St John's Catholic College Darwin eNewsletter

Principal's Report

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

Dearest Lord,

Lift us high on Eagles’ wings,

teach us to be Strong in Faith,

St John the Evangelist guides us to live Your Word,

giving witness to compassion and courage,

welcome and truth.

Amen

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

End of Semester 1:

Hard to believe that we are halfway through the academic year already. We pray that you and your family can spend some quality time together over the next three weeks. A reminder that students return on Tuesday 18 July for the beginning of Semester 2:

Staff Return – Monday 17 July
Classes Commence / Boarders’ Travel Day – Tuesday 18 July

Doneley House Update:

From the beginning of Semester 2, and due to an increase in enrolments, Doneley House will return to the College's vertical Pastoral Care system. Doneley House is named after Father Ignatius Tyson Doneley MSC and will be represented by the colour orange and inspired by the Scripture John 6: 1 - 14, Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand.

I'm pleased to announce that Mr Benjamin Friis has been appointed Head of Doneley House. Mr Friis is well known to the St John's Catholic College Community and joins Doneley from O'Loughlin House. Mr Friis holds a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) from Edith Cowan University and currently teaches Music and History at the College.

At our recent Sacred Heart Day celebrations, the foundation members of Doneley House were presented with their polo shirts. Well done to all who nominated to be part of Doneley House, they have an important job over the next six months in establishing the House culture and welcoming new students into the College. Foundation Members: Marie Itongwa – Year 11, Nathania Palendeng – Year 11, Lachlan Moffat – Year 11, Tyrell Lindsay – Year 10, Isiah Dhurrkay – Year 10, Sheraz Ahmad – Year 9, Keenen Mayo – Year 8, Maki Ushindi – Year 8, Nicolas Salumu – Year 8, Samuel Galvin – Year 8, Tobias Thomas – Year 8 and William Bingham – Year 8. The following staff have also joined Doneley House: Gayan Abeysekara, Derrick Cheong, Cameron Hughes, Shinead Love, Giovani Maduro, Tianyu Wang and Muhammad Zenri.

Staff Update:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ngo Tien Khoa (Kelvin) Le to a teaching position commencing Monday 17 July 2023. Mr Le recently completed a Bachelor of Education Secondary at Charles Darwin University with additional studies undertaken prior at the Australian Catholic University. Mr Le is a graduate teacher having completed his placements at Dripstone Middle School, Darwin High School, Casuarina Senior College and Palmerston College (Middle Campus). In addition, Mr Le has worked as a Mathematics and EALD tutor. Mr Le's teaching areas include Mathematics, Economics, EALD and Humanities, he is fluent in Vietnamese and his hobbies include soccer, badminton, cooking and reading.

CCTV Policy – Endorsed:

The College Advisory Board recently endorsed the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Policy. A copy can now be found on our website and the link below.

Mobile Phone and Social Media Policy – Consultation:

Following our student, staff and parent / guardian survey in 2022, where we established the broad policy settings for the College Mobile Phone and Social Media Policy, please find below the DRAFT Mobile Phone and Social Media Policy for consultation. Feedback regarding the draft policy can be emailed to Richard.Bryant@nt.catholic.edu.au by Friday 28 July (Week 2).

Enrolments Update:

The College continues to steadily grow. In 2022, the College returned a Census result of 224 students. At this stage we expect our 2023 Census result (August) to be approximately 270-275 students. Twelve new students have enrolled to commence at the beginning of Semester 2, and interviews for the 2024 intake will commence early in Term 3. Our Prospectus and Online Enrolment Form can be accessed at: www.stjohnsnt.catholic.edu.au

New Subjects:

The increase in enrolments presents the opportunity to expand our subject offerings. I’m pleased to report that Stage 1 Child Studies and Stage 1 Legal Studies will be added to the subject offerings as well as the return of the Middle School Mandarin class.

St Vincent de Paul – CEO Sleep Out:

Congratulations to College Advisory Board Chair, Clalia Mar, on her efforts to raise over $4000 as part of the St Vincent de Paul CEO Sleepout.

Capital Works – BGA Project:

In 2022 the College received a grant from the Commonwealth Government through the Block Grant Authority for the installation of an external CCTV System at the College to support supervision and safety. The System is in the final stages of installation and will be fully operational by the beginning of Semester 2. The College continues to work through the process to apply for funding for the renovation of Jubilee Hall (replacement of sheet metal).

My thanks to all students, staff, parents and guardians for your work and support during Semester 1.

Fortes in Fide,

Cameron Hughes

Principal

CCTV Policy

Draft Mobile Phone and Social Media Policy

Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning

Dear St John’s Catholic College Community,

Semester 1 reports have now been emailed home. If you have any queries regarding reports please contact our admistration team admin.stjohns@nt.catholic.edu.au. Our admistration team will be available after the break on Tuesday 18 July.

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 include not generating an ATAR as you have not ticked ‘yes’ to sharing with SATAC.

Teaching & Learning Team

The Teaching & Learning Team members for 2023 are as follows:

APRE Mr Richard Bryant Richard.Brysant@nt.catholic.edu.au

SACE Coordinator Mr Nelson Tio Nelson.Tio@nt.catholic.edu.au

Inclusion Support Ms Shinead Love Shinead.Love@nt.catholic.edu.au

VET/Careers Ms Tracey Ingui Tracey.Ingui@nt.catholic.edu.au

ACARA Coordinator – STEAM Mr Hasan Talduker Hasan.Talukder@nt.catholic.edu.au

Please make contact with the relevant Coordinator if you have questions.

May God Bless you all,

Cherilyn Hughes

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

Parent Teacher Interviews

Instructiions for Parent Teacher Interviews

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

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

Giving students the tools to find their purpose.

Every student from Years 7 to 12 participates in a retreat, activity and/or reflection day. The retreat experiences further the students’ relationship with God. Students at St John’s are encouraged to understand their feelings and aspirations more deeply and to appreciate what it means to live in a community where the purpose is to love and serve others.

This Year’s year 12, focussed on “Journey” and finding God in all things using. Over the retreat the Year 12 students spent the two days pulling apart The Gospel “On the Road to Emmaus” and relating that to our journey.

A key phrase in that passage "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road”; this is spoken between Cleopas and his unnamed friend after they realise they had been in the presence of Christ for the majority of the day. I too sometimes find it hard to see Christ despite the fact he is always with us. I was told by a good friend one day that it is often like looking at a river after a flood, it is murky and hard to see to the bottom. Sometimes it is necessary to be patient and wait for the water to calm so we can see much more clearly.

This is the key reason for our retreats and reflection days, they give us time simply to be calm and just be. When we give ourselves these opportunities we then allow ourselves the opportunity to truly see clearly.

The College hopes that retreats will assist students in finding their purpose in life, allow for spiritual growth and to take time to listen and hear God’s voice in one’s heart. The Retreat experiences further the students’ relationship with God. Students are encouraged to understand their feelings and aspirations more deeply and to appreciate what it means to live in a community where the purpose is to love and serve others.

We are Heart People

There are more than one thousand references to the word ‘heart’ in the Bible rarely, however, does the reference relate to the physical human organ. For the most part ‘heart’ is used in a symbolic, metaphorical way. In most of these references to ‘heart’ it refers to the whole person, the very essence, the real or true self. Many of us will be familiar with images of the Sacred Heart of Christ shown on the outside of his body, identifying Christ as not only human but a person who wears his heart, his show of love on the outside for all to see.

During our Sacred Heart Day Mass on the 16th of June, Fr John Kelliher msc let the congregation of St Marys Catholic Primary school and St John's Catholic College know that we are “Heart” people. Fr John reminded us that heart-people tend to be more intuitive, interpersonally warm, and literally “follow their hearts” when making moral decisions in the sense that they prefer intuitive decisions over calculated ones. Fr John does this through his own interaction with others and always gives us an example of how the best example of heart people as possible. We were privileged to have Fr John celebrate our mass, his young heart and enthusiasm certainly rubbed off on us during mass.

Since our last newsletter we have exhibited how we wear our hearts on the outside through, recognising Reconciliation Week. All students participated in preparing our flag, recognising the atrocities of the past and reconciling with our First Nations people through prayer and reflection.

The celebrations will continue into Term 3. We will have Refugee Week in the first few weeks followed by NAIDOC week. Both of these celebrations take place officially during the holidays however we will celebrate as a College next term.

May God bless you all.

Richard Bryant

Assistant Principal Religious Education

Richard.Bryant@nt.catholic.edu.au

Year 12 Retreat

Sacred Heart Day

Reconciliation Week

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

At St. John’s we deeply value student well-being and academic success. We are committed to providing a nurturing environment to students that supports their education and well-being. Here are some of the pastoral programs and initiatives we have in place, including Be You, Thinkuknow, Pat Cronin Workshop, Street Smart High, and GRIP Leadership.

Some of the programs in Semester 1 were:

Formation Days

Thank you to Heads of House Mr Di Donato, Ms Nielsen and Ms Young for organising the Formation Days for Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 this semester. The Formation Day is about students building rapport and becoming more familiar with their peers, teachers, and their school. The students engage in a range of activities and excursions. I would like to thank the staff for running the activities, supervision at Wave-pool and food.

Sacred Heart Day

The Sacred Heart Day celebrations at Leanyer Recreational Water park was an event where students and staff enjoyed. Thank you to the Admin team for their wonderful food for fundraising. Thanks to all staff for their active supervision and support.

Sports

Thank you to Mr. Ben Johns for organising all sporting events such as Athletics Carnival, Middle school football gala day, and lunchtime sporting activities. I would also like to thank the staff Mr Thomas, Ms Morel, Mr Jack and Mr Levi for supervising and supporting the students through gala days and other sporting events. In Term 3, on Wednesday a sports Clinic is organised afterschool from 3:30 – 4:30.

Pat Cronin presentation:

The Pat Cronin Foundation presentation was to educate students on the importance of respectful relationships, conflict resolution, and preventing violence. These workshops inspire students to become advocates for positive change, fostering a culture of kindness, empathy, and inclusivity within the school community.

Risks of Vaping:

The College takes the issue of vaping very seriously and has adopted a two-pronged approach to dealing with this issue, health awareness and firm consequences. With regards to firm consequences, just like smoking cigarettes, any student caught in possession, using or supplying vapes or vaping paraphernalia will receive an external suspension. Ongoing issues regarding possession, use or supply will result in a review of enrolment. Some signs of vaping:

Unnecessary irritability
Coughing
Shortness of breath
Headaches
Dizziness
Sleepiness

Street Smart High:

Street Smart High is a comprehensive road safety program that aims to educate students on the risks associated with road use. Through engaging and interactive sessions, students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to make responsible choices as road users, promoting their safety and the safety of others.

GRIP Leadership:

GRIP Leadership is a renowned program that empowers student leaders and elected SRC to become effective leaders. It provides practical leadership training, fostering skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and goal setting. The college values the development of leadership qualities in our students, as it enhances their self-confidence, resilience, and ability to positively influence others.

Be You:

Be You is an empowering initiative that focuses on promoting positive mental health and well-being in schools. It provides resources, training, and support to create mentally healthy learning communities. Through this program, our school aims to nurture resilience, social-emotional skills, and positive relationships among students and staff.

Core Expectations – Stay Safe, Respect Everyone & Learn Everyday:

Homeroom Teachers and Heads of House continue to reinforce our expectations in building and maintaining a safe, respectful learning community that is focused on our Catholic Identity and Learning. Core expectations:

Stay Safe
Respect Everyone
Learn Everyday

Subject Selection

Students completed their subject selections in Week 9 of Term 2. Semester 2 timetables were given to students who have completed their subject selection. Any changes to the timetable can be requested on return to the college on Tuesday 18 July. Any changes requested by Middle school students to elective subjects will be made only in the first two weeks of the term. No changes will be made after Week 2 Friday 28 July. Senior school student’s elective changes will only occur if approved by Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning, Mrs Cherilyn Hughes after NTCET pattern check.

Senior School Yr. 10-12:

As you progress through the academic year, it is important to make informed decisions regarding subject choices. To help you understand the available subjects and their respective requirements, you can attend NTCET/ATAR information sessions on parent-teacher interview evenings where Assistant Principal, Teaching and Learning. These sessions will give you the opportunity to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding about the subject selection.

Our dedicated career counsellor, Mrs Ingui can guide you through the university prerequisites and VET pathways. Mrs Ingui can provide valuable advice to ensure that your chosen subjects align with your career goals.

We strongly encourage parents and guardians to actively participate in the subject selection process. Parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled to discuss your progress, academic goals, and subject choices.

Middle School Yr. 7-9, IEU:

Our most popular middle school electives are Woodwork & Metalwork, Food and Hospitality and Sports and Recreation. Due to the practical nature of the subject and required safety practice we can only have 25 students in each class. The first 25 students who submit their forms get into these classes. It is important to meet these deadlines to secure a place in the desired subjects.

Targeted Placement:

Targeted Placement occurs in Years 7 – 9, and in Year 10 Mathematics. Targeted Placement is used in the following subject areas: Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography and HPE. 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. Targeted Placement decisions are informed by a range of data collected by the subject teacher. For more information, please contact the Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning at: Cherilyn.Hughes@nt.catholic.edu.au

Attendance/Absenteeism:

Students are expected to have 95+% attendance. A reminder to Parents / Guardians to please notify Lisa Didonato, front office administration in the event of student absence. Lisa can be contacted on 8982 2222 or via Lisa.Didonato@nt.catholic.edu.au In the event of an unexplained absence, the College notifies Parents / Guardians via our SMS service. Please ensure that the College has up-to-date family contact details.

Term Dates:

Semester Break (3 weeks): Monday 26 June – Monday 17 July

Term 3 (10 weeks): Tuesday 18 July – Friday 22 September

Term Break (2 weeks): Monday 25 September – Friday 6 October

Term 4 (10 weeks): Monday 9 October – Friday 15 December

6 Week School Holidays Monday 18/12/2021 – Friday 31/01/2024

Ayesha Fatima

Assistant Principal - Administration

Finance Manager

Dear College Community,

I wish to thank all families who made their Semester 1 fee payments on time, and would like to request families who still have outstanding fees to ensure fees are paid in full before the end of the semester.

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.

The finance team is committed to providing seamless support services to the College to ensure the best possible education outcomes for our students.

Ruth Suriyagoda CA, CPA, FCA (SL)

Finance Manager

Daley Head Of House

Hello Everyone,

I would like to congratulate all members of the Daley house team for their efforts at the recent athletics carnival. There were some excellent endeavors on the day with the majority of students participating in an event and the remainder cheering from the stands. We may have landed in second place at the end of the day, but we did not miss by much. We will win it next time. Thank you everyone.

Garden Beds

Wednesday 21, Week 10, a group of staff and students launched bravely into the garden beds. We had three goals to achieve, and they were a good clean up of the dead materials and weeds, a new reticulation system and construction of the Doneley House garden bed. We were able to reach all three within a few short hours. I would like to thank the following students for their efforts in helping with the new bed and reticulation - Johara, Anne Go, Sienna, Raine, Mitchell, Savvas, Samuel C, Callym, Marcus, Samuel N, Spencer and George.

Kind regards,

Carlo Di Donato

Daley Head of House

Garden Beds

Dear College Community,

Congratulations to students for their enthusiasm and participation in sporting events during Term 2. Below are photographs from Middle School Soccer and AFL Gala Days, as well as the Senior Beach Volleyball Day. Our teams represented the College very competitively but also with a spirit of fair play of which they can be proud.

The annual Athletics Carnival was held on Friday, Week 8 of this term. It was a day of breathtaking athleticism, thrilling competition and stirring house spirit. Daley looked well placed to consolidate on their Swimming Carnival victory, but for the second time in three years, Burford snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. This leaves all three houses within striking range of the coveted House Cup (currently held by Daley) and once again, sets up the Cross Country Carnival in Term 3 as a day of reckoning on the SJCC sporting calendar.

Beginning in Week 2, Term 3, the College will be hosting soccer training clinics run by a Football NT coach. They will be held every Monday afternoon from 3.30 to 4.30pm throughout the term. All students are welcome to join and there will be no charge. We are hoping to discover the first St John’s Catholic College student to represent Australia at a FIFA World Cup. Good luck to The Matildas in July and August as they compete for the first ever Women’s World Cup held in Australia!

Kind regards,

Ben Johns

Sport Co-ordinator