banana was filled with laughter, excitement, and smiles all around, as students embraced every activity on offer.

From ice-skating and putt-putt golf to the thrilling big slide, 4D ride theatre, and the ever-popular toboggan ride, students made the most of every moment. The day culminated with a splash at the water park, where the energy was infectious. It was impressive to see students tirelessly climbing up and down the stairs to the water slides, determined to enjoy every ride to the fullest – no doubt their legs felt the effort the next day!

The exemplary behaviour of our Year 7 students throughout the day was truly commendable. They represented our College with pride and demonstrated kindness, teamwork, and respect at every turn. It was equally rewarding to see the staff enjoying themselves as much as the students, sharing in the joy and laughter that made the day so memorable.

A huge thank you goes to the dedicated staff who accompanied our Year 7 cohort and helped make the day a success: Steve Verbruggen, Kurt Marle, Kirsten Binnie, Victorina Istrate, Nicholas Morgan, Greg Keith, Amanda Martin, Joshuah Moore, Kerri Potter, Craig Bertwistle, Louise Mitchell, and Rebekah McGowen. Your support and enthusiasm were greatly appreciated by all.

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our parent community for their unwavering support throughout the year. Your partnership has been invaluable as we guided our Year 7 students through their first year of high school.

To our Year 7 students: Congratulations on an outstanding year. You have embraced new beginnings, built friendships, and grown as individuals. This day was a well-deserved celebration of all your hard work, positivity, and achievements. We are so proud of you and look forward to watching you continue to flourish in the years to come.

Wishing all our families a restful and joyful holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another exciting year ahead.

Merry Christmas,

Alana Johnson
Year 7 Leader of Student Wellbeing

Year 8

Year 8 Wet N Wild Trip

Last Friday we all gathered at 5.30am ready for our trip to Wet N Wild on the Gold Coast of Queensland. We stopped at Chinderah on the way for a rest break and a bite to eat and drink however, once we arrived at Wet n Wild it was time for fun! The weather was great and everyone was having a ball on the slides and rides. It was a great way to finish the year with our friends and a great day was had by all. We would like to thank all the teachers who gave up their time to take us on the trip. We really appreciate it.

Mark Sultana
Year 8 Leader of Student Wellbeing

Year 9

Sun, smiles and fun times at the annual Year 9 adventure to Dreamworld. An awesome day had by all. 

Mark Coster
Year 9 Leader of Student Wellbeing

Sister City Youth Exchange Program

Five SJPC students (Sienna Harrison, Mia Henry, Bonnie Hunter, Lola White and Fletcher Wilby) as well as Miss Binnie and Mr Carniato went to Japan in Weeks 7 & 8 as part of the bi-annual Youth Exchange between Coffs Harbour schools and schools in Sasebo, Coffs Harbour’s sister city.

The 10-day trip saw our students experience Japanese school life at Haiki Junior High School including classes, eating the traditional school lunch and other school events. The students were warmly welcomed into the classrooms and were able to take part in a variety of lessons including art, woodwork, science, maths, English and PE.

While there they were also able to visit many famous Sasebo places including Huis Ten Bosch and take part in traditional activities such as making mochi with the local Haiki community and learning Kyudou (Japanese archery) from two masters of the craft. 

Mia Henry - The Sasebo trip was amazing, it was so much fun and the students at Haiki Junior High School were all so nice, they made me feel welcome and I made many new friendships. I learned how to use chopsticks better, how to throw a spinning top (famous Sasebo toy) and how to write my name in Calligraphy. It was scary arriving at school on the Monday but I was showered with kindness and soon settled into the school routine. I am going to miss everyone very much and I already want to travel back and see them. 

3-month Exchange program with Reitaku Mizunami      

The past weekend, saw 5 of our Year 10 students return to Coffs Harbour after spending 3 months at our sister school, Reitaku Mizunami in Gifu.

Luca Mighell, Noah Gennat, Rubee Shaw, Isabel Sparrius and Maya Farmer experienced life at school including living in the dormitories.

All of the students had a wonderful time meeting new friends, learning more about the Japanese culture and lifestyle and improving their language skills.

Kirsten Binnie
Leader of Learning - Languages

What a celebration of sporting talent! On Wednesday 11 December, the College celebrated some of our teams who experienced exceptional success and had a chance to acknowledge the major sporting awards recipients for 2024. While we are proud of all our teams, the achievements of SJPC in sports are so great that we would need a whole day to acknowledge all teams from the year, so we had to limit it to only some teams from Term 3 and Term 4. Of note was the announcement of the major sports awards winners:

Kira Juffermans (Year 10) College Sportswoman of the Year & NSWCCC Blue Award - Basketball

Riley Woods (Year 11) College Sportsman of the Year

Coco Becker (Year 7) Kate Brennan Memorial Award Swimming

2024 SJPC Team of the Year Bill Turner Trophy Team (Year 7 - 9 girls)

The individual Carnival Age Champions, Coach’s Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Sport, CCC winners, College Blue Awards, and Sportsperson of each year group were celebrated at the academic award ceremonies on Tuesday 17 December.

At this time of year, it is imperative to acknowledge the staff and volunteers who help to support the SJPC representative sports program. Forty staff and one parent selected, coached, and accompanied 104 teams to 75 events. It was a slightly busy year for the school's representative sport! The staff’s dedication and willingness to volunteer their time is a pivotal reason for the sporting success of SJPC teams; thank you to everyone involved whether it was as a last-minute call-up, coaching across multiple disciplines, or nurturing the teams who kept winning progressive tournaments! The 5 am departures from school and the midnight returns were greatly appreciated, as well as the sacrifice of being involved in the overnight trips! Thank you also to the parents who so willingly support the representative opportunities for our students and of course, thank you to our amazingly determined, skilled, and passionate students who give their all for sport. What a year!

2025 School Sport Representation

All students who want to trial for school representative teams must sign up on the Google form at the start/end of each term. If enough students do not sign up for a sport or age group, the event will not run. Students who sign up commit to attending the trials, all training, the event and any progressive event. If you cannot commit to all of these, please do not sign up for the team. Term 1 Google form will be available for students to access from Monday 16 December. For further information about the event, please contact the team coaches directly.

2025 Individual Pathway Representative Sport

Information regarding individual pathway representation is available from the NSWCCC website and the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Sports Website. Registration for the following individual pathways is now open on the Diocesan Website:

Diocesan 15 year boys AFL Trials

Diocesan Touch Football Trials 

Diocesan League and Football Trials 

Diocesan Netball Trials

Please complete forms in as much detail as possible as only some students will be successful in being invited to trial.

Coming Up - Term 1 2025

Danielle McAra
Leader of Sport

Last week, a group of Year 11 students joined 90 other students from Macksville to Maclean on an exciting Queensland Universities Excursion organised by the Coffs Clarence Careers Advisers Network. This opportunity allowed students to explore tertiary education options, gain insights into university life, and develop skills to prepare for the transition to higher education. 

The day began with a visit to Southern Cross University’s Gold Coast campus, where students explored the facilities and learned about the diverse courses available. Next, they travelled to the University of the Sunshine Coast's Moreton Bay campus, where innovative programs and a supportive campus environment were showcased. After checking into Union College accommodation at the University of Qld, the group then toured the UQ Campus. Here, students interacted with staff, explored state-of-the-art research spaces, and gained inspiration for their future academic journeys.

University of the Sunshine Coast - Moreton Bay Campus

University of the Queensland - St Lucia Campus

The following morning, students toured and engaged with staff from the Queensland University of Technology and Griffith University on the Gold Coast. These visits offered further insights into campus life, academic opportunities, and potential study pathways, rounding off an inspiring and informative trip. 

Queensland University of Technology - Gold Coast Campus

Griffith University - Gold Coast Campus

This excursion provided students with greater awareness of tertiary education options, helping them make informed decisions about their futures. They experienced university culture and expectations firsthand, learning about the challenges and opportunities of higher education. The trip also fostered independence and self-management skills, as students navigated living away from home, managing time and responsibilities. Direct interactions with university staff and current students clarified eligibility requirements and career-aligned course options, giving students confidence and easing anxieties about transitioning to university life. 

Paul Corsalini
Careers Adviser

Another adventurous journeys completed for our intrepid Duke of Edinburgh participants at St John Paul College! We camped at Moonee and hiked around the area to Emerald and Sapphire as well as paddling the beautiful Moonee Creek.

Congratulations to all of our participants who braved creek crossings, heat and cold water!

A special congratulations to Finn Baker, Amelia Harrison, Jett Nichols and Jonathan Chojnowski who have had their Bronze Awards approved by the Office of Sport this term.

Finn Baker Year 9

Amelia Harrison Year 9

Jett Nichols Year 9

Jonathan Chojnowski Year 10

Congratulations to all of our participants and thank you to Tanya Slaviero and Matt Cornelius who help to make this happen. 

Lex Carruthers
Duke of Edinburgh Leader

Apply now for 2025 school bus travel passes

Getting to school by bus in 2025

Will your child be catching the bus to school next year? Applications are now open for a Bus Travel Pass.  As it’s a busy time of year, we highly recommend you make this application before the end of the year. It’s also good to check the bus timetable to make your child’s journey to school as easy as possible.  Here is how it works:

Bus passes

• All students catching a bus in 2025 will need a school travel pass.
• Under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS), eligible students can apply for free or subsided travel between home and school.
• For more information about the School Student Transport Scheme and how to apply for a school travel pass, visit https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/ from a desktop computer.

Bus timetables

Busways is the school bus operator that runs your school's bus services. To find your child’s school bus timetable visit the Busways website by using the following steps:

1. Go to busways.com.au/nsw 
2. Click on ‘school services’ in the navigation bar and then proceed to ‘school timetables’
3. Enter the school’s name in the field that says ‘enter a school name’
4. Select the school’s name and the timetable should open on your device. If you are unable to find or search for the school’s name, use the drop-down menus on the same web page to find the school.
5. Once the timetable is opened, you will be able to identify which school bus services are available in your area for your child to use.

2025 Uniform Shop - Holiday Trading Hours

Compass - Reminder

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.

If you are unable to contact the Office or provide a written note for a Late Arrival, once the student has signed into the Office, a notification will appear on your Compass Dashboard to prompt you to explain the partial absence with an attendance note.

Medical Information

Head Injuries

All Head Injuries to anyone in the school or associated with a School Activity are treated seriously.

Any students who receive a concussion or with a suspected concussion should be seen by a doctor with experience in managing concussion.

Students who have been diagnosed with a concussion, must have medical clearance before returning to School.

Parents, Carers and/or Guardians are strongly encouraged to advise the school when a student suffers a head injury when in their care, out of school time.

A five-day activity restriction will be recommended for any students who have suffered a head injury.

Finance

For fee related enquiries and payment plan assistance, please contact the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools by email: cofhs-fees@lism.catholic.edu.au
Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools - Fee EnquiryPh: 6653 1655Office 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

Student Diary

Helpful information is found in the student diary regarding daily college procedures. Please take the time to go through the student diary with your child.

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 school uniform. 

Uniform Shop

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

Homework Centre

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

Here is a link to Yarilla Programs and Events that may interest some students during the school holidays. 

https://www.yarrilaartsandmuseum.com.au/events/summer-vibes-holiday-program