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Year 12 Graduation and HSC Examinations

We finished last Term with our Year 12 Graduation Events and this is always a wonderful celebration and life milestone. Our Year 12 students have now commenced the last part of their schooling journey in completing the HSC examinations and our thoughts and prayers are with our students throughout this time. I share with you the prayer we read as a College community on Monday morning in support of our Year 12 cohort.

“No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. (Luke 8:16)

I trust that our Year 12 students will appreciate their many gifts and talents as they move beyond our community, and we have great confidence that the places they move onto will be enriched by having them there. 

See our facebook and instagram pages for more photos of some of these events.

2025 Student Leadership Induction

On Monday 14th October we held our 2025 Student Leadership Induction presentation. These positions are determined through a rigorous process including students putting in an application, being voted by staff and students, going to interview panel, and finally being decided on by the school executive considering all of the above information.  It is important to acknowledge that there were many others who put their hand up and would also have done a wonderful job in leading our College, highlighting just how significant this achievement is. 

As Christians, we look to Jesus as our model of leadership. He led not through power, but through humility, service, and love. This style of leadership is often referred to as Servant Leadership - being here to serve others and make things better for the people we lead. We thank those students who have put their hands up to serve the John Therry community in 2025.

Congratulations to the following students:

College Captains

Salomiya Siby and Bailey Gilbert

College Vice Captains

Faith and Good Works - Neha Nishad

Learning and Engagement - Georgia Dowse

Culture and Diversity - Sheyahn Bista

Sport and Participating  - Laura Augustine

House Captains

Chisholm House - Isabella-Grace Marshall & Scarlet Wilson

Conolly House - Charlotte Russel & Sophia Britton

Murray House - Brendan D'Emanuele & Annelise Hall

Ryan House - Alexander Nohra & Summer Hannan

John Therry Master Planning

John Therry is scheduled for some significant building improvements over the next 5-7 years and we are working through a process of master planning with architects at the moment. Later this term we will have a parent forum to share some of these ideas and all are welcome to attend. We are blessed to have a beautiful College site here and these building refurbishments will enhance the learning environment considerably for current and future students. Stay tuned for more soon.

On Tuesday, 15th October, our Year 12 students participated in an "Art of Smart" workshop led by Rowan Kunz. As they embark on their HSC journey, this workshop provided valuable insights into strategies that can help boost exam performance.

The interactive session encouraged students to personalise their study methods and take an intentional approach to their learning. They explored ways to minimise distractions, assess their motivation, and focus on achieving their goals. Practical techniques were shared, helping students engage more effectively with their study notes, syllabus content, and areas of difficulty in their courses.

Art of Smart offered strategies for improvement, challenging students to continue practising, remain curious, and seize every opportunity to enhance their preparation throughout the rest of the HSC year.

For more resources, visit:

• Art of Smart HSC Resources: www.artofsmart.com.au/hsc-resources
• Free HSC Syllabus Video Library: artofsmart.com.au/hsctogether
• Art of Smart YouTube Channel: youtube.com/artofsmarttv

On Friday the 13th of September, the Year 9 and 10 Japanese classes both participated in a Japanese escape room activity. There were 10 stations filled with various types of Japanese activities, putting our memory, critical thinking and creative skills to use. It tested various parts of our knowledge, as well as putting our puzzle-solving and chopstick skills to the test. Once we had finished all the stations, we had to put all the answers together to find a four-digit code to open the box. Once the box was open the students had to figure out who stole the ‘Moneki Neko’. Once the task was finished, everyone was given snacks for participating in the task and trying their best in the event. 

“I enjoyed working with my fellow classmates to solve the clues and unlock the code, especially as my group won the activity. I would love to do this again, it was so fun putting my theory skills into use in a different setting.” - Iyrene

"I liked how all of our answers gave us the answer to the final task and the rush to finish first gave us an extra bit of encouragement to finish first".- Addison

In Term 3, Year 7 English students immersed themselves in the study of Honey Spot, a play by Jack Davis. As part of their assessment, they were tasked with designing a playbill that would effectively advertise a performance of the play and captivate potential audiences. Below is a selection of imaginative and creative work from students in 7.6, showcasing their understanding of the themes and characters of Honey Spot, while also demonstrating their ability to craft compelling promotional material for the theatre.

In the early hours of Saturday Oct 12, two John Therry students joined a group of 30 walkers to raise money for the 24 Hour Fight Against Cancer Macarthur. They joined the DawnBreakers team, who walk from Camden Palliative Care Unit to Campbelltown Sports Stadium at Leumeah - a whopping 20 kms. Both Maddison Burke (Year 10) and Jeremy Halabi (Year 8) are to be commended on this huge commitment, particularly as this took place not only on a weekend, but during the school holidays!

The walk begins at Camden, walking towards Narellan but cutting through the back of Elderslie/Narellan Vale. We then walk through Mt Annan to our first pit stop at Mt Annan McDonald’s who donate fruit, water and cookies as support for us. We continue along Narellan Rd and pit stop at Campbelltown Hospital for a photo, before continuing along Queen St. We quickly stop at Kings Charcoal Chicken who sponsor the main event and also walk in the DawnBreakers side - they always give us trays and trays of fresh watermelon which tastes so good after walking 16+ kilometres at this point. We then continue to Woodbine McDonald’s where we have a final catered pit stop, before we cross over the train tracks and enter the Stadium as a part of the Opening Ceremony of the main event. Our event is then over, whilst the event for the majority of walkers just begins as they start their laps and walk into the night. 

The JT team has so far raised an amazing $1000. All funds raised stay in the Macarthur region and go towards support and care for cancer patients. Donations are still able to be made if you wish to support this cause, (thank you!) https://fundraise.24hrfight.org.au/p/354902/john-therry-catholic-college. 

Miss Kelleher would like to thank Mr McAllister for joining our walk, and she looks forward to a bigger JT side next year!

JTCC SPORT UPDATE - Term 4, Week 1 

The College has successfully held two weeks of MISA trials and are set for the final assault on the MISA Championship as we look to close the gap on Mt Carmel.

JTCC looks to claim repeat premierships in Frisbee, Volleyball, Oz Tag and AFL which if successful, will put us in contention at the end of the season.

A reminder that as we are in Term 4, the College will be enforcing the College Summer Uniform Policy and requesting all students wear hats at recess and lunch and during all PDHPE and sport lessons. A reminder that students are to wear the appropriate white sports socks [no anklets] and the required sport shorts [not rolled up at the waist]. 

If you have any questions regarding MISA Sports, please feel free to contact me. Mr Jamie Cook cooka01@dow.catholic.edu.au

Diocesan and Pathways update

Welcome to term 4, 2024. In the realm of our John Therry Catholic College Spencer Trophy for Champion Sporting House, it is a new year with new year 12’s leading the charge. We have a number of final Diocese competitions in Week 1 & 2 - Boys cricket, junior boys and girls AFL and Basketball. 

NSWCCC Basketball Tournament 

The 9/10 Boys basketball team travelled to Penrith to compete in this year's CCC Championships. They were placed in a talented pool of teams including St Greg’s, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Albury and Warriewood.

With limited time to prepare for our first game against Warriewood, this game was used to blow the cobwebs out of the team. We played good defence in parts and failed to be consistent on the offensive end and were trailing at every break. Cooper Dickie was a beast on both ends of the court securing crucial rebounds and scoring. The 47-37 loss would be detrimental in our overall for and against after all our pool matches were played. 

Our second game against Albury was better in all aspects, with strong defensive efforts throughout the game and the boys were more aggressive and confident on our offensive sets. Rewa Takiari and Thomas Elliot provided some energy which led to numerous transition baskets Luca Federico went on a tear and scored 17 points in the first half while Azor Ruiz was dynamic with his penetrating layups. We ended up winning this game 65-42. 

Our third game was a grind against Coffs Harbour. JT struggled to supply the energy needed to put our opponents away after we were leading at every break. Moni Jnr and Moni Tumanuvao made effective contributions on both ends of the floor. Silly turnovers and fouls allowed Coffs Harbour to break our 12 point lead and we eventually had a 48-48 result after some dubious referee decisions. 

Our fourth game was up against defending champions and undefeated St Greg’s. The boys were out under pressure from the get go as St Greg’s applied a full court press which caused numerous turnovers and scoring opportunities which led to a 23-13 defecit. Outmuscled, outworked, out willed. St Greg’s went to the halftime break with a 26 point lead. With some injuries to our starters, several players took the opportunity to step up. Thomas Elliot and Moni Jnr supplied the energy, the effort and the points for JT. Moni was everywhere and demonstrated great leadership at both ends of the court, and was so humble when being acknowledged. We eventually went down by 21 points but remained with a 3rd place before our final pool game. 

Our fifth game against Tamworth was tough, as the boys struggled to turn up with the attitude and energy required to close the game out but performed well on both ends of the court. They listened and put together a solid team effort to win by 20 points, enough to secure a 3rd place result and a quarter final match against 2nd place from pool B

Quarter Final v St Dominic’s College

Boasting several talented representative players, St Doms were big, fast, well drilled and could shoot the ball. But to our surprise, John Therry competed at both ends of the court, to take the lead at the first break and draw even at the halftime break. We were the better team but when we made several turnovers, we allowed St Doms to get a 12 point lead which we could not catch. We eventually went down by 6 points but the boys were beyond surprised with how good they played. Great contributions from Moni Jnr Tumanuvao, Rewa Takiari and Luca Federico who kept us in the game till the final whistle

Diocesan Cricket Championship

The 7-9 Boys cricket team travelled to Wollongong to compete in the Cricket Gala Day on Wednesday 16th October. We had a tough draw coming up against Magdalene, Mt. Carmel, Corpus Christi and Edmund Rice. 

The first game saw us come up against Magdalene and we bowled first. We were really rusty with our discipline, conceding 18 extras in our 7 overs which helped Magdalene to their score of 53. Mason and Aidan bowled particularly well and picked up wickets to help keep the opposition to a reasonable total. Nicholas Augustine guided us home with the bat and all players played their part in a solid early win. In round two, we played against Mt. Carmel in a really close affair. John Therry batted first and we had great contributions from Josh and Adrian, however, we didn't finish our innings in a strong manner and were restricted to just 51. Mt. Carmel started fast, but a middle order collapse brought John Therry back into the game. In the end, Mt. Carmel limped home to defeat John Therry on the last ball of the game. This was a tough defeat, but the boys never wavered in their effort and enthusiasm.

The next match was against the strongest team in the pool, Corpus Christi, who had scored at 15 runs per over in their first two games. An early wicket from Mason set the tone for this match, clean bowling the opener with a brilliant in-swinging delivery. Corpus had a really strong batting line up and our boys found it difficult to stem the flow of runs. Despite this, we were able to keep them to their lowest score of the day with 76 runs. With the bat, we found it difficult to score. We didn’t lose many wickets, but could only manage 48 runs. In our last match of the day, we versed Edmund Rice. By this time, our boys were tired as they didn’t get a break and had four games back to back. Mason and Aidan again bowled well, picking up two wickets in the first two overs. A great fielding effort by the boys, kept Edmund Rice to a very chaseable 52 runs. Laken and Nicholas starred with the bat, however, we didn’t have the hitting power to pick up the regular boundaries that were needed to win.

The John Therry boys had a great day out and we were a little unlucky to lose two close games. Overall, we finished 7th and I am proud of the efforts of all involved.

Back row (left to right): Cooper Crowe, Joshua Pike, Noah Atkins, Aidan Cini, Mason Burke 
Front Row (left to right): Luke Siroki, Nicholas Augustine, Laken Houston, Adrian Haule.

NSWCCC Berg Shield - Cricket

At the end of term 3 we had a team entered in the NSWCCC Berg Shield. In a competitive 20-over fixture at Albion Park, John Therry, led by captain Nicholas Augustine, faced off against a formidable St Joseph’s side. Electing to bat first, John Therry managed to see through their full quota of 20 overs, setting a total that, while a respectable 98 runs, was always going to be tested by the opposition’s strong batting line-up.

Adrian Haule stood out for John Therry with a determined performance at the crease, top-scoring with 29 runs. His innings was pivotal in anchoring the side and providing some much-needed stability. Despite Haule’s contributions, St Joseph’s bowling attack kept the pressure on throughout, restricting John Therry's ability to accelerate in the later overs. In response, St Joseph’s chased down the target swiftly, completing the task in just 10 overs. Despite some efforts from the John Therry bowlers, the opposition's aggressive batting approach left little room for recovery.

Though John Therry ended up on the losing side, Adrian Haule's performance earned him the Man of the Match title for his valuable contribution with the bat. His resilience and top score were the highlights of a challenging day for the team. A special shout out to Levi Walbridge, who made it his mission to boost team morale with words of encouragement and providing much needed sustenance (sour worms) to his fellow athletes. 

Despite the result, the match offered valuable lessons for John Therry as they look to bounce back in future contests. 

Bottom row (left to right): Toby David, Aidan Cini,  Levi Wallbridge, Wilbur Norris, Cooper Crowe, Adrian Haule, Laken Houston. 

op row (left to right): Will Gillette, Luke Siroki, Thomas Elliott, Nicholas Augustine, Joshua Pike, Vinni Sharma, Shaun Joseph, Mason Burke. 

Primary Gala Basketball Day - Volunteer Umpires 

Wollongong Diocese hosted a Primary Soccer Gala Day on Friday 20th September  at Minto Basketball Stadium. The Wollongong Diocese relies on Secondary students to volunteer and umpire these gala days, and with close to 2300 students participating across 5 venues, it is integral for the support of our students. This support of the students is invaluable and we appreciate the students who go and support and represent JTCC. Thank you to the following students who were in attendance - Azor Ruiz, Cliff Billedo, Zain Clarke, Deng Deng, Damien Desveaux, Cooper Dickie, Luca Federico, Cian Meneses O’Dowd, Christian Moga, Alex Nohra, Adam Steele, Rewa Takiarim Moni Tumanuvao, Austin Matahau, Phoenix Fitridi.

Staff vs. Year 12 Championship - Results

Monday - Netball & Basketball 

Staff 2 - Students 1

Wednesday - Soccer 

Staff 2.5 - Students 1.5

Friday - Ultimate Frisbee 

Our final match up on Friday was ultimate Frisbee. Despite the staff’s best efforts, they couldn’t compete with a strong and agile student team, who produced a dominant performance. Well done to the staff and students! This win for the students ultimately brings the competition to a overall tie. Although there was discussion for a ultimate tie-breaker, time ran out at the end of term 3 and it’s now time for students to focus bigger things - their final HSC exams. 

Staff 2.5 - Students 2.5

External Sporting Achievements 

Emilie Vellin - Gymnastics 

During the school holidays Emilie represented her club and NSW at the National Championships of The Australian Gymnastics Leagues Competition. Emilie competed in the Rep League which is the 2nd highest league in the competition. Emilie did very well, she came 6th on bars and 5th on beam and her team place 2nd overall! Congratulations on a fantastic effort. 

Jazwyn Lyddieth & Tayah Maharaj - Rugby League 

Over the weekend of the 21st and 22nd of September  Jazwyn Lyddieth and Tayah Maharaj both participated in the Illawarra Titans Kids In Care cup. This fundraiser knockout competition was held in Corrimal and both girls made the South West Warriors team proud. The event supports Aboriginal NRL and NRLW teams across NSW participating in raising awareness for Indigenous kids in and out of home care. Although Tayah couldn't play grand final on Sunday due to an injury that occurred on Saturday's 2nd game against Illawarra Titans, she showed great dedication to her team by cheering them on from the sideline at Sunday's Grand Final. 

Jazwyn showed great skill and sportsmanship throughout all three games. On behalf of the families and the school community, we would like to commend both girls for their love and support of culture and for helping raise awareness for such a wonderful cause.

Athletics 

During the holidays JTCC had a number of students competing in the NSW All Schools Athletics Championships. This is not a formal pathway for students, but still produces a strong field of competition and if students place highly they qualify for National All Schools in Brisbane in December. Jackson has qualified for National All Schools in Brisbane 6- 8 December, well done and good luck!

Results are below:

• Darby Crews - 15th - Boys 14 years 400m

• Heath Cunningham - 27th  - Boys 13 years 800m

• Dominic Baker - 5th - Boys 15-16 years  Para AMB 800m / 7th - Boys 15-16 years Para AMB Long Jump / 8th - Boys 15-16 years Para AMB Long Jump

• Balin Crews - 9th - Boys 12 years - Discus 

• Jackson Schulstad - 1st - Boys 16 years High Jump

Upcoming events 

Upcoming NSW All Schools Events

Students at John Therry are given the opportunity to represent John Therry at College, Diocesan and CCC sporting events. Important information regarding each of these sporting opportunities are outlined below.

Sporting Pathways Calendar - CLICK HERE 

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 2024. 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/sport/diocesan-sport-news

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

Please find below a link to the latest Parish Bulletin

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

Supporting healthy technology use as your child transitions into high school. 

This webinar explores the social pressures, peer influences, and technological challenges young people face as they transition into high school. It also offers practical strategies for navigating online friendships and connections to help minimise negative experiences.

It's suitable for parents and carers of children in upper primary school (ages 11 to 12) and Year 7.

• Tuesday 29 October, 12.30 pm AEDT 
• Thursday 28 November, 12.30 pm AEDT 

Register here.

eSafety 101: How eSafety can help 

• Thursday 24 October, 12.30 pm AEDT 
• Wednesday 4 December, 12.30 pm AEDT 

Register here.