Week 10 Term 3 2024
Message from the Principal
With the below scripture references encouraging and supporting us, this Newsletter is dedicated to celebrating our Graduating Class of 2024, along with some highlights of other areas of College life. Our students are at the heart of all we do and enabling them to live life to the full in a range of offerings, is communicated through these photos. Mission, Learning and Teaching, and our community feature in this testament to living ‘The Woodlawn Way’.
At the heart of our celebration was the Golden Rule, a central message from Matthew’s Gospel: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). It is a timeless reminder that the way we treat others shapes who we are. This idea is echoed in the African philosophy of Ubuntu: I am what I am because of who we are together. Our journey through life, especially here at St John’s College, is not one we walk alone. We are a community, and our connections to one another define us, support us, and uplift us. If you would like to purchase any photos that were taken at the Year 12 Graduation Mass and Prize Giving Ceremony, please contact Camera House, Lismore.
I was in awe of the outstanding work produced by the Year 8 students at their Book Expo. Congratulations to our students, their teachers and no doubt the families who supported this display of learning excellence. The winner of the Kevin Hogan book prize for 2024 was Amelie McPhee.
We pray that you find time for rest during these holidays.
Stay safe
Annette Reen
Principal 2024
Message from the Leader of School Evangelisation
IGNITE Conference 2024
Eight students and four staff members from Woodlawn headed to Brisbane last week for the annual IGNITE Catholic Youth Conference held at St Laurence’s Catholic College, South Brisbane. This year, Lismore Diocese was represented by approximately 250 staff and students. The theme was RISE UP! Conference attendees experienced rallies, keynote speakers, workshops, prayer, music, dance, drama, and small group discussions about what having a relationship with Jesus Christ can mean, look like, and how it can help everyone RISE to the challenges that life throws at you. Students and staff made new friends from across the Lismore Diocese and across the country and world!
Year 7 Cathedral Visits
Students from 701 and 702 recently attended Friday Masses at St Carthage's Cathedral.
After Mass, students were given the opportunity to walk around the Cathedral and learn more about the Catholic faith and their place of worship. Thank you to Fr Bing, Mrs Tickle, Mrs Deegan and Tash for guiding our students through this tradition during these visits.
Ministry at St Carthage’s Primary School
Year 10 Ministry Students recently visited St Carthage’s Primary School in Lismore to assist in the running of two retreat sessions for Year 1 and Year 4. Together with local Youth Ministers of the Lismore Diocese, Woodlawn students helped with games, discussions, and a range of other activities throughout the two days.
Kallie Deegan
kallie.deegan@lism.catholic.edu.au
Leader of School Evangelisation
Counselling Corner
Welcome to our first edition of Counselling Corner. We are excited to be adding our little snippet to the College Newsletter and will highlight several important issues facing our young people over the weeks.
Today we want to introduce ourselves and remind everyone how school counselling can be accessed.
We have three wonderful counsellors at the College – all working part-time.
Christina Hazell: works Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and can be contacted at christina.hazell@lism.catholic.edu.au
Susan Doughty: works Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and can be contacted at susan.doughty@lism.catholic.edu.au
Jacqui Rojo: works Monday and Tuesday and can be contacted at Jacqui.rojo@lism.catholic.edu.au
School counselling is confidential, which means all sessions are kept private unless our duty of care requires us to ensure the safety of the student or others. Students under the age of 14 do require parental permission to access counselling. Any student over the age of 14 can provide this consent themselves.
Mental health is often measured on a sliding scale, and students can place themselves anywhere on this scale and still access school counselling. It’s not just about addressing problems but can range from understanding emotions to learning how to manage exam stress, to building meaningful relationships with family and peers that allow them to feel supported and connected.
Accessing school counselling couldn’t be easier with students now having a link to their very own ‘Self-Referral’ form via their Compass homepage. These forms come straight to the counsellors who then reach out to the student to organise a time to meet. Parents can continue to reach us via the Year Co-ordinator, or even directly via phone (02) 6626 2600, or email.
We’d love to hear from you.
Christina, Susan & Jacqui
College Counsellors
Sports News
Under 16 Boys Rugby League - 9s Competition
The 9s competition is fast-paced, featuring 13-minute games with no conversions, and an exciting bonus of 5 points awarded for scoring the first try.
Pool Stage Matches:
- Game 1: Woodlawn vs Alstonville High Woodlawn started strong, securing a 3-1 victory with tries from Will Mosse (2) and Angus Graham (1).
- Game 2: Woodlawn vs Kingscliff High Unfortunately, Kingscliff High was short on players and forfeited, but we played a 7-a-side game afterwards for some valuable match practice.
- Game 3: Woodlawn vs St Joseph’s Banora In our final pool match, we faced a tough St Joseph’s Banora team, suffering a 17-0 loss. Our struggle to complete sets until the very end of the game contributed to the defeat.
Finishing second in our pool, we advanced to the semi-finals, confident we could bounce back.
Semi-Final: Woodlawn vs Tweed River High School
After analysing our earlier loss, we entered the semi-final with a clear plan: complete our sets and challenge the formidable Tweed River High School.
We started with great momentum, taking a 9-0 lead thanks to tries by Will Mosse and Cooper Roberts. Tweed River fought back, reducing our lead to just 1 point with two quick tries. However, a brilliant 40m solo effort by Will Mosse, weaving past four defenders, restored our 5-point lead with only 4 minutes left.
Unfortunately, an unforced error gave possession back to Tweed, and they capitalised with a try, narrowing the gap to 1 point. As the final hooter sounded, we faced immense pressure and, despite valiant defending, Tweed River managed to score in the corner after the siren, winning the match by the narrowest of margins. Tweed River High School went on to win the carnival.
Team List:
- William Aylward
- Bailey Anderson
- Reuben Louis
- William Mosse
- Angus Graham
- Cooper Roberts
- Zane Jacobs
- Blake Perkins
- Damian Lutze
- Ryan Studders
- Django Hudson Sheaffe
- Jack McLean
- Connor Cravigan
Under 14 Girls
The 14s Girls Rugby team had an impressive showing at the recent Gala Day held in Ballina, displaying both determination and teamwork throughout their matches. The team won three of their four games, demonstrating skill and growing cohesion. As the day progressed, the players noticeably improved, tightening their defence and executing more strategic plays.
Finishing second in their pool, the girls should be incredibly proud of their efforts, especially their ability to bounce back from their one loss with renewed focus and energy. Their passion for the game was clear, and their teamwork truly shone as they adapted and grew stronger together. A huge shout out to Dekyra who displayed strong leadership and direction, whilst never giving up or showing a lack of enthusiasm.
This experience has laid a strong foundation for future success, and with continued effort and unity, the team is poised for even greater achievements. Keep up the fantastic work!
Team List
- Ruby Allen
- Maggie Aylward
- Bridget Conlan
- Mali Cooper
- Eva Crook
- Zylie Danilczak
- Taleah Eades
- Willow Fisiilose
- Aaliyah Garang-Hall
- Allora Gould
- Minty Hussey
- Dekyra Layton
- Adelaide McFarlane
- Mia Sharpley
Under 16 Girls Rugby 7s - Sydney Trip
The Under 16s Rugby 7s team showed outstanding performance and represented the College with pride on their recent trip to Sydney to play in the NSW Rugby Union Secondary Schools State Finals. The team had secured their spot to play due to their fantastic performance in the Alex Gibbon Cup at Evans Head earlier in the term.
I am incredibly proud of the way the girls conducted themselves and they were fantastic representatives for the College. The girls committed to training twice per week in the weeks leading up to the trip including attending sessions run by representatives from NSW Rugby Union.
Under the leadership of captain Madison Coppola the team won two of their five games. Her encouragement and inclusion of all team members is to be commended. Standout players in defence were Chloe Weston, Ilaria Blenkhorn, Olivia Weston, and Macy Field. Annie Parrish scored a great intercept try in the first game. The standout performers of the day were Madison Coppola and Charlie Webster who were fantastic in both defence and attack, showing great speed, implementing strategic plays, and scoring multiple tries. All players need to be congratulated, particularly those who were playing Rugby for the first time.
A big thank you to Noah Dougherty and Seamus Reen who accompanied me and the team to Sydney. Noah was great at organising all the gear for the girls and Seamus’ knowledge and expertise of the game was appreciated.
NSWCCC Athletics
Congratulations to Malekai Kubils and Aaliyah Garang-Hall for their impressive performances at the NSWCCC Athletics. Malekai earned a gold medal in the 15 Years Boys Javelin with a throw of 42.16m, while Aaliyah took gold in the 13 Years Girls Shot Put with a distance of 10.56m. Aaliyah also secured a silver medal in the 13 Years Girls Discus with a throw of 31.98m. Their efforts and achievements are commendable.
GOLD
Malekai Kubils 15 Years Boys Javelin - 42.16m
Aaliyah Garang-Hall 13 Years Girls Shot Put - 10.56m
SILVER
Aaliyah Garang-Hall 13 Years Girls Discus - 31.98m
Message from the Library
Year 8 Book Expo
As proud sponsors of the Book Expo, library staff were blown away by this year’s efforts. Year 8 English students excelled at this engaging and valuable term-long assignment. There was a great variety of fiction chosen and the displays showcased this. There were images created by AI, book trailers, book bentos, and much more. How wonderful to be so engaged and creative with a book of your choice! Congratulations to all students and those who were awarded prizes for their displays. You have made your teachers and yourselves proud.
Catherine Graham-Smith
Leader of Library
Attendance
Going on a Family Holiday/Family Event?
Less than 10 days: Please notify the school that your student will be absent via the Compass Absence feature or email lisjc-studentservices@lism.catholic.edu.au
More than 10 days: Complete Form 01 Extended Leave Notification.
Does your student compete or attend Elite Sports Programs?
Also includes talented identification programs run by the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation.
Complete Form 05 Exemption from Attendance General.
Does your student attend Elite Arts Programs?
Accredited Elite Arts programs are defined as an opportunity for a student to participate in an event or program that is beyond the gifted and talented opportunities that the Diocese offers.
Complete Form 05 Exemption from Attendance General.
Late Arrival
Students arriving after 8.55 am, need to enter via the Student Service Office. Please submit late arrivals via the Compass Submit Attendance Note feature.
Early Departure
Please use the Compass Submit Attendance Note feature to notify of early departure. The Student Services Office cannot guarantee your student to be ready for an early departure without adequate notification.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Zone
Reminder the drop-off and pick-up zone is located between the school and the ovals at the back of the school. Please do not collect your student from the front entrance due to safety reasons.
Instructions for entering details into Compass to submit absence/ late arrival/ early departure (alternatively see attached pdf for instructions)
- Log into your Compass account
- Click on the +Shortcuts symbol at the bottom of the page
- Select Submit Attendance Note
- Select Reason
- Add Details/Comments
- Select the date and time that your child will be collected or absent
- Select the End date as the date or time your child will be returning to school (or 3.15pm if they are not returning to school that day)
- Select Potentially Affected Sessions
- Hit Add Attendance Note at the bottom of the page.
Lost Property
Lost Property is located outside the Student Services Office. Please clearly label all items that are brought or worn to school.
Student Services Office
Lisjc-studentservices@lism.catholic.edu.au
6626 2629
Canteen News
Flexischools orders have a cut-off time of 9.00am.
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, we encourage you to order online ahead of time for easy click-and-collect in store.
Uniform Shop Opening Hours (School Term):
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 (School Term):
Time: 11.00am - 2.00pm
When: Every Wednesday
Where: Colin Centre
Leanne Copeland
Uniform Shop Convenor
0407 739 237
Community News
