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Primary Update – Term 2 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 23/05/2025

1 Blue Assembly 

On Friday of last week, Year 1 Blue entertained us with the assembly dedicated to their Mums, sharing the many reasons they love their Mums and acknowledging all the many balls that the Mums in our community juggle while always having the time to stop and have a cuddle. Thank you, 1 Blue, Miss Tess McKenna and Mrs Julie Romano for such a well-performed, heart-warming assembly.  

Year 2 Green Assembly 

This morning, 2 Green entertained and educated us with their love of Science, experiments and potions! They even performed experiments on stage! Massive thank you to 2 Green, Mrs Catherine Nicolaou, Mrs Trish Eindorf and Ms Aishlin Fritz, for highlighting not only is Chemistry fun and exciting, but it is also important in improving our world.  

Year 3-6 Guild Cross Country  

Last Friday, we celebrated our inaugural Year 3-6 Guild Cross Country, showcasing the incredible spirit and perseverance of our students. From the first stride to the final finish line, each participant demonstrated remarkable grit, determination, and sportsmanship. The energy was palpable as students cheered on their peers, embodying the true essence of our school community. A special thank you to Mrs Hannah Barnsley for all of her organisation and coordination of the event.  

Congratulations to our medal winners: 

  Girls Boys 
Year 3 1st  Lucy Summerfield (Camara) Harry Bluff (Chishom) 
 2nd  Finley Shephard (MacKillop) Tom Atkinson (Thomas More) 
 3rd  Frankie Baily (Camara) Noah Steens (Camara) 
Year 4 1st  Zoe Harris (MacKillop) Donovan Johnson (Catherine) 
 2nd  Indiana Dutton (Thomas More) Austin Houlahan (Camara) 
 3rd  Sophie Magee (Camara) Cristian Cameron (Brigid) 
Year 5 1st  Sicily Moschopoulos (Romero) Nikhil Nair (Brigid) 
 2nd  Lucy Cumberworth (Chisholm) Izei Goldaracena Zubiri (Chisholm) 
 3rd  Clara Schlitter (Brigid) Julian Posselt (Chisholm) 
Year 6 1st  Isabelle Hobson (Romero) Blake Martin (Catherine) 
 2nd  Samantha Glyde (Thomas More) Rohan Shephard (MacKillop) 
 3rd  Maya Martin-Booth (Thomas More) Samuel Baily (Camara) 
    

Homework Club 

A friendly reminder that Homework Club for Years 3–6 takes place every Tuesday from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm in the 3–6 Building (Ground Floor). 

To ensure the safety and accountability of all students: 

  • Teachers will sign in students upon their arrival. 
  • Parents or guardians are required to present themselves to sign their child out at the conclusion of the session. 
  • If you wish for your child to be dismissed without parent collection, please inform us by emailing primary.admin@newman.wa.edu.au no later than the Friday prior to the Homework Club session. 
  • We kindly ask that all students are collected promptly at 4:30 pm to ensure staff can conclude the session on time. 

We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a secure and supportive environment for our students. 

Marian Photos  

Just a friendly reminder that photos at the Marian campus will take place on 29 and 30 May. Uniform requirements for these two days are: 

  • Y1-Y2:                  Winter Uniform with jumper   
  • Pre-Primary:      Sport Uniform (no guild shirt) 
  • Kindy:                  No uniform (kindy top an option) 

Mrs Sarah Pagett

ACTING HEAD OF PRIMARY

From the Vice Principal – Term 2 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 23/05/2025

National Reconciliation Week – 27 May – 3 June

Reconciliation is an ongoing journey focused on strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community, for the benefit of all Australians. It reminds us of the generations who have worked tirelessly for meaningful change and calls us to continue striving for a just and equitable society – one where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have the same life opportunities as non-Indigenous children, with improved outcomes in education, health, and economic wellbeing.

Throughout the week, Newman College students from Pre-Kindy to Year 12 will engage in a variety of activities designed to deepen their understanding of our shared histories, cultures, and achievements. These experiences will also encourage students to reflect on how each of us can contribute to reconciliation in Australia. We look forward to sharing highlights with you in our next newsletter.

Newman College Community Quiz Night

The Newman College Community Quiz Night will be held on Friday 20 June.  

Parents of the College are invited to come together for a fun night of friendly competition and community spirit, in support of two worth causes; Youth Focus, an organisation that works to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Western Australians between the ages of 12 and 25, and Marist Solidarity, an aid agency that provides education to young people in communities in our province. As a Marist school, these are important causes that are close to our hearts.  

The link for booking can be accessed here.

Lavalla Campus Carpark – Updated Traffic Guidelines

With the recent removal of the Badge Site Offices from the Lavalla Carpark, we ask for your continued support in maintaining safe and efficient traffic flow during pick-up times.

To help avoid congestion at the entrance and exit points, we kindly request the following:

  • Please continue to clearly display your family names on the car dashboard if you are using the Kiss ‘N’ Drive service.
  • If your child is not ready for collection in the Kiss ‘N’ Drive zone, please continue through the loop and either rejoin the circuit or park in the Eastern section of the carpark.
  • Parents wishing to park should remain in the right lane and use the main carpark bays.
  • Please keep the left lane clear and moving to ensure traffic flows smoothly and to prevent cars from backing up onto Empire Avenue.

Your cooperation in following these guidelines will help create a safer, more efficient environment for all members of our community. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Mr Michael Chiera

VICE PRINCIPAL

From the Principal – Term 2 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 23/05/2025

Dear Families,  

Week 4, and we are almost at the halfway point of Term 2, and our students have been so busy with their learning. 

Primary 

Primary assemblies have been great features of the past weeks, where Year 6 Red informed us of the wonders of parts of the world, Year 1 Blue led us in the celebration of Mothers and Year 2 Green explored the fascinating world of science. Assemblies are such great opportunities for our students to experience performance and work together, even if it means working outside their comfort zone. We had another first for the Guild system in Primary with the Lavalla Guild Cross Country Carnival last week under blue skies and run with great Guild spirit. Congratulations to all the students for running.  

Simultaneous Reading 

Yesterday, our Marian students joined with children across the Country for National Simultaneous Storytime, sharing in the joy of reading The Truck Cat. 

Secondary Sport 

The past fortnight has seen our Year 7 students competing in the Winter NAS Carnival, netballers participating in the SSWA Netball Carnival, the First XVIII and Year 8/9 Eagles Cup teams playing SEDA College and John Forrest Senior High School, respectively. We also had the presentation of uniforms for the Marist Netball Team, who will play in the Marist Netball Carnival next week in Adelaide. Winter provides so many options for our students to pursue sporting interests and great competitions.  

Genesis Dance Troupe for Marian and Year 7-9 Production 

Our youngest students have taken to the Genesis Dance Troupe program with great enthusiasm and participation. Aimed at Year 1 and Year 2 students, Genesis then provides a pathway into the Lavalla Dance program and beyond. What a great opportunity and joyful program it is!

Following closely after the Bugsy Malone Musical, the students of the Arts have been rehearsing for their performance of Emil and the Detectives, which will be performed in July. The Arts is such a wonderful area for our students to discover, imagine, create, and many of the Visual Arts pieces are starting to take shape in classroom Art across the College.   

Mock Trials and Science and Engineering Challenge 

We have a great tradition in the Mock Trials competition, which takes place at this time every year. Students in our Politics and Law course extend their learning to real-life experience in the Law Courts, through this senior secondary experience. So far this year, the team has competed against Mandurah Catholic College and Servite College and won both rounds. The round of law trials will end in July, followed by three rounds of finals. 

The Science and Engineering Challenge at Murdoch University saw our student groups take part in hands-on STEM challenge activities. Along with the competition, our students gained great insights into engineering by working alongside industry professionals, and the team placed first overall in the challenge. Great work! 

Marcellin Campus – Celebration Assembly 

Our Vision for Learning captures Challenge, Collaborate, Create and Celebrate, and the Celebration Assemblies each term showcase the excellence in the educational and co-curricular pursuits of our students. This week we held the first of the assemblies for the term, and we were treated to some performances from our music students, updates to the Guild Champagnat Shield progress scores and reports from the Ministry, Academic, Wellbeing, Sport and Arts Captains.  

 
Marian Lecture  

A highlight in a Marist community is the annual Marian Lecture, which takes place in May, the month of Mary. Last week, we hosted a group of 30 people who are a part of the Marist Association, as we all listened to the live streamed lecture from Professor Stan Grant, the guest speaker. Prof. Grant captured the magic and mystery we all experience in our encounter with Jesus and through the example of Mary. Prof. Grant shared his insights on the connection between First Nations spirituality and the Christian faith. We all left with much to unpack and consider for our next gathering of the Marist Association. 

Senior Examinations 

In the coming weeks, our Year 12, 11 and 10 students will undertake their Semester One examinations. The introduction of the Equip Guide Thrive program (EGT) this year has sharpened the focus on preparation for study and personal success in learning. We wish our senior students the very best for this set of assessments.  

Mr Andrew Watson

PRINCIPAL

From the Vice Principal – Week 2 Term 2

Jenni Vile on 09/05/2025

Marian Lecture

As a Marist College, May holds special significance for our community. It is a time to reflect deeply on one of our core Marist characteristics, “In the Way of Mary”, and to consider how we embody this in our daily lives. In this edition of the newsletter, our Director of Mission and Catholic Identity, Mr Stuart McClorey, shares further insights into this meaningful theme.

In connection with this focus, we are delighted to host a live stream of the Marian Lecture, a free event open to all members of our College community. We warmly invite you to join us for this special occasion. Light refreshments will be served following the lecture.

Please register your interest to attend  here.

YourMove – Term 2 Update

Earlier this week, it was lovely to have Sonja Stemler, the Active Transport Project Manager from the City of Stirling visit the College. Sonja joined me on a tour, as we discussed the different initiatives that the College has in place and potential improvements to promote active transport in our community.

Sonja provided some invaluable insights into how the College can get the most out of the YourMove program. You can keep up to date with our journey here.

Winter Uniform and Presentation

It has been great to see students back on Campus this term in their Winter Academic Uniform. The Leaders of Wellbeing have been completing uniform checks over the week and have been pleased with the way most students are presenting. I would like to thank families and students for their continued support in maintaining Newman College’s high presentation standards.

Mr Michael Chiera

VICE PRINCIPAL

Primary Update – Term 2 Week 2

Jenni Vile on 09/05/2025

Welcome back to Term Two. The primary school community has welcomed me in my new role as Head of Primary in Ryan von Bergheim’s absence. My background is in both primary and secondary teaching, spending much of my career specialising in Diversity and Learning Support, which has given me a big-picture view of the learning journey our students go through, from those first days in Pre-Kindy all the way through to the later years of school and beyond. I’m particularly passionate about helping students prepare for the many transitions they’ll experience, making sure they feel ready—not just for the next year, but for life beyond school. I also care deeply about diversity, especially neurodiversity, and the different ways children experience and interact with the world around them.  

I am excited to get to know all the students quickly and thank everyone for their kind words over the past two weeks. 

Year 6 Red Assembly

Last Friday, Year 6 Red performed a magnificent assembly, using their imagination to fly us via Newman Airlines to China, New Zealand, the United States of America, Italy, and North Korea. We learnt some funny and quirky facts about each of these countries. Thanks to Year 6 Red and Ms Lara Gray for their outstanding performance.

Fathering Project 

The Fathering Project recognises that fathers and father figures play a vital role in the lives of children. The evidence demonstrating fathers’ potential to positively influence their children’s health and mental health, social success and academic achievements is robust and compelling. 

Delivering engaging prevention and intervention programs and research-based resources will equip fathers with the skills to be the best father they can be and improve the lives of fathers, children, and families for generations to come. 

Our next event, ‘Bangers and Bingo,’ is being held on 23 May at the Marian Hall and is open to all primary families. Tickets are currently available here. A special thank you to Newman College Dad, Matt Hamilton, for organising this important event.  

Teaching Mathematics Across the Primary School  

Over the last two years, we been reviewing and updating Mathematics teaching across the primary years. Our focus has been on upskilling staff on High Impact Teaching practices and aligning the Mathematics curriculum across the year levels.  

High Impact Teaching practices are strategies that research shows have the greatest impact in improving academic outcomes and deeper learning. Some strategies you may hear about in include: 

  • Daily Reviews – these are quick hits of previous learning that help to transfer learning to long term memory.    
  • Clear and explicit learning intentions and success criteria – the teacher explains exactly what the main focus of the lesson is and what is expected of the students by the end of the lesson. This helps students stay focused on the learning and recognise the steps needed to experience success in their learning.  
  • Structured lessons (I do, We do, You do) – this structure is consistent across each year level so students become familiar with expectations and can expand their thinking on the Maths learning, not what comes next in the lesson.   

We use a range of ORIGO Mathematics resources that follow a spiral curriculum, allowing students to develop mastery of skills and understandings over time. Students engage in a range of experiences that move from concrete, hands on learning, to abstract and symbolic representations of mathematical concepts. This approach allows students to gain deep understanding of concepts and skills and experience success in their learning. Learning is organised into modules and there are check ups of student learning for each module followed by quarterly tests each term. This tracking helps to provide timely feedback to students that corrects misconceptions and guides relevant planning for future lessons. This is also useful information that helps demonstrate student learning progress with parents.  

We are excited about the growth we’re seeing and remain committed to providing all students with a strong foundation in Mathematics that supports confidence, curiosity, and long-term success. 

School Photos 

School photos will be held at the following dates, with Envelopes being sent home today.  

  • 23 May – Lavalla Campus, Y3-Y6
  • 29 and 30 May – Marian Campus, PK-2 May

Uniform requirements for these days include: 

  • Y1-Y3:                  Winter Uniform with jumper 
  • Y4-Y6:                 Winter Uniform including blazer and Tie (boys). No jumper is required.  
  • Pre-Primary:      Sport Uniform (no guild shirt) 
  • Kindy:                  No uniform (kindy top an option) 
  • Pre Kindy:           No uniform  

Year 3-6 Guild Cross Country Carnival 

Further to correspondence from Mrs Barnsley, the Year 3-6 Guild Cross Country Carnival will take place next Thursday 16 May. Students must wear their sports uniform with their faction shirt and bring a drink bottle and a hat.  

The approximate timeline for the day is as follows:  

  • 9.10am Year 3 race (1.5km)  
  • 9.30am Year 4 race (1.5km)  

Presentations for Year 3 and 4 students will take place at the conclusion of the Year 4 race.  

  • 11.10am – RECESS  
  • 11.40am Year 5 race (2.5km)  
  • 12.00pm Year 6 race (2.5km)  

Presentations for Year 5 and 6 students will take place at the conclusion of the Year 6 race.  

If you are attending as a spectator, please ensure you remain in the designated spectator area, spectator on the oval along Dolomite Ct. Visitors must sign in on the day via the QR code in the spectator area. 

Mother’s Day

It was so wonderful to see so many mothers and significant female figures attend today’s Mother’s Day breakfast and Liturgy at Marian. Thank you to Year 1 for your terrific reading, singing, and liturgical dancing. We wish all mothers and significant female figures in our community a very happy Mother’s Day.

Road Safety Slogan Competition

Dogs on Campus 

A reminder that for the comfort and safety of all primary students, dogs are not allowed on either Primary Campus. We have students who are allergic to animals, as well as those who are frightened of dogs. If bringing your dog with you to collect your child, we ask that the dog remain on a leash outside of the campus. Your support is greatly appreciated.   

Mrs Sarah Pagett

ACTING HEAD OF PRIMARY