Term 4 Week 3: From the Deputy Principal Learning and Staff Development

On Thursday 18 October, the College hosted the 2018 Year 12 Graduation Mass and Celebration in the Marist Auditorium. This night is a significant achievement for all student and their families as their time at the College comes to an end. The achievements of each student were acknowledged as well as recognition for Major Award recipients in spiritual formation, sport, arts, leadership and academics. Year 12 students showcased their musical talents and reflected on the friendship formed and the relationships within out Marist family. The College welcomed back Mr Damien Wallman, Graduate from the Class of 1993 to share his story with our community. I extend my thanks to Mr James McLaughlin, Leader of Wellbeing Year 12 and the team of Pastoral Care Teachers that have supported, guided and walked with our young people to ‘shine through discovery’. Congratulations and Farewell.

Click Here for further details about the 2018 Graduation events.

Click Here for a list of the Award Winners.

Staff Wellbeing

College Psychologists Jon Laden-Wearne and Denise Bendotti supported our Professional Learning program by delivering a session on Self Care. The session was informative and included practical strategies that we can apply to support positive self-care and wellbeing. The College is very committed to supporting staff and their wellbeing and ask for your support and cooperation especially in relation to parent-school communication. Teachers are expected to respond to emails within two working days. They certainly cannot respond within one day as they are teaching classes, marking assessments, planning lessons, on yard duty or taking co-curricular activities. If there is an urgent matter that needs to be acknowledged, a call to your son or daughters Leader of Wellbeing may be the most appropriate and effective avenue.

Parent Funded Device

Next year Newman College will continue the parent funded, designated device model that commenced in 2016.

All students in Year 3 to 6 will require an Apple iPad. All students in Year 7 to 11 will require a Microsoft Surface Pro. Parents will be required to purchase a device for students entering Year 7, current Year 8 and current Year 9 students.  This designated device model will be made available in cooperation with a nominated supplier; providing a discounted educational bundle including a damage resistant cover and enhanced warranty.  Details of the bundle and nominated supplier will be made available early Term 4. 2019 will be the last year for the College funded MacBook program for students in Year 12.

Arts Festival

In 2018, the Newman College Arts Festival centred on the establishment of an Artist in Residence Program. This program saw prominent WA artist Andy Quilty enter our community to engage in a unique series of workshops. Students from Y2-Y12 benefited from their encounters with Andy, who spent time exploring the notion of happy mistakes. The Program delivered amazing learning outcomes, that culminated in the student Art Showcase on Wednesday 10th October.

Click Here to read more about the 2018 Art Festival.

Click Here to watch the Art Festival documentary.

We look forward to celebrating the Arts with you at the Newman College Arts Festival in 2019.

Code of Conduct

A reminder to all families that the Code of Conduct can be accessed via the College website (Click Here). 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 and extends to all forums including social media and email forms of communication. The Code seeks to value the dignity of every person, foster positive relationships, ensure confidentiality and accountability and support professional boundaries. Events held during school hours AND outside of school hours that are associated with the College are also supported by the Code. Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with any member of the Senior Leadership Team.

All families are reminded that if they have a concern about the education or wellbeing of their child, they should contact the College directly. We are always willing to support families, but school matters must be managed by the College. It is not appropriate to contact other families about concerns you have about their child. Please direct these matters to the classroom teacher, Leaders of Wellbeing or any member of the Senior Leadership Team.

The College recognises the convenience of year group Facebook pages that are moderated by parents. This is an excellent platform for sharing information involving College events and requirements. It is not appropriate to use social media platforms to seek clarity on teaching and learning or to debate College policies. Please refer these matters to your child’s classroom or PCG Teachers, or a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

We thank you in advance for your understanding and support of how we strive to partner positively with each other.

Term 4 Week 3: From The Deputy Principal, Mission and Catholic Identity

In Week 3 of Term 4, the canonisation of Oscar Romero, (a Newman College Guild Patron), Pope Paul XI and 5 other saints coincided well with the Newman College Year 12 Graduation week. In his homily on the occasion of the cannonisation of the seven newest saints of the Catholic church, Pope Francis invited those who tuned-in around the world to consider the personal response of each of them to place of Jesus in their lives:

Let us ask ourselves where we are in our story of love with God. Do we content ourselves with a few commandments or do we follow Jesus as lovers, really prepared to leave behind something for him?

As our Year 12’s conclude their time at the College and prepare now for the unfolding journey of their lives that awaits them, it is our hope that we as a nurturing community of inclusivity and faith have invited them into what will be an ongoing journey of transformation through their encounter of the good news, which may become the personal Gospel of their own lives.

Years’ 7 – 12 Sacramental Program

In Term 4, the College will be sharing with families details regarding a new opportunity that has been extended by the Archdiocese of Perth for secondary schools to develop age-appropriate preparation programs that support secondary-aged students who may have missed the opportunity to prepare and receive the sacraments in Primary school. This model is a first for secondary schools, and provides an opportunity for the College to provide a school-based preparation program that connects students to local parishes to then receive the sacraments. Here at Newman College, we have had a number of families express the desire for their daughters and sons to have the opportunity to prepare to receive the sacraments in secondary school. In this Year of Youth, Bishop Donald Sproxton (Auxiliary Bishop – Archdiocese of Perth) has extended this opportunity to all secondary students in our Archdiocese on behalf of Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB.

I invite you to make contact with me if you would like to discuss this opportunity further, or to express an interest in advance of the details of this program being shared with our College community later in Term 4.

daniel.lynch@newman.wa.edu.au

Sacramental Programs

When your child has received the Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion or Confirmation, please send a copy of their Certificate from their Parish to Newman College Registrar, Flora Hughes so College Records can be updated and so that a card of congratulations can be presented to your child at Assembly.

PK-Y6 World Mission Day Free Dress Fundraiser

Thank you to all who contributed to our Free Dress Fundraiser for World Mission Day to support Catholic Mission. A total of $1039.80 was raised which will be sent to Perth Catholic Mission on your behalf.
At Lavalla Campus, Year 5 Green led our Prayer Assembly and told us how our money raised will help to educate the children of Myanmar.

PK-Y6 LAPATHON FUNDRAISER

Thank you to everyone involved in the K-6 Lapathon in Term 2. An amazing total of $10, 329.55  was raised. This fundraising will be directed to Australian Marist Solidarity, with a specific focus on the Kuya Centre in the Philippines. In December of 2018, the Kuya Centre will be visited by our Year 11 Philippines Immersion group. The collaboration between the Kuya Centre and Newman College represents a significant partnership that is integral to the mutually enriching partnership of Solidarity that exists between our two organisations. You can learn more about the Kuya Centre, and the work of Australian Marist Solidarity by clicking here.

Remar Red Leadership Camp

On Friday 12 October – Sunday 14 October, 21 Year 10 Remar students (also known as Rowers) attended the Remar Red Leadership Camp in Philip Island, Victoria. This annual three-day camp is held toward the end of the Red Crossing and is facilitated by the National Remar Ministry Team, with support from post school leaders and Helmspeople. Click here to read more.

Remar Gold Graduation

On Tuesday 16 October, 27 Remar Gold rowers celebrated their Gold Graduation. This event acknowledged the incredible achievement of Rowers who have been involved in the three-year program at the College. Throughout the evening, rowers had the opportunity to affirm each other, thank their helm, Mrs Rebecca Bramanto, as well as significant adults who have helped them through their journey. Click Here to read more.

Year 9 Remar Recruit afternoon, Wednesday 24 October

Year 9 students are invited to attend the Remar Red Recruitment Afternoon on Wednesday 24 October from 3.15pm – 4.30pm in the Sports Complex. The afternoon will introduce students to the College’s Remar program through an interactive, fun and informative session. Students will learn how the Remar program aims to form young Christian leaders who are motivated to stand up for what they believe to be right and just.

At the conclusion of the recruitment session, students are invited to take an information pack, which includes a Remar brochure, and an application form for the Embarkation Camp held in Serpentine on Wednesday 28 October – 30 November 2018. Students wishing to attend the Red Embarkation Camp, please complete and return your form to Miss Clare Cole, Leader of Youth Ministry and Advocacy, by the due date.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

Our PK-12 College community will participate in the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal this term. An information letter about the appeal will be sent to all parents and guardians in Week 3. If you require more information, please contact Miss Clare Cole, Leader of Youth Ministry and Advocacy clare.cole@newman.wa.edu.au

Weekly Thursday Morning Community Mass (Champagnat Chapel – 8.10am – 8.35am)

All parents, guardians and families across our PK-12 College are invited to attend the weekly Thursday morning Mass celebrated by Fr Joseph Tran and Fr Mark Baumgarten. 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.

 

Remar Gold Graduation

On Tuesday 16 October, 27 Remar Gold Rowers celebrated their Gold Graduation. This event acknowledged the incredible achievement of Rowers who have been involved in the three-year program at the College. Throughout the evening, Rowers had the opportunity to affirm each other, thank their Helm, Mrs Rebecca Bramanto, as well as other significant adults who have helped them through their journey, including Brother Terry Orrell, Miss Louise O’Mahany, Miss Clare Cole and Mr Daniel Litjens. The affirmations shared by the Rowers demonstrated the unique nature of the Remar program. Over the three crossings, Red (Year 10), Blue (Year 11) and Gold (Year 12), these remarkable young people have overcome challenges and obstacles to foster a caring and compassionate community that works for justice and peace.

Thank you to Mrs Rebecca Bramanto for her support and guidance of this amazing group of students over the last three years. Thank you also to Mr John Finneran, Mr Daniel Lynch, Mrs Lisa Fogliani, and other staff who attended. Thank you to our Marist Brothers, Terry Orrell, John Horgan and Noel Hickey for their attendance and living witness of what it means to be Marist.

Clare Cole, Leader of Youth Ministry and Advocacy

Remar Red Leadership Camp

Last week, 21 Year 10 Remar students (also known as Rowers) attended the Remar Red Leadership Camp in Philip Island, Victoria. This annual three-day camp is held toward the end of the Red Crossing and is facilitated by the National Remar Ministry Team, with support from post school leaders and Helmspeople. It provides an opportunity for Rowers to meet others from across state borders, further building the sense of a wider Remar community.

The aim of the camp is to strengthen the Rower’s understanding of Christian life, built around the four spokes; prayer, ministry and service, community and faith development. Rowers were challenged to reflect on their personal call to be a Christian leader by “Sailing away from mediocrity” with ‘dedication and sacrifice’. Those students who attended camp came back with a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to put into practice all that they had learnt.

A huge thank you to the Red Helm, Miss Genna Spadaccini, and Year 8 Leader of Wellbeing, Mr Simon Martino, for accompanying our students to Victoria for this special camp.

Clare Cole, Leader of Youth Ministry and Advocacy

Year 11 Modern History Excursion

On Wednesday 10 October, the Year 11 Modern History class attended the WA Holocaust Institute to learn more about the causes and events of the mass genocide of the Jewish people that took place across Europe as a result of Nazi ideology. The visit began with a talk by Geoff, our guide at the Institute, and then we had a group discussion about our understanding of the events and causes of the Holocaust.

We were then guided through a selection of videos, interviews and photos that described the treatment and abuses of the Jewish people during the period of Nazi control in Germany. After this, we went into the main room that contained many confronting photos and other primary sources that really opened our eyes to the horrific treatment and conditions that were daily life for the persecuted during this time. Each source also had information attached to help us understand the context of this shameful period in history. We then got to choose a source that interested us, ask questions and had a group discussion on the events depicted.

Our experience at the WA Holocaust Institute was very educational, eye opening, and confronting. As students of Modern History, we gained a much clearer and deeper understanding of the Holocaust and why it occurred. We all left with a more visual understanding of the horrific events that occurred. Personally, the experience was highly beneficial, and I would recommend it to all people with an interest in history and who would like to learn more about the Holocaust.

Emma McGrath, Year 11 Student

 

The excursion to the WA Holocaust Institute was a highly insightful and educational experience that helped the Modern History students incorporate a new level of knowledge into the Nazi Germany unit of study. Students were shown original sources and artifacts from this terrible period of history, which really helped contextualise our understanding of the period.

Stephen Loreck, Year 11 Student

 

The WA Holocaust Institute was a hugely enlightening and eye-opening experience. Our guide Geoff Kaye offered extremely insightful and interesting information surrounding the Holocaust. The pictures we saw illuminated the horrors experienced by many during the Holocaust. Seeing this first hand made what we have been learning in class more real. Overall, our visit to the Institute was extremely useful, not only to someone who is learning about history, but for anyone who enjoys learning something new.

Georgia Condon, Year 11 Student