Our School in Focus – No. 20 – 2026

As we come to the end of another term, we have finished with a bang! Founders Week has been filled with all sorts of fun activities, and most students will sleep well by the end of the week. Thank you to those parents who have ensured their children attended right until the end.

Founders Week is a huge week for staff so I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to our wonderful staff whose week is far from normal this week. Their generosity of time and patience is to be commended, and we are very blessed to have the amazing staff we do.

Over the holiday period our school website will be changed over to a new one. During the changeover period there may be nothing available if searching. As we transition, there will also be no newsletter or School App in Week 1 as we learn how to use the new platform. We thank you in advance for your patience.

For absentees in Weeks 1 & 2 – please email absentee@sjsnortham.wa.edu.au or respond to the text message when sent out.

Snapshot of our new Website

Many families will be aware that Catholic Education Western Australia has proposed that all Catholic schools will move to a 3 week holiday for students in the July. Unfortunately, I am still unable to give definite dates for this yet as there are still some issues being resolved. As soon as we are able, I will inform families of the dates for the holidays next year.

The news was announced this morning to staff and families, that I will be ending my time in Northam at the end of the year. I have been successful in being appointed as Principal to Prendiville Catholic College in Ocean Reef from January 2027. It really is a bittersweet time for myself and my family as our time in Northam has been incredible and, as exciting as the next chapter is, we are sad to be leaving. The process for appointing a new Principal will begin next term.

I would like to wish everyone a restful holiday, and we look forward to seeing you back on Monday 20^th July.

Earlier in the week all families received an email regarding the restructure and re-launch of our Parents & Friends group as the Friends of St Jo’s. We have had a few people respond that they are happy to be considered for roles but are still looking for a few more people to form the committee. Please consider nominating yourself to help with the new committee.

Little Joeys Stay & Play will return in Term 3.  Please keep an eye out for dates in week 1.

It is a free playgroup for children aged 0 – 4years, offering fun, music, crafts and stories.  Everyone is welcome and you don’t need to be a current family to attend – we love meeting new faces!

Please click on this link and complete the form.

At the beginning of the term all of our da Vinci Club students continued preparing for the annual da Vinci Decathlon interschool academic challenge held at the University of WA. The students completed activities and ran through practice tasks for most of 10 discrete challenge sessions. Many thanks to Mr Hillyer, Mr Vernede and Mr Daniel Matthys for providing solid support and subject expertise to these activities.

I am pleased to outline some highlights of the results; our Year 8 team competed in a field of 28 teams. With the highlights being 14^th in Cartography, 14^th in Science and 15^th in Legacy.

Our Year 9 team competed in a field of 27 teams. With the highlights being a 4^th place in Engineering, 8^th place in Legacy, 13^th position in Science and a 15^th place in Creative Producers.

Well done to all our members of both teams.

After the da Vinci Decathlon, our students completed two weeks of communication challenges. This involved the students being able to deliver clear instructions and being able to receive and follow instructions, firstly individual to individual then over two-way radios, to complete tasks remotely. A couple of great activities that developed teamwork and listening skills.

After a couple of weeks break mid-term for examinations, the students returned for some Crazy Chemistry, where after they got suitably attired, the students ran through a series of experiments to produce and detect gases, creating electricity using common items and using specific chemical solutions and metals, where they then measured the voltage produced and then looked at how to maximise these results. In between that, the students also got to see and experience electricity being produced using a Van de Graaff generator, they all agreed, these experiments were ‘shocking’. Many thanks to Mrs Beglin for all your behind-the-scenes work preparing solutions and equipment for our students to experiment with.

After wrapping these experiments up for the term, the students will return in term three with three fresh opportunities to select from along a chance to develop some unique skills and have a little fun along the way.

Mark Gargano

Secondary da Vinci Club Coordinator

The Primary Canteen is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Both the school and P&F Facebook pages are updated regularly and I encourage everyone to check both pages for up to date information.