Assistant Principal - Mission

Is a Catholic school right for your child and your family? 

Often, the heart of many of the problems that arise and cause tension day to day arise as a result of misaligned goals. It occurred to me that many families make the decision to send their children to a Catholic school for a number of different reasons but ultimately, everyone signs up to the same set of standards and codes of conduct to ensure that we can offer the quality education in a Christ centred environment. But, what  do our children understand about where you have sent them and why? 

The Catholic school, for many, is a natural pathway for families who may have been to Catholic schools themselves. For others, they may like the standard of discipline, the mission and the values of the school. It is really important that you are able to articulate and discuss with your child why they are being sent to St John Paul II College too. We have declared our mission and vision and set out our expectations. Crucially, each child should understand that you have signed a contract on their behalf agreeing to basic standards such as behaviour and uniform. It is so important that they know that they are signed onto an education where Christ is at the centre and there is no space for disrespecting that position nor fighting against it. Finding the right school for your child is essential and plays an important role in the mental health, sense of belonging and purpose in what your child does everyday. 

The primary goal is for a Catholic school to be a faith and values based learning environment. It is based on a holistic education that celebrates and develops academic, spiritual, social, emotional and physical development. We are welcoming, inclusive and family orientated intentionally. At St John Paul College, we also provide a safe and caring environment where we develop a sense of belonging and community. We set high standards of behaviour and respect for self and others. Most importantly, we aim to develop life-long skills and a love of learning with a commitment to social justice. 

All of this is what makes our College a great place to be but we can only achieve this in strong partnership with parents and the community. I really look forward to meeting many of you and want you to know you are welcome here any time. We have an upcoming Parents and Friends meeting next week in the new library  which provides a great opportunity to meet other like minded parents and to discuss issues that matter. We have seen many sporting and academic successes this week. Meanwhile we have had groups of students who took the step forward in their own formation and have attended the Year 7 Transitus retreat  and Seniors Lead retreat.  With so much going on, it reminds us of why we choose a great school.

Our faith is a gift which enhances our capacity to live rich and meaningful lives. We will continue to engage with people wherever they are in their lives and faith journey. I urge you to spend some time to share with your child why they have the gift of attending St John Paul College and encourage them to understand that their choices in behaviour and respect are vital to making this a place that they want to be and where we, in partnership, can support your child throughout their time here. 

As we approach the feast of Pentecost, we are reminded of the birth of the Church when the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and went out to bring the good news of Jesus to all who will hear it. I pray that we may all prepare to reflect, and remain ever new, alert to hearing the good news in a new way that helps us take the next step in our own personal formation. I hope our students are grateful for the choices you have made as parents and also value the reason why you chose St John Paul II College for your child and family.