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This week has been a great celebration of all things wellbeing at school. Students have taken part in a range of activities, lessons, and discussions centred around our four themes for the week: physical health & fitness, connection, mindfulness, and gratitude. Whilst I think wellbeing has always played an important role in schools (even when it may not have been called ‘wellbeing’) I think has been recognised even more over these last 18 months. The challenge of the COVID pandemic brought to light the importance of strong relationships, connection with others, and having the time and space to look after ourselves and one another. As adults, it is very easy to get caught up in our busy lives, and often I see parents doing so much for their kids, that we can sometimes neglect to take care of ourselves. I have encouraged all students today to give some time back to their Mum and Dad over the extended weekend break, and give parents an opportunity for some self care of their own too. Parents deserve to be looked after too!

Highlights from Past Two Weeks

Assembly 

Last week students gathered in the Auditorium to celebrate all of our Merit award winners, as well as celebrate Knox faction who were announced as the winners of the Cross Country Carnival. Congratulations to all students who took part in our carnival and for their great efforts on the day. We were also treated to a wonderful assembly from 3 Green. They took us on a journey all over the world exploring some of the different cultures of students in their class. It was so heart-warming to see students working together and so obviously enjoying putting on a show for us all. A big congratulations to 3 Green and all of our merit award winners this week!

Marcellin Award

This week the Marcellin Champagnat award was presented to Damon Caratti from 5 Red. Damon may just be one of the politest young men on our campus. He was nominated by a number of teachers for the kind, respectful, and gentle way he interacts with others. He leads by example through his beautiful actions, and always offers a friendly smile to those that pass him by in the class or playground. Well done Damon on setting such a good example for other students around what it means to be a fine young gentleman!

Wakakirri Dance Festival 

On Thursday August 5 our year 5/6 Primary Dance Troupe performed in the Wakakirri Nation-wide story telling competition at the Perth Concert Hall. Students performed a “story dance” called Sarah’s Heavy Heart, based on the picture book written by Peter Canavas.

The story was one of hope and resilience and friendship. Sarah struggles to carry her heavy heart which is sometimes heavy with worry until she meets a friend and the burden of worry is shared.

The dance was choreographed by Mrs Amy Raveendrakumar and danced expertly by our Primary Junior Dance troupe.  Newman College was awarded certificates of Best Minimalist Set and Best Public Speaking. Congratulations to Mrs Raveendrakumar all the wonderful dancers involved in performing this beautiful story.

IPSHA Cross Country 

Earlier today, 64 students across Years 3-6 ventured down to Bunbury to take part in the IPSHA Interschool Cross Country Carnival. While we can share the results of the carnival in our next newsletter, we can say for sure that students have had a great time today and represented our school very proudly. We owe a big thanks to Mrs Richards our coach Lenny who has been training with our students and working with them to prepare for their big day.

Fiona Wildey visit 

Earlier this week we were very fortunate to welcome former Olympian Fiona Wildey to our campus as she came to speak with our Year 3 and 4 students. Fiona spoke about her experiences at the Seoul Olympics, and the journey that took her there, showcasing to students a number of items of memorabilia, and providing students with some interesting facts about Olympic etiquette among other things. Most importantly though, Fiona spoke about the Olympic values and her own personal values, including determination, commitment, and sacrifice. It was very inspiring to hear her journey, and who knows…she may even inspire a future Olympian among us today!

Year 5 Special Visitor 

Yesterday afternoon, Year 5 students had a special visitor to their classrooms. 5 Blue student Luke Rombouts brought in two of his bobtail lizards to show to the classes. Luke was a wealth of knowledge as he discussed all things habitat, feeding, and characteristics. We are very grateful to Luke and for the learning experience he was able to share with his classmates.

Carpark 

This week I was out in the carpark making some observations of driver behaviour. Unfortunately, we are having trouble with vehicles double parking next to the drive through lane, and children walking through these vehicles into their own car. This is a very dangerous thing to do, and I am quite afraid that if this continues, it will eventually lead to an accident or injury of a child.

We encourage parents to display patience in our Lavalla carpark and demonstrate good road safety practices.  Please park your vehicles in the parking bays provided and walk over to pick your child/children up from the waiting area. This will assist with child safe practices and remove any risk of injury to students.

We appreciate your cooperation. We are currently reviewing the carpark pick up/drop off situation.

Important Information For The Next Two Weeks

There are so many events coming up over the next two weeks. Make sure you mark these down in your calendar!

Week 5 

• (Week 4) Friday 13 August – Pupil Free Day (Staff Professional Development)
• Monday 16 August – Pupil Free Day (Catholic Day)
• Tuesday 17 August – Speak Up Awards Finals
• Tuesday 17 August – Lavalla Music Night
• Thursday 19 & Friday 20 August – Year 6 Leadership Camp
• Friday 20 August – 3 Red Assembly

Week 6 

• Wednesday 25 August – Year 3 & Year 4 Unit Mass
• Wednesday 25 August – Year 5/6 Art Extension Artist in Residence Program
• Thursday 26 August – ‘Write a Book in a Day’ Competition
• Friday 27 August – Book Week Parade in Marist Auditorium

St Vincent de Paul Winter Sleepout and Blanket Appeal 

From Monday 19 July to Friday 6 August, in the lead up to our Winter Sleepout, we are asking students to donate a blanket for the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. Your donation can help provide blankets and warm clothing for a family experiencing homelessness. Large collection baskets will be located in the entrance of the Chapel on the Marcellin Campus, and in the Office Administration area at Lavalla and Marian Campuses.

On Friday 6 August students in Year 7 – 12 have been invited to participate in the St Vincent de Paul Winter Sleepout. For those students who have expressed interest in attending this event, a Consent2Go will be sent home to their families with more information.

Assumption Day – Lifelink 

On Sunday 15 August, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this Feast, Catholics traditionally celebrate Mary going to heaven. The tradition is that ‘God took Mary, body and soul, to heaven after her life on earth had come to an end’.

This Feast Day was chosen for the Marist Brothers at the time of their foundation by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers and Marist Education. As one of 53 Marist schools across Australia, the Feast Day of the Assumption is an annual opportunity for all members of the Newman College community to gather, give thanks, and to celebrate our shared Marist identity.

Students across all campuses will celebrate Assumption Day on Tuesday August 10. The day will commence with a whole school Mass, followed by a Lapathon, and a Buddy Day for the Primary students. We will be raising money for a local charity called Lifelink. More information about this event has been sent out to families.

Thursday morning Community Mass

Our Thursday morning community Mass is a wonderful way to begin your Thursday and come together as a community. Each week a different Guild and primary Year group will lead the celebration with one of our local priests who support of College. All families and students are invited to attend this weekly celebration. Please note there will be no community mass celebrated on August 5 due to the Marcellin campus Athletics Carnival.

Gamechangers 

On Tuesday July 27, our Gamechanger students from Year 7 – 12 participated in a leadership workshop where they thought about what characteristics make a great leader and what it means to be a servant leader. Thank you to Liam Street from Marist Youth Ministry for running this session.

It is a great pleasure to welcome back all families to the beginning of another term, though if you are like me, you might be scratching your head wondering how we found ourselves in the middle of another year so quickly!

One of the most important things we speak with students about when beginning a new term is the expectations we have for them. This includes not only the ways we want students to engage in class and the approach they take to their learning, but also the expectations we have for students in how they treat each other and interact in the classroom and playground. This year, the College has been working to develop some important norms and non-negotiables around both the teaching and learning of students, and the behaviours and actions of students. These have been designed with one thing in mind – community. It is about creating a safe, consistent experience for all students and staff within our school, and makes clear and visible the things that are most important when it comes to creating an effective learning environment. These norms will become an important focus for students over the course of this term, and the year ahead. It is my hope that all students can achieve the behaviours and actions that have been set out, and work to help build a strong community of learners that reflect the Marist values of our College.

Click here to view the Newman College Norms.

Highlights from Past Two Weeks

Parent Teacher Interviews 

I would like to thank all of the students, families, and teachers for the positive way they engaged in the parent-teacher interview process. It was great to walk around the campus and see lots of conversations taking place, goals being discussed, and plans put in place for another semester of learning. Parents should know that even though we offer a formal meeting period throughout the year, they are welcome to be in touch with their child’s teacher at any time to discuss the learning or progress of their child. We look forward to building on the positive parent-teacher relationships over the second half of the year.

Cross Country 

Last week we ran the final race of our Cross Country Carnival – a re-racing of our Year 5 boys race! We were fortunate to enjoy some beautiful weather, and it was great to see students enjoying the event so much. A big congratulations to Luke Rombouts, Dylan Hookway, and Mitchell Short who were crowned as our winners for the day. The final results of the carnival will be announced at next week’s assembly. Meanwhile, students have been busy preparing in the cool early mornings before school for the Interschool Cross Country Carnival which takes place in a couple of weeks time in Bunbury. We are sure all of our runners will do us proud! 

Dance Troupe 

Students in the Lavalla Dance troupe have been very busy lately rehearsing for the Wakakirri Festival – a national competition that invites schools to present a story-dance that reflects students’ thoughts, ideas, and aspirations. Our students will have one of their final rehearsals for this event on Monday 2 August, with a community performance taking place in the Marist Auditorium at 2.45pm which all families are welcome to attend. Students will then perform at the Wakakirri concert later that week at the Parth Concert Hall on Thursday 5 August. We wish our students all the best as they compete, and recognise the efforts of students, families, and especially our Performing Arts teacher Amy Raveendrakumar, in helping students be ready for the day!

Arts Club

We have been very fortunate this year to have an Arts Club running each lunchtime on Tuesdays under the guidance of some of our Year 6 students. I am very proud of the lengths these girls have gone to, to provide an experience for many of our younger students, and their dedication to giving back to their school community. Their actions this year are the best example yet of how leadership is not about wearing a badge, it is about actions and they example we set for others. This term, students attending Arts Club will be working on designing a puppet for a competition, with winning entries having the chance to have their puppet constructed by a team of professionals. We are very grateful to the Year 6 girls who have taken this venture on, and also to our Visual Arts teacher Amy Farrell who has helped guide the girls this year too.

Parent messaging

It has come to our attention that towards the end of last term, and this term also, some parents have been messaging their children directly during class time via the iPad, and students messaging parents directly also. I cannot explain how distracting this can be in the day of a student and the interruptions it can cause to learning. It can also create problems in the office when parents arrive unexpectedly to collect their children. If students or parents need to contact each other during the day, it is to occur through a phone call to the office where we can deliver any messages to students. Students will be reminded next week that any messaging during class time falls outside the appropriate use of ICT and a consequence will be put in place as per the school’s ICT policy. If you are concerned for your child during the day, please just let you child’s teacher know and we can be in touch to offer support.

Coder Dojo

Coder Dojo will recommence in Week 3 on Tuesdays from 3.30pm – 4.30pm. All students are welcome to attend, if they would like to take part in coding activities

Lost Property

In the school holidays, I visited my Mum and was telling her about the large amount of lost property we seem to accumulate at the school. We can have a laugh about it now, but when I was at school, coming home without your jumper or school blazer meant you might as well start packing your bags and hit the road! My Mum, who grew up in Ireland as a young girl, told me how they had one jumper in school, and if you lost it there was no replacing it. She can even remember as a child taking knitting and sewing lessons as a Year 4 student, where they would make their jumper for the following school year! I wonder what would happen if made kids do that today! In all seriousness though, many of our lost property issues can be solved if students or parents label their child’s clothes and hats. While teachers encourage students to look after their things as much as possible, it is the responsibility of the student to care for and look after their things. Hopefully this term, we will see a reduction in the number of school blazers, hats, and sports jackets especially which seem to make up the bulk of our items.

Important Information For The Next Two Weeks

There are a very busy couple of weeks ahead in the Lavalla calendar. Look out for the following events on the horizon:

• Wakakirri Dance Troupe Community Performance – Monday 2 August
• BRLA Testing Year 5 – Wednesday 4 August
• BRLA Testing Year 3 – Thursday 5 August
• Wakakirri Dance Concert – Thursday 5 August
• 3 Green Assembly – Friday 6 August
• Wellbeing Week – Monday 9 August – Thursday 12 August
• Assumption Buddy Day – Tuesday 10 August
• IPSHA Cross Country – Thursday 12 August
• Pupil Free Day – Friday 13 August

Return to Term 3 

A warm welcome back to all our Newman families.  I am very grateful that our state was able to return to post lockdown freedoms to enjoy the holiday period, and to return to school as normal.  I trust that all families enjoyed the break from the daily routine and hope that you had the opportunity to relax, be present to each other and spend time together. I would like to reassure families that should another lockdown event occur, the College is well-prepared to move to our Remote Learning Plan at short notice.

College Production – Little Shop of Horrors 

The Little Shop of Horrors was hugely entertaining. I enjoyed the pure spunk of all the actors, the amazing set and of course the music, dancing, lighting and costumes. What a show! Angela and Fraser beautifully depicted the ingenious mix of sweetness and dangerous naivety. Mr Mushnik’s presence was strong and Doctor Orin Scrivello owned his evil character with pizazz. My favourite scene, besides the closing surprise (ssssh) was the wicked but humorous musical number ‘Be a Dentist’. Massive congrats to all the cast, crew and staff who have dedicated their time and energy to put together a thoroughly entertaining masterpiece.

I highly recommend getting a group together and making a night of it (or day – matinee!). My 11 year old daughter, Zoe, absolutely loved it. So perfect for families with upper Primary kids and older.

To purchase you ticket please click here.

Events 

• Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival – I was delighted to attend the official opening ceremony of the Catholic Performing Arts Festival program on 22 July at St Mary’s Cathedral.  Our students will be involved in a number of events throughout August, and we look forward to being present at their performances to enjoy the fruits of their hard work and dedication.
• Athletics Carnival, Marcellin Campus – The Secondary school community looks forward to participating and competing at the Athletics Carnival at Challenge Stadium on Thursday 5 August.  We hope that all students engage with the day’s events to support their Guild and year group.

Newman Parents Consultative Committee Meeting (NPCC) 

Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend our next meeting on Monday 9 August, commencing 7.00pm in the Marist Auditorium.  This forum provides an opportunity to hear from members of the College leadership, to learn about the strategic directions of the College and to seek feedback about concerns parents may have.   We look forward to seeing our families represented.

Fourviere Day  

Last Friday marked the 205-year anniversary of Fourviere Day, when the first twelve aspiring Marists climbed the hill in Lyon, France, to pledge their intent to found a Society of Mary. They made this promise in the shrine of Our Lady of Fourviere. Their unwavering commitment and intent to bring about a better world by making Christ known and loved by students, has resulted in, today, over 600 000 students being educated under the Marist charism. St Marcellin Champagnat, along with the other eleven priests and seminarians, have shown us what is possible with an intent, presence, simplicity and a desire to love God in the way of Mary. Marist Colleges around the globe are renowned for their ethos founded on a sense of ‘family spirit’ and a ‘love of work’.

Looking to the Horizon 

We are facing unprecedented challenges on a worldwide scale; social, economic, technological and environmental. These forces are providing society with multiple new opportunities and avenues for human advancement. It has been said many times that the future remains uncertain, we cannot predict what is normal or next, we need to be open and ready for whatever tomorrow brings. The children entering education in 2022 will be young adults in the early to mid 2030s. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Learning Framework 2030 stated that schools must prepare students “for jobs that have not yet been created, for technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that have not yet been anticipated. It will be a shared responsibility to seize opportunities and find solutions. To navigate through such uncertainty, students will need to develop curiosity, imagination, resilience and self-regulation; they will need to respect and appreciate the ideas, perspectives and values of others; and they will need to cope with failure and rejection, and to move forward in the face of adversity. Their motivation will extend beyond getting a good job and a high income; they will also need to care about the well-being of their friends and families, their communities and the planet.”

Future Initiatives  

• In order to stay at the forefront of educational innovation and to promote future focussed student engagement, the College is committed to ongoing partnerships with industry, student and teacher feedback and professional learning and growth planning for our staff, who are the key force behind student learning and engagement. Among other initiatives, next year the College will be moving to Teams and OneNote for the delivery of teaching and learning. The Primary years will continue to integrate Seesaw as an additional learning and engagement platform.
• New Roles 2022:  This week, the College will advertise for a Director of Learning Technology and Spaces and a Director of Transformational Learning. These two PK-12 leaders will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to keep the College looking to the horizons, to upskill our staff and renew our learning spaces, for improved student outcomes.
• Kindergarten Flexibility:  We understand that a number of families in our community would benefit from greater flexibility when entering children into our Kindergarten Program. Therefore, from 2022 and beyond we will be expanding our offering to include a five-day and a four-day Kindergarten Program, alongside our three-day offering. Impacted families will be contacted by email and telephone in the coming week, which will provide an opportunity to indicate their family’s preferences.

Storm Damage, Update

As communicated during the holidays, the unprecedented storm that moved across Perth on Friday 9 July caused damage to the St John Henry Learning Hub.  We are continuing to work with our insurance company, builder and associated contractors to complete the repairs in a timely manner.

We were delighted to have been able to identify the Good Samaritan who stepped in to assist staff with reducing the flooding and resultant damage in the Marian Campus Hall.  It was none other than our very own parent Mr Chris Hazebroek. We acknowledged and thanked him at the Marian Campus assembly today.

Newman Alumni 

One of our intents at Newman in the coming year, is to reconnect with our growing Alumni body. These connections will enable the Marist charism to be celebrated and passed down through the generations as one Newman family.

Wishing you all a fantastic start to the term.

Dr Lucie McCrory
PRINCIPAL (ACTING)