Newsletter Term 3 - 2024 - Week 6-10
Principal's Report
Dear Members of the St John’s Catholic College Community,
I write this newsletter article from my bed in Royal Darwin Hospital.
You may be aware, I suffer from a bad back. Since the back end of Term 2 I have been experiencing increased pain, and reduced mobility and posture. During this time so many students took the time to check on me, and ask if I was ok.
Unfortunately, on Wednesday of Week 8, I was hospitalised with severe back pain which largely rendered me bed bound, flat on my back. The nurses and doctors at RDH have been amazing, and I am starting to show progress towards recovery.
My newsletter article this edition is one of gratitude and appreciation, for the staff at RDH and the St John’s Catholic College Community - the students, staff and families who have sent prayers, best wishes, meals and flowers, and those who have visited me, and those who have covered my duties during my absence.
Being part of a community such as St John’s is an amazing gift. We all have a role to play in continuing to cultivate our community as one of Compassion, Courage, Welcome and Truth.
I truly thank all members of our community who have showed me care and compassion these past few weeks.
Update: Cameron has been discharged from hospital and is now resting and recovering at home and is looking forward to returning to St John’s Catholic College.
Fortes in Fide,
Cameron Hughes
Principal
St John’s Catholic College Darwin
Deputy Principal
Dear Members of the St John’s Catholic College Community,
As I write this, we have just completed the process of finalising our student leadership selection for 2025. It has been an extensive process, with so many wonderful candidates putting up their hand to lead in our College, and we do this in a thorough way to ensure that we select students who are best suited for these very important roles.
Our approach to leadership at St John’s Catholic College is based on the model of the ‘servant leadership’, exercised by Jesus, which acknowledges that every student has the capacity to exercise leadership. This model is one where those in leadership roles seek to enrich the experience of others through their service. This model of leadership reflects our values as a Catholic College in the footsteps of leaders who have gone before us in the great charism of St John’s Catholic College.
In any process such as this, some people miss out. Most people who fall into this category will feel hurt, and this is only natural. It is important to be positive and not to dwell on the negative, instead concentrate on supporting those who have been selected, and readying ourselves for the next opportunity to be called to leadership.
This term we had a focus on “R U OK Day”. Student wellbeing is the highest priority at St John’s Catholic College. This includes spiritual, physical, mental, and social. Students are encouraged to maintain a healthy balance between their academic studies, recreation and sleep and to know that they are all precious in the eyes of our community and our loving God.
Our core business at St John’s Catholic College is to provide students with a rich learning environment that is open, respectful, caring and safe. We achieve this by developing and communicating an explicit commitment to wellbeing through our Pastoral Care Program. Through the work of our Leaders of House and our Chaplain and Counsellors in overseeing student wellbeing and the many programs offered, we maintain an environment which maximises student safety and wellbeing.
For our Year 12 students, the cessation of formal classes is fast approaching! There really is no time to waste, and making best use of the days ahead can make a substantial difference to subject grades and final outcomes.
To that end, I urge all Year 12 students to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of their dreams this year. Our students are capable of great things, and small changes in routines, and an enhanced commitment to excellence, will make an enormous difference in few days of formal classes still ahead of us.
Let’s embrace the fresh energy of the coming holidays and come back to a big final term with renewed enthusiasm and a commitment to excellence.
Kind Regards,
Joseph Hicks
Deputy Principal
Director of Boarding
To our College community,
IYLP Gathering – Sydney 2024
Last week, Assistant Director of Boarding, Zuleika Aylward and I travelled to Sydney with two students, Micah Maymuru and Denise Martin for the IYLP National Gathering.
This event is held every year for members of the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program, which is run by The Smith Family. The National Gathering is for first year members of the program and most of the students were in Year 9 and some in Year 10. The students came from around the country, including Adelaide, Melbourne, Cairns, Ballarat and Sydney. There were over 60 students present.
We had a busy program aimed at developing leadership in young Indigenous students. Based at Olympic Park in Sydney, the program involved a variety of activities that were Indigenous focused and involved students getting out of their comfort zone, interacting with other students and being mentored by young adults that have been through the program previously.
One of the highlights was an Indigenous focused cruise on Sydney Harbour with an historical understanding of the harbour and its development over time and a walk and presentation on GOAT island, a small indigenous owned island in the harbour.
Our students, Micah and Denise were outstanding. Both were mature and responsible and both stepped outside of their comfort zone to interact with others, and engage in the program.
Junior Camp
At the end of Week 8, we took 21 junior boarding students to Batchelor Outdoor Education Centre. We left Saturday morning, arriving for lunch, followed by an afternoon of structured activities and unstructured play. We started with the rock climbing wall. All students were present and two students climbed at a time. The rest of the students were very supportive and encouraging of each other. Lots of claps when they reached the top and screaming out encouragement to all students to reach higher and further. Lots of students went when they were worried and lots of them made it to the top. In the afternoon we walked to the local swimming pool for some time to cool off and relax in the water. A game of water tip gave enough fun and excitement for everyone to keep busy in the water.
When we got back we had some play time, which included footballs and a game of volleyball and the trampolines didn't stop bouncing all weekend. This was followed by dinner and ice cream, and then by a movie in the rec room. Bed time was 930pm with all lights out at 1030pm. The next morning we had breakfast at 730am followed by mountain bike riding through the bush around Batchelor. The kids (and the adults) had a great time riding around in the dirt and again showed resilience and encouragement to keep going in the heat, as there were a few tricky spots to ride around. We had a few chains come off and some minor mechanical problems that we worked through and got back safely. There was a whisper of a rogue Chihuahua at one stage that turned everyone back but I didn't see it!!. When we got back, the students packed up the dorms and packed the vehicles before having sandwiches for lunch and then the drive back home.
Thanks to the staff that attended, they were supportive and engaged and everyone played their part to motivate and manage the students across the weekend. We couldn't have asked for a better group of young people, they were engaged, enthusiastic, supportive and encouraging of each other and looked like they all had a great time. Sometimes a change of context can make all the difference. We have great kids, sometimes it just takes a bit of a different perspective to highlight it.
We hope you all enjoy the holiday break, take some time for yourself and come back refreshed and ready for Term 4.
Kind regards,
Scott Mannion
Director of Boarding
Acting Assistant Principal: Religious Education
To our St. John’s community,
Over the past few weeks, our Year 7-10 students embarked on a meaningful spiritual journey during their annual retreats. These retreats provided an invaluable opportunity for students to step away from their daily routines and focus on their personal faith and relationship with God. Each retreat was led by the Darwin Youth Formation Group, also known as the NET Team, who brought incredible energy and enthusiasm, guiding students through a range of activities designed to foster reflection, prayer, and connection with one another. The team’s ability to relate to the students and inspire them was truly exceptional, creating a memorable and impactful experience for all involved.
We would also like to express our deep gratitude to Fr. Suraj, who celebrated Mass during the retreats. His presence added a significant spiritual dimension to the retreat, reminding us of the importance of Eucharist in our faith journey. Through the Mass, students were given the chance to reflect on their personal relationship with Christ and how they can continue to live out their faith in their daily lives.
In addition to the retreats, we had the privilege of being invited by St. Mary’s Primary School to join them for the celebration of their Feast Day Mass. This was a special occasion for our students to be a part of, as it not only allowed us to assist in the sacred celebration but also strengthened the close bond between St. John’s and St. Mary’s. The shared experience of worship, prayer, and community deepened our connection with St. Mary’s, and we look forward to continuing this partnership as we journey together in faith.
Both the retreats and the Feast of St. Mary’s have been powerful reminders of the strength and support within our Catholic community. We are immensely proud of our students for their openness, engagement, and commitment to growing in their faith through these experiences. May we continue to foster these opportunities for spiritual growth and connection as a school.
Kind regards,
Justin Veitch
Acting Assistant Principal: Religious Education
Finance Manager
Dear Parents / Guardians,
As we approach the end of Term 3, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all families about the importance of settling any outstanding school fees. Timely payment is crucial in ensuring that our College continues to provide high-quality education and a range of extracurricular activities for our students. If you have any outstanding fees, we kindly request that you address these by 13 December 2024.
To facilitate the payment process, we offer several convenient payment options including weekly / fortnightly direct debits, online payments, credit card payments and in-person payments at our finance office. If you have any questions about the payment options available to you, please do not hesitate to contact our finance team.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our school community.
Kind regards,
Finance Manager
Ruth Suriyagoda CA, CPA, FCA (SL)
TOP HEADLINES
Daley News
Dailey Deadly Awards were introduced to recognize Daley students who made a contribution to specific events and programs. Students were presented at Monday AM Daley Chats with their Certificates. Daley students made a significant contribution to College Rep teams during Term 3, namely, touch football, squash and table tennis. Daley students were also recognized for success in the national Spelling Bee competition. Dailey students, Denise Martin and Micah Maymuru, were the two students selected to attend the IYLP National Gathering in Sydney in early September. The Director of Boarding, Mr Scott Manion, reported that, "Our students, Micah and Denise, were outstanding. Both were mature and responsible, and both stepped outside of their comfort zone to interact with others, and engage in the program".
The 2024 Daley House Spirit Day was run Week 9. Daley students organized activities, prizes and a BBQ lunch for the school. Special thanks to Ms Graham for initiating and organizing the program.
We take this opportunity to recognize our Year 12 students who are approaching a critical phase of their studies. We wish them well in the coming challenges.
Our current captains met with Year 10 and 11 students to encourage them to apply for 2025 Captain roles. The applicants all did an outstanding job, pitching to the whole House. The 2025 positions will be finalized early in Term 4, so a handover can be carried out, and training and planning for next year can be finalized before the end of the year.
During our Celebration Assembly On the last Monday of the term, all team members were encouraged to reflect on the Term 3 program and make suggestions on how Daley can go to the next level, Term 4.
Go Daley!
Ernie Fleming
Daley HOH
For HRTs and Captains
Material Design-Timber Class
This term one of the timber classes has been working on a shoe rack project. Most of them are really focused on following directions to complete their project. As a result, they completed the project to a very good level and took it home yesterday. Some of the proud owners are posing with their product.
Science Week
We celebrated National Science week this term with a quiz competition, some fun science experiments and finished the week with a homeroom tallest tower engineering challenge. Since the materials for each tower had to be “purchased” using a limited number of tokens, teams had to strategize whether to buy more expensive strong materials or cheaper but weaker materials. A wide variety of creative approaches were taken to tower construction with some spectacular constructions and collapses.
Daley Homeroom 1 were crowned the winners with their tower measuring 174cm tall. Daley Homeroom 2 and O’Loughlin Homeroom 4 completed the podium measuring at 163cm and 147cm respectively.
Congratulations to all participants for their creativity and determination!
