PRINCIPALS REPORT
Attendance Update
We have been focusing on improving attendance this year and have shared updates on our whole-school attendance data throughout the year. This term, we have seen higher levels of illness among both staff and students, so a slight drop in attendance is to be expected.
Our goal remains to keep our overall attendance rate above 90% in 2025. You can check your child’s individual attendance rate in the Compass app, which can also be a useful starting point for discussion with them.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
School Photos are in. I hope you are as happy with your child's photo as Clover is with hers.
Photos are being distributed through learning group at the moment so please check with your child if they have collected theirs. Any photos not collected early next week will be returned to our front office for collection by students or parents.
John Therry is a systemic school within the Wollongong Diocese, which comprises 39 schools. We are committed to building and maintaining a culture that is welcoming and inclusive, in keeping with our Catholic values.
While no school is without its challenges—and having over 1,050 students in one setting can sometimes present difficulties—I was heartened by recent data that affirmed the strength of our community. Among all schools in the Diocese, John Therry has the lowest percentage of students who report feeling excluded.
Although our goal is always that no child feels excluded, this result is a wonderful acknowledgement of our students and the way they live out our core values of respect, friendship, and presence.
note: I am also mindful that the data in other schools might be inaccurate where very small numbers may have completed surveys etc so I would caution judgement on any other results here.
HSC UPDATE
Our HSC students have returned from their Trial Examinations and were highly commended by the presiding officer for their exemplary behaviour and cooperation. This recognition reflects the high regard in which we hold this outstanding group of students.
Since their return, we have spoken with them about the significance of the HSC examinations and the impact these have on their final results. We continue to encourage them to finish strong and achieve the outcomes they deserve.
The finish line is now in sight, and we look forward to supporting Year 12 over the coming months as they complete their journey with us.