Secondary

Dear Families

As a significant milestone in their adolescent journey, the transition to Secondary school is a time of mixed emotions, which is why an effective orientation program is essential to set the foundation for a successful start to Year 7. Led by Jack Butterworth, Assistant Deputy Principal - Year 7, the transition program has focused on supporting students to establish relationships with peers and teachers, develop a sense of place within the broader campus and adjust to the routine and rigour of the Secondary School. An integral part of the transition program, the St Omer camp experience this week created opportunities for challenge and camaraderie off campus. Students in their Homeroom groups worked alongside Homeroom Teachers and House Coordinators to engage in a variety of challenge activities designed to foster teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience, and it was impressive to see all students engage enthusiastically throughout the camp. Thank you to Jack Butterworth, Year 7 Homeroom Teachers, House Coordinators and other staff who attended the camp, supporting students to ensure that all had an enjoyable experience.  

Paul Dillon – drug and alcohol awareness and safety 

The College implements the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum through the Health curriculum and wellbeing programs to provide age and developmentally appropriate education on child safety, protective behaviours, cyber safety, and respectful relationships. This week, we welcomed Paul Dillon back to the College for his annual presentations to Years 10, 11 and 12 students. Paul has been working in drug education for almost 30 years. Through his own business, Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA), he spends much of his time working with schools and other agencies to raise awareness and provide education on current drug trends. Always well received by students, Paul provided an insightful and informative presentation to provide current statistics and research on drug use and help students make informed choices regarding their own and their friends’ health, wellbeing and safety.  

NAPLAN 

For Years 7 and 9 students, NAPLAN commencing next week might be a topic of conversation in some households, but it shouldn’t cause excessive angst for students or parents. NAPLAN is just one aspect of the College’s assessment and reporting processes. It doesn’t replace ongoing assessments or teachers' judgments of student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress. We know that for some students, assessments such as NAPLAN generate worry that they won’t do well. Reassuring them that NAPLAN is part of their broader school program and an opportunity to demonstrate their learning strengths can help normalise the experience of the next couple of weeks. 

Some other strategies to help reduce the ‘NAPLAN nerves’ include:  

• Ensure that students get a good night’s sleep and have a wholesome breakfast so that they have the energy to perform at their best.   
• Eliminate external stressors on the day so that students can focus on feeling organised, calm and ready. Avoid rushing in the morning; help them get to school on time, and remain calm and centred yourself to minimise any nervous energy they might pick up.  
• Encourage them to read the question carefully to avoid silly or rushed errors.  

• Focus on the important things: students’ long-term learning is more important overall than any isolated test, NAPLAN or otherwise. Remind them that whatever the outcome, their personal best and continuous improvement over time are the most important things.

    

Much work has been done to familiarise students with the NAPLAN procedures and testing environment, with practice runs held prior to each assessment, and parents have been informed of assessment timetables. Please work with your child to ensure they are organised for each test by bringing their charged device, headphones and pencil to each assessment.  

Parent Teacher Student Interviews: Thursday 26 March (3:45pm – 6:00pm) and Friday 27 March (9:00am – 3:15pm) 

Over these two days, Parent-Teacher-Student interviews will be held both online and face-to-face. These interviews are an important event that can assist you and your child to speak with their teachers about their academic progress and work habits. To facilitate meaningful feedback and discussion with teachers, the following suggestions may be useful: 

• Read the Interim Report before you attend. Interim Reports will be available on Friday, 20 March via SEQTA.  
• Identify and discuss areas of strength and opportunities for improvement for each subject. 
• Seek clarity regarding one strategy suggested by the teacher for your child to practice to strengthen their approach to their learning. This should provide helpful information to implement a plan that, over time, results in learning growth.  

Uniform Shop 

To coincide with the upcoming Parent-Teacher-Student interview meetings, the Uniform Shop will be open on Friday, 27 March from 7:45am to 12pm. With Term 2 approaching and the need for blazers as part of the winter uniform, this will be an opportunity for parents to visit the Uniform Shop for fittings and purchases. Appointments are not necessary. 

Term 1 Key Dates 

Shani Andrews

Vice Principal - Head of Secondary

Way of the Cross

In their Religion classes this week, Year 9 students engaged with the Way of the Cross. Small groups of students, under the guidance of a teacher, walked a mini-pilgrimage to five crosses in the College gardens. At each cross, students listened to a passage of Scripture, imagined the challenges and pain faced by Jesus and the people around him, and prayed the traditional Way of the Cross litany: ‘we adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.’  Students then had some time at the cross to reflect on their own experience, as well as paying attention to the challenge and pain experienced by the human family. The students concluded their mini-pilgrimage by recognising that the path of the cross also leads to the hope of Easter, as expressed in the words of Pope Francis: 'God’s mercy can make even the driest land become a garden.'

Mary-Anne Lumley

College Liturgist

Our 2026 Year 9 HASS students brought the global economy to life at a Trade Fair!

2026 Year 9 HASS Trade Fair 

Our Year 9 HASS students recently brought the global economy to life through an exciting and interactive Trade Fair, transforming the TMEC and Roncalli Hall into a vibrant marketplace of ideas. 

As part of their Economics and Business unit, students researched Australia’s major trading partners and created engaging display booths designed to educate and inspire their peers. Each group explored a specific country, such as China, Japan, the United States, South Korea, and India, and examined the key goods and services traded with Australia. Their displays featured hands-on activities, quizzes, models, digital presentations, and even cultural artefacts to highlight the unique economic relationships Australia maintains around the world.

The energy of the event matched the quality of the learning on display. Students confidently explained trade patterns, demonstrated the importance of global interdependence, and reflected on how international relationships shape Australia’s economy. Staff and students who visited the Trade Fair were impressed by the creativity, depth of research, and teamwork evident across all exhibits.

A special thanks must go to Mr Stephen Harris (HASS Teacher) and the rest of the HASS Teaching Team for their amazing organisation and support during the Fair, and to the College’s Maintenance Team for their assistance with the setup of this event. 

Congratulations to all Year 9 students for their outstanding efforts in making the Trade Fair both informative and engaging, an excellent celebration of learning in action!

Chris Morris

Head of Learning Area - Humanities and Social Sciences

Inspire Parent Education | The Fathering Project Breakfast

Join us on Tuesday, 24 March for The Fathering Project Breakfast, part of our Inspire Parent Education series. Guest speaker Ashlee Harrison, founder of WA charity zero2hero, will share powerful insights into connection, resilience and the wellbeing of young people — including what kids wish their parents knew.

The morning kicks off at 6:45am with casual networking over bacon-and-egg rolls and barista coffee, followed by a 45-minute presentation. It's a great opportunity to connect with other families in our community while gaining practical tools to better support your child.

• Tuesday, 24 March 
• 6:45am – 8:45am
• Neil Donaldson Pavilion, 10 McGillivray Road, Mount Claremont
• $39 per person
• Bookings are essential — secure your spot

Community Garden Care and Maintenance Day

When: Saturday, 21 March Time: 8:00am - 9:30am   

Meeting Point: Meeting behind the Science Garden at B8

We invite all interested parents, students, and alumni from the John XXIII College community to join us for a Community Garden Care and Maintenance Day to help our native Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos thrive.

This is a wonderful opportunity to give back to our environment through planting, weeding and caring for our existing garden beds. All tools will be provided—just bring yourself, comfortable clothing, closed footwear, a hat, and sunscreen.

Participating students can count this time towards their Christian Service-Learning (Roncalli Service) hours.

Together, we can nurture our shared environment, strengthen our campus surroundings, and set a positive example for future generations.

Community Garden Care and Maintenance Day – Fill out form

SPORT

ACC Swimming 

Congratulations to all students who have been selected for our 2026 ACC A-Division Swimming Team!

Please take note of the following: 

• Thursday 12 March and Thursday 19 March are compulsory swimming training for all RELAY members at the College Pool at 7:00am to 8:00am.
• Monday 23 March there will be a compulsory team session after school 3:30pm to 4:30pm followed by our team dinner in the TMEC from 5:00pm to 6:15pm 
  • Dinner RSVP

• If you cannot attend please email Miss Pillera or Mr Kowal

   

Wednesday 25 March - ACC A-Division Carnival 

• All team members are encouraged and eligible to purchase an interschool jumper and swimming cap from the uniform shop. 
• All team members must compete in COLLEGE BATHERS. Girls on the team are welcome to purchase the race bathers. 
• We can't wait to show everyone what John XXIII can do, let's train hard and stay healthy!
• Back to Back in 2026?! One Team, One Dream. 

A big well done to all students who participated in NAS Swimming on Tuesday. The team were able to put down more times to confirm their places in the ACC Team! 

Years 9/10 NAS

• Year 9/10 NAS Carnival Information
• Carnival Day - Tuesday 10 March
• Arrival time: NAS Teams - 7:45am in St Louis Gym
• Arrival Time: Grass Court Volleyball - 8:15am
• Bus departure: Buses will depart at various times, a briefing will be conducted at 8:00am
• Dress: College Sport Uniform, if your team requires a uniform, you will be given shirts in the morning. These MUST be returned to your team teacher at the end of the day 
• What to pack: Students must pack their own recess and lunch on the day,sunscreen and hat for outdoor venues and any first aid requirements (Asthma puffer, EpiPen etc)

Venues and Staff

Years 11/12 Summer NAS

A reminder that the first NAS/Wellbeing Day is coming up on Monday 30 March. 

The second round of trials will be next week, followed by training sessions in the lead-up to the carnival. All can be found below and in the College Notices. 

All students must be involved on the day, either in a NAS Team, as a Student Helper or involved in the Wellbeing Day.

Nomination Form

Trial and Training Schedule 

ACC Basketball 

A fantastic effort by the Senior Boys Basketball Team, who had their first win of the season against Sacred Heart College. The team were down 14 points at the start of the third quarter and came back strong to clinch the win 54-45. It was a superb effort by all. We will have our final home game of the season Tuesday 10 March at JTC vs Mater Dei College in the St Louis Gym 4:00pm to 5:00pm. All spectators are welcome. 

Jessica Pillera

Head of Sport

Congratulations

Congratulations to all John XXIII College students and alumni who competed at the 2026 Fuel to Go & Play WA Youth/Open State Championships. Across beach runs, surf boat relays and surf ski events, competing at state level takes real commitment, and we are proud of all who took part.

Share your child’s achievements

We love celebrating the wonderful achievements of our students in this section of the newsletter. If your child has recently represented at a regional, state, or national level, or been part of a team that has achieved a significant result (such as a premiership or championship), we’d love to hear about it!

Families are invited to share details and a photo by emailing newsletter@johnxxiii.edu.au. Please include your child’s name, year group, event or activity, and a brief description of the achievement.

To ensure fairness and consistency, we can only feature information received directly from families that meets the above criteria. If no image or details are provided, we may not be able to include your child’s achievement in the newsletter.