5 July 2024 - Newsletter (Vol 41 No 10)

Thank you for another busy semester

As we reach the end of another busy term, we continue to have much to be proud of as a college. At the risk of not mentioning everything that has happened as SJPC this term, I want to particularly congratulate all the students who have represented the College in sporting teams, Eisteddfod groups, students whose work has been on display in the local community and students who have been recipients of awards during the term. Often, we take for granted just how successful SJPC is, but I want to acknowledge that without the talent of the students, the support of families and the commitment of staff, we would have nothing to write about and celebrate.

As we look forward to the upcoming break, it is essential to emphasise the importance of rest and spending quality time with loved ones. The past semester has undoubtedly been filled with hard work and achievements, but it is during these breaks that we recharge our energies and reconnect with what truly matters—family, friends, and personal well-being. Rest is important for a healthy lifestyle and a chance to recharge and reset ready for Term 3.

I know that Year 12 students will be preparing for their upcoming trials but I do encourage the balance between study, prep and rest. 

• That SJPC has a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and working group made up of staff, students and parents as well as members of the local elders group? Our next meeting is on Wednesday 4th Sept at 4.15pm in the library – All are welcome.
• The RAP can be found at https://www.narragunnawali.org.au

Year 7 2025

This week we sent out first round offers to 208 families (we had over 250 applications) and it was a real privilege to interview the students and meet their parents. I continue to be blessed in leading a college where so many families want to be part of the SJPC community.

Canteen Bathroom Update!

The demolition begins during the holidays. Please refer to the letter sent via email (5/7/24) regarding Term 3 arrangements concerning change rooms, bathrooms and uniform changes during the refurbishment.

God bless

Michael Carniato
Principal

A New Era of Class Mass at SJPC

I am excited to announce a wonderful opportunity for our students to deepen their faith and strengthen community connections in the upcoming term. Starting next term, every Tuesday morning, students in homeroom groups (starting with Year 9) will be transported to St Augustine’s to join parishioners for Mass and Reconciliation. We warmly encourage parents and carers to attend these special Masses, where our students will take on leadership roles, creating a meaningful and enriching experience for everyone involved.

Fr. Joe is delighted that our students will have the chance to participate in Mass within the beautiful setting of St Augustine’s Church. Additionally, our school Chapel will continue to serve as a sacred space, housing the Blessed Sacrament. It will remain a vital venue for Prayer, Catechesis, Mass preparation and staff and student Masses as needed or requested.

We look forward to this enriching experience and the continued growth of our faith community.

NAIDOC Celebrations 2024

On Wednesday, St John Paul College (SJPC) celebrated NAIDOC Week, starting with a OneMob Big Breakfast featuring Lockie Skinner from OneMob Radio broadcasting live. Despite the wet weather, students, parents, community members, visitors and staff gathered to share stories, create art, eat breakfast and enjoy music and interviews.

The NAIDOC assembly included our local elders, with Uncle Tony sharing his wisdom once again with us this year. We appreciated the Mary Help Of Christians dancers and Aunty Kelly for their performances and our own SJPC students inspired us with poetry, didgeridoo playing, and sharing about the importance of the day.

NAIDOC Week encourages respect for First Nations' cultural knowledge and understanding as part of Australia’s heritage. This year's theme, Keep the Fire Burning! Blak (Black), Loud and Proud!, highlights the significance of fire in First Nations culture for storytelling, community strengthening, and land management. We recognise the Gumbaynggirr people and their elders, celebrating their 65,000-year stewardship of the land.

In both First Nations culture and the Catholic tradition, fire symbolises renewal, purification, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Just as fire is used in Aboriginal practices to manage and rejuvenate the land, fire in the Catholic Church, represented by the Holy Spirit, brings new life and spiritual renewal. This connection reminds us of the shared values of healing, renewal, and respect for creation.

Let us embrace and learn from First Nations’ cultural knowledge and commit to justice and respect for all.

Creator God, You made the universe, planet Earth and all that it holds. Open our eyes, expand our thinking and teach us to respect the gift of Fire as a cleansing way to bring forth new life. May our hearts also burn with the fire of justice for all who live in our land. We pray in the Great Spirit of God, through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.

Sarah deByl
Acting Assistant Principal - Mission

Semester Reports Year 7-10

Year 7-10 Academic Reports for Semester 1 have been published this week via Compass for families to access. An email has  been sent to parents and carers explaining how to access their son/daughters Academic Report with an email link to our IT Staff, should there be any technical issues. 

I hope these reports will be a change to both celebrate success and an opportunity to look for areas to improve academically in Semester 2. 

Merit Awards

Below are our current Distinction Award recipients so as to recognise student efforts not just at Assemblies but also within our Community throughout the year.

SJPC Merit Award Recipients Week 8

Belinda Harris - Year 8 Distinction Award

Laine Single - Year 8 Distinction Award

Week 9

Andria Maria Jaison  - Year 7 Distinction Award

Brody Doland - Year 7 Distinction Award

Eva Maguire - Year 7 Distinction Award

Poppy Hudson - Year 8 Distinction Award	Ivy Ryan - Year 8 Distinction Award	Genevieve Perin - Year 8 Distinction Award
Alannah Moore - Year 8 Distinction Award	Tye Morrison - Year 8 Distinction Award	Sam Grabovszky - Year 8 Distinction Award

Coco Chiswell - Year 8 Distinction Award

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

Street Retreat

Street Retreat is an annual Lismore (DLCSL)  gathering of selected Year 11 students from across the diocese to form, equip and empower them to return to their parish communities with a passion for social justice and greater sense of the call of Jesus Christ to serve the poor. Catholic Social Teaching emphasises the dignity of the human person and Street Retreat certainly provides our students with an eye-opening experience. 

We ALWAYS have more applicants than places for this event (and plenty of disappointed students) after the difficult selection process of selecting only 6 participants.

This year Mr Cory Blight accompanied our intrepid travellers to Brisbane and we thank Cory for the hours of driving, late nights of student supervision and the unexpected, sleep-interrupting fire alarms, all in a day’s work!

From Mr Blight:

Six year 11 students, Ellie Cregan, Jocelyn Maybury, Billy Rawling, Bridie Third, Louis White, and Riley Woods were chosen to travel to a four day Street Retreat in Brisbane. Students and teachers from schools all across the Lismore Diocese attended.

Street Retreat exposes students to social injustice, and equips, forms and empowers students to return to their parish communities with a passion for social justice, awakening a greater sense of the call of Jesus Christ to serve the poor.

Students participated in a range of activities such as cooking and serving food for people experiencing homelessness, caring for the environment, and assisting adults with disability to maximise participation in their lives and in the community. 

This was a life changing experience for all students and teachers involved. It served as an inspiration to pursue social justice by helping marginalised people and actively engaging in community service in our own local community. Our students proudly represented St John Paul College, immersing themselves enthusiastically in all activities. I would like to thank each of them for their effort and involvement. Cory. 

Student Testimonies

Going into Street Retreat on Thursday, I wasn't too sure what to expect, I knew the basics; that we were going to Brisbane and attending different ministries in the hope of helping people and gaining a new perspective of the world. 

However, from attending and seeing how crushing and hard the experience of homelessness truly is and can be, I now know it was so much more than that. 

From going to my ministries, Rosie's outreach, CVA, and Vinnies Street Retreat Experience, to battling with exhaustion from being woken up and having to evacuate due to fire alarms, it has enabled me to shift my view and see just how privileged and lucky I am to live the life I do, as well as having shown me how I can help those who are less fortunate than myself. 

It was an incredible experience and if I could, I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

The Street Retreat was a challenging experience that provided me with immersive experiences and completely changed my perspective on homelessness and marginalisation. As a student, an individual, and a member of my parish community, I was able to firsthand witness the impact of marginalisation and the struggles faced by the less fortunate in our society. This experience enlightened me about the significance of small acts of kindness and their impact on the lives of those in need. This journey has prompted me to re-evaluate how grateful I am and has deepened my understanding of homelessness, strengthening my relationship with God as well as my peers.

During my time at street retreat I went on three missions, Vinnies Street Retreat Experience, Rosie’s Outreach Caboolture, and Catholic Volunteers Australia. 

The Vinnies Street Retreat Experience involved going around Brisbane and looking at various ways the council was deterring people from sleeping rough (hostile architecture) and ways that they were helping them for example social housing. We then did a few activities to help us better understand homelessness. Rosie’s outreach in Caboolture was an eye opening experience in which we served tea and coffee as well as noodles and dry food to people experiencing homelessness, these interactions were a key part in the retreat as it provided first hand experience and accounts from people who were living through homelessness. On the third day, Saturday I spent it weeding invasive weeds on Coochie Mudlo Island with Catholic Volunteers Australia. Street Retreat was an experience I would highly recommend to everyone, the people I met on the retreat were amazing and the atmosphere surrounding the event was great. It’s more then just volunteering Street Retreat changed my perspective on homelessness in Australia.

Year 11 Reflection Day

What makes our school a place that's different from other schools? This is an important question to consider and at the heart of it is quite simply, God!

We strive to meet our students along that faith road, like the Apostles and their encounter with Jesus on the Road to Emmaus. Our Retreat Program and Reflection Days are an essential part of our uniqueness and allow students to consider who they are and to focus on their spiritual growth.

This week Year 11 was privileged to have Brother Damien Price lead them through a range of activities aimed at connecting them with themselves, with others and with God, and their respectful, positive behaviour made us all proud. We were also blessed with the testimonies of two SJPC alumni, Amber Scanes and Olivia Brown whose messages from the heart really resonated with out students. They generously gave their time and energy and we are very grateful for their contribution. 

Brother Damien has a wealth of experience in education, having taught for over thirty years in schools throughout Australia and New Zealand.  Over the past twenty years he has worked with disadvantaged youth, homeless men and women, refugees and asylum seekers. Damien has Masters Degrees in Counseling and Pastoral Guidance and a Doctor of Philosophy degree which focused on the sense of self that youth grew into as they engaged with homeless people over an extended period of time.  He is now Regional Ministry Coordinator for PNG, Philippines and Timor Leste in a role that has him travelling and organising all over South East Asia.

And as always it “takes a village” and do many thanks to Mr Howarth and his homeroom team, Kris and Rod for providing the sausage sizzle lunch and Catherine from the canteen who provided sandwiches. And a special shout out to our wonderul Hospitality crew, Ms Amanda Ridgewell and Mrs Susie Haley for making the best cupcakes for every Year 11 student. Thank you! 

Janine Sawtell
Leader of School Evangelisation

All things Literacy, because Literacy matters in all things

The power of words and the power of poetry come together as we focus on kindness.

‘If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking’ by Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

‘You’ by Donna Ashworth

 

‘Kindness’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Kind hearts are the gardens,

Kind thoughts are the roots,

Kind words are the flowers,

Kind deeds are the fruits.

Take care of the garden, and keep out the weeds.

Fill it with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds.

My kind thoughts today will be…………………

My kind words for today will be ……………………

My kind deeds for today will be ………………………

My kind heart for today will feel ………………………

Maree McKelvie

Year 8 Textile Triumphs: A Semester in Review

As the semester ends, our Year 8 students have excelled in textiles, mastering sewing machines and creating fantastic projects.

Learning to use the sewing machine was the first challenge. With practice, students quickly became skilled at threading needles, adjusting settings, and stitching precisely.

Design was crucial. Students sketched ideas, selected fabrics, and planned projects, showing their creativity and bringing concepts to life.

Problem-solving skills were tested as students overcame challenges, fixed jammed machines, and found creative design solutions.

Our Year 8 students have shown remarkable progress, transforming from novices to confident creators.

Susan Haley and Amanda Ridgewell

TAS Teachers

Year 11 Visual Arts students have been busy completing a unit based on abstraction and have created a mini BOW based on a 'Scape' of their own choice (landscape, seascape, cityscape), represented in an abstract style, using predominantly drawing media such as oil coloured pencils, crayons, chalk pastels, ink, and so forth. The students also created a paper collage and a digital scape based on this scape and imagery from their inspiration. Well done to them for producing some exciting pieces of art. 

Vicki Foggiato
Leader of Learning - Visual Arts

UNSW School of Chemical Engineering - Work Experience Week

The School of Chemical Engineering is thrilled to deliver a Work Experience Week program, from 14 - 18 October. Perfect for students passionate about chemical engineering, this immersive program offers a unique glimpse into university life and potential career paths. Students are encouraged to express their interest via this link.

University of Sydney Workshops at SJPC

Representatives from USYD will be visiting us in August to run information sessions to interested students in Years 10 and 11. There will be no session for Year 12 as they will be doing their Trial HSC exams. The sessions will focus on courses available at USYD, entry pathways and scholarships. Students who wish to attend these sessions need to register their interest at the correct link below.

When: Wednesday 7 August
Time: Period 1 (Year 10) - Year 10 link, Period 2 (Year 11) - Year 11 link 

University of Sydney Regional Residential Program

The  Year 11 Regional Residential is running this October school holidays from Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October. The Residential is an on-campus immersive experience open to domestic Year 11 students from regional and remote areas with an interest in studying at the University of Sydney. The university will arrange and cover the cost of travel, accommodation, food and all residential experiences.  

If successful in your application, you will have the opportunity to: explore the USYD campus, meet current students and staff, explore your study options, learn about our entry schemes and pathways and experience university life

Limited places are available, so you are encouraged  to complete the Expression of Interest with your details and responses to the selection criteria as soon as possible.

Paul Corsalini
Careers Adviser

Sayounara to our exchange students from Reitaku

This week we said “sayounara” to Remi Oshima, Mayu Urasawa, Tomoki Kaneko and Shoya Harada. These 4 students have been with us since April and have experienced life at SJPC and in Coffs Harbour with their Year 11 hosts (Pepper Bowie-Ford, Jayden Phillips-Manwaring, Eamon Browne and Theodore Wood).

We asked the students about their stay and what they thought of their time here.

Remi Oshima

I did so many great things, so I had a lot of fun with my Australian life. My best memory was going to Sydney. I climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge and walked a long distance. I was very tired. But the view was very nice from the top. I could see all of the city. It was difficult to understand English because everyone speaks so fast for me but now I can understand more than before.

I want to come to Australia again.

Shoya Harada

I love Coffs Harbour. I liked going to school here and making friends. Although talking in English was difficult for me. My favourite memory was going on holidays to the Gold Coast where we went to Movieworld. It was so much fun.

Mayu Urasawa

I had lots of fun but my best memory was watching a movie with my friends after school. We watched Garfield. I couldn't understand what the characters were saying, but I enjoyed the animation. The other best thing I experienced was whale watching. I saw a lot of whales, and it was my first experience. It was valuable for me.

It was so difficult for me to talk to my friends and host family. When I heard them talking quickly, I became nervous to talk to them because I couldn't figure out what they were saying. But I knew they all were kind and funny, so I think I should have talked to them more.

Tomoki Kaneko

My best memory is when I went to Tangalooma with my host family. It was a beautiful and fun place. My best experience was getting to experience Australian culture and how different it is from Japanese culture. The most difficult thing for me was keeping the conversation going but my English has improved and I am very thankful.

Kirsten Binnie
Leader of Learning - Languages

Student devices

Over the break please check the condition of your child’s device. It is important to see that the battery will last 6 hours at school and that the keyboard and screen are not damaged. If this is the case please consider purchasing another device so your child is not disadvantaged in the classroom.

Sharon Brennan
Leader of Learning Technologies