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Newsletter Term 2 _ Week 5_2025

Principal's Report

Dear Members of the St John’s Catholic College Community,

Habemus Papam! We have a new pope!

God of all people,

In trust and gratitude, we turn to your Holy Spirit. We know your Spirit has been active during this time of conclave, guiding the prayerful discernment that has brought your Church to this important moment. Now, as Pope Leo XIV assumes the Petrine Ministry, we pray that your Spirit draw ever closer to our new Holy Father, illuminating his path so that he may faithfully see and respond to the needs of your people.

We pray that Pope Leo XIV be strengthened in his ministry. May he continue building bridges that connect us to one another. May he be an example of faith, hope and love. We pray that you give him joy in his work and a renewed fervor for your Gospel message. May he never lose sight of Christ who walks before us and among us — particularly in the most vulnerable, the forgotten and the outcast.

Christ Jesus, bless Pope Leo XIV — and bless us, your holy people, as together we strive to be your Body in our wounded world.

Amen.

(https://www.jesuits.org/)

Memorial Mass for Pope Francis and Inauguration of Pope Leo XIV:

Earlier this term, our Student Leaders gathered to attend a solemn memorial Mass in honour of Pope Francis, reflecting on his profound legacy of compassion, humility, ecological conversion, and dedication to social justice. His enduring impact on the Church and the world was remembered with deep gratitude. We also celebrate the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV. As Pilgrims of Hope, we acknowledge this new chapter in the Church’s journey and offer our prayers for his Papacy.

School Closure Day – Friday 20 June (Week 10, Term 2):

A reminder that the College will have a ‘school closure day’ on Friday 20 June (last day of Semester 1) for the purpose of our Staff Faith Formation Day. This year the staff will gather under the theme of our Jubilee Year – Pilgrims of Hope.

Open Days:

This week the College welcomes students from Primary Schools around Darwin for our Year 5/6 Open Days:

Tuesday 20 May: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School + other students
Wednesday 21 May: Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School + other students
Thursday 22 May: St Paul’s Catholic Primary School + other students

Open Days provide an opportunity for Year 5/6 students and families to learn more about St John’s Catholic College and supports students in making the transition from primary to secondary school.

As part of the Open Day, the College will have an ‘Outside Broadcast’ provided by Darwin’s 97 Seven FM. We thank Station Manager Phil Galvin, Spud and the Team for their support.

The College has already commenced enrolment interviews for 2026, and we encourage all families considering St John’s to submit their application online via: https://www.stjohnsnt.catholic.edu.au/enrolments/

BGA Project:

Work on our Block Grant Authority (BGA) project for 2025 will soon commence. This project will see the installation of internal fencing between the College and the Botanical Gardens, supporting student, staff and facility safety. The College acknowledges the Commonwealth Government Grant of $126,750 to co-fund this project.

Student Leadership:

Congratulations to Afia Azam, Virginia Dias Quintas, Harnoor Kaur and Patricia Sefu who have been selected for the NT Youth Parliament. The NT Youth Parliament empowers young voices through leadership, debate, and teamwork. Participants draft and debate Youth Bills or Petitions, tackle national issues, and may take on key roles like Youth Chief Minister. Held in Parliament House, it’s a unique chance to be heard, influence change, and build lifelong friendships.

Congratulations to Sasha Kelantumama who has been selected for the NT Youth Voice Peak Group. The NT Youth Voice Peak Group, established in 2023, empowers young Territorians to influence policies on education, employment, health, and wellbeing. It offers students a platform to share their views and be part of key decisions shaping their futures.

Staffing Update:

The College farewelled Mr Jacob Parsons at the end of Week 5. We thank Mr Parsons for his contributions during his time at the College. It was wonderful to have Mr Parsons, a graduate of St John’s, teach at his old high school. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

At the end of Week 6, the College will farewell our Finance Manager, Ms Ruth Suriyagoda. Ms Suriyagoda has provided exceptional leadership and financial management during her two and a half years at the College. Ms Suriyagoda has worked closely with the College Advisory Board and the Catholic Education Office to improve the financial position of the College and implement robust financial processes.

Our Director of Boarding, Mr Scott Mannion will be on long service leave during Term 3. A process is underway to appoint an Acting Director of Boarding. In addition, the College is recruiting for an Acting College Nurse to cover Nurse Jessica Bartlett during her maternity leave next semester.

The College is pleased to announce the following appointments:

Ms Tong (Tomo) Su – Classroom Teacher (commenced Week 1):

I’m pleased to announce that Ms Tong (Tomo) Su has changed roles at the College, and has been appointed on a short term contract (Term 2) as a part-time teacher commencing Monday 14 April 2025. Ms Su has been approved as a participant in the Charles Darwin University (CDU) / Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory (TRB NT) Accelerated Program, whereby the preservice teacher receives ‘Authority To Teach’ for their final placement. This program has been modelled on the Teach for Australia program where Associates concurrently complete their education studies whilst working as a Teacher. We congratulate Ms Su on her appointment, and look forward to supporting her in the Accelerated Program. Ms Su holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) 1st class in Accounting & Finance from Lancaster University, UK, a Master of Science in Accounting & Finance from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, and is working towards a Masters of Teaching Secondary from Charles Darwin University. Ms Su is well know to the College Community, having worked in Student Support since 2024.

Ms Hana Obrdlikova – School Officer: Classroom Assistant (commenced Week 1):

I’m pleased to announce that Ms Hana Obrdlikova has been appointed to the position of School Officer: Classroom Assistant. Ms Obrdlikova holds a Bachelor of Human Resource Management from the University of South Wales, UK. Ms Obrdlikova has previously worked as a private English tutor overseas and also has experience in the sales and hospitality sectors.

Ms Azra Ali – School Officer: Classroom Assistant (commenced Week 4):

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Azra Ali to the role of School Officer: Classroom Assistant. Mrs Ali holds a Bachelors of Science (Honors) in Biotechnology (First Class) from the University of Northumbria, Newcastle, a Masters in Science in Experimental Biotechnology from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and a Bachelor of Education from IIC University of Technology. Mrs Ali has worked as a Tutor, School Teacher, and University Lecturer across a number of institutions. Her speciality areas are Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Mr Simon Unzi – Student Support (commenced Week 4):

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Simon Unzi to the position of Inclusion Support Assistant (casual). Mr Unzi holds a Bachelor in Exercise and Sport Science from Charles Darwin University, a Graduate Diploma in Project Management from Curtin University, and is currently undertaking Certificate IV in Leadership and Management at Charles Darwin University. Mr Unzi is well known to the St John's Catholic College Community and rejoins the College after a period of time interstate for his studies.

Ms Jemma Shimeld – Classroom Teacher (commencing Week 6):

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Jemma Shimeld on a short-term teaching contract. Ms Shimeld holds a Bachelor of Teaching (Fine Arts) (Honours) from the University of Newcastle. Ms Shimeld brings experiences from a range of schools and joins St John's from Catherine McAuley Catholic College from within the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. Ms Shimeld will be covering Mr Parsons 8.1 and 8.2 English classes, as well as his 9.1 History class until the end of Semester. Mr Parsons Stage 1 Essential English class will be split between Ms Martinson’s and Ms Oberman’s Stage 1 Essential English class through to the end of Semester.

We hope all our families enjoy the beautiful Dry Season weather and the many events held during this time around Darwin.

Fortes in Fide,

Cameron Hughes

Principal

Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning

Dear St John’s Catholic College Community,

Student Tracking – Years 12

The College completed the third round of Year 12 tracking on Friday Week 4. Year 12 students will receive their tracking in Week 5 with parents / guardians communicated over Week 6 and 7 if there is any concern. Tracking is analysed against the NTCET requirements.

To successfully complete the NTCET, Year 12 must:

achieve 60 credits with a C- or better at Stage 2.
complete a total of 200 credits to qualify for the NTCET.
if aspiring for ATAR (university entrance score), qualify for the NTCET and undertake 90 credits at Stage 2.

Parent-Teacher Interview – Week 3 Term 2

Parent-Teacher Interview occurred on Thursday, Week 3 this term. The event was marked by engaging and productive conversations between parents and our dedicated teachers. The College sincerely thank everyone who attended and contributed to this positive evening.

If you were unable to attend the Parent-Teacher Interview in Week 3, please reach out directly to your child’s teacher via SEQTA to discuss their progress.

As we reflect on the event, the College welcome any feedback from parents / guardians and the wider school community to help us continue improving future interactions and strength our collaboration. Please contact the College administration at 08 8982 2222 or email admin.stjohns@nt.catholic.edu.au should you wish to provide feedback about parent-teacher night.

SEQTA

SEQTA is the platform that St. John’s Catholic College uses for all communication purposes.

All parents / guardians can view and monitor their child’s progress in each subject on SEQTA, including:

attendance and absences
past school reports
overdue and upcoming assessment tasks
grades awarded to submitted assessment tasks
weekly course planner.

Parents / guardians are reminded to use SEQTA to contact your child’s subject teacher directly if you have any concern or query. This may include request for extension to assessment submission, seeking further feedback from graded assessments etc.

Learning Nest

The Learning Nest operates Monday to Friday from 3:30pm – 5:00pm. The Learning Nest is a dedicated homework centre staffed by tutors to support academic success. The College does not provide out of school hours care. The Learning Nest is a place of learning, and the College therefore expects all students attending the Learning Nest to demonstrate appropriate behaviours contributing to cultivating an academic environment.

The College has also updated the Learning Nest user agreement, clarifying rules at the Learning Nest and what the Learning Nest is not. All students attending the Learning Nest are required abide by the user agreement.

The College has observed tremendous progress made by students who attended Learning Nest over the past few weeks on assessment submission. Students, including Year 12, who are behind with their assessments should attend the Learning Nest and approach the tutors for support at the earliest possible opportunity.

Year 10 and Year 11 Semester 2 Subject Selection

The College is meeting with Year 10 and 11 students in Week 5 to commence the process of Semester 2 subject selection.

Students who wish to undertake Stage 1 subjects not offered by the College in Semester 2 can access them either through the Northern Territory School of Distance Education (NTSDE) or Open Access College.

All distance / online studies must be applied to the Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning no later than Friday Week 5. Approval is granted on a case-by-case basis upon reviewing a student’s past academic records and ability to demonstrate independence and commitment to learning.

Teaching & Learning Team

The Teaching & Learning Team members for 2025 are as follows:

Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning Mr. Nelson Tio nelson.tio@nt.catholic.edu.au

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

To our St John’s College community,

This week is National Boarding Week (12th May to 16th May) as arranged by one of the key industry bodies, the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA).

It is a great initiative each year, which allows us to recognise and congratulate the many people that are part of and contribute to our wonderful boarding community. Form our amazing students, to the parents and families of those students, to our amazing boarding staff and the people around the College that support and care for the students that live with us.

Unless you have been part of this community, it’s very hard to explain the complexities, the challenges, the joy and the care that goes into making this a successful operation. More than that, it is a home to 70+ students who take great comfort in the Boarding House and its people as a safe and enjoyable place to live while they attend school.

This week is broken up into different days that recognise the different parts of the boarding operation. Today is Boarding Students Day. The key component of any Boarding House are the students. While there are challenging times that come with looking after large groups of young people, our students are fantastic ambassadors for themselves, their families and their home communities. We will enjoy a special breakfast tomorrow morning as a way to recognise them.

On Wednesday, we will enjoy Well-being Wednesday, where our girls will get face masks and pedicures and a pampering session to enjoy, while the boys will watch a movie in our auditorium with pizza for supper. Thursday this week we will attend the AFL game between the Gold Coast Suns and the Hawthorn Hawks. Finally, on Friday we will host a lunch for our boarding staff as a way to recognise their work and dedication to the students.

We hope that this, in a small way, will show that all of our students are cared for and that there is appreciation for the staff and the people that make St John’s Catholic College Boarding House a very special place to live and work.

Enjoy the week!!

Kind regards,

Scott Mannion

Director of Boarding

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

To our St. John’s community,

As we journey through this year of Jubilee, there is a real sense of hope and renewal stirring in our St John’s Catholic College community. Inspired by the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, we continue to seek opportunities to engage with one another through prayer, reflection, and encounters of faith.

Year 11 Retreat with NET Ministries
This week, our Year 11 students were blessed to participate in a retreat facilitated by the National Evangelisation Team (NET). It was a powerful day of faith-sharing, music, testimony, and personal reflection. The team’s vibrant witness challenged our students to consider how God is working in their lives and how they might respond with open hearts. The retreat was a moment of grace for many, and we continue to pray that the seeds planted will flourish in the weeks ahead.

Rosary Group and Novena for Pope Francis
Our Rosary Group continues to gather each school day, offering a prayerful presence within our community. This student-led group has recently prayed the Novena for Pope Francis and for the mission of the church in countries such as Timor Leste and South Korea- the host city of the next World Youth Day in 2027.

Living the Jubilee of Hope
The Jubilee invites us to open our hearts to hope and rediscover joy in our faith. Whether it's through acts of kindness, moments of reconciliation, or prayerful reflection, each of us is called to live as people of hope. In this spirit, we are reminded that small, everyday acts of love and mercy contribute to the greater renewal of the Church.

Upcoming Opportunity: Jubilee Pilgrimage
In line with the Vatican’s call to offer pilgrims a Plenary Indulgence during this Jubilee Year, we are offering a Jubilee Pilgrimage on Thursday 19th June. This special opportunity will allow staff and students to participate in prayer, reflection, and pilgrimage as a sign of our commitment to faith and community. More details will be shared with families soon.

Let us continue to walk together in faith, remaining open to the grace of this Jubilee Year. May our school community be a place where hope is nurtured and Christ is known.

God bless,
Carla Hayes

Assistant Principal – Religious Education

Finance Manager

Dear Parents / Carers,

Our sincere thanks to families who have already settled their school fees. Your prompt payments help us maintain the high standards of education and resources that we strive to offer our students.

For families with outstanding fees, please be advised that the payment due date has passed, therefore we kindly request that you make arrangements to settle any remaining balances as soon as possible. If you are currently on a payment plan, no further action is required at this time.

To facilitate the payment process, we offer several convenient options, including weekly or fortnightly direct debits, online payments, credit card payments, and in-person payments at our finance office. If you have any questions regarding the payment options available to you, please feel free to reach out to our finance team.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Kind regards,

Finance Manager

Ruth Suriyagoda CA, CPA, FCA (SL)

NEWS HEADLINES

DALEY NEWS

Term 2 has provided a number of great learning experiences for the Blue Djumbin House.

Easter and ANAZC events reinforced the reality of the need for sacrifice to achieve anything worthwhile. Students were challenged to ‘… make their lives worthy of the sacrifice.’ Thanks to Captains, Kiara Ryan and Sasha Kelantumama for representing Daley House at the ANZAC Mass and parade.

In spite of the run of long weekends, the Daley Monday Morning Chats and Fun Friday Activities, when run, provided further opportunities for team building and leadership skill development. Games like, ‘6 and Out’ and ‘Know My Name’, while fun, were important for building on our successes in Term 1.

The big event for the House in the first half of Term 2 was the Daley House Spirit Day. A student organizing committee planned and ran the day – with the help of all team members! Special thanks to Chloe Ryan, Colette Caldwell and Sonia Tarus for taking the lead. Special mention also of Sienna McKeeen’s and Suwimon Sornsawan’s creation of posters to advertise the event and Eli Docherty’s photography on the day. There were pancakes, donuts and hot cross buns for breakfast, a Kahoot during Home room, a Scavenger Hunt at recess and a BBQ, Face Painting, Photo Frame and a Dance Off at lunchtime and after lunch, the Volleyball House Cup - Daley shared first place with frontrunners ‘O’Loughlin.

The Daley Garden is starting to flourish – special thanks to our Environment Captain, Kuini for taking the lead. The combination of vegetables, shrubs and flowers will make a stunning display by the end of the term.

The number of Daley students taking up extra curricula opportunities like interschool sports representation is fantastic! We have had students helping out at St Mary’s Sports Days, Touch Rugby teams,

In the coming weeks, the team has some big challenges – the Cross Country Carnival and the Soccer House Cup. We are excited about what we can achieve together!

In Daley we always finish our chats by encouraging, ‘Smiles – a gift we give each other.’ Keep smiling!

Go Daley

Kind Regards,

Mr Fleming for the Homeroom Teachers and Captains

Doneley House News

On many occasions this term, I have seen our motto “one for all, all for one” play out in the jam-packed start to Term 2 – we have had regular time as a house on Monday mornings, participated in the Volleyball House Cup, shown our pride each Friday wearing house shirts and met a new Home Room Teacher.

I would like to welcome Ms Su to Home Room 26 – she brings a warmth and energy to the group each morning and has made fast work getting to know the students in her care.

I am looking forward to a positive end to the term, where we see all of our strengths shine in Doneley!

Madeline Pruscino – Doneley House of House

GRIP Leadership

On April 23, a selection of our College leaders and prospective leaders were selected to attend the GRIP Leadership Conference at Double Tree Hilton. This was a practical and interactive training conference, where students learnt about the responsibilities of a student leader, being a leader who supports others and making our school an even better place. The students were fantastic ambassadors for the College – participating in activities, providing thoughtful opinions and engaging in conversations with each other.

Well done to all students involved. We cannot wait to see how these new learnings come to fruition in your actions over the coming years.