Secondary

Slavery Free Chocolate

Leading up to Easter our community is reminded to use our buying power to purchase only slavery-free chocolate that features one of the following logos. 

We will be kicking off our Slavery Free Chocolate raffle so don't forget to buy some tickets, 50 cents a ticket or three for a $1.

Janeen Murphy

Director of Faith and Mission

Year 9 Rite Journey Departure Ceremony

Last Friday evening our Year 9 cohort and their families participated in the first ritual of the Rite Journey Program, the Departure Ceremony. 

The ceremony involved Parents and Guardians letting go of their son or daughter and sending them ‘across the bridge’ on their journey or rite of passage. This is a journey where we challenge students to start the process of saying goodbye to childhood, moving positively towards young adulthood. 

James McLaughlin

Assistant Deputy Principal - Year 9

STEM Drone Club

The STEM Drone Club is up and running again after the hectic start to the year. All students are welcome to come along on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings to fly the drones. No experience is necessary, only a willingness to have a go.

Damien Connellan

Science Teacher

English

One of the many exciting activities that we offer in the English Learning Area is the opportunity for talented creative writers to participate in the Young Writers Collective at The Literature Centre. In each term the students travel to the Centre, located in the Old Hospital of the Fremantle Prison, where they work with a published Australian author on a range of creative writing activities. 

This week, the Year 9 and 10 students are participating in their first day of the programme with local Perth writer, Meg Caddy. Students in Year 7 and 8 will enjoy their Term 1 day on the 25 March, when they have the opportunity to work with another Perth writer, AJ Betts. 

In 2021, students who were interested in participating in the Young Writers Collective were asked to submit a piece of their creative writing for consideration. The standard of work was exceptional, and it was a very difficult task to select just five students from each year group for inclusion in the programme. The excerpts below are just a small sample from the talented students we have at John XXIII College. 

Meg Cleary (Year 10) – “The Waiting Room”

I sat up spluttering and gasped, my lungs suddenly free of water. What happened? Why am I not drowning? And where am I? I racked my brain to answer that last question but came up with nothing. The last thing I remember is thinking “Where’s Ash now?”, before my eyes closed for the last time. Speaking of eyes, I tried to use mine to figure out where I was, but alas, all I could see was dark, dark and more dark.

“Don’t worry, Lana, nothing can hurt you now,”

I jumped and looked around for a source of the voice, but the darkness glared right back at me.

“Welcome to Here-there, also known as the afterlife, Heaven, Hell and everything in between.”

I tucked a flyaway strand of hair behind my ear out of nervous habit and noticed the mousy brown colour of it I had so hated in my youth, before I had dyed it a vibrant red. I pouted, annoyed, thinking Ash would’ve laughed, as he always thought this sort of thing was funny. Though I wouldn’t stay unhappy because as soon as the thought of my old red hair crossed my mind the ugly brown colour changed back to scarlet.

“If you are unhappy, you only have to think of the thing you would like to change, and it will do so”, announced the robotic voice. Okay, why not? Hmm, let’s turn on the lights! And would you look at that, the lights turned on! Though at first, they burnt my eyes because I had gotten used to the dark. I stood up, hoping to see something but I was met with white, white and more white.

Elizabeth Levey (Year 7) – “Hippocampus”

It’s foggy, I’m confused. I can’t remember where I left my best friend. Have you seen her? She has the most unforgettable eyes, big and soulful. They were the first thing I noticed about her. We’ve been friends for years, always there for each other when life got complicated. Together we’re unstoppable. Those early days were sun drenched and carefree but that’s become less and less lately. I remember when we first met. That day was golden. No clouds, just a flood of summer morning light and the distant sound of crickets, it was going to be hot. A slight breeze kicked up the dry eucalyptus leaves and made my pony tail tickle my face as I strolled down by the creek. I could hear the voices of others in the distance, but I was exploring on my own. I kicked gum nuts as I strolled along the dusty path at the water’s edge, clumps of spinifex plants with their rough strap leaves hitting my legs. Nothing troubled me. Other children’s voices grew louder and louder. The swing rope would be popular today. It dangled over the creek, a rope attached to a tree branch. I had always wanted a go, but the others always beat me to it. Besides, I was a hopeless runner and swimmer. Without thinking I decided the time was now. I kicked off my shoes and flung my body towards the rope, the other children couldn’t stop me now! Time stopped as I flew. I braced myself for the split-second timing of grasping the matted rope and landing gently on the other side of the creek. I guess I should’ve paid attention to how the others did it. I zoomed straight past the rope and plummeted towards the inky waters. 

Charlie Pronk (Year 7) – “Blood Red Rose”

I flop onto my bed, grumbling in exasperation at the thought of having to endure another one of my parents’ mundane garden tours. Mum’s impatient voice breaks through my barrier of pillows telling me to hurry up and get ready. Finally ready, I take one last look into my mirror and my freckled, blonde haired face rolls its green eyes right back at me.

Inwardly groaning, I watch as my parents follow Dr Melia like excited school children on a field trip. Dr Melia, the renowned botanist who is now doubling as our tour guide, is taking us to some secluded picnic spot where we are to eat the lunch packed in the picnic basket that is swinging on her arm. We reach the spot just as my stomach starts to rumble.

We sit down on a moss-covered floor with the branches of a colossal American Elm providing us with shade. To my left a babbling brook sweeps over algae covered rocks and to my right the trees thicken to form something like a wall, blocking the space beyond. After finishing a delicious lunch of roast pork rolls with gravy and crackling, Dr Melia suggests we move on. I complain that my feet are tired to get out of having to go with them, and my parents, with expert help from Dr Melia of course, conclude that I stay with the picnic basket and wait for them to return. Naturally, I have no intention of sitting idly, so once Dr Melia and my parents are out of my line of vision I get up and head toward the wall of trees.

Shannon Allen

Head of Learning Area - English

SPORT

Interhouse Swimming Carnival

The 2021 Interhouse Swimming Carnival was an enjoyable and successful day. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of the term, the decision was made to postpone, rather than cancel this special secondary school event. The carnival was moved to the alternative date of Tuesday 9 March in the 10 Lane Outdoor Pool at HBF Stadium. 

The Year 12 House Captains, well supported by the other Year 12 students, lead from the front and the cheering and support from all Houses was a highlight of the day. Given the strong House spirit the scoring for the coveted Spirit Award was extremely close. Congratulations to Ward who were the recipients of the 2021 Spirit Award.

The competitive races were amazing and the quality of performances very high from all students. Throughout the day six records were broken. Mrs Veronica Brennan-Poland did an exceptional job as the poolside announcer and her calling of each race really added to the overall atmosphere. Congratulations to Loyola House who held off a strong lead throughout the day to win the Sr Mary Murray Cup for the fifth consecutive year.

Champion and Runner-Up Champions will be announced at the next Secondary Assembly.

Sr Mary Murray Cup

1st          Loyola                 1782

2nd         Campion             1598

3rd          Ward                   1434

4th          Loreto                 1412

5th          St Louis               1308

6th          Koolyangarra     1203

2021 Records

ACC A Division Swimming Carnival 

Students in the John XXIII College ACC Swimming Squad will be notified in homeroom on Tuesday 16 March. These will be based off the results from the NAS Swimming Meet and the Interhouse Swimming Carnival. There will be an important squad training session held at the HBF Indoor Pool from 7:00-8:00am on Wednesday 17 March. This will provide students with the opportunity to train together as a squad and as well as a final opportunity to secure their position at the ACC A Division Swimming carnival on Wednesday 24 March. Students will need to make their own way to the pool. A bus will transport the students back to school.

NAS 

John XXIII College competed in their third round of NAS this week against Servite College. Congratulations to all the staff and students who boarded their buses to play their NAS games after the Interhouse Swimming Carnival on Tuesday. This highlights the commitment our school community has towards the College sporting program. Our teams now turn their focus towards their last round against Chisholm College next week. 

Our Senior NAS teams have now been finalised. Congratulations to all students selected. It has been pleasing to see the commitment to training over the last few weeks from both staff and students. Players will compete in all four of their NAS games on Friday 19 March at the below venues:

• Basketball                                     Warwick Stadium
• Indoor Beach Volleyball           Ozzie Indoor
• AFLW                                               City Beach Ovals
• Touch Football                             John XXIII College
• First XI Cricket                             John XXIII College

All Year 11 and 12 students who are not taking part in NAS will remain at school and take part in our Wellness Day. Students will choose which activities they would like to take part in from the below options:

• Discovery Walk
• Meditation/Pilates
• Mixed Social Netball
• Dodgeball
• Boxing
• Private Study

Swimming Training

Training is in full swing and runs from 7:00am-8:00am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the lead up to the ACC A Division Swimming Carnival on Wednesday 24 March. All students are welcome to participate in our morning training sessions.

Cross-Country Training

Cross-Country training runs from 7:00am-8:00am every Tuesday and Thursday in the lead up to the ACC Cross Country Carnival on Thursday 27 May.  All students are welcome to participate in our morning training sessions.

Sara Kononen

Head of Sport