News Archives - Page 112 of 193

Newman News Term 2 Week 6: From the Leader of Wellbeing Primary

Jo Dunn on 05/06/2020

This week marks the conclusion of National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to the reconciliation of Australia. The theme of this year’s week was ‘In this together 2020’ – a perfect summary of the importance of all people in contributing to a happy society.

In school it is not much different – it is up to everyone in our community to contribute to the growth and development of our Newman College family. This means teachers, school leaders, support staff, students, and families. I am always asking our students what contributions they are making to the school. What contributions are they making to the lives of others? We all have an important part to play in making our school a wonderful place to be and we all have the power to impact others. It is how we choose to use that power that really matters.

Assembly

This week Year 3 Red put on a great assembly item, recapping their start to the year and some of the important things they have been learning throughout the year. The students even managed to give us a very enthusiastic version of Sub Tuum – the oldest known prayer to the Virgin Mary. Well done to the Year 3 Red class for preparing so well and entertaining us this week. If you missed the assembly please click here to watch it.

Marcellin Award

Congratulations to Marissa Manolikos from Year 5 who was this fortnight’s recipient of the Marcellin Award. Marissa was nominated by her teacher Miss Cresp who describes Marissa as a helpful and friendly person. Marissa is always willing to lend a hand, always reliable and ALWAYS works hard. It is wonderful to hear such positive things about Marissa. Congratulations on your fine efforts so far this year and for setting such a great example to your peers. Your award is thoroughly deserved.

The Marcellin Award at Lavalla is presented at assemblies to one student selected by the Leadership Team from submitted nominations.

Student Voice Outcomes

Last week we announced the opportunity for students at the Lavalla Campus to have their say in some of the aspects of school life. Students have responded very positively and the College has been able to act on some of their suggestions already. These include:

Leaving the football goals up all year for students to practice their goal kicking
Getting ping pong tables out at lunch time (weather permitting)
Plants inside some classrooms
The Year 5 Blue class is putting together a proposal for bench seats outside their classrooms

Although as a school we cannot make everyone’s dreams come true, all ideas and suggestions are discussed with the Student Councillors and followed up with each student who made a suggestion. We look forward to seeing what other student led changes will occur in the future!

Green Time vs Screen Time

There have been some very interesting observations made over these last few weeks by teachers and parents over the use of iPads in school and at home, especially as we are coming off the remote learning experience. Obviously during this time, students were using their devices much more than they usually would and, with limited opportunities to be outside and play as well as visit family or friends, understandably many students would have turned to their devices for entertainment.

Now that we are back at school and restrictions around Covid19 are beginning to lift, it is more important than ever for students to put their devices down, engage in the real world, and get moving again. I know from talking to parents and students that many families already have conversations with their children around appropriate screen time and would encourage other families to do the same. I will also be writing to families in the next few days about some important considerations around social media and the impact these can have on students.

Nature Play WA is a great resource for families in understanding the balance required between ‘green time’ and ‘screen time’. Click here to access resources and guides on how to best manage screen time in your family.

Latest Sport News

Save the Date – Lavalla Cross Country Carnival

Here’s one for the diary – the Lavalla Cross Country Carnival will take place on Friday 26 June (Week 9). At this stage, parents will be invited along to spectate. A full schedule of the day’s events will be made available to families via the classroom teacher over the coming weeks. We look forward to welcoming everyone down to what should be a great event!

Marist Football Club – Years 5/6 Girls Team

The Marist Football Club is seeking a few more Year 5/6 girls to play in the girls team in 2020 *you don’t have to be a Newman student to play

Training will likely be held on a Thursday afternoon, with games played on a Friday evening *TBC

If your daughter is interested please contact Linda hadfields2@iinet.net.au or 0409 998 386

Parking/Pick-up

The parking/pick-up area continues to be an issue for a minority of people who persist in doing the wrong thing. Unfortunately, this is creating a very unsafe and sometimes unpleasant environment for those families who do the right thing by showing patience and understanding to other drivers and families. In the past few weeks alone staff have observed:

Vehicles failing to stop at a crosswalk for students crossing the road
Vehicles double parking or parked across crosswalks
Vehicles stopping in the middle of the road and waving children through the traffic
Parents parking in the teacher carpark area and allowing students to cross through cars (both before and after school)

The double parking and waving through of students into vehicles is especially dangerous and puts children at unnecessary risk. If parents wish to park their cars they should do so in the appropriate carparks, including the overflow carpark where senior students park. They can then wait at the cross walk areas to collect their children, leaving the drive through area for the ‘kiss and drop’.

Unfortunately residents in the area have also commented on the behaviours of parents in areas around the school. Photos from residents below show many families are parking on verges or in narrow streets obstructing traffic. These residents are well within their rights to call the council ranger so please be equally mindful in these areas too.

Newman News Term 2 Week 6: From the Leader of Mission and Catholic Identity

Jo Dunn on 05/06/2020

Reconciliation Week Highlights

Our College had a beautiful launch of our Reconciliation Action Plan to celebrate Reconciliation Week. Our plan is centered around building relationships with our local community and equipping our students to have a better understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and culture. The event was live streamed to over 2,000 people which included students, staff and many families from our broader College community. Click here to watch the launch.

Students engaged in a symbolic bridge walk from the Lavalla Campus to the Marcellin Campus in remembrance of the event that took place 20 years ago when over 250,000 Indigenous and Non-Indigenous People walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. During class students were introduced to Aboriginal art and the story of Stuart McMinn who crossed the bridge as a 15 year old boy. Mr McMinn, now 30 years old, recorded a message for our students that explained the significance of Reconciliation and used the analogy of a watch to explain how all Australians have a role to play in building positive, respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and other Australians. Click here to watch a highlights video from Reconciliation Week.

Feast of St Marcellin Champagnat Celebrations

Saturday 6 June is the Feast of St Marcellin Champagnat. This year, our College community will be celebrating the Feast Day with a range of activities throughout Week 8. Please click on the link below to access the letter that outlines all of the details for the week. Our community will be fundraising for Australian Marist Solidarity and specifically, the Kuya Centre for Street Children. Families are being asked to donate $5-$10 to support this organisation that our students visit on the Philippines Immersion.

Download Champagnat Day Letter to Families 2020

Thursday Morning Community Mass

This week saw the commencement of our Thursday morning Community Mass. The College is committed to offering the Eucharist for our students during this time. This week saw students from the Lavalla and Marcellin Campuses celebrate the Feast of St Marcellin Champagnat. Next week, students in Years 8 and Years 4 will be hosting our morning mass.

Newman News Term 2 Week 6: From the Deputy Principal Wellbeing Secondary

Jo Dunn on 05/06/2020

Over the past two weeks we returned to a more normal routine on the Marcellin Campus. Students were allocated their new lockers and were able to move into them over the course of Week 5, while also being able to retain their bags during the day if they wished. We also celebrated the launch of the College’s Reconciliation Action Plan on Wednesday 27 May. This was a great reflection of the effort of numerous staff and students over the past 18 months.

We held our first Principal’s Assembly since February this year and while our assembly was held remotely with students watching from their PCG rooms it was a wonderful opportunity to recognise our Year 7 Guild Leaders, academic awards and ACC swimming awards.

Week 6 has seen our Years 11 and 12 ATAR students embark on their Semester 1 exams and we wish them the best of luck during this time. Week 6 also saw our Years 7 and 8 students take part in their Covid-19 postponed Guild Cross Country Carnival, more of which you can read about below.

I hope our students and staff are enjoying their time together back on campus, something for which we have all found a new appreciation. As we continue into the second half of term I wish our students the best of luck with their studies.

Year 9 OLNA

The School Curriculum & Standards Authority (SCSA) has sent out information to parents/carers regarding the Online Literacy & Numeracy Assessment (OLNA).

This is an online test that focuses on reading and numeracy components during a series of 45-50-minute tests.

Normally Year 9 students would sit their final round of NAPLAN testing to demonstrate they have reached the required band and do not need to complete OLNA in Year 10. However, due to the interruptions experienced this year, students were unable to complete their Year 9 NAPLAN. SCSA will now conduct a series of OLNA tests specifically for Year 9 students.

Please click on the link below for full information on Year 9 2020 OLNA testing. As test dates are locked in further information will go out to students and families regarding how this will work at Newman College.

Download Letter to Year 9 Parents OLNA 2020

Year 7 Parent Teacher Expo (Online)

As per Mr Patrick Woolley’s letter sent 15/5, a series of videos will be released outlining an introduction to the various learning areas available to Year 7 students at Newman College. Please click here to access the videos via the College website. The remaining videos will be published throughout Week 7.

Extended PCG Activities

Over the course of Weeks 6 and 7, students in Years 7-10 are taking part in two activities during extended PCG.

This week saw our Years 7 and 8 students take part in a shortened Cross Country in which they could earn points for their Guild and challenge themselves while enjoying the beautiful outdoors. Next week the Years 9 and 10 students will have the opportunity to take part in their own Cross Country. If there are any Years 11 and 12 students who would like to take part, they are encouraged to contact Mr Williams for further details.

While the Years 7 and 8 students were running in their Cross Country race, the Years 9 and 10 students completed the Arts Challenge. This saw PCG classes lip syncing parts of the Suub Tum which forms a strong part of our Marist heritage. Once all of the year groups have taken part in this challenge, the full version will be edited and made into one video showcasing the talents of our students.

A big thank you to all the staff involved in facilitating these activities, particularly to Mr Tom Williams and Ms Ashlyn Le Cava.

During Week 8, we will have another Principal’s Assembly that will be live streamed. While speakers and award recipients will be in the auditorium, students will remain in their PCG rooms and watch the assembly remotely.

During extended PCG in Week 9, Headspace will be presenting to all students on the impacts of Covid-19, with a focus on self-care. The presentation will be delivered via live stream, with students accessing these in their PCG classes. It is hoped that this presentation will help students to develop strategies to maintain positive wellbeing, particularly during stressful times. More information will be provided to parents in the next newsletter regarding the content of the presentation and this will also be communicated to students prior to the presentation.

Years 11 and 12 Exams

Our Years 11 and 12 students commenced their exams this week which will conclude by Friday 12 June. We know they are giving their all during this time period and we wish them well with their studies.

While Semester 1 has been a very different journey to what was planned at the commencement of 2020, students have been outstanding in their commitment to their learning and we know this will come through over the coming weeks.

Missed Assessments

With a range of in-class assessments returning, missed assessment sessions have recommenced.

The priority is for students to be in the classroom with their teacher when returning from absence. To maximise time within the classroom and to ensure assessment conditions are monitored, the College provides three sessions per week for missed assessments to be completed:

Tuesday morning 7.45am
Wednesday afterschool 3.20pm
Friday morning 7.45am

When returning from absence after missing an in-class assessment, students should complete the assessment in one of the two closest missed assessment sessions. E.g. sick for an assessment on Tuesday, assessment needs to be completed on Wednesday or Friday. If students do not complete the task during the allocated missed assessment session then a zero score will be recorded and an academic detention may be issued by the Leader of Learning.

Newman Knights Hockey Club – Seeking Years 7 and 8 players

Looking for a great team sport for your son or daughter?

Newman Knights Hockey Club (NKHC) is interested to hear from any boys or girls in Years 7 or 8 to play hockey. New or experienced players welcomed, all training provided.

NKHC is a fun, social, family oriented club based within the grounds of Newman College. NKHC has a long history with Newman College students dating back nearly 100 years and would like to encourage students to consider playing hockey with us.

Please contact our Junior Coordinator on juniors@newmanknights.com.au for more information. www.newmanknights.com.au

Parent Parking- Surrounding Streets

Understandably the parking around the College has been busier than usual and traffic can be an issue. Just a reminder to please be careful using side streets as they can become traffic hazards when there are too many vehicles and can pose an increased risk to students exiting the College. I would also ask that parents are extra careful in regard to the properties surrounding the College as we have had reports of some damage to resident’s lawns, particularly on University Avenue and Coneflower Corner. Your support is appreciated.

Newman News Term 2 Week 6: From the Leader of Early Childhood

Jo Dunn on 04/06/2020

One of the greatest strengths of our College is the ability for our students to share celebrations across the breadth of all year levels. This past week saw students from Pre Kindergarten through to Year 12 recognise Australia’s first peoples and celebrate the rich culture that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples bring to our country. Throughout the celebration of National Reconciliation Week 2020 we focused on the theme “We are all in this together” to learn more about the stolen generations and the impact that this has had on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Our College’s Reconciliation Action Plan was launched with a special smoking ceremony that was attended by students across the three campuses; Isabella Battersby and Stella Parelli attended on behalf of Marian students. All classes watched the ceremony via live stream and discussed the important role that they can play in understanding, learning and celebrating the culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Other activities included a College wide ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ where students used artwork of hands to represent our connection and solidarity with the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation.

Assembly

Pre Primary Blue hosted a fantastic and engaging assembly last Friday that showed us their learning around Julia Donaldson’s story “Stick Man” and the role that each member within their family plays. They also sang a beautiful song thanking God for making them just as they are.

Merit Award winners very excitedly received their awards which focused on our Pedagogical Pillar “Create”. It was great to see that there are so many students across the campus putting this pillar into daily action.

Marcellin Award

Congratulations to the following students who received a Marcellin Award in Weeks 5 and 6.

Ella Jones, Year 1 Red: For always displaying a positive attitude. Ella, you are a role model of reliability, kindness and maturity to your peers and teachers and display the Marist characteristics of ‘Presence’ and ‘Love of Work’ in everything you do.
Zak Martinovich, Year 2 Red: For welcoming new members to our community and always going above and beyond to make others feel included and part of the Newman College family.

The Marcellin Award at Marian Campus is drawn from submitted nominations each Wednesday morning at Prayer Assembly.

National Simultaneous Storytime

National Simultaneous Storytime is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. 2020 marked its 20th year.

Our involvement in this event aims to:

promote the value of reading and literacy
promote the value and fun of books
demonstrate the enjoyment of reading across all ages
support our whole school strategic focus on literacy

This year, Mr Finneran read the story “Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas”, written and illustrated by Lucinda Gifford to our Primary students. Pre Primary Green students were lucky enough to join Mr Finneran live in the library for the reading, whilst other students joined the reading via an online meeting from their classrooms.

Kindergarten Enrolments – 2021/2022

We are currently finalising our enrolments for Kindergarten students in 2021 and 2022. There are a limited number of places available, so we strongly encourage any families who have not submitted an enrolment form for younger siblings, to please do so as soon as possible.

Furthermore, if you have friends or family members who are interested in pursuing an education at Newman College for their child, please advise them to complete an enrolment application promptly. Click here for more information about our Kindergarten program or contact the College Registrar via registrar@newman.wa.edu.au

Newman News Term 2 Week 6: From the Vice Principal

Jo Dunn on 04/06/2020

Covid-19 Update

Thank you to all families for their support as we work towards reinstating sport, arts events and other co-curricular opportunities with careful consideration and due diligence. The College calendar will be updated as events are confirmed. Please note, there are still restrictions on large group gatherings (for example, assemblies) and interschool opportunities.

If you are concerned about your own family situation, you are invited to contact Lisa Fogliani, Vice Principal for additional clarity and advice lisa.fogliani@newman.wa.edu.au

If Students are Unwell 

The College asks that students who are presenting with a fever or flu like symptoms stay at home until their symptoms are clear.  It is the responsibility of all families to ensure they support the wider College community.

Parents and Caregivers

From Monday 8 June, parents and caregivers are allowed onto school grounds to drop off and collect their children. To ensure the 2 metre rule is adhered to, parents are asked not to enter classrooms at the beginning or end of the school day.

NPCC Meeting – Monday 8 June

With restrictions lifted, we are so pleased to welcome parents to our first NPCC meeting for the year, on Monday 8 June at 7.00pm in the Champagnat Chapel Ministry Space. The agenda will cover:

Intro Parent NPCC Executive
Capital Development – Learning Hub Update
Reporting, Semester 1
COVID Learnings
Parent feedback/ Q&A (Please click here to submit your question / concern / feedback)

The NPCC meetings, convened by the Principal, and attended by various members of the College Leadership Team, is a representative group, voice and forum to gain insight into our school improvement plan and to discuss school concerns. The NPCC serves to help advance the best interests of those within our College Community. Whilst policy is determined and set by the College Executive and supported by the Advisory Council, the NPCC is a critically important group in providing input and feedback.

Staffing

Mrs Amy Raveendrakumar, Arts Specialist Teacher on the Lavalla Campus, commenced parental leave this week. We warmly welcome Mrs Laura Talbott to the role for the remainder of the 2020 school year.

Mrs Jenny Miraudo, Leader of Learning English on the Marcellin Campus, has also commenced parental leave. Mrs Narelle Cochran and Mrs Amanda Mariotti have been appointed to the Leader of Learning role and will share this responsibility.

All the very best to Mrs Raveendrakumar and Mrs Miraudo as they prepare for this special time.

Reporting

To ensure student progress is fair, valid and supported by evidence, the College has adapted its reporting protocols for Semester 1 2020 in response to the disruption caused by our COVID-19 response. We recognise there has been variation in the disruption experienced between students, and the validity of assessment across developmental age groups.

Our reporting expectations are aligned to directives provided by both CEWA (Catholic Education Western Australia) and SCSA (School Curriculum Standards Authority). It is very important to note, student achievement is based on judging standards that articulate student achievement at the end of the school year.

We believe these minor changes to the Semester 1 reports ensures that:

Students are fairly assessed
The professional judgement of the teacher can be supported by evidence, and
Parents and students are given accurate ‘point in time’ feedback

Marian Campus (Pre Primary – Year 2)

Student achievement in Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Physical Education, Arts and Italian will be reported on using a three-point scale (Above Expectation, At Expectation and Below Expectation). Teachers will provide a written comment and provide feedback on the personal and social development of students.

Kindy reports will formatively assess and provide feedback on the five outcomes from the Early Years Learning Framework. The five areas are Identity, Connecting and Contributing, Wellbeing, Learning and Thinking, and Communicating.

Lavalla Campus (Years 3-6)

Student achievement in all learning areas will be reported on using a three-point scale (Above Expectation, At Expectation and Below Expectation). Teachers will provide a written comment and provide feedback on the personal and social development of students.

Marcellin Campus (Years 7-12)

Secondary students will receive a grade that aligns to the judging standards as described in the Australian Curriculum. Learning attributes that reflect our Vision for Learning will serve as formative feedback for parents.

Student marks per assessment item are available on SEQTA. It is important to note the student assessment program has been modified to navigate our remote learning response. Years 11 and 12 exam marks can also be accessed on SEQTA.

Pastoral Care Teachers will also provide a report that reflects student engagement in College and wellbeing activities.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)

Teaching staff across the College participated in professional learning to increase their knowledge and understanding of the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with a Disability. This ensures that all students have access to a quality learning experience at school and teachers can provide adjustments for students based on professional judgement, together with medical and professional diagnoses. I extend my thanks to Mrs Allison McCartan, Leader of Learning Diversity, and the Diverse Learning Team for supporting staff in understanding this important resource and process.

Click here to access a resource for parents.

Parent Teacher Interviews – Term 3

The College will host Parent Teacher Interviews for all students K-12 (except Year 7) on Tuesday 21 July from 10.00am – 7.00pm. With restrictions lifting we are pleased to give parents the option to meet with their child’s teacher at the College.

Parent Teacher Online (PTO) details and details of locations, timing and ‘Covid Safe’ protocols will be shared with families before the end of Term.

For families on the Marcellin Campus please note that Year 10 students, together with their parents, will meet for a course counselling interview BEFORE the end of Term.

We are very mindful that secondary teachers teach more students than available time slots for interviews and as such, priority will be given for students in Years 11 and 12. We hope that student results and comments available to families on SEQTA, together with the Semester 1 report will give parents a level of feedback and academic progress information.

Year 7 families will have an opportunity to meet teachers on Thursday 30 July, from 3.30pm – 7.00pm in the Marist Auditorium.

Term 3 Pupil Free Days- Save the Dates

The following dates have been calendared for staff professional learning and parent engagement opportunities.

Monday 20 July – Staff Faith Formation Day
Tuesday 21 July – Parent Teacher Interviews
Friday 14 August – Staff Wellbeing Conference
Monday 17 August – COLLEGE CLOSED

Code of Conduct

A reminder to all families that the Code of Conduct can be accessed via the College website. The Code is mandated by Catholic Education Western Australia and the application of the code extends to all staff, students, parents, guardians, caregivers, and volunteers.

The Code seeks to value the dignity of every person, foster positive relationships, ensuring confidentiality and accountability and supports professional boundaries. Events held during school hours AND outside of school hours that are associated with the College are also supported by the Code of Conduct. Postings on social media platforms that identify the College or College events are also bound by the Code of Conduct.

Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with any member of the Senior Leadership Team. We thank you in advance for your understanding and support of how we strive to partner positively with one another.

Parent Facebook Groups

A reminder to parents that are members of the Parent Facebook groups that there are a Terms of Reference for the groups so that the intent of the group is understood by all parents. If you have concerns about College decisions and processes, teaching or learning, I strongly encourage you to direct your concern to your child’s Leader of Wellbeing or classroom teacher. Ensuring the parent community is accurately informed is important to us and College staff are best placed to resolve any queries.