Week 8 Term 1 2023
From the Principal
Dear Parents, Staff and Students,
Our recent Open Night was another resounding success, with over 170 current students involved in showcasing our wonderful College to prospective families and students. This speaks magnitudes of the pride our students feel in belonging to the Woodlawn community. We commence our Year 7, 2024 enrolment interviews on the afternoon/evening of 3 & 4 April. If you have a child entering Year 7 in 2024 and have not already done so, please submit your enrolment application to the College at your earliest convenience as we expect places will again be very tight.
At our recent P&F meeting it was decided to postpone our upcoming ‘Casino Night’ until Term 2. For parents who have already bought tickets (for the now postponed 31 March date), these will remain valid for the rescheduled event. Further details will be advised early next term.
There have been changes to the College’s Prescribed Medication Policy in keeping with CSO Guidelines. We are no longer able to provide Paracetamol for students. If a student presents to SSO requesting Paracetamol, staff will now be required to contact parents/guardians on each occasion, and request permission to administer Paracetamol, and also ask whether the student has taken Paracetamol prior to coming to school on the day. Thanks, in advance, for working with us here to keep our students safe.
Given the advanced nature of education today, students are required to bring expensive equipment items with them to school to assist with their learning (most notably laptop computers). Students generally manage this very well (via the use of lockers, laptop cases etc) but from time to time, accidents do happen and equipment is unavoidably damaged. We strongly encourage all families to take out accidental damage insurance on their child’s electronic devices, as damage to student owned equipment is not covered under any of the College’s insurance policies. If insurance cover is not taken out, and a student accidentally damages another student’s device, this then places the family in the awkward position of having to negotiate a repair payment with another student’s family. To avoid anyone being put in this position, please check your current insurance situation and consider taking out accidental damage cover if you have not already done so.
With our friends from Trinity departing at the end of term, we will be holding a combined Liturgy and Cake Morning Tea for Years 11 & 12 students from both Colleges on Wednesday, 5 April during Period 2. While this will officially mark the end of our twelve month on-campus partnership, the friendships and collegiality forged between students and staff from both Colleges will endure well into the future. We wish Trinity all the very best as they reunite their student body at Southern Cross University after the Easter break and thank them for the enduring gift that their presence has been for us.
We continue our Lenten theme for this fortnight’s reflection:
Lent is the Church’s forty day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. Traditionally, we abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday (and also Good Friday). But abstinence also calls us to practise self-discipline and fast in other ways. Monica Dutton suggests two other practical types of fasting, relating to the modern dilemma of busyness and speed; and many people’s (including the media’s) preoccupation with negativity:
Fasting from speed and negativity
“Mahatma Gandhi said ‘There is more to life than
increasing its speed; Not everything has to be done fast.
In fact, some things deserve to be done slowly – like
reading a bedtime story to a child, eating lunch with a
friend, cooking a special meal, pottering in the garden,
watching the sunset… Slowing down nurtures patience’.
Slowing down gives us a chance to also become positive…
Negative people see the world through grey-coloured
glasses. They focus on what’s wrong with the world instead
of what’s right. They complain. They shoot down every new
idea and every expression of hope. Yes, life has
disappointments. Yes, life has pain. But life is also filled
with goodness, joys, and beautiful surprises. If we tend to
look at life negatively, then Lent is a good time to get a new
pair of glasses”.
(Adapted from a Lismore CSO Circular)
Finally, please encourage your daughters and sons to ‘stay the course’ over these next nine school days in terms of their appearance, grooming, conduct and application. Your support here is greatly appreciated.
Enjoy this final fortnight of Term.
Sincerely
Aaron Beach
Principal
From the Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
Tell Them From Me (TTFM)
At the beginning of Term 2, we will invite students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an essential part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.
We invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The College uses the information you provide to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at St. John’s College, Woodlawn.
The survey is anonymous and will take approximately twenty minutes to complete. Further details with links to the survey will be provided in an upcoming edition of the Newsletter.
Year 12 Examinations
Congratulations to all the Year 12 students on the completion of their first round of examinations for 2023. It is hoped that set goals were achieved, for those who may not have achieved the results they were hoping for, it is important to remember that there are opportunities to show improvement. This can be achieved by taking the feedback given by their teachers seriously and using it to improve.
Michael Campbell
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
michael.campbell@lism.catholic.edu.au
From the Assistant Principal - Mission
As I write what will be my last column of the Term, I reflect on the number of amazing encounters I have had with so many of our students, parents and staff. Our community is humming as we emerge from the past years of interruptions and cancellations into a community that is redefining traditions and reimagining the possibilities that we can together make realities.
I am pleased to share that our Hearts of Hope campaign is successfully raising funds for Caritas: Project Compassion. The work of Caritas is life giving to communities around the world. To date we have raised $1500 through the sale of hearts in Home Groups. I would like to acknowledge Kennedy House who are currently the lead fundraiser. Our first casual clothes day of the year was an opportunity for students to express themselves creatively. I love the energy and thought that went into supporting the theme ‘Dressing as something/someone starting with the first letter of your name'. Check out our photo gallery.
A timely reminder that winter uniforms are to be worn from the start of Term 2. The SRC have put together this clip on how to wear the uniform. Please note that sports jackets are only to be worn with sports uniform. The Uniform Shop is open over the break and on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please check their advertisement in this Newsletter.
ANZAC DAY March
As a College we have proudly marched to commemorate the selflessness of our fallen and current military personnel. All SRC members and the majority of our students will march in Lismore. Other regional centres are also holding marches in their communities. Our students are welcome to march in Kyogle, Alstonville, Evans Head and at the request of Ballina RSL only two students will march there.
We begin Term two celebrating our Catholic Schools Week theme of ‘Living Our Mission'. The week will conclude with a celebration of the keepers of our family memories - our Grandparents. On Friday, April 28, Grandparents are invited to join their grandchildren at the College. Please complete the Google form so that we can organise catering and class attendance.
Monday, 24 April, is the RSVP date for this.
Google Form
Where are they now?
The Voss sisters grew up in Dalwood and attended St Joseph's, Alstonville prior to coming to Woodlawn. As young girls they loved to play cricket, following in the footsteps of their father, Jeff. At Woodlawn they enjoyed Home Group and representing Segrief House in all activities. Sport was their passion and being part of the community was important to them. Charlotte was known for her energy and enjoyed conversations on every conceivable topic - always up for a yarn. Olivia was known for her kindness and compassion. She was always working in the background to support the poor and the marginalised.
Following College life, Charlotte worked in hospitality and Olivia is a teacher's aide. She will continue this passion for helping young people by studying and teaching. The girls have gone on to also have illustrious representative sporting careers. Cricket was their passion and their love for this and their commitment has seen them representing both state and country. Olivia is preparing for the National Indoor Cricket Competition which starts in Brisbane in a couple of weeks. Last year, Olivia and Charlotte both made the Queensland team and Charlotte went on to represent Australia in Indoor Cricket.
Facebook
The launch of our Facebook page has been a great way to celebrate all that is Woodlawn. Special thanks to Megan McPhee for her energy and drive in this space. As a parent and staff member, Megan is constantly looking for ways to share stories and photos.
Please visit the URL addresss below:
https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsCollegeWoodlawn
As Easter approaches, I hope that you have time to reflect on your relationships, the love of your families and friends, and take a moment to breathe.
Annette Reen
Assistant Principal - Mission
annette.reen@lism.catholic.edu.au
Student Wellbeing
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
This week our Year 8 students have completed the second of three mental health presentations. They are learning first aid skills to help a friend who may be struggling with their mental health. You could ask them over dinner what they learned and when they could use these skills.
Attendance matters
Regular attendance at school is essential for students to achieve quality life outcomes. Schools, in partnership with parents, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. Whilst it might seem that a casual day off school is of no consequence, the image below demonstrates that the cumulative effect of absent days is significant over time.
Being late to class or school each day will also have an impact on education. We need to work together so that our young people arrive at school on time on each day and attend each class on time.
Absences include both explained and unexplained absences. Together, these can add up to a significant number of days away from school. This year, many families have received letters from the College asking for explanations for unexplained absences. If your young person is absent from school, the easiest way to notify Student Services is via the Compass app. Should you have any difficulties with this, please let me know.
Vaping: Why is it attractive?
Young people can be drawn to vaping for a number of different reasons including peer pressure, accessibility and affordability, the belief that vaping is harmless and curiosity. Sometimes a family member who vapes can also influence children and young people to try vaping.
This short video provides some insights into why vaping is attractive to young people and is important viewing before parents and carers use the conversation starters at home.
Conversation Starters
Be ready to have these conversations with your child with a sense of calmness and interest in what they have to say. Be ready to listen to their responses without jumping in too quickly to correct them. Choose your timing wisely, perhaps during a relaxed moment at home, when driving somewhere together, or when no other stress or distractions are present.
- Why do you think more children and teens are vaping?
- Listen to understand. Your child may mention one of the reasons listed above or have another opinion. This conversation starter opens the door to healthy dialogue.
- Could you confidently say no if you were offered a vape? How could you do this?
- Help your young person create an ‘exit plan’ if they are offered a vape.
- How do you think the person offering you the vape would react to you saying no? How might that make you feel about this friendship?
- Now might be a good time to talk about what your child values in their friends.
Peer pressure can be powerful, so coming up with realistic action steps and practising them together in a safe environment will prepare and empower your child to make good choices when it matters. Remind them that not everyone is vaping. There are many young people making healthy choices to say no.
If you have any questions or concerns about your young person’s wellbeing, please do not hesitate to get in touch fiona.fennamore@lism.catholic.edu.au or 66262627.
Regards
Fiona Fennamore
Leader of Student Welfare
fiona.fennamore@lism.catholic.edu.au
Careers Update
Congratulations
Year 12 students, Ryan Fahey and Holly Oates, are both completing SBATs in conjunction with their HSC. Both students competed in Worldskills events last year and were successful in gaining a place on the NSW Team to compete in the National Worldskills finals in Melbourne this August. Ryan is completing a Plumbing Apprenticeship through Casino Plumbing and Holly is completing a Traineeship with Alstonville Florist. Both students' employers have expressed how proud they are of their young proteges for making it through to the prestigious National Worldskills finals.
Congratulations to Lachlan O'Sullivan on being selected from students across the State for the UNSW Civil and Environmental Engineering Work Experience Program in May. Lachlan will travel to Sydney with his parents and represent St John's College while participating in a range of hands-on Engineering projects arranged through UNSW and their partners. This is an excellent opportunity for Lachlan to explore what Engineering has to offer and apply his mathematical knowledge through real world experiences.
WHS Whitecard Course
On Wednesday, 22 March we held our first WHS Whitecard Course for students in Years 10, 11 & 12 wishing to work in the Construction and Entertainment Industries. Our thanks go out to Northern Rivers Community College for working with us to enable the delivery of these courses on campus. Plans are in place to run two additional Whitecard Courses as well as a First Aid Course later this year.
Careers Updates
This year we are trialing a new medium for Careers Updates. Following this link will take you to a web page where you can select University, TAFE, Other Institutions, UAC and QTAC updates and more. This will allow us to update information regularly and leave some information on the site for students and families to refer back to as required.
Regards
Bernie Maginnity
Vocational Pathways Coordinator
bernie.maginnity@lism.catholic.edu.au
School Vaccination Program
School Vaccination Program
Thursday, 4 May – Year 7 HPV & Boostrix
Thursday, 8 June – Year 10 Meningococcal
Thursday, 7 September – Catch up for any Year 7 & 10 students
Keeping your child up-to-date with routine vaccinations helps to protect them from serious preventable diseases such as meningococcal, whooping cough, tetanus, and cancers that are caused by HPV (human papillomavirus).
As part of the NSW School Vaccination Program, students in Year 7 are offered free vaccines for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV). In Year 10, students are offered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine.
Parental consent is required for your child to receive routine vaccinations at school. If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, you can now provide this consent through the online consent portal by clicking login with a ‘Service NSW Account’.
Read a step-by-step guide on how to provide consent online. Translated guides are available in Arabic, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese.
From February 2023, children in Year 7 will now only need one dose of HPV vaccination. This change has been endorsed by ATAGI based on evidence showing that one dose provides the same level of protection against HPV as two doses.
If you have already consented to your child receiving two doses of HPV vaccine, they will only receive one dose.
If your child previously missed their second dose of HPV vaccine, they are now considered fully vaccinated and do not require a second dose.
A small number of students who are immunocompromised are still recommended to receive a three-dose course of HPV vaccine. If your child is immunocompromised, please discuss their immunisation needs with their GP.
If your child misses a school vaccination clinic, you can speak to your local GP or pharmacist about catching up on vaccination.
For more information on school vaccination visit: health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination
Community News
An Invitation to Grandcarers
If you are a Grandcarer who looks after your grandchildren full-time, DAISI Servies is here to support you in your important role of helping your grandchild or grandchildren reach their potential.
The Grandcarer Project, an established group, is ready to welcome you.
Frequency: The first Monday of each month.
The 2023 dates are: 3 April, 1 May, 5 June, 7 August, 4 September, 6 November.
Time: 11.30am-1pm with lunch provided
Venue: Ballina Masonic Hal, 56 Cherry St, Ballina.
Please contact Sue Hetherington on 0491 065 906 or gc.sue@daisi.asn.au for more information.
Canteen News
Flexischools orders will have a 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 any time.
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 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.
Uniform Shop Opening Hours:
Time: 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 Opening Hours:
Time: 11.00am - 2.00pm
When: Every Wednesday
Where: Colin Centre
Winter Uniform
With the change of uniform approaching, the Uniform Shop will have extended opening hours. Please see the additional dates and times below. It is essential you book your appointment online to ensure availability.
Saturday, 1 April 8.30am-2.00pm
Sunday, 2 April 8.30am-2.00pm
Friday, 21 April 8.30am-2.00pm
Saturday, 22 April 8.30am-2.00pm
Sunday, 23 April 8.30am-2.00pm
Monday, 24 April 8.30am-2.00pm
Wednesday, 26 April 8.30am-2.00pm
Please click on the link below to place an order or to make a booking. We encourage parents/guardians to make appointments for fittings due to time constraints.
https://sjcwuniformshop.com.au/
Leanne Copeland
Uniform Shop Convenor
0407 739 237