Dear Students, Staff, Parents, Alumni and Friends of JMC, 
I bring you greetings from the Heights as the term enters its penultimate month after an eventful October. Highlights of the month include, the 64th Independence Anniversary of our dear nation, which was marked by the Phoenixes in spectacular fashion, the first Continuous Assessment (CA) test of the term, whose result provided valuable information about the learning experience of students following the introduction of laptops this school year. Another highlight is the Safeguarding Workshop organized to further make the college a safe haven for all its members, staff and students alike. The theme of the workshop, ‘Safeguarding our Mental Health,’ is apt given the current state of the nation and its negative impact on the lives of citizens. I am grateful to Fr. Noel NWADIKE, S.J., and Mrs Grace Evuen for an instructive and life enriching workshop. Still on highlights, the annual University Fair organized for the penultimate and final year Phoenixes with the view of broadening their options for tertiary education post JMC is noteworthy. I applaud the Director of University Admissions of the college, Mr. Gad INJI, and his team of noble colleagues, for a very fruitful and successful fair, which in his assessment was well attended by parents and guardians. Coming on the heels of the Fair was the first visitation of the term, which reunited the Phoenixes with family, friends, and loved ones, and afforded parents and guardians the opportunity to check up on them and ascertain their level of progress in the various aspects of life. Visitation was a reinvigorating for the Phoenixes, especially those of the Class of 2030, many of whom are still adjusting to being away from home for an extended period of time. Their adjustment to living and studying at the Heights has not been without the usual challenges associated with transitions but a significant number have demonstrated huge capacity for the first profile of the graduate of a Jesuit high school, namely, openness to growth. That said, I commend our freshmen for embracing the challenges of composing a life, that JMC presents and represents. In the same vein, I beckon on parents/guardians whose extreme attachment to their children/wards continues to impede the adjustment which they essentially need to grow and excel at the Heights.
On a somewhat similar note, I appeal to parents/guardians to make notable efforts familiarising themselves with the policies of the college well articulated in the Parents Handbook. It is quite worrying that parents/guardians, every so often, need to be reminded of Our Way of Proceeding, that which distinguishes us as an institution given to the formation of persons who are conscientious, competent, compassionate, and committed. The proverbial four cees (4Cs) of Jesuit education become the trademark of our students via properly discerned and carefully implemented processes. This inadvertently calls for maximum support, effective collaboration, and significant contribution of each and every member of the college community. To is end, it is imperative that we each play our role in ensuring the flourishing of the college in the second decade of her foundation.
In light of the foregoing, I wish to highlight some growing practices that notably impact the two-fold mission of the college of educating and forming the children in our charge. This include, among others, increasing dental and optical care exeat requests which disrupts the balance students establish at the Heights as the term unfolds. To address this concern, I wish to state that while the college approves of such exeats, since the care sought after is better attended to by specialists with good knowledge of the medical history of our students, their prolong absence from school affects their academic performance as they have to readjust themselves to the rhythm of life in the college upon their return. Consequently, exeats for dental and optical care shall henceforth be granted only for a day, preferably on Saturdays. This aligns with the mode of operation of the school clinic which caters for the health needs of students, bringing those in need of dental and optical care to specialists designated for such, mainly on Saturdays.
Another growing practice that notably impacts the mission of the college is the possession of contraband items by students across the spectrum. This anomaly is an indication that little or no attention is given at home to what the children in our charge bring with them to school on resumption day, and worse still, that some are provided with the said items on visiting days. Thus, I wish to state categorically that severe sanctions will be meted out to any student culpable in this regard. To guard against this, I hereby share with you the official Checklist of the college for your reference. (see below copy of the students checklist)
Now, having made us proud at the 4th International STEM Olympiad, whose Grand Final took place in July 2024, at The Hague, Netherlands, I am pleased to announce that registration has opened for the 5th edition of the said program, whose Grand Final is scheduled for July 2025, in Barcelona, Spain. As per school policy, to attend the Olympiad, one has to first register, and excel in the online component of the competition. Meanwhile, I must quickly add that the competition is open to students in their second year of junior school, as well as those in their first and second year of senior school respectively. For further information about the Olympiad competition, kindly contact the secretary at secretary@jesuitmemorial.com.
In view of the upcoming school events in the month of November: the 6th Annual Inter-House Sports Competition, and the 2nd Visitation of the Phoenixes for the term, it is imperative that we make adequate plan for the weekend keeping in mind the importance of the scheduled events in the life of the college. Moreover, as we approach the end of the term and look forward to the Christmas and New Year holidays, I wish to reiterate the fact that the closing and departure date of the term for students, with the exception of those, registered for and involved in Kairos 16 and Kairos 17, is Saturday, December 14, 2024. As it were, the said date was communicated to every member of the college community way before the school year began to enable you plan for the holiday. It goes without saying that requests for early departure from the college will not be entertained, hence there is no need to make them.
To conclude, it gives me joy to share with you the performance analysis of the October 5th Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), taken by 44 Phoenixes of the Class of 2025. (see below the performance analysis). I congratulate them for their impressive performance and applaud them for their resilience and courage. In a very special way, I applaud, Abuoma Barnabas ONYEKACHI, for an enviable score of 1530 out of 1600. He and the trio of Chinualumogu Chizaram AROH (Class of 2030), Uwakmfon Utitofon EDOHO (Class of 2029), and Jesutolola Micaiah OLA-ISRAEL (Class of 2026), who distinguished themselves in the first regime of the term as both Academic Stars and Character Gems, are our Phoenixes of the Month, and fully deserving of our commendation.
I wish you all the very best in your numerous endeavours that are good and pray for the grace to weather the current storms besetting our nation.
In much gratitude,
Fr. Alexander E. IRECHUKWU, S.J.