Farewell to Staff - 2023

It is always with sadness that we acknowledge and farewell the following staff who will be leaving St John’s at the end of the year and thank them for their service to our community.

To Mr. Rhett Joachim, Mrs. Amanda Gengaroli, Mr. Naim Abdelahad, and Mrs. Ollie Armstrong, who collectively dedicated 115 years to our school and Catholic Education , we know words will never be enough. They have demonstrated commitment and service to our school for which we are most grateful and we wish them well for a well-earned retirement.

I also thank the following staff who leave us at the end of 2023 and wish them well for the next stage of their careers.

Ms Annaliese Leon

Mr Julian Fernando

Ms Vikki Anderson

Ms Renae Guillemin

Mr Tyler Halls-Ferguson

Mr Jan Holewa

Mr Roland Clements

Ms Jackie Belot

Ms Sheratein Taukapo

Secondment

I also advise Ms Jacinta Ashby has secured a secondment to the Northern Territory for the next two years. I congratulate her on this appointment to Christ the King School' in Lombadina on the Dampier Peninsula where she will teach Visual Arts & Literacy. We look forward to hearing about her adventures over the 2024 and 2025 school year.

Careers Advisor

I thank Mr Bruce Topham for his work this year in replacing Ms Leana Bailey while on maternity leave. Ms Bailey will return to her role in the 2024 school year.

New Staff 2024

I also extend a warm welcome to the following staff who have been appointed to St John’s Regional College for 2024.

Mr Nathan Goicoa - Teacher

Mr Daniel Papadakis – Teacher

Ms Emily Cucinello - Teacher

Ms Veronica Chia - Teacher

Mr Justin Chung - AFL Trainee

Ms Dona Simon - Learning Support Officer

Ms Kris Touogiannis - Learning Support Officer

Ms Ruth Noronha - Learning Support Officer.

I advise that Mr Michael Almery will be on leave for the first semester for a combination of Paternity Leave and Long Service Leave as he awaits the birth of his first child . He will be replaced by Mr Reymond Balano.

Year 7 , 2024 Orientation

The orientation day for our new Year 7, 2024 took place on Wednesday of this week. The day provides a beneficial introduction to high school life by giving our new students the opportunity to meet their teachers, engage with student leaders, and explore their new facilities. Many new connections and friendships were established which will instil a sense of comfort and confidence in our newest students as they embark on this exciting journey through St John’s. I thank our Transition Leader – Ms Niveas and House Leader Ms Fraraccio for their planning and preparation of the day and our staff and student leaders for running an amazing range of activities for the newest members of our community.

Reports:

Our reports for semester 2 will be emailed to parents next week and I thank our teaching staff for the performance feedback they have provided to students over a range of assessment tasks. The summer break gives all students some time to review the learning goals they have set for themselves over the past year and set new ones for the 2024 school year. I encourage parents to set aside some time to discuss with their children the feedback from the semester reports and identify their new learning goals for the 2024 school year.

2023 SJRC Awards Evening & Art & Technology.

On Wednesday of last week, our community gathered for the Annual St John’s Regional College Awards Night. It was a wonderful celebration of student achievement across all facets of College Life. Parent and students enjoyed viewing the Art & Technology display showcasing the talents of those students in the fields of Visual Art , Technology and Media.

I congratulate our high achievers for the consistent hard work and determination that has been the foundation of their achievements this year. It was also fantastic to see our students expressing their creative talents through our school choir , dance troupe and an amazing solo performance from Alexis Jackson.

I congratulate all of our award winners , 2024 scholarship recipients and in particular the winners of the 2024 Fr Gulen Scholarship. This scholarship is offered by the Hayek family who were greatly assisted by Fr Gulen in coming to St Johns some 30 years ago. Liam Chambers from St Gerards Primary School and Goai Pech from Holy Family Primary School were presented with this scholarship for 2024.

A night like this requires a dedicated team to work efficiently and effectively behind the scenes so I extend my thanks and appreciation to Ms Bielinski , Mr Van Es , Mr Rhynehart , Mr Almery, Ms Phillip, Mr Almery , Ms Hughes , Ms Aldis and the Arts & Technology Team and all staff who assisted and attended on the Night.

Cambodian Immersion

Very shortly, our senior students, led by Director of Faith & Mission, Mr. John Rhynehart, and House Leader Ash Fraraccio, will return from Cambodia after working with the staff and students of La Salle Pouthum, an orphanage in Phnom Penh. From all accounts, it has been a wonderful experience for our students to learn about another culture but also to put the philosophy of our two Charisms – both Presentation and Lasallian, who focus on words and deeds, into action. We look forward to welcoming them back over the weekend.

Class of 2023

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 who enjoyed a wonderful celebration of their graduation at St Patrick's Cathedral followed by dinner at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. I thank our celebrant Fr Luke Bulley , for conducting a beautiful mass with its focus on thanksgiving and prayers for our graduates as they move into the next exciting stage of their lives.

I also acknowledge the work of Mr Rhynehart , Ms Angelique Phillip-Kemp, Deputy Principal’s Mr Van Es, and Ms Bielinski and all of our House leaders for their preparation and work in creating a wonderful family celebration for our graduates and their families.

Kwong Lee Dow – Melbourne University: Young Scholars Program

I congratulate Juan Wani from Year 10 on her selection into the Class of 2026 Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars. The Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program offers participants the opportunity to mix with like-minded peers and future leaders. Over the next two years Juan will attend a tailored program of events and activities at Melbourne University which will enhance her secondary studies, inform her career plans and provide opportunities to interact with the University community. She was recognised from 1700 secondary applications from across Victoria. I congratulate Juan on this wonderful acknowledgment of his academic achievements.

Shared Stories Anthology 2023 –“ Imagine If…”

Over 25 Catholic Schools in Melbourne participate in the production of the Shared Stories Anthology which this year saw our students contribute art works, short stories and poetry under the theme of “ Inspire…”. The Anthology is published each year in the State and National Libraries which is a wonderful acknowledgement and achievement for our students. I wish to thank our Arts & Engagement leader Ms Anne Aldis , English Language Co-ordinator Ms Sue Keel and all the English teachers and Art teachers who incorporated the theme into their curriculum and guided our students through the process of creating their work. I congratulate our students for the beautiful and inspiring work they have contributed this year.

Sports Bonanza

This year’s Sports Bonanza gave our year 8-10 students an opportunity to utilise our wonderful sporting facilities to compete in both Soccer and Volleyball in a House based competition. I congratulate COLUMBA & LEONIS Houses on winning the day overall and taking an early lead into the race for the 2024 House Championship cup. My thanks to Sports Coordinator Mark Alexander , the Vocational Major Students and all the staff who contributed to a wonderful day for our students who got involved , had fun and gained some valuable points for their houses.

The following were the results of the day:

Year 8 Soccer Champions: Columba

Year 8 Volleyball Champions: Leonis

Year 9 Soccer Champions: Aquila

Year 9 Volleyball Champions: Leonis

Year 10 Soccer Champions: Delphinus

Year 10 Volleyball Champions: Monoceros

Overall:

EQUAL FIRST PLACE: COLUMBA & LEONIS 38points

THIRD PLACE: MONOCEROS 31points

FOURTH PLACE: DELPHINUS 28points

FIFTH PLACE: AQULA 20points

SIXTH PLACE: PHOENIX 17points

Office Hours

The College Office will close for the Christmas Holidays on the 20th of December at 12pm noon and will reopen at 8am on the 18th of January 2024.

Merry Christmas

I pray for Jesus Christ’s wish of Peace and Joy for all members of our community as we move into the wonderful celebration of Christmas and the Holiday season ahead. I look forward to and pray for everyone's safe return for the 2023 school year.

God Bless you all.

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