Secondary

Dear Families 

Our endeavours to support all students to learn, contribute and participate in aspects of school life are reflected in this week’s newsletter. Addressing the needs of the whole child is not limited to what takes place in the classroom, it includes opportunities for students to nurture their spirituality, participate in co-curricular pursuits and develop their character. 

This week is HASS Week, and in celebration of all things Humanities, our Magis Academic Challenge has tested students’ knowledge of Humanities, Art, Language and Literature. Congratulations to all participants who battled it out for their House and thank you, to Ms Daisy Farley, Head of Magis for organising the challenge. Thank you also to Mr Chris Morris, Head of Learning Area, and the HASS Team for organising a week of engaging activities for students to broaden their appreciation of the Humanities, particularly with regards to our commitment to reconciliation through Reconciliation Week. 

On Tuesday, Year 8 students gathered for a special Reflection Day focused on the theme of Respectful Relationships. The day began with the celebration of the Eucharist, where students celebrated together and reflected on the importance of respect and kindness in their daily lives. Following Mass, students participated in a workshop centered around the Catholic teaching of human dignity. They explored how every person is valued and worthy of respect, grounding their understanding in faith-based principles. This theme was further enriched by a moving session with Scott Darlow, an Aboriginal songwriter, who shared his personal story and insights, highlighting lessons on empathy and understanding. The day concluded with a presentation from YSafe, which focused on maintaining respectful relationships in the digital world. This session provided practical advice on how to navigate online interactions with integrity and respect. Overall, the Year 8 Reflection Day was an insightful experience, equipping students with valuable insights and skills to foster respectful relationships both offline and online. Thank you to Mr James McLaughlin, Assistant Deputy Principal - Year 8, Mrs Janeen Murphy, Deputy Principal Faith and Mission and Year 8 Homeroom Teachers for the day. 

Years 11 and 12 students have now completed their examinations and should be proud of their approach towards what can be a challenging time in their learning journey. It has been fantastic to hear from many students that they have felt prepared because of support from their teachers, good time management and effective study strategies. Feedback from students who have engaged in work placements over the two weeks have been how much they have enjoyed the opportunity to grow their experience and confidence in the workplace. Year 10 students embark on their examinations next week and we wish them every success as they strive towards their personal learning best.  

Students from Mary Ward participated in the ACC Fun Run a few weeks ago. The inclusive Fun Run is designed to promote physical activity and social inclusion for students of all abilities. The event also includes activities and entertainment tailored to students with disabilities, such as sensory-friendly music and adapted games. As you can see from the photos below, students had a fantastic day of fun and friendship. 

Over the past two weeks, students from Years 7 to 12 have been taking part in the heats for our College Public Speaking Competition. All students are to be commended for the exceptionally high caliber of speeches delivered. Congratulations to the following students who will showcase their talents at next Thursday’s grand final.  

Congratulations to all runners in yesterday’s ACC Cross-Country Carnival. Their hard work and dedication to training over the past couple of months paid off by placing second overall amongst more than 76 schools represented! 

In the commitment to our strategic objective Inspiring Educational Excellence, we have embarked on an annual cycle of feedback and review of teaching and learning areas across the College, commencing with the Learning Enrichment Learning Area. The purpose of the review is to seek feedback to understand strength in practice with Learning Enrichment services and to identify areas of opportunity for enhanced student engagement and outcomes. The College has appointed a team of experienced inclusive education consultants to conduct the review over the coming weeks, engaging with staff, students and parents as part of their review research.  

SEQTA Absentees 

We are pleased to introduce a new feature that allows you to notify the school of your child's absence directly through the SEQTA Engage App or SEQTA Engage Portal. This feature provides an additional, convenient method for submitting absence notifications. Please find below instructions for accessing this new platform. Information will also be available via SEQTA Parent Portal.  

Term 2 Dates 

Shani Andrews

Vice Principal - Head of Secondary

A Visit from the Australian Federal Police

Year 10 Digital Technologies students participated in a Cybersecurity Bootcamp hosted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).  AFP Members worked with the students to explore different educational pathways towards working for the AFP and discussed recent successful operations carried out by their department.   

Using a bespoke system, students worked through tutorials to learn the skills used by penetration testers to explore virtual Linux machines and look for vulnerabilities.  The end of the bootcamp culminated in a Capture the Flag competition with the winners taking home the AFP Digital Surveillance Collection Medal.  The students demonstrated a promising skill level to build on in the future.   

Anna Davila

Head of Learning Area - Technologies

Containers for Change donations

Thank you to all the families that have been donating their recyclable containers to the College fund. The member ID number has changed recently for the College to C11452850.

If you are donating your 10c Containers under the College account, you will have to start using this number. 

All of the money raised from your donations goes to Caritas or Lifelink. 

Adrian Sims

Sustainability Club Coordinator 

Year 7 Japanese at the United Nations Fashion Parade

The Year 7 students learning Japanese have been busy preparing to introduce a classmate at our own JTC ‘mock’ United Nations Fashion Parade. Each student did an excellent presentation of a friend from overseas. Their presentation included giving their partner’s name, age, and nationality and describing their likes, dislikes, and what they were wearing. 

It is wonderful to see how much language the students are able to communicate with confidence.

Thank you to Sensei Glass for preparing the students to be involved in an engaging and authentic task.

Melissa Polizzi

Head of Learning Area - Languages 

Video call with Italian students 

This term, both Year 9 Italian classes had the opportunity to create some e-pal relationships with Professoressa Costa’s Year 5 Italian students learning English, from Leone XIII College, a Jesuit college in Milan. 

Prof Outtrim’s Italian class chatted with the students on Wednesday 24 April, and Prof Polizzi’s class had the opportunity on Thursday 23 May. Both classes connected via Google Meet and prepared a set of questions and responses, both in Italian and in English. 

The Year 9 Italian students have been learning about meals and drinks, preferences and cultural similarities and differences in Italy and Australia. During the video calls, they were able to authentically put into practice all that they have learnt, and they were able to share cultural similarities and differences, discussing preferences of football teams, different breakfast and lunch routines as well as pastimes and hobbies. 

Well done to the Year 9 students for engaging in such a positive and enthusiastic manner with our new friends from Milan. 

Melissa Polizzi

Head of Learning Area - Languages 

Street Food Fiesta

The Year 10 Food Technology classes recently showcased their culinary talents in a vibrant Street Food extravaganza, highlighting the diverse flavours of global street food. Mrs Woodall's class delighted everyone with an array of exquisite Asian-themed dishes, while Miss Toleman's class brought the bold and vibrant tastes of South American cuisine to the table.

These delicious creations were served during recess over the past two Wednesdays, offering staff and students the opportunity to experience the world through food. 

Students have mastered the skill of cooking in bulk to serve many people a hot meal at once. 

The event was a resounding success, demonstrating the students' impressive skills and creativity in the kitchen. They are to be congratulated on their hard work and success.

Mindy Toleman & Catriona Woodall

Food Technology Teachers

Coffee and Conversations - Year 12 Parents meet UWA and ND universities

Year 12 parents and guardians are warmly invited to an informal coffee and pastries morning with representatives from the University of Western Australia and Notre Dame University. This is a great opportunity to ask questions about admissions, courses, early entry, scholarships, support services, and more.

Date: Tuesday 18 June 2024, 8:00am to 9:00am

Creating a healthy relationship with food for the family

Dr Kyla Smith, a Perth-based paediatric dietitian with 18 years of experience, will share evidence-based tips to help your children love their food and feel good about eating.

• Tuesday 11 June 2024
• 7:30am - 9:00am
• Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre
• Light breakfast provided
• RSVP by Friday 7 June: https://www.trybooking.com/1225400

Hosted by INSPIRE Parent Association.

Building Courage and Resilience in Children and Adolescents

Join Karen Young, founder of 'Hey Sigmund' and author of bestselling books, for an informative session on helping children build courage and resilience. Learn practical tools and strategies to support your children in overcoming adversity and fostering a brave mindset.

• Monday 22 July 2024
• 6:00pm - 7:30pm
• Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre
• RSVP  https://www.trybooking.com/1225467

Hosted by INSPIRE Parent Association.

Calling all artists – Christmas art competition

Students of John XXIII College are invited to create an original artwork on the theme of ‘Christmas’.  The winning entry will appear on the Principal’s 2024 Christmas card. 

Artwork Specifications 

• Size: A4 or A3 
• Medium: 2D (drawing, painting, collage, digital) 

How to Enter 

• Secondary: submit entries at Student Reception and include name, Homeroom and year. 
• Primary: drop off entries at the Library and include your name and year. 

Submission deadline: Monday 10 June, 3:30pm. 

SPORT

ACC Cross-Country Carnival

In typical Cross-Country fashion we had all forms of weather at the 58th Annual ACC Cross-Country Carnival. This set the stage for a challenging and exciting course for all the competitors. This carnival is the biggest carnival on the ACC calendar with over 76 schools and over 4000 students in attendance from all over Western Australia. 

Our incredible John XXIII team once again finished as the Overall Runner-up School for the day. It is an amazing achievement and great effort to have consistently been in the top two over the last four years. Congratulations to Sacred Heart on their well-deserved victory. 

It was truly inspiring to witness the grit, determination, and passion of the students in each race. Students left nothing out on the course, and many personal bests were broken. We are so incredibly proud of everyone. 

Congratulations to the following students who placed in the Top 20 for their races: 

• U/13 Girls – Vivienne Barley 3rd 
• U/13 Boys – Jack Harris 16th 
• U/13 Boys – Noah Summers 20th 
• U/14 Girls – Sophie McLoughlin 19th 
• U/14 Girls – Jessica Hutchinson 20th 
• U/14 Boys – James Mann 7th 
• U/15 Girls – Lydia Defrancesco 19th 
• U/16 Boys – Harrison Delmotte 14th 
• U/16 Boys – Josh Standen 15th 
• U/16 Boys – Noah Boruff 20th 
• U/16 Girls – Claudia Gnech 4th 
• U/16 Girls – Sasha Pallis 5th 
• U/19 Boys – Archie Ryan 18th 
• U/19 Girls – Izzy Stewart 11th 

Eagles Cup 

Congratulations to the team that battled it out against Shenton College at home. The final score was JTC 7.3 - 45, Shenton  4.5 - 29. The boys will play their last fixtured round away against Newman next week. Go JTC!!

Volleyball Schools Cup 

We had a number of students trial for the Years 9/10 Volleyball Schools Cup Tournament on Friday. We are looking forward to getting training underway in the lead-up to these great carnivals. If you missed the trial and would like to be considered for the team, please email Jessica.pillera@johnxxiii.edu.au

Jessica Pillera

Head of Sport