Feeling well, or ‘wellbeing’ is fundamental to our overall health and enjoyment of life. Taking care of our wellbeing should be both an individual and a collective pursuit. Being present, allows us to consciously monitor how we are travelling emotionally. This week the College celebrated Wellbeing Week. The structure of the celebration was undertaken in the Primary by our Primary Leadership Team and by our Captains of Wellbeing, Belle Jenkins, and Kai Kazmer along with Mr Martino in the Secondary. Each day, we focussed on one important aspect of ‘being well’. Monday’s focus was ‘presence; Tuesday’s focus was ‘healthy, Wednesday’s focus was ‘gratitude” and Thursday’s was ‘connected” with parents, teachers and students affirming all that is good in life. Lapathon was also held on this day which the students thoroughly enjoyed.
On Friday 11 August our staff will participate in Professional Learning led by speaker, Mrs Lisa Danza from Access EAP. The topic of the session will be looking inward for wellbeing.
As I write this article, I have the screen in my office in constant scroll mode through the hundreds of gratitude certificates written by students that are addressed to other students and staff, acknowledging gratitude for the positive impact members of the community have on them. Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (GEM) are three practical approaches that help us exercise strategies cultivating wellbeing. Paying attention to what and who provides us with life giving energy and happiness, allows us to feature these more regularly in life. Taking care of our wellbeing should be both an individual and a collective pursuit.
Year 11 Leadership Workshops
A group of Year 11 students have been taking a deep dive into preparation for senior leadership in 2024. Mrs Sarah Ellam, Leader of Wellbeing Year 11 and various members of the College Executive have been working alongside the students in their leadership workshops in recent weeks. Our staff have remarked about the group’s passion and dedication to continue the legacy of good leadership on behalf of all Newman students. On Wednesday afternoon, Dr McCrory and I were delighted to lead a session with the students focusing on the group crafting a mission statement for their leadership in 2024. The quality of their work was outstanding and they were able to articulate a connection between who we are as a Marist community and how their leadership can progress the support of students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.
Speak Up Success
Our Year 5 and 6 students have been involved in an extensive undertaking where they have crafted their skills to meet the challenge of public speaking. On Tuesday 8 August, three Newman students, Vienna Crisona, Grace Taylor and Lola Vogl were recognised for their presentations in the Speak Up contest. We congratulate the Year 5 and 6 students for taking on one of the biggest challenges anyone faces – public speaking and celebrate the work of these students in the next stage of the finals.
Feast Days
On Tuesday, we recognised the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross, Mary MacKillop, the first Australian to be canonised. She is a figure that both religious and non-religious Australians have been able to relate to- she experienced many of the challenges in life that we encounter today. Mary did not allow those challenges to define her and worked to bring the joy of education to regional Australian communities where there was little opportunity for formal education. Our MacKillop Guild students have a rich and grounded patron to follow, and we give thanks for the life of St Mary MacKillop.
Next Tuesday 15 August, we join with the World Church to mark the Feast of the Assumption, commemorating the end of the earthly life and assumption into Heaven of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This Feast Day was chosen for the Marist Brothers at the time of their foundation by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers and Marist Education. As one of 54 Marist schools across Australia, the Feast Day of the Assumption is an annual opportunity for all members of the Newman College community to gather, give thanks, and to celebrate our shared Marist identity.
Welcome to Wellbeing Week! Our whole of school focus during Week 4 has been on making visible to students and staff, the ways in which we can commit to and enjoy a life of ‘being well’. We hope that the students enjoy their four-day weekend and can extend this focus and apply the strategies and learning over that period. Our staff will be engaged in Professional Learning tomorrow, which is aptly centred on understanding Wellbeing. The College is closed on Monday.
FAME JR
Don’t forget to get a group together to purchase tickets for our Senior School Musical FAME. It promises to be a magnificent performance.
Newman Parents Forum
The next NPF meeting is being held on Monday 21 August at 6.00pm in the St John Henry Learning Hub on the Marcellin Campus. We encourage all parents to attend, and we look forward to welcoming you. Our Head of Primary Mr Ryan von Bergheim will begin the evening with a getting to know him session. Then he will introduce our new Vision of Wellbeing with the Deputy Secondary, Mr Simon Martino, which was launched this week during Wellbeing Week. Our Leaders of Wellbeing in Primary Mrs Edwina Battersby and Mr Justin Kirry will present on the Zones of Regulation initiative for learning and emotional health.
Newman Parent Information Series Event
‘Screen Ages’ How to raise digitally resilient and rested young people
Join zero2hero and Newman College for a parent seminar on cyber safety, psychology and sleep. Perfect for parents, guardians and carers, this seminar is open to everyone with children in any Primary or Secondary School looking to gain valuable insights from leading experts through a panel discussion and Q&A.
Homework Club
Year 7- 12 Homework Club is an effective space where students can come after school to study, complete homework and access a wide range of specialist teachers and tutors Monday – Thursday 3:15–5:00pm in the JHN Hub. Attendance has been excellent this year, and the majority of students have been respectful and considerate towards staff, their peers and the JHN space.
A reminder to all students that they must sign into Homework Club and come with the materials needed to complete their homework and/or studies. Students are welcome to bring snacks to eat after school and have a small break prior to starting their homework.
To help staff maintain a positive and effective workspace for all students during Homework Club, students are reminded that they are required to follow the Code of Conduct. Those students who do not abide by these expectations will lose the privilege of attending Homework Club.
Year 12 Parking
The College has a dedicated onsite parking area specifically for Year 12 students which we expect them to use. It is important we consider and balance the needs of residents and commuters around our campus, in particular Dolimite Road and Tuscany Way. Please remind these students to use the Year 12 carpark instead of using public roads.
Timor Leste – Teacher Lucy Lane’s Reflection of her recent visit to Timor
During the July school holidays I joined a team of 6 Australian teachers travelling to Timor Leste to support the staff at the Catholic Institute for the Formation of Teachers (ICFP) in Baucau.
This was a pilot programme to support staff with their English language skills and with teaching methods. It was an amazing experience to see the Timor Leste staff grew in confidence and ability during their daily lessons over the course of the 2 weeks. A selection of administration and teaching staff were supported with English speaking, listening, and writing skills. Their enthusiasm, commitment and welcoming nature was inspiring. Daily lessons have continued from Australia (via Zoom) to ensure that the new links the programme forged and the excellent progress with English continue.
While in Baucau the Australian teachers also got the opportunity to visit other activities of the Marist Brothers in Timor Leste. Visiting the special education unit at Katalosa and witnessing the progress of the new Marist school being built at Lau Tem. The new school reflected the modern teaching approaches that are here at Newman College.
This was a truly Marist experience for all involved. The international nature of the Marist family was clear through presence and love of work in action. The motto of the ICFP “A heart that knows no bounds” truly reflects the Marist work in Timor Leste.
Performing Arts: 20 July – 11 September
Term 3 will welcome the beginning of Catholic Performing Arts 2023, and we are delighted to have so many students involved in the instrumental and vocal sections as a soloist or ensemble member.
Our magnificent tutors are in the process of sending out the detailed event and venue information for each section relevant to your child, this may be over email or a hardcopy. In the interim, please use the link below to view the programme of events from July – September.
Transport: Performances are located at various locations around Perth. Transport to these performance’s is the responsibility of the Parent/Guardian, unless communicated otherwise. (Ensembles – Concert Band, Concert Wind, Scherzando, Vivace and Chamber Orchestra will have return transport arranged by the College. Students will depart and return from here).
Tickets: Try Booking ticket sales for the Performing Arts Festival, opens on Friday 7 July.
Parents are reminded that the most efficient and effective method for contacting teachers and support staff is through the staff member’s email address. In most costs, our staff will respond as appropriate to the communication within 48 hours.
Welcome back to the start of Term 3 and Semester 2. I hope all students had a restful break and families found the time to enjoy one another’s company. The term has begun well, and we were pleased to host Parent-Teacher interviews before the first school day, providing further feedback to parents regarding their children’s progress over the first half of the academic year.
College Life
As I scan the upcoming events for the term, I note that they strongly support Shine through Discovery and our Marist characteristics. The Catholic Performing Arts Festival has begun and we have 245 students participating in this event, showcasing their talents and skills. I wish them all the best for upcoming performances and congratulate them for following their passions in the Arts.
On Wednesday evening, staff joined the Year 11 students for the Dinner Dance at Wembley Golf Course. The students enjoyed one another’s company and embraced the evening as a celebration and opportunity to continue forging their identity as the Class of 2024.
This Sunday, Mr Stuart McClorey and Mrs Jane Short will accompany a group of Year 6 students to a special event being hosted by Archbishop Costelloe at St Mary’s Cathedral. Students will participate in the opening of an art installation which has been made from the collages students across W.A. made in the lead up the LifeLink Appeal last term. This is a great opportunity for these students to proudly represent the College, and to see their hard work on permanent display for everyone to see.
Three more upcoming events speak strongly to our expression of faith and presence. Next week, students from Year 6 to 12 will experience the Winter Sleepout in solidarity for all in Perth who live without the certainty of a warm and safe home. The third Marist Connect evening will bring together Year 11 and 12 students from Newman, St Joseph’s Northam and Bunbury Catholic College to spend some time together in reflection and fellowship as they explore the theme of future choices. Additionally, mid-way through the term, our Year 11 Gamechangers students will venture to Mullewa for their immersion experience, where they will be supporting the local community and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School in the lead up to the Mullewa show.
Primary Build
In recent weeks, the activity on the new build site for our Primary school has ramped up. Over the holiday break, the College warmly welcomed Rocky Slater WA State Manager of BADGE Construction; College architect Stuart Preston of Munns Sly Moore, and Mark Irwin Mayor of the City of Stirling, to participate in a ceremonial ‘turning of the sod’. We were all excited to ‘break ground’ on what is set to be an incredible project for the College for years to come.
The construction is now underway, and we will keep the community briefed with its progress.
3rd World Grandparents and the Elderly Celebration
In last Sunday’s Mass, parishes joined in celebration and gratitude for Pope Francis’ World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The celebration aligns with the liturgical recognition of
St Joachim and St Anne. The day shines a light on the invaluable role of grandparents and the elderly in society and reminds us of the invaluable benefit there is in embracing their wisdom and knowledge. Pope Francis invited us to pray this prayer and I share it with you:
Prayer and Blessing for Grandparents and the Elderly
All-powerful and ever-living God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we thank you and praise you for giving these members of our community long years, lived in faith and in doing good.
Grant that they may have the loving support of their friends and relatives, that in good health they may be cheerful. And in poor hope not to lose hope.
Sustained by the help of your blessing, let them spend their old age giving praise to your name.
The first two weeks of the second semester are well underway. The students have made an excellent start to the term. This weekend the Gospel speaks about the Kingdom of Heaven and what that looks like for people on Earth. The message around the story encourages us to reflect on what we treasure in life, that which holds meaning for us and helps us to let our light shine. Personally discovering the Kingdom of Heaven on earth is linked to uncovering what gives you life, that is, what brings you joy and hope. When we intentionally move towards making these experiences feature more in life, and move away from those things that deaden us, we are on the path to discovering the Kingdom of heaven. We do this in a community of family spirit.
The Marist characteristic of ‘love of work’ relates to our students and staff finding their passions and unique gifts and using these to fan the flames of others. The Arts is an area that has been in the media of late. Last week and over the coming weeks our talented staff and students will be showcasing their work in the Catholic Performing Arts – Spirit of the Arts Festival. The Arts is an expressive area of creativity, that brings life to the masses. We wish our performers well as they participate in this wonderful festival.
The St Vincent de Paul winter sleep out is next week. Our Year 6 students are joining the solidarity movement this year. It is so encouraging to see our students come together in social justice to help those less fortunate. We wish them well for their cold, overnight fundraising experience.
K-12 Buddy Day – Thursday 10 August
Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will gather at the Lavalla Campus for Buddy Day activities and the annual Lapathon on Thursday 10 August. This celebration will form part of our Wellbeing week activities.
Y7-12 students will take part in the Lapathon with our Primary Students. Further details will be shared with students prior to the day.
Due to some works attached to the primary build program, the Kiss N Drive Lane will need to be closed for approximately 3 weeks. As of today Friday 28 July, the fence line will be moved and the Kiss N Drive lane will be closed off to allow these works to be completed.
During this time, Kiss N Drive will take place at the top of the Lavalla carpark loop. Two teachers will be positioned on duty at this location to ensure the safety of students and a smooth and efficient procedure. Please refer to the map below showing the revised traffic flow plan indicated with red arrows.
Alternatively, parents are reminded they can find a parking spot rather than use the Kiss N Ride during this three-week period.
Please remind your children to ensure they are to use the allocated pathways when making their way through the carpark. Your patience and support is appreciated. Any queries should be directed to Lavalla Administration.
Year 12 Parking
The College has a dedicated onsite parking area specifically for Year 12 students which we expect them to use. It is important we consider and balance the needs of residents and commuters around our campus, in particular Dolimite Road and Tuscany Way. Please remind these students to use the Year 12 carpark instead of using public roads.
eSafety – Online safety advice for your family
Parents and students are reminded of the need to be safe while online. Students in Years 7-9 were recently involved in a conversation that raised awareness of inappropriate online platforms that they may have been engaging with, in particular Tiktok and Instagram. We spoke about the need to always behave appropriately when using online accounts and to ensure they respected the dignity of all.
All students should be mindful of the following: 1) Consent: Sharing any images or information about another person requires permission and sharing without consent may lead to serious consequences. 2) Privacy: Accessing images from other people’s accounts is a violation of the privacy of the individual. 3) Uploads: Once something has been uploaded, it is there forever. Be mindful of what you are uploading, sharing and liking. If you like a post that is inappropriate or targets another person, this may lead to serious consequences.
The following link provides information regarding online safety for you and your family. eSafety Parents
NAPLAN 2023 DATA (Years 3/5/7/9)
Naplan reports for the above year groups are available through SEQTA Engage. Hard copies have been posted to families.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about support provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
year of schooling
category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory, or social/emotional
level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial, or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.
The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).
If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the Sarah Pagett, Leader of Learning Support.
2023 Religious Education Assessment (REA)
Catholic schools across Western Australia enrol students in Years 3, 5 and 9 to participate in a system-wide, online assessment in Religious Education. This assessment will take place in timetabled classes during Term 3, Week 3. Students following a regular classroom program are expected to participate. Exemptions may apply.
The purpose of the assessment is to measure student learning of the content in the Religious Education Curriculum. Test items relevant to each participating year level are developed by the Religious Education Directorate at the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia. The test items consist of multiple choice, short and extended response. Formal student reports are produced and made available in Term Four. The reports from the assessment complement the school-based assessment programs in Religious Education. As a system-wide, online assessment, classroom teachers, school and system leaders are provided with a ‘point in time’ snapshot of student performance in Religious Education.
Please contact your child’s teacher or me if you have any enquiries regarding the administration of the 2023 Religious Education Assessment.
Congratulations to the Cast, Crew and Creative Team of this year’s Musical Production of Lion King Jnr
The brilliant cast of our inaugural Year 3 to 9 Middle School Musical Lion King Junior played to sell out audiences across four big performances. The show received rave reviews with the Catholic Performing Arts Festival adjudicators awarding the Production a Certificate of excellence. The adjudicators were particularly impressed by the scale and quality of this spectacular production that the Arts and the community of Newman achieved with 130 young actors. Congratulations to Mrs Wiese the Producer, Mrs Bilton for her incredible direction of the Musical, the entire Creative Team, including Mrs Kelly Thwaites – choreographer and Ms Laura Van Rijn – vocal director – and most of all, the wonderful cast and crew.
Performing Arts: 20 July – 11 September
Term 3 will welcome the beginning of Catholic Performing Arts 2023, and we are delighted to have so many students involved in the instrumental and vocal sections as a soloist or ensemble member.
Our magnificent tutors are in the process of sending out the detailed event and venue information for each section relevant to your child, this may be over email or a hardcopy. In the interim, please use the link below to view the programme of events from July – September.
Transport: Performances are located at various locations around Perth. Transport to these performance’s is the responsibility of the Parent/Guardian, unless communicated otherwise. (Ensembles – Concert Band, Concert Wind, Scherzando, Vivace and Chamber Orchestra will have return transport arranged by the College. Students will depart and return from here).
Tickets: Try Booking ticket sales for the Performing Arts Festival, opens on Friday 7 July.
A favourite read of mine has been Shackleton by Ranulph Fiennes. It is the story of the English Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Last year, his ship Endurance was discovered in almost perfect condition, 106 years after it sunk in Antarctic waters. He and five others sailed in a whale boat for 16 days across 1,300km of dangerous ocean to South Georgia in a desperate attempt to find help to rescue his crew who had all made it safely to Elephant Island after the sinking of the Endurance. At one point, after days without the sun to orient them, Shackleton stood at the bow and pointed through the sea mist; “It’s this way men.” He could not have known what direction they were heading, he was simply aligning his crew in a common purpose. Throughout the 16-day ordeal, not one of Shackleton’s crew of Endurance perished.
As I reflect on the past term, I see numerous examples of staff and students leading the way and aligning in the common purpose of living our Marist characteristics and engaging in our pillars of Challenge, Collaborate, Create and Celebrate. Just this week, Dr McCrory and I were fortunate to be in the audience for our Year 5 & 6 Grand Final of the Speak Up competition. The eight finalists were drawn from a wider pool of students who all gave their best in creating well-crafted speeches. The quality of the speeches surpassed the age of our students and the audience were fully engaged with the topics and the speakers. Public speaking consistently ranks in studies as having the highest identified phobia for people. Congratulations to students for taking on this challenge and succeeding!
Champagnat Day
Last Friday, we gathered for Champagnat Day with the celebration of the Eucharist, a fete and fun activities across the College. Throughout June, Marist communities across the world have embraced the gift of Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe and the Very Reverend Fr Vincent Glynn celebrated Mass at Marcellin and Fr Kaz celebrated Mass for our Lavalla students. We joined with our own Marist Brothers’ community to welcome Dr John Kyle-Robinson, Acting National Director Marist Schools Australia and Mr Darren McGregor, Regional Director Marist Schools Australia to give thanks for the work of Marists and for the Principal’s Commissioning. Following this, we met as a community to recognise students and staff in the annual Champagnat Awards. These awards are presented to a student from each year and staff members whose actions, service and commitment have displayed our Marist characteristics. We also recognised staff members who have served the College for 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years. Congratulations to all students and staff who were recognised.
Fun activities and the fete that followed the early morning events allowed us to focus our support on raising funds for Marist Solidarity projects. Our students were so proactive in organising alongside staff activities to events of the day. There was a great understanding that we were expressing our commitment to our values and aligning the celebration with our heritage and outreach to others who need our help. The Social Justice Captains announced at our Secondary Assembly yesterday that we had raised over $10,000 for Marist Solidarity on the day.
The celebration of our students’ engagement with College life has continued in recent weeks with great personal achievements in the Shine program and outstanding team performances in ACC Hockey carnival highlighted at the Principal’s Assembly this week. The Year 6 students shone at the Winter Sports Carnival held at John XXIII College. Newman had teams competing in Netball, Hockey, Soccer and AFL. Throughout this term, students have been training and preparing for this carnival during Unit Sport each week. The focus for the day was to enjoy their chosen sport and to engage with the other schools in a supportive playing environment. Overall, it was a fantastic day with excellent participation from all students involved. The AFL team was participating in the Dockers Cup and we are extremely happy to announce that the boys came away victorious, playing some superb football and beating Court Grammar in the final.
A big thank you to teachers and parents that coached on that day and to staff at Marcellin who have coached and managed over the NAS winter season.
Marist Netball Carnival
The Marist Netball Carnival was a great success and celebration of our Marist Family and Family Spirit. Thirteen schools across Australia came together in Perth to enjoy a week of games, camaraderie and community living. I know that our team thoroughly enjoyed competing against the best. A national carnival takes many months to create and then co-ordinate. Thank you to Carnival Convenors, Mrs Marnie Barrett, Ms Tasha Richards, Mrs Amanda Johnson and Ms Kate Thayer.
Semester Reports
During this week, Semester Reports will be released and this gives families the opportunity to convene with their children and discuss the feedback provided in the documents. One very constructive strategy I find useful in unpacking the report, is for parents to let their children lead the conversation about successes, challenges and opportunities. Tuesday, July 18 is set aside for parents to book times with teachers to gain further insights into the academic and pastoral progress of their children.
The semester has finished and it is time for our students and staff to enjoy a well-deserved break. Thank you for your support of the College over the semester. Many parents will continue to work in the coming fortnight while some have planned breaks to enjoy. Whatever the situation, I do hope every family finds some time to be together and enjoy precious moments.
