Principal Report

Welcome Back to Term 2 

I hope all families enjoyed a restful break and had the chance to spend quality time together over the Easter and Anzac breaks. As we begin the new term, students are reminded to return in full Winter Uniform, which includes wearing the school tie each day, except when in sports uniform. Ties can be purchased through Academy Uniforms at www.academyuniforms.com.au. 

Attendance and Punctuality 

As communicated at the end of last term, we begin Term 2 with a renewed focus on the importance of daily, on-time attendance. From this term, staff will supervise student entry from 8:50 am to ensure a consistent approach to punctuality. 

Every minute of learning counts—arriving late means missing key instruction and setting the day's tone. Research shows that regular attendance is linked to stronger academic outcomes, increased engagement, and greater success beyond school. 

In support of the Victorian Government's Every Day Counts initiative, we ask for your continued partnership in promoting daily attendance and punctuality with your child. 

ANZAC Day 

In the lead-up to the ANZAC Day holiday, our community took the opportunity to pause and reflect on the enduring significance of this day in Australian culture. On ANZAC Eve, we conducted a solemn and reflective ceremony at St John's, honouring the ANZAC troops' sacrifices and all Australian and New Zealand soldiers who have served and fallen in conflicts, wars, and peacekeeping missions. 

Staffing 

I wish to advise the school community that Mr Gia Dien Trinh has returned to St John's to replace Mr Paul O'Loughlin, who resigned at the end of last term. I also advise that Ms Vinessa Li in our Accounts Department has resigned to take up a new role at Sienna College, and we warmly welcome Ms Tash Lock, who will now take on a new role in Finance and Administration. 

SIS Division B – Swimming Carnival 

This week, our students proudly represented St John's at the SIS Division B Swimming Carnival held on Wednesday. In the lead-up to this event, our Sports Academy Leader, Mr Ben McGee, with Ms Marina Kintzel and Mr Mark Alexander, dedicated many early mornings throughout Term 1 to training and preparing our team. 

We congratulate all our competitors for representing the College with pride and determination. A special congratulations goes to Julia Trinh, who, based on her outstanding performance, has been selected to represent the SIS at the upcoming VSAC competition on Monday, 12 May. 

Well done, Julia! 

Girls in STEM 

Our Year 7 girls participated in an exciting STEM program on programming drones and developing geospace awareness this week. Designed to promote gender equity and spark interest in STEM, the program empowers students through hands-on learning, real-world problem-solving, and creative exploration. By piloting drones and tackling practical challenges, our students gain confidence and see STEM as dynamic, engaging, and relevant to their future. Special thanks to Mr Stoforidis for organising this enriching initiative and inspiring our young learners to embrace STEM enthusiastically. 

Student-Free Day – Monday, 19 May 

This is a reminder to all families that St John's Regional College will be closed on Monday, 19 May, as staff will be participating in a whole-school Professional Learning Day. 

This important day of learning is aligned with our College Learning Vision and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools' (MACS) Vision for Instruction. Facilitated by Katie Webster from Teach Well, the program aims to equip staff with practical, high-impact strategies and evidence-based teaching practices that enhance student learning outcomes. 

We thank families for their support and understanding as we invest in building the capacity of our teachers to enhance our students' learning outcomes. 

After-School Tutoring Program – Free Academic Support for All Year Levels 

Following the recent Parent-Teacher Interviews, many students may have identified key areas to focus on in Term 2. To support this, we're pleased to continue offering our free after-school tutoring program, available to all year levels. 

Our tutoring sessions run Monday through Thursday from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm in the Collaborative Learning Centre (CLC). Students can book a 30-minute session or longer for support in any subject, whether it involves help with homework, assignments, or core subjects like Math, Science, or English. Bookings can be made easily via the TryBooking link on our school website. We encourage families who identified learning goals in Term 1 to take full advantage of this valuable resource.

Soccer Gala Day –  Paul Wade Cup Monday 5 May  

We're looking forward to welcoming over 200 students from our local primary schools to the 5th Annual Paul Wade Cup, which will take place on 5 May from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the St John's Regional College Sports Precinct. 

Named in honour of St John's alumnus and former Socceroos captain Paul Wade, this much-anticipated event brings together young soccer talent to celebrate skill, teamwork, and school spirit. Defending champions St Paul Apostle South are set to return, with intense competition expected from schools including St Paul Apostle North, St Mary's Dandenong, and more. 

We warmly invite families from our participating primary schools to come along and cheer on the players. Parking is available on Power Street and at the Robert Booth Reserve (Clow Street). 

Enrolments 2026 and 2027 

In term 2, open mornings for prospective students and their families will take place each 

Thursday at 9.15 am to allow Parents to learn about our History, Curriculum programs and plans for St John's. The one-hour session will also include a tour of our facilities. Out-of-school hours tours for this term have been scheduled for the following dates: 

Thursday 6 June at 6.00 pm 

Enrolments for 2026 and 2027 are invited, and parents can book a place for these tours by contacting our College reception at (03) 8793 2000 or through Try Booking via the Enrolment tab on our school website, https://www.sjrc.vic.edu.au.