From the Principal – Term 1 Week 6
A Little About Lent
We are into the season of Lent which began with our Ash Wednesday liturgies last week. Lent is a time for preparation, reflection and spiritual renewal, with prayer as a central piece in achieving these aims. Common to the great religious traditions is the notion of prayer and experiencing prayer. Lent lends itself to prayer, and the tradition of fasting in Lent helps prepare the whole person for a full experience of prayer. Fasting and abstaining from meat are expressed in Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Whereas in modern society, where we are comfortable with the notion of dieting and balance in diet, fasting is a bit of a challenge. Dieting is an act for oneself, fasting is a more outward expression of making an inner emptiness which God can then fill through the action of prayer. A strong feature of our Marist spirituality is a rich prayer life. During Lent, our students will continue to experience types of prayer and praying that help us prepare for the joy of Easter.
International Women’s Day
Our focus in 2025 was to increase our recognition and celebration of International Women’s Day. A group of senior students led by our Wellbeing Captains, Jasmin Afflick and Leyla Do, along with staff, planned celebrations and information to share within the community. We were pleased to present this last Friday in recognition of IWD on Saturday, 8 March. Raising awareness and joining in action to further this year’s theme of Accelerate Action is not just a job for one day of the year, and we look forward to the work of our Student Leaders in maintaining action throughout the year.
Twilight Tours
On Tuesday, we welcomed over 100 families to the campus for our Marcellin Twilight Tour. Guiding prospective families around the campus and highlighting the richness of opportunity available to students through our Vision for Learning – Shine through Discovery is always a joy. The greater joy was the key role of our student leaders in the small groups. They took the lead in presenting to our visitors the Newman College journey and how it is experienced by our students. I was certainly very proud to listen to the rich expression of learning, service and formation they spoke to in their interactions with our guests.
Time with Year 5 & 6
In my two years at Newman College, I have greatly enjoyed spending time with our students, especially the chance to regularly read to our Marian students. Setting aside time with Year 5 and Year 6 is a focus for me as Principal during this semester. Year 6 Red and I explored, through a simple story of growth, kindness and friendship, a deeper dive into the Newman Norms and the Marist Theme for 2025- Pilgrims of Hope, Look Beyond. They took the lead in presenting their insights and actions in support of our Newman Norms and Marist Theme. They are true leaders in action, and I look forward to the upcoming time with Year 5 and 6 classes.
Farewell to Marian
Earlier in the year I wrote about the significance of 2025 as a year of celebration. The new Primary campus, 60 years of Marist education at Churchlands and 25 years as a K-12 school. Today, we celebrated another moment, the Farewell to Marian campus. In 2025, we are farewelling a beloved Peebles Road grounds and honouring its Brigidine and Newman College history. This afternoon, over 200 past students, staff and current staff are expected to gather for Mass at St Cecilia’s, followed by an afternoon tea, to retrace the rich education history of the campus. Look out for our social posts which will capture this lovely event. As we track closer to the move, we look forward to our current students and staff’s farewell to Marian, honouring its place in our extended history.
Year 12 Leavers’ Jackets
This week, we held a brief but important ceremony where we distributed the Year 12 Leavers’ Jackets. A group of students and staff worked on the design and schedule for wearing the jackets over the remaining time in Year 12. Week 6 in Term 1 was chosen for the distribution as it marked the end of the first period of assessments undertaken by the year group and the move into the season of Autumn. The gift of wearing the jackets is accompanied by the expectation that it is a privilege, and that privilege is respected in the high standard of leadership and witness to our Marist characteristics that the Class of 2025 can show the community. Enjoy those jackets, Class of 2025!
Primary Picnic
We were so pleased to be able to host the return of the Primary Picnic recently. Family Spirit is at the core of the Newman College community and our families enjoyed a great early evening of entertainment, games, food trucks and friendship. Thanks to the staff for their organisation, the support of families who could attend and the Year 12 Student Leaders who kept the children entertained with games.