Category: Early Childhood

Philippines Immersion Update

On Friday 23 November, 16 Year 11 students and 3 accompanying staff members embarked on the 2018 Year 11 Philippines Immersion. This includes two students from our sister school, St Joseph’s College in Northam.

Off to a flying start, the pilgrims have already met with Fr Shay from the Columban Fathers, who shared insights from his 50 years of ministry on research, realities and political complexities that enable the erosion of child rights across the Philippines. Next stop was the PREDA Home for Girls, which helps to grow advocates for the rights of young women who have been victims of human trafficking and exploitation.
The group then had the privilege of living in harmony and collaboration with the Aeita Indigenous Village of Alibang, where they develop organic, free trade and sustainable practices for preserving indigenous culture.  The group then visited the PREDA Boys Home, which helps to grow awareness for children who have been held in jails and detention centres.

What an amazing start to an already overwhelming and eye opening experience, we cannot wait to see what the rest of the Immersion holds.

24:7 Floreat Youth Group 

Thanks to everyone that came to last week’s youth group! We had so much fun running the Floreat gauntlet of games as well as taking part in fun interactive activities around the story of Jonah. Come down next week for more of the usual Floreat fun as we get closer and closer to the big end of term event!

Start getting your jingle bells in order and your Santa sleighs ready because the Christmas party is just around the corner. More details to come…

The group meets each Sunday night (6.00pm – 8.00pm) in the Parish Centre for all young people in Years 6-12.  Call Angela 0455 960 174 or Sebastian 0403 230 395 for more information.

2019 Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist (First Communion) and Confirmation

Parents are reminded that they need to enroll their child at their local Parish to receive any of the Sacraments in 2019. Your child will be prepared for the Sacrament at school but will receive the Sacrament at their local Parish. Schools have not been permitted to celebrate their own ceremonies for the Sacraments for some years now.

Some Parishes have already opened enrolments for 2019 and will close in early February, so please contact your local Parish to ensure your child is enrolled asap. Click here to access contact details for all the local Parishes within our area.

On Wednesday night we gathered together for our annual Primary Christmas Celebration evening. This is a very special event in the College calendar and for our Primary community as it brings the joy of Christmas to families in song and praise. In the week ahead, students and staff will reflect on this time of year, the story of the nativity and the hope and joy the coming of Jesus brings to us today. Earlier this year while on pilgrimage I had the opportunity to visit the Church of Nativity in Jerusalem – Jesus’ birthplace. My memories of this remarkable birth site will make this Christmas all the more special for me. I extend my gratitude and prayer to all families in our community for their support and positive engagement over the year. I wish you a restful and joyful break and look forward to seeing you all in 2019.

Save the Dates: NPCC and Newman Parents Meetings 2019

The following meetings and presenters are taking place in 2019:

NPCC

• Term 1 – Monday 18 February
• Term 2 – Monday 13 May
• Term 3 – Monday 5 August
• Term 4 – Monday 28 October

Newman Parents

• Term 1 – Monday 25 March – Dr Justin Coulson. Topic: Relationships
• Term 2 – Wednesday 12 June – Susan McLean. Topic: Cyber Safety
• Term 3 – Monday 16 September – Paul Dillon. Topic: Drugs and Alcohol

Further information on our presenters can be found below:

Dr Justin Coulson www.justincoulson.com

Susan McLean www.cybersafetysolutions.com.au

Paul Dillon http://darta.net.au/

More details for these events will follow in 2019.

Reporting

Reports for students in PP-Y9 will be available on the SEQTA Engage Portal on Friday 7 December from 4.00pm.

Accessing Your Child’s Report

1. Click here to access the portal.
2. Enter your email address in the USER NAME field. Your password is the one you have previously created.

If you have forgotten your password, please follow the steps below:

Resetting Your Password:

• Click on ‘Forgot your Password’
• Enter your email address for BOTH your username and email address (ie: your username is your email address.
• Click on ‘Reset my Password’
• You will be emailed a link to reset your password
• NOTE: the reset link will only last one hour.

The end of a school year shifts our focus to the spiritual preparation for Christmas and on the coming of Our Lord. 

Christmas is a great time in the life of children but also for the child in all of us. The fervour of expectation builds over the season, peaking in the celebration of Christmas Day. For many families the sharing of gifts and a meal are central to the ongoing ritual and tradition which is remembered as some of the best times in their lives. Growing up for me at this time was one of joy as it brought my large extended family together. We shared stories, ate a lot of food and played cricket – all day. Perhaps the highlight was going to the evening vigil Christmas Mass together. It was always packed with people, standing room only, and the energy and excitement were palpable. Today, my wife and I have continued the same tradition with our own family.

Within our Catholic tradition, Christmas signifies the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ. This week in our liturgical year we welcome the season of Advent. Advent is a season observed as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. This season invites all Christians to ponder the great mystery of our faith; the incarnation of our Lord taking on humanity born to the Virgin Mary, in order to ultimately save us. His message of faith, love and hope that permeated his ministry underpins the very nature of our Christianity. Christmas gives us license to reflect on these ideals and how they permeate our own lives and the relationships we form.

At Newman College our mission is to bring Christ into our lives by how we choose to live our lives and by the actions that define us. This week we celebrated our Primary Christmas Celebration evening which exemplified the family spirit that infiltrates our Marist School. The joy of Christmas radiated through the songs the students sang and in the absolute excitement of families in the crowd. We also have 14 Year 11 students and three staff in the Philippines walking in solidarity with some of the most marginalised children in the world. Yet, like us, these children are also preparing for Christmas and the expectation and hope it brings.

I hope that our families take time to be together to grow their own tradition at Christmas. I encourage you to go to your local Church as a family and celebrate the birth of Christ and ponder not only the mystery of his incarnation, but the impact he can have on our lives.

St Joseph’s International School Kuching Malaysia

Thank you to our visiting teachers from our Marist sister school in Kuching Malaysia who spent a week working in our Secondary school. They have been instrumental in our new partnership we have formed to exchange ideas in professional practice and prepare the ground work for a reciprocal student immersion into the future.

Marist Cricket Carnival

The Marist Cricket Carnival commences next Tuesday 4 December.  Many thanks to the organising committee for the preparation that has gone into this event. A special thank you to those families who will billet our visiting cricketers.  Your volunteering has enabled this carnival to go ahead and for this we are most grateful.

Staff Farewell

Thank you to the staff who will conclude their time in our community at the end of the year. They are to be commended for their tireless efforts and commitment to our young people. We wish them the very best in the next part of their journey.

Wishing all families a happy and holy Christmas.