Principal Report

Welcome to the 2025 School Year

A warm welcome to the 2025 school year! I hope you've enjoyed a restful break and are ready to embrace the exciting opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. It was a joy reconnecting with new students and their families as they began their journey at St. John's. Their first day was filled with anticipation and nervous energy, but with the encouragement and support of our dedicated teachers and older students, they quickly settled into the rhythm of their new school environment.

Our annual theme this year is "Pilgrims of Hope"

This year, we are blessed to celebrate the Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church, a time dedicated to forgiveness, reconciliation, and spiritual renewal. Our 2025 annual theme, "Pilgrims of Hope," calls us to journey together in faith, embracing hope and solidarity as we navigate life's path.

The "Pilgrims of Hope" theme invites us to rediscover our faith through charity, love, and service. It reminds us that life is a pilgrimage—a journey toward redemption, inner peace, and the shared joy of community. Together, as a school, we will embrace this theme as a source of inspiration for our prayer, learning, and service throughout the year.

Opening School Mass & Welcome Evening: Commencing the Year Together

A Welcome Mass will be held on Wednesday, 5 February, at 6:15 pm for a 6.30 pm start, to mark the start of the school year. Bishop Anthony Ireland will celebrate this special occasion, welcoming our Year 7 students and their families into the St. John's community. After the Mass, families can meet House Leaders and Learning Mentors during a Welcome Evening. This event highlights the importance of a strong partnership between home and school, setting clear expectations, valuing education, and supporting students on their path to independence and success—this a compulsory event for all Year 7 Students and their families.

Opening College Assembly – 5 February: Recognising our 2024 Academic Achievers and Student Leaders for 2025

Our opening College Assembly, on Wednesday, 5 February, at 9:15 am in Br Leo Scollen Stadium, will highlight the acknowledgment of our High Achievers from the 2024 School Year and the investiture of our 2025 Student Leaders. All families are welcome to attend this event.

Congratulations to the DUX of 2024

I congratulate and acknowledge the 2024 Dux of St John's Prithis Bhattacharyya, who has achieved an outstanding ATAR of 96.9—a testament to his hard work, dedication, and determination. We are immensely proud of his exceptional performance and his commitment throughout his studies.

Prithis will pursue a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne, with plans to major in Neuroscience. His passion for making a meaningful impact reflects his aspiration to a career in medicine and psychiatry.

As the Dux of St. John's, Prithis will deliver an inspiring address at the Opening Assembly on 5 February. Congratulations, Prithis, on this incredible achievement.

Student Leadership 2025

Leaders will proudly receive their leadership badges at the Opening Assembly on Wednesday, 5 February. These individuals have been selected for their dedication to all aspects of school life and their commitment to making the Student Representative Council a platform where every student's voice is valued and plays a role in shaping our school community. I sincerely thank them for their service and dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment at St. John's.

College Captains: Kiara Lay & Kelemen Dominic

Faith & Mission Captains: Emilia Rusec & Riscajetan (Marcus) Verso

House Captains:

Aquila: Aura Pen & Jayden Hang

Columba: Marnath Machar & Levi Hughes

Delphinus: Dehara Madagama Gamage & Jacob Gonzaga

Leonis: Quratullane Ali & Sean Pascual

Monoceros: Juan Wani & Ashton Lay

Phoenix: Laura El Bazi & Meayjowk Opiew

Staffing: Welcoming New Additions

As the school year commences, we welcome our new staff members listed below to St John's Regional College. Each brings unique experiences and skills, and we eagerly anticipate their positive contributions to student learning and wellbeing in the coming years.

Ms Kayla Alcala                      English Psychology VM Literacy STEM PBL

Mr Lorenzo Diab                    Italian Music

Ms Candala Ferreyra-Bas    HPE (7 – 10)

Ms Mercy Jepkospei             RE

Mr Mina Rizk Habachy         Biology  Maths SCIMAT

Mr George Stoforidis            Learning Area Leader - Science; Physics Science

Miss Dona Simon                  Social Justice Leader - Science CAP RE (Year 8)

Mr Eddie Taing                       Biology Maths Science Geography STEM PBL 

Mr Adam Gordon                  Learning Area Leader English and Languages

Miss Anastasia Kydas          English Religious Education

Ms Christine Petrone           English  LINKS

Miss Caitlin Luck                   LSO

Miss Renee Derimboglou   LSO 

Miss Kimberley Nguyen      LSO

Staff Changes:

We advise that Mr Bruce Topham will not return to his career role in 2025. We extend our gratitude for his years of dedicated service and confirm that staff member Mr Paul Colvin will take on the Careers Advisor Role in 2025. Additionally, Mrs Debra Sherrard has taken up a teaching role at Salesian College, and I wish her well in that new role. I also thank her for her service over the last 18 years.

Enrolment Information: Inviting Prospective Families

Our Open mornings for prospective students and their families occur every Thursday at 9:15 am. Parents will be able to learn about our History, Curriculum programs, and plans for St John's during a one-hour session that includes a tour through our facilities.  Enrolments for 2025, 2026 and 2027 are now open, and parents can book a place for this tour by contacting our College reception or through Try Booking via the Enrolment tab on our school website: https://www.sjrc.vic.edu.au.

After School Tutoring Program: Supporting Academic Growth

St John's will continue to offer the after-school tutoring program in 2025 for all year levels. Running each Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3.30 pm to 5 pm in the Contemporary Learning Centre, this program is designed to assist students with homework tasks and develop their literacy and numeracy skills. There is no fee for the tutoring program, which will commence on Monday, 10 February. Any students requiring extra assistance are encouraged to attend the CLC, where experienced tutors, all with Working with Children registration, provide support.

We look forward to a year filled with growth, learning, and success for each St John's Regional College community member.