Student Services
When the Student Services Centre opened in 2006, the hope was for it to become a focal point for a range of information and support services. We did not expect that it would become quite so central to the lives of our students here at St John's College.
Student Services pages: Guidance l Special Needs l Success Story
WHO YOU FIND HERE:-
Mrs Jayne Lugton - Receptionist
Mr Max Christopherson - Careers Advisor
Mrs Sarndra Petrin - Attendance Officer
Mr Maynard Erece - Yr9 Dean
Mr Hayden Miller - Yr10 Dean
Mr Sean Healy - Yr11 Dean
Mr Drew Tierney - Yr12 Dean
Ms Julie George - Yr13 Dean
Mrs Mary Curran - Director of Catholic Character
Mr Brian Sparrow & Mrs Carolyn Morris - Guidance Counsellors
Dr Tammy Wong - GP
Guidance
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The Guidance Department has two fully qualified counsellors: Mr. Brian Sparrow, and Mrs. Carolyn Morris. The counsellors are available to any student who needs guidance in the areas of self-esteem, time management, self-control within the classroom, career options, friendship issues, communication, family issues, depression, or any problem where the student wants a trusted adult with whom to speak, and most importantly, to actively listen. In line with the school's Marist values, the practice of Reconciliation is often used where there has been a break-down of relationship between peers. The counsellors are a part of the Orientation and Induction process for new students, as well as leading the Peer Support Program for Year 12 students. Parents are welcome to contact a counsellor if they have a concern regarding their son.
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Special Needs
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The value of Family Spirit is reflected in the St. John's College Special Needs programme. From a prospective student's first visit to the college, through to that student's time to leave school as a Year 12 or 13, we endeavour to highlight strengths, to maintain flexibility, and to look for positive opportunities throughout your son's high school experience.
The transition to high school can be an anxious time. We aim to minimise that with multiple individual school visits if necessary, meetings with parents, the Initiation Day in November for the incoming Year 9 class, as well as a two-day Orientation Programme for new students at the start of the school year. We believe it's important to maintain a personal presence with each boy through these vital teenage years.
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Once a student is settled at school our strengths include the potential for flexibility within the standard programme of study at both Junior and Senior level. For example, a Year 12 student may do some Year 11 courses, while utilising an extra study period to consolidate work in his core classes. There are opportunities for students to have work experience for one or two days per week through the Gateway programme. Our STAR "taster" courses are available to senior students to learn trade skills through WINTEC and earn credits towards NCEA at the same time. We also help each student with the transition from school to workplace or, into a further skills training environment as part of his educational pathway.
Our dedicated Special Needs Coordinator, Mrs. Shirley Gardner, coordinates teacher aide support within core classes, or dependent on need, for one-on-one learning support. RTLB support and advocating for special assessment conditions for exams are part of the extra help that may be available for students. Within our Student Services Centre we have a Learning Support room where teacher aides can work with students, and boys can gain valuable social interaction skills with their peers in a quieter environment
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Success Story
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David came to St. John's in the middle of Year 9 from another school where he had experienced some concerns around being bullied. David was an ORRS funded student: a young man with high learning assistance needs. A teacher's aide was assigned to David, and these two people established a close working relationship over the next two years. Angela, the teacher's aide, used many creative ways to keep David interested in his classwork, and through her strong rapport with him, helped David to find his personal strengths, which happened to be drawing and a love of computers.
David ate his morning tea and lunch in our Learning Support Room, which is the social hub of the St. John's Student Services Centre. Over time he established good friendships, and even took on a leadership/mentoring role as a senior student with the younger boys in the room.
Through some of David's more challenging times, he was able to utilise our time-out rooms to get some much-needed quiet time. He was allowed a more flexible timetable of classes to meet his very important, and different from the mainstream needs. Through all of this, staff worked at building and maintaining a good relationship with David so his anxiety with school life could be minimised. Because he knew and felt cared for and safe, David thrived.
In his senior years, the flexibility applied to his timetable scheduling continued. David chose to pursue his NCEA level assessments, and also to pursue some occupational training. He visited workplaces to decide what his career path would be. He chose a program at WINTEC where he could study computer and media arts. Our SENCO coordinator liaised with her learning support colleagues at WINTEC to make sure his transition to tertiary training would go smoothly.
David is now a successful young man studying at WINTEC. His personal growth in the five years he was a student at St. John's was amazing. He became significantly more mature and confident both socially and academically.
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