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2024 High Achievers Assembly 

Today we celebrated the graduating class of 2024 at our annual High Achievers Assembly.

Our 2024 College Dux, Jayden Wolczak, shared these words - 

"To be honored with the accolade of the Dux of John Therry 2024 is a privilege and a reflection of the hard work and support that have guided me throughout my studies. However, this achievement is not mine alone; it belongs to the incredible teachers who dedicated their time and effort, the friends who offered constant encouragement, and my family, whose unwavering support has been my foundation. Without them, this journey would not have been the same. I express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who helped me get here".

I would also like to acknowledge that as much as this event was about celebrating our students, it is also an acknowledgement of our teachers. On behalf of our students, current and our high achievers, I would like to thank our teachers for the passion, dedication and commitment they bring to their vocation. 

Jayden has also shared the following reflection - 

"Once you reach Year 12, you’ll come to understand just how much of an achievement it is for every graduate in the Class of 2024 to be here at this presentation". 

Each of the students presented today have their own stories  about how they achieved what they did, what drove them and how they overcame challenges - and I congratulate each of them. We also thank parents, carers and friends, whose unwavering support and encouragement  plays a key role in our students' achievements. 

Attendance - Arrive to Thrive

Attendance PDFs

John Therry Catholic College aims to support students in attaining a 95 -100% attendance rate. Regular attendance is defined by the Wollongong Catholic Education Office as 90% - 100%, and the College has targeted interventions in place when attendance falls below 89%.

Regular attendance helps your child:

• Develop the skills and routines needed to access the world of work and other opportunities.
• Establish and maintain peer relationships.
• Ensure learning growth.

Parental Responsibilities

• Communicate attendance concerns
• Partner with the College
• Explain absences
• Provide documentation

Regular attendance is important for the learning and wellbeing of your child. We encourage open communication about the positives of engagement with school and the critical importance of attendance. Regular attendance also fosters a sense of belonging and supports the partnership between home and school.

Attendance

Consistent school attendance is essential for learning, well-being, and future opportunities. Every day a student attends, they have the chance to feel connected to their school community, deepen their faith, and reach their full learning potential.

As a College we deem attendance levels between 90% and 100% as normal. The College has a legal obligation to contact parents when attendance falls below 90%. Further to this when attendance falls below 80% the College would carry out a targeted intervention whereby parents will be contacted by the school to meet and develop a plan to improve attendance. If attendance falls below 70% then the College would deem that an intensive intervention via an attendance meeting to work on a formal plan between the school, the parents and representatives from the Catholic Education Office. 

The College fully understands that there are often valid reasons for absences and that these are communicated via the normal channels. Notifications of absences below 90% will still be sent to all parents. 

Ultimately the College will work with students and parents to ensure that students are working towards reaching our goal of 90% attendance and above. 

Uniform

The College Uniform Policy was revised for the start of the 2025 school year. We have noticed an improvement in the uniform standards of students at the College with the vast majority wearing the College uniform with pride. This is a collaborative effort between staff, students and parents. There are a few common infringements we are still dealing with and the following are reminders for all students.

• Students are to not wear sports jackets with the academic uniform. Whilst we understand the need for warmth the College has a jumper option and the new version of this jumper is made from a material that is not likely to cause skin irritations for those with sensitive skin. 
• Jewelry is to be kept to a minimum with, 1 simple set of gold or silver sleepers or studs as ear-rings for girls and a fine chain with cross being acceptable for all students. Any jewellery outside of this will be confiscated during learning group and returned at the end of the school day. 
• Students are only allowed to wear sports uniforms on Tuesday or days when they have practical sports lessons. 

The College enforced the uniform policy as we don't want uniforms to become a distraction to student learning. We encourage parents to support the College by reminding students to wear their uniform correctly to demonstrate pride in being a part of the John Therry Community. 

As we move into 2025 the Pastoral care and wellbeing team are looking to build on the foundations built in 2024 in promoting the wellbeing of our students at John Therry Catholic College. Students are held to high standards at the College and in 2025 students have been re-focused on the concept of John Therry PRIDE. Students have been encouraged to maintain PRIDE both inside and outside of the classrooms and have had the school expectations in thes of learning and wellbeing outlined at College assemblies and in Year meetings. PRIDE is a whole school focus, with students continuing to demonstrate Purpose, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Engagement both in the classroom setting and through their daily interactions with staff and peers. 

Last year marked the successful implementation of various pastoral programs, providing students from all year groups the opportunity to explore wellbeing with a focus on a strengths based approach. In 2025 we will look to further embed positive wellbeing pratcies across the College. 

A strengths based approach will still be a feature of wellbeing at the College in 2025. The My Strengths group will be working with students from Year 7, 10 and 11. Through this initiative, students will be empowered to identify and embrace their unique character strengths, fostering a profound sense of self-awareness and personal growth. In conjunction with the My Strengths program, the Wellbeing Team will continue to deliver pastoral lessons based on the You Can Do It Education framework. This curriculum aims to enhance the students’ understanding of resilience, goal-setting, and teamwork, equipping them with essential skills to navigate the complexities of their high school experience.

Remember to contact the relevant Leader of Wellbeing for each Year group if you have concerns regarding your child’s wellbeing. 

Continuing Our Partnership with Atomi

We are pleased to announce the continuation of our partnership with Atomi, an innovative online learning platform that has been successfully integrated into John Therry Catholic College since Term 4, 2024. Widely used by over 700 Australian schools, Atomi supports students in understanding their content and improving their results through engaging video lessons, interactive quizzes, and intelligent learning features.

Through this partnership, students now have access to Atomi’s entire catalogue of subjects, providing them with valuable resources for study, homework, and extension learning. Teachers will also be incorporating Atomi into lessons to deliver targeted support and enhance classroom learning.

We encourage students to make the most of this platform in their own time, whether for revision, enrichment, or consolidating key concepts.

For more information about Atomi, please visit their website. Additionally, the following videos provide an overview of how Atomi works across different year levels:

? Year 7 and 8
? Year 9 and 10
? Year 11 and 12

We look forward to seeing our students continue to benefit from this fantastic learning tool!

Hands-On Learning in the Kitchen: A Delicious Journey for Hospitality Students

As part of their Certificate II in Hospitality, our students have been busy honing their culinary skills in the kitchen this semester, and the results have been nothing short of impressive. From vibrant fruit salads to classic comfort food, these future chefs are mastering essential cooking techniques with passion and precision.

This week, students crafted a fresh and flavorful fruit salad, showcasing their ability to create colorful, nutritious dishes. They also prepared a Caesar salad, topped with a perfectly poached egg, demonstrating both skill and creativity in balancing textures and flavors. The class tackled a hearty main course—veal schnitzel paired with a crunchy coleslaw—offering a perfect mix of crispy and creamy. To top it all off, the students made a delicious bruschetta, with toasted bread, ripe tomatoes, and a drizzle of balsamic, proving they’ve got the art of Italian appetizers down.

These hands-on lessons are an integral part of their Certificate II in Hospitality, providing valuable experience as students build their culinary knowledge and work together to create dishes that reflect both technique and innovation. Stay tuned for more mouth-watering updates from our kitchen!

JT Supersleuths Solve the Scintillating Scandal

Strengthening Connections with Hokuyo Junior High School

Last year, elective Japanese students in Years 9, 10, and 11 had the exciting opportunity to engage in conversation with students from Hokuyo Junior High School in Koshigaya, Campbelltown’s sister city. This cultural exchange allowed our students to practice their Japanese language skills while fostering international friendships.

As the year came to a close, our students sent a Christmas card to Hokuyo Junior High School, extending their festive wishes. Over the holiday period, we were delighted to receive beautifully crafted New Year cards in return, which are now proudly displayed in the Japanese classroom.

We look forward to continuing this meaningful connection in 2025, creating more opportunities for our students to immerse themselves in Japanese language and culture.

JTCC SPORT UPDATE - Term 1, Week 4

Welcome to Week 4. We are definitely now back into the rhythm of sport and we had a smooth first week back in Week 3. We have had our first round of MISA and into our second rotation of REC and Grade Sport. There are a number of upcoming college and Diocesan Sport events happening soon, with lots of great opportunities for our students. I also want to extend a big thank you to the majority of our college cohort that have returned their General Sports Permission Note. 

A reminder that all individual pathway nominations for Diocesan Sports (eg. rugby league, netball, football) are on Compass - please fill out a the relevant nomination forms there. 

 Round 1 of MISA started this week . It is also vital for ALL students to return their General Sports Permission note via the parent portal on Compass. Students who do not have this returned will be unable to go off-site for sport or participate in our college swimming carnival. 

ROUND 1 

A few snaps from around the grounds at our Round 1 MISA games today. 

Sports Uniform

Pathway Achievements

Last week Nick (year 10) attended the NSWCCC U18 Cricket trials and had a really strong performance. He progressed through to the final 16 players to go through another rigorous round of trials and just missed out on being selected in the final team of 12. Well done on your efforts Nick, as the majority of the 2025 team of 12 are in year 12!

This week we also  had 3 students attend the NSWCCC Softball Trials, Dante (year 10), Mikaela (year 8) and Primrose (year 7). The students represented JTCC proudly, and Dante was again selected in the NSWCCC U18 team. Dante has been a prominent member of the NSWCCC Softball for a number of years - we look forward to seeing what he can achieve this year! 

Upcoming Events Term 1 2025:

Diocesan and Pathways update

2025 Sport is well and truly underway.  2025 planning and calendar for representative pathway opportunities are below. 

Upcoming NSWCCC events 

NSWCCC Tennis Selections - close date 21 February 2025 - Selection date - Monday, 3 March at North Parramatta Tennis Courts - More information https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/tennis

NSWCCC Golf Selections - close date 21 February 2025 - Selection date Monday, 3 March at  Tuncurry Golf Club - More information  https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/golf

NSWCCC Baseball Selections - close date 22 February 2025 TBC - Selection date -  5 March at Castle Glen 1 & 2, Castle Hill  - More information https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/baseball

SCHOOL TEAMS - NSW All Schools Triathlon Schools Relays - to be registered by the school sports coordinator or Principal only.

Close date - 19 February - Championship date - Thursday 27 February at Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith - More information https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/triathlon - use Schools Based Competition tab.  https://csnsw.sport/triathlon-form

Students at John Therry are given the opportunity to represent John Therry at College, Diocesan and CCC sporting events.

CLICK HERE - JTCC PATHWAY INFORMATION

Diocesan Sporting Opportunities 

This is the main school sporting pathway that is offered to students at John Therry Catholic College. Some John Therry CC Diocesan teams are determined through trials, or a carnival hosted at a college  level (Athletics, Cross Country, Swimming), however some teams are determined by individual trials that students must nominate and register for online. Further information can be found at: https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/sport/ 

NSWCCC Sporting Opportunities 

NSWCCC is another school sporting pathway that is offered to students at John Therry Catholic College. Some CCC teams are determined through qualifying at a carnival hosted at a Diocesan level (Athletics, Cross Country, Football, Rugby League, Swimming, Basketball, Touch Football), however some teams are determined by individual trials that students must nominate and register for online. Students must be currently competing at a representative level in their chosen sport to be considered for CCC team trials.The sports that require online nomination and registration include: 

It is important that online registration is completed before the closing date for each sport. These are outlined on the CSNSW website: https://csnsw.sport 

Online registrations are now open for 2025. Please refer to the information on the website regarding the registration process. Here is a link to assist with sports registration for parents: https://csnsw.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/2/topic/65d787c5-0d2a-4699-a63a-25d586b67ba2 

A reminder to check the Compass Portal for upcoming sporting events and their respective closing dates.

You can also access the Wollongong Sport site for more information regarding Diocesan Sport  throughout the year.

https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/student-experience/sport/secondary-sport

Yours in Sport,
Georgia Roberts (RobertsG03@dow.catholic.edu.au)

Do you know what’s influencing your kids? With young people spending so much time online, what they see and do can impact their behaviours and beliefs. Online disrespect is one of the ways violence-supportive attitudes can start to develop.

Stop it at the Start has partnered with Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman to help parents, carers, and other significant adults of young people aged 10-17 better understand how the online world is influencing their views on respect and gender, and share practical ways they can build relationships and start important conversations.
Join facilitators Ryder Jack and Kasey Miles for a free interactive, evidence-based 90 minute workshop focused on connecting with young people, fostering healthier masculinity, and providing families with practical tools they can use day to day.

Workshop dates
Tuesday, 18 February 2025, 7.00 - 8.30pm (AEDT)
Thursday, 27 February 2025, 7.00 - 8.30pm (AEDT)
 

Please find below a link to the latest Parish Bulletin

https://www.olhcrosemeadow.org.au/bulletin/