Week 7 Term 1 2022
From the Principal
Dear Parents, Staff and Students,
You can be immensely proud of how your daughters and sons have regathered, regrouped and recommenced their studies over this past week at Woodlawn. The College has been remarkably settled, given the events of the preceding fortnight, with an emphasis on reconnection, reengagement and routine across all classes. We have additional counselling and welfare staff available to work with individual students over these last weeks of term, so please feel free to contact your child’s Year Coordinator, in the first instance, if you think they would benefit from some extra assistance at this time.
We are also expecting detailed information from Lismore CSO regarding school fees, replacement resources etc in the coming days and I will forward this to you as soon as it is released. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our extended Woodlawn community, with considerable discretionary funds made available to us, particularly through donations from former students. If you have a specific need at this time, please contact me directly (and confidentially) in the first instance (aaron.beach@lism.catholic.edu.au) so that an appropriate level of support can be arranged.
There has been a great level of cooperation between our local schools, particularly those within our Lismore Diocesan System. We continue to work with Trinity Catholic College as we prepare to take their Years 11 & 12 students on campus here at Woodlawn in Term 2. While our traditional enrolment period has been postponed for Year 7, 2023 until May, we have been able to offer places to a number of displaced local students across Years 7 – 11. It is by working collaboratively and cooperatively at times like these, that the optimum outcomes for students can be achieved.
Please note specific information about upcoming events contained elsewhere in this Newsletter, which we have deliberately kept brief this fortnight.
The COVID-19 situation continues to evolve with updates to advice and regulations subject to regular change. It is therefore imperative that students who are displaying even the slightest signs of illness remain at home. A reminder that should a student become unwell during the course of a school day they will be required to be collected from the Student Services Office, as is standard College procedure.
Face masks are still required to be worn on public transport, which includes school buses. We have been issued with the final allocation of Rapid Antigen Tests for Term 1, and these will be distributed to students next week. Should you require a RAT before this time, please contact the Student Services Office and we will arrange to get these to you.
Given the escalating situation in the Ukraine, I offer the following prayer as this fortnight’s reflection as we collectively pray for an end to this current conflict:
Prayer for Peace
O God, Creator of the universe,
who extends your paternal concern over every creature
and guides the events of history to goals of salvation,
we acknowledge your Fatherly love when you break the resistance of humankind and,
in a world torn by strife and discord,
you make us ready for reconciliation.
Renew for us the wonders of your MERCY;
send forth your Spirit to work in the intimacy of our hearts,
that enemies may begin to dialogue,
that adversaries may shake hands
and peoples may encounter one another in harmony.
May all commit themselves to the sincere search for true peace,
which will extinguish all arguments,
for charity which overcomes hatred,
for pardon which disarms revenge.
Saint Pope John Paul II
Please remember former Rectors of Woodlawn, Frs Lew Molloy SM and John Worthington SM, in your prayers, as both are unwell at this time.
Finally, having retired for all of two days, parishioners of South Lismore were thrilled to hear that Bishop Greg reappointed Fr Peter Karam as Parish Priest, at his request, to lead his Parish through the flood recovery. Another wonderful example of magnanimity during this current crisis.
Be kind to yourselves in the fortnight ahead and thank you for your ongoing support.
Sincerely
Aaron Beach
Principal
From the Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
After yet another interrupted year, students have returned with a great sense of community and have settled well into their classes. It is times like this that bring out the best in our community, and I would like to congratulate students, staff and parents for their resilience and ability to remain flexible as we navigate through the aftermath of this recent disaster, together.
Responsibility For Learning
Round one of the Responsibility For Learning (RFL) framework will be completed by the end of this week, with results available for reflection soon after, via the student Schoolworx portal. The feedback students receive, regarding their Classroom Practice and Learning Behaviour is vital is developing learning habits across all year levels. I encourage all parents to engage in meaningful discussion with their children related to this important feedback about their application and progress in class across Weeks 1-5. Students wanting to continue to do well and those looking to make improvements towards achievable learning goals should take this opportunity to self-evaluate and seek guidance from teachers on ways in which they can improve. By asking themselves important questions and then making mature decisions on what they find, students are engaging in an important part of the learning process and they are taking positive steps towards reaching their educational potential. If your child has an ‘ungraded’ RFL, it is due to staffing issues related to the recent flood.
Below are some simple questions, which if asked regularly and answered honestly, can lead to a positive change in habit and outcome:
- Am I taking responsibility for my own learning?
- Am I punctual to class with all equipment?
- Do I hand in drafts and submit work on time?
- Do I complete homework tasks?
- Can I work independently without distraction?
- Do I contribute positively to group tasks?
- Am I putting in my best effort? - If not, why? Is there something I can do to change this (organisation, distracting friends, focus, etc.)?
- Do I understand the concepts or content being taught?
- Am I seeking and acting on feedback from my teachers to improve skill, knowledge and understanding?
- What are my goals for the rest of the year?
- Am I aiming to achieve a certain grade or improve a particular skill?
- Are my goals specific and achievable?
- What can I do and who can help guide me to success?
Year Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews
These interviews are scheduled for Monday, 4 April between 4pm and 7pm and will be held face-to-face in the College Hall. Information regarding online bookings will come to you via email from Mr Matthew Bailey, Leader of Curriculum..
These interviews are an important opportunity for your child to gain valuable feedback on their progress in all subjects and the opportunity to act on guidance for improvement.
Michael Campbell
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
michael.campbell@lism.catholic.edu.au
From the Assistant Principal - Mission
Over the past three weeks we have seen communities living Matthew’s Gospel. The kindness of a stranger, the warmth and generosity of those we love and those we have encountered over this time has been evidenced through actions and deeds. Our prayers are with our families who have been affected by the recent floods. I would like to remind you all that Woodlawn is a community and we see each of you as part of our extended family. We open our hearts and extend our care to you all.
Our Woodlawn Connect initiative has received many generous donations:
- We currently have a wide range of donated uniforms available to any students in need of them;
- Stationery and other resources have been supplied to all students;
- Computers are currently being distributed;
- Donations towards Canteen vouchers have been gratefully received;
- Donations to ensure all students have access to our Outdoor Education program;
- Donations towards expenses incurred by Senior students who have lost part-time employment;
- Other sundry items and links to accommodation;
- Breakfast Club donations.
We are still accepting assistance with all of the above.
With the changes to our routine we have a number of upcoming community events that we are planning before the end of term.
Welcome to Leadership. We are celebrating our appointed Student Leaders' commitment to representing and advocating for our College students in a number of forums. On Thursday, 31 March we will be gathering with our leaders, their parents and other community members to share a special Mass. This will be the first opportunity we have had as a faith community to attend Mass in 2022. Following the Mass we will share an afternoon tea. Families will receive formal invitations on Monday, following the final voting for SRC members in the Junior years.
The celebration of the Eucharist prior to entering Holy Week will take place on April 7. Father Bing, our College Chaplain and Parish Administrator has been preparing two Masses for this date. Our students will attend Mass in House Groups so that we can join as a community in the College Chapel. As a community this will be the first opportunity to come together post-COVID and nourish our faith.
Our Year 8 cohort will be preparing for their annual pilgrimage to Tyalgum Ridge. Letters and information will be distributed about this camp which marks the beginning of Term 2. We are able to offer this opportunity to all Year 8s, following the generosity of those in the community who are sponsoring some of our students. Camps are at the centre of our wellbeing and community building programs. They are an essential feature of being a Woodlawn student.
Information about ANZAC Day services will be distributed in the coming week. There have been a number of changes to the organisation of these events and I will finalise these plans on Monday.
God bless, stay safe.
Annette Reen
Assistant Principal - Mission
annette.reen@lism.catholic.edu.au
Ministry Matters
“What does Jesus have to say to them? He says, ‘I no longer call you strangers, I call you friends.’ This is what I find so compelling about the friendship of God and the message of Christianity… that life is not a stacked tower of personal achievement, pride, ego, success, vanity; like you’re trying to build a rocket ship to heaven all by yourself. Rather, it’s just extending to others what Jesus says in the scriptures. In this world, you will have trouble but you’re not alone and you can put your weight on me.” (Pope Francis’ Message to the Diocese of Lismore, March 2022)
This message almost perfectly captures the response we have seen throughout our community to the recent flood disaster in the Northern Rivers. I have been humbled in our return to the College to hear harrowing tales of loss and survival matched in number by those of service, generosity and sacrifice. The very special nature of the Woodlawn family has been made evident yet again by the capacity of our people to respond to Christ’s call: “for I was hungry and you gave me some food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink” (Mt 25:35) and invite those in need to ‘put their weight on us.’
Next week we celebrate National Harmony Week with Harmony Day on Monday, 21 March. Our students have been working to put together a prayer for Harmony Day that encapsulates the values of inclusiveness, respect and belonging; each integral to our faith and College community.
Student Discipleship Retreats
Due to the significant changes witnessed in our community in recent weeks, the decision was made to postpone the Diocesan Student Discipleship Retreats that our students were scheduled to attend in the second half of this term. There has been much work and thought put in by members of the Diocesan Mission Team to move some events as follows:
LEAD Conference for Senior students: postponed to Term 2, Week4;
Incitare Year 6 Retreat: postponed to Tuesday, 5 April;
Transitus Year 7 Retreat: postponed indefinitely.
We look forward to working with our students in preparation for these lifegiving formation opportunities.
Year 12 Retreat
We were blessed to be able to facilitate a heavily modified and agile Senior Retreat for our Year 12 students on 23-24 February, prior to the departure of students from the school due to the impending flood.
The Retreat Team are grateful for the support and adaptivity of our Year 12 students and parents in working with us through this time. We are hopeful to be able to provide a series of opportunities to complete the Retreat process over the remainder of the year at the College.
Our YMOs were able to capture the spirit of the Retreat and some very creative work from our students to give us this short snapshot of the time we shared together.
To echo the sentiment of all, please reach out if you require support. We are all here to assist in any way we can.
In conclusion, I leave you with the prayer of St Patrick that is thought to have been found within his breastplate. I feel that his has particularly significance in our current climate:
I bind to myself to-day,
The power of Heaven,
The light of the Sun,
The whiteness of Snow,
The force of Fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The velocity of Wind,
The depth of the Sea,
The stability of the Earth,
The hardness of Rocks.
Nick Jones
Leader of School Evangelisation
nick.jones@lism.catholic.edu.au
Student Wellbeing
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
It has been lovely to welcome our students back to school this week. After what has been an especially trying time, there has been a strong sense of goodwill and camaraderie. Our students have been genuinely pleased to be reunited with their friends, showing solidarity in the face of adversity. We are blessed to be a part of such a positive and inclusive community.
As parents, we are aware of the potential risks associated with an online digital presence. Unfortunately, our young people are often not as aware. The eSafety Commission has developed a webinar as a parent guide to cyberbullying and online drama. It has been especially developed for parents and carers of young people aged 11 to 18 years old. This webinar will equip parents and caregivers with the tools to support young people to have safe and respectful online relationships.
The webinar will cover topics such as: starting conversations with young people about online friendships, understanding rights and laws that govern social media use and what to do if a child is involved in a cyberbullying incident. If interested, you can sign up for one of three sessions that run throughout March.
During this difficult time, you may notice a decline in the mental health of your young person. There are a number of excellent online resources that you may find beneficial in terms of supporting their wellbeing. Here are two of these:
eheadspace provides specialist help for families, parents, carers, and friends who are worried about a young person’s mental health. They can offer support over the telephone, via online chat and group counselling from 9am - 1am every day. You can access eheadspace here/.
The BRAVE program is an online program that provides teenagers and their parents with information and skills to help cope with worries and anxiety.
We are looking forward to maintaining a routine for our students and offering them many of the opportunities that schools typically provide, some of which have been missing for the last twelve months. We welcome a return to our sporting activities, academic extension, social justice initiatives and excursions, to name a few. Please encourage your young person to get involved in some of the extra-curricular activities we have on offer. Connectedness to school is a strong protective factor for mental health.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to make contact, fiona.fennamore@lism.catholic.edu.au or 66262627.
Stay well,
Fiona Fennamore
Leader of Student Welfare
fiona.fennamore@lism.catholic.edu.au
From the Leader of Pedagogy
High Potential Learner (HPL) program
Catering for High Potential Learners (HPL) is a continued focus at Woodlawn. The College strives to meet the needs of all students, including HPL, and aligns with the Diocesan Mission to enable all students to achieve ‘the fullness of life’.
The College recently invited selected students from Years 7-10 to be a part of the College’s HPL program in 2022. This exciting program allows students with gifts to be developed and challenged to support them in realising their full potential. The design of the HPL program is to nurture potential through inquiry and provide collaborative learning opportunities for extension.
These include:
- Access to an HPL Google Classroom containing regular posts of extension materials, personalised extension tasks, enrichment projects, questions, and discussions;
- Regular check-in HPL classes, including experienced and expert guidance from the Leader of Literacy and Numeracy;
- Peer support and opportunities to collaborate with HPL peers;
- Engagement in KLA competitions, such as Maths Challenge and co-curricular programs, e.g. Tournament of Minds (TOM);
- Catholic Schools Office literacy and numeracy initiatives;
- Literacy and numeracy workshops.
The HPL program will continue to work with gifted learners in its current format, i.e. classroom teachers, with the support of Leaders of Learning, providing students with extension and enrichment material that challenges them within the parameters of their curriculum. Students should complete their classroom work and then access the HPL Classroom to complete their extension material.
Should you identify your child needing extension in specific learning areas, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email (craig.saad@lism.catholic.edu.au).
NAPLAN News
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. NAPLAN Online testing will occur between 10 May- 13 May, 2022.
Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The assessment provides parents and schools with an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of the tests. NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance.
In 2020, NAPLAN was cancelled due to COVID-19 and the change to blended learning over this time period. Staff have continued to assist students in checking their devices and downloading the necessary locked down platform to complete the NAPLAN Online tests on their own devices. We will also participate in a NAPLAN Online practice test on Thursday, 24 March, 2022.
In 2021, all online testing was successfully conducted and this was a testament to the resilience and patience of our students and the support of our staff. This may be the first time your child has completed NAPLAN using the online platform, therefore the coordinated practice is an opportunity for students to engage with the platform before completing the actual testing in Term 2. Furthermore, if your child would like to engage with further demonstration questions outside of this coordinated practice, they can be found here using the demonstration site.
This year, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) will continue to administer the NAPLAN Online testing, with improvements and upgrades to their platform. St. John's College staff will be attending NAPLAN Online training in March to ensure these tests are administered smoothly, and that if technological problems do arise, our students will not be adversely affected.
Please take the time to read the NAPLAN Online information sheet attached. If you have any questions or concerns concerning the NAPLAN testing or process, please don't hesitate to contact either myself or Natalie Harris via email.
Craid Saad
Leader of Pedagogy
craig.saad@lism.catholic.edu.au
Careers Update
Having met and spoken with a number of employers post-floods, I am heartened and encouraged by the passion and energy our community has demonstrated through this recent disaster and its aftermath. Businesses going the extra mile to clean-up, re-open and support locals. Volunteers helping in so many ways, giving everything of themselves. Thank you to everyone who has supported and helped out in the locally affected communities. I was asked recently by a well meaning relative “Will you be moving now?” With an opportunity to live, work and raise a family in a community like this one, not a chance!
This fortnight we have started to receive information about Universities, new courses and early entry options. There are also a number of upcoming events which highlight different career pathways and also some options for students to experience courses.
Please take a moment to review the positions vacant below and either apply directly or speak with Mr Maginnity for further information. If you know a recent school leaver who might be interested in one of these positions, please pass this information along so that we can support our local employers to find the right people for their team.
Please follow this link for the full version of the careers update.
Bernie Maginnity
Vocational Pathways Coordinator
bernie.maginnity@lism.catholic.edu.au
Positions Vacant
Northern Rivers Equine Assisted Confidence Coaching
We are seeking a school leaver to undertake a Cert II in Business. Please see further details in the attached flyer. If you would like further information or are interested in applying, please use the contact details in the flyer.
Trigger Dental
We are seeking a Junior Dental Assistant to join the team. This position would suit someone who is planning to leave school or a recent school leaver. If you or someone you know would be suitable for the position, please see the attached flyer for further information and how to apply.
IT Traineeship - Evans River
If you have left school and are interested in a career in IT, this might be the opportunity to get your foot in the door. Please see the attached flyer for further information about the role.
2022 AFP Forensics Work Experience Program
Students have limited opportunities to undertake work experience with Australian Police Forces. Please follow the link for further information on the Australian Federal Police Forensics Work Experience Program. N.B. Due to current restrictions, all Work Experience requests are being considered on a case-by-case basis. It is still our desire to undertake Year 10 Work Experience later in the year, subject to restrictions.
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.
Extended trading hours for Winter sales are listed below:
April 2 - 11am to 3pm
April 3 - 11am to 3pm
April 23 - 11am to 3pm
Where: Colin Centre
Order Online: www.sjcwuniformshop.com.au
Book a fitting: www.sjcwuniformshop.com.au/bts-appointments
Parent & Friends Association AGM
The next meeting for the Woodlawn Parent & Friends Association will be the Annual General Meeting. This would normally be held in March but due to the catastrophic flooding in Lismore and surrounds, it was decided to postpone. The AGM will be held in the College Library on Monday, 30 May at 5.30pm. All positions will be declared vacant.
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
Parent Assembly Representative
Fundraising Coordinator
Sports Canteen Coordinator
Second Hand Uniform Shop Coordinator
The P&F plays a vital role in ensuring parents have a voice at the College. We also organise social events/fundraisers (although there have not been any of these over the past two years due to COVID) and also coordinates our much needed Sports Canteen and Second Hand Uniform Shop. Whilst we have had an amazing group of people on the Committee, some parents are still in positions while they no longer have students at the College. We really need your support in filling these postions for the coming year and would love to meet you at the AGM. Please come along and bring a friend ... all are very welcome. Sharing the load between many makes it so much easier!
Lisa Love
P&F President