Newsletter

Principal's Report 

Tim Hogan

Welcome back to Term 4. 

I hope the school holidays have been relaxing and re-energising for all members of our community as we move into the final months of the school year.  

Enrichment Leave:

Over the past month, I have had the privilege of taking some enrichment leave to deepen my understanding of our Catholic faith and the Charism of St. John Baptist De La Salle. 

I had the opportunity to visit Reims, the birthplace of St. John Baptist 

De La Salle, in France, as well as other holy places significant to the Catholic faith, including Fatima, Lourdes and Avila. It was truly wonderful to delve deeper into the people and events that constitute our rich history and the living tradition of our Catholic faith today. Witnessing the devout pilgrims who visit places like Fatima and Lourdes because of their unwavering faith was truly inspiring.

 

In Lourdes, many people find a warm welcome, profound spiritual comfort and a source of hope. Since 1858, the Church has officially recognised 68 miracles associated with this sacred site. I find solace in the fact that my pilgrimage follows in the footsteps of so many who have journeyed before me and the many who will embark on this path after me.

 

I would also like to extend my gratitude to 

Mr Van Es, who stepped up as the Acting Principal in my absence, and to Mr Nigel Adkin, who assumed the role of Acting Deputy Principal for Student Wellbeing along with the wonderful leadership team and staff who continued their outstanding work in my absence.

The Basilica of our Lady of the Rosary  and The Grotto at Lourdes.

Class of 2023: Expectations for the Final Weeks of Year 12

Our Year 12 students have been completing trial exams this week before they embark on the final weeks of their secondary schooling. Below, I outline our expectations for them to finish the year on a strong note.

To celebrate the conclusion of their secondary school journey, we have organised several formal celebrations that will bring together family, friends and teachers to honor the Class of 2023. The completion of VCE and VCAL certificates is a significant achievement, one that deserves celebration as a community. To ensure that the entire community can enjoy these festivities, I outline the following expectations for our students.

 

Our school places a high value on treating people with dignity and respect, including respect for school property, which benefits all members of our community. Therefore, our simple expectation is that individuals and property will be respected at all times. Should any students be found responsible for inappropriate behavior, the school reserves the right to exclude them from participating in their final exams at St John’s College, attending the Graduation Mass and Dinner, and other formal farewell functions.

 

Over the years we have taken pride in the conduct of our students, and I have every confidence that this year’s group will maintain the high standards we set for them. They will finish the year enhancing both their personal reputation and our school's reputation.

 

 

I also want to take this opportunity to emphasise to parents the importance of supervision for any informal celebrations that may occur at family homes in the coming weeks. Year 12 celebrations often attract large numbers of young people, making adequate adult supervision necessary to ensure a safe environment for all participants. As a matter of school policy, I have instructed staff not to attend any informal Year 12 celebrations. From a legal perspective, staff in such circumstances could be seen as being in a supervisory capacity, regardless of the intended arrangement.

A final College Assembly highlighting the contributions of our graduating students will be held on Thursday, October 19 at 10.30 am and all parents of the graduating class are invited to attend. This will be followed by a BBQ on the school grounds. The Graduation Mass for the Class of 2023 will take place at St Patrick's Cathedral, East Melbourne, followed by a dinner at the MCG on November 24. 

 

On Tuesday night, November 29, the Annual Awards Night will be held in the Br Leo Scollen Stadium, and once again, all parents and students of the Class of 2023 are invited to attend this celebration of student achievement and excellence for the 2023 school year.

I look forward to these wonderful family celebrations, which are an important time not only to celebrate our students' achievements in completing their schooling but also to express gratitude to their families and teachers who have supported them along

 the way.

Staffing:

I welcome back the following staff from leave in Term 3, Ms Jacinta Ashby​ and Ms Maria Nasioulas​ and also Ms Annaliese Leon​ from sick leave.

Dandenong District Soccer Tournament – October 6

This Friday St. John’s Regional College had the honor of hosting the Dandenong District Primary Schools Soccer Tournament, a fantastic event that brought together over 400 primary school students from the following schools:

 

CarwathaCollege                                                       Dandenong Primary School

Dandenong North Primary School

Dandenong South Primary School

Dandenong West Primary School

Lyndale Green Primary School

Minaret College

Rosewood Downs Primary School

St Gerard's Primary School

St Mary's Primary School

Wooranna Primary School

 

The day was filled with excitement and sportsmanship, and I want to express my gratitude to the Director of our Football Academy Mr Ljuban Palinic, Coach Mr Dave Oulton, Vet teacher Mr Ben McGee, Sports Assistant Mr Tyler Halls-Ferguson and our dedicated VET Sport and Recreation students who played vital roles in making this event a success as part of their VET Studies:

  • Joshua Berenger (General Manager)                                       
  • Tim Dador (General Manager)
  • Rehmat Lamba
  • (Secretary/Fixturing/PUBLICITY)        
  •  Bakhita Piech Meat (Publicity & Socials
  • Preston Yak  (Referee)                 
  •  Marko Djukic (Referee)
  • Latio Eyabo (Referee)  
  • Tyrone Hutton (Referee)
  • Anna Kobly (First Aid Station)    
  • Beyonce Latar (Admin Support)
  • Dina Lemi (First Aid)   
  • Angelo Lotongol (Referee)
  •  Jordan Paora (Referee) 
  • Bakhita Piech Meat (Publicity)
  •  Nirajuan Vijayakumar (Referee) 
  • Victoria Yak Reat (Administration)
  • PeterAmituanai       
  • Akeir Naghoy
  •  Emmanuelle Sokiri  
  •  Cecilia Falaniko (First Aid)              

It was a day of sportsmanship, teamwork and fun, and we look forward to more successful events in the future conducted by our VET Sport and Recreation students.