JOHN PAUL COLLEGE is a co-educational, state integrated Catholic and la Sallian School. What does this mean?
Co-educational means both boys and girls are enrolled at our school.
A State-Integrated School means some of the responsibilities of running the school are carried out by the New Zealand Government and some by the Catholic Church. Some would regard it as a semi-private school.
The school upholds the Catholic values and traditions which are practiced here.
Even though most internationals are from other faiths and backgrounds they are welcomed as fully fledged students of the school.
It is not compulsory for international students to attend religious education classes, but they are expected to respect the beliefs and practices of the school community.
Being one of the only LaSallian Catholic schools in New Zealand, JPC is also part of the broader network of La Sallian educational institutions spread throughout the world. These links further stengthen the global perspective of all students attending our school. More information about the Lasallian educational movement can be accessed on www.lasallianfoundation.org
Important Parental Permission and Information Forms to be completed before arrival. They include:
Responsible use of Technology Agreement : John Paul College’s digital resources (e.g. Internet, digital and video cameras and computers) are available to students. However, before being granted access to JPC’s Internet and eLearning Resources, all students must have the permission of their parent/caregiver. Both they and you must sign below as evidence of your approval and their acceptance of the rules of access. Please read the requirements and discuss them with your child, then complete the permission section.
EOTC Permission Slip : JPC students need parental permission for their child to partake in educational activities outside the classroom. (EOTC Form) Please ensure the form is completed, signed and returned before arrival.
Code of Conduct : The code of conduct is a list of expectations that International students are required to uphold while at John Paul College.
ARRIVAL
When you arrive from overseas, it is likely that Auckland Airport will be your port of entry. For more information about New Zealand’s largest airport click on https://www.aucklandairport.co.nz
To have an idea of the Auckland Airport layout, click on https://www.aucklandairport.co.nz/information/airport-maps to see the International and Domestic Terminal Maps
If you have arranged a shuttle to Rotorua then your shuttle driver will be waiting for you right at Arrival Gate – which is where you enter the public area of the airport terminal – after having passed through the customs.
In the very unlikely event of NZ Immigration officials delaying your entry through customs – then tell them to immediately contact the JPC International Director [+64 027 2646004] for assistance.
When arriving in Rotorua, you will be taken straight to you homestay family who will have been fully briefed and updated about your ETA -expected time of arrival.
A JPC International Staff member will also pop by to welcome you within the first 24 hours of arrival. Your host family will understand that you will have had a long trip and will need time to rest up.
When ready, your homestay family will liaise with the International Team to arrange the best time for you to arrive at school.
CONTACT NUMBERS
The International Director is accessible on +64 027 2646004 or if needing to email while on route his address is international@jpc.school.nz
For homestay related issues the Homestay Co-ordinator is also available on
+64 021 355280
Preferably, if the call can wait for during office hours, then the school numbers for the JPC International Team are :
+64 07 347 8795 ext 8834 (International Director)
ext 8863 (International Homestay Co-ordinator)
ORIENTATION
Your first three days at school will be spent with the staff of the International Department. They will show you around the school, choose your subjects, explain your timetable, help you set up a bank account, buy uniform and books, and introduce you to your teachers and fellow students. Only once it is clear that you are ready and prepared to be integrated into the classes, will that step take place.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
The John Paul College uniform defines who we are, and our students, proud of their school, wear uniform at all times.
JPC believes it is important that students are always dressed correctly and only wear items on the uniform list.
Juniors (Years 7 – 10) wear a different uniform to the seniors (Years 11 -13) and to accommodate the seasonal changes, a separate outfit is worn in Summer and in Winter.
Uniform items need to be clearly named, cleaned, ironed and mended. Full school uniform is to be worn between College and home, both ways.
During your Orientation of the school, Mrs. Jo de Loryn will support you to acquire your own school uniform. School uniforms can be brought from the School Uniform shop which is open Monday & Wednesday form 8.30 until 2pm.
SCHOOL HOUSES
On arrival you will be allocated to one of one of five houses for curricular and co-curricular activities. The House System is one of the processes by which School Spirit is calculated and maintained throughout the scholastic year.
The Houses are:
- Kanea House – Yellow
- McKenna House – Blue
- MacKillop House –Green
- Rice House – Red
- La Salle – Purple
SUBJECT PLACEMENT
At the earliest convenience, the Oxford Placement Test will be given to all newcomers. This is not a ‘test” but is used to help give an indication what courses are best suited for each student.
Based on the needs of the student, language competence, previous school records and available spaces in the classes, placement will be made together with the International Dean.
Every endeavour will be made to place international students into the subjects of their choice. However, this unfortunately cannot be guaranteed. It is sometimes difficult to place students into their preferred subjects – especially in the middle of the year when some classes are at their optimum size. However it is easier to accommodate if choices are submitted before the academic year begins. Thorough discussions will take place before placing students into the classes and if combinations don’t work out, the school is always open to make further changes.
School operating times
All New Zealand schools have four terms of tuition per year, and normally each one is ten weeks long. Term One usually begins in late January and Term Four ends in late November for seniors (YRS 11-13) and in early December for juniors (YRS 7-10). There is a two-week holiday between each term, and a long holiday of about seven weeks between the end of Term Four and the start of the new school year.
School Time Table
School lessons take place from Monday to Friday with sport and cultural events throughout the week, including weekends.
The school day starts at 8.35 and ends at 3.05 p.m. Tuition begins at 8.55 a.m. and there are five one-hour lessons each day. Form classes meet daily to deal with administrative and pastoral issues.
Because of the wide variety of subjects, the school operates on a 10-day school timetable – which is split into two sections,- Week A and Week B.
KAMAR
The School Management System is KAMAR . You can gain access to it through your devices as well as through the JPC International App. All aspects of your school life is stored and managed through KAMAR. This includes your timetable, attendance, reports and academic progress. Your parents can also gain access to certain components of KAMAR, through a given password.
Attendance requirements
1 School Policies apply to all our domestic and international students.
2 Form Teachers and / or International staff will contact home-stay parents in the event of an unexplained absence.
3 Discipline procedures will be applied in the event of truancy and the student’s parents / and agents will be notified.
Assessments at School and Reports
It is expected that when enrolled into the various classes, you attempt all educational assessments. Only after thorough discussions with you, the teacher, agents and/or parents will an exemption be made. Even if you attempt the various subject assessments, you do not have to enrol with NZQA.
Comprehensive reports are issued twice a year and specially designed reports which meet the demands and criteria of certain countries, can be arranged
CULTURE SHOCK
Coming from another country, it is inevitable that differences can be difficult to accept. Usually there is the initial euphoria of arrival, but soon the difficulties of adapting lock in. This can lead to feelings of worry or feeling down, which can also lead to feeling homesick. If handled correctly and with the right frame of mind, the recovery happens and then integration becomes easier. By the time one leaves, New Zealand usually feels like home. It is quite possible that the same experience of culture shock happens then on return. All of this is quite normal so it is helpful to understand that this is experienced by so many new students.
Ist WEEK INTERVIEW
After a week, one of the International Staff will briefly interview you to check how well you are coping. This is an opportunity to share all aspects of your settling in – including homestay, school and your overall well-being.
