Category: Early Childhood

Welcome back to Semester 2 at Newman College! It has been wonderful to see all of our Primary students returning to school with big smiles and positive mindsets as we commence Term 3! As always, Term 3 is shaping up to be big, with so much exciting learning and a wide range of activities to engage in. I look forward to working alongside students, parents and staff to help our students shine this term.

3 Green & 5 Red Assembly

In Week 1, the 3 Green class entertained the Lavalla Campus with an assembly all about the importance of recycling, and the difference even the smallest of actions can make in our world. It was a timely reminder for us all to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as we possibly can.

Today, Year 5 Red shared their assembly that was based around the upcoming Olympics and demonstrating courage, strength, perseverance and friendship by all. Year 5 Red focused on the four new sports included this year, which will be wonderful to watch! Thank you to 3 Green and 5 Red for sharing their wonderful learning with us.

Student Illness

As we travel through the middle of the winter months, it is important to remind families of the importance of keeping children home if they display symptoms of being unwell. Illness spreads quickly amongst primary students. We ask that if your child is sick you do not send them to school, and instead keep them home until symptoms clear, to avoid passing on sicknesses to other students and staff. This is particularly important for vulnerable members of our community. Students who present to school with symptoms of being unwell will be sent home. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Newman Norms / Medals of Marcellin

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 one Norm, to discuss and unpack what that norm means for our students in their day-to-day school life.

In Week 1, Spencer (Marian) and Jadyen and Alice (Lavalla) were drawn out of the raffle and congratulated for demonstrating our Newman Norms. Congratulations to all students who received a raffle ticket in Week 1. Our token collection tubes have been reset to zero and we look forward to seeing which faction will take out the win this term!

URSTRONG – Lesson 5 Upcoming

Lesson 5 will be rolled out across the Primary next week. The areas of focus for this upcoming lesson are:

Pk-2: This session helps students identify the difference between healthy & unhealthy friendships and the impact that body language has on our friendships.

Yr 3 & 4: This session teaches students, step-by-step, how to resolve conflict with a friend. They learn how to respond to both a positive and negative reaction, plus practice giving a genuine apology.

Yr 5 & 6: This session teaches students how to respond to intentionally cruel, rude or mean behaviour. They reflect on the difference between low-level friendship issues and mean-on-purpose behaviour.

A reminder parents 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, & kindness at home.

Lavalla Homework Club

Lavalla Homework Club continues in Term 3, commencing this week and concluding in Week 9.

If your child has not attended previously, please email Mrs Alison Le Dan to confirm your child’s attendance in Term 3 – Alison.LeDan@newman.wa.edu.au.

Primary Staffing

We welcome Mrs Kate McMahon to the Primary staff as a Special Needs Education Assistant.

We also welcome Mr Justin Kirry back to his role as Leader of Wellbeing, after his Term 2 Long Service Leave.

Ryan von Bergheim

HEAD OF PRIMARY

Year 6 Red Assembly

In Week 9, the Year 6 Red class entertained the Lavalla Campus with an assembly all about the exciting new Years 3-6 building, and the process that went along with the construction. Whilst highlighting these amazing new facilities, Year 6 Red importantly reminded us about our Newman Norms and that it is through our own efforts and attitude that we create a successful learning environment for ourselves, and our peers. Thank you, Year 6 Red for this important message presented in an entertaining way.

Champagnat Day Celebrations

Champagnat Day, celebrated last Friday, was wonderful celebration of St Marcellin Champagnat and his connection with Newman College. Our students engaged in Mass to start the day, where they were able to learn more about who St Marcellin was, and what he accomplished in his life. As always, the students loved spending time with their buddies doing activities and participating in a fantastic lapathon – with beautiful weather! We also gathered to recognise and celebrate those students and staff members who were awarded with the special Marcellin Awards. Overall it was a wonderful day spent together as a Primary.

Newman Norms / Medals of Marcellin

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 one Norm, to discuss and unpack what that norm means for our students in their day-to-day school life.

In Week 8, Sienna (Marian) and Isabella (Lavalla) were drawn out of the raffle and congratulated for demonstrating our Newman Norm of Line up before going into class & enter the classroom quietly.

Harlem (Marian) and Kyle’s (Lavalla) names were drawn out of the raffle in Week 9 and congratulated for demonstrating our Newman Norm of Take responsibility for our actions and act honestly.

In Week 10, Zita (Marian) and Noah (Lavalla) were drawn out of the raffle and congratulated for demonstrating our Newman Norm of Raise our hand if we would like to speak.

Congratulations to all students who received a raffle ticket in Weeks 8, 9 & 10.

As it is the end of term, our winning faction (with the most ‘medals’) has been revealed at each campus! The results were very close amongst the factions. Our winning factions were:

Students in these factions received a prize of wearing free dress on the last day of Term 3. Congratulations to Brigid faction at both campuses.

The jars will now be emptied, and we start afresh at the start of Term 3!

URSTRONG – Lesson 4 Complete

Lesson 4 Review

All students through PK-6 engaged in URSTRONG Lesson 4 in Week 9. The areas of focus across our year levels in Lesson 4 were:

PK-2: This session anchors students in the ‘truths’ of friendship so they have realistic expectations. Students learn what respect looks and sounds like in their friendships.

Years 3 & 4: This session helps students identify the difference between healthy and unhealthy friendships and the impact that body language has on our friends.

Years 5 & 6: This session teaches students, step-by-step, how to resolve conflict with a friend. They learn how to handle a friend’s negative reaction and what to do if the conflict is online.

Lessons 5-8 will be rolled out next term across the primary.

A reminder parents 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, & kindness at home.

Years 5 and 6 Speak Up Program

Our Years 5 and 6 students have been busy in class throughout Term 2 preparing their own original speeches as part of the “Speak Up” Program. The quality across these year levels was very high, and has culminated in the Speak Up finals on Wednesday of this week. The entire Lavalla Campus came together to hear some outstanding speeches from our eight finalists, who presented excellent speeches on a wide range of topics. The judging panel selected Vienna, Lucy and Lachlan to represent Newman College at the upcoming finals. Good luck to these students and well done to all Years 5 and 6 students.

Book Week

The theme for Book Week 2024 is Reading is Magic. Please see this letter from Mrs Le Dan for more information.

Lavalla Homework Club

Lavalla Homework Club will continue next term. This will begin in Week 2 and conclude in Week 9.

If your child has not attended previously, please email Mrs Alison Le Dan to confirm your child’s attendance in Term 3 – Alison.LeDan@newman.wa.edu.au

Fathering Project

The Fathering Project at Marian Campus shared a wonderful event together on Friday evening of last week, with Bangers & Bingo! There was a huge turnout of dads, granddads and Marian students who had a brilliant time playing Bingo together and enjoying a sausage sizzle afterwards. A huge thank you to Matt Hamilton and his group of dads who organised and ran the event – a huge success! Keep your eyes out for the next Fathering Project later this year!

Primary Staffing

As we finish up Term 2, there are some staffing changes within the Primary. The following staff finish up their time with us at the end of Term 2:

Teachers: Molly Rowbottam, Grace Walker, Anne-Marie Terry

Education Assistants: Kate Wells, Kate Berridge

I wish to thank the above staff members for their time, commitment and passion for their roles throughout Semester 1 at Newman College. They will be missed, but we wish them all the best for the next chapter of their careers.

We welcome the following staff members at the commencement of Term 3:

Sarah Francia (Pre-Kindy Red teacher, returning from Maternity leave), Maria Lynch (Italian Years 3-6) and Arden Lavelle (Years 3-6 EA). We are currently finalising the remaining Special Needs EA position.

Mr Kirry returns to his Years 3-6 Leader of Wellbeing role at the start of Term 3. I would like to make special mention and give my thanks to Mrs Jane Short, who has been in the Acting Leader of Wellbeing Role throughout Term 2, and has been outstanding.

End of Term 2

It is time to reflect on a busy, productive and exciting term as Week 11 concludes. There is much to celebrate from this term with individual student growth, achievement and engagement in their classrooms and school activities. Of note was the opening of the Years 3-6 building, which stands as a state-of-the-art facility for our students. With this Stage complete, we now look to the works ramping up for the new PK-2 and specialist classrooms over the coming months. We look forward to seeing the progress on the old Lavalla site throughout Term 3.

As we enter the holidays, I wish all Primary families a wonderful and relaxing Winter holiday break and look forward to seeing students back next term.

Ryan von Bergheim
HEAD OF PRIMARY