Category: Uncategorised

On Tuesday evening of this week, Newman College hosted parenting expert Maggie Dent who gave a presentation on building children’s resilience. As is her way, Maggie presented in her typically good humoured fashion, connecting with many families over the challenges we see in raising children today. One of the things she spoke about that really stuck with me is that there is no parenting book written about your child. Each child is so unique and so different in their own way, that there is never really a solution or approach that works for all children. The message I took from this is that as parents, we need to be kind to ourselves. It is so easy to draw comparisons between our own child and others; it is so easy to look at the achievements of one child and have concern or worry for why our child is not doing the same. If there is one thing I have learned in my years in education, it’s that it all balances out in the end.

Students will always grow and develop at different rates, and where one child shows strength or talent, another may do so in something completely different. I think the parents of our community should know that it’s ok to be kind to ourselves (in fact I strongly encourage it!)  – to actually stop and pause and reflect on the great things we have done as parents and as families, rather than be hard on ourselves for any perceived deficiencies. Celebrate the beautiful young person your child is becoming! Being a parent is hard – there’s no manual on how to get it done, and we learn on the job as we go. I hope that as we move towards the conclusion of this term, families can take some time to reflect on the great things that have occurred for them and their children this year and celebrate that in some special or meaningful way. Remember, no matter how we might feel about ourselves some days, our children love us just the way we are 😊

Incidentally, Maggie’s website is packed with information covering all sorts of topics from helping children with anxiety, to connecting with grandparents who live far away, to how to plan for a road trip minus screen time. I would encourage all families if they are interested to check out some of her resources and take advantage of here years of wisdom. You can find all of her materials here.

Highlights from Past Two Weeks

Year 6 Parliament House 

Last Monday our year 6 students took a trip to Parliament House to explore our local state government and how it works. Students were able to learn about how bills are debated and passed through parliament, as well as gain an understanding of the roles of some of the different members of the Legislative Assembly. Students also had the chance to visit the Electoral Education Centre as part of their trip learning about how our preferential voting system works within a democracy. Thank you to our Year 6 teachers for organising this event, as well as the parent volunteers from our Year 6 families who were able to attend in support.

Year 6 Tinkering Day 

Last Thursday, students from Year 6 took part in a ‘Tinkering Day’ as part of their Digital and Design Technologies curriculum. Students worked with their parents and grandparents to take apart an old electronic device or gadget, which was then repurposed into a device that would warn others of an impending natural disaster. The hall was alive with lots of noise and discussion as students worked together to complete their devices. A personal highlight for me was watching Mr Hunt teach his students about tape cassettes – something I thought I would never see! It was a great day, and we are so grateful to the large numbers of parents (especially Dads) who were able to come down and support.

Homework Club & Coder Dojo  

It has been wonderful to see so many of our families take advantage of the offerings of our Homework Club and Coder Dojo this term. Families should note the following for the remainder of this term:

• Coder Dojo has now finished for Term 2 and will recommence early in Term 3. Families will be advised of the date of commencement in Term 3 in future newsletters.
• Homework Club will continue to run until Week 10 of this term each Monday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. All students are welcome to attend.

Important Information For The Next Two Weeks

There are several important events coming up in the calendar over the next few weeks. These include:

• Wednesday 16 June – Year 4 Unit mass (9.00am in the Chapel)
• Thursday 17 June – Year 6 IPSHA Interschool carnival (to be held at John XXIII)
• Thursday 24 June – Speak Up Awards Finals
• Friday 25 June – Lavalla Cross Country Carnival
• Friday 25 June – Student Leaders breakfast
• Friday 2 July – Semester One reports released

UWA Research Project

The University of Western Australia (UWA) has an exciting opportunity for Newman College to participate in research.

The overall aim of the research project is to examine first impressions towards children with and without autism to better understand the social experiences of children and help understand the stigma towards children on the autism spectrum. Experiencing social rejection at an early age can be very difficult for children, and research suggests that one factor that may impact children’s social lives are first impressions.

First impressions can influence how we respond to unfamiliar people, and so understanding the factors that impact how first impressions are formed can be very valuable information in developing programs that foster social inclusivity. This study also investigates how adults form impressions of children because adults who work with children, such as parents and teachers, can have great influence on children’s social decisions.

The project encourages children to learn about first impressions with the message of inclusivity and acceptance of other children’s differences.

At this stage, they are inviting parents and their children aged 6-11 years to participate in this study and would appreciate any help from Newman College families on this project. The results of this current study will be used to inform the design of a later study involving children who are on the autism spectrum.

If you and your child are interested in participating, please follow this link to provide your consent and answer some questions regarding your child’s development: http://uwa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eJ83cMkCNuTJBZA

The link will also provide you with further information and guidance on how you and your child may participate in this exciting project.

As we enter Week 7, there are many different events occurring across the life of the College that speaks to the identity of Newman College.

Official opening and blessing of the St John Henry Newman Learning Hub

Tuesday 1 June 2021 is the official opening and blessing of the St John Henry Newman Learning Hub. To mark this significant occasion in the life of our PK-12 College community we will be celebrating with a formal gathering commencing at 9.00am.  We are delighted to be able to welcome to our College the Most Reverend Timothy Costelloe, Archbishop of Perth, and Dr Frank Malloy, National Director Marist Schools Australia, to perform official duties at this significant event.

The Opening and Blessing of the St John Henry Learning Hub is the culmination of six years of planning which commenced with the development of our Vision for Learning – ‘Shine through Discovery’, Let Your Light Shine (Matthew 5:16) in 2016. Our environment reflects our learning intent which is to create spaces where we can collaborate and challenge our students. The St John Henry Newman Learning Hub sets the tone for our future master planning.

Lifelink

On Wednesday 2 June, we will host over 60 primary schools in the Marist Auditorium for the Launch of Lifelink. There are celebrations of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Mass and Retreat Days that nurture the faith of our staff and students alike.

Feast Day of St Marcellin Champagnat

Sunday 6 June is the Feast Day of St Marcellin Champagnat. This is another important event in the life of the College, where K-12 students gather for a range of activities and Mass to honour the Marist Brothers and raise money for Australian Marist Solidarity. More information about this exciting event will be shared with the community next week.

Thursday morning Community Mass – 8.10am every Thursday

Thank you to Chisholm Guild and Year 4 students and Camara Guild and Year 3 students who hosted our Thursday morning community Mass in Weeks 5 and 6. Marcellin Guild and Year 6 will be hosting in Week 7 and MacKillop Guild and Year 6 in Week 8.

Our community Mass is the perfect way to start your day where students can gather with staff and their parents to begin the day. All parents are invited to attend with their students at least once a term.

Earlier this week, our student leaders in Year 6 attended a Youth UN consultation where the theme for the day was, “What would Australia look like if young people were the key driver of decision making?” This is such a great theme to consider, as every day I am amazed at the brilliant talent and thoughts our students can offer. I shared this with students at one of our morning gatherings this week, discussing their futures. I let them know that even though they may only be in Years 3-6 now, I often look at our group of students and imagine them as our Years 9-12 leaders which they will become in just a few short years.

The young leaders that students become in the future is all to do with the young people they seek to become now. I spoke with students this week about the importance of setting positive habits – that the actions and behaviours we commit to today will be reflected in our future selves. At a previous school, I once met with a parent at the beginning of Term 4 when I was teaching in Year 6. She wanted to know how to bring her child to a ‘C’ grade standard in one of his subjects before he commenced high school; dismissing the advice we gave earlier in the year. Unfortunately, learning doesn’t work like this. We can’t always just ‘flick a switch’ at a certain point in time and expect everything to work perfectly. It takes years of positive habits and behaviours to build success and this is the message I had for students this week.

At home, I would encourage all families to chat with their child about their future – what sort of person do they hope to be? What type of student do they want to be? Do they already have a career in mind? As part of that discussion speak with them about the behaviours and attitudes that they will need to arrive at their goal. The earlier they can adopt these, the better their chances of success are in the long term.

Highlights from Past Two Weeks

Assemblies

Last week we celebrated our assembly with Year 6 Blue presenting an original piece about both bullying and Maths! Students presented a story through a poem, which highlighted the dangers of bullying and the importance of supporting one another. This is such an important message as there really is nothing more important than the way we treat others! We are very grateful to Mrs Horn and the Year 6 Blue class for being able to share with us such a positive message.

This morning we celebrated assembly with an item prepared by Year 5 Green and Miss Sankar. They presented a fantastic assembly based around the importance of having a growth mindset, with a very futuristic theme. I even got to meet another version of myself – thanks Niamh! A growth mindset is all about having the belief that your skills and talents can be developed through hard work, grit, and perseverance – a terrific message for all our students to hear. Well done to Miss Sankar, Mr Howard, Mrs Biancuzzo, and of the course the Year 5 Green class for an excellent performance!

Marcellin Award 

Last week we were very proud to present Declan Robinson in Year 6 the Marcellin Award. Declan was nominated by his teachers for all the small but very meaningful things he does for his class and classmates. He is the first to help others, includes other students in play and will hold the door open for the next student passing through. His respectful and good-mannered nature makes him a delight to be around and his actions perfectly model the Marist values of Newman College.  He can be very proud of his efforts and the impact he is having in his class. Great job Declan!

This morning we also presented a Marcellin Award to William Nyirongo in Year 5. William has taken it upon himself over these past few weeks to rid our school of excess rubbish and has often been spotted picking up rubbish in his own time in order to improve the look and feel of our grounds. I hope that his selfless act is an inspiration to other students, as this is a fine example of student leadership – making the choice to do something positive that benefits others. Congratulations Will on your outstanding efforts!

Student Expectations 

This week I wrote to all families in Year 6 to share some discussions we have been having in school about the standards and expectations of our students, particularly in relation to behaviour. It is important that families of students across all year levels understand that there is a level of expectation students, families and staff have for our community, and that it is the responsibility of everyone within that community to meet those standards. We frequently use our morning meeting time to set a positive tone or thought for the day, or sometimes to remind students about one of these expectations. We will continue this practice into the second half of our year, with teachers meeting in their classes to reiterate and support these points also.

UN Youth Conference 

Earlier this week, our Year 6 students, along with Mrs Horn and Mrs Biancuzzo, took the opportunity to travel to Loreto Nedlands with other schools to take part in a Youth UN consultation. The theme of the day was, “What would Australia look like if young people were the key driver of decision making?” Students listened to a presentation and took part in some activities and discussions around the theme. Students enjoyed the experience and certainly came back with lots to think about!

Culture of Excellence

I was so pleased to come across some fine examples of excellence in our classrooms this week.

In Year 3 Red, Joel Costley and Leo Goggin combined to achieve more than 50,000 points last week in Mathletics. This means that together, they answered more than 5000 Maths questions correctly. Amazing! I love seeing students setting a goal for themselves and working to achieve it and then inspiring others to do the same. Great efforts from Joel and especially Leo, who has been leading the charge in Year 3 Red for some weeks!

In Year 5 Blue, Kaydee Van Deventer recently took part in the School Sport WA State selection Cross Country race. Racing against girls from all over the state, Kaydee ran an amazing race to finish 2nd overall. This is an outstanding result and one that Kaydee can be really proud of. Kaydee was busy smashing swimming records in Term 1 and is now excelling in the world of athletics too! Well done Kaydee!

In Year 3 Green, Charlotte Nolan has been instrumental in a great example of student leadership. Along with some of her classmates, Charlotte has started a ‘study club’ where students from Year 3 Green go to the library each Monday and Thursday at lunch. Students use this time to finish off some work from class or complete some activities together with a goal of everyone helping others to succeed. Mr Finneran even proposed that Charlotte come and speak to our Year 12 students about it! Well done to her, and the rest of the Year 3 Green team for their dedication to improvement and excellence!

Years 5 and 6 Art Extension Program 

Last week our Art Extension students in Years 5 and 6 took part in a workshop with West Australian textile artist, Tanya Cain Abbs. Tanya worked with students, along with Mrs Grayden and Mrs Farrell, to create a traditional Japanese textile art called ‘Shibori’. Students will use their fabric design as part of a cushion they are designing and will display these artworks in the PK-12 Art exhibition later in the year. Students really enjoyed the opportunity to take part and expand their horizons with something new.

Year 3 Welcomes Mr Bailey 

Last week our Year 3 students were very glad to welcome Mr Bailey who came and spoke to them about his time in the armed services and the importance of ANZAC Day. Mr Bailey brought in some photos and medals (both real and replica) that he was able to share with students. He spoke about his journey through the armed services and some of the different jobs and tasks he undertook during this time, reflecting on some important qualities he was able to share with students such as determination, perseverance and friendship. We are very grateful to Mr Bailey for his time and the wonderful experience he was able to give our students.

Important Information For The Next Two Weeks

There are several upcoming events over the next two weeks at school that we look forward to sharing in with our students and the community. These include:

• Monday 31 May – Year 6 excursion to Parliament House
• Tuesday 1 June – Opening of the Saint John Henry Newman Learning Hub
• Wednesday 2 June – LifeLink launch day for primary schools
• Thursday 3 June – Year 6 Interschool sport (hosted here at Newman)
• Friday 11 June – Champagnat Feast Day celebrations (including buddy day!)

Celebrating 200 Years Catholic Education in Australia

A National Mass for Catholic Education was celebrated on Monday 24 May, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, at cathedrals and parish churches across all states, territories and dioceses.

The Mass commemorated the rich 200-year history of Catholic education in Australia with students and colleagues at Catholic schools and education offices across the nation.  I attended the Perth Archdiocese Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral along with MSA Regional Director, Julie Ryan, Leader of Early Childhood, Lisa McClue and Year 11 students Elliana Celisano and Jack Carberry.  It was a beautiful and moving liturgy recognising the enormous contribution of Catholic Education in Western Australia.

National Simultaneous Storytime 2021

National Simultaneous Storytime is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association.  A picture book is selected and read in schools, libraries etc across the country.

The story selected this year was ‘Give me some space’ by Philip Bunting.  I had great joy in reading this story to students at the Marian Campus.  A love of reading is a gift that needs to be nurtured and supported.  I encourage students and parents to read together to cultivate this important piece of becoming a lifelong learner.  As in the past, teachers had organised for an appropriate costume for me to become truly immersed in this story.   Being an astronaut and reading in character is one strategy to bring life and joy to reading.

Year 7 Interviews

Last Tuesday we commenced interviewing students for Year 7 2024.  This year, we were able to conduct our interviews in the St John Henry Newman Learning Hub and therefore showcase our new learning environment.

Our enrolment numbers for Secondary are currently at an eight year high.  The elevated amount of interest in Year 7 is testimony to our ongoing pursuit of academic excellence as exemplified through our Vision for Learning ‘Shine through discovery’ – Let your light shine, pastoral care, comprehensive co-curricular program, upgraded facilities and quality teaching program.

An important part of our enrolment strategy still rests with the narrative that our current students bring to the dinner table when they come home from school.  Their experience of learning and being part of a community is our best advertisement.

National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week

National Sorry Day is observed annually on 26 May and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were removed from their families and communities, to which we refer ‘the Stolen Generation’.

At Newman College we acknowledged this day across the College through prayer and various presentations.  At the Marcellin Campus the bells were switched to didgeridoo music for the day.

The following prayer was shared with Marist schools across Australia by our MSA National Director, Dr Frank Malloy:

Prayer for Reconciliation

Almighty and loving God,
you who created ALL people in your image.
Lead us to seek your compassion as we listen to the stories of our past.
You gave your only Son, Jesus, who died and rose again
so that sins will be forgiven.
We place before you the pain and anguish of dispossession
of land, language, lore, culture, and family kinship that
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced.
We live in faith that all people will rise
from the depths of despair and hopelessness.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families have endured the pain and loss of loved ones, through the separation of children from their families.
We are sorry and ask God’s forgiveness.
Touch the hearts of the broken, homeless, and inflicted and heal their spirits.
In your mercy and compassion walk with us
as we continue our journey of healing
to create a future that is just and equitable.
Lord, you are our hope.
Amen.

Marist Family Mass, Sunday 30 May

After being cancelled last year due to COVID-19, Newman College is delighted to once again be hosting this event.  Such a gathering provides an opportunity for the relatives of our Brothers, Marist Priests, Affiliated Members and the Brothers themselves, to celebrate the Mass for Trinity Sunday together and then to socialise over a morning tea. The Mass commences at 10.00am and will be celebrated by Fr Steve Truscott SM.

We look forward to being with the Brothers on this day.

Opening and Blessing of the St John Henry Newman Learning Hub, Tuesday 1 June  

Our community has undergone significant renewal in the last five years, exemplified by a commitment to growing the authentic learning experience of our students.  We have pursued St John Henry Newman’s commitment to academic excellence and critical thinking that is animated through our Vision for Learning ‘Shine through discovery’ – Let your light shine.  This Vision inspires our faith and learning community to Challenge, Collaborate, Create and Celebrate who we are and what we seek to achieve.

The refurbished building will inspire us to delve deeply into Newman’s story, his spirituality and the inspiration he has evoked in educational circles around the world.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming the following distinguished guests to Newman College to perform official duties at this significant event –

• The Most Reverend Timothy Costelloe, Archbishop of Perth
• Br Peter Carroll, Provincial of the Marist Brothers and the Leader of the Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat
• Dr Frank Malloy, National Director Marist Schools Australia

College Advisory Council Meeting

Our College Advisory Council convened last evening and we welcomed our Director Mission and Catholic Identity, Simon Martino, as guest speaker.  Mr Martino spoke about the development of the new Vision for Mission demonstrating how this is a living document which takes on a methodology to the way we bring our faith and life into action at Newman College.