St Johns College Dubbo Term 1, Week 10 2025

Principal

Dear St Johns Community

On Saturday night I was lucky enough to be able to attend the school musical “Be More Chill”. It was such a wonderful showcase of talent at the College. The polished performance was evidence of months of hard work.

What impressed me most about the musical? The way that many individuals worked towards a common goal - not just the talented performers but those backstage, those on sound and lighting who worked together in unison, under the direction of staff to produce such a high quality production.

I admire the courage the participants have shown to extend themselves to continually improve and strive for excellence. They really did live our theme for this year of “Resolve to be good today but better tomorrow”.

I admire the dedication that the cast and crew committed to the task. Excellence isn’t an accident. It was no accident that the performance was of such high quality - it was hours and hours of commitment to the task. I appreciate the organisation that went into preparing for the musical whilst still preparing for assessments and getting schoolwork completed.

I admired the teamwork that was evident. The cast and crew trusted the staff and wholly bought into what was required. It showed the beauty of what can occur when students show the faith required to extend themselves with support from their teachers and the excellent results that can come from that. I pray that we see this occur ongoing from all of our students in the classroom for wonderful growth in our learning.

I hope that the courage and dedication displayed by all the cast and crew serve as the example that all of our students strive to emulate.

Catholic Education Benefits All Australians

Catholic schools are Australia’s largest non-government education provider, delivering choice, affordability, and value for all.

With the election coming up, parents might be interested in finding out more information by going to https://ncec.catholic.edu.au/2025-federal-election/. There is a great short video explaining how school funding works: Keep School Funding Fair.

I wish all families of the College a wonderful, safe and holy Easter period and hope that you get to spend quality time with those that you love.

God bless,

God bless

Mr Justin McCarney
Principal

Assistant Principal

As we come to the end of the first term, our Wellbeing Team has been dealing more and more with incidences of bullying and the impacts that this is having on individuals and groups. Please find below some articles that may help you to navigate this topic with your child and some key things to look out for if you think that your child has been impacted by bullying.

Just so that you are aware our Wellbeing Team is made up of the following people:

Leader of Wellbeing
Peter Maher - p.maher@bth.catholic.edu.au 

Year Leaders
Year 7 - Mr Josh Galvin - j.galvin@bth.catholic.edu.au 
Year 8 - Ms Madie Easman - m.easman@bth.catholic.edu.au 
Year 9 - Mrs Stacey O’Neill - s.oneill3@bth.catholic.edu.au 
Year 10 - Ms Tegan Douglas - t.douglas@bth.catholic.edu.au
Year 11 - Mr Kirk Watts - k.watts@bth.catholic.edu.au 
Year 12 - Mr Matt O’Dea - m.odea@bth.catholic.edu.au 

Wellbeing Assistant
Mr Zach O’Leary - z.oleary@bth.catholic.edu.au 

School Counsellors
Ms Eliza Jarman and Ms Gabi Brown

Leaders of Diverse Needs
Mrs Emily Simpson - e.simpson@bth.catholic.edu.au 
Mrs Olivia Ryan - o.ryan@bth.catholic.edu.au 

Aboriginal Education Workers
Mrs Karen Andriske - k.andriske@bth.catholic.edu.au 
Ms Tracey Rapley - t.rapley@bth.catholic.edu.au 

Dolly’s Dream Parent Hub: https://www.dollysdream.org.au/parent-hub 

Kids Helpline: https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/bullying

The Education Hub: https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/bullying 

Yours faithfully

Mrs Emma Chater
Assistant Principal

Faith and Mission

Hasn’t Term One flown by! As we have a two week break, I ask that all families think about the importance of Easter. On Monday, we had a whole school liturgy which focused on Easter. The liturgy mainly focused on the Stations of the Cross. Our leaders read out each station, but then also asked students to personally reflect on those stations and how they apply to the individual. 

Here is an example:

Station 9 - Jesus falls a third time.

Jesus, your journey has been long. You fall again, beneath your cross. You know your journey is coming to an end. You struggle and struggle. You get up and keep going.

Lord - I become discouraged when I'm confronted by the same problems over and over again. Sometimes I get weary. Help me think of the cross you carried. Help me continue to hope that I can make the changes in my life I need to. You didn't give up. I can have the strength to get up again as well.

I also took the opportunity to talk to our students about the importance of Easter and the importance of living our lives in a way which reflects Jesus’ sacrifice. I would like to share with you what I said:

Thank you for your reverence today. I hope that it is clear to you the sacrifice Jesus made for us. He laid down his life for us. In return, he asked that we follow his commandment of loving one another. That our words and actions are guided by love and kindness. 

I truly believe that the majority of people in this room understand that and follow that. But some of us do not. I want you to think about your first 9 weeks of school this year. Have your words to other people always been kind ones? Have your actions been respectful? Have you treated others how you wish to be treated? Have you followed Sister Catherine McAuley’s advice of being good today but better tomorrow? 

Have you been like Simon of Cyrene and carried someone else’s cross? Have you stuck up for someone? Have you seen someone treating someone badly and called them out on it? Or have you stood back and let it happen - or worse, joined in?

How we treat one another - how we treat our teachers; how we treat our teachers aides; how we treat the ladies in student services; how we treat the canteen staff; how we treat the groundsmen - is who we are. We are a Catholic school with the teachings of Jesus; Jesus who died for us; at our very core. We are never going to be the amazing school I know we can be if we don’t get that part right. If every single one of us lives by Jesus’ example and treats others how we wish to be treated, imagine what kind of school you would all be part of. If every single one of us resolves to take those same values out into the world, imagine what kind of world you could be part of. 

This final part is something I would like our families to consider as well, not just our students. 

Whilst we all deserve a restful holiday, my challenge to you is that when it is Easter, you see it as a time to stop and reflect on what it is all about. Not about eating as much chocolate as you can, but about giving thanks for the sacrifice Jesus made for us. I hope to see you at one of the many masses there are over the Easter weekend - especially Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Please see the poster below for information about Mass times in Holy Week and Easter. 

Can I also remind families that all students are invited to march with the school on ANZAC Day. 

Have a Holy Easter and a safe and restful holiday.

Yours in faith

Elissa Burden
Leader of Faith and Mission

Senior Tutoring

Access to support

This year at SJC we are providing our Year 10, 11 and 12 students with further support regarding their studies. Students can access the booking link below (also provided on Compass) and/or email myself, Mrs Cass McCarney for a 30 minute appointment where the following areas can be discussed:

• How to create a balanced Study Schedule?
• How to establish different Study Techniques?
• How to plan more successfully for Assessment Tasks and/or Examinations

There have been numerous keen students already taking advantage of not only some senior tutoring advice but also attending a number of Assessment Workshops that individual class teachers have been providing for our students during their break times. It is wonderful to see students being engaged and diligently striving to reach their full potential across all aspects of their learning.

The booking link for further tutoring support:
https://calendar.app.google/74NTXTFvqj4v98Hd7

Warm regards

Mrs Cassandra McCarney

Industrial Technology

Industrial Technology Timber Industrial Study Visit Ramiens Timber Dubbo

Year 12 Industrial Technology Timber class undertook their Industry study at Ramiens Timber this week. The students are required to study all aspects of a local timber business as part of their HSC studies. 

We would like to thank Lauren and Mark from Ramiens Timber for sharing their time and valuable information to assist our students. All of the students found the excursion valuable and appreciated the opportunity. 

Mr Gianni Standing | KLA Assistant Leader - TAS

Legal Studies

Law Day Out

Year 12 Legal Studies students travelled to Sydney to see justice in action at the Downing Centre Court complex. Students had the opportunity to hear from Her Honour Judge R C Tupman about dealing with the complex reality of criminal justice, as well as sit in on many Local Court hearings on a very busy day at the Downing Centre. Students were also offered a glimpse into university life with a guided tour of the University of Sydney campus. Our thanks to the Rule of Law Education Centre and volunteers at the University of Sydney for making this excursion possible.

Mr Chris Rollo | HSIE Faculty

Chess

St. Johns College Chess Team travelled to Macquarie Anglican Grammar School for our first round in the NSW Junior Chess League Knockout Competition - Western Region. All four of the boards were strongly contested but our team consisting of Sarayu, Callum, Archie and Dilan managed to pull off a win. We welcomed Jonah to the team as a Reserve and he enjoyed his game against the Macquarie Anglican G.S. reserve player. This puts St. Johns through to Round 2 of the Competition, which will be played early in Term 2. Well done to our team!

Mrs Rhonda Bruce | Chess Team Leader

Computing

We were thrilled to welcome guest speaker Matt Dickerson, who shared his expertise and insights with our Year 9 and 10 Computing Technology students. Matt led an inspiring onsite session, discussing the endless career opportunities in IT and the skills needed to succeed in this fast-paced industry. 

Our students gained valuable knowledge on the wide range of roles in tech, from coding to cybersecurity, and how to navigate their career paths in IT. A huge thank you to Matt for taking the time to guide and motivate the next generation of tech innovators! 

Mr Cody Mcdonald | Teacher

Easter Art Competition

The Easter Art Competition and exhibition happens every year during lent as Catholics prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus. Students reflect on Scripture and express their understanding of their selected passage in visual form. These artworks are judged by Bishop McKenna and require a significant amount of hard work, dedication and patience to produce. Thank you to Mr Bourke and Mr Watts for their support and guidance of students undertaking this opportunity. 

A special congratulations to Gwendolyn Pickering, who received the “Contemporary Art” award. 

Danielle Stein | KLA Leader - Religious Education

Textiles and Design

Year 12 Textiles and Design Textiles and Design students spent two days in Sydney gaining knowledge and inspiration for their HSC and MTP. Students attended a very interesting presentation on the History of swimwear at the maritime museum. We then visited the Texstyle exhibition, this is the annual showcase of exemplary HSC Textiles and Design. It featured 37 Major Textiles Projects selected from 1,697 submitted by students across NSW for the 2024 HSC. Exhibits include apparel, costume, furnishings and textile art. It was a wonderful learning opportunity with everybody excited to continue their own MTP.

Mrs Nicole Bussey | KLA Leader - TAS

iSTEM

Year 10 iSTEM students have been busy working through the six new LEGO Education SPIKE kits that have recently been purchased by the Science faculty. The lessons and practical activities are designed to help students develop the abstract and critical thinking skills they need to solve complex problems. The curriculum-aligned iSTEM lessons provide a variety of learning experiences that relate directly back to students’ real-life questions and observations, building their confidence and preparing them for life beyond school.

Mr Stuart Burke | Teacher

Sport

SJC Cross Country

We had 80 students compete in the SJC Cross Country on Tuesday around the College grounds. Congratulations to the following students on achieving age champion for their age group.

12 Year Girls - Addison Maas
12 Year Boys - Finn McKinnon
13 Year Girls - Brooklyn Dowton
13 Year Boys - Eli Willocks
14 Year Girls - Grace Christianson
14 Year Boys - Brodie Pearson / Mason Weir
15 Year Girls - Molly Jones
15 Year Boys - Harry Mongan
16 Year Girls - Tatiana Pieterse
16 Year Boys - Harry Cooke
Open Age Boys - Zamael Berger
No Open Girls runners

House Points
1st Moore 555
2nd McAuley 470
3rd Lennon 290
4th La Salle 230

Mr Dave McAlister | Sports Coordinator

CCC Swimming Results

St Johns had 12 students represent the school and the Diocese at the NSW CCC Swimming Carnival last week in Sydney. Well done to all students on their efforts. Below is a list of medal winners and relay results:

Sienna Bennett
- Bronze 100m Backstroke
- Bronze 50m Backstroke
Harrison Stevens
- Bronze 100m Breaststroke
- Silver 50m Breaststroke
Joely Bruce
- Silver 100m Breaststroke
- Bronze 50m Breaststroke
Callum Heitzmann
- Silver 50m Freestyle
- Bronze 50m Butterfly

Sienna, Harry, Joely and Callum have been selected in the NSW CCC team to compete at the NSW All Schools Carnival on 22/23 May.

Relay Results:
7th 6 x 50m All School Relay (Zoey Groen, Willow Scott, Abbie Messner, Sienna Bennett, Joely Bruce, Phoebe Lavelle)
6th 4 x 50m Junior Boys Freestyle Relay (Hugh McAnally, George Finlay, Lachlan Webeck, Harrison Stevens)
8th 4 x 50m Junior Boys Medley Relay (Harrison Stevens, William Boland, Lachlan Webeck, Hugh McAnally)
8th 4 x 50m Senior Girls Medley Relay (Sienna Bennett, Amelia Heckendorf, Joely Bruce, Abbie Messner)

A FREE evening with Dr Justin Coulson

The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT (CCSP) is excited to celebrate its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of support for Catholic school communities in NSW and ACT.

As part of this milestone, CCSP is taking renowned presenter Dr. Justin Coulson on a tour to visit rural and remote locations to engage with parents and carers. St Johns College is proud to be one of the hosting schools for this special event, which will be held on Monday, 5th May 2025.

Please see video message Justin has shared to us here

To register for the FREE event, please use the registration link at 123tix. Please note that the event is not listed as a public event on 123tix, so this link is essential for registration.

We look forward to welcoming our Catholic community to St Johns College for this wonderful event.

School Uniform

Resource Hub - Library

RESOURCE REVIEW

Attendance

Students are expected to have above a 95% school attendance rate because days missed can add up to years lost. That’s why making sure your child comes to school every single day (unless genuinely sick) is important. Maintaining a high school attendance rate, ideally above 95%, is crucial for a student’s academic success and overall development. Here are several reasons why consistent school attendance is important:

- Continuous Learning: Regular attendance ensures that students are consistently exposed to new information and lessons. This continuity is essential for effective learning, as concepts build upon each other over time.

- Development of Learning Skills: School attendance is not only about acquiring knowledge but also about developing essential learning skills. These skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration, are honed through active participation in the learning process.

- Establishment of Routine: Consistent attendance helps students establish a routine, promoting organisational skills and time management. These skills are transferable to various aspects of life and contribute to overall success. Next week, you will get a notification if your child's attendance is sitting below 90%. We look forward to working with you to improve their attendance for Term 1.

Mrs Emma Chater | Assistant Principal

School Fees

Dear Parents/Guardians 

The College Fees Office will be closed for the school holidays.

Wishing you a blessed Easter.

Kind Regards 

Maree Carlow
Administration Finance Leader

Important Dates

Term 1 2025

If you would like to add the St Johns College Calendar
to your google calendar please click on this link.

Monday 7th April - 12th April
Cattle Team - Sydney Royal Easter Show

Thursday 10th April - 11th April
Da Vinci Decathlon 

Friday 11th April
Last Day of Term 1
2025 YR 7 ENROLMENTS CLOSE TODAY

Friday 25th April
ANZAC Day March
SJC students are welcome to march with school

TERM 2

Monday 28th April
Pupil Free Day

Tuesday 29th April
Students return for Term 2

Friday 2nd May
Interschool Cup - SJC vs Redbend in Forbes

5th May - 9th May
Work Placement for VET Students

Monday 5th May
Justin Coulson Presentation at SJC Hall

Tuesday 6th May
2025 Fly Army STEM Experience
Netball Cup

Wednesday 7th May
Bill Turner Cup Mudgee

Thursday 8th May
Diocesan Cross Country
Yr 12 Careers Info Day at Senior Campus

Wednesday 14th May
Questacon Visit - Yr 7

Thursday 15th May
Questacon Visit - Yr 8

Community Notices

We are very excited to announce that Western Enrichment Learning Lab's weekly Robotics Club for school aged children in Dubbo is moving to new larger premises in Term 2. 

Bookings are now open for our weekly Thursday after-school Robotics Club at Central West Leadership Academy.