St Johns College Dubbo Term 1, Week 8 2025

Principal

Dear St Johns Community

Next week the College beautification program continues as the preparation work begins for the new main quadrangle of the College. This area was significantly affected when the school was flooded and it is very pleasing that work will now begin on this area. It is anticipated that this will be completed early in Term 2. While there may be some short term inconvenience this area will become a great multipurpose area that will be able to be used by students for lessons and at breaktime. The area will provide much needed shade and seating for our students.

The celebration of Harmony Day last Friday was amazing. The aim of the day is to “promote inclusivity, respect, and a sense of belonging within Australia's multicultural society. It is a time to recognise and appreciate the diverse cultural backgrounds that shape the nation, fostering unity and understanding.” The day at the College certainly met the aim of the day. The liturgy and the activities that were organised were so well received by the entire College community. A big congratulations to all involved.

While driving back from Sydney on the weekend I listened to a podcast from The Imperfects which includes Hugh Van Cuylenburg the founder of The Resilience Project, who we are partnered with at St Johns College with our Wellbeing Program. Sometimes the podcasts are light and entertaining. I found this one a lot more confronting but at the same time compelling. This was an open letter from Hugh titled An open letter to the parents of neurodivergent kids which he read on the podcast. I have included the link below. Why do I include this in my newsletter this week? Sometimes we do not always know what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes and sometimes we are not permitted the time or space to think of the journey that someone else is on. One of the principles of our Wellbeing Program is empathy and I think this letter could provide the space for our families to gain an understanding of what it means to be a family with a neurodivergent child. If there is a greater understanding of neurodivergent life across the entire school community, surely this can benefit us all. We have a responsibility as a school to make an effort to understand all of our students. In doing this, we ensure all students feel safe, included, supported and loved. The producers and author of the podcast have given me permission to use the content.

Transcript link to PDF - a letter to parents of neurodivergent kids

Podcast link to Imperfects - a letter to parents of neurodivergent kids

God bless,

God bless

Mr Justin McCarney
Principal

Assistant Principal

Compass

Compass is our primary means of communication with our families. It is a place for carers to record attendance, including medical appointments and to sign students out of school. It is also where timetables and important notices are accessed by families and students.

Signing out?

Please ensure that students' appointments or early departure is recorded in Compass and that your child knows when you are collecting them. This minimises disruption to classes.

Students leaving early are to be collected before the end of lunch. We do not have staff available to collect students from classes in Period 5.

Chromebooks

Chromebooks are an important learning tool at St Johns College. However, it has come to our attention that a number of students are not meeting the expectations of chromebook use. This includes attempting to play games during lessons, sending inappropriate emails and not using the provided Chromebook bag.

Upon enrolment at SJC, students and families sign the Student Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement which applies when CEDB devices and services are being used anytime. This Agreement outlines that students will, among other things:

• Use digital devices and services appropriately in all interactions with others
• Protect their privacy and the privacy of others
• Talk to a teacher or a trusted adult if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe online or see others participating in inappropriate behaviours
• Respect others and communicate with them in an appropriate manner

As part of the enrolment package, families are also provided with the Take Home Chromebook Agreement. This is also available on our College website. This agreement outlines student responsibilities including:

• Device needs to be fully charged for the start of each day
• Always store Chromebook in bag provided
• Students only work on site, apps and programs that they are asked to use
• Students will not use unauthorised programs, including games

This Agreement also outlines safe internet use at home.

Using the internet safely at home

• Educate—an essential part of keeping children safe is making them aware of risks, and talking to them about how to avoid potential problems.
• Empower—Children need to know they can make the right choices. They also need to know they can talk to a parent if something happens online that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Make the computer safe—one of the most practical ways to help children stay safe online is to set up the home computer with an internet content filter and other security software.
• Supervise—children may behave differently online, to in person, so it’s important to be involved and monitor use.
• Avoid your child accessing computers in their bedroom or rooms that they can “close” off to other members of the family.
• Internet Browser ‘History’ Menu - you can access to allow you to see the sites that they have visited recently.
• Personal Information - Never provide personal information on a global system to identify friends or themselves in photos.

We appreciate the support of our families in educating our young people on the importance of the Chromebook for learning and the responsibilities that come with this.

Yours faithfully

Mrs Emma Chater
Assistant Principal

Faith and Mission

As the Lenten season continues, I wanted to talk about how this season in the Church calender is a time in which we are asked to reflect on who we are. It is a time for renewal and growth. None of us are perfect - we are human after all. But we all have the ability to reflect on our actions. On who we are as individuals. Our students can reflect on who they are as a cohort and the part they play in that. Who are we as a school? As a community? At the start of the year, a quote from Catherine McAuley was brought to the attention of our students and our families ‘Resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow’. This is a wonderful motto to follow during the Lenten season. Reflect upon your actions and resolve to do better the next day. 

Harmony Day last week was a pleasing indication that we are resolved to do better when it comes to inclusion. We are blessed to have students and families from all over the world at the College. The way we treat one another, regardless of race, religion or culture is extremely telling of who we are as a community. Part of our school Vision statement is “We aspire for all to feel welcome in our community, to be included”. Seeing cultures from across the world represented on stage through dance was amazing. To see the pride that these students have for their culture was inspirational. I know that every student who witnessed the dances and the prayers of the faithful said in a variety of languages walked away from the Harmony Day Liturgy with a sense of pride and admiration, but also a desire to continue playing a part in making St Johns College the best it can be.

An area where I believe our students need to reflect more on is their sense of empathy and a realisation that we live in the lucky country. It is difficult to understand what it is like to have nothing when you have everything. That is where empathy comes in. Project Compassion is promoted during Lent as this is a time for renewal. Are we empathetic people who give to those who have nothing? The garlic bread from the canteen that we go without, or the Maccas run on the weekend that we decide not to do can make such a difference in the lives of people like Vietnam and Samoa. If each of our students gave even a small amount, collectively we could make such a difference. In this Lenten season, I ask that as a family, you talk about how we have the power to make the world a better place.

Please see the image below if you or your child would like to donate to Caritas’ Project Compassion this year. 

In closing, I would like to ask families to encourage their child to attend the ANZAC Day march on Friday, 25th April. We have been building on the number of students involved each year, and I would like to see as many students there as possible this year. Students are to wear full formal uniform and meet Mrs Burden in Wingewarra St (near Dubbo Central School) at 9.30am. I believe it is crucial that our students recognise ANZAC Day and the importance of marching with our school and showing their gratitude for the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have taken part in wars and protected our beautiful country. 

Yours in faith

Elissa Burden
Leader of Faith and Mission

Teaching and Learning

Study

If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.

Unknown

When we say ‘study’ we are covering a lot of ground - preparing for assessment tasks, getting ready for exams and consolidating day to day learning.

Students who have taken time to prepare for assessment tasks at home over the past few weeks will have enjoyed the advantage of knowing their content well, improving the quality of their work, and feeling prepared for any in class tasks.

Our Year 11 and 12 students should now be settled into a regular pattern of study outside of school.

After school study sessions

A reminder that the senior study is open for students from 3.30pm- 5.30pm, Monday- Friday. This well resourced and supervised space is available to any senior student who would like to do some individual study. The first few weeks have shown this to be a popular structure for our students and we expect numbers to grow further.

Senior Study Mentor

Year 11 and 12 students who are still developing a study routine should book in a time to meet with Mrs McCarney. She can offer one-to-one support with study planning, study skills, assessment planning and organisation. 

Holiday Workshops and Tutorials

Year 12 will receive information on holiday workshops and tutorials at the end of Week 9.

Year 10 Right Student - Right Subject - Right Outcome 

Mr McCarney, Miss Douglas and Mrs Jones met with Year 10 during Academic Care this week to start the conversation around Year 11 subject selection for 2026.

While next term is our big focus on preparing for Stage 6, it is important that Year 10 know that the work they are doing now can have a big influence on subject selection and getting them into the right courses for success in their senior years, regardless of their particular pathway.

Just like we wouldn’t attempt a half marathon without putting a training program into place, we talked about how there are some subjects we have to get ready for and show our aptitude within if we are hoping to select them in Year 11. If we coast along in Year 10, it may be harder to know what subjects are the best fit.

Chromebooks

Students and families are reminded of the basic rules we have in place to ensure chromebooks support learning.

Chromebooks are:

• Charged every night ready for learning the next day
• Carried in their correct bag
• Used only to access sites and tools as directed by the teacher
• The property of SJC, but the responsibility of students - students are responsible for damages they cause

Term 1 Assessment Tasks

Assessment tasks are now appearing in Canvas.

There are a number of tasks still to be completed before the end of term.

All tasks and assessment calendars can be viewed by students and parents on Canvas and look like this:

To really strive for success, students should be building assessment preparation into their at home routines.

If there is a reason that students can not hand a task in on time, they need to apply for an extension through the Curriculum Guides menu in Student Resources.

CANVAS for Parents 

Keeping track of Assessment using CANVAS

When you open your parent dashboard, there are two ways you can see what’s coming up.

1. The To Do List
2. In the left hand menu you will find the Calendar. Each entry links to the task.

Seeing Assessment Feedback

Over the coming weeks, teacher feedback and marks will start to appear on Canvas.

Students and parents can see the mark, the marking rubrics and teacher comments. Also useful is Show all Details in the Marks menu of each subject, where you can find information that shows how a student is performing within the cohort. Like this:

Warm regards

Catherine Jones
Leader of Teaching and Learning

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

Literacy at SJC

Keith Hill | Literacy Focus

Leadership

Parliament of NSW School Leadership Program - Our Captains Charlotte and Daniel recently attended the Parliament of NSW School Leadership Program. They had the opportunity to listen to members of Parliament including Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders and Member of Legislative Council Stephen Lawrence regarding leadership and contributing to your community. After visiting Parliament House they had afternoon tea at Government House where they listened to a talk by Governor of NSW Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley regarding the importance of service and leadership.

Mr Matt O'Dea | Yr 12 Leader

Yr 11 Information and Commissioning

Yr 11 students and their families came together in Week 7 for an Information and Commissioning Evening. This is the first time we have held a night like this. Students and families were given information about the differences between junior school and Stage 6, and the many supports the school has in place to guide Yr 11 through their HSC journey. Principal Mr Justin McCarney spoke about how the HSC is not something a student does on their own, pointing out that it is a joint effort between students, the school and their families. A short liturgy which focused on students sharing their gifts and talents with the world was followed by each student being presented with a Stage 6 badge, which they will now wear as part of their uniform, as a reminder of the leadership role they all play now that they are in Year 11. It was a special moment when each student had their badge pinned on by proud family members. The evening concluded with light refreshments, music and warm conversation in the newly re-designed Senior Quad. It was a special evening which highlighted the wonderful sense of community that we are lucky enough to enjoy here at St Johns College.

Mrs Elissa Burden | Leader of Faith and Mission

Harmony Day

St Johns College embraced Australia's cultural diversity during Harmony Day celebrating inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging. Students attended a liturgy which showcased dances from India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. cultural market stalls followed where students could experience Henna, Dabke dancing, mask making, Parisian photo booth, face painting, cricket playing among others.

Mrs Patricia Strahorn | Stage 6 Pathways & ASPA Coorindator

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Child Studies

Students have been studying children and culture this term. Students were able to experience and understand the way that culture and traditions are shared through stories and art. A number of Dreamtime stories that are often shared with children were explored and students painted rocks to tell their Dreamtime stories that were shared as a class in the Yarning Circle. As a class we were able to identify what children can learn from participating in these experiences.

Mrs Cassandra Box | PDHPE Teacher

Industrial Technology Timber

Yr 12 Industrial Technology students are currently busy constructing their Major Projects. We would like to thank Ramiens Timber for all their assistance with student projects. Ramiens Timber Co. have supplied students with a range of quality timbers and are also allowing students to utilise their overhead thicknesser/drum sander to dress the panels they have constructed.

Students Major Projects this year:

Erica - French Inspired Dresser                    Rory - Outdoor BBQ Kitchen                     Zander - Childs Race Car Bed           

Noah - Coffee Table                                      Max - Surfboard Coffee Table                    Ben - Custom Mudroom Cabinet         

Riley - Entertainment Unit                             Isaac - Resurfacing Dining Table

We look forward to updating you on these projects as they progress.

Mr Gianni Standing | Assistant KLA Leader TAS

Music

School Musical - Be More Chill

St Johns is abuzz with excitement! The cast and crew have been rehearsing and preparing for the opening night of Be More Chill.

3rd - 5th April 2025

There will be four shows on offer, tickets are now availalbe for purchase through 123TIX:

Thursday 03/04/2025 (Evening Show) 7pm https://www.123tix.com.au/.../sjc-school-musical-be-more...

Friday 04/04/2025 (Evening Show) 7pm https://www.123tix.com.au/.../sjc-school-musical-be-more...

Saturday 05/04/2025 (Matinee Show) 2pm https://www.123tix.com.au/.../sjc-school-musical-be-more...

Saturday 05/04/2025 (Evening Show) 7pm https://www.123tix.com.au/.../sjc-school-musical-be-more...

Sport

SJC Cross Country

The College Cross Country will be held on Tuesday 8 April around the school grounds. It is not compulsory for students to compete. All students who wish to participate must complete a form that has been emailed to them by Friday 4 April. Six students per age division can be selected to represent the College at the Diocesan Cross Country Carnival that will be held on Thursday 8 May at Lake Canobolas Orange. If students did not receive an email, they need to make contact with myself.

Mr Dave McAlister | Sports Coordinator

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

Vaccinations

Yr 7 Vaccination Clinic will be held at St Johns College on the 7th April. Year 7 & 10 Catch ups will be a date to be advised in Term 2.

The following vaccines are offered free to students at school:
- Year 7 - diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Year 10 - meningococcal ACWY vaccine

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.
To provide consent for vaccination online, parents/carers will need:
- ServiceNSW log-in details, or to create an account with Service NSW if you don’t already have one
- Medicare details for parents/carers and their child
Benefits of online consent for parents/carers:
- SMS notifications when vaccinations are given
- easy updating of your child’s details online- faster upload of their child’s vaccination records to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/.../schoolvaccination.aspx

School Fees

Dear Parents/Guardians 

Thank you to those families who have paid their College fees.

Families paying their fees by the term please note instalment 1 is now due. You will find your term payment amounts and due dates on your recent College statement.

You can check your balance owing and make payments via the Compass App or BPAY.

For families making regular, weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments please ensure your payment plan is on track to have your College fees account finalised by 30 November 2025.

To ensure your College fees account is on track please note from this Friday 28 March 2025 there are 36 weeks, 18 fortnights or 9 months until fees are due. Contact the College Fees Office if you need to adjust your payment plan.

HSC fees are due by 31 October 2025.

If you wish to discuss your account please contact the College Fees Office on 6841 5142 or email m.carlow@bth.catholic.edu.au.

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.

Tuesday 25th March - Thursday 27th March
Year 12 Legal Studies Law Day Out

Thursday 27th March
Bathurst Diocesan U15's & Opens Netbll

Wednesday 2nd April
CCC Swimming - Homebush
Textiles and Design Excursion - Sydney

Thursday 3rd - 5th April
College Musical - Be More Chill

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

Monday 7th April
NSW Junior Chess Comp

Tuesday 8th April
SJC Cross Country
Easter Art Liturgy
Fustal State Championships U14 & U16

Thursday 10th April - 11th April
Da Vinci Decathlon 

Friday 11th April
Last Day of Term 1

TERM 2

Monday 28th April
Pupil Free Day

Tuesday 28th April
Students return for Term 2

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

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.