Newman News Term 2 Week 2: From the Vice Principal

I trust that students and families were able to enjoy down time during the Term 1 holidays and that students returned to school with a renewed sense of vitality, ready to embrace both the joys and the challenges of Term 2.   

Over the break I had the absolute pleasure and privilege of attending the Marist Pilgrimage 2023. The experience saw 30 Marists from across the country spend three weeks overseas retracing the stories of the Old and New Testament in Jerusalem surrounds, the Old City, Jordan, Palestine and Bethlehem. We then followed in Marcellin’s footsteps across Rome and France. Each place and space had its own unique energy and emotion associated with it, which opened a deeper insight into my Christian faith, the Marist heart, and our spiritual stories. A pilgrimage of this nature can be experienced as the fifth Gospel, completing the spiritual understanding, and that was certainly the case for me.  

Highlights of the first part of the pilgrimage included visiting the town of Magdala, where Mary Magdalene is suggested to have come from. The presence in the Chapel of the Encounter was particularly moving, as was celebrating the eucharist in Jesus’ tomb. Visiting Marcellin’s hometown and sitting at the Marist table in Lavalla were powerful experiences.  

We had an audience with the Pope and enjoyed our time learning about the future Marist global intuitions with the Brothers in the Marist General House in Rome, led by Brother Ernesto Sanchez, Superior General. The pilgrims spent a week in the first official Marist home of L’Hermitage in 
St-Chamond, France, which felt like home away from home. The Brothers’ welcoming hospitality across the three countries was warm and inviting.   

The pilgrimage was a spiritually nurturing experience that will no doubt lead to sustained friendships and significant encounters that will stay with me for life.

Singapore Immersion 6 to 13 May

Newman College recognises the challenge and importance of creating resilient, global thinkers; students who are agile, collaborative, and embracing of the demands of our modern world.  I am delighted the College are once again able to facilitate this Project Based Immersion in collaboration with Republic Polytechnic Singapore. We have 18 students across Years 9 and 10 who will be immersed in classes facilitated at the Polytechnic where their learning and metacognition (thinking about thinking) will be challenged. This experience will ultimately provide the participants with skills they can apply to their learning within the setting of Newman College and beyond the College walls.  

We wish the students and accompanying teachers a safe journey and look forward to sharing their experiences upon their return. Thank you to Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning Mrs Beth Murphy for leading the immersion and to Digital Innovator Mr Joel Kandiah, Digital Integrator Cate McKnight and teacher Adeline Hendriks for your efforts in attending the immersion.  

Uniform Review and Alignment Committee – Expression of Interest  

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are being sought to join the Uniform Review and Alignment Committee.  By 2025 all students PK-12 will be on one site, and it is important to have alignment of our uniform.  The College will therefore be auditing our current uniform items across the College.  It is essential we receive EOI’s from a broad range of parents, PK-12, to form this committee.  We encourage you to express your interest by Friday 12 May.  The committee will be announced as soon as possible after this day. 

School Photos

Please ensure students are well-groomed and ready for their Year Group’s scheduled photo days.  Order envelopes with details on ordering procedures have been distributed to students.  Students are required to bring their envelopes to school on their scheduled photo day, regardless of whether an order has been made.

Staffing 

We welcome the following new staff to the College, Matthew Brown – Arts Technician and Joaquin Connelly – Education Assistant. And welcome back Janet March and Rosalia Testa as they return after their time away.  

Catholic Performing Arts Festival

We have a very exciting performance opportunity this year and we invite our Newman Music Students Years 4 – 12 to participate.

Catholic Performing Arts Festival is an annual event which provides Year 4 – 12 students an opportunity to perform on any instrument they have been learning and be provided with feedback from a professional musician in the industry. They can perform as a soloist or duet, attached is the calendar details outlining the dates for each available section to enter. The Newman College ensembles will be entered at the discretion of the ensemble director.

We have a very short timeline to enter these applications, and therefore if you would like to participate, please:

  1. Notify your tutor and they will complete your online entry form (if you are receiving Music Tuition from Newman College)

OR

  1. Email Selena Barrett or Aleisha Dows our Music administrator, by Tuesday May 2nd with the following details:
  • Solo Performers Name
  • Teachers Name
  • Teachers Email
  • Student Year Levels
  • Item Name
  • Item Duration (MM:SS)
  • Item Composer/Arranger

We encourage all students from Years 4 – 12 to participate, as it is a wonderful opportunity to grow and develop as a performer. Click here for a draft calendar.

CODE OF CONDUCT