Principal's Report 

Supporting MND

In honour of our former staff member, Ms Carolina Laing, who is bravely battling Motor Neuron Disease (MND), our team comes together annually to wear the iconic Big Freeze beanies. These beanies, made famous by Neale Daniher’s extraordinary and inspiring campaign, symbolise our commitment to finding a cure for this debilitating disease.

Each year, approximately 251 people in Victoria are diagnosed with MND. Your support can make a significant difference in the fight against MND. To contribute to this crucial cause and help fund research for a cure, please visit FightMND.

Refugee Week Art Exhibition

Next week we will raise awareness of the struggles faced by refugees through our Refugee Week Art Exhibition in Homeroom. The deadline for submissions is Monday 17 June, with the Opening Event on Thursday 20  June (World Refugee Day) at 1 p.m. in the CLC. Winners will be announced, and three hampers of high-quality art supplies from ZART ART will be awarded. I thank our Learning Diversity Leader, Ms Nievas, for the planning and running of this exhibition.

As we highlight Refugee Week, consider these United Nations statistics: 82.4 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced, including 48 million internally displaced and 26.4 million refugees. The top five countries of origin, accounting for 68% of refugees, are:

Syria: 6.7 million

Venezuela: 4 million

Afghanistan: 2.6 million

South Sudan: 2.2 million

Myanmar: 1.1 million

For many decades, Australia has led the world in resettling some of the world’s most vulnerable refugees. This commitment is crucial, especially now when finding protection in a safe country is increasingly difficult. Australians can be proud of our tradition of giving everyone a 'fair go,' welcoming diverse cultures from around the globe.

At St. John's we take pride in our multicultural heritage and are home to many cultures and people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Make a Difference Day (MAD Day) - June 28

At the conclusion of Term 2, on Friday 28 June we will stage the MAD Day walk to raise funds for our Lasallian schools in Pakistan and the local Wellsprings Centre for Women in Dandenong, run by the Presentation Sisters. Lunch will be provided for all students who are expected to wear their sports uniform on this day. Additionally, we are excited to announce a special performance by the cast of our upcoming musical, "Shrek."

To accommodate the walk in the afternoon, we will follow an adjusted timetable for the day:

8:50 – 9:05: Homeroom

9:07 – 9:57: Period 1 - Normal Classes

9:57 – 10:47: Period 2 - Normal Classes

10:47 – 11:10: Recess

11:12 – 12:02: Period 3 - Normal Classes

12:02 – 12:20: Lunch served to students

12:20 – 12:50: Lunch break

12:50 – 1:00: Line up on outdoor basketball courts – move into stadium

1:00 – 1:30: Special performance by the cast of "Shrek" and Volleyball final in the stadium

1:30 – 3:00: MAD Day Walk

We look forward to a successful and enjoyable day, making a positive impact in our community and beyond.

Year 8 Reflection Day – Tuesday 4 June 

On Tuesday 4 June our Year 8 students participated in a one-day retreat facilitated by the Melbourne-based Lasallian Youth Ministers and our own Lasallian Youth Minister, Dona Simon. The team guided our students through a series of activities centered around the theme "Who & What is a Hero and How Can I Be One?" This retreat allowed students to explore the concept of experiencing cycles of growth and development throughout life and highlighted the importance of heroes in our lives, both for ourselves and those around us.

A heartfelt thanks to the staff who helped make this retreat a success: Mr Swan, Ms Periera, Mr Goicoa, Ms Migliore, Mr Papadakis, Ms De Francesco, Mr Begley, as well as Miss Simon and Mr Rhynehart for their organisation and planning. These opportunities are at the heart of our role as a Catholic faith community.

Australian Basket Championships – Congratulations Prabhjot Singh

I extend our congratulations to St John’s Year 10 Student Prabjot Singh who competed for the Dandenong Rangers U18 Boys, in the National Junior Classic Champions held over the long weekend at the Dandenong Basketball Centre. Prabjot’s team went undefeated with a record of games of 6 to 0 to take out the national U18 Boys title. Prabjot is looking forward to joining the basketball stream of the St John’s Sports Academy which will commence in 2025.

Year 9 Experience Week

I extend my gratitude to our Pastoral Program & Events Coordinator, Ms Angelique Phillip-Kemp, and our Careers & VET Leader, Mr Bruce Topham, for their meticulous planning of the upcoming Year 9 Experience Week. This week is an integral part of our curriculum, strategically designed to support our Year 9 students as they begin to contemplate key decisions about their future. The program includes various sessions that involve travel to the city and feature external guest speakers at St John's.

The schedule for next week is as follows:

• Monday: Careers Pathway Sessions
• Tuesday: City Experience – Visit and tour of the Australian Catholic University and Defense Forces
• Wednesday: City Experience – St Patrick's Cathedral, Museum, and ArtVo
• Thursday: Reflection Sessions – "Where Am I At?" (African Youth Alliance), "A Whole New World" (Victoria Police)
• Friday: Certificate Day – First Aid, Patisserie Masterclass, Umpiring/Coaching, Auslan, or Car Maintenance

Enrolment Interviews for 2025

Over the past week, the senior leadership team has been conducting interviews with our new Year 7 students and their families for 2025. It is always gratifying to see alumni now bringing their children to St John’s but also hear how highly regarded our school is within the local community, reflecting the outstanding work of our staff and students over many years.

Enrolment tours for 2025 and 2026 students take place every Thursday morning. Additionally, our next evening enrolment session is scheduled for Wednesday 24 July at 6 p.m. For more information about enrolments, please visit our College's website or contact our Enrolment Registrar, Ms Helen Phillips, via the main office at 8793 2000.