From the Principal
John XXIII College
This year marks the 40-year anniversary of the amalgamation of our College’s four separate campuses into one at Mount Claremont. For five years, then Principal, Sr Denise, gave one day every week to planning our Mount Claremont campus to ensure that every decision, from the placement of the Chapel to the direction a classroom door opened, served the students who would one day walk through it.
So it was on 12 May 1986 that 1200 students arrived for their first day of school at our Mount Claremont campus. Bob Hancock of Downard Pickfords, a removalist for 25 years, said at the time that the John XXIII College move was unlike anything he had ever taken on. Every single item colour-coded, every piece numbered. 1200 cubic metres of furniture, 11 pianos, 800 cartons of books from four separate libraries and 600 desks.
The decision to consolidate four separate campuses, Loreto, St Louis, Campion, and Koolyangarra, into one single, purpose-designed facility was truly visionary. As we mark forty years since our College's relocation to our Mount Claremont campus, then, we honour and celebrate the tenacity and courage of those who worked so hard to establish John XXIII College on one campus. The architectural approach that emerged in our new campus design was deeply considered and grounded in an educational philosophy that continues to guide us today: horizontal movement between classrooms to foster connection; accessibility for all; Mediterranean, monastic architecture with colonnades and Spanish-inspired tiles evoking contemplation; and the deliberate positioning of key spaces, with the Chapel as our spiritual focal point.
We are particularly grateful to those who founded our Mount Claremont campus, and we acknowledge with deep appreciation those who continue to provide faithful stewardship through their service on College Council, Sub-Committees of Council and Parents’ Association. Their collective commitment, along with that of our staff and students, ensures we remain faithful to our founding vision, while responding thoughtfully to contemporary learning needs. Congratulations and happy 40th anniversary everyone!
Daniel Mahon
Principal