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2022 Marist Theme

Jo Dunn on 28/01/2022

Reflection 

Our Marist Theme for 2022 is Known and Loved: Dignity for All. The theme builds on previous themes and encourages us to see the dignity of all people and understand that we are known and loved by God.

Tony Clark, Director of Mission & Life Formation share his thoughts:

What does this theme ask of us? Jesus’ mission was to restore human dignity and what he cared about was lifting people up from whatever dehumanised them or caused them suffering. Jesus put his words into action by restoring sight, removing social stigmas, setting people free, and reclaiming the inherent dignity of each person he encountered. Human dignity is the heartbeat of the Gospel, Catholic Social Teaching and our Marist story: “Love one another as Jesus Christ has loved you…May it be said of the Little Brothers of Mary as of the first Christians: ‘See how they love one another’.” (Marcellin Champagnat) What then could this be saying about the deepest desire of the human heart? Perhaps it is the desire for a place where people are known, loved, and feel the immense value of their personal worth; where everyone is welcomed and has a place at our table, where their voice is heard, valued, and respected. A place where every person is treated with ‘dignity’. The word dignity is derived from the Latin word dignitas meaning, ‘of being worthy of honour or respect’. Doesn’t this speak to what is at the heart of the Gospel message? That every human being, no matter who they are or where they come from, possesses dignity because they are created in the image of God. St Paul captured this beautifully by describing each one of us created as “God’s work of art” (Eph 2:10).

The pandemic has given us moment to pause and breathe, now it feels like it is a time to act. We believe as Marists we are being called not simply to recognise the dignity of all, but let the world know about it by the way we live our lives for and with others. It’s a call to roll up our sleeves and to live our spirituality on the streets; it includes the staff member sitting next to you, the student in the second row that often feels invisible, the cleaner on a temporary visa, the family risking their life in a desperate search for a home where they can raise their kids safely, those suffering from the effects of inequality because of race, sexuality, economic class or gender. Anyone who is at risk of feeling and being left-out or forgotten.

Accompanying this year’s theme is the image of Our Lady of Loreto with the Refugee’s Cloak. The artist reflects:

“I felt in my heart the need to give an image of tribute to all the people who suffer marginalisation, war, hunger, despair, escape from their land, loneliness, illness… one day I looked at the images of African migrants who landed in Italy, who miraculously survived their escape into the sea, and shocking photos of all those people and children drowned in water. My heart got tight. The images of those people wrapped in emergency blankets reminded me of the Madonna of Loreto.

I did not want to make the image of Mary royal, I wanted a simple emergency blanket to acquire royalty around her, since what is royal is the warmth of love that allows us to rescue and help each other. Not even the child has a royal symbolism, I would like that in that child there can be every child in the world, because every person we help, love, is Jesus.

I used small pieces of gold leaf to mark the twelve stars around Mary’s head, and points of light that float in the background. Gold leaf, in the tradition of Christian art, is the symbol of God’s light. The points of light that float in the blue, in my imagination, recall people drowned in the sea, lost in the waters. The light that illuminates the stars around Mary is the same that shines in the soul of each person. The sacredness of life in each of us.”

In 2022 let us turn our gaze to this image, contemplating how we together can restore the dignity of one another and bring the light of Christ into our community.

Welcome to 2022 – From the Principal

Jo Dunn on 28/01/2022

The cultivation of relationships underpins our faith and learning experience at Newman College. Our collaboration as a school, with students and families, is growing our culture of excellence and the engagement of our students in their experience of learning. The advent of COVID-19 has caused a significant disruption to the world requiring us to consider how we respond individually and collectively as a community.

Pope Francis in his Christmas Message Urbi et Orbi (to the city, Rome, and the world : to everyone) reminds us that we cannot grow tired and withdraw from society or lose sight, as it is in our relationships where we encounter others.   He says:

“Our capacity for social relationships is sorely tried; there is a growing tendency to withdraw, to do it all by ourselves, to stop making an effort to encounter others and do things together,” ….

As we commence 2022 it will be our commitment to each other and our capacity to collaborate and build our family spirit that will be the mark of our success.  Our Vision for Learning ‘Shine through Discovery’ – let your light shine (Matthew 5:16) invites us to create a learning experience that supports our young people to become their best selves; passionate, articulate, faith filled and hopeful.

To do this, I challenge each of us to actively consider the other person, to be actively present and commit to a culture of excellence.

I recognise the difficulties and uncertainties that everyone will face in the coming months.  It is our hope that our College community will be a place of support for families. Our ongoing collaboration, underpinned by our family spirit, will be more important than ever in the year ahead.

Governance

As advised to the College community in December last year, Newman College has exited the Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) system as a result of Marist Schools Australia Limited (MSA Ltd) streamlining its governance structures as a school governing body under the WA Education Act.  As part of this change, MSA Ltd has worked closely with CEWA in the transition and to clarify its responsibility as a governing authority and proprietor of Newman College.  CEWA will continue to provide ongoing Religious Education support.  The letter I refer to above can be accessed by clicking here.

COVID 19

On Thursday all families would have received a letter regarding the start of the year which includes updated COVID-19 guidelines to schools from the WA Government.  Please click here to view.

School Improvement – A Culture of Excellence

Our 2022 Annual School Improvement Plan will set the tone for our year for School Improvement. Our goal is that every child continues to strive to do their best in all endeavours and our cultural imperative is to create a space for our students to flourish individually and collectively.

A key strategic priority is growing our culture of excellence that imbues our faith and learning community.  This includes the high expectations that we set for ourselves not only in what we say but in what we do.  In 2022 our College staff will focus on building teacher quality and developing the leadership within our school.  For students, setting goals and committing to our Vision for Learning ‘Shine through Discovery – let your light shine‘ (Matthew 5:16) and performing to the best of their ability, is an imperative.  To that end, I encourage each student to challenge themselves in their learning and in how they form relationships with their teachers and each other.  Critical to this will be the application of our Newman Norms that seeks to provide an alignment of our College’s expectations and standards.

Significant to our Annual School Improvement Plan 2022 is the introduction of Sustainability of the Environment which will be owned not just by our staff but by through the leadership of our students.

Capital Works

Significant work has been undertaken across the College over the extended holiday period.  Most notably is the piping of the open drain through a large section of the College site, between the Lavalla and Marcellin Campuses.  Please click here to view a report on the works carried out.

The consolidation of our PK-6 campus is progressing well, notwithstanding the challenges that have emerged with the WA border restrictions and the impact on the construction industry.  There will be disruption and delays over the coming 18 months and we will communicate changes with families as they arise.  The final design will be available for viewing in Term 1.

2022 College Leadership and New and Returning Staff

A new organisational chart has been developed as a result of immediate and impending change to the leadership structure.  The following staff make up the College’s Senior Leadership Team:

  • John Finneran             Principal
  • Lucie McCrory             Vice Principal
  • Steve Halley-Wright   Director Finance and Administration
  • Thomas Wagner          Director Operations and Engagement
  • Simon Martino            Director Mission and Catholic Identity
  • Carla Pastorelli            Deputy Principal Secondary
  • Lisa McClue                  Deputy Principal Primary
  • Bernie Roberts            Director Curriculum Administration PK-12
  • Jenny Miraudo            Director Transformational Learning

To view the list of new staff starting this year, please click here.

I thank all parents and guardians as they prepare their children for the return to school and we look forward to welcoming all students on Monday and Tuesday next week.

John Finneran

Principal

Capital Development Update 2022

Jo Dunn on 28/01/2022

Late last year the College reached an historic agreement with the Water Corporation that will allow the piping of the open drain through a significant section of the College site. Over the course of 55 years at this location, the College has attempted to negotiate to have the water course undergrounded but failed; this is a significant moment in the history of the College. With the ongoing plans to relocate the Early Childhood Centre (Marian) to the Churchlands site, undergrounding the water course will allow for the physical connection between the campuses.

Civil works have commenced and are expected to run into March. During this time there will be restricted pedestrian movements across the College, with the lower car park closed for the start of Term 1. The College will provide updates on parking and access should they change during the course of the civil program of works. We understand that disruptions around drop off and pick up locations can be frustrating, but we ask for your patience as we see this historic body of work completed.

The College has continued its upgrades to the Marcellin campus during the Christmas holiday period. Three new classrooms will be commissioned early in term 1. Of particular interest is in the creation of two new classroom areas that will expand the new St. John Henry Newman Learning Hub into the northern A Block area. This will increase the College’s capacity to accommodate large flexible working environments, continuing our progressive refurbishment of learning spaces throughout the College.

The Facilities Team has also worked tirelessly in maintaining the campus infrastructure, while the work to refashion the exterior colour scheme of the College continues. Painting of the Chapel windows has been completed, along with the central courtyard area at Marcellin.  This new and contemporary look will be completed by the start of Term 1.

Capital Development Update

Jo Dunn on 06/11/2020

Never has the momentum of change been as evident as in 2020. As the Learning Hub Development nears completion, Newman College has embarked upon a significant renewal process that will deliver ongoing benefits to students for years to come.  The formal commissioning of the Learning Hub will take place early next year.

The year has seen three other significant and long-term planning decisions approved, with work currently being executed.

  • Marist Schools Australia approved the expansion of the Learning Hub Development Project to include W Block. This decision will see two new classrooms developed in W Block, along with the creation of a new Education Support Centre including life skills area.
  • S Block has been included in the scope of work for the Learning Hub. The central spaces will be refurbished, providing a learning experience that is consistent with the new Learning Hub. This includes the creation of new breakout areas, entrances to classrooms, lecture theatre, soft furnishings, meeting rooms, office, and main entries.
  • The approval of an exciting landscape design to accompany the major building program has also been approved. The magnificent design draws from the recent collaborative artwork created by students alongside local Noongar artists during our 2019 Artist in Residence program. This reflective space draws together the history of our Marist origins and our location on traditional Whadjuk land.

Re

These projects have commenced and will run in conjunction with the Learning Hub Development, due for completion ahead of the commencement of the 2021 school year.

Accompanying the new built environments is the commitment to appoint the spaces with new furniture. A significant furniture program has now been completed and will see new furniture installed throughout the Learning Hub, W Block and S Block. Further upgrades will be made to classrooms in B Block and T Block concurrently.

On Wednesday 4 November, Leaders or Learning and Leaders of Wellbeing were taken on a guided tour of the new Learning Hub. The excitement was evident in all, as the realisation of the significance and grandeur of the project was realised. We are now just a short journey to the finish line, with students and staff set to experience a learning environment that will be the envy of the State.