Hopefully, you were able to see our celebration of Father’s Day through last week’s social posts or through attending the Community Mass or Marian Liturgy. It was heartening to see so many fathers, grandfathers and father figures at these celebrations and the expression of gratitude shown by the students. I hope all fathers had a great day.
Year 12 Game Changers Graduation and Marist Connect Night
We know the time for Year 12 farewell and graduation is close at hand when we are hosting the Year 12 Game Changers students, their parents and mentors at the Graduation Dinner. This group has journeyed together since Year 7, experiencing the Le Rosey, La Valla and Hermitage programs of Game Changers. As a part of Marist Youth Ministry, Game Changers explores core topics in the Catholic faith of Marist Charism. The students also express their ministry through service and connection to the community. It was a joyful family night where the students also presented their reflections on being a part of Game Changers.
The next evening saw our Year 11 Game Changers students meeting Bunbury Catholic College and St Joseph’s Northam in the Marist Connect program. Each Connect evening focuses on a topical theme and ends with a shared prayer and meal. Thank you to our Ministry Team for their work in these programs.
Primary Athletics Carnival and ACC ISP Athletics Carnival
Today there was a real athletics theme at Newman College. Our Primary Athletics Carnival went ahead with much fun and high spirits. It was great to see our students doing their best and participating in the many events on the track, in the field and in novelty events. At the same time, the Secondary Support students were having a brilliant time competing in the ACC ISP Athletics event at McGillivray Reserve, UWA Sports Park. The students shone in their participation and support of one another across so many events. Thank you to the parents and families who attended both carnivals in support and to all staff involved in making the day a memorable one for Primary and Education Support students.
Newman Quiz Night
Over 200 people attended last Friday’s Newman College Community Quiz Night. This was the third event under Parent Engagement this year, following the Summer Soire and Autumn Family Movie Night. These events were planned with the Newman Parent Forum input and Friday’s quiz night was so well supported. The event raised a further $800 towards Marist Solidarity and the funds will benefit the work of our Marist groups in supporting education and opportunity in communities needing help. Thanks to all who attended and to our great staff who organised and ran the night.
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STEM, HaSS and Languages Weeks
The past three weeks have seen the celebration of three learning areas. STEM Week was first and the staff and students explored interesting science activities with some fun – ice cream making, sherbet making, and rocket launching to name just a few. HaSS followed last week with Minecraft, Medieval combat displays and quizzes. This week was Languages’ turn and we have been treated to Japanese drumming, gelato, piano accordion and foreign language pop songs replacing the final bell. A great few weeks organised by our passionate and dedicated teachers, and the students have loved the variety.
Year 7-9 High Achievers Assembly
The second of the Marcellin Campus High Achievers Assembly was celebrated this week. The parents of the academic high achievers joined us to recognise outstanding achievements from Semester 1. In the assembly, I outlined the importance of celebrating and nurturing academic excellence in the same way that we proudly support sporting success. Congratulations to our high achievers!
Catholic Performing Arts Festival
The CPAF concluded with some wonderful performances and news. Last Thursday evening, the Newman College Dance Troupe performed brilliantly, and we were also informed of the individual success of Heloise Nathan who was awarded the Monsignor Michael Keating Award. Congratulations to these Arts students.
Term Break
As we draw closer to the end of the term, which is on Friday, 20 September, I ask for families’ support in ensuring our students are present until the end of term. The College places the term, and mid-term breaks for families to plan holidays and time together. When holidays are taken in the final days of the school term days, there is a great disruption to learning and it projects an attitude that the last days of term are not important. Removing students early just creates pressure on classes and teachers by reducing the amount of time to learn and teach, and our students suffer by not being able to demonstrate their best or learn content sufficiently.
Last week’s Father’s Day events were a wonderful celebration of the father and father figures in our community. Lavalla’s Thursday Mass and Friday’s Marian Liturgy were both wonderful ways to honour the fathers in our community. A huge thank you to the Year 2 classes for running the Liturgy at Marian Campus, and to Mrs Jane Short for her coordination and planning of these events. I hope all fathers had a wonderful weekend.
Athletics Carnival
Today’s Athletics Carnival was a sensational day of athleticism and sportsmanship. All of our Pre-Primary-Year 6 students tried their hardest and it was a joy to see so many of them do their best, reach personal bests and break records! All students are to be congratulated on they way they gave their all during the day. Big thanks to all of the primary staff who made the day a huge success, with particular thanks to Tash Richards and Lara Vlahov for their outstanding preparation, organisation, and running of the day.
Languages Week Activities
Over the past 2 weeks the Primary have celebrated Languages Week with a range of wonderful activities, including immersive hands-on experiences, drumming incursions and gelato vans. A huge thanks to Sensei O’Keefe and Signora Lynch for their organisation of these meaningful experiences for our Primary students.
Newman Norms / Medals of Marcellin
Our new Newman Norms are now on our website and I encourage you to have a look at these expectations for our Primary students – Newman Norms – Newman College. Each week our staff and students will focus on 1 Norm, to discuss and unpack what that norm means for our students in their day-to-day school life.
Recently Cailin & Fox (Marian) and Miles & Bradley (Lavalla) were drawn out of the raffle for demonstrating our Newman Norms. Congratulations to all students who received a raffle ticket in the past fortnight. We are over halfway through our term and the competition between factions is very close!
URSTRONG – Lesson 8 Upcoming
Lesson 8 (our final lesson) will be rolled out across the Primary next week. The areas of focus for this upcoming lesson are:
Pk-2: The final session ties it all together, reviewing the key concepts, and students share their culminating project, “Put Yourself in a Friend’s Shoes,” designed to strengthen empathy.
Yr 3 & 4: The final session ties it all together, reviewing the key concepts, and students share their culminating project, “Looking into Your Sole,” designed to strengthen empathy.
Yr 5 & 6: The final session ties it all together, reviewing the key concepts, and students share their culminating project, “Walk a Mile in My Shoes,” designed to strengthen empathy.
A reminder parents have access to a FREE URSTRONG parent membership. We hope that as a URSTRONG Family, you will reinforce the important messages of empowerment, self-compassion, & kindness at home.
Promoting Safe and Responsible Online Behaviour
As we continue to navigate the digital age, it’s more important than ever to ensure our children are using technology in a safe and responsible manner. Recently, we have become aware of instances where some students have been using social media and group messaging inappropriately. This is a concern for us all, as it can have lasting impacts on both their wellbeing and their interactions with others.
We understand that managing your child’s online activity can be challenging, but it is essential to monitor their use of electronic devices. Children often lack the maturity to fully understand the consequences of their actions online, making parental guidance crucial.
To support you in this role, we strongly encourage you to visit the eSafety Commissioner’s website at www.esafety.gov.au This site offers a wealth of resources designed to help parents foster healthy online habits in their children. You’ll find practical advice on setting up parental controls, managing screen time, and understanding the risks associated with social media use.
Here are a few tips to help you support your child’s online safety:
Regularly Discuss Online Behaviour: Have open conversations with your child about their online interactions and the importance of kindness and respect in digital communication.
Set Boundaries: Establish clear rules around screen time and the types of content your child can access. The eSafety website offers guidelines on how to set these boundaries effectively.
Supervise and Monitor: Be aware of the apps and websites your child is using. Monitoring their activity can help you identify any potential issues early on.
Educate About Privacy: Teach your child about the importance of keeping personal information private and the dangers of sharing too much online.
We are committed to working together to ensure our students are safe and responsible online. If you have any concerns or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or explore the resources provided by the eSafety Commissioner.
Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation.
Justin Kirry
Leader of Wellbeing 3-6
Dogs on School Grounds
A reminder that due to allergies and some anxieties, dogs are not permitted on school grounds. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding to ensure the safety of all members of our school community.
On Wednesday, 4 September, we will gather for our Year 7-9 Celebration Assembly to recognise and honour the outstanding academic achievements of our Year 7-9 students from Semester One. This occasion is an opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate the hard work, dedication, and successes of our young learners.
At Newman College, we believe that putting students at the centre of their goal-setting journey empowers them to strive for and reach their full potential, both academically and personally. Celebration is a powerful motivator, encouraging all students to continue pursuing personal excellence.
We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our Year 7-9 High Achievers next week.
PP-Y6 Athletics Carnival
On Friday 6 September, the combined Marian and Lavalla Athletics Carnival will take place at the Marcellin Campus Oval. This year’s event will follow a roving carnival format, which is designed to enhance student engagement and participation. The event program and map are attached below. Please note that event timings are approximate, so we recommend allowing extra time if you plan to attend specific activities.
Parents and spectators are welcome to attend and are asked to sit in the designated area on the western side of the Marcellin Oval. Specific facilities, including restrooms, are assigned for your use – please avoid using other College facilities. This is also an alcohol-free event.
We look forward to a successful day of competition and camaraderie. Thank you for your continued support of our staff and students, and special thanks to Ms Vlahov and Ms Richards for organising this event for our PP-6 students.
At Newman College, we understand that there are times when you may need to make decisions about your child’s attendance due to important family events or other personal reasons. As a College, we are guided by the Department of Education regulations, which require us to categorise absences as either “Approved” or “Unapproved.” Approved absences include circumstances such as illness, bereavement, or participation in College-endorsed events, while unapproved absences generally refer to holidays or family gatherings during term time.
We recognise that every family’s situation is unique, and there may be unavoidable circumstances that require your child to be absent from school. However, we kindly ask you to consider the potential impact that missing school can have on your child’s learning and academic progress. Unapproved absences may lead to your child missing out on important assessments or classroom activities, which could affect their overall academic performance, in line with our College Assessment Policies.
To support your child’s continued growth and learning, we strongly encourage planning family leave during the designated school holidays whenever possible. By doing so, you help ensure that your child remains engaged with their studies and can benefit from the full range of educational experiences we offer.
In a time of rapid technological change, Newman College is proud to be the first school in Western Australia to offer an AI course approved by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) as a School-Developed Endorsed course. This course not only prepares students for life after school but also contributes credits towards their Western Australian Certificate of Education.
Our course, AI Empowerment: Equipping Students for an Intelligent Future, is designed to meet the needs of students in Western Australia today. To thrive in modern society, every person needs to be ‘digitally literate’—meaning they should have the basic digital skills to succeed in the workplace (Bawden, 2008). By 2030, there will be a demand for 161,000 specialist AI workers in Australia (CSIRO, 2019), which makes it crucial that we equip our students with the skills and knowledge they will need in an AI-driven world.
Students graduating in 2030, like those currently in Year 6, will face this new reality, yet many of them, and those in later years, currently have limited understanding of AI. Our course aims to fill this gap, focusing on empowering students, particularly those in Years 10-12, as they prepare for life after school. Whilst mapping our digital technology electives in the middle secondary school to begin empowerment even earlier.
It is vital that schools, from primary through to secondary, teach AI concepts so that future generations can become informed citizens who understand the technologies they use every day. Students need to develop AI literacy to live, learn, and work in the digital world (Steinbauer et al., 2021). By giving secondary students, the chance to learn about the basics of AI—its science, possibilities, limits, and social and economic impacts—we prepare them for further AI studies or careers (Heintz, 2021). Introducing AI concepts early in their education sets a strong foundation for their future, fostering curiosity and innovation in young minds and setting them up for lifelong learning and exploration.
Our course emphasises real-world learning experiences. Through hands-on activities, students see how AI can automate and enhance tasks (Ali et al., 2022). The course also nurtures creativity—a uniquely human trait that is less likely to be automated. Encouraging creativity helps students use AI to generate new ideas and innovative solutions, making them more employable in the future. As AI becomes part of many industries, understanding AI concepts, applications, and ethics will become even more valuable. This course prepares students for success, whether they choose AI-related careers or become developers of AI technologies. It also helps develop a generation of AI-literate professionals who can navigate and contribute to our rapidly changing technological world and understand their ethical responsibilities when using AI.
By introducing AI concepts before students reach tertiary education or the workforce, and by focusing on critical thinking, ethics, practical skills, and future readiness, this course helps schools equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the 21st century as traditional academic learning alone no longer meets the demands of the modern world (World Economic Forum, 2016).
On August 15, we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption followed by our Fete and Buddy Activities. Staff and students attended one of three beautiful Masses in the morning. I passed on our thanks to Fr. Kaz and Fr. Hyginus for celebrating the Eucharist. The remainder of the day was a time for community, fun and involvement. Guild sporting activities and Primary Buddy activities followed the Fete times across the whole College. A beautiful element of the day was the focus on gratitude and awareness.
Each Secondary year group embraced the challenge of expressing gratitude, support, and social awareness. Year 7 and 8 students created friendship bracelets to share, while Year 9 wrote advocacy letters for Amnesty International. Year 10 sent letters of appreciation to healthcare workers, Year 11 wrote to local aged care residents and Year 12 spread messages of support and inspiration across the campus for all students. Meanwhile, our Primary students enjoyed games and buddy activities. The spirit of family and connection to the broader community was evident throughout the day, and I commend our students for their leadership on this Feast Day.
Year 10-12 High Achievers Celebrate Assembly
Last week also saw us celebrating the students from Semester 1 who were recognised as academic high achievers. We were joined by many parents and grandparents in the assembly, where the central message was the importance of celebrating and supporting excellence in academic achievement. It is the basis on which society positively moves forward, nurturing the academics, researchers, community leaders and innovators of tomorrow. In my address, I highlighted that this achievement is as important as celebrating the wonderful successes we have witnessed at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics.
Primary Book Week
It was such a joy to join our Marian and Lavalla students as they celebrated the wonderful world of literature. As a parent, I can relate to the sudden rush when you realise Book Week has snuck up, and your child asks, ‘What am I wearing?’ The Children’s Book Council of Australia, founded in 1945, took on the important task of promoting Australian literature for children, an area that was not yet well developed. This year’s Book Week Parade, themed ‘Reading is Magic,’ showcased the incredible imagination of our Primary students. But beyond the costumes and fun, the true essence of Book Week lies in fostering a love for reading and encouraging children to discover books and stories that capture their imaginations.
The week-long celebration ended with a book-focussed Marian Assembly hosted by the very entertaining Pre-Primary Blue. Marcellin campus also joined in the fun of Book Week, organised by the English Department.
Mullewa Year 11 Game Changers
Newman College’s long-standing relationship with the Mullewa community continued this week with three staff and 13 students working in the community for the week. The immersion included time helping in the local primary school, working in the Parish and helping the community to prepare for the local flower show. It is a great and enduring relationship that the College is so blessed to have with the Mullewa community.
Catholic Performing Arts Festival
Our students have been participating in the Catholic Performing Arts Festival, which began in mid-July and features over 20,000 students from 162 schools. The performances span various categories and will continue until the finale on September 6. We look forward to sharing the results of our talented performers in our September newsletter after the finale.
