Newsletter Term 1 _ Week 5_2025
Principal's Report
Dear Members of the St John’s Catholic College Community,
Pilgrims of Hope – Jubilee Year Prayer:
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Welcome:
What a busy start to the 2025 academic year. This year our theme is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, aligned to the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year. This year we are delighted to welcome 80+ students and their families into our community. We are on track reach our goal of 300 students this year, and 350 students by 2027.
* COVID impacted
As part of our Strategic Plan, the College is committed to ‘driving student enrolments, attendance, engagement and retention supporting growth and achievement, differentiation and choice’. Whilst there is context to every student’s attendance rate, the College’s goal is a 90%+ attendance rate for each student. On a 200-day school year, 90% represents attending 180 days per year (less public holidays and school closure days). Whilst it is pleasing the number of students who maintain excellent attendance, it is concerning the number of students who are well below the 90%+ goal. By choosing to enrol at St John’s, students are joining a community committed to our Catholic Identity, quality teaching and learning, and good pastoral care. Research supports a focus on attendance, as a fully engaged student is more likely to experience positive education, employment, health and wellbeing outcomes. The College looks forward to working with students and families to improve individual and overall attendance.
Launch of SEQTA Engage – For Parents / Carers
In 2024, the College launched SEQTA as our Learning Management System (LMS). SEQTA is the platform for: subject information, attendance, assessment, reporting and communication. SEQTA contains three platforms:
- SEQTA Teach - for Teachers
- SEQTA Learn - for Students
- SEQTA Engage - for Parents / Carers
It is important that Parents / Carers have access to SEQTA, and regularly engage with the platform for data and information relating to Teaching and Learning, and Pastoral Care and Wellbeing. Please contact the College if you are having troubles accessing the SEQTA Engage application.
Staffing:
During Term 1 we will farewell Sister Pauline Nakkazi and Mr Samweli Msafiri. Sister Pauline will be taking up role with Catholic Care and Samweli will be joining Melaleuca Australia. We thank Sister Pauline and Samweli for their significant contributions to the College and our Community during their employment.
New Teaching Staff for 2025:
It was wonder to meet with so many Parents and Carers at our ‘Meet the Teachers’ event. For Parents / Carers who were unable to join us, we have provided introductory and key contact information below:
Ms Madeline Pruscino (Head of Doneley House):
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Madeline Pruscino to a Classroom Teaching position, with the added responsibility of Head of Doneley House. Ms Pruscino holds a Bachelor of Teaching / Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) from the Australian Catholic University. Ms Pruscino is an experienced Teacher, having taught at St Francis Xavier College since 2016, and has taken on positions of responsibility, including: Head of House, Differentiated Learning Activities Leader, Co-Director of Learning and Growth, and Professional Practice Leader. Ms Pruscino’s teaching areas are Religious Education and Humanities.
Mr Jody (Skip) Hall (Design & Technology - Wood & Metalwork)
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Jody (Skip) Hall to a teaching position commencing the beginning of the 2025 academic year. Mr Hall holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from Adelaide University, and Trade Certification as an Auto Electrician from TAFE South Australia. Mr Hall has previously worked as Classroom Teacher at Casuarina Senior College, Good Shepherd Lutheran College, Marrara Christian College, Woodville High School and Craigmore Christian School. In addition, Mr Hall brings a range of industry experiences to the role through previous positions with Care Flight and Surf Life Saving NT.
Mr Craig Britton (Physics & Chemistry)
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Craig Britton to a teaching position commencing the beginning of the 2025 academic year. Mr Britton holds a Bachelor of Science / Bachelor of Teaching from Charles Sturt University, majoring in Analytical Chemistry and minoring in Physics. Mr Britton is an experienced teacher having worked as Classroom Teacher and Middle Manager at Mater Dei Catholic College, Wagga Wagga, and Marymount College, Burleigh Heads.
Mrs Rehana Bano (Mathematics)
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Rehana Bano to a teaching position commencing the beginning of the 2025 academic year. Ms Bano holds a Bachelor of Education from University of South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. Ms Bano has previously worked in a number of schools in Fiji as Classroom Teacher and Head of Mathematics Department. Ms Bano has also worked as Teacher's Aide and Tutor at Al-Faisal College, New South Wales. Ms Bano has been working at the College as Inclusion Support Assistant since the beginning of Semester 2, 2024 and acted as the Inclusion Support Administrator for a brief period of time.
Mr Robin Eldho (Mathematics and Legal Studies)
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Robin Eldho to a teaching position commencing the beginning of the 2025 academic year. Mr Eldho holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Birla Institute of Technology, UAE and a Master of Teaching from Charles Darwin University. Mr Eldho has worked as Classroom Teacher at Darwin Middle School. He has also experience working in the roles of Accountant, Optical Assistant and Teaching Assistant.
Positions of Added Responsibility:
Senior Leadership Team
- Principal (Team Leader) Mr Cameron Hughes hughes@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Deputy Principal Ms Rebecca Young young@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Director of Boarding Mr Scott Mannion mannion@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning Mr Nelson Tio tio@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Religious Education Coordinator Ms Carla Hayes hayes@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Finance Manager Ms Ruth Suriyagoda suriyagoda@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Operations Manager Mr Gayan Abeysekara abeysekara@nt.catholic.edu.au
Teaching and Learning Team
- Assistant Principal: T&L (Team Leader) Mr Nelson Tio tio@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Head of Faculty A Mrs Cherilyn Hughes hughes@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Head of Faculty B Mr Brayden Nheu nheu@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Inclusion Support Coordinator Ms April Hoskin hoskin@nt.catholic.edu.au
- VET and Careers Coordinator Ms Tracey Ingui ingui@nt.catholic.edu.au
Pastoral Care Team
- Deputy Principal (Team Leader) Ms Rebecca Young young@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Acting Head of Burford House Mrs Bernadette McGrath mcgrath@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Head of Daley House Mr Ernest Fleming fleming@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Head of O’Loughlin House Mr Izaak Thomas thomas@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Head of Doneley House Ms Madeline Pruscino pruscino@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Assistant Director of Boarding: PCW Mr Enrique Vargas vargas@nt.catholic.edu.au
Boarding Leadership Team
- Director of Boarding (Team Leader) Mr Scott Mannion mannion@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Assistant Director of Boarding: PCW Mr Enrique Vargas vargas@nt.catholic.edu.au
- Assistant Director of Boarding: Administration Mrs Zuleika Aylward aylward@nt.catholic.edu.au
We have now entered into the Season of Lent, a period of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Thank you to Father Suraj for leading our Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Thank you to Student Leaders: Catrina Meldrum, Virginia Dias Quintas and Sheraz Ahmad for representing the College at the launch of Project Compassion. During Lent the College will be raising money to support the important work of Caritas Australia. Further information on Caritas Australia and Project Compassion can be found at: https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/
Blessings to you and your family during the Season of Lent.
Fortes in Fide,
Cameron Hughes
Principal
Deputy Principal
Dear Members of the St John’s Catholic College Community,
A warm welcome to all our families, both returning and new, as we embark on the 2025 school year at St John's Catholic College. As Deputy Principal, I am excited to witness the positive start our students have made, demonstrating their commitment to learning and embracing the spirit of our community. Thank you, parents and guardians, for your unwavering support in ensuring our students arrive with a positive attitude. I am consistently impressed by the way our staff and students embody our core expectations: to stay safe, respect everybody, and learn every day.
At St John’s our college motto is “Fortes in Fide” meaning "strong in faith." We are a community, not a collection of individuals, and we journey together through the highs and lows of school life. The actions of one person can impact the entire community, and we strive to cultivate a sense of pride in being part of St John's Catholic College. This collective strength was beautifully exemplified during the St Mary's and St John's Combined Opening Mass at the Cathedral. Our "Meet the Teachers" evening was another success, providing a valuable opportunity for parents to connect with our dedicated staff. It was a pleasure to welcome so many new families to our community. Our students are settling in well, with our older students demonstrating exceptional leadership in welcoming new members. New students have adjusted seamlessly to the dynamic teaching and learning environment our teachers provide.
We've already seen the vibrant spirit of our school come alive with the commencement of our House Cup Events. Congratulations to O'Loughlin House for their victory in the Science and Maths Quiz! The excitement continues with the upcoming Interhouse Basketball competition on Burford Spirit Day, Friday 14th March – let's see the Green Machine shine! And don't forget to mark your calendars for the final House Cup event of Term 1: the Swimming Carnival at Parap Swimming Pool on Friday 28th March. We encourage everyone to participate and show their house pride.
It's also a timely reminder to revisit our uniform expectations, as outlined in the Student Handbook. Students with longer hair must have it tied up neatly. Extreme hair colours and styles are not permitted. Regarding footwear, shoes should be black or predominantly black with some white highlights; other colours are not acceptable. Additionally, every Friday, unless otherwise specified, students are required to wear their House Shirts. Failure to comply will result in a loss of house points, impacting your house's standing in the House Cup. Let's work together to uphold our standards and support our houses.
A new initiative we have at St. John's for 2025 is the Restorative Lunchtime Detention (RLD) with Heads of House. The purpose is designed to foster a positive and reflective learning environment and to replace what was previously an afterschool detention on a Wednesday and it to address Level 2 Behaviours contained in the Student Handbook. This initiative provides students with an opportunity to address through a structured restorative conversation led by a Head of House. By focusing on understanding the impact of their actions and developing plans for positive change, students are empowered to learn from their experiences and contribute to a stronger, more harmonious school community. This approach emphasises growth and accountability, ensuring timely intervention and promoting a culture of respect and understanding. If your child is to receive a RLD, you will receive communication from the Head of House the day prior to the RLD taking place; the RLD starts at 1:00pm and runs for 20 minutes, ensuring that students have time to use the bathroom, have some lunch and have some time before the afternoon classes.
As we move forward into the rest of the year, we are committed to providing a supportive and engaging learning environment for all students. We encourage you to stay connected with the school through SEQTA and upcoming events. Remember, SEQTA is a valuable tool for staying informed about your child's progress. Please utilise the SEQTA Engage portal for regular communication and oversight of your child's learning. We value your partnership in ensuring a successful and productive year for our students.
Kind Regards,
Rebecca Young
Deputy Principal
Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning
Dear St John’s Catholic College Community,
NAPLAN 2025
Year 7 and Year 9 students will take part in NAPLAN Online from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 17 March 2025. Students will complete four tests online on separate days: Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy in that order. Earlier this term a letter containing information regarding NAPLAN was sent out to all parents / guardians of all Year 7 and Year 9 students.
All Year 7 and Year 9 students will require to use their own laptop to take part in the NAPLAN Online tests. Please ensure that your son/daughter’s laptop is fully charged and that he/she brings a charger to the tests. In Weeks 5 to 6, an IT Support Technician will perform an inspection of all laptops during timetabled lessons to ensure compatibility with the testing platform.
Students will be required to use earphones to access the audio component of tests. The College will provide disposable in-ear earphones; however, if your son/daughter wishes to bring their own earphones, they are encouraged to do so.
If students bring their own earphones, please ensure that the device has a normal earphone jack and not an Apple lightning jack.
For students who may require disability adjustments, including exemptions for families who meet the conditions for exemptions, please contact Ms. April Hoskin (Inclusion Support Coordinator) for a discussion: april.hoskin@nt.catholic.edu.au
Exemption forms will need to be submitted to the College by Monday 17 February 2025.
If you wish to see what the online test looks like, please visit: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site
The NAPLAN testing schedule for Year 7 and Year 9 is as follows:
Catch up tests will run as required from Tuesday 18 March through to Monday 24 March 2025.
Year 12 Students
At the time this newsletter was written, Year 12 students should already be part way through their first assessment task. A reminder to Year 12 students that all school-based assessments for your subjects must be completed by Friday, Week 10 Term 3. The SACE examination timetable will be distributed to students once it is released.
To qualify for the NTCET, students are required to achieve a ‘C-‘ or better in 3 subjects (60 credits) at Stage 2. This is in conjunction with the 140 credits at a ‘C’ grade or better at a Stage 1 or 2 level and the successful completion of the compulsory subjects (PLP/EIF, 2 x literacy, 1 x numeracy units).
To achieve an ATAR (university entrance score), students are required to undertake 90 credits worth of Stage 2 subjects.
StudentsOnline – SACE Results portal for students
Year 12 students must log into StudentsOnline, the SACE results portal for students, in order to access their results and ATAR at the end of the year.
Students must log into the portal and ensure that they have ticked ‘yes’ to the sharing preferences. By not doing this you may restrict your result access, which may result in not generating an ATAR as you have not ticked ‘yes’ to sharing with SATAC. By not ticking ‘yes’ to sharing you may also restrict the College’s access to your results, which may limit support from the College should you encounter any issue with your end-f-year result.
https://www.sace.sa.edu.au/studying/your-sace/what-is-students-online
Subject Changes
Students are no longer able to make changes to their subjects for the semester. The cut off date for changes to subjects was Friday Week 2 this term.
Targeted Placement
Our College uses the targeted placement policy to place students in classes in Years 7 to 9 core classes and Year 10 Mathematics. The College does not offer mixed ability classes for these subjects:
- Religious Education
- English
- History/Geography
- Mathematics
- Science
Targeted placement refers to the grouping of students in classes based on academic levels to best cater for their learning needs. Targeted placement provides the opportunity for students to receive support and/or extension depending on their progress in each subject area. Targeted placement decisions are informed by a range of data collected through: NAPLAN, PAT, standardised tests, school assessments and other relevant considerations.
Teaching & Learning Team
The Teaching & Learning Team members for 2025 are as follows:
Head of Faculty A Ms. Cherilyn Hughes cherilyn.hughes@nt.catholic.edu.au
Head of Faculty B Mr. Brayden Nheu brayden.nheu@nt.catholic.edu.au
Inclusion Support Ms April Hoskin april.hoskin@nt.catholic.edu.au
VET/Careers Ms Tracey Ingui tracey.ingui@nt.catholic.edu.au
Please make contact with the relevant coordinators if you have questions.
Fortes in Fide,
Nelson Tio
Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning
Director of Boarding
Hi everyone,
Welcome to the 2025 school year!! I am excited to welcome a group of new students into our boarding programme this year. We have 7 new students at the College from boarding and we will have another larger, new group starting in term 2. We welcome new students from Broome, Pirlangimpi, Santa Teresa, Ngukkur and Yarralin to our College community.
Our return of students from last year has been excellent, we had a full return of all enrolled students within the first weeks and we are impressed at the excitement and energy of all our boarding students.
As always, it’s been a busy start to the year for staff and students. I’m very proud of our staff and students for the way we have started the year. We put a lot of work into welcoming the students and making everyone feel safe and comfortable each year. This year it feels like we have the balance right and the students have responded really well.
We are moving into AFL football finals time and a number of our students are engaged in AFL finals games across the weekend, we will be cheering them on and hope they have some team success this year.
We have also been busy with a number of events and activities to start the school year, attending events such as Laser Tag, Lawn Bowls, The Territory Wildlife Park, Speed Dart (a new and very enjoyable activity) and some wet season swimming activities. We want all of our students engaged and working hard at school but we also want them to have a fun time outside of school and enjoy the boarding school experience.
We look forward to a great few weeks ahead as we move through Term 1.
Kind regards,
Scott Mannion
Director of Boarding
Acting Assistant Principal: Religious Education
To our St. John’s community,
A Joyful Beginning to 2025: United in Faith and Hope
The new school year began with a truly special occasion as our college community joined St Mary’s Catholic Primary School for a combined Opening Mass. This mass marked the commencement of the Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope, for both schools.
In his homily, Bishop Charles reflected on the significance of a Jubilee Year—a call to be pilgrims of faith, hope, and unity. As we embark on this sacred journey together, we are reminded of the importance of supporting one another, deepening our relationship with Christ, and living out His mission in our daily lives. The presence of students, staff, and families from both schools was a testament to the strength of our Catholic community.
Year 12 Catholic Identity Retreat: Many Parts, One Body, United in Christ
In line with the theme of unity and faith, our Year 12 students recently participated in their Catholic Identity Retreat at the Darwin Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre. The retreat, centred on the Year 12’s chosen scripture for the year from the first letter of St Paul to the Colossians "Many Parts, One Body, United in Christ.” The retreat provided a reflective and faith-filled experience to strengthen their connection with God, themselves, and their peers.
The day included Scripture reflections, a Godly Play session with Sr Pauline, and an inspirational experience from Sr Sari reflecting on her journey to Italy and the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Students were invited to reflect on their faith journey and write a letter to their future selves, capturing their hopes and aspirations as they approach the final year of their schooling. The retreat concluded with a beautiful Mass, reinforcing the importance of faith as a foundation for their future.
Faith at Home: Family Resources for the Jubilee Year & Lent
As we embrace the Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope, we encourage families to continue their faith journey at home. A wonderful resource available to our school community is the Australian Catholics website, which offers inspiring articles, reflections, and activities to support faith formation.
With Lent approaching, this resource is especially valuable for families looking to prepare spiritually through prayer, reflection, and acts of service. We invite you to explore the materials using the following access details:
🔹 Website: www.australiancatholics.com.au
🔹 Login: parents@nt.catholic.edu.au
🔹 Password: acparents
As we move forward in this Jubilee Year, may we continue to embrace our calling as Pilgrims of Hope, walking together in faith, service, and love.
Kind regards,
Carla Hayes
Assistant Principal – Religious Education
Finance Manager
Dear College Community,
I would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning students, parents, and staff as we embark on another productive year of learning and growing stronger together in faith.
Our 2025 annual school fees invoices have been emailed to families, and I would like to express my appreciation to those who have already made payments. Please be reminded that the due date for school fee payments is 4 April 2025. If you have entered into a direct debit agreement, kindly ensure that the total fee is paid by 31 December 2025. I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of timely fee payments and to highlight the various convenient payment options available.
Paying school fees is essential in supporting our students and maintaining the high standards of education we strive to provide. Your timely payments are critical in covering the costs of our programs and services, ensuring that we can continue to offer the best educational experience.
To make the payment process as easy as possible, we offer several options, including weekly or fortnightly direct debits, online payments, credit card payments, and in-person payments at our finance office. Should you have any questions regarding these options, please feel free to reach out to our finance team for assistance.
We understand that some families may be facing financial challenges, and we want to assure you that we are here to support you. We offer a variety of financial assistance options, including scholarships, discounts, and flexible payment plans. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please contact our finance team to explore the available options.
Our finance team remains committed to providing seamless support to ensure that we continue to deliver the best educational outcomes for our students.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership.
Kind regards,
Finance Manager
Ruth Suriyagoda CA, CPA, FCA (SL)
NEWS HEADLINES
Welcome to 2025 academic year!
Opening of Jubilee Hall & Welcome to Country
Bombing of Darwin
Enterprise Academy for Girls on 26th February
Math and Science Competition
Hospitality Class
AFL NT Session
Shrove Tuesday - Pancake Day fundrasier for Project Compassion!
Daley House News
Term 1 ’25 Daley Notes
At our first Daley assembly, the team were challenged to live the Daley House mantra of:
Showing up
Having a Go
Supporting each Other
In an effort to go, ‘back to back’, in the House Cup.
We welcomed a lot of new faces to the Daley Stringrays, to fill ‘the big shoes’ left by our 2024 Year 12s!
Year 7 Callum, Fletcher, Izzy, Katerina, Theo, Ollie, Jonathan, Eli, Christiansen, Pania, Wesley, Renee, Keith, Suwimon, Mackenzie
Year 9 – Roari
Year 10 – Winston
Homeroom Teacher – Mr Craig Britton joined Ms Bronwyn Graham and Mr Jacob Parsons as the primary providers of social learning opportunities and personal support.
One team initiative implemented this year is that all our senior students have a leadership role. Although it is early days the ‘shared servant leadership approach’ is already reaping benefits.
Another initiative is the introduction of an Inter Homeroom Cup that will be run during Thursday Homerooms. Points will also be awarded for Homerooms with one hundred percent of students in the blue shirt on House Sport Fridays – week one saw all Daley students in the blue shirt.
Special congratulations go to Rosalie Harris for being presented with a House Spirit Pin in recognition of her initiative to design an image for our stingray (Djumbin) House mascot. Congratulations also to Isidore, Nic, Regina and Ethan for representing the team in the Inter House Maths/Science quiz. In the coming weeks Daley will also compete in the Basketball Gala day event, and the swimming carnival.
Thank you to everyone in the Daley 2025 team (parents, students, staff) for ‘stepping up’ to the opportunities of a new year. Our data indicates positive trends in attendance, class learning and individual contribution to team events.
Kind Regards,
Ernie Fleming
Head of House for the Daley HRT Team
Doneley House News
Dear St John’s Catholic College Community,
I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome back families for another year, especially those who are also new to the St John’s Catholic College community. Term 1 has started off well in Doneley House - creating a sense of belonging within our Home Rooms and building house spirit.
On many occasions this term, I have seen Doneley students going out of their way to look after and support one another, which is wonderful to see. Our motto for this year is “one for all, all for one” and I have certainly seen this reflected amongst students and staff.
Every morning the wonderful Doneley Homeroom teachers: Mr. Cheong, Ms. Yeung and Sr. Sari, ensure their rooms are welcoming and full of activities that build rapport amongst students and a sense of belonging within our community.
I am looking forward to a jam packed year, where we see all of our strengths shine in Doneley!
Kind regards,
Madeline Pruscino
Doneley Head of House
CREATIVE ART
In Middle School and Stage 1 Creative Arts students are currently learning about a range of different pottery techniques. We first started with making pinch pots.
