Primary Update – Term 1 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 28/02/2025

Year 1 Red Assembly

Our Year 1 Red class were the first to share their learning with us in 2025, presenting their class assembly this morning. 1 Red started their assembly with a beautiful song, reminding us all to ‘let our light shine’. The focus of the assembly was on highlighting how we are all special in our own individual ways. Year 1 Red students shared the different ways they are ‘clever’ and let their light shine each and every day. To finish the assembly, the class shared a wonderful song about being special. Thank you 1 Red!

Primary Swimming Carnival (Y3-6)

Our Years 3-6 Swimming Carnival was a huge success today! We were blessed with beautiful weather for what was a sensational day of sportsmanship, athleticism and joy! A huge congratulations to all of our students for trying their best in their races and events! Our Guild shirts looked brilliant throughout the day at our first-ever Primary ‘Guild Carnival’ and a huge congratulations to Thomas More for winning the Swimming Championship Shield, and Brigid for winning the Spirit Shield. Thank you to all Primary staff involved in the day, with special mention to Mrs Tash Richards for her planning, coordination and running of this huge event!

Year 6 Camp

Our Year 6’s spent a wonderful three days at Forrest Edge Campsite in Waroona. Over the three days they participated in activities such as flying fox, pamper pole, kayaking, rafting, crate climbing, screen printing and so much more! It was so wonderful to see our students engaged with the activities and pushing themselves to try new things and forge new relationships with their peers. A huge thanks to our Year 6 teachers for their work in preparing the camp, and our supporting staff who also attended. The camp ran smoothly thanks to the collective efforts of our staff and a heartfelt thanks for the time they gave up away from their own families to be able to provide our Year 6 students with a camp they will always remember.

Community Mass

It has been wonderful to see so many Lavalla students at our first two Community Masses in 2025. Catherine Guild had a wonderful turn out at our first Community Mass, with Brigid Guild having smaller numbers yesterday. When your child’s Guild is invited to Community Mass on Thursday mornings at 8:00am, it would be wonderful if they could be there to support. To build Guild spirit, students that attend the Mass are able to wear their Guild sports top for the entire day.

The remainder of the Guild Masses for Term 1 are listed below for Lavalla parents to mark in their calendars:

  • Week 5: Thursday 6 March – Thomas More
  • Week 6: Thursday 13 March – Chisolm
  • Week 7: Thursday 20 March – Marcellin
  • Week 8: Thursday 27 March – MacKillop
  • Week 9: Thursday 3 April – Romero
  • Week 10: Thursday 10 April – Camara

Primary Extension Opportunities

We wanted to share with our families an explanation of the approach to extension within the primary school. We use a three-tiered system, similar to our support structures (outlined in the previous newsletter). At Newman College, we believe in nurturing the unique gifts of each child and providing experiences that encourage growth, curiosity, and critical thinking across all learning areas. The diagrams below outline the key components of each tier of extension and the criteria used for withdrawn small group activities. We hope this gives you a clearer understanding of what extension looks like on a day-to-day basis.

Catherine Young

Leader of Learning Primary

URSTRONG

A reminder that parents continue to have access to a FREE URSTRONG parent membership. We hope that as a URSTRONG Family, you will reinforce the important messages of empowerment, self-compassion, and kindness at home.

Newman Norms / Medals of Marcellin

Our Medals of Marcellin are back in 2025! Each fortnight at each Primary campus, one person will be drawn out of the raffle and receive a small prize for living out our Newman Norms. Congratulations to Niall, Ivy and Leo (Lavalla Campus) who were the winners in Week 2, and Charlotte (Marian Campus) who was the Week 3 winner of our raffle! Each raffle ticket received is swapped for a token and the Guild with the highest number of tokens at the end of the term wins a prize for the whole Guild!

Lavalla Homework Club

A reminder that children attending Homework Club must be collected by a parent/guardian from the bottom floor of the 3-6 Building at the end of Homework Club. If your child will be getting home another way (i.e. walking) then it is essential you email our Library Teacher (Sam Wynne) so we have this on record – samantha.wynne@newman.wa.edu.au

If you completed the form in the previous Newsletter, you are confirmed for Homework Club for the remainder of the year. If you did not complete the form but would like your child to join anytime from now until the remainder of the term, please email samantha.wynne@newman.wa.edu.au

Primary Library News

Congratulations to every single student who is participating in our Library competitions. Miss Hall, Mrs Bailey and Mrs Wynne are very proud of you all. Wait until Mrs Le Dan hears our news too!!!

Our Marian Campus Winners for the “Library Bear Needs A Name” competition were: Lachlan, 1R and Kiana, PPG. Lavalla winners were Emily, 4G and Lucius, 6G.

Student Sporting News

Congratulations to Lilah, who won the CBC Green Busselton Junior Tennis Tournament for singles and doubles in the girls division over the Australia Day weekend. Over the summer holidays she also came second in the Applecross Head Junior Open and the City of Joondalup and XCeed Sorrento Open, and also came first in the doubles in the WA Junior Open! What a sensational achievement Lilah!

If your child has achieved state or national recognition in their sport or extra-curricular activity, please email us at communications@newman.wa.edu.au, so we can celebrate their success.

Newman App

It would be beneficial if parents could ensure they have the Newman App, as this will be utilised more in 2025 as one of the main modes of communication. To download the app in the Apple Store  (Apple Devices) or Google Play (Android Devices), simply type in Newman College.

3D Printer

In the bottom floor of our Years 3-6 building we have received a generous donation of a 3D Printer from the Zafiropoulos family. This will be utilised throughout the year by some classes as part of their Digital Technologies programs. A big thank you to the Zafiropoulos family for their time and donation of the printer.

Wishing you a relaxing long weekend.

Ryan von Bergheim

HEAD OF PRIMARY

Secondary Update – Term 1 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 28/02/2025

Guild Swimming Carnival

On Thursday 20 February our secondary students gathered at Perth HPC for the Year 7 – 12 Guild Swimming Carnival. The day was filled with excitement and guild spirit led by our Guild Coordinators and Year 12 Guild Captains. The novelty events offered a lighter side of competition and were a lot of fun.

There were some fantastic individual achievements, and we look forward to celebrating these students in the coming week. Congratulations to Chisholm Guild who were awarded the Guild Spirit Award and to Marcellin Guild for taking out first place in a very close race!

Online Safety – How Parents can support their children in the digital world

In today’s digital age, the internet is an integral part of daily life for children. From school assignments to socialising with friends, online platforms have become essential tools for learning and entertainment. However, with the countless opportunities the internet provides, there are also risks that parents must be aware of and address. As guardians of their children’s wellbeing, it’s crucial for parents to play an active role in ensuring their children stay safe online and knowing what the legal consequences are, should a young person under the age of 18 be found to break the law. Further information for parents can be found here.

It is also a timely reminder that the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 will take effect by December 2025 and will introduce a mandatory minimum age of 16 for certain social media platforms. The change aims to strengthen existing measures for protecting young users, especially where there are particular risks associated with accessing potentially harmful social media content and features, such as persistent notifications and alerts that have been found to have a negative impact on sleep, stress levels and attention. Further information of the

Transperth

The College is aware that there are some Transperth morning bus services that are arriving late. The College is liaising with Transperth regarding this and hope to reach a solution as soon as possible. Students arriving late to school due to these bus services will not be penalised.

Replacement Smart Riders

Replacement Smart Riders can be ordered from Student Reception at a cost of $5.00, which will need to be paid when ordering. This can be paid by EFTPOS at student reception or by parents paying by card over the phone. Please note that we will no longer be accepting cash payments.

FlexiSchools Ordering

The College Canteen operates through the ordering platform FlexiSchools. Students can link their FlexiSchools account to their SmartRider (Student ID), to preorder or pay for food in the Canteen. Please find below the FlexiSchools flyer and instructions on how to set up cashless payments through your child’s SmartRider.

FlexiSchools Flyer

Cashless Payment/Ordering Setup  

Parents are reminded that students are not permitted to pay with their phones, and are therefore encouraged to utilise this payment function provided through Flexischools.
 

Year 10 Immunisations

Earlier this week families were sent an email regarding the Year 10 Immunisations, taking place on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 March. The School-Based Immunisation team will be visiting Newman College to administer the Meningococcal ACWY Vaccination (1 dose of menACWY vaccine) to all Year 10 students. For this to occur, parental consent needs to be given by no later than Wednesday 5 March.  All vaccines provided will be recorded in the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). If you have not yet completed a consent form, please complete the digital form (preferred) which can be accessed here. Alternatively, you can download the Paper-based consent form and return it to the College.

Pathways and Careers Information: Year 11 

WACE (secondary graduation) requirements 

In Year 11 and 12, students are progressing towards their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), otherwise known as their secondary graduation. 

In order to achieve their WACE, students need to meet certain academic targets across Year 11 and 12. These are: 

  • Demonstrate the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy (either in Year 9 NAPLAN or in Year 10-12 OLNA). 
  • Be enrolled in English / Literature in Year 11 and 12. 
  • Be enrolled in at least 1 ‘List B’ (Maths / Science / Sport / Technology) subject. 
  • Achieve at least 14 C grades, with at least 6 C grades in Year 12 subjects. 

For students considering UniReady / UniPath in Year 12 

A reminder to students on the General Pathway who are considering UniReady / UniPath in Year 12 next year. It is expected that students from the General Pathway would have participated in extra-curricular activities such as work experience, VET Certificates, Leadership, Service, and/or College sport. General Pathway students who have not participated in any of these extra-curricular activities may not be eligible for UniReady / UniPath. 

For students thinking of attending University 

Bricklaying free course 

The Bricklaying Job Ready Program is a FREE 4-week course designed for students eager to begin their journey in bricklaying. It offers the students a white card and experience in the bricklaying industry. 

Course Dates: 1st Semester 2025:  

  • Start date 10 March – South Metropolitan TAFE Rockingham 
  • Start date 17 March – North Metropolitan TAFE Balga 
  • Start date 5 May – North Metro TAFE Clarkson 
  • Start date 2 June – South Metropolitan TAFE Thornlie 

Apply NOW: Bricklaying job ready program | HIA 

Defence Force Work Experience Opportunities 

Army  

Navy 

Air Force  

Pathways and Careers Information: Year 12 

WACE (secondary graduation) requirements 

In Year 11 and 12, students are progressing towards their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), otherwise known as their secondary graduation. 

In order to achieve their WACE, students need to meet certain academic targets across Year 11 and 12. These are: 

  • Demonstrate the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy (either in Year 9 NAPLAN or in Year 10-12 OLNA). 
  • Be enrolled in English / Literature in Year 11 and 12. 
  • Be enrolled in at least 1 ‘List B’ (Maths / Science / Sport / Technology) subject. 
  • Achieve at least 14 C grades, with at least 6 C grades in Year 12 subjects. 

University Early Offer information 

Please see below for the latest available Early Offer information. 

Curtin University No details as yet.  
Edith Cowan University Full information and list of eligible courses at: https://www.ecu.edu.au/degrees/early-offer-program  Open to ATAR, Certificate IV, and UniReady students. Submit your Early Offer application by placing an eligible ECU course as your first TISC preference. First offers released to students on 2 September 2025.  
Murdoch University No details as yet.  
Notre Dame University Full information and list of eligible courses at: https://www.notredame.edu.au/study/applications-and-admissions/pathways/early-offer  Opens 1 May 2025. First offers released to students on 1 September 2025. Apply via the Notre Dame online portal or via TISC. Open to ATAR Pathway students only. All offers are conditional offers.  
University of WA No details as yet.  

University Information 

Thinking of studying Medicine or Dentistry in 2026? 

All students who wish to enrol in Medicine or Dentistry in 2025 (including Assured Pathway at UWA) will need to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) this year. 

Please see below for some important dates: 

  • 4 March 2025: UCAT bookings open 
  • 16 May 2025: Deadline to book your UCAT for 2024 
  • 11 June 2025: Deadline if you need to cancel your UCAT booking 
  • 1 July 2025: UCAT testing begins 
  • 5 August 2025: Last test date 
  • September 2025: Results available 

You can check https://www.ucat.edu.au/ for more information, tips and practice tests. 

Also, students applying for Medicine at Curtin University are required to sit the CASPER Test. CASPER scores are valid only for the next available admissions year, so applicants should only complete the test in the year immediately preceding their planned year of admission. 

The CASPER Test is held nationally and is sat online from home. Applicants are responsible for making their own arrangements to register for the CASPER Test.  

You can find more information about this, and book your test, here: https://acuityinsights.app/casper/ 

UWA Medical entry handbook here (for Assured Pathway): https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/-/media/uwafs/docs/course-guides/2025/uwa-2025-hms-admissions-guide-web.pdf 

Curtin Medical entry handbook here: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/5804HS_Medicine-Admissions-Guide-2025_web-updated.pdf 

Notre Dame Medicine program information is here: https://www.notredame.edu.au/programs/school-of-medicine/postgraduate/doctor-of-medicine-wa 

University scholarships 

Curtin University Search scholarships | Curtin University, Perth, Australia  
Edith Cowan University (ECU) ECU | Overview : Scholarships  
Murdoch University Scholarship finder (murdoch.edu.au)  
Notre Dame University Find a Scholarship | Notre Dame  
University of Western Australia (UWA) The University of Western Australia : Scholarships (uwa.edu.au)  
Christian Leaders Scholarship https://ichthys.org.au/christian-leaders-scholarship/ 

Gap year information 

Students interested in taking a gap year in 2026 might find the following interesting: 

Bricklaying free course 

The Bricklaying Job Ready Program is a FREE 4-week course designed for students eager to begin their journey in bricklaying. It offers the students a white card and experience in the bricklaying industry. 

Course Dates: 1st Semester 2025:  

  • Start date 10 March – South Metropolitan TAFE Rockingham 
  • Start date 17 March – North Metropolitan TAFE Balga 
  • Start date 5 May – North Metro TAFE Clarkson 
  • Start date 2 June – South Metropolitan TAFE Thornlie 

Apply NOW: Bricklaying job ready program | HIA 

Defence Force Work Experience Opportunities 

Army  

Navy 

Navy Careers Experience – HMAS Stirling – 30 June – 02 July 2025 

Applications close: 18 May 2025 

Apply here: Defence Careers – Navy Careers Experience: HMAS Stirling (June) 

Air Force  

UPCOMING CAREERS EVENTS 

EVENT DATE LINK 
Murdoch University Careers Fair 19 March https://www.murdoch.edu.au/events/all-events/2025/03/19/general/student-and-graduate-career-fair 
Engineering Institute of Technology: Careers in Engineering webinar 19 March Finding Your Path: Choosing the Right Engineering Discipline for your Career 
ECU Open Day (Joondalup) 23 March https://www.ecu.edu.au/open-day/overview 
UWA Open Day 30 March https://www.uwa.edu.au/open-day 
Murdoch University Open Day 5 April https://www.murdoch.edu.au/study/open-day 
Curtin University Open Day 6 April https://www.curtin.edu.au/open-day/ 
Sound and Engineering College Information Night 16 April https://sae.edu.au/event/perth-info-night/ 
Engineering Open Evening (ECU Joondalup) 1 May https://www.trybooking.com/CYPLT 
ECU Open Day (Mt Lawley) 4 May https://www.ecu.edu.au/open-day/overview 
Perth Careers Expo 15-18 May https://www.careers-expo.com.au/ 
Notre Dame Open Day 24 May https://events.nd.edu.au/open-day-freo-2025 
Year 9 and 10 Parent Information Evening (Murdoch University) 4 June https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/year-9-10-parent-supporters-information-evening-tickets-1232500053839?aff=oddtdtcreator?aff=oddtdtcreator 
Year 11 and 12 Parent Information Evening (Murdoch University) 4 June https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/year-11-12-parent-supporters-information-evening-tickets-1229599558379?aff=oddtdtcreator?aff=oddtdtcreator 
   

If you are thinking of attending a University Open Day, this blog might help you get the most out of it: https://infocus-careers.com.au/2025/02/07/year-12-how-to-approach-university-open-days-in-2022/  

From the Principal – Term 1 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 28/02/2025

Go Primary! 

This week has seen the first Primary assembly for the year and it was a delight to present merit certificates to our Marian students and watch Year 1 Red perform about their way of ‘Shining’ and the many ways we are smart. Primary continued their big week with the successful running of the Year 6 Camp at Waroona and the Lavalla Swimming Carnival. The week’s events saw our students shining through class work, adventure and teamwork, and sporting endeavour. Tonight, we celebrate the Primary Family Picnic at Lavalla and the response from families has been great, even with a long-weekend backing onto the event. Thank you for your strong support of Family Spirit.  

Primary Build  

The Primary build continues to go well and we will ensure we provide the community with good notice as to when, in Term 2, the move from Marian to Lavalla Campus will occur.  

Student Voice and Agency – Your children leading the way 

There’s so much importance in nurturing the voice and involvement of students in their own education and formation. In our new Strategic School Improvement Plan 2025-2027, initiatives of student-adult partnership feature heavily.

Student voice and agency happens in the classroom through empowering young people to give feedback to teachers, feedback to others and feedback about their own learning. Their agency is promoted in providing the opportunity to be responsible and own what is happening in their lives. It is the nurture of partnership and was described within the Australian government-endorsed Through Growth to Achievement: Report of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools 2018.  Projects underway in 2025 across the whole College that nurture voice and agency include:

  • The building of Guild spirit and identity;
  • Involvement in planning transition programs to secondary school, feeding back the successes and challenges of the program, and
  • Co-designing a student recognition system (colours and honours in Christian Service Learning, Academic, Cultural and Sport participation).

In Term 2, we will highlight ‘My Learning,’ which is our approach to further voice and agency in each student’s learning journey. One project just about to finish began with the Year 6 group from 2024 who planned and presented to the school a ‘friendship bench’. This will shortly be installed on the  Lavalla Campus. We are blessed with caring, considerate and community concerned children and it is heartening to see the work they are leading at Newman College.  

Active Transport – My Way 

Another exciting initiative we will be developing in the next few months, that has the leadership of students and involvement of parents, is our plan to encourage walking and riding to school. In today’s edition, Mr Michael Chiera, Vice Principal, writes about our plan in partnership with the City of Stirling to encourage alternative ways of coming to school. This always needs to be considered in context of the individual’s age and journey from home to school and back, but it is important in so many ways to encourage active transport.  

I wish all Newman College families a wonderful long weekend. It is hard to believe that we are at a mid-way point of Term 1.  

Andrew Watson

PRINCIPAL

Finance & Building Update

Jenni Vile on 14/02/2025

Building Update

Our Lavalla building program is progressing well, with the facilities due for completion towards the end of term two. The new hardcourts are currently being surfaced and we should have access to them by the end of this month. Planning is underway for the relocation of our Marian campus students and staff. It will be an exciting chapter in the history of the College, to have all staff and students on the one campus.

Finance & Accounts

All families will have received their school fee account now and I thank you for completing your payment plans via our new web portal, Parent Lounge. To access the portal, click here.

As is always the case, any families experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to contact the finance team for assistance.

Public Transport

In response to the feedback we have received from our parents, we are continuing to lobby Transperth for a review of bus services to and from the College. In particular, it has been identified that services from both Karrinyup bus station & Glendalough train station would assist you greatly. As this process continues, we will keep you updated on progress.

Jody Cabalzar

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

Teaching & Learning – Term 1, Week 2

Jenni Vile on 14/02/2025

Secondary Parent Information Evening

A huge thank you to students and families who attended the Marcellin Parent Information Evening on Monday 3 February. There was a fantastic turnout and it was great to see so many families engaging with our teachers. For those who were unable to attend the event, you can find a link to the presentations here. As we continue to refine the evening, we would greatly appreciate it if you could provide feedback via this form.

Establishing Good Habits and Student Diary Secondary

Secondary students and families are reminded that students must list their homework in a central location each period to ensure their study time is effective and targeted. Year 7s have been provided with a hard copy of the Secondary Student Diary. A digital copy of the Secondary Student Diary has been posted on cohort Teams for students to download and use if they wish. Setting up good habits early in the year sets students up for a successful year and supports working smarter and not harder.

Physical Curriculum Variation and Swim Shorts

At Newman College, we are committed to providing a well-rounded education that supports students’ academic, physical, emotional, and social development. Our Physical Education program plays a vital role in this holistic formation, aligning with our mission to nurture the whole person in the context of faith, learning, and community.

Where students are unable to participate in Physical Education (PE) classes due to injury, illness, or medical conditions, a curriculum variation must be granted by the Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning and the Leader of Learning. All curriculum variation applications are to be supported by specialist medical documentation. Students who have been granted a curriculum variation must remain in the PE class for the duration of the lesson and be under the direction of their PE teacher. This ensures the College’s duty of care and ensures students are present for important lesson content and do not fall behind.  Students are not permitted to use this time to study in the library or complete homework. In some cases, students may be asked to complete a theory-based task related to the lesson. This approach ensures continued learning while supporting our core values of excellence, integrity, and respect.

To ensure all students feel comfortable in the pool, the uniform policy has been updated to allow all students in Years 7-12 to purchase school board shorts for swimming lessons.

We appreciate your cooperation in supporting Physical Education at Newman College.

Sarah Pagett

ACTING DEPUTY PRINCIPAL TEACHING & LEARNING