Newman News Term 2 Week 2: From the Vice Principal
Key Dates – Next Fortnight
Updated COVID restrictions have seen events and camps re-instated into the College Calendar. We remind parents to please check the College Calendar on a regular basis.
Welcome Back to Term 2
Welcome back to Term 2, which promises to offer a return to more normal experiences for our community. A very Happy Mother’s Day for Sunday to all those mother and mother figures in our lives, both today and days gone past. May is aptly named the month of Mary. As a Marist school, Mary plays a prominent place in our spirituality. The first founders, the Little Brothers of Mary, drew inspiration from the way in which Mary approached life. She said yes to life’s challenges and moved forward with faith, love, hope, courage and humility. Our characteristic ‘in the way of Mary’ helps to guide our students and staff to learn from Mary’s motherly example.
This term we see our senior school students undertake their first set of formal examinations for the year. We know that routine study and revision assists with the memory retention required for learning. A regular review of learnt material assists students to build their foundation of knowledge, at all age and competency levels. Have you set up a study routine at home to maximise your learning? Work smarter – not longer – do your brain a favour and capitalise on spaced and regular review. Check out these top tips for working smarter, not longer. https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/top-10-tips-study-smarter-not-longer-study-skills
I would like to take this opportunity to thank teachers, support staff, and students for the resilience and perseverance they displayed throughout the start of 2022. With the ease of COVID restrictions being announced late last week, the College can once again look forward to the facilitation of camps, incursions, excursions, group gathering and sporting events. Reinstating events will cause the College Calendar to be updated on a frequent basis and we ask you check details regularly.
Staff Farewells
We say farewell to the following staff members during Term 2. We sincerely thank them for their dedication and support of students, parents and staff during their time here at the College. We wish these staff members well in their future endeavours.
Regan Dyer, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Leila Chandler, Miranda Whitley, Helen Seddon.
Staff Commencing
It is with great pleasure that we welcome the following staff members to our community in the indicated roles.
Olivia Biasin – Arts Technician, Giorgia Bakeberg – Teacher – Science, Kate Bartlett – Education Assistant, Fiona Hassell – Leader of Science, Scott Smith – Leader of Wellbeing – Year 8, Tayla Nicholls – Dance/Drama Teacher – Primary, Sarah Ellam – Leader of Wellbeing – Year 10, Joel Kandiah – Teacher – Secondary, Sue-Ellen Bull – Teacher – Secondary, Elizabeth Mathews – Education Assistant, Joanne Smith – Teacher – Secondary, Delia Krietzmann – Teacher – Primary.
Newman Parents Consultative Committee Meeting (NPCC) – Monday 16 May, 7.00pm, Marist Auditorium (Studio Rooms)
The NPCC meetings, convened by the Principal, and attended by various members of the College Leadership Team, is a representative group, voice, and forum to gain insight into our school improvement plan and to discuss school concerns. The NPCC serves to help advance the best interests of those within our College Community. Whilst policy is determined and set by the College Executive and supported by the Advisory Council, the NPCC is a critically important group in providing input and feedback.
An invitation is extended to all parents and guardians to attend the next Newman Parents Consultative Committee meeting. We will be discussing our new NPCC framework and structure and will be calling for formal expressions of interest for the parent representative group across PK to Year 12. Our Homework Club, Empowering Pathways and Parent Events will also feature on the agenda.
If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, please join the meeting via TEAMS. Please click here for the link.
COVID – Transition
Eased restrictions were announced late last week. Communication was sent out to all families from the Principal, John Finneran, on Tuesday 3 May. It is important, as a community, that we follow these requirements to continue to protect our students, staff, and community members.
Wearing of Masks
– Students in PK – Y12 are not required to wear a mask
– Household close contacts are still required to wear masks at all times (Y7 – Y12)
– Masks must be worn by all students Y7-12 on public transport
Whilst the Government has removed the mandated rules of mask wearing, staff and students have been advised where social distancing cannot be maintained, masks should be worn. We recommend that students always have a mask ready to use if required.
COVID-19 Household Close Contacts
Students can attend school if they live in the same house as someone who is COVID-19 positive. These students must adhere to the following:
- Conduct a daily Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and receive a negative result each day to attend school
- Wear a mask at school (for students in Year 7 and above) and when travelling on public transport or ride-share
- Report they are a household close contact via the College online reporting form
Symptomatic Students
If your child becomes symptomatic, they should stay home and be tested for COVID-19. Regardless of whether they have COVID-19 or not, if they are unwell with any symptoms such as a cough, runny nose, sore throat, or a temperature, they must NOT attend school.
You are required to report positive COVID-19 student cases to the College via the College online reporting form prior to the start of the school day.
Code of Conduct
Please click here to download the Newman College Code of Conduct for Parents.