Newman News Term 3 Week 2 : From the Acting Principal
Return to Term 3
A warm welcome back to all our Newman families. I am very grateful that our state was able to return to post lockdown freedoms to enjoy the holiday period, and to return to school as normal. I trust that all families enjoyed the break from the daily routine and hope that you had the opportunity to relax, be present to each other and spend time together. I would like to reassure families that should another lockdown event occur, the College is well-prepared to move to our Remote Learning Plan at short notice.
College Production – Little Shop of Horrors
The Little Shop of Horrors was hugely entertaining. I enjoyed the pure spunk of all the actors, the amazing set and of course the music, dancing, lighting and costumes. What a show! Angela and Fraser beautifully depicted the ingenious mix of sweetness and dangerous naivety. Mr Mushnik’s presence was strong and Doctor Orin Scrivello owned his evil character with pizazz. My favourite scene, besides the closing surprise (ssssh) was the wicked but humorous musical number ‘Be a Dentist’. Massive congrats to all the cast, crew and staff who have dedicated their time and energy to put together a thoroughly entertaining masterpiece.
I highly recommend getting a group together and making a night of it (or day – matinee!). My 11 year old daughter, Zoe, absolutely loved it. So perfect for families with upper Primary kids and older.
To purchase you ticket please click here.
Events
- Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival – I was delighted to attend the official opening ceremony of the Catholic Performing Arts Festival program on 22 July at St Mary’s Cathedral. Our students will be involved in a number of events throughout August, and we look forward to being present at their performances to enjoy the fruits of their hard work and dedication.
- Athletics Carnival, Marcellin Campus – The Secondary school community looks forward to participating and competing at the Athletics Carnival at Challenge Stadium on Thursday 5 August. We hope that all students engage with the day’s events to support their Guild and year group.
Newman Parents Consultative Committee Meeting (NPCC)
Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend our next meeting on Monday 9 August, commencing 7.00pm in the Marist Auditorium. This forum provides an opportunity to hear from members of the College leadership, to learn about the strategic directions of the College and to seek feedback about concerns parents may have. We look forward to seeing our families represented.
Fourviere Day
Last Friday marked the 205-year anniversary of Fourviere Day, when the first twelve aspiring Marists climbed the hill in Lyon, France, to pledge their intent to found a Society of Mary. They made this promise in the shrine of Our Lady of Fourviere. Their unwavering commitment and intent to bring about a better world by making Christ known and loved by students, has resulted in, today, over 600 000 students being educated under the Marist charism. St Marcellin Champagnat, along with the other eleven priests and seminarians, have shown us what is possible with an intent, presence, simplicity and a desire to love God in the way of Mary. Marist Colleges around the globe are renowned for their ethos founded on a sense of ‘family spirit’ and a ‘love of work’.
Looking to the Horizon
We are facing unprecedented challenges on a worldwide scale; social, economic, technological and environmental. These forces are providing society with multiple new opportunities and avenues for human advancement. It has been said many times that the future remains uncertain, we cannot predict what is normal or next, we need to be open and ready for whatever tomorrow brings. The children entering education in 2022 will be young adults in the early to mid 2030s. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Learning Framework 2030 stated that schools must prepare students “for jobs that have not yet been created, for technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that have not yet been anticipated. It will be a shared responsibility to seize opportunities and find solutions. To navigate through such uncertainty, students will need to develop curiosity, imagination, resilience and self-regulation; they will need to respect and appreciate the ideas, perspectives and values of others; and they will need to cope with failure and rejection, and to move forward in the face of adversity. Their motivation will extend beyond getting a good job and a high income; they will also need to care about the well-being of their friends and families, their communities and the planet.”
Future Initiatives
- In order to stay at the forefront of educational innovation and to promote future focussed student engagement, the College is committed to ongoing partnerships with industry, student and teacher feedback and professional learning and growth planning for our staff, who are the key force behind student learning and engagement. Among other initiatives, next year the College will be moving to Teams and OneNote for the delivery of teaching and learning. The Primary years will continue to integrate Seesaw as an additional learning and engagement platform.
- New Roles 2022: This week, the College will advertise for a Director of Learning Technology and Spaces and a Director of Transformational Learning. These two PK-12 leaders will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to keep the College looking to the horizons, to upskill our staff and renew our learning spaces, for improved student outcomes.
- Kindergarten Flexibility: We understand that a number of families in our community would benefit from greater flexibility when entering children into our Kindergarten Program. Therefore, from 2022 and beyond we will be expanding our offering to include a five-day and a four-day Kindergarten Program, alongside our three-day offering. Impacted families will be contacted by email and telephone in the coming week, which will provide an opportunity to indicate their family’s preferences.
Storm Damage, Update
As communicated during the holidays, the unprecedented storm that moved across Perth on Friday 9 July caused damage to the St John Henry Learning Hub. We are continuing to work with our insurance company, builder and associated contractors to complete the repairs in a timely manner.
We were delighted to have been able to identify the Good Samaritan who stepped in to assist staff with reducing the flooding and resultant damage in the Marian Campus Hall. It was none other than our very own parent Mr Chris Hazebroek. We acknowledged and thanked him at the Marian Campus assembly today.
Newman Alumni
One of our intents at Newman in the coming year, is to reconnect with our growing Alumni body. These connections will enable the Marist charism to be celebrated and passed down through the generations as one Newman family.
Wishing you all a fantastic start to the term.
Dr Lucie McCrory
PRINCIPAL (ACTING)