Newsletter Term 2 _ Week 10_2025
Principal's Report
Dear Members of the St John’s Catholic College Community,
The colour red is significant to us, it is the colour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the colour of compassion, love, spirit and heart. Every Sacred Heart Day reminds me, that we do not just wear red, we live it.
Our celebration began with a Mass celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Holy Spirit Parish celebrated by Father John Kelliher MSC and Father Suraj Mattappallil MGL. Surrounded by students, staff, families, and members of the wider St John’s and Catholic Education NT community, all inspired by Father Jules Chevalier’s dream for a world ‘on fire with God’s love.’
After Mass, buses rolled out to Leanyer Water Park for a day of fellowship and fun. Laughter echoed from the giant waterslides, friendly rivalries flared on the soccer pitch and volleyball courts, and pizza boxes emptied with astonishing speed. These simple joys build the deep bonds that set St John’s apart. Sacred Heart Day is a day our graduates often recall when they speak of their school years, and 2025 will be no different.
Our mission is for every student to flourish: leading, living, loving and learning with a strong sense of Heart Spirituality. On Sacred Heart Day we recommit ourselves to being ‘Heart People’.
May our red uniforms continue to shine as a beacon of compassion, courage, welcome and truth.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be Everywhere Loved. Forever!
Fortes in Fide,
Cameron Hughes
Principal
Deputy Principal
Dear Members of the St John’s Catholic College Community,
As we come to the end of Semester, I want to acknowledge what a vibrant and full time it has been at St John’s Catholic College. This term, our community has once again lived out the values of Compassion, Courage, Welcome and Truth in many meaningful ways; through learning, leadership, and connection with one another.
Our students have participated with high energy at the Interschool Gala Days and participated with full House Spirit at the Athletics Carnival. Our School Feast Day is a highlight every year as we remember our Sacred Heart Charism coming together to share in Mass before celebrating together at Leanyer Water Park coming together in community spirit. The recent Refugee Week Assembly allowed students to reflect on the theme Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community - a reminder of the importance of welcome and dignity for all, the afternoon was wrapped up through the celebration of the ‘World Game’ through The Interhouse Soccer Cup providing much excitement, teamwork and friendly rivalry.
Term 2 marks the conclusion of Semester One, and I encourage all students to take time to reflect on their learning journey so far. A key part of this reflection is active engagement with SEQTA, our online learning platform. SEQTA allows families to view assessment feedback, track academic progress in real time, and communicate with teachers about student learning and wellbeing. I encourage all parents and caregivers to log in regularly and stay connected with subject teachers as we work together to support each student’s growth.
As we prepare for Term 3, a gentle reminder about our college expectations for uniform and grooming. During the cooler months, students may only wear the official school hoodie, other jumpers are not permitted. School shoes should be all black or black with white accents only. Hair that is longer than shoulder length must be tied up at all times. These expectations are not just about appearance; they reflect our shared pride in being part of the St John’s community.
It’s been pleasing to see our students consistently demonstrate the College values in their day-to-day interactions; showing compassion, approaching challenges with courage, welcoming others, and engaging thoughtfully in their learning. These values shape a respectful and inclusive school environment. We continue to celebrate our students through Merit Pins awarded when the whole school gathers, congratulations to the recipients of the St John the Evangelist Pin; Kuini Ahpene and Ted Bue Ovia. I wish all students and families a safe and restful break.
Kind Regards,
Rebecca Young
Deputy Principal
Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning
Dear St John’s Catholic College Community,
Semester 1 Reports – SEQTA Engage and SEQTA Learn
Semester 1 reports will be released electronically via SEQTA during the first week of the holidays. Parents/Guardians can view reports once released using the SEQTA Engage app. Students can also view reports through the SEQTA Learn app.
Please ensure that you have installed and accessed the SEQTA Engage app. If you did not receive your unique QR code to access the app please contact the administration team.
Teachers will be available during parent/teacher night to discuss reports and your child’s progress at the beginning of Semester 2 2025.
Stage 2 Students – Coursework Deadline
A reminder to Year 11 and 12 students that all coursework for Stage 2 subjects will be completed by Friday Week 10 Term 3. All school-based assessments should be completed by this date. It is imperative for Stage 2 students to maintain diligent efforts and adhere to deadlines set by teachers.
Stage 2 Students – SACE Exams 2025
SACE Board has released the first version of the SACE examination timetable for 2025. Students and parents/guardians are reminded to read the date and time when the external examination takes place.
It is important to note that:
- this timetable may change as not all exam dates have been released
- the time listed is the starting time of the examination; students are expected to be at the exam venue at least 30 minutes before the start time
Student Tracking – Years 10-12
Years 10-12 students undertaking Stage 2 subjects and/or VET courses will receive their tracking in the first week of Term 3.
No tracking will be provided for Stage 1 subjects as the results for these will already be published in Semester 1 reports.
The College has set parameters that all senior students must meet in each year level to ensure successful completion of the NTCET. A reminder that by the end of the year students are required to have met the following criteria in order to progress to the following year level and be on track to achieve the NTCET:
Year 10
- Achieve a minimum of 40 credits with a C or better at Stage 1.
- Successful completion of Stage 1 Exploring Identities and Futures.
- Successful completion of 1 x Stage 1 literacy unit.
- Demonstrate ability to succeed in senior study – majority of results at a C or better.
Year 11
- Achieve a minimum of 140 credits with a C grade or better at Stage 1.
- Successful completion of 2 x Stage 1 literacy unit.
- Successful completion of 1 x Stage 1 numeracy unit.
- Majority of results at a C grade or higher.
Year 12
- Achieve 60 credits with a C- or better at Stage 2.
- Successful completion 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.
The College regularly monitors the academic progress of all senior students to support successful NTCET completion, using a traffic light style tracking pictured below:
On Track: Students who have submitted all work to date and are on track to potentially earn a C- or higher will receive a green highlight.
Of Concern: Students who may have a missing task or some tasks not at a potential C- or higher will receive an orange highlight.
At Risk of Failure: Students who may have multiple missing tasks and/or multiple tasks not at a potential C- or higher and are therefore at risk of failing a subject will receive a red highlight.
Year 10 and 11 Students – Compulsory SACE Subjects
Year 10 students who have not successfully completed Stage 1 Exploring Identities and Futures at a C level or better in Semester 1 will be required to re-enrol in this subject in Semester 2.
Year 10 students will continue to enrol in either Stage 1 Essential English or Stage 1 English in Semester 2. Students may also be required to change their English selection in order to achieve the compulsory literacy requirement of the NTCET.
Year 11 students who have not successfully completed their mathematics subjects in Semester 1 will be required to change their math selection in Semester 2 in order to achieve the compulsory numeracy requirement of the NTCET. This may also be required for some students undertaking Stage 1 English subjects in Year 11.
Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with Mr. Tio to discuss their SACE subject selection if required.
StudentsOnline – SACE Results portal for students
On 21 July to 22 July 2025, SACE Board will publish Semester 1 results for Stage 1 subjects on StudentsOnline, the SACE results portal for students.
Year 10 students will meet in the first week of Term 3 to receive instructions on how to access StudentsOnline. Year 11 students should already have access to StudentsOnline; if you have forgotten your username or password to StudentsOnline, you will need to contact the SACE Board via phone at 1300 322 920 to reset your password.
Year 12 students must log into StudentsOnline 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 include not generating an ATAR as you have not ticked ‘yes’ to sharing with SATAC.
https://www.sace.sa.edu.au/studying/your-sace/what-is-students-online
Targeted Placement
Our College uses the targeted placement policy to place students in classes in Years 7-9 core classes and Year 10 Mathematics. Targeted placement refers to the grouping of students in classes based on academic levels to best cater for their learning needs. It provides the opportunity for students to receive support and/or extension depending on their progress in each subject area.
The targeted placement policy is used from Years 7-9 in:
- Religious Education
- English
- History / Geography
- Mathematics
- Science
The College began the process for determining targeted placement over Week 9 and 10. Parents will be contacted by the College should your child is recommended for movement between streamed classes in the above subjects in Week 10.
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,
Last weekend we took 12 of our senior boarding students to Litchfield for our annual camp. We stayed at the Environmental Education Camp on Saturday night.
We left boarding around 10am on Saturday morning, packed with tents, sleeping bags, and food, driving the two hours or so to the camp site into Litchfield National Park. On arrival the students set up their own tents and we enjoyed a packed lunch.
After lunch we drove to the nearby Buley Rockhole, where we parked and walked along the Florence Creek walk to Florence Falls. The cold water didn't stop us from jumping in at Florence and we enjoyed a swim and the students had goggles to share to look at the fish in the water.
After a swim, we walked back to the vehicles along the same track and then drove back to camp around 5pm.
A little bit of down time followed by a BBQ dinner which was enjoyed by all. Yasmin, Sasha and Ruby where the chief cooks on the barbecue with some clear instructions from me (of course). Brienna and Ruby then took their turn on dish duty before we lit the campfire and toasted marshmallows. The best time of any camp is the storytelling around the fire. Sasha, Kiaasha and Yasmin were the big storytellers this time and lots of laughs were had with their stories. Everyone slept well on a cool night under the stars, except Tyrell who slept with his head outside the tent!!
Sunday morning breakfast was cooked by Ruby and Brienna and bacon and egg sandwiches were cooked to perfection. After breakfast, we packed all the tents and drove to Buley Rockhole again but this time for a swim at the waterhole. The water was cool but nice and most of the students enjoyed a morning swim. George seemed to have a great time in the water. After the swim we went back to camp, packed up and drove back to St Johns, arriving just after 3pm. The students were all great company over the weekend and enjoyed the experience. We hope they take some memories with them and that they benefit from the experience.
A massive thank you to our boarding staff, James Brook-Lenehan, Sophie Berry and Rustin Topham for their work in coordinating the students and the support during the camp. It's a great opportunity to develop relationships with the students and for them to see a different side to the staff.
Next term I will be lucky enough to take some Long Service Leave. I am completing my Masters in Psychology and have requested Term 3 to complete this work. In my place, Uncle Eric Vargas will take on the Acting Director of Boarding role. Eric is well known to our staff and our boarding families and will do a great job managing the boarding house while I am away.
I will be back in Term 4 to finish off the year and look forward to being back to farewell our Year 12 cohort again this year.
I hope you all have a great holiday and enjoy some time with friends and family during the dry season.
Kind regards,
Scott Mannion
Director of Boarding
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
To our St. John’s community,
In recent weeks, our community has been deeply engaged in faith-filled learning and action as we live out the call to be beacons of hope in this Jubilee Year.
One of the highlights has been the opportunity for our Stage 2 Spiritualities, Religion and Meaning (SRM) class to meet with Bishop Charles. The students entered into meaningful dialogue with him around the global issue of environmental refugees, those displaced due to the effects of climate change. Together, they explored the Church’s response, both locally and globally, and reflected on how we are called to show compassion and solidarity with vulnerable communities.
Another significant moment, was our celebration of Sacred Heart Day. We gathered for Mass at Holy Spirit Parish, with Fr John (MSC) as our principal celebrant and Fr Suraj (MGL) as concelebrant. It was a beautiful liturgy, bringing our community together to honour the deep love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and our call to share that love through service, justice and hope.
Across classes, students have been exploring the theme of being a beacon of hope, inspired by the Jubilee Year of Hope declared by Pope Francis. Through prayer, reflection, and creative expression, students have shared powerful representations of hope; offering artwork, poetry, and digital media that reflect how we can each bring light to others in challenging times.
If you or someone in your family is interested in learning more about receiving the Sacraments, such as Baptism, Confirmation, or Eucharist, please don’t hesitate to contact Fr Suraj or myself. We would be honoured to accompany and support you on this journey of faith.
May we continue to be inspired by the Sacred Heart and live as beacons of hope in our world.
Kind Regards,
Carla Hayes
Assistant Principal – Religious Education
Inclusion support Coordiantor
Dear College Community,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, my name is April Hoskin and I am the Inclusion Support Coordinator (ISC) for St John’s Catholic College. Working alongside Ramanan Poovainthan the Inclusion Support Administrator as well as a great team of Inclusion Support Assistants (ISA’s) to support our students.
As the census period draws closer we have begun collecting evidence for the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD).
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disabilities.
If you are a family that has yet to provide us with diagnosis documentation, please contact me at inclusionsupport.sjcc@nt.
Your child may be due for an EAP or Adjustment Document renewal, as we update documents every 6 months. Please make sure you check your inbox for the most recent copy as it is sent from a no reply email.
Please find attached the NCCD fact sheet for parents, guardians and carers for more information around what the NCCD is, why we collect the data and the benefits to students.
Kind Regards
April Hoskin
NEWS HEADLINES
Doneley House News
Wow - the second half of Term 2 has been even busier than the first – Year 11 Retreat, Reconciliation Week, Gala Days, Athletics Carnival and Sacred Heart Day. Although we haven’t come away with any wins this term, I have been so proud to see our Doneley House students participating and doing their best. I hope to see more students involved in Semester 2!
To support this, students have been working on a collaborative art piece, created by Ms April Hoskin. We hope to have this displayed in our Home Room area in Semester 2.
Over the break, I encourage you to talk with your child about how they can continue to be active members of our College community and house – how can they demonstrate compassion, courage, welcome and truth in their everyday lives?
Wishing you all a safe and happy mid-year break.
Madeline Pruscino – Doneley House of House
Burford House News
What a busy term for all Burford students. We have all been working hard both in the classroom and for House Cup challenges.
Well done to all students on completing Semester 1 of 2025. I encourage you to keep trying your best in all your classes. Our eleven Year 12 students only have one term to go before the end of the year, and our Year 7’s have definitely settled into life at St John’s, working hard, making friends, and participating enthusiastically in all the House events.
Congratulations to Jade, Shanaya and Amissa who all received House Pins for their commitment to the Burford values and spirit this term.
We have been busy celebrating Daley House Spirit Day this term that with an energetic Volleyball House Cup. Although not successful in winning the competition Burford student participation was high as was the festive mood of the afternoon. Well done to all Burford students who participated and ran hard and fast at out Athletics Carnival. In the recent Refugee Week Soccer House Cup, our senior team, the ‘Big B’s’ disappointingly lost in the final on penalties. The middle school team, the ‘little b’s’ also had some tough games against the other Houses.
I would like to wish all Burford students and their families and safe and restful midyear break….feel free to do a bit of training for the Cross Country which will be held early in Term 3!
Kind Regards,
Bernadette McGrath
Acting Head of Burford
Daley House News
Daley are officially back in the House Cup 2025 race after a stirring win in the Aths Carnival. The win was built on stand out ‘age champion’ performances from Emma, Chloe, Georgia and Raori, and the willingness of all Daley students to live the mantra of, ‘Show Up, Have a Go and Support Each Other’. Well done to House Captains, Kiara and Sasha for ‘organising the troops’.
During the last couple of weeks, students have been submitting their ‘culminating performances’ for Semester 1. It has been inspiring to seem students pride in their work, and the standard being achieved. Daley students have also contributed significantly to all aspects of the co curricula program.
During this term we have welcomed a number of new members to our team – Mr Nheu is now the HR 3 Homeroom Teacher, and Kohan, Jose, Zethias and Victoria have added their talents.
At our end of term Celebration Chat, we recognized all those who had exemplified the mantra across the semester with Daley Deadly Awards for ‘showing up’ 100% of the time, for exemplifying ‘having a go’ and ‘supporting the team’.
Like all good teams, we had every team member reflect on our program with a view to closing the gap between our Daley goal - ‘EVERY Daley student develops the knowledge, skills and attributes to contribute positively to their world’ - and our Semester 1 results.
Once the suggestions have been pooled, we will share our ‘action Plan’ for Semester 2.
A special thanks to everyone who ‘made a positive difference’ to our Daley team in the first half of the year. Go Djumbin!
Kind Regards,
Ernie Fleming
Head of House for the Daley
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
The 2025 St. John's Athletics Carnival was a day packed with action and strong performances. We kicked off the day with a chant competition, where Burford House took the win, setting an energetic tone. Students then competed in running, jumping, and throwing events, alongside exciting tug-of-war contests. Every student showed great effort and sportsmanship throughout the day. The highly anticipated Champions 100m race saw impressive speed. Emma Ryan was crowned Champion Girl, and Lloyd McCann secured Champion Boy. Congratulations to both on their outstanding wins! As the day concluded, Daley House emerged victorious, claiming the points for the House Cup thanks to their collective efforts and strong performances. Well done, Daley House!A big thank you to all students for their participation, to our dedicated teachers and staff for organising, and to everyone who supported our students. 2025 St. John's Athletics Carnival was a truly memorable day for our school.
Kind Regards,
Genevieve Molendijk
Sport Coordinator
SENIOR GALA SOCCER
HOUSE CUP SOCCER
Bishop Charles visited on 5th June.
YEAR 11 RETREAT
National Reconciliation Week 2025
SACRED HEART DAY
OPEN DAY May 2025
Health Centre News
Dear parents and guardians,
For the first time, Year 10-12 students will now receive the meningococcal B vaccine for free as part of a new NT government initiative. Please see information attached on how to have your child vaccinated. Follow these links for more information:
Link to video: Free meningococcal B vaccine for teenagers aged 14 to 19 - YouTube
Kind Regards,
Jessica Bartlett
School Nurse
Art News
During Week 9 of Term 2, Middle School Arts program students visited the Darwin Street Art Festival in the City. Students were able gain an understanding of art from different contexts through exploration of works in physical or virtual spaces or engagement with artists. We were even lucky enough to talk to one of the artists as they created their mural!
Important Dates - Semester 2
Monday 14 July – Staff Day - Student Free Day
Tuesday 15 July – Boarders’ Travel Day
Tuesday 15 July – Classes Commence
BACK TO SCHOOL PAYMENT SCHEME
Dear parents and families
The Department of Education and Training (the department) is reviewing the Back to school payment scheme and would like your feedback. We invite you to have your say by participating in our survey, available until Friday 20 June 2025.
Survey link:
