Welcome to 2026

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Happy new year to all our new and existing families and welcome to the 2026 school year. 

A special welcome to our 240 new Year 7 students, as well as students throughout Years 8 to 12 who have joined our College community in 2026. 

Please see below some important information and reminders about the upcoming school year. 

A reminder of the following start dates for students:

All students are expected to arrive by 7:55am, with Homeroom commencing at 8:00am. 

Students will be directed to their year group area on arrival. Students in Years 8-12 who are new to the College are asked to go directly to the College office at 8.00am on their first day, where they will be greeted by a member of staff. 

New Macbook provisioning / network access

We thank all parents for your understanding with the challenges last week with Macbook provisions. The Head Office staff have isolated the system wide issue and we will assist all new students and those updating devices to get on the network during the first week of school. A new security patch resulted in blocking some versions on our network. There is no need to make an appointment. Time will be allocated during the school day.

Upon being allocated a username, all students will be required to nominate a unique password. No student should have a generic password for access. This must be changed upon initial access to the system, and not be shared with peers.

Timetables

Some students are able to see their 2026 academic timetable on Compass. The College had requested this release to be held off until changes had been completed at the end of this week to reduce any confusion. Adjustments to timetables are still being made. 

Class lists were carefully constructed after input from teachers and wellbeing leaders. Could we remind parents and students that classrooms are for learning and not for social interactions. Students have ample time for meeting friends at breaktimes and during sporting activities. Students will not be moved in classes to be with friends. This decision supports us in building a culture of success.

In some timetables online, please do not be concerned if there are still gaps in some timeslots. New staff member codes are still being generated by head office, and once generated these teacher codes will be populated onto student timetables. We thank you for your understanding.

Uniform expectations 

StJPII holds high expectations regarding uniform, personal presentation and grooming. All students are expected to return to school in full Summer uniform. Parents/carers are asked to please ensure students arrive at school neatly attired and in accordance with the College uniform policy. This includes expectations regarding hair (styling, cuts and colours), jewellery, make-up (nails and eyelash extensions are to be removed prior to commencement). 

The full uniform guidelines are available on the Community Hub (click here), with the link also available through Compass and our College website.

Stationery/Material requirements 

Please ensure students have checked their timetable (available later this week) on Compass and arrive at school on their allocated first day, prepared with a charged laptop and all relevant stationery/material requirements.

For the allocated Material list please see the details that were published on the Community Hub - Click here

Attendance 

StJPII holds high expectations of families supporting student attendance rates and therefore the late sign-in processes and absences must be explained via Compass or via communication with the front office within 5 days. Please ensure your details on Compass, including contact phone numbers, email addresses as well as Emergency Contacts details are up-to-date. 

Transport Options 

The College has been advised StJPII bus services will be running from Monday 2nd February 2026. All students are expected to use a valid Opal card for travel and adhere to both College and transport expectations whilst on public transport. Please see a link here for further details about StJPII Bus Services. 

Mobile Phones and Wireless Earphones 

Mobile phones and wireless earphones (e.g. Airpods) are not permitted to be used whilst on College grounds. The moment a student enters the site, these devices must be switched off. Mobile phones and wireless earphones are to be kept in school bags throughout the school day. 

In the first weeks of 2026 we will work with all students to assist with this new transition across all CSPD schools.

Chewing Gum 

Chewing gum can cause significant damage to property, inevitably causing significant cost to the College. As it is not a necessary item for students to have and students are not permitted to have or use chewing gum on school premises. Students who are seen to have or use chewing gum will be issued a RISEUP Negative. Students who constantly break the chewing gum rule will complete a Wednesday afternoon community service detention. 

College Canteen 

We are excited to announce that we will have a new Canteen contractor this year. The College Canteen will be open for students to purchase recess and lunch from Monday 2nd February 2026. More information will be sent home regarding online ordering options in the next few days.

If there is anything the College can do to support your child’s return to school for 2026, please do not hesitate to contact the College on 9208 7200 or via email on stjohnpaul2@parra.catholic.edu.au  

Yours sincerely,

The Stage Teams