At Newman College, we are committed to continual school improvement and are using the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) School Improvement Tool as our framework to achieve this. The School Improvement Tool contains 9 interrelated domains and identifies practices of highly effective schools. A Foundational Doman: Catholic Identity and Marist Spirituality is currently being drafted in recognition of our Marist identity. Newman College recognises that the charism of Saint Marcellin Champagnat is a gift of the Holy Spirit for the Church, for the mission of the Church. We are deeply committed to the provision of high-quality Catholic education through which learning outcomes for all students reflect an awareness of individual gifts, interests, aspirations and achievements. This week, teachers from PK – 12 came together to articulate Newman College’s Marist identity, reflect on our effectiveness, and discuss how we can improve in this domain.
Some aspects of Catholic identity and Marist spirituality at Newman College identified by teachers include:
Presence of our Marist Brothers on-site.
Family and Community Masses.
Champagnat Day.
Marist characteristics of presence, love of work, family spirit, simplicity and way of Mary are embedded in all aspects of school life
Maintaining alumni connections, including the newsletter’s ‘Newman Being’ segment.
Celebration of St John Henry Newman and St Marcellin Champagnat.
Easter and Christmas Liturgies.
Ministry and youth advocacy programs including Gamechangers and immersion opportunities, including Mullewa and Philippines.
Regular events held by the Marist Association of Marcellin Champagnat, including the annual Marian Lecture.
Retreats.
Time allocation for staff faith formation experiences and commitment to accreditation.
We look forward to working with Marist Schools Australia to refine the Foundational Domain as we strive to animate St Marcellin Champagnat’s vision to make Jesus Christ known and loved.
The Year 9 Retreat will take place on the 16 May; it follows our Vision for Mission: to form “Good Christians and Good Citizens”, offering students an opportunity away from normal school routines to pause and reflect on their relationship with others, themselves and God.
Year 12 Semester 1 Examinations
The Year 12 Semester 1 examinations commence on 20 May and will conclude on 31 May. It is a period filled with anticipation, nerves, and a hint of excitement as students gear up to showcase their knowledge and skills acquired over the years. For Year 12 students, these exams represent, not just a culmination of their high school experience, but also a gateway to their future endeavours. The Year 12 examinations are more than just a test of academic prowess; they symbolise students’ growth and development throughout their schooling. From the first day of high school to this momentous juncture, they have absorbed knowledge, honed critical thinking abilities, and cultivated resilience in the face of challenges.
As we embark on this exam season, let us also take a moment to celebrate the achievements and successes of our Year 12 cohort. Each student’s journey is unique, and their efforts deserve recognition and applause, irrespective of the numerical outcomes. Let’s commend their dedication, hard work, and determination in reaching this significant milestone.
To all Year 12 students embarking on this pivotal phase, know that you are capable, resilient, and equipped to tackle whatever challenges come your way. Wishing you all the success and fulfilment as you navigate this chapter of your academic journey.
Newman Parent Forum
The Newman Parent Forum (NPF) occurs once a term and is open to all parents. It is a parent community gathering which is led by the Principal and Vice Principal, in collaboration with a nominated Newman Parent K12 Executive Committee.
The next meeting will take place on the 20 May, in the John Henry Newman Learning Centre from 6:00pm. This term’s meeting is an opportunity to share input and feedback and serves to help advance the best interests of those within our College Community. All parents across the community are welcome to attend this event. We look forward to welcoming you next week.
Parking – University Avenue
We understand that picking up or dropping off students can sometimes be hectic, but it is essential for everyone’s safety and convenience that vehicles are parked in designated bays. This helps maintain traffic flow, ensures emergency access, and prevents unnecessary congestion.
Policy of the Week – Harassment: Student and Student
It is important that students are aware that harassment generally involves unwelcome behaviour that intimidates, offends, or humiliates a student because of a particular personal characteristic. Here at Newman College, we assist our students to navigate adolescence and set expectations outlined in the Newman Norms, where students are asked to embed the Marist characteristics, act with integrity and show respect for the privacy, dignity and rights of others, to be polite in words and actions. For further information on the Harassment policy please click here.
Child Safeguarding
Our Child Safeguarding Policy, which includes our Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing, was written to demonstrate the strong commitment of the College to child safety, and to provide an outline of the policies and practices that we have developed to keep our students safe, including from abuse or other harm. The College’s Child Safeguarding Policy applies to all adults in the College community, including Staff, Volunteers, Contractors, External Education Providers, parents/carers and other family members. This Policy applies in all College environments, both physical and online, and on-site and off-site College grounds (e.g. camps and excursions). Please familiarise yourself with the links below.
As a school committed to continuous improvement, we are pleased to share updates on our ongoing progress. Currently, we are conducting interviews for Year 7, 2027, and are heartened by the interest shown in Newman College. This reflects the reputation of the College in delivering strong student outcomes across faith, wellbeing, and academics, demonstrated in our Year 12, 2023 WACE achievements, the best academic results the College has achieved in its history (summary below).
Your ongoing feedback as valued members of the Newman College community is essential in our journey of improvement. Through initiatives like the Leuven and DISA surveys, we gather valuable insights into our strengths and areas for growth as a Marist school. We appreciate those who have participated in these surveys and encourage others to share their thoughts as soon as possible (survey links below).
The dedication of our educators, the support of families, and the hard work of our students are integral to shaping the ongoing success of Newman College. Your continued support is appreciated as we strive for continuous improvement and excellence to deliver the best educational outcomes for our children.
Last week, I had the pleasure of witnessing firsthand the positive outcomes delivered through the enriching experience of Year 7 Camp. The camp serves as a pivotal moment in our students’ journey, providing them with invaluable opportunities for personal growth and social development.
During the camp, students engaged in a diverse range of activities designed to foster teamwork, communication, and resilience. From the exhilarating flying fox and boot camp course, to the hands-on experiences in canoeing and bushcraft, each activity challenged students to step out of their comfort zones and embrace new challenges alongside their peers.
It was heartening to see students form new friendships and connections within their cohort, further enhancing their sense of belonging and identity as ‘Newman Beings.’ The camaraderie and mutual support exhibited throughout the camp reflected the strong community spirit that defines Newman College.
Led by qualified instructors, working in collaboration with our dedicated Newman College teachers, the camp offered a safe and enriching environment for all participants. The program’s emphasis on teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills was evident as students worked together to overcome obstacles and achieve shared goals.
As I observed the students participating in activities such as canoeing, commando courses, orienteering and scavenger hunts, I witnessed their growth and development firsthand. These experiences not only provided memorable moments and new adventures but also instilled essential life skills that will serve them well in their academic, social, and personal journeys.
The Year 7 Camp stands as a testament to the commitment of Newman College to holistic education, empowering students to thrive and excel in all aspects of their lives. It was inspiring to see the positive impact of this transformative experience on our students, reinforcing the values of teamwork, resilience, and growth that are at the core of our Vision for Learning.
Mother’s Day Celebrations
This week, Newman College embraced the spirit of Mother’s Day with heartfelt celebrations that honoured the invaluable role of mothers, grandmothers and mother figures in our lives and within our community.
Yesterday, our Community Mass resonated with the theme of ‘Mothers’ from a Marian perspective. Father Hygenis, in his uplifting homily, celebrated the remarkable contributions of mothers and mother figures to our lives and to the fabric of Newman College. Drawing from our Marist charism of ‘In the way of Mary,’ Our founder, Saint Marcellin Champagnat emphasised the importance of interacting with one another with gentleness and grace, embodying the spirit of “Strong Minds, Gentle Hearts”. The occasion was made even more special with hand-crafted Mother’s Day gifts, lovingly created by students in Education Support, available for purchase, as well as cupcakes and refreshments, adding a special touch to the celebrations.
Today, the Mother’s Day liturgy at Marian campus was a vibrant and joyous affair. The lively liturgy included a heartfelt play, captivating liturgical dance performances, and touching homages to mothers. The gospel reading centred on Mary’s profound ‘yes’ to Jesus, inspiring us all to embrace Jesus’ invitations and deepen our connection with Him in our daily lives and interactions with others. The culmination of the Marian liturgy was a delightful surprise video featuring students from Pre-kindergarten to Year 12 expressing gratitude to their mothers and mother figures, acknowledging their unwavering support and love.
To all the mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in our Newman College community, we extend our warmest wishes for a Happy Mother’s Day. Your love, dedication, and nurturing spirit are cherished and celebrated not just today, but every day. Thank you for all that you do!
We celebrated our wonderful mothers and mother figures over the past two days at our primary campuses. Our Lavalla Mass (Thursday) and Marian Liturgy (Friday) were beautiful celebrations of the wonderful mothers in our lives. Wishing all Newman mothers and mother figures a restful and enjoyable Mother’s Day this weekend!
2 Red Assembly
On Friday of last week, Year 2 Red entertained and informed us with their assembly about recycling. The Year 2’s have been learning all about the importance of recycling, and how the process works. They also participated in a recent incursion on waste. Students, staff and parents learnt a lot from the assembly. Thank you Year 2 Red for sharing this important message with our community! As a result of the Year 2’s passion for recycling, we will be introducing some recycling initiatives in the primary over the coming weeks.
Movie Night
It was wonderful to see primary families last Friday night at our Primary family movie night event. It was a wonderful evening of activities, followed by a fantastic movie – Elemental! The feedback from parents has been outstanding – what a fantastic event!
Morning Supervision at Lavalla
A reminder that morning supervision commences at 8:20am at Lavalla Campus each morning. Students who arrive before this time are not supervised by Newman College staff and therefore we ask that students do not arrive before 8:20am. For their safety, students have been told that should they arrive before 8:20am they are to sit on the oval in a designated area and wait for the duty teacher to start before moving around.
Lavalla Kiss N Ride
A reminder to all Lavalla Parents using the Kiss N Ride to collect your child in the afternoon, to please ensure that your family name sign is clearly displayed on your dashboard/visor so that staff can quickly and efficiently call your child to the car. If you did not request a family name tag previously but now require one, please email Mrs Johnson in the front office – Amanda.Johnson@newman.wa.edu.au
URSTRONG – Lesson 1 Complete
Lesson 1 Review
As mentioned in last week’s Newsletter, this term we have commenced the roll-out of the URSTRONG Friendship Curriculum across the Primary. All students through PK-6 engaged in Lesson 1 last week, which focused on each child’s ‘Inner Ninja’. The areas of focus across our year levels in Lesson 1 were:
Pk-2: Self-compassion, teaching students ways to treat themselves like a best friend.
Yr 3 & 4: Self-compassion, teaching students how to tame their butterflies and feel calm when they are experiencing big emotions.
Yr 5 & 6: Self-compassion, teaching students how to squash ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) and dispelling myths around gender stereotypes and the ‘pressures of perfection’.
The feedback from teachers is that our students engaged and enjoyed the sessions, which is fantastic to hear. Lesson 2 will be rolled out next week in all classrooms.
A reminder parents have access to a FREE URSTRONG parent membership to access hundreds of resources – including an 8 session video series. This will allow you to learn the same language & strategies being taught in the classroom through the Friendology 101 curriculum. We hope that, as a URSTRONG Family, you will reinforce the important messages of empowerment, self-compassion, & kindness at home.
As we start the program, I encourage all parents to watch the ‘Language of Friendship Introduction Video (the first in a series of parent videos) within the parent membership section of the website, and to engage in a discussion with your children about what they learnt and discussed during Lesson 1 in class.
Medals of Marcellin
Our new positive behaviour system, Medals of Marcellin, has commenced and our PP-6 students have responded extremely well to this new initiative. We had our first ’raffle draw’ at our prayer assemblies on Monday, where Charlotte (Marian) and James (Lavalla) were drawn out of the raffle and congratulated for demonstrating our Newman Norm of ‘Use manners and respectful language when talking to students and teachers’. Congratulations to all students who received a raffle ticket in Week 3 – over 300 raffle tickets were given out which is a fantastic effort! These raffle tickets have now been converted into faction tokens and placed in our faction token tubes in the front office of each campus! So far, red faction have the most tokens at each campus and are in the lead!
Newman Norms
Our new Newman Norms are now on our website and I encourage you to have a look at these expectations for our Primary students – Newman Norms – Newman College.
Each week our staff and students will focus on 1 Norm, to discuss and unpack what that norm means for our students in their day-to-day school life.
In Week 3, our focus was: Use manners and respectful language when talking to students and teachers.
In Week 4, our focus has been: Treat our classrooms and school with pride and respect by keeping them neat and tidy and using equipment responsibly.
Our focus in Week 5 is on Wear our College uniform correctly & with pride.
Parents Visiting Classrooms
A reminder about parents visiting classroom in the morning.
Parents are welcome to visit classrooms on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the following morning times:
Kindy & Pre-Primary: 8:45-8:55am
Years 1-6: 8:35-8:45am
These morning times, as listed above, are provided to any parents who may wish to visit the classroom to view their child’s work, view the classroom environment or to participate in a quiet, small activity with their child.
A reminder that this period of time is not the time to speak to your child’s teacher about their progress or the time to socialise with other parents. We ask that parents are respectful of our Mindful Mornings routine and join in the activities or view the classroom in a quiet and calm way with their children. If you wish to have conversations with other parents, we ask that this is done outside of the classroom. If a younger sibling is attending with you, please be mindful of them as they move around the room with older students, and be aware of the play/work spaces that teachers have set up for their students to be used later in the day so that these aren’t interfered with.
When it is time to leave, we ask that parents quickly exit the classroom to ensure students are able to separate quickly from their parent. It may be worth speaking with your child over the coming days about how you may come into the classroom every now and then, but then when it is time for parents to go and class to start, the children will need to give their parent a quick hug/kiss and say goodbye. Preparing your child for this will be helpful in minimising any separation anxiety that may occur at this time.
Pk-2 Parent Information Session: Occupational Therapist
Marian parents are invited to attend an informative session, hosted by occupational therapist, Helen Cooper. The session is designed to provide valuable insights into the role of occupational therapy in your child’s development and education. Please see the flyer below for further information and to register your attendance.
Please note that the date that the College will celebrate Champagnat Day has been changed to Friday, 14 June. All students, including Years 11 and 12 with Work Placement and/or TAFE, are required to attend the College celebration.
Extended Absences
Parents are reminded that all extended absences (3 days or more) must be referred to the Vice Principal by email.
During Weeks 4 and 5 Year 12 students in General and Foundation Courses will sit Externally Set Tasks, which are compulsory and form part of the school-based assessment.
The EST:
is a written assessment task
is constructed to be completed in 50 minutes
is based on selected syllabus content from Unit 3
has a 15% weighting
It is important that students attend, and the College’s Assessment Policy will be followed.
Game Changers Retreat Year 9/10
The Year 9/10 Game Changers retreat will take place this Wednesday 1 May. Students will gather to reflect on the role of simplicity in their lives, and how as young Marists, they are encouraged to live in the present. The group will also explore Christian leadership and service through the stories and experiences of Marcellin Champagnat in La Valla and Jesus’ ministry in Capernaum.
Year 3 Reconciliation and Year 4 Eucharistic Retreats
Over the next few weeks, the Year 3 and Year 4 students will have the opportunity to participate in a Sacramental Retreat to deepen their understanding of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, which they have been learning about in class. The retreat days (Year 3 Reconciliation, Thursday 2 May and Year 4 Eucharistic, Thursday 9 May) begin with students participating in our Community Mass, followed by the Retreat, facilitated by 24:7 Youth Ministry. The facilitators provide meaningful and engaging activities that explore how the Sacraments can draw us closer to God and one another. Our prayers are with our students as they prepare to receive the Sacraments.
Year 7 Camp, NAS competition and Science Excursion
The Year 7 cohort have a busy couple of weeks coming up.
The Year 7 cohort will hold their year group Camp at Swan Valley Adventure Centre from Monday 29 April to Wednesday 1 May. The Camp’s theme will build on the Year 7 overarching theme of EMBRACE, fostering bonds, expanding horizons, and stepping out of their comfort zones. Through group activities such as orienteering, bushcraft, and canoeing, they will forge friendships and discover newfound passions, all amidst the stunning backdrop of the Swan Valley. We wish the Year 7s, Leader of Wellbeing Year 7, Mr Hofman, and the dedicated staff attending a wonderful time.
On Monday 6 May, the Year 7s will attend the Northern Associated Schools Winter Carnival. Students will participate in Soccer, Netball, Football, Badminton and against 4 other Catholic schools.
Thursday 9 May, the Year 7s will be attending the Perth Zoo to assist with their Science curriculum. Guided by zoologists and Perth Zoo staff, students will explore the hierarchical systems and naming conventions that are used to discover more about a selection of fantastic animals. They will explore the concept of taxonomic classification and how other types of classification, such as diet and conservation status, are essential in organising and caring for animals.
ICT Social Media Usage
Please see the link below for information regarding ICT Social Media Usage at Newman College.
We would like to officially acknowledge those members of staff who concluded their time at Newman College at the end of Term 1 and the beginning of Term 2. We sincerely thank them for their dedication and support of students, parents, and staff during their time at the College and wish them well in their future endeavours.
New Staff Commencing
It is with great pleasure that we welcome the following staff members to our community in the indicated roles.
