Newman News Term 4 Week 2: From the Principal
Year 12 Graduation
Last evening, we celebrated the Graduation of our Year 12 cohort, commencing with a beautiful Thanksgiving Mass in the Champagnat Chapel, followed by hospitality in Founders Court and finishing with the Graduation Ceremony in the Marist Auditorium.
In farewelling our Class of 2019, I stressed the importance of living out our dreams and that those dreams are the sum of many opportunities, challenges, experiences and of course people who support and walk with us – with their own gifts and talents.
I spoke of the recent canonization of Blessed John Henry Newman, our College namesake, whose pursuit was to inspire people to search for truth and freedom of conscience, in a time of great division and inequality between social classes, men and women, countries and more specifically between Catholics and Protestants. Saint John Henry Newman’s invitation to us is to live our life to be one of humble service and affection to each other. If this can underpin our intent and be the foundation for lives, our future, no matter what challenges we face, will be assured.
Our Year 12 students have been a magnificent exemplar to our College of this inspiration ….they have stood up for what they believed to be right and just. Their efforts, demonstrated by application, resilience, discipline, shared values, friendships and self-belief have enhanced our Newman culture. They have exemplified the Marist notion of presence by the way they have valued relationships in myriad ways. They have demonstrated a willingness to get involved, ‘to have a go’, and have the flexibility to try new things.
I thank our Year 12 students for sharing their gifts and talents and for their leadership. Their time in this community, be it 6 or 14 years, has been valued and acknowledged.
We wish them all the best in the next stage of their journey. We will pray for them as they seek to make their mark in the world.
Please click here to access the Principal’s Graduation Speech.
In the words of Saint John Henry Newman:
Let us grow in wisdom and love
and act with courage to choose what is right.
May we always be open to change
and have the strength to accept
what is new and valuable.
Give us peace and happiness in what we do.We ask this through Jesus, Your Son,
and Mary, our Mother.Amen.
Parent Code of Conduct
An updated Parent Code of Conduct has been developed and I urge all families to access the document to view the contents.
Download Code of Conduct for Parents
Catholic Education WA School Cyclic Review
The CEWA School Cyclic Review process occurs once in a five year period and contributes to meeting the requirements of the System Agreement with the Western Australian Government as part of school re-registrations in Western Australia.
Newman College will be going through this process during Week 3 of this term.
The School Cyclic Review provides an opportunity for a panel of educators, external to the school, to affirm, challenge and report on the improvement journey at the school. The SCR also contributes to the school’s re-registration process. The SCR will focus on the school’s improvement journey over the previous three years and will identify and agree on some of the key school improvement strategies that will ensure the realisation of this focus in the next period of time (usually the next three-year period).
The SCR panel, which conducts the review, comprises a panel chair, the school’s School Improvement Advisor/Regional Officer, and either a peer principal or a CEWA consultant.
The SCR panel receives and reviews data collated by CEWA and the school including information relating to student results and progress, the demographics and finances of the school, strategic planning, cultural survey data, and other plans including the Evangelisation Plan and Aboriginal Education Plan, prior to a visit to the school. The Senior Leadership Team is completing a self-review statement which will form the basis for the school visit. During the school visit, the panel will meet with members of the school’s staff, students and community, following up on their review of the data.
The outcome of this Review will contribute to the College’s Strategic Plan 2020-2022.
Strategic Plan 2020-2022
The process of consultation for our Strategic Plan will commence in Week 4. We have an external consultant who will be conducting parent meetings and I warmly welcome all to contribute to this process on the following dates:
- Thursday 7 November, 9.00am Champagnat Chapel Ministry Room
- Thursday 7 November, 6.00pm Marist Auditorium, Studio
- Friday 8 November, 9.00am Marian Campus Library
Newman Parents Consultative Committee (NPCC), Monday 28 October
I warmly welcome families to attend Monday’s NPCC meeting which will address matters such as the Capital Development Project, which is due to start shortly.
I trust everyone has settled back into school life following the Term 3 break and I wish all students success and fulfillment as they conclude their final weeks of the 2019 school year.