Week 6 Term 3 2022
From the Acting Principal
Mr Beach will return Monday, 29 September after a well deserved break. The last three school years have been far from normal as the educational landscape across the country rapidly changed. Whilst Woodlawn offers fantastic educational opportunities, we provide a holistic approach to education. Extra-curricular activities are designed to meet the diverse needs of all students that will enable them to achieve the fullness of life.
Last week our SRC students enjoyed a night at the College where they had the opportunity to bond and plan for the remainder of 2022 and beyond. On Thursday last week, 53 students from Years 9-12 and six staff attended the first SHINE Conference since 2019 at St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour. The theme of the conference, 'No Limits', made reference to the endless and limitless love of God and focused on providing students with an opportunity to understand that presence in their lives. It has been pleasing to see the enthusiasm that the students have returned to school with after attending the conference.
Woodlawn’s Creative and Performing Arts Department is also in the middle of showcasing their annual HSC works in Drama, Music and Visual Arts. On Monday night our Music students entertained an audience with their musical talents as they showcased their collection of performance pieces currently being prepared for their 2022 Higher School Certificate Music Examinations. It was fantastic to welcome large groups of parents to the College and enable us, once again, to develop the vital partnership between school and home.
Process for Expressing Parental Concern
St John’s College, Woodlawn prides itself in its strong vibrant relationships. Integral to those relationships is:
A sense of family
A sense of partnership
A sense of transparency
And a deep belief that the home and College need to work cooperatively for the benefit of each student.
If you have a concern about an issue could you please speak to the person who can most directly address your concern in the first instance, ie; if it is a classroom issue then initial contact should be with that teacher. If there is no resolution please feel free to direct your concern to the relevant Leader of Learning or Year Coordinator.
Tell Them from Me Surveys
Thank you to all families who took the time to complete this online survey. The results of the survey will be analysed in depth as we strategically plan improvements into 2023.
Student Departures
If you are relocating or considering relocating at the end of Term 3 or Term 4, could you kindly advise our College Registrar, Mrs Debbie Melino, on 6626 2606. As you would be aware, our College policy states that a term’s notice is required. Upon receipt of the notification, a Student Departure Form is prepared and handed to the student to ‘sign out’ prior to them leaving the College.
Your early notification is greatly appreciated and will assist us with our 2024 enrolments.
Michael Campbell
Acting Principal
michael.campbell@lism.catholic.edu.au
From the Assistant Principal - Mission
At Woodlawn the opportunities to celebrate Mass and Liturgies together are key moments in our Spiritual and Faith Journeys. Last week we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption with our Year 7 students and our Ministry classes. Pope Francis reminds us that during this time of reflection and celebration we are invited to think of Mary and her trusting, faithful and radical example as to how we should live and care for others. Fr Bing, our College Chaplain, also spoke of Mary’s dedication and willingness to follow her calling. At Woodlawn ‘we are all called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to love one another and walk humbly with God’.
Mr Andrews, Miss Green, Mr Garcia and myself were privileged to spend an evening with the members of our Student Representative Council. This opportunity to explore servant leadership, as part of our Mission, was relational and challenging. We were honoured to have a former SRC leader, Jack Oates, share his wisdom with the group. He spoke about the ‘light bulb’ moments that life presents and how we can grow by stepping out of our comfort zones. Jack’s presentation about choosing to live above the line - accountable, responsible, owning behaviour versus living below the line, blaming, making excuses and living in denial was a powerful time of reflection.
Following our Liturgy we shared a communal meal and then bonded over some karaoke and dancing. We are truly blessed to have leaders who are dedicated to the service of our College and are inclusive and relational. It was heartwarming to see the interactions between the year groups. Thanks to families for supporting this program.
Thanks again to all of those in our community who supported our ‘CONNECT’ fundraising initiative in response to the Lismore Floods. We have been able to provide students with uniforms, the opportunity to attend camps, access lunch vouchers and assist them with other needs. This term our focus is on the Marist Solidarity Project. For over 15 years we have shared a special relationship with La Valla School in Cambodia, for students with a disability. We have been involved in raising essential funds for projects such as sustainable farming, transportation, education, building projects and family support. Prior to COVID, our annual immersion trip was a chance to connect in person with these humble, beautiful people and provide community service and friendship. This relationship is one of the hallmarks of our Solidarity mission. Our annual Walk for Justice has been postponed but we do have ‘DAG DAY’ and some other initiatives that we would love everyone to support.
The annual celebration of our Patron, Saint John, will be held in two weeks. For details, view the link below. Year Coordinators will also send through a flyer. This special day is a highlight of the school year and the last opportunity for Year 12 to celebrate with the whole school community.
What a joy it was to be in the audience at the Year 12 Music evening ‘Lights Up’. Congratulations to Ms Deegan and the staff who supported these students. These opportunities are allowing our students to ‘live life to the full'.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
I am often in contact with many of our graduates. Upon reflection I thought we could showcase many of the wonderful stories and achievements that they share about life after Woodlawn.
Marsha Lubovny graduated in 2015. Upon her completion of a Bachelor of International Relations at Melbourne University she applied and was accepted to study in Israel. Marsha has now finished her Masters in Global Migration and refugee studies. Her thesis was focused on Eritrean refugee mothers in Israel. She continues to study Hebrew and works in the local community there. It is wonderful to be able to share these stories and I hope to bring you a new update each newsletter.
Around the grounds: A chance to share some of the 'Day in the Life of a Woodlawn student'. Smiles abound especially those of the Year 8 boys who joined me for a ‘cheerful chat’ morning tea.
Looking ahead: We have much to celebrate
29 August: Marsden Medal Ceremony and Presentation
8 September: Year 7 Sleepover
9 September: St John’s Day
12 September: Holy Name of Mary Liturgy
15 September: Transfer of Leadership Ceremony
16 September: DAG Day
19 September: Friendly Soccer Games - Woodlawn vs Trinity
21 September: Final Day of Classes for Year 12
22 September: Year 12 Graduation Mass and Presentation Ceremony
Annette Reen
Assistant Principal - Mission
annette.reen@lism.catholic.edu.au
Ministry Matters
Though we tired physically, our hearts have been enriched in the presence of peers and colleagues, through the experience of God’s love.
I couldn’t think of a better way to summarise the past fortnight in the world of Ministry. We have worked hard to continue to bring the presence of Christ into the lives of staff and students alike and it has been so pleasing to see our community in full flight once again.
SHINE Conference
It feels as though I’ve been writing to you in preparation for the 2022 SHINE Conference for an eternity, but it finally eventuated last Thursday and Friday. The student discipleship conference for junior students, that hadn’t happened since 2019, returned bigger and better than ever!
With a theme of ‘No Limits’, describing the limitless love that God has for us, the conference started energetically with a rousing rendition of the title song by the Proclaim Lismore Worship Team, Wildfire!
Our Woodlawn community was incredibly well represented by 53 current students and nine staff members (four teachers, two Woodlawn YMOs, two ex-students as YMOs at other Colleges and one ex-student as a keynote presenter).
These events on the Ministry calendar are all about the students so I give you three accounts from students in our Ministry classes and Senior Ministry Team:
The Ministry Class has allowed me to go out and further study my beliefs and observe how other people's lives compare to or differ from mine. Shine was the first ministry event I attended. Throughout my time at SHINE, I had the opportunity to get to know new people and learn more about their faith, which got me thinking about additional ways I might be able to strengthen others' or my faith. SHINE wasn’t what I was expecting it to be but overall, it was amazing. The band that was there, Wildfire, did an amazing job playing and getting everyone engaged throughout both days that we were there. Throughout my experience, I got to deepen and strengthen my relationship with God and explore my faith further through all the workshops that were provided, even through the prayer and worship times and every song that was played. I would suggest it to anyone who wants to learn more about their faith and connect with others who share the same passion and just want to have a good time.
Allie Wilford - Year 9 Ministry Class
Before SHINE, I had only been to a few small ministry events in the school grounds, so I absolutely loved it because it gave me a chance to expand my faith in a way that included so much fun while still being close to God. The location was great, the food was pretty good and the activities were amazing. I didn't expect SHINE to be as much fun as it was. I thought it would just be two days of learning about how to expand my faith but the concert that we had was so much fun. I enjoyed spending time with my friends in the hall, dancing, singing and just having an all around great time. SHINE is such an amazing way to get closer with your friends and feel so much closer to God.
I would absolutely recommend SHINE to anyone who is looking to be closer to friends, expand their faith and have an amazing time while doing it.
Evan Eager-Powers - Year 10 Ministry Class
As a Year 11 leader at this conference, it was so heartwarming to see the beautiful smiles on the faces of younger students. Everyone really made the three year wait worth it. From the moment we arrived there was so much happiness and love being spread. The YMOs were fantastic, the hospitality from St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour, was outstanding and the food was just what we needed.
The theme of SHINE 2022 was ‘No Limits’. This means there is no limit to God’s love for you. The YMO's encouraged us to have ‘no limits’ during our SHINE experience and I believe that everyone did this without any doubt. The schedule was very well put together with a good mix of dancing, singing, workshops, food breaks and listening to some keynote speakers.
‘Expanding our faith’ is a term that gets thrown around but I believe isn’t really understood by many. Anyone can be anywhere on their ‘faith journey’ however I believe that SHINE was a place where everyone could feel comfortable, whether they are looking to start ‘exploring’ their faith or are ‘expanding their faith horizons’. Most importantly, the ‘heart’ of SHINE wouldn’t have been there without Wildfire. They were so welcoming and played some epic tunes.
Overall, SHINE exceeded my expectations. Students from all year levels really gave it 100%, so therefore, they got 100% out of the experience.
I couldn’t have asked for a better crew from Woodlawn to go to SHINE with. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful YMOs, Luke and Tash, and an equally awesome Evangelisation Team.
Tom Rowling - Year 11 Student
I would like to acknowledge to our College community the amazing work of the Mission Services team within the Lismore CSO. This team worked tirelessly for months to ensure a great experience for our students and they deserve every praise.
Finally, I also acknowledge and express my personal gratitude to our wonderful staff who attended SHINE, adding to the student experience immensely and giving so generously of their time away from their own families. Without staff to support these events, we simply would not be able to attend; so to Mrs Sharni-Lee Garrington, Mrs Tayla Tickle and Mr Joel Saye, I express my most sincere thanks. As mentioned by Tom above, our YMO's, Tash and Luke, are deserving of every praise that is afforded to them. They always assist so willingly in preparing these opportunities and were so energetic whilst at SHINE. I thank them for their support and work with our students.
Thank you to Mrs Garrington for providing a fantastic conclusion to our SHINE experience:
SHINE was a real opportunity to be with our students and share in their faith journey. I was reminded how privileged we are as staff to work with such incredible young people who are open to asking questions, to being challenged and behave in a way that should make the entire College community proud.
Mrs Sharni-Lee Garrington - Leader of Catechesis & Year 9 Ministry Teacher
Upcoming Events
We look forward in the coming weeks to some more celebrations of significant days in both our College and Catholic tradition. We have two upcoming Masses on the following dates that students will attend:
St John’s Day Mass - whole school attendance - Friday 9th September
Holy Name of Mary Mass - Year 9 & 10 attendance - Monday 12th September.
As always, please make contact if I can be of assistance to you and your family in matters of faith and spirituality.
Nick Jones
Leader of School Evangelisation
nick.jones@lism.catholic.edu.au
Student Wellbeing
Uniform
I would like to thank you for supporting us with regard to our students wearing the correct uniform and wearing it correctly. We have noticed an improvement in the standard and would like to see this continue. If your young person does not have the correct uniform, please remember that they will need a note to explain this. This note should be signed by the Home Group teacher in the morning before classes begin.
Vaping
E-cigarettes can serve as a “gateway” to nicotine addiction and tobacco cigarette smoking. There have been many studies which found experimentation with e-cigarettes encouraged the use of tobacco cigarettes, particularly among young people. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 1 in 5 (21.7%) young Australians aged 18-24 and 7.6% of 15-17 year olds have used an e-cigarette or vaping device at least. It’s likely that these figures are under-reported because responses were provided by an adult living in the same household. (Lung Foundation Australia)
Vaping facts
- Many vapes contain nicotine making them very addictive. The nicotine in one vape can equal 50 cigarettes.
- Vapes can contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray. They just don’t put it on the pack.
- Vapes can leave young people at increased risk of depression and anxiety.
- Young people who vape are three times as likely to take up smoking cigarettes
- Vape aerosol is not water vapour.
- Vaping has been linked to serious lung disease.
- Vapes can cause long-lasting negative effects on young people’s brain development.
Signs your child might be vaping
Tell-tale signs that your child might have started vaping include the symptoms of nicotine addiction such as feeling irritable or anxious.
Talk to your child about vaping
Whether you suspect your child is vaping or not, take the time to talk to them about vaping and help them understand the risks. Try to start the conversation in a relaxed easy-going way, be patient, and remember, your goal is to have a conversation, not deliver a lecture. Importantly, have your facts ready.
For more information
If you would like more information, the following sites are excellent sources: www.health.nsw.gov.au/vaping or For parents - Lung Foundation Australia
Study skills
As our Year 11 students move into their end of year examinations, you might find these Tips for Study Success useful when supporting your young person. This is the first time these students have completed such a large block of examinations and this can be daunting, and it is sometimes difficult to know how to support them.
Consent Education
On Tuesday our Year 8 students attended a presentation about consent. These presentations were facilitated by Jane McGowen of Talking Consent. This was an invaluable opportunity for students to learn that consent is a part of everyday life, providing them with a basic understanding of boundaries, their right to choose and the confidence to speak up. These are essential skills and can be used in all aspects of life.
If you have any questions or concerns about your young person’s wellbeing please do not hesitate to contact me on fiona.fennamore@lism.catholic.edu.au or 66262627.
Fiona Fennamore
Leader of Student Wellbeing
fiona.fennamore@lism.catholic.edu.au
Schools Cup Netball
After some delays and rescheduling, the first round of the Netball NSW Schools Cup was held in Ballina on the 3rd August. Woodlawn entered seven teams, both girls and boys teams, into the statewide competition this year, with the hopes of being successful and progressing through the stages. The Phase 1 day saw 38 local teams taking part across the divisions, with teams needing to win their pool outright in order to progress to the next Phase.
Our Year 7/8 Girls Green, Year 7/8 Boys Green and Year 9/10 Girls Red teams were all able to win their respective pools, each team being undefeated throughout the day and progressing through to the next stage of the competition.
The Phase 2 day, Regional Finals, was held the following week with some outstanding efforts by the three Woodlawn teams.
The Year 7/8 Girls played some challenging games in their pool and while they didn’t make it to the finals on the day, it was a great experience for all of the girls involved. The future is looking bright for netball at Woodlawn!
The Year 7/8 Boys team had a successful day, playing some skillful and controlled netball, winning their pool matches and progressing through to the crossover finals. After winning their semi-final, the boys came up against Trinity, who they drew with on the first carnival day the week earlier. Our boys were winning 7-4 at half time but the excitement and pressure heading into the second half was too much to handle and Trinity ended up winning 8-7. It was a fantastic effort by all members of the team, seeing great improvements over the two carnival days.
In the Year 9/10 Girls Pool, Woodlawn Red cruised through two easy games before coming up against McAuley College, Grafton. Unfortunately the game wasn’t meant to be and the team finished 2nd in Pool A, which pitted them against first place in Pool B. The girls played some stellar netball and progressed through to the Grand Final against the team who had beaten them in their pool game: McAuley. Thanks to some calm shooting and some epic turnovers in the defensive end, the girls were victorious. Sydney here we come! Good luck in the State Finals on 2nd November!
Teams are as follows;
Year 7/8 Girls
Woodlawn Green: Maggie Lynch, Claudia Barnes, Izzy Rowe, Allie Robinson, Molly Cronin, Chloe Ryall, Harper Bailey, Kaytlyn Turner, Willow Pace, Lilla Rolfe. Coach: Maddie McNeilly
Woodlawn Red: Maya Volpato, Lacee Faber, Georgia Herman, Emma Jackson, Milani Kerr, Lilly Cluff, Paiten Muscat, Ellie McKay, Ilaria Blenkhorn. Coach: Courtney Hanson
Year 7/8 Boys
Woodlawn Green: Tom McPhee, Dominic Crotty, Kieran Weekes, Ayden Holmes, Xavier Brownlee, Cooper Roberts, Calum Kirkpatrick, Cohen Duncan. Coach: Simon Andrews and Sally Ryall
Woodlawn Red: Lachlan Beare, Mack Hosking, Max Anderson, Darcy Brown, Will Aylward, Hudson Farrell, Will Mosse, Max Venables, Lachlan Barnes. Coach: Sam McLean
Year 9/10 Girls
Woodlawn Red: Riley Alvos, Eva McRae, Ruby Barnes, Talia Rowe, Ava Lisetto, Alanna Bromhead, Ashlee Rugendyke, Luka Butler, Charlotte Gilliland, Quinn McInnes. Coach: Jane Farrugia
Woodlawn Green: Charlee Spackman, Emily Pope, Kelsey O’Connor, Taia Kempshall, Ella Brombal, Lotti Coppolo, Kaitlyn Robinson, Amelia Serone, Amarli King. Coach: Natasha Wotherspoon
Year 9/10 Boys
Patrick Maginnity, Matt Gillan, Kody McQuilty, Dean Bryant, Josh Holland, Keenan Faber, Tom Welman, Lachlan Kennelly, Taj Bednall, Jed Dougherty, Hamish Weekes. Coach: Fiona Fennamore
A huge thank you also to our dedicated umpires on the day - Emily Wiltshire, Indira Coble and Dana Cant. Your time and experience is greatly appreciated. With so many teams taking part in the day, we also required a number of umpires, who were also playing, to help out throughout the carnival - Kelsey O’Connor, Talia Rowe, Allie Robinson, Kaytlyn Turner and Ruby Barnes. Thank you for stepping up when required.
Sally Ryall
sally.ryall@lism.catholic.edu.au
2022 Momentum Dance Showcase
Woodlawn’s 13th Annual Dance Department Showcase will include Dance performances from students in Years 7 to 12. You will enjoy performances of HSC works, Year 9 and 10 Dance class work and a piece by our Junior Dance club.
Wendy & Peter Pan Production
St John’s College Woodlawn’s Year 11 Drama class and a handful of courageous staff take to the stage to bring this heart-warming adventure.
In the winter of 1908, Wendy Darling and her brothers are in mourning when a mischievous boy called Peter, tumbles through their window, followed by a fractious fairy called Tink. With the aid of a little fairy dust, Wendy agrees to fly with Peter to Neverland, seeing not only the promise of an awfully big adventure, but also the chance to rediscover the key to her parents' lost happiness. Once there, she will give the Lost Boys a run for their money, defeat Captain Hook and his pirate crew, and ultimately, learn what it means to grow up.
Canteen News
Term 3 Changes
Please be aware there will be a price increase in menu items.
Flexischools orders will have a new cut-off time of 9.00 am.
The cash free way to pay! - REGISTER NOW
Paying for lunches is now safer and hassle free. With cashless cards there's no need for students to bring cash to school.
The College has Flexischools to allow students to pay at the Canteen using their existing student ID card. Paying for lunches and items at recess or lunch is now safer and hassle free. With cashless cards there's no need for students to bring cash to school. Parents can set daily spending limits and view transactions online. Parents can also top-up funds at anytime.
The Canteen has introduced a Fast-Track line for students who have pre-ordered to collect their lunches, making it much easier and quicker for students.
We encourage all students to register. This will allow for those days when your student may have forgotten their homemade lunches.
Please follow the link below to register now:
Uniform Shop
The St John's College Woodlawn Uniform Shop is proudly managed by P&C Uniforms.
To ensure you have an easy and pleasant experience while ordering uniforms, we encourage you to order online ahead of time for easy click-and-collect in store.
Opening Hours: Monday 8.00am - 9.30am & Wednesday 11.00am - 2.00pm
Where: Colin Centre
Order Online: www.sjcwuniformshop.com.au
Book a fitting: www.sjcwuniformshop.com.au/bts-appointments
Second Hand Uniform Shop
When: 1st Wednesday of every month
Where: Colin Centre
Time: 8am - 2pm