Welcome back to Term 4! The first two weeks of the new term have seen all classes settle back into the good routine of learning and teaching. It has been so energising visiting classes across Marian, Lavalla and Marcellin campuses, and watching our students dive deeply into their learning. We welcome new families to our community who have begun their Newman College journey in Term 4.
Year 12 Graduation Mass & Awards Ceremony
This significant rite of passage was held on October 16 at Optus Stadium. Fr Garner celebrated Mass and families, staff and the Class of 2024 then moved into a formal dinner and presentations. Each student was presented to the community, acknowledging their place as graduating students from Newman College. Subject and College awards were also featured alongside the 2024 College Captains’ Address. The Class of 2024 was acknowledged for their legacy to our community and sharing the night with families was so special for our staff. Our prayers are with the Graduates as they prepare for WACE examinations or move into traineeships, apprenticeships, TAFE or work.
Feast Celebrations
The Feast Day of our College Patron, St John Henry Newman, happened on 9 October. We came together as a College community the following day to celebrate St John Henry Newman with Mass and the Primary Buddy Day. For those unaware, St John Henry Newman was a 19th century significant leader of the Church. Having spent the first half of his life in the Anglican tradition and ordained, Newman became a Catholic on 9 October 1845 after a significant time of discernment, eventually becoming a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. In the decision pre-dating the beginning of Newman College, Churchlands in 1977, the orders of the Marist Brother and Dominican and Brigidine sisters settled on the name of the new College as Newman. It first began as the Newman system before evolving into our school today. In St John Henry Newman, the community of the time saw the wonderful example of a person with great spiritual depth and a relational base to faith. St John Henry Newman wrote of a faith where ‘heart speaks to heart’ and this meets the Spirituality of the Heart that is our Marist way- Strong Mind, Gentle Heart.
This fortnight we have also remembered St Mary MacKillop whose canonisation anniversary falls on October 16. St Mary of the Cross. In Australian education and Christian faith, St Mary stands as a giant who, through the work of her Sisters of St Joseph, brought Catholic education to much of Australia’s rural and regional areas in the late 19th and through the 20th centuries. Our Mackillop Guild is named in honour of Mary MacKillop.
As you would know when attending our parent nights and major celebrations we pray to St Mary of the Cross and St John Henry Newman, alongside Mary our Good Mother and St Marcellin Champagnat in our Litany of Prayer.
Celebrating Alumni- Rhodes Scholar
You may have noticed our recent social media posts celebrating Alumna. Eden Rigo (Class of 2015) who was recently announced as the recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship 2025. She will begin her studies at Oxford University in 2025.
Eden has excelled in sports, drama and academia, and is driven to create equitable, sustainable communities in her work. We have been researching into our 113 year history as a school entity to determine whether Eden is our first Rhodes Scholarship recipient. Eden is in fact our second Rhodes Scholar, the first being Bronte Adams in 1986.
Our College community is so proud of Eden and we look forward to the wonderful impact she will continue to make through her studies and commitment.
To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often. St John Henry Newman
Newman College Arts Students Shine at the Catholic Performing Arts Festival 2024
Newman College is delighted to celebrate the incredible achievements of its Arts students at this year’s Catholic Performing Arts Festival 2024. We had 277 students from the Lavalla and Marcellin campuses take part in a range of categories, including music, drama, and dance, and their performances were met with great acclaim.
A special congratulations goes to Heloise Nathan, who was awarded the Monsignor Michael Keating Shield, a prestigious honour recognizing her outstanding contribution to the festival. In addition, the College’s production of The Tempest was awarded an Outstanding for its captivating portrayal of Shakespeare’s classic. The Lavalla String Ensemble also earned an Outstanding Award, as did several of our talented String soloists.
Our Primary and Senior Dance Troupes both received Certificates of Excellence, a testament to their hard work and dynamic performances on stage.
These successes are the result of the dedication and passion of not only the students but also their teachers, who have worked tirelessly to support them. Hours of rehearsals and preparation were required to bring these performances to life, and the hard work truly paid off.
Thank you to all involved for making this year’s festival such a success, and congratulations to the students and staff for representing Newman College with pride and excellence.
Merit
Newman College Concert Winds – CONCERT BAND – JUNIOR (YEARS 4-10)
Lavalla Choir – PRIMARY CHORAL (BEGINNING CHOIR)
Newman College Chamber Choir – SECONDARY CHORAL (YEARS 7- 12)
Jude Tanham – – INSTRUMENTAL SOLO: STRINGS INCL HARP (SECONDARY)
St John Henry Newman Feast Day, Lavalla and Marian Campus Buddy Day
On Thursday, 10 October, we celebrate the feast day of our College’s patron saint, Saint John Henry Newman. Newman’s theological writings, especially on the development of doctrine and the role of conscience, have profoundly influenced Catholic teaching and modern theology. Canonized in 2019, Newman’s ideas continue to shape the Church’s understanding of faith, intellectual inquiry, and personal conscience.
To mark this special occasion, the College will hold Masses throughout the day, as well as Buddy Days at our Marian and Lavalla campuses. We look forward to celebrating together as a community.
We are excited to welcome our incoming students to the Marcellin campus for their first experience of secondary school on Monday 7 October. With no other students on campus, we aim to create a calm and welcoming environment, understanding that first days can sometimes feel overwhelming. By reducing the number of people on campus, we hope to make this transition smoother.
The Student Orientation Day is designed to help students:
Get to know others in their Guild, which will also be their Pastoral Care Group,
Explore the wide range of subjects offered in secondary school,
Begin to familiarize themselves with the Marcellin campus,
Meet some of the staff they will engage with next year, and
Work alongside Peer Support Mentors who will guide them through Orientation Day.
We look forward to welcoming our new students as they begin this exciting journey with us.
Year 12 Examinations
As we head into the holiday break, please keep in mind our Year 12 students who are preparing for their upcoming Mock Examinations, commencing in the second week of the holidays.
Please remember them in your prayers, asking for focus, confidence, and peace during this important time. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication and look forward to seeing each of them achieve their personal best.
We would like to inform you about some important updates regarding the College uniform, particularly in response to inquiries from parents about the availability of the new skirts arriving next term. These skirts will be available for purchase during orientation appointments for new students.
In addition, the Uniform Shop will be reducing the price of current skirts, skorts, and girls’ trousers to $45. Please note that these items, sold at the reduced price, can only be worn for the next two years.
Students currently in Year 6 at Newman College, transitioning into Year 7, will be permitted to continue wearing the old grey skirt for two years. All new students to the College will be required to purchase the new skirt.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for a fantastic term and to wish you all a restful holiday break with family and friends.
Earlier this week we announced the Year 12 leaders for 2025. The process was difficult due to the high calibre of students who expressed their passion and willingness to lead and serve our school community. We received numerous outstanding applications and were inspired by the dedication and commitment shown by all of the students.
In my meetings with the incoming leaders, I have outlined that one of their most important acts of leadership is to ensure they include and develop the leadership of students without a badge. I thank all students who nominated for positions and encourage those who were unsuccessful in formal positions to continue to lead with courage and passion.
Congratulations to the following students:
College Captains:
Amelia Ng and Liam Stannard
Academic Captains:
Laura Nolan and Leo Mason
Art Captains:
Ella Nguyen and Campbell Smith
Mission Captains:
Catherine Fardell and Kevin Xanthis
Sports Captains:
Amy Wilson and Will Gilbert
Wellbeing Captains:
Jasmin Afflick and Layla Do
Brigid Guild Captains:
Lia Young and Abby Vilé
Camara Guild Captains:
Grace D’Arcy and Gen Carless
Catherine Guild Captains:
Lucy Peel and James Barnard
Chisholm Guild Captains:
Daniel Miniello and Natalie Smith
Marcellin Guild Captains:
Jodie Belzunce and Flynn Morison
Mackillop Guild Captains:
Tahlia Bell and Stefano Rapanaro
Romero Guild Captains:
Holly Kallawk and Stefan Constantine
Thomas More Guild Captains:
Grace Gordon and Mia Swain
Celebrate Assembly – Year 12 Farewell Assembly
This week, we celebrated the Class of 2024. Whilst the Graduation Mass and Dinner will take place early next term with families, this day and its rituals are greatly treasured by students and parents. The final week for Year 12 was an exciting one that provided opportunities at Guild, Year and College levels to express our care and best wishes for a fine group of young women and men. The Year 12 group also had fun in the official planned activities. Thank you to the staff involved in the running of these events.
In the Principal’s Address to the Assembly on Thursday, I addressed this message to our Year 12s:
“You are created and called. Let family spirit, presence, a love of work, simplicity and the way of Mary find a place in your heart, and I encourage you to draw on the Marist Way that keeps you considering always your important part in making a better world.
Each of you have different gifts and have followed different paths while at this College. Our sincere hope is that you have always felt that those diverse paths have been equally valuable and valued; that your worth and dignity are innate and inviolable; and that your school has been an extension of the care and hope held for you by your families.”
Year 6 Leaders Initiative
Recently, a group representing the Year 6 Leadership gave a very good presentation to the College Executive highlighting their initiative for wellbeing. They have a ‘bench project’ designed to create spaces of wellbeing and friendship for Lavalla students. What a great initiative! Later in the year, we will report on the installation of the project.
ACC Athletics Carnival
Congratulations to all the athletes who represented Newman College in the ACC Athletics Carnival. The participating students came 5 overall in the competition, an outstanding achievement. The Overall Boys division saw us finishing third.
A heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff members for their encouragement and support of the students.
Additionally, I would like to acknowledge Imogen Boss for her outstanding achievement in ACC. Imogen was awarded ‘Double Letters’ for athletics and swimming by Trent Sharpe from the ACC at the Celebration Assembly. Imogen’s dedication and determination serve as a shining example of what can be accomplished through hard work and perseverance. Congratulations to Imogen on receiving this prestigious award.
The World’s Worst Breakups- Drama Performance
Last week we enjoyed an evening performance of this play brought to the stage by students from Years 7-10. Not only was it a joy to view on the night but the play received accolades on the weekend at the YouthFest awards.
Best Actor (senior division) Sam Cousins Year 10;
Best Production (senior division), and
Best Director (senior division) Mr Josh Lang.
Jasper Bock Year 9 received an adjudicator’s certificate for his backstage role. Well done, everyone!
Year 12 Music Night
One of the final events of the term is the Year 12 Music Night. Families and staff gathered in the Marist Auditorium to be entertained by the music students of Year 12. The group showed their many talents in presenting across genres of music and performing more than one instrument. A great night!
Italian Language Tour
Last weekend 15 students and three staff began their Italian Language Tour, landing in Rome. In the two weeks of the program, they will be immersing themselves in language workshops, as well as visiting the major cities of Italy. We wish them safe travels.
End of Term
I find Term 3 is a special time in the calendar year. It is a unique term full of so many opportunities where students are so engaged in our “Vision for Learning – Shine through Discovery”. In their participation in the events and opportunities Term 3 has offered, our students across the whole College have let their light shine in Challenge, Collaboration, Creation and Celebration as individuals and groups. It has been a joy to see them in small moments and large events, as they pursue their personal excellence.
Please keep the Year 12s in your prayers as the students sit their final exams.
I wish all students, families and staff a restful and safe break as this term comes to an end.
Last week Pre-Primary Red entertained us with their assembly which focused on pirates! Pre-Primary Red reminded us firstly to ‘Let our Light Shine’ with a beautiful song for their prayer. They then entertained us with a story about pirates, highlighting the wonderful work they have been doing as part of our Talk 4 Writing Program, which runs across the Primary. The class then shared a fantastic pirate song and dance to finish the show!
This morning, 6 Green shared their learning with us, acting out their own class text-innovation utilising their class novel ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar as inspiration. It was a wonderful reminder of the importance of showing resilience and perseverance. Year 6 Green finished with a fantastic dance to the song ‘Keep Your Head Up’.
Thank you to Pre-Primary Red and 6 Green for sharing their wonderful assemblies.
Grandparents Day
We warmly invite all grandparents to attend our Grandparents Day celebrations on Thursday 24 October.
Marian Campus early childhood classes welcome grandparents to visit the Pre-Kindy to Year 2 classrooms after the Liturgy at 9:00am, held at St Cecilia’s Church. After the Liturgy concludes, please make your way to spend time with your grandchild in their classroom.
Please help yourself to morning tea with other grandparents, provided between 9:30am and 10:30am in the Hall. The event concludes at 10:30am.
Maps will be provided on the day to help you find classrooms around the Marian Campus.
We look forward to sharing the morning with you. Please RSVP for catering purposes using the QR code on the invite or this link – https://forms.office.com/r/ZuF4TnTVnu
Speak Up Awards
Congratulations to Vienna in Year 6 Red who made it all the way to the Speak Up finals, held last Friday evening. Vienna represented herself, and the College, proudly and she is to be congratulated for her outstanding achievement in reaching these finals. Congratulations Vienna!
Thanks to Mrs Hatchett for her coordination of this wonderful curriculum initiative.
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 one norm, to discuss and unpack what that norm means for our students in their day-to-day school life.
Recently Natalia (Marian) and Zahra & Morgan (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.
As it is the end of term, our winning faction (with the most ‘medals’) has been revealed at each campus! The results were very close amongst the factions. Our winning factions were:
Students in Knox faction received a prize of wearing free dress on the last day of Term 3. Congratulations to Knox faction at both campuses!
The jars will now be emptied, and we start afresh at the start of Term 4!
URSTRONG
We have completed the URSTRONG program in our classrooms and are in the process of completing reviews on the effectiveness of the program from the point of view of students and staff.
A reminder parents will continue to 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.
2025 Class Allocations
At the start of Term 4, teachers will commence working on class groupings for the 2025 school year. Many factors are considered when selecting student class placements, including gender, pastoral needs, social and emotional needs, academic needs, special learning needs, and relationships. Every effort is made to give children the best opportunity to succeed. All Newman College teachers are outstanding professionals in their field, and students will receive a high-quality education no matter which class they are placed in.
Early in Term 4, students will be asked by their Classroom Teacher to nominate five friends, of which at least one will be placed in their 2025 class.
If you believe your child has special pastoral needs that may need consideration, you are asked to contact your child’s classroom teacher or contact me via email at ryan.vonbergheim@newman.wa.edu.au early in Term 4.
Any requests must be provided to the class teacher or myself by 3:00pm Tuesday, 22 October (Week 3).Requests made after this date cannot be considered.
Parents should understand that requests cannot be guaranteed as staff must consider a wide range of factors when creating class groupings within a triple-stream school. Parents should be aware that requesting a specific teacher is not a consideration in the class allocation process.
Once class lists have been finalised, they cannot be changed. Class lists will be published to families at the conclusion of our Move-up Day, details of which will be communicated next term.
Primary Faction Update
As part of our continued alignment across our PK-12 College, we are preparing to align the Factions and Guilds across the College. Currently, we have four Factions in Primary, and 8 Guilds in Secondary, and these do not align. As such, we are currently in the process of aligning the Primary and Secondary so that from the start of 2025, Primary students are placed into one of the 8 guilds. Students will remain in this guild throughout their entire journey at Newman College. Students with siblings in Secondary will be placed into the same Guild as their siblings. More information regarding this process, including updated uniforms and Guild allocations, will be provided to Primary families at the commencement of Term 4.
Primary Disco
Fathering Project
The next Fathering Project Event will be held in Term 4, on Friday 8 November from 4:30-6:00pm at Marian Campus. This event is for children and dads of students at Marian Campus. The event will be Paper Planes and Pizza. More information will be provided early in Term 4.
It has been a term full of learning, activities, carnivals, art events and so much more! Our students are to be congratulated for their efforts this term, and deserve a restful break (as do their teachers!). Wishing all Primary families a relaxing and fun holiday break spent together. We look forward to seeing students return on Tuesday 8 October for Term 4!
