Term 3 Week 6: From the Deputy Principal | Learning and Staff Development

How do our Teachers and Support Staff support our students to be engaged and creative?

Creating is the act of generating new ideas, approaches or actions and the process of applying such creative ideas in a specific context. Critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require students to think broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.

Our Vision for Learning – Shine through Discovery, supports teachers and support staff to encourage creativity by

  • Ensuring that students have a strong foundation of knowledge and skills as a gateway to discovery.
  • Providing a safe learning environment in which students are encouraged to take risks and think beyond the classroom.
  • Encouraging questioning, initiative, decision-making, problem-solving, independence and collaboration.
  • Fostering higher order thinking in both individual and group activities.
  • Using a variety of learning strategies to support the learning purpose and promote creativity.
  • Providing the opportunity for choice in learning environment.
  • Promoting critical thinking skills by engaging in strategies such as Thinking Hats.
  • Facilitating different types of assessment demonstrating differentiation, individualization and personalization in learning

Creativity Shines – Andy Quilty, Artist in Residence

Our 2018 Arts Festival celebration kicked off this week with Artist in Residence Andy Quilty commencing his teaching residency at the College. More information about this exciting program is available here.

Book Week

Students have enjoyed a wide variety of activities during Book Week across all year groups. From author visits and dress-up parades to quizes, riddles and book writing. More details and photographs of these wonderful activities are available here.

 

Code of Conduct

A reminder to all families that the Code of Conduct can be accessed via the College website here. 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 and extends to all forums including social media and email forms of communication. The Code seeks to value the dignity of every person, foster positive relationships, ensure confidentiality and accountability and support professional boundaries. Events held during school hours AND outside of school hours that are associated with the College are also supported by the Code. Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with any member of the Senior Leadership Team.

All families are reminded that if they have a concern about the education or wellbeing of their child, they should contact the College directly. We are always willing to support families, but school matters must be managed by the College. It is not appropriate to contact other families about concerns you have about their child. Please direct these matters to the classroom teacher, Leaders of Wellbeing or any member of the Senior Leadership Team.

The College recognises the convenience of year group Facebook pages that are moderated by parents. This is an excellent platform for sharing information involving College events and requirements. It is not appropriate to use social media platforms to seek clarity on teaching and learning or to debate College policies. Please refer these matters to your child’s classroom or PCG Teachers, or a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

We thank you in advance for your understanding and support of how we strive to partner positively with each other.

NPCC Meeting- Monday 3 September (Week 8)

The Senior Leadership Team looks forward to welcoming parents to the Newman Parents Consultative Committee meeting on Monday 3 September. The usual format will apply as outlined below:

  1. Report from the Senior Leadership Team
  2. Report from the NPCC Executive
  3. Feedback Session

College Psychologists Jon Laden-Wearne and Denise Bendotti will present to the parent community on the benefits of practicing gratitude and how teachers are engaging with the Annual School Improvement Plan Gratitude Project to foster student resilience.

This forum is held in the Marist Auditorium, commencing 7.00pm.