Dear St John Paul II community,

I ask families to keep our Year 12 cohort in your prayers and thoughts as they continue their HSC exams. I am very confident that our students are well prepared and ready for any question that comes their way. We can appreciate students feeling nervous and possibly anxious but if they have a strong self-belief and have prepared well this should mitigate any of those feelings.

October is traditionally the month of Mary. Pope Benedict XVI in an address at the Basilica of St. Mary Major where he prayed the rosary with the faithful said:

Today, together we confirm that the Holy Rosary is not a pious practice banished to the past, like prayers of other times thought of with nostalgia. Instead, the Rosary is experiencing a new Springtime. Without a doubt, this is one of the most eloquent signs of love that the young generation nourish for Jesus and his Mother, Mary. In the current world, so dispersive, this prayer helps to put Christ at the centre, as the Virgin did, who meditated within all that was said about her Son, and also what he did and said. When reciting the Rosary, the important and meaningful moments of salvation history are relived. The various steps of Christ's mission are traced. With Mary the heart is oriented toward the mystery of Jesus. Christ is put at the centre of our life, of our time, of our city, through the contemplation and meditation of his holy mysteries of joy, light, sorrow and glory. May Mary help us to welcome within ourselves the grace emanating from these mysteries, so that through us we can "water" society, beginning with our daily relationships, and purifying them from so many negative forces, thus opening them to the newness of God. The Rosary, when it is prayed in an authentic way, not mechanical and superficial but profoundly, it brings, in fact, peace and reconciliation. It contains within itself the healing power of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, invoked with faith and love at the centre of each "Hail Mary".

The College celebrated the Feast Day of St John Paull II on Friday the 24 October. The day commenced with a Liturgy and was followed by games, carnival rides and plenty of food. I like to thank all staff involved in the organisation of the day and congratulate all students on how they behaved.

We extend our congratulations to Mrs Rasha Fitzsimons on her new appointment as Pathways Manager at Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, following over 18 years of dedicated service at StJPII. We warmly welcome Mrs Karyn Lee Abela as our new Leader of Student Careers and Pathways. View the careers and pathways page here to find out about opportunities available and how to contact and find Mrs Abela.

God Bless,

Mr Robert Muscat

Our Commitment to a Culture of Excellence and Success

At our College, we are deeply committed to developing and sustaining a culture of excellence and success that empowers both students and staff to achieve their highest potential. This culture is not defined by isolated achievement but by a shared belief in continuous improvement, collaboration, and a collective responsibility for learning outcomes.

Excellence at our College means striving for quality in every aspect of teaching, learning, and professional practice. It means setting high expectations, celebrating success, and fostering resilience and innovation. We believe that excellence grows when every member of our community—students, teachers, and leaders alike—actively engages in reflection, feedback, and growth.

The Role of Teacher Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

Teacher Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are central to this commitment. PLCs provide structured, collaborative spaces where teachers come together to reflect on practice, share expertise, and use evidence to inform decision-making. Through regular collaboration, teachers analyse student data, explore new pedagogical approaches, and develop strategies that improve learning outcomes across the College.

This term our PLCs will continue to focus on improving student writing, in particular writing with cohesion and clarity. 

Through this shared commitment, we nurture a community where excellence is a habit, success is a shared journey, and every learner thrives. 

School Fees

Recently, CSPD sent out via email the Term 4 statements.  The wording of the email is confusing and gives the impression that your account is overdue.  Please refer to the statement attached to the email to determine whether you have an outstanding balance and if so, make payment as soon as possible.  If you are on a payment plan or have already paid in full (indicated by a $0.00 balance) then the email is for information purposes only.  Account holders for St John Paul II students will receive all their invoices via email from now on.  Please check your inbox as well as your junk mail to ensure that you are receiving them and contact the College if you are not.

Facilities

The frontage of our College has recently undergone a facelift including the replacement of our visitor pathway which is now safer. We are continuing to improve the facilities for both our students and our parents and carers attending the College.

Animal shelters have been installed in our paddocks providing both shelter and storage for our sheep and cattle in accordance with Animals in Schools requirements.  This also improves the facilities for our students in the Agriculture and Primary Industries Programs.

Our student services area was also upgraded in an effort to make this space more user friendly for our students.  The front office is now a designated quiet zone and the students are adjusting well to this change.  Students are required to attend the College with their Student ID cards and replacement cards will be issued at the cost of $10 per card and can be processed through Qkr!.