Welcome Back to 2025

Welcome back to another exciting school year! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break, filled with opportunities to recharge and prepare for the journey ahead.

Before we look forward, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our Stage 2 students in the 2024 SACE results. Their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence was exceptional, and we are incredibly proud of their efforts. Some key highlights from these results include:

• Continued high rates of SACE completion, with 51 students successfully achieving their SACE in 2024
• Continued growth in A and B grade achievements, with 2024 our best year on record
• Four students achieving an ATAR above 90, including our Dux, Brodie White, with an ATAR of 96.60. Brodie also achieved a Merit for Material Solutions.

In addition to these excellent results, several students have also successfully completed VET courses in fields such as Engineering and Electrical, among many others. This has seen several senior students successfully transition into apprenticeships, traineeships and full-time employment.

Congratulations to all students and staff who contributed to this success.

Welcoming New Staff

We are excited to welcome several new staff members to JPSS this year:

• Carol Bowman                  Year 8 Care Group, Mathematics & Science
• Thao Ly                               Mathematics & Science
• Chris Mayman                   Year 9 Care Group, HASS & PE
• Laura Pardon                    Year 8 Care Group, English & HASS
• Jordan Rafferty                 HPE
• Lisa Gale                             Classroom Support SSO
• Kate Kassapis                   Youth Worker
• Sara Nguyen                     Information Technology Support Officer
• Sam Wurst                        Information Technology Support Officer

We look forward to the knowledge, passion, and energy they will bring to our school community.

Building Better Futures through Resilience and Persistence

As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on two qualities that will shape our success—resilience and persistence—and how they connect to our school vision: Building Better Futures.

At JPSS, Building Better Futures is more than just a motto—it is a commitment to equipping students with the skills and mindset they need to succeed in school, work, and life. Two essential qualities that contribute to this are:

• Resilience – the ability to overcome obstacles and keep moving forward
• Persistence – the drive to stay committed to goals, even in the face of difficulties

These qualities are not simply inherent; they must be explicitly taught and nurtured. This year, we will continue to embed resilience and persistence into our learning through a focus on learning dispositions and capabilities within our curriculum, ensuring that students develop the skills needed to thrive. We are also strengthening our trauma-informed practices to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all students. Additionally, we are excited to continue the Open Parachute wellbeing program, introduced last year, which provides valuable tools for emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and personal growth.

By fostering resilience and persistence, we are actively Building Better Futures—helping students develop the confidence, skills, and mindset to achieve their aspirations. Whether students are beginning their journey at JPSS or preparing for graduation, every challenge they face is an opportunity to grow.

I am excited for all that 2025 holds—a year of growth, success, and a strong focus on resilience and persistence. Together, we will continue to create opportunities that empower every student to build a better future.

Michael Gaunt

Principal