From the Principal

Celebrating our gifts and talents

This week we conducted important welcoming events for prospective 2021 Kindergarten, Pre-Primary and Year 7 parents. These nights are key as we introduce many new families to our College and provide guidance for our existing students as they move into their next phase of schooling.

Our very competent Enrolment Manager, Mrs Lizz Schollum, highlighted interesting details on our incoming Year 7 cohort. Our Primary school provides 53 of our 190 students in Year 7 next year; 63 students have siblings at the College and 74 families will be new to John XXIII College. Loreto and St Thomas’ are traditional Catholic feeder schools and will each provide nine students in 2021. Interestingly, some of the large government primary schools are now providing more students to the College than smaller Catholic schools.

Last weekend’s Gospel reading referenced utilising the gifts and talents that we are given. The master in the parable is pleased with two enterprising servants who maximised their talents but was displeased with the third who buried his talent. 

Part of the role of education is to provide an environment where the gifts and talents of students can be developed and cultivated. With a diversity of Primary schooling backgrounds, there will be a richness every year as we bring new students together. We also need to be mindful that for many families it will be their first experience of a Catholic education.

This year we have been conducting enrolment interviews for Year 7 2023. Demand for places is currently so strong that we could fill Year 7 2026 and we have applications extending all the way to Year 7 2032. Some parents are now enrolling their children as soon as they are born!

Our College is far from perfect and we are continually looking at ways in which we can refine and improve our practices to provide a holistic Catholic education for the benefit of all students. However, it is wonderful that so many families are seeking a place for their children at our school.

Robert Henderson

Principal