Newman News Term 2 Week 6: From the Principal
“We don’t need to improve schools – we need to re-invent them for our times, our requirements and our future.” [NMC Horizon Report 2013 K-12 edition]
This week I attended the Learning Environments Australia Conference here in Perth. The theme was transformation and how spaces in schools, universities and technical colleges need to reflect this intent. Put simply, continual transformation within learning environments is shifting our understanding of the way people learn, what they learn, and where they learn. In a world of rapid change and disruption, the role of education and the facilities that provide it is evolving.
Our forthcoming Stage 1 capital development project will reflect this transformation of education where collaboration will be central to our learning intent. Our Vision for Learning – Shine Through Discovery, Let Your Light Shine (Matthew 5:16) has collaboration as a key pillar to how we learn in our College. Central to this is how we elicit student voice in their learning and ultimately the pathways they take. Collaboration and a mindset re-evaluating of what is crucial in education will also ensure our parents feel they have a place and all students feel that they are valued.
Thank you to those parents, guardians and members of the wider community who attended our community forum on our forthcoming Stage 1 build. The conversation with our Architect, Mr Bob Sly, MSM Architects, was informative and collaborative about the future of our school and the spaces that will reflect our learning intent. The Learning Environments Conference affirmed the strategic direction in our learning and the spaces that we are providing for our students into the future. Please see our website here for up to date information.
Champagnat Day 6 June
Marist communities across the world recognise and celebrate the Feast Day of our Founder, St Marcellin Champagnat, on 6 June. Our community is here today because of the inspiration and animation of St Marcellin Champagnat. For our community, that legacy lives on through our students, teachers, and families. Our inspiration today is underpinned by our Marist Brothers and their lives exemplified by service, hard work, presence and humility. We give thanks for our Marist Brothers within the Churchlands community. Our privilege is that we have Brothers still present in our school and their story lives on.
As a College we will celebrate the Feast of our Founder St Marcellin Champagnat as a whole community next Friday 14 June with Mass followed by fete activities.
Leave
I will be on leave from the College for the last three weeks of term. Ms Lisa Fogliani will be Acting Principal for that duration. I would like to wish all families every blessing in the weeks ahead.
John Finneran