Secondary Update – Term 1 Week 6

Jenni Vile on 14/03/2025

Neurodiversity & Harmony Week:

Monday 17 March – Sunday 23 March 2025

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. The purpose of the week is to help others understand, value, and celebrate the talents of neurodiverse minds. During the week, secondary students will have an opportunity to learn more about neurodiversity with the aim to increase acceptance and understanding and to celebrate neurodiversity. 

Harmony Week is the celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds.

It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background. Australia’s cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths and makes Australia a great place to live. Building on over 65 000 years of First Nations cultures, Australia has become home to migrants from nearly 300 different ancestries.

All people who migrate to Australia bring with them some of their own cultural and religious traditions. They also take on many new traditions. Collectively, these traditions have enriched our nation.

While Harmony Week celebrates Australia’s rich cultural diversity, it is also important to focus on the urgency of combatting racism wherever and whenever it arises. Whilst Harmony Day is celebrated on Friday 21 March, it also coincides with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD).

To show support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia, students are invited to wear orange accessories such as a hair ribbon, socks or scarf or an accessory that recognises their own cultural heritage such as a scarf or piece of jewellery with their Academic Uniform on Friday 21 May. Your child is welcome to check with their Leader of Wellbeing prior to Friday if they are unsure about their accessory.

Year 7 & 11 EGT Programs:

As part of the Year 7 EGT program, Year 7s will be participating in physical activities on Tuesday 18 March. Year 7 students are permitted to wear their Guild Uniform to and from school on this day.

On Tuesday 25 March, Year 11 students will be attending the RAC bstreetsmart event at RAC Arena. This event aims to demonstrate the consequences of distracted driving, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and informs students on how to reduce risk taking behaviours. Further information has been communicated with families via Consent2Go.

Student Early Departures:

If your child needs to be collected prior to the end of the school day for a scheduled appointment or another approved reason, please ensure that you have contacted the College beforehand. As students do not have their mobile phones on them during the school day to receive reminder messages, it is imperative that they know what time they are to meet you at Student Reception in order to minimise disruptions to classes. Thank you for your support.

Absentees can be contacted via email absenteesecondary@newman.wa.edu.au or on 9204 9445.

Uniform Requirements:

Please be reminded that all students are required to adhere to the Uniform Requirements and Personal Appearance Guidelines. Students who do not meet the College’s uniform expectations will be required to address the issue before attending classes. Students are required to wear full academic uniform on all days, unless parents have been notified.

Marching Forward: UN Women’s International Women’s Day at Optus Stadium

On March 7th, Optus Stadium hosted the UN Women’s International Women’s Day event, a powerful gathering focused on gender equality, leadership, and change. With a stark gender pay gap of 21.8% and 1 in 3 Australian women experiencing violence, the event served as both a celebration and a call to action.

Speakers included Minister for Women Sue Ellery, highlighted the need for systemic change, particularly in leadership, where only 1 in 5 CEOs are women. Discussions explored how shifting cultural expectations—especially in traditionally nurturing and service roles—can create a more balanced future.

Dr. Carmen Lawrence emphasized that true collaboration depends on trust, while Suzy Urbaniak of Core Learning Foundation promoted reverse mentoring, encouraging young women to guide seasoned professionals in today’s evolving workforce. Lyn Beazley and June Oscar AO championed First Nations gender justice, aligning with Beijing +30’s global goals.

A key theme was the intersection of climate change and gender, with projections indicating that by 2050, 158 million girls could be pushed into extreme poverty.

Celeste Barber, known for her impact on social media, shared insights on using digital platforms for advocacy. She also spoke on ADHD diagnosis, choosing resilience over insecurity, and forging ahead despite obstacles.

The event also emphasised financial empowerment, mentorship, and advocacy, reinforcing the four essential pillars of change—government, industry, community, and business.

Mrs Delia Kretzmann, Miss Tiyana Kerimi and Mrs Lara Ognenis attended the event on behalf of the College.

Year 7 – 12 Guild Swimming Champions Assembly:

On Monday, 10 March, the entire secondary College community gathered to celebrate our 2025 Guild Swimming Champions. Our Sports Captains, Amy Wilson and William Gilbert, reflected on the hard work and dedication of all our swimmers, whether they were chasing personal bests or competing to represent their Guild, the energy was incredible. A heartfelt thanks was extended to the many supporters whose cheers created an atmosphere of excitement that drove every race.

We also had four impressive records broken of the day.

Owen Wright broke the 50m Breaststroke record in a time of 32.98 seconds!

Jackson Paynter broke an incredible three records on the day:

  • 50m Freestyle – 26.05 seconds
  • 50m Breaststroke – 33.23 seconds
  • 50m Butterfly – 28.27 seconds

We are thrilled to announce our 2025 Guild Swimming Champions.

GOLDSILVERBRONZE
Year 7GirlsOlivia CorradettiSophie Rowles Sami Fowler
BoysMarcus Lark Archie HaagmanDara Devlin
Year 8GirlsAlyssa Willesee Imogen CollinsAddison Barr
Boys Reef Wilsoncroft Taj Webster Logan Wright
Year 9GirlsAssha LefortRaphi FisherMadeleine Chapman
BoysRhys FowlerDeion FernandoCarlos Cabello
Year 10GirlsElla RowlesMadelyn BertoliniCoco Wilsoncroft
BoysOwen Wright (Record –
50m Breaststroke – 32.98 sec)		Kai DenhamJasper Bock
Year 11GirlsOlivia McMahonLucinda ShortAlice Humbert
BoysJackson Paynter  (Records –
50m Freestyle – 26.05 sec,
50m Breaststroke – 33.23 sec and
50m Butterfly – 28.27 sec)		Aaron DinesJames Bornmann
Year 12GirlsAbi FowlerMadie TurnbullJasin Afflick
BoysCaleb McMahonJack BorgasFlynn Morison

Year 7 Immunisations

Earlier this week families were sent an email regarding the Year 7 Immunisations taking place on Monday 31 March and Tuesday 1 April. The School-Based Immunisation team will be visiting Newman College to administer the dTpa vaccine booster (diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough) and the HPV vaccination (human Papillomavirus) to all Year 7 students. For this to occur, parental consent needs to be given by no later than Wednesday 26 March.  All vaccines provided will be recorded in the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

If you have not yet completed a consent, please complete the consent via VaccinateWA as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can download the Paper-based consent form and return it to the College.

Mrs Carla Pastorelli

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL SECONDARY

Pathways and Careers Information: Year 11

WACE (secondary graduation) requirements

In Year 11 and 12, students are progressing towards their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), otherwise known as their secondary graduation.

In order to achieve their WACE, students need to meet certain academic targets across Year 11 and 12. These are:

  • Demonstrate the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy (either in Year 9 NAPLAN or in Year 10-12 OLNA).
  • Be enrolled in English / Literature in Year 11 and 12.
  • Be enrolled in at least 1 ‘List B’ (Maths / Science / Sport / Technology) subject.
  • Achieve at least 14 C grades, with at least 6 C grades in Year 12 subjects.

For students considering UniReady / UniPath in Year 12

A reminder to students on the General Pathway who are considering UniReady / UniPath in Year 12 next year. It is expected that students from the General Pathway would have participated in extra-curricular activities such as work experience, VET Certificates, Leadership, Service, and/or College sport. General Pathway students who have not participated in any of these extra-curricular activities may not be eligible for UniReady / UniPath.

For students thinking of attending University

Bricklaying free course

The Bricklaying Job Ready Program is a FREE 4-week course designed for students eager to begin their journey in bricklaying. It offers the students a white card and experience in the bricklaying industry.

Course Dates: 1st Semester 2025:

  • Start date 10 March – South Metropolitan TAFE Rockingham
  • Start date 17 March – North Metropolitan TAFE Balga
  • Start date 5 May – North Metro TAFE Clarkson
  • Start date 2 June – South Metropolitan TAFE Thornlie

Apply NOW: Bricklaying job ready program | HIA

Defence Force Work Experience Opportunities

Army

Navy

Air Force

Pathways and Careers Information: Year 12

WACE (secondary graduation) requirements

In Year 11 and 12, students are progressing towards their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), otherwise known as their secondary graduation.

In order to achieve their WACE, students need to meet certain academic targets across Year 11 and 12. These are:

  • Demonstrate the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy (either in Year 9 NAPLAN or in Year 10-12 OLNA).
  • Be enrolled in English / Literature in Year 11 and 12.
  • Be enrolled in at least 1 ‘List B’ (Maths / Science / Sport / Technology) subject.
  • Achieve at least 14 C grades, with at least 6 C grades in Year 12 subjects.

University Early Offer information

Please see below for the latest available Early Offer information.

Curtin UniversityNo details as yet.  
Edith Cowan UniversityFull information and list of eligible courses at: https://www.ecu.edu.au/degrees/early-offer-program   Open to ATAR, Certificate IV, and UniReady students.Submit your Early Offer application by placing an eligible ECU course as your first TISC preference.First offers released to students on 2 September 2025.  
Murdoch UniversityNo details as yet.  
Notre Dame UniversityFull information and list of eligible courses at: https://www.notredame.edu.au/study/applications-and-admissions/pathways/early-offer   Opens 1 May 2025.First offers released to students on 1 September 2025.Apply via the Notre Dame online portal or via TISC.Open to ATAR Pathway students only.All offers are conditional offers.  
University of WANo details as yet.  

University information

Thinking of studying Medicine or Dentistry in 2026?

All students who wish to enrol in Medicine or Dentistry in 2025 (including Assured Pathway at UWA) will need to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) this year.

Please see below for some important dates:

  • 4 March 2025:            UCAT bookings open
  • 16 May 2025:              Deadline to book your UCAT for 2024
  • 11 June 2025: Deadline if you need to cancel your UCAT booking
  • 1 July 2025:                UCAT testing begins
  • 5 August 2025:          Last test date
  • September 2025:       Results available

You can check https://www.ucat.edu.au/ for more information, tips and practice tests.

Also, students applying for Medicine at Curtin University are required to sit the CASPER Test. CASPER scores are valid only for the next available admissions year, so applicants should only complete the test in the year immediately preceding their planned year of admission.

The CASPER Test is held nationally and is sat online from home. Applicants are responsible for making their own arrangements to register for the CASPER Test.

You can find more information about this, and book your test, here: https://acuityinsights.app/casper/

UWA Medical entry handbook here (for Assured Pathway): https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/-/media/uwafs/docs/course-guides/2025/uwa-2025-hms-admissions-guide-web.pdf

Curtin Medical entry handbook here: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/5804HS_Medicine-Admissions-Guide-2025_web-updated.pdf

Notre Dame Medicine program information is here: https://www.notredame.edu.au/programs/school-of-medicine/postgraduate/doctor-of-medicine-wa

University scholarships

Curtin UniversitySearch scholarships | Curtin University, Perth, Australia  
Edith Cowan University (ECU)ECU | Overview : Scholarships  
Murdoch UniversityScholarship finder (murdoch.edu.au)  
Notre Dame UniversityFind a Scholarship | Notre Dame  
University of Western Australia (UWA)The University of Western Australia: Scholarships (uwa.edu.au)  
Christian Leaders Scholarshiphttps://ichthys.org.au/christian-leaders-scholarship/

Gap year information

Students interested in taking a gap year in 2026 might find the following interesting:

Bricklaying free course

The Bricklaying Job Ready Program is a FREE 4-week course designed for students eager to begin their journey in bricklaying. It offers the students a white card and experience in the bricklaying industry.

Course Dates: 1st Semester 2025:

  • Start date 10 March – South Metropolitan TAFE Rockingham
  • Start date 17 March – North Metropolitan TAFE Balga
  • Start date 5 May – North Metro TAFE Clarkson
  • Start date 2 June – South Metropolitan TAFE Thornlie

Apply NOW: Bricklaying job ready program | HIA

Defence Force Work Experience Opportunities

Army

Navy

Air Force

UPCOMING CAREERS EVENTS

EVENTDATELINK
Murdoch University Careers Fair19 Marchhttps://www.murdoch.edu.au/events/all-events/2025/03/19/general/student-and-graduate-career-fair
Engineering Institute of Technology: Careers in Engineering webinar19 MarchFinding Your Path: Choosing the Right Engineering Discipline for your Career
ECU Open Day (Joondalup)23 Marchhttps://www.ecu.edu.au/open-day/overview
Career Conversations: Free WA Government events for students and families25 March (Joondalup)https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1353765
UWA Open Day30 Marchhttps://www.uwa.edu.au/open-day
Career Conversations: Free WA Government events for students and families1 April (Wembley)https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1355579
Career Conversations: Free WA Government events for students and families2 April (Bentley)https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1356450
Murdoch University Open Day5 Aprilhttps://www.murdoch.edu.au/study/open-day
Curtin University Open Day6 Aprilhttps://www.curtin.edu.au/open-day/
Sound and Engineering College Information Night16 Aprilhttps://sae.edu.au/event/perth-info-night/
Engineering Open Evening (ECU Joondalup)1 Mayhttps://www.trybooking.com/CYPLT
ECU Open Day (Mt Lawley)4 Mayhttps://www.ecu.edu.au/open-day/overview
Perth Careers Expo15-18 Mayhttps://www.careers-expo.com.au/
Notre Dame Open Day24 Mayhttps://events.nd.edu.au/open-day-freo-2025
Year 9 and 10 Parent Information Evening (Murdoch University)4 Junehttps://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/year-9-10-parent-supporters-information-evening-tickets-1232500053839?aff=oddtdtcreator?aff=oddtdtcreator
Year 11 and 12 Parent Information Evening (Murdoch University)4 Junehttps://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/year-11-12-parent-supporters-information-evening-tickets-1229599558379?aff=oddtdtcreator?aff=oddtdtcreator
Newman College Careers Expo and Year 10 Parent Evening24 June Marist Auditorium3.30pm to 4.30pm:         Yr 11/12 Careers Expo
5.00pm to 6.00pm:         Yr 10 Careers & Subject Expo 6.00pm to 6.45pm:         Yr 10 Family Info Session
   

If you are thinking of attending a University Open Day, this blog might help you get the most out of it: https://infocus-careers.com.au/2025/02/07/year-12-how-to-approach-university-open-days-in-2022/

Mr Justin Farley

LEADER OF PATHWAYS & PARTNERSHIPS