From the Principal – Welcome to 2024
Dear Parents and Guardians
A warm welcome back to the start of Term One. A special mention to our new families who will begin their journey within our Newman Community in 2024.
I trust that the Christmas and holiday periods provided opportunities for relaxation, connection, presence, and family spirit. The 2024 school year is shaping up to deliver many life-giving experiences to our students and community.
It is an exciting time for Newman College as we progress towards consolidating our Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 College on one site. The building of the new state-of-the-art Primary school on our Churchlands campus is well underway and is due for completion by the end of 2024.
Marist Theme
The 2024 Marist theme is ‘First Light, Reveal the Spirit.’ The theme “invites us to recognise the world as the place in which we discover God. God’s Spirit is in Creation. The first words of God were, “Let there be Light (Gen1:3), and with that, our world dawned into existence. We can recognise and experience God’s Spirit through the beauty and goodness of everything that the world holds and reveals: the spring buds on a tree, the warmth of the sun on your face, the sharing of a meal at a soup kitchen on a winter’s day, in the eyes of a stranger. Everything reveals the presence of God (1 Cor 20:26).
Saint Marcellin Champagnat believed that God’s Spirit was always present and at work in the world, inspiring his mission and strengthening his purpose. It is this gift of the Spirit that we as Marists want to share with others, the young, our colleagues, the stranger – of bringing people into the joy and freedom of the light of Christ – the Source of all Light: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the Light of life” (Jn 8:12). We pray that our lives will be transformed by God’s Spirit, making known the presence of God in the world and within us: “You are the light of the world… let your light shine” (Mt 5:14-16).
Results 2023
A child’s achievements go beyond academics; they depend on experiences that allow them to develop socially, spiritually, emotionally, morally, and physically. Newman offers comprehensive learning pathways inside and outside the classroom to cater to our students.
I take this opportunity to congratulate the Class of 2023 on achievements in their chosen pathways of academic pursuit. We extend a sincere thank you to all teachers and support staff for their dedication to students during their entire journey at Newman.
A showcase of student results from the 2023 Academic Year will feature in the next edition of the college newsletter.
Welcome Sundowner
All parents are invited to attend the Welcome Sundowner on Friday 16 February in Founders Court on the Marcellin Campus, 5.30pm-7.30pm. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online here. The Executive will be present to meet and greet our parent community.
Family Mass
The formal opening of the school year occurs at our Family Mass and Commissioning of Student Leaders on Wednesday 7 February at 5.30pm on the Br Terry Gleeson Oval (Marcellin Oval). We look forward to coming together as a School community. Further details will be shared with families in the coming week. Please note, student attendance is compulsory.
Start of Year Information
We are looking forward to our students commencing the 2024 Academic Year. Please read the Welcome to 2024 at Newman College publication, which outlines and summarises practical information pertinent to the start of the year. Included are introductory letters detailing the first days back for each Year Group. The letters highlight key events for each Year Group, uniform, and personal appearance expectations. Please familiarise yourselves with the content before the commencement of the term. Primary parents (PK-6) are asked to pay particular attention to the section of the Primary letter that explains the drop-off and pick-up arrangements for the first few weeks of the term.
Information Evening Year 7-12
Parents/caregivers and students in Years 7–12 are invited to the 2024 Information Evening being held on Thursday 1 February, 5.30-8.00pm. This new look format allows parents/guardians to choose their sessions, empowering them to select those most relevant to their family’s needs. Attendance is essential for the Year Group Information and PCG goal-setting sessions. There will be sausage sizzle and refreshments available 5.30-7.00pm, with funds donated to Caritas. Please find detailed information of the evening here. We look forward to your attendance.
The staff at Newman send their best intentions to our students for a successful start to the year. I look forward to continuing to work in collaboration with each of you. The sense of presence and family spirit characteristic of life at Newman makes it a pleasure to come to work every day. It is my hope that our wonderful Marist community continues to grow and that students and staff pursue and achieve their goals as the year unfolds.
Best wishes for the coming weeks.
Kind regards
Andrew Watson
PRINCIPAL