Author: Jo Dunn

Dear Newman Families

A New Season

Spring has arrived and heralded many other wonderful events and milestones. I hope all fathers, grandfathers and father figures enjoyed a wonderful Father’s Day with families last Sunday. We certainly enjoyed celebrating Fathers at the Lavalla-Marcellin Thursday Mass and Marian Liturgy last week. The presence of so many fathers and grandfathers attending these celebrations spoke strongly to our Marist characteristic of Family Spirit. September 1 also marked the Church ‘Season of Creation’. Pope Francis committed the Church to the recognition of the season in 2015 following the publication of Laudato Si. Starting with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1, the Pope’s hope for the season is to “offer individual believers and communities a fitting opportunity to reaffirm their personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live.” Creation concludes on October 4, which is the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, Patron of Ecology and Animals.

Pope Francis writes that our heartbeats are not in harmony with the heartbeats of our mothers and grandmothers, the heartbeat of our mother earth, and with the heartbeat of God. The climate and environmental injustice against creation needs our devoted attention. The Marist Messenger, the publication of the Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat, summarises Pope Francis’ call for our consideration with Creation to commit ourselves to an all-embracing transformation – a transformation of our hearts, a transformation of our personal lifestyles, and a transformation in public policy.

Catholic Performing and Visual Arts Festival

The beginning of September also marks the end of the Catholic Performing and Visual Arts Festival. As I wrote earlier in the term, many Newman students have been involved in performance and creative works which have been celebrated throughout the festival. Thank you to our Arts students, the Arts team and Newman families for joyfully expressing such an important part of College life.

Senior Production

The Senior Production, Fame JR, was a wonderful performance last weekend. Alongside Lion King JR from Term 2, Fame showcased the talents of our students on stage and backstage. Once again, the support of the Creative Team comprised of staff and the work of the parent volunteers was so professional and dedicated. Congratulations to all involved!

Staff Achievements

We are blessed with a dedicated staff member who supports our Vision for Learning- Shine Through Discovery and focus on school improvement through their professional practice. We were thrilled to be advised of the outstanding achievement of Mrs Catherine Young, Leader of Learning PK-6, who was this week announced as the recipient of the inaugural National Teacher Awards 2023 in the category “Improving Student Learning and Progress”. The Teacher Awards have been established by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to recognise and commend the exceptional contributions of educators, school leaders, and support staff in K-12 school settings across Australia. Catherine has made numerous contributions and taken various initiatives in the field of education, with a particular focus on data literacy and enhancing student progress.

This week we also joined with Mr Mike Diamond in celebrating his recognition for Meritorious Service awarded through the Australian Association for Religious Education.

Congratulations, Catherine and Mike!

Parent Code of Conduct

We all operate in a school with the best interests of students at the centre of our decision-making and care. Three key documents assist us all in undertaking that support with respect and dignity. The Codes of Conduct for Parents, Staff and Students help us identify how we want to interact and engage in this most important of partnerships. We regularly revisit the Codes with students and staff, and, at times, it is important to surface the Parent Code of Conduct to support positive and productive interactions between home and the school. Thank you for engaging in the relationship in a way that supports student development and the work undertaken by the staff. HERE is our Parent Code of Conduct, provided as a refresher for parents and guardians to read.

Term 3 Holiday Break

The term is moving quickly, and the holiday break is in sight, providing a time for our students to recharge and refresh.  As always, I seek families’ support in endeavouring to make holiday arrangements in line with the gazetted breaks. This certainly allows staff to maximise the time for teaching and learning and has a positive impact on the students as they manage the cycle of learning and assessment.

Andrew Watson

PRINCIPAL

Welcome to the end of Week 8. The College has been a flurry of activity over the last two weeks, and the race to the end of term will be no different. A massive thank you to our fantastic Primary Sports staff and students for the enjoyable Primary Athletics Carnival today. It was excellent to see so many families arrive to cheer on the students.  

Thank you to the wonderful Arts Team for the senior musical production FAME. The talent of our students was showcased superbly, and our committed staff members must be generously thanked for dedicating their time to bringing the show to fruition. The finale for the Catholic Performing Arts Festival, the Spirit of the Arts, will be held at Newman College next week on Monday. We are happy to be hosting this prestigious and enjoyable event.  

The A Division ACC Athletics Carnival will take place next week on Wednesday. Our students and staff have been training rigorously to prepare for this competition, and we wish them well for a successful day. Similarly, on Thursday, Week 9, our Primary students will compete in the IPSHA Athletics Carnival, the Team will be announced following the Primary Athletics Carnival today. 

Year 12 – Last day Wed 20 September

Our Year 12’s final day is fast approaching. Please refer to the link below, which outlines details for festivities scheduled for their final weeks. 

Year 12 Celebration Schedule

Year 12 Semester 2 Exams (Mondy 2 Oct to Friday 13 Oct – Marist Auditorium)

Year 12 Uni Ready and ATAR students will soon be sitting their exams. It is important that all students familiarise themselves with the Examination Rules and Procedures. 

2023 Y12 Semester 2 ATAR Exam Timetable

2023 Y12 Semester 2 AT2023 AR Exam Feedback Sessions

Examination Rules and ProceduExres

Class of 2023 Graduation – Tuesday 24 October 

Graduation evening will be celebrated on Tuesday 24 October at Optus Stadium commencing at 5.30pm. The evening will include Mass, dinner, and presentation of awards.  

Tickets are $115 per person.  Students will not require a ticket as this has already been paid for as part of their tuition fee. Tickets are limited to immediate family only (parents/guardians and siblings only).  Please click on the invitation link to purchase tickets.   

You must include your Y12 child’s guild and complete the additional information fields in the checkout section, to record any dietary requirements (parents/guardians and siblings only), and your student’s name.   

Class of 2023 Graduation Invitation

Leavers Jackets – Year 12, 2024 

All current Year 11 students (Class of 2024) have the option to purchase a Newman College Year 12 Leavers Jacket. Please click HERE for information regarding the order process, cost etc. 

Any queries should be directed to sarah.ellam@newman.wa.edu.au, Leader of Wellbeing Year 11. 

Year 12 Game Changers Graduation 

On Tuesday, 19 September, we will be celebrating the conclusion of students’ participation in the program. Game Changers and their parents have been invited to join us at a special celebratory dinner.  Please join me in congratulating Jasmine Martinazzo, Aimee Byrne, Kate Miller, Samuel Perkin, Meg McAullay, Sophia Brodie, Michael Pethick, Grace Rose, Tasmyn Floate, Caitlin Hawkins, Indiana Lummis, and Madeleine Irish. 

R U OK Day

The theme for R U OK Day on Thursday 14 September, is “I’m here to hear”. This day is our National Day of Action, when we are encouraged to ask, ‘are you OK?’  We ask our staff, students, and families, to take the time to let those we care about know we are here to really hear them. 

By taking the time for an R U OK? Conversation and genuinely listening with an open mind, we can all help the people in our world feel supported and connected. 

CODE OF CONDUCT

Once again, the last two weeks have been extremely busy with events, incursions, and excursions. 
Our STEM festival ran activities during week 5. We celebrated book week this week with author visits, and as usual we were amazed at the wonderful costumes that students wore to the book week parades. Year 11 Game Changers students travelled to Mullewa to participate in their Solidarity Immersion and NAS carnivals were attended by secondary students. Catholic Performing Arts Festival continues to run for Catholic Schools across the state. We acknowledge both staff and students for their engagement in all these activities. 

The next two weeks are going to be just as busy with Father’s Day celebrations, PP-Y6 Athletics Carnival and Languages Week, to name a few. Parents are encouraged to look at the Key Dates and Events section for more information, and to check the College calendar on a regular basis. 

Father’s Day Celebrations (2 events)  

Please join us when we celebrate our fathers, grandfathers, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.  Click here to view your invitation and RSVP for catering purposes by Monday 28 August.   

Thu 31 Aug – Y3-12 Father’s Day – Community Mass, 8.10am – Champagnat Chapel, Marcellin Campus.

Fri 1 Sep – PK-Y2 Father’s Day Liturgy, 9.00am – St Cecilia’s Church, Floreat 6014.  

PP – Y6 Athletics Carnival – Friday 8 September

We are once again excited to be combining the Marian and Lavalla Athletics Carnivals. The carnival will be held on Friday 8 September on the Marcellin campus oval and will be completed in a roving carnival format, which promotes a high level of student engagement and participation. Please see the event program and map attached below. 

Details and Program

We look forward to welcoming parents and families to the campus on this day, joining us in celebrating the wonderful achievements of our Primary students. 

College Production – FAME Jr 

The excitement is building! The rewards of great commitment and energy from the Newman College Creative Team and our wonderful cast of students in the College’s Senior School Production Company are visibly tangible, as we countdown to opening night for FAME Jr on Thursday 31 August! 
 
Our incredible cast and crew were put through their paces with a full run and costume parade at rehearsals on Wednesday 23 August. The show promises to be high energy entertainment with great music, singing and dancing performances from this talented Senior School cast. 

Hurry, get your tickets! Three big nights! 31 August, 1 September, 2 September at 6.00pm. 

There will be a door prize on closing night Saturday 2 September for the best dressed 80s costume in our audience. 

FAME Jr 2023 Tickets, Marist Auditorium Theatre, Churchlands | TryBooking Australia 

Languages Week – Mon 4 to Fri 8 September 

In Week 8, years Pre-Primary to year 12 will celebrate Languages week. Languages week is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of language learning, and to highlight the linguistic diversity in our community. 

Languages week is also, an opportunity to celebrate the work our students have done in learning Italian, as a second Language at Newman College. 

Primary Campuses – Please click here for further information regarding scheduled activities and to order/purchase Gelato!!! 

Secondary Campus – Please click here for details of weeks events

CODE OF CONDUCT

Read, Grow, Inspire

This week we have celebrated Book Week and the 2023 theme of “Read, Grow, Inspire”. The foundation of Book Week is fascinating and comes from a post-war period in Australia where there was a recognised dearth of children’s literature. Each of our campuses celebrated the week in their own way. For Marian and Lavalla, the highlight was the Book Parade, with students dressed as their favourite book character. Anything that supports children to find a purpose to read is an important reason to get behind, as we all want young people to find their spark for literature, which will be with them for life.  

Year 11 Game Changers Mullewa Immersion 

The College has spent this week as part of the Mullewa Community. The Town of Mullewa is in the state’s Midwest, a short drive from Geraldton. Mullewa is best known for its beautiful Church of Our Lady of Mt Carmel and the Holy Apostles of St Peter and St Paul, as well as a place of great beauty during wildflower season. The opportunity for our students and staff to support the local community is a well-established program at Newman which allows our students to exercise community outreach and service.  

Newman Parents Forum 

Earlier in the week, we held the Newman Parent Forum, where the focus was to present the recently launched “Vision for Wellbeing” to parents. Mr Ryan von Bergheim, Head of Primary and Mr Simon Martino, Deputy Principal Secondary, discussed the overarching framework. Mrs Edwina Battersby and Mr Justin Kirry, Leaders of Wellbeing, outlined its application in the Zones of Regulation which has been implemented in Primary. The meeting was recorded, please click here to view the recording. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday 6 November

Industry and Careers Networking Breakfast 

On Tuesday, the College held an Industry and Careers Networking Breakfast for Year 12. The majority of the guests who hosted conversations at the tables over breakfast were Alumni of the College or of our founding colleges. In small table groups, each guest discussed their pathway in their profession or career, answering many good questions from the students who were eager to gather information about developing careers and networking.  Year 12 students were also informed about the opportunity to join our Alumni and the importance of maintaining the relationship with the College as graduates. Christine Tonkin, MLA, Member for Churchlands, addressed the students with insights into her passion for serving that formed her career in politics, as well as highlighting the defining role her Aunt, Brigidine Sister, Bernice, played in forming her desire to make a difference in people’s lives.  Sister Bernice is also an Alumni of Brigidine Secondary School and Principal of two of our Primary Schools. 

Principal – Mercedes College 

Earlier in the week, I shared with the community the exciting news that our Vice Principal, Dr Lucie McCrory, has been appointed Mercedes College Principal commencing January 2024. Mercy Education recognised in their search for the next leader of Mercedes College, Lucie’s exceptional leadership skills and formation through her own professional development and the experiences of leadership at Newman and other Catholic schools. I am sure you will join me in congratulating Lucie. The communication can be viewed here

Wellbeing Week

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.