To the community of St John Paul II College,

On Thursday of this week (September 21) the Church remembers the feast day of Saint Matthew the Apostle. Matthew was one of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus to be one of His closest followers. He is best known for his role as a tax collector before he answered Jesus' call to become a disciple. Saint Matthew is often symbolized by a winged man or angel, representing his Gospel's focus on the human ancestry of Jesus. He is credited with writing the Gospel of Matthew, one of the four canonical Gospels in the New Testament, which provides a detailed account of Jesus' life, teachings, and ministry.

Saint Matthew's conversion from a tax collector to a devoted disciple exemplifies the transformative power of faith. His Gospel emphasizes Jesus' teachings on righteousness, the kingdom of heaven, and the importance of fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. Saint Matthew's commemoration on this day serves as a reminder of his significant role in spreading the message of Christianity and his enduring impact on Christian theology and scripture.

A prayer to Saint Matthew the Apostle:

O Glorious St. Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant.
Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in His Church and to follow His teaching in our lives on Earth so that we may live forever with Him in heaven. Amen. 

Farewell Mr Whatman

As many of you will know, Mr Whatman will leave our community at the end of the Term Three holidays. Staff have had the opportunity to farewell him across the final few weeks of term and to celebrate all that he has achieved in his time at the college. 

Mr Whatman's dedication to JPC is unquestionable. He has a strong ability to connect with all people within our community on a personal level and always has a listening ear, a kind word, and a solution to problems that have been presented to him. His compassion and empathy have not only helped the college to navigate challenges but have also contributed to the sense of connectedness and community that exists here.

On behalf of the entire school community, I want to extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for Mr Whatman’s tireless service, unwavering commitment, and the countless moments of inspiration and guidance he has provided. While we will miss his daily presence, we know that farewells are not goodbye forever and that he will always remain connected to us as part of our school community.

Year 9 Urban Challenge

On Thursday and Friday of Week 9, our Year 9 Students participated in the Urban Challenge program in Sydney. Students were placed in groups with other students who are not in their direct friendship group and needed to work together to solve problems and complete tasks requiring dedicated teamwork. Some of the activities include cooking meals for the homeless, scavenger hunts through the city and importantly, getting their group leader (JPC Teacher) a morning coffee.

The stories that have been shared this week coupled with the photos on social media highlight the success of the program. Students were able to demonstrate many and varied skills including leadership and collaboration to ensure they were able to both achieve the desired outcomes and also to have had an extremely enjoyable experience.

A program like this requires a great deal of dedication from a committed group of staff. I would like to thank all of our teachers who participated over the two days and who ensured it was such a success. A particular acknowledgment must go to Mr Sam McCombe who was the lead organiser and who has worked closely with our Year 9 students this year to support their wellbeing and growth as individuals and as a group.

See the report from students in the following article

Parent / Teacher / Student Meetings

On Wednesday evening, we held our Term Three Parent/Teacher/Student meetings here at the college. Thank you to all parents who responded to requests for interviews as well as those who booked in to meet up with their child’s teacher. The focus of these meetings is to set clear and measurable actions to support learning for student. There is another opportunity for parents to come and meet with teachers in the first week back of Term 4.

End of Term Three 2023

The staff at JPC would like to wish all students and their families a safe and relaxing two week break. We encourage students to also ensure they use the time as necessary to complete any homework, revision or assessment tasks that have been issued. 

A reminder that Term Four commences on Monday 9 October (not a Tuesday as in previous terms) and students are to return in their Summer Uniform. Details about the uniform expectations can be found on the JPC Website.

Of course there have been many other wonderful things that have occurred at JPC over the last couple of weeks. We thank all of those involved in these activities and for the collective effort to make them a success. 

Jacob Knowles
Acting Principal