A brief historical overviewThe Loreto Sisters arrived in Perth in 1897 and established a school in St George's Terrace. By 1898, the Loreto school for girls moved to Claremont. The Jesuit Fathers, following the request of the Archbishop of Perth, opened St Louis in 1938. In 1971, the Jesuit Fathers withdrew from proprietorship of St Louis, leaving the school to the Archdiocese of Perth. Archbishop Goody appointed a School Council under the Chairmanship of Judge Lavan to organise and run the school.
By 1975, it became necessary to investigate the possibility of amalgamating the two schools in order to present a broader choice of educational opportunities for students. With much thought and preparation, the desired planning was achieved by the end of 1976. The new John XXIII College was to be located on three separate sites with four distinct communities. The Junior Primary years were situated in the Koolyangarra Community, the old Junior School of Loreto; the Upper Primary grades were housed in Campion Community, the St Louis Junior School; St Louis Senior School became the home for Years 8 and 9, the St Louis Community; the senior years were housed at Loreto School, the Loreto Community.
'Seek Justice' was the motto chosen for the new John XXIII College founded in 1977, following the amalgamation of Loreto Convent and St Louis Schools. Fr Daven Day, S.J. was appointed the founding Principal and Sr Bernadette Zeising I.B.V.M., Vice-Principal.
Sr Denise Desmarchelier replaced Fr Day as Principal in 1979. One of her many challenges was to investigate the possibility of consolidating the school on one site - the Senior School at Loreto, the Junior School at St Louis. This could have been achieved at great expense, with many of the problems left unsolved, such as inadequate playing fields. Fortunately, the College Council became aware the State Government was planning to sell Swanbourne Hospital and part of the nearby tip land in order to consolidate the services it provided for mental health.
The Council successfully negotiated the purchase of the present 24.6 ha site for John XXIII College. The planning, which began in 1981, was brought to fruition when the students moved to the new site at Mt Claremont on 11 May, 1986. Since then, there have been many additions but all in the same architectural style.
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