Primary Archives - Newman College

From the Principal – Term 1 Week 1

Jenni Vile on 06/02/2026

Dear Newman College Families,

Welcome back to the 2026 Academic Year. We have enjoyed a great start to the year and it is so good to have our students returning to continue their Newman College journey. The start of the year is about so many ‘firsts’. The first day of compulsory schooling for our Pre-Primary children; the first day of Pre-Kindy and Kindy for our smallest little people; the beginning of Secondary school for Year 7, the Class of 2031, and the start for a group of students who have joined us for the first time in other year groups. The new beginnings along with our returning students, families and staff bring great joy to our Newman College community. We welcome new families and staff to our community and look forward to the contribution they will make to our College.

2026 Marist Theme

The beginning of a new year also allows us to refocus on our Marist way of being and learning. This year’s Marist Theme is, again, a beautiful invitation to live and learn. In 2026 the theme is Full of Grace- Transform the World with God’s Love. Pope Leo wrote last year “Now is the hour of love”. What if the world’s peace and flourishing began not with grand gestures, but a humble yes? Grace is that yes. It is God’s love, freely given, undeserved, unmeasured, and without conditions. It is offered to everyone. Once accepted, it overflows from our hearts and radiates outward, moving us to share God’s love with others. Grace is not abstract or distant; it is the living presence of God in the ordinary: a word of encouragement, listening with patience, a hand extended in peace. Abbot Jamison captures its power beautifully: “Grace is God’s way of restoring our trust in the goodness of life.”

We look forward to unpacking and understanding this most beautiful Marist theme with our community in 2026 – the small moments, the awareness of Grace and the sharing of Grace.

College Events

Thank you to families for their presence at the Lavalla Primary Information Evening and we look forward to the Parent Sundowner tonight and the upcoming Marcellin Secondary Information Night and College Family Mass. These events and further opportunities like the Lavalla and Marcellin Guild Swimming Carnivals, Lavalla Primary Picnic, the launch of the Year 9 Rite Journey 2026, the High Achievers Assembly and Lavalla assemblies are great moments to share with you in partnership and presence.

E-Scooter, E-Bikes and E-rideables

As outlined in our 2026 Welcome Pack Newman College is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all students. We recognise that eRideable devices such as eScooters and eBikes have become a popular mode of transport. However, these devices are subject to legislation that prohibit children under the age of 16 from using them.

Government Regulations

Under the Road Traffic Code 2000 (s228):

A person under 16 years of age must not ride a power-assisted pedal cycle with the power assistance engaged.
A person under 16 years of age must not ride an electric rideable device with its motor engaged.

College Regulations

Newman College students are not permitted to use or store an eRideable or eBike on school premises. Examples of eRideables include:

eScooters
eSkateboards
Hoverboards
eSkates
eUnicycles

If brought to school, they will be held and must be collected by a parent or caregiver.

For more information about eRideable regulations, please visit the Road Safety Commission website.
We appreciate your support in implementing these measures to ensure the safety of our students and the wider community.

I wish everyone a great year ahead.

Mr Andrew Watson

PRINCIPAL

From the Vice Principal – Term 1 Week 1

Jenni Vile on 06/02/2026

Welcome back to all our students and families as we begin a new academic year. It has been a fantastic start, filled with energy, optimism, and a strong sense of connection across the College.

From our youngest students starting pre-kindergarten, year-level assemblies and transition days for our Year 7 students, to meeting new teachers and reconnecting with peers, the opening week has set a positive tone for the year ahead. We look forward to building on this momentum as students continue to learn, grow, and thrive throughout 2026.

2026 Parent Information Handbook

The Newman College 2026 Information Handbook outlines and summarises key information for 2026 families who have students in Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12. This publication provides the essential information needed for daily life at Newman College. We encourage families to bookmark this and use it as a reference throughout the year. This includes:

Key Dates
College Leadership
Absentees
Uniform
Communications

Communication – General Queries

Please see Contact Us Page on our website for a list of emails to direct enquiries to.

Communication – Parent Concerns

We strongly value the partnership we share between families and the College to best support our young people. We understand concerns may arise throughout the year and we are here to address these together. The best results come from respectful and courteous written and verbal communication when raising these matters with staff. The Parent Code of Conduct outlines our shared responsibility in maintaining a safe, supportive, and respectful community for all.

As advocates for your children, it is important that concerns are raised in a timely and constructive manner, working in partnership with the College to seek positive outcomes. Open, respectful communication enables staff to respond thoughtfully and ensures that concerns are addressed in a way that supports student wellbeing, learning, and the strong relationships that underpin our community.

Sun Safety

As a SunSmart College, we ask that parents and caregivers remind students to apply sunscreen prior to the start of the school day. This supports our ongoing commitment to student health and wellbeing, particularly during outdoor learning, sport, and break times.

Extended Absences

Families are reminded that extended periods of leave, including holidays, should be taken during the gazetted school holidays. We understand that there may be occasions when parents/guardians need to make decisions regarding their child’s absence for important yet unapproved reasons. We want to highlight that such decisions may negatively impact your child’s learning and possibly result in a zero mark for assessments conducted during the absence, as per our College Assessment Policies. While we acknowledge that there may be unavoidable situations, we encourage you to consider the broader impact on your child’s learning journey.

There are special circumstances where extended absences may be approved and families should email beth.murphy@newman.wa.edu.au with as much notice as possible so that these may be considered.

Colours and Honours

In 2026 the College is excited to be introducing a colours and honours system to recognise student contribution in the Mission, Academic, Arts and Sport Pillars.

Students will be awarded points over their time in Years 7 to 12, students who earn over 50 points in a Pillar, will be awarded the Colours Badge for that Pillar, and students who earn over 100 points will be awarded the Honours Badge.

The College has collated existing student records and these will be distributed to parents and students via SEQTA this term.

Students who have achieved their Colours and Honours will be acknowledged at the end of term Celebration Assembly on Thursday, 2 April.

The College will work to implement a student recognition system for Primary students in 2027.

College Family Mass

Tuesday 17 February, our Newman College community comes together for the Family Mass, an event that holds great significance in reinforcing our identity as a Catholic school in the Marist educational tradition. The occasion is made even more special as we will celebrate the commissioning of our Year 6 and Year 12 Student Leaders.

I remind parents and students that participation in all aspects of College life, including events like the Family Mass, are an integral part of our shared commitment upon enrolling in the College. This is a compulsory attendance event for students in PP-Y12, and families are asked to ensure that students are present on this evening.

Communication has been sent to all families today from the Principal, Mr Andrew Waston, which can be found here.

We sincerely thank all our families, students, and staff for their support this special event.

Mrs Beth Murphy

VICE PRINCIPAL

Primary Update – Term 1 Week 1

Jenni Vile on 06/02/2026

Welcome back to what promises to be a meaningful and rewarding year of learning. I hope the holiday break allowed time for rest, renewal and connection with family and friends. It has been a pleasure to welcome our students back to school and see our community come to life once again with energy, optimism and purpose.

The year has begun very positively. Students have settled into routines with confidence and have returned eager to engage in their learning. Across the school, classrooms are calm, focused and purposeful, reflecting our shared commitment to high expectations, personalised learning and student wellbeing. It is encouraging to see students already demonstrating independence, curiosity and a willingness to challenge themselves as learners.

At Newman College, our approach to learning is grounded in faith and shaped by the Marist tradition, placing relationships, care, and growth at the heart of all that we do. We seek to create learning environments where each child feels known, supported, and encouraged to strive for their personal best. This is achieved most effectively through strong partnerships between school and home, and we greatly value the role families play in supporting their child’s learning journey.

It was wonderful to see so many families attend the Parent Information Sessions on Thursday evening. These sessions provided an opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, gain insight into class expectations, and develop a shared understanding of learning priorities for the year ahead. Thank you to all parents and carers who were able to attend and engage in these important conversations.

We look forward to a year of learning, growth, and collaboration as we continue to work together, guided by our shared values and the spirit of Marcellin Champagnat, to ensure the best possible outcomes for every student.

Support and Extension for Students

At Newman College, we follow the Tiered support for Support and Extension for students. The following diagram demonstrates how the three levels target support. In both support and extension, the most critical and impactful level is Tier 1. The classroom teacher spends the most time with the children and knows them best. They differentiate tasks and supports in the classrooms so all students can succeed and achieve their best.

Gifted Education Plans are developed for students who have been formally identified as gifted through assessment and reporting. Our Gifted and Talented teacher works with classroom teachers in preparing these plans before sharing them with families for feedback.

Curriculum Adjustment Plans are prepared for students with a diagnosis so we can track and target their needs in the classroom. Classroom teachers prepare these plans and will share them with families for their feedback once a year.

Individual Education Plans are prepared for students who are not able to access the year level curriculum. They have individual learning goals that are targeted at each students level. These are prepared by the classroom teacher and shared in a meeting with the Leader of Learning in Term 1 and again in Term 2. Collaborating with families is so important in creating effective and impactful plans for our students.

To ensure students receive timely and targeted support, our school follows a clear and consistent timeline for screening, intervention, and planning. Below is an outline of how support structures operate across the semester.

TERM 1

Week 1-2: Students are screened and grouping is determined.
Week 3: Withdrawn support and extension groups begin.
Week 1-4: IEP, CAP and GEP plans are updated and developed.
Week 5: IEP Meetings are organised by the Leader of Learning.
Week 5-9: CAP and GEP meetings are organised by classroom teachers.

TERM 3

Week 1-2: IEP plans are updated.
Week 3: IEP meetings are organised by the Leader of Learning.

This structured approach ensures support is responsive, collaborative, and aligned with each student’s learning needs throughout the year. More information about the types of support and extension is available in the presentation from the Parent Information Evening.

Keeping Our Students Safe at School

A friendly reminder that all toys and sporting equipment from home should stay at home. We are fortunate to have a wide range of sports and play equipment provided at school, and students are encouraged to enjoy these at recess and lunch.

Importantly, students have had opportunities to share what sporting equipment they enjoy using or would like to see more of at school. We have listened to their feedback, and where possible, additional equipment has been added or purchased to support their interests.

Morning Drop‑Off Update
To further support the safety and wellbeing of our students, there will be a small change to our morning drop‑off routine. Students in Years 1–6 will now sit and wait in the undercover area, where they will be supervised by staff. This allows us to closely monitor students and ensure a safe and calm start to the day for all.

Mrs Laura Christopher

HEAD OF PRIMARY

Teaching & Learning – Term1 Week 1

Jenni Vile on 06/02/2026

Secondary Parent Information Evening

On Monday 9 February, Secondary parents and students will gather for the Parent Information Evening. This is a key event that allows families to begin the year well-informed. Each year group session is compulsory, and families may then attend a range of other sessions on offer. The full schedule of events is available here.

YouTube at School

At the College, we are always looking for ways to support student learning, wellbeing, and online safety. With this in mind, we have made the decision to block direct student access to YouTube for all students during the school day.

While YouTube is an age-restricted platform for students under 16, our decision goes beyond age alone. We know that open access to YouTube during the school day can sometimes make it harder for students to stay focused and can create challenges around learning time and online safety. Taking a consistent, whole-school approach helps set clear expectations for students and supports staff in managing digital learning spaces effectively.

Importantly, students will still benefit from YouTube as a learning resource:

Teachers will continue to use carefully selected and previewed YouTube content as part of classroom learning.
YouTube videos embedded in OneNote will remain available at home, so students can revisit learning when needed.
In some cases, specific YouTube links may be temporarily enabled to support approved learning activities or research tasks.

This approach allows us to strike a balance, ensuring students can access high-quality digital resources while keeping learning time focused and safe.

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to create a positive, engaging, and safe learning environment for all students.

Physical Education Curriculum Variation

At Newman College, we are committed to providing a well-rounded education that supports students’ academic, physical, emotional, and social development. Our Physical Education program plays a vital role in this holistic formation, aligning with our mission to nurture the whole person in the context of faith, learning, and community.

Where students are unable to participate in Physical Education (PE) classes due to injury, illness, or medical conditions, a curriculum variation must be granted by the Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning and the Leader of Learning. All curriculum variation applications are to be supported by specialist medical documentation. Students must submit their curriculum variation and accompanying documentation prior to the commencement of their swimming unit. Students who have been granted a curriculum variation must remain in the PE class for the duration of the lesson and be under the direction of their PE teacher. This ensures the College’s duty of care and ensures students are present for important lesson content and do not fall behind. Students are not permitted to use this time to study in the library or complete homework. In some cases, students may be asked to complete a theory-based task related to the lesson. This approach ensures continued learning while supporting our core values of excellence, integrity, and respect.

To ensure all students feel comfortable in the pool, the uniform policy was updated last year to allow all students in Years 7-12 to purchase school board shorts for swimming lessons.

We appreciate your cooperation in supporting Physical Education at Newman College.

Mrs Sarah Pagett

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL OF TEACHING & LEARNING PK-12

Mission Update – Term 1 Week 1

Jenni Vile on 06/02/2026

The beginning of a school year is always a time of fresh starts. New classrooms, new routines, new friendships, and new opportunities to grow. Much like the start of a calendar year, it is a moment when many of us pause to reimagine what lies ahead, thinking about goals we want to set, habits we hope to form, and the ways we might “do better” this year.

Working to grow, improve, and develop positive habits is, of course, a beautiful thing. But the beginning of a school year doesn’t only have to be about what we plan to change or achieve. It is also an opportunity to notice what is already present among us…the strengths we bring, the challenges we have overcome, and the many quiet successes that often go unnoticed. It invites us to recognise the ways God is already at work in our community.

Our Marist theme for 2026, Full of Grace: Transform the World with God’s Love, speaks directly to this moment. Scripture reminds us that ‘from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace’ (John 1:16). God’s love is not something we earn through achievement or effort. It is a gift, freely given, without condition or exception. Each member of our school community is already held, valued, and loved, simply because of who they are.

To be full of grace as we begin this school year is to live with that awareness, and to allow it to shape the way we treat one another each day. When we live from a place of grace, we begin to see the goodness in others, and the world around us is transformed – not all at once, but through small, faithful acts of love. A word of encouragement to a student, patience in moments of challenge, or taking the time to be present to one another. These ordinary moments are where God’s love becomes visible and life-giving.

As we begin the school year together, our invitation is perhaps to worry less about becoming someone new, and instead to live more deeply from the grace we have already received, allowing it to shape our learning, our relationships, and the shared journey ahead.

Newman College Family Mass

Our Family Mass is a special opportunity for us to gather not just as a school, but as a faith community. While attendance is an important expectation for our students, the deeper purpose of this celebration is about connection between families, staff, students, and our shared Marist story. When families gather for Mass, we witness to our young people that faith is something lived together, strengthening our sense of belonging and reminding us that we walk this journey side by side. In the Marist tradition, community sits at the heart of who we are, and moments like this help bring that family spirit to life as we place the year ahead in God’s loving care.

Cathedral Outreach on Ash Wednesday

On Ash Wednesday, four of our Year 11 students will join Mr Box, Mrs Owen, and Mrs Scanlan in taking part in Cathedral Outreach at St Mary’s Cathedral. In preparation, students will cook soup and make sandwiches here at the College before partnering with Shopfront at the Cathedral to serve those in need, toasting sandwiches and sharing warm soup with members of the wider community.

This initiative brings to life a core part of our College’s vision for mission: outreach, service, and partnership with Church organisations. It is a practical expression of our commitment to stand alongside others with compassion, dignity, and respect, particularly at the beginning of the Lenten season.

In the Marist tradition, service is rarely about being seen. Marcellin Champagnat believed deeply in the power of quiet, faithful acts of love…the kind that may go unnoticed, but which carry lasting impact. Through this experience, our students are invited to encounter Christ in the ordinary moments of service: in preparing food, offering hospitality, and being present to those they meet.

As we begin our journey toward Lent, this outreach reminds us that transforming the world does not require grand gestures. It begins with simple acts, offered generously and humbly, that allow God’s love to become visible in the lives of others.

We are grateful to our students and staff for continuing the Marist tradition of service and for witnessing so beautifully to the Gospel through their actions.

Mr Stuart McClorey

DIRECTOR OF MISSION & CATHOLIC IDENTITY