Last week the Year 1 classes celebrated their learning of History by coming to school dressed-up in pioneer costumes. The day started with a parade in the undercover area. Each class then spent time exploring items from the past in the “mini museum” which was set up in the Ideas Lab. There were vintage toys, kitchenware, photos, clothing, and technology. The children thoroughly enjoyed comparing artifacts from the past, to modern day technology.
Blessed John Henry Newman, a significant theologian of the 19th-century, and the patron saint of Newman College, invites each of to consider more deeply the personal love that God holds for each of us. On Monday 1 July 2019, the Vatican announced that Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman will be canonised on Sunday 13 October in Rome. John Henry Newman was a theologian, poet, Catholic priest and cardinal. Originally an Anglican priest, he converted to Catholicism in 1845 and his writings are considered among some of the most important Church-writings in recent centuries.
Please click here to read the Catholic News Agency announcement.
All parents, guardians and families across our PK-12 College are invited to attend the weekly Thursday morning Mass. Our weekly Newman College Community Mass is an important way that we as a Catholic community seek to nourish and live-out our faith in community with one another.
The Remar Gold Retreat will take place on Friday 2 August at Newman College, followed by fellowship at a local restaurant. The retreat aims to strengthen the Rowers’ understanding of their personal call given to them by God and how they may seek to live out this call by continuing to be a witness in their community, wherever that community may be.
The Remar Blue Retreat was held at Newman College on Friday 21 June – Sunday 23 June, 2019. The retreat offered the Caravel the opportunity to explore in detail what it means to live as a disciple of Christ. The program focused on self-acceptance and various relationships within our lives – specifically with others, ourselves and with God.
Throughout the retreat we were challenged to become a person of justice, service and faith. Our sincere thanks to those who helped facilitate the retreat, including the National Remar Ministry Team, Brother Terry, our helm, Miss Spadaccini, Mr Wear, Year 12 Gold Rowers, Sarah Ranieri and Stephen Loreck, and Young Marists Volunteer, Dan Litjins.
The Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) is a national gathering of Catholic young people established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). It exists to provide young Australians with opportunities to deepen their relationship with Jesus, be empowered to be disciples in the world today and encounter and celebrate the vitality of the Church in Australia.
This year the ACYF will be held in Perth between 8 – 10 December. Young people between the ages of 14 and 35 from around Australia will be invited to:
Students in Year 9 from the College will be invited to apply to attend ACYF. This event will take the place of the Remar Embarkation camp this year.
In preparation for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival, students considering applying for ACYF will attend the Veritas Night, held at John XXIII College in Mt Claremont on Friday 9 August 6.00pm – 9.30 pm. Veritas is an annual gathering of Catholic young people in Western Australia aged 12-35. It exists as a state-wide conference and festival, which aims to provide young people in Western Australia with an opportunity to deepen their faith and take an active role in the Church and community. The event includes festivities including live bands, dynamic speakers, youth rallies, faith expos, Liturgy and workshops.
More information will be communicated to students through SEQTA notices and PCG. Students who are interested in applying for Veritas Night and the Australian Catholic Youth Festival are asked to Direct Message Mrs Clare Cole-Carter via SEQTA to express their interest.
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, NAIDOC Week extends from Sunday 7 July – Sunday 14 July. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
The NAIDOC Theme in 2019 is “Voice. Treaty. Truth“. The three key elements set out the reforms in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. These reforms represent the unified position of First Nations Australians. National NAIDOC Co-Chair Patricia Thompson says that for generations, Indigenous Australians have sought recognition of their unique place in Australian history and society today. “For generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have looked for significant and lasting change. We need our fellow Australians to join us on this journey – to finish the unfinished business of this country.”
There are many events occurring during the first week of the school holidays across Australia. Click here for a list of events happening in Western Australia. We also encourage you to visit the NAIDOC Week website to learn more about the celebrations and how you can get involved.
I am incredibly proud of the way our students have reached the midway point of the year. The way they have all grown from the first day of the year is remarkable and each student is now set on a journey that will see them deepen their faith and extend their learning. This is the dual moral purpose of our Marist school. We hope everyone can celebrate the learning that has occurred this semester through their Semester 1 report and highlight the fact that at Newman College we develop the whole child as Christ intended.
Kindy – Year 6 reports will be available to families on Friday 5 July via the SEQTA Engage portal. Although the report is directed to the parents, it should also be celebrated with your child as it represents the hard work they have put in through the semester. Parents will have the opportunity to discuss the report, and their child’s learning at the Parent Teacher Interviews on Tuesday 23 July.
On Tuesday 2 July, the Year 6 students participated in the 2019 IPSHA Winter Carnival hosted by John XXIII College. The emphasis of the day was on participation, the opportunity to display skills learnt, promote fair play and of course to have fun!
In what was perfect conditions, Newman’s three Netball teams, two Soccer teams, one AFL team and one Hockey team participated and played against several other IPSHA Primary schools. It was a busy day for all, with students playing seven games with lots of enthusiasm and great sportsmanship.
Congratulations to the AFL team who won their grand final to win the Dockers Shield.
On Tuesday 2 July, the Marian Campus invited our grandparents to share in the learning experience. Thank you to Year 2 Green for leading the Prayer Assembly before our students led their grandparents in engaging activities that highlighted the difference between learning between now and then. Thank you to our dedicated Primary Social Committee for preparing the hundreds of cups of tea and coffee and providing morning tea. Click here to see more photos from the day.
Congratulations to the Speak Up finalists who presented their speeches to the Lavalla students and special guest judges last Friday. The finalists included Maddison Carroll, Christian Di Biase, Olivia Ralls, Ruby Hankinson, Marley Burke and Ty Patterson. Congratulations to Maddy, Christian and Olivia for making it through to the interschool finals.
The Years 3-6 Cross Country Carnival will take place after lunch on Thursday 25 July. Click here for further information.
The teachers at Newman College are dedicated to meeting the individual needs of students. During guided planning sessions, each unit works with the Teacher Leaders, Mrs Zelich and Ms Anderson, to review programs, highlight teaching strategies, unpack data and look to see how adjustments and improvements can be made to help everyone learn.
On Friday 28 June, the Year 5’s attended an excursion at Fremantle Prison as part of their History Unit which is focused on Colonisation of Australia and the impact of convicts.
Students were shown what life was like for a convict and enjoyed learning about a convicts daily routine, living conditions and jobs they completed. They also learnt about Fremantle’s most famous convict “Moondyne Joe” and were able to see the special cell built for him and hear about his life history. It was a very informative and interesting excursion.
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The Primary students have been commemorating by creating our Tree of Life which promotes the NAIDOC theme “Voice – Treaty – Truth”. Thank you Ms Sanka for coordinating this important project.
Having a growth mindset is the concept that refers to how we face challenges and setbacks. Students with a growth mindset believe their ability and skill will improve over time. Pushing through challenges and overcoming disappointment are important traits of students with a growth mindset. Parents can support their children in developing a growth mindset by offering process praise; praising how your child approached the challenge and acknowledging that failure is part of the learning process.
Developing growth mindset is an ongoing process. Getting and taking feedback from others, learning from mistakes and finding innovative ways to approach tasks isn’t easy. Our Vision for Learning, Shine through Discovery, seeks to support all students to challenge themselves to achieve their very best through creative learning tasks and collaborative learning processes.
At the end of semester assembly on the Marcellin Campus, the students were challenged to reflect on their commitment to their College community over this semester. To serve can be described as the action of helping or doing work for someone.
The benefits of serving others are:
A quick scroll through the College’s various social media platforms showcases many examples of service through everyday opportunities, PK-12.
The involvement of our staff and students contributes to our stories of service which make Newman College stronger and richer for the relationships formed and for the acts of service we show to one another; within our community and beyond. I sincerely thank and acknowledge the valuable acts of service that make Newman College the life-giving, love-giving and hope-filled community that we are.
I acknowledge the significant effort and dedication of all staff at the end of a busy semester and sincerely thank those that are leaving Newman College for their contribution to the lives of their students and our College community. Queva Fitzgerald, McKenzie Pugh, Brianna Kirkbride and Rachael Loughridge.
We also wish Mitchell Bristow a successful secondment at St Thomas’ Primary.
I also wish the following staff a well deserved period of leave and look forward to their return in Term 4. Louise O’Mahony and Hannah Parker.
As parents, the first educators of your child, we encourage you to consider the following guiding questions during assessment and reporting time.
We welcome all families to Parent Teacher Interviews to discuss the wellbeing and learning outcomes of your child on Tuesday 23 July. I thank our teaching staff in advance for their preparation and commitment to this important opportunity for partnership and collaboration.
Student reports will be available to families on Friday 5 July via the SEQTA Engage portal. Please note that Year 10 reports will be uploaded on Friday 21 June.
Please Click here to access details on the SEQTA Engage login process then use the below link to login.
Click here to access the SEQTA login screen.
I remind families leaving our College community to ensure they download and save their children’s reports from SEQTA as this function will not be available to families that have withdrawn from the College.
A reminder to all families that the Code of Conduct can be accessed via the College website. The Code is mandated by Catholic Education Western Australia and the application of the Code extends to all staff, students, parents, guardians, caregivers and volunteers.
The Code seeks to value the dignity of every person, foster positive relationships, ensuring confidentiality and accountability and supports professional boundaries. Events held during school hours AND outside of school hours that are associated with the College are also supported by the Code of Conduct. Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with any member of the Senior Leadership Team. We thank you in advance for your understanding and support of how we strive to partner positively with one another.
The College uses Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to celebrate and showcase learning, connect with families, prospective and current, and to stay in contact with past students. We know social media platforms are a highly effective way to engage with all members in our College, Marist and wider community. The Code of Conduct extends to all social media platforms and it is important that if you have feedback for the College, that it is directed to a relevant member of staff. As adults, we must role model appropriate online behaviours for our children and give the College an opportunity to respond directly to any concerns or feedback.
At Newman College, we are committed to providing the highest level of care to our students while they are on our campus or engaging in an excursion or activity away from the College. To ensure our medical and contact information is accurate, easily updated and accessible, we have partnered with Consent2Go for our excursion planning and risk assessment processes.
For any upcoming excursions or events, a link will be sent to parent email addresses requesting that consent is given to participate and the medical information about the student is accurate at the time. This software also allows teachers to identify and mange risks and ensure their activity is compliant with College and Catholic Education policies.
As advised to our College community earlier in the week, a Newman College staff member, Raquel Carver, passed away peacefully last Sunday.
Raquel was a gifted educator and at ease with people from all walks of life. She is remembered fondly by all who came into her presence. During her life, Raquel fulfilled many roles, including that of teacher, mentor, pastoral care teacher, Liturgy Coordinator and companion to many students, parents and staff members at Newman College. We give thanks for her witness, faith and hope.
We pray for Raquel’s husband Michael, her parents Henry and Patricia, and brother Edward, members of her extended family, friends, ex-students and members of the Newman family who seek consolation at this time of such sadness, through memories, stories and community. May they be consoled in their sadness by the God who brings comfort and peace.
All loving God, we pray for Raquel who responded to your call to give herself to others by following Jesus as a witness in the way of Mary and Marcellin Champagnat as a Marist educator. May those whose lives have been touched by her be able to respond as generously as she did in all circumstances of life.
We pray that you welcome Raquel home and take her into your loving care forever.
The 2018 Annual Report is now available via the College website for families to view. The Annual Report is a requirement for school registration and satisfies our compliance to both Marist Schools Australia and Catholic Education Western Australia. The report evidences the significant progress the College has sustained towards school improvement and community engagement. Thank you to the College Council and College staff for their commitment to realising the bold goals of our Strategic Plan.
During Term 2, the College has been working towards the creation of its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP is not only a strategic intent of the College through its Annual School Improvement Plan, but a firm commitment to place reconciliation at the very forefront of thinking within our College Community.
The RAP Working Group consists of 19 individuals from the College community. Individuals have been drawn from our parent, student, alumni, and staff community across the PK-Y12 College. This representative group is tasked with developing a plan that will carry forward the College’s aspiration to lead our community in reconciliation ‘actions’.
The support of facilitator Christine Sindley of Waangara Marra Consulting has been welcomed and fostered by the RAP working group. It is our hope to launch the 2020 Newman College Reconciliation Action Plan during Term 4 this year.
I acknowledge the significant undertaking teachers make to travel and support College Tours, Camps and experiences during their personal time. This week, tours departed for Canberra and Sydney on the Humanities Tour and New York for the inaugural Arts Tours. Opportunities such as these seek to challenge and immerse students in their learning and to foster quality collaboration and cooperation between staff and students alike. We look forward to hearing of these experiences upon return.
Preparations and planning are continuing ‘behind the scenes’ in preparation for the commencement of the Years 3-12 Learning Hub build later this term. I am very grateful to the staff and students who have relocated to temporary arrangements for the start of Term 3. The disruption to students has been kept to a minimum for the start of Semester 2. Moving from ‘C’ block will be gradual and carefully considered over the course of Term 3.
Preparatory work for the bridge connecting the Lavalla and Marcellin Campuses will commence next term. I thank the Grounds and Maintenance team and the staff involved with supporting and planning this undertaking. For further information, please visit the College website click here.
Grandparents Day at the Marian Campus was a great celebration of our Marist family spirit and very well attended. Thank you to all the grandparents who attended in support and interests of your grandchildren. Click here to see more photos from the morning.
At the end of a rich and busy semester, I encourage each of us to express our gratitude to teachers, support staff and peers who have walked with our young people, supported them and worked closely with them to achieve their goals. My prayer for our community is that all staff, families and students return next term, renewed and refreshed after the holiday break.
