As I write a summary of a few key events over the past few weeks, I find myself reflecting on the ways Marist Family Spirit is expressed in our community.
November
In the last edition of the newsletter, I highlighted the importance of November in the Church calendar. Starting with All Saints and All Souls days, November is the month to remember. In each of our Marian, Lavalla and Marcellin settings, we recognised Remembrance Day with assemblies, prayers and laying of wreaths on Monday 11 November. Along with this solemn time, we have held in our prayers and thoughts all members of the Newman College community who have passed away.
A beautiful part of our remembrance is the Memorial Garden which sits alongside the Champagnat Chapel. During the year, various seasonal flowers, including roses, are in bloom which are memorials to members of our College community who have passed away during their time at the College. A lovely plaque sits in front of each rose and reminds us of the name and life of these dearly held people. As November progresses, let us take the time to remember all in our families who have passed away.
Primary Music Concerts
This week, we have been entertained by the talented students in Primary who are learning musical instruments or involved in singing. Each of the performances have been greatly supported by proud parents and family members in the audience and have been a joy to watch. Thanks to Ms Laura van Rijn with the assistance of Ms Selena Barrett and the Music Tutors.
Year 5 Leadership Letters and Speeches
Following the recent, very successful Leadership Day, the Year 5 students have been busy discerning their part in leading Primary during 2025. I have received wonderful letters written to me by Year 5 students keen to be a part of the leadership group for 2025 and showing the desire to strengthen the Primary family we have at Newman College. Year 5s also gave speeches to staff and students this week outlining their desire to serve the College and outline a legacy of commitment. Well done, Year 5! In true Marist spirit, you have embraced the duty of leadership.
Year 7 2025 Secondary Experience
Last week, we hosted our Year 7 2025 students and their parents in an after-school experience of the Marcellin Campus. The students and parents met with the Pastoral Care Group teachers and followed a self-guide familiarisation tour around the campus, stopping to talk with various speciality area staff along the way. We were very pleased to have representatives from the eight Newman Sports Association clubs on hand to chat to interested parents and students.
The feedback we have received from our existing students and parents when they went through transition to secondary very much shaped the nature of this event. Both our incoming Year 7 parents and the students have each had two events in recent months to assist the transition into Secondary.
Alumni Reunions
Family Spirit does not cease when formal schooling ends. We warmly welcomed back two Alumni year groups for milestone celebrations during the past weeks. The Class of 1994 celebrated 30 years since graduation with a well-attended event in the John Henry Newman Hub. Alongside our Alumni Team were Mr Bern Willett, Mrs Jenny Lindsay and Mr Mike Diamond, three faces the Class of 1994 knew so well. These staff members led the tour of the College, and our past students had a great time reminiscing. Br Terry Orrell was their Principal and sent his best wishes to the group as he was unable to attend.
A week later the Marist Class of 1974 were in the Hub for their 50th reunion. They were joined by a small group of students from Brigidine College from the Class of 1974, as the connection between the two schools was so strong. Again, these men and women had a great time catching up and attentively listening to the development of the College on their tour of the facilities. They had a video message played to them from their Principal of the day, Br Tim McDonald who now lives in the United States.
In these two reunions are a number of current parents, grandparents and past parents of our Newman-Marist-Brigidine network.
School Fee Reminder
Families are reminded that fees and music accounts are to be finalised by 30 November 2024. Parents and guardians are encouraged to process any outstanding monies as soon as possible. If there are any issues, please contact fees@newman.wa.edu.au.
This morning our Year 1 Green class shared with us a wonderful assembly based on the story of Christmas. Year 1 Green were very creative by putting an ‘Aussie twist’ on the story of Jesus birth, with Aussie songs such as ‘Jingle Jingle Jesus’ and ‘Aussie Jingle Bells’. The assembly was full of wonderful singing, dancing and acting! Thank you 1 Green for creatively reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas!
Primary Music Concerts
Throughout this week, Music Concerts for each cohort from Kindy to Year 6 have taken place. These concerts have provided opportunities for our students who participate in private music tuition to show off their wonderful skills, and for each class to share with the parent group some of the fantastic things they have been learning in Music classes this year. A huge congratulations to all of our Kindy to Year 6 students for their outstanding performances. A special thanks to our wonderful Music teacher Mrs Laura van Rijn for her planning, organisation and coordination of these events throughout the week. A fantastic opportunity for our students.
Kindy to Year 5 2024 Transition Afternoon and Class List Distribution
On Friday 29 November, students from Kindy to Year 5 will participate in a transition session ‘Move Up Day’. This is part of our Wellbeing program, which aims to provide students with a smooth move into their 2025 class.
Students will be informed of their 2025 classroom allocation on this day and will then spend the afternoon session with their 2025 classroom teacher and classmates. This session will be focused on familiarising students with their new learning space, learning more about their teacher and undertaking some fun activities.
Class lists will be distributed to families that afternoon, and parents are encouraged to support their child’s placement and successful transition by engaging in positive discussion about the process and excitement about the future possibilities for their child.
Please note: Class lists are final and no changes are possible.
Year 3 2025 Transition
On Friday 29 November, as part of our Transition program, all current Year 2 students will attend a Transition Day at the Lavalla Campus, in preparation for 2025.
The purpose of the day is to familiarise students with the Lavalla Campus and will involve a range of lessons and activities that will allow them to familiarise themselves with and experience their new Campus in 2025.
Year 2 students should wear their blue Newman College sports uniform and bring their school bag containing recess, lunch, a water bottle, and the College hat.
Families can drop students off at the Lavalla Campus from 8.20am, and students need to assemble on the grassed area (Marcellin Oval) outside the Lavalla Admin block. Staff will be visible in fluro vests and be able to direct you. Students should be collected from the same grassed area at Lavalla from 2.45pm.
Year 1 to 6 Swimming Lessons
A reminder swimming lessons commence next week for our Year 1-6 students. Important information regarding swimming lessons was placed on SeeSaw and the College app on Wednesday of this week. This information can also be found here.
Marian Campus Fun Day!
In Week 9, Marian Campus will be hosting their annual Fun Day! This year, the children will be immersed in a variety of soft play including giant building blocks, dinosaur bones and giant Lego to name a few!
Kindy Fun Day will be held on Tuesday 3 December.
Pre-Primary to Year 2 Fun Day will be held on Wednesday 4 December.
Please ensure your child is wearing sunscreen before school. Class teachers will ensure students reapply during the day as necessary. Students from Pre-Primary to Year 2 can wear their Sports Uniform (Blue Polo) for the day. At different times throughout the day the students will be participating in the Fun Day activities.
This year, Pre-Primary to Year 2 students will have the opportunity to order a special meal deal from the canteen on this Fun Day. Parents can view the meal deal on Flexischools. All orders must be placed on Flexischools by Friday 29 November. No orders will be accepted after this date.
Please note, parents are unable to attend Marian Fun Days. Supervision will be provided by teaching staff.
Lavalla Pool Parties
As in previous years, Lavalla students in Years 3 – 5 will take part in a Pool Party at the Newman College pool on the following days from 11.00am until 3.00pm.
Year 3 – Monday 2 December
Year 4 – Tuesday 3 December
Year 5 – Wednesday 4 December
Students will need to bring:
morning tea
water
school bathers
rashie
towel
shoes and socks
thongs
hat
Sunscreen
Students may wish to wear their bathers underneath their clothes / sports uniform on this day.
Parents can view the canteen meal deal available on the day on Flexischools. All orders must be placed on Flexischools by Friday 29 November. No orders will be accepted after this date. If your child is not ordering a meal through the canteen, they will need to bring their own packed food as usual on this day. The canteen will still be available throughout this week, with a limited menu. No other food is to be delivered on the day.
Please note, parents are unable to attend the Pool Parties. Supervision will be provided by teaching staff.
Christmas Carols & Primary Awards Night
Parking will be available on the Secondary top oval, with access from Dolomite Court. Staff will be in attendance to assist.
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 Harvey (Lavalla) and Finn (Marian) were drawn out of the raffle for demonstrating our Newman Norms. Congratulations to all students who received a raffle ticket in the past fortnight.
Congratulations to Blake Martin Year (5) who recently won the Boys 10 Year Old Group Pentathlon at the recent Swimming WA meet. This title is based on points accumulated over 5 events in freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke and Individual Medley.
Congratulations to Cruz Priolo who has had an extraordinary karting season in 2024. Cruz has won the WA Kart Championship, King of the Hill, Coastal Classic, Triple Crown, and the City of Perth title. He was then invited to compete in the ROK Cup World Championship in South Garda Italy where he finished 19th out of 45.
Mrs Tash Richards
Physical Education Teacher
iPad Program 2025
The College will continue with its rollout of College owned and managed iPads. In 2025, students in Years 2 – 5 will have a College owned and managed iPad. Students in Years 6 will continue to use their BYOD iPad.
URSTRONG
A reminder parents 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 Parent Reps
I am pleased to confirm that we have received an increase in volunteers willing to put their hand up for becoming a parent rep in 2025, and as such we will be able to move forward with a ‘1 parent rep per class structure in 2025, which is wonderful news and the ideal scenario. Thank you to all those parents! I will be in touch with those have expressed their interest in the coming weeks with further information.
As part of our Year 7 2025 Transition Process, we invite our Year 6 students and their families to our Secondary Campus Experience on Tuesday, 5 November. The afternoon provides an opportunity for families to connect, share reflections from the recent Orientation Day, and further explore the Marcellin Campus.
Beginning at 3:30pm in Founders’ Court, families can enjoy refreshments before hearing a welcome from the College Principal. Students and parents will then have the chance to meet with Pastoral Care Group teachers, explore key areas of the campus, and engage with staff and student leaders who will play an integral role in their journey.
We look forward to welcoming you to Newman College and supporting your family in preparing for a successful start to secondary school.
Remembrance Day Services
On Remembrance Day, the Newman College community will come together at our respective campuses to honour those who have served in times of war and conflict. As students gather, we reflect not only on past sacrifices but also on the importance of peace in light of ongoing conflicts around the world. From the war in Ukraine to the hostilities in the Middle East, recent events remind us of the preciousness of peace and the profound impact of war on countless lives.
This Remembrance Day, we stand in solidarity with all affected by conflict, both past and present. As we observe moments of silence and reflection, we reaffirm our commitment to promoting compassion and understanding within our own community.
Road Safety Reminder
As we approach the end of the year, it is easy to let road safety awareness slip. We ask everyone in our school community to stay vigilant, especially during peak traffic times in the mornings and afternoons. Students are reminded to cross roads carefully and take care when getting in and out of cars.
To help keep our school zones safe, please remember:
Drive slowly: Stick to the 40km/h limit (10km/h in school grounds)
Stay alert: Watch for pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers, and pay attention to crossings.
Avoid complex manoeuvres: U-turns, three-point turns, and similar actions disrupt traffic flow and can be dangerous.
Give way to pedestrians: Always give way to pedestrians, especially at driveways.
Follow crossing supervisors: Adhere to the guidance of crossing supervisors at all supervised crossings.
Let’s work together to keep all members of our community safe.
Newman Parents Forum – Monday 4 November 6pm
All Newman parents and guardians are invited to attend the Newman Parents Forum next Monday at 6pm in the John Henry Newman Learning Hub. This event provides an opportunity to hear important updates on a range of school-related topics and engage with the College community. The agenda is as follows:
Strategic Plan 2025/2027
Student Wellbeing and Formation: Equip, Guide, Thrive Secondary Program
Primary Build Update
Bus Services
Parent Engagement Events in 2025
2025 NPF Proposed Meeting Dates
We look forward to seeing you there! If you are unable to make it in person please join us online using the following link – Newman Parents Forum TEAMS
Uniform Update: Stock Arrivals, Discounts, and Plans for 2025
With the introduction of the new skirts for secondary and guilds for primary, there are a number of updates regarding uniform availability, pricing adjustments, and what you can expect in the coming months at the Newman College Uniform Shop.
New Arrivals
We recently received a shipment of new skirts and skorts, and we are anticipating the arrival of girls’ trousers very soon. These are in the new grey colour.
The new skirts and skorts will be available for sale or order by the new Year 7 students at their upcoming orientation session, while Year 6 students from Newman College can also shop from our discounted old skirt selection as they prepare for secondary school.
Discounted Pricing on Select Items
We are offering substantial discounts on select items:
Faction Polos are now available for $15
Old Colour Skirts, Skorts, and Trousers are now $45
These discounts apply to old stock items as we transition to the updated uniform. Please note that these discounted items can only be worn until the end of 2026.
Guild Shirt Update
Some of the smaller sizes in guild shirts are currently in high demand. Orders have been placed for these sizes, and we expect their arrival in late November.
2025 Uniform
Looking ahead to the 2025 school year, we are expecting to have stock of the bulk of uniform items in January, in time for Term 1. We look forward to welcoming you to the Uniform Shop soon and helping you with your uniform needs as we transition to the 2025 school year!
This morning Pre-Primary Green shared their learning in their assembly at Marian campus. The focus of their assembly was centred around the story of The Gingerbread Man. Pre-Primary Green started with a beautiful Acknowledgement of Country and sung the song ‘My Lighthouse’ for their prayer. They then shared with us a retelling and acting out of the story of the Gingerbread Man, which they have been learning about as part of the Talk 4 Writing Program, which is embedded throughout the Primary. To finish off, they performed a wonderful song and dance! Thank you to Pre-Primary Green for sharing their wonderful learning with us!
Grandparents Day
On Thursday of last week, we held our Grandparents Day. It was a wonderful celebration of our loving grandparents. It was lovely to see Lavalla grandparents attending Community Mass and sharing light refreshments together afterwards. Grandparents at Marian enjoyed spending the morning visiting classrooms, as well as relaxing over a tea/coffee and cupcake. It was a beautiful day celebrating these very special people in our lives.
Swimming Lessons
As the weather starts to heat up, swimming lessons are fast approaching. Please see the attached letter which details lessons times for each class, as well as important additional information.
In 2024, we were required to move to only having 1 Parent Representative for each year level due to a lack of parent volunteers for these roles. I would like to take the time to thank these parents for their efforts this year, it is greatly appreciated. In 2025, we are wanting to move back to having 1 parent rep for each class across the school. Of course, this relies on having enough parent volunteers.
The Parent Representative role is purely a pastoral and social role for members of the class. The focus is purely and primarily a social, community-building role, which may involve liaising with the class teacher with regards to any support required. In 2025 we continue to ask parent reps to refrain from providing their parent groups with reminders or information about classroom/school events, dates, etc. In 2025, it is essential that parents refer to official College communication (SeeSaw, email, Newsletters) as their main source of information as all details are provided through these channels, and not rely on parent reps for this information.
If you are interested in becoming a parent rep in 2025, I ask you to please fill in this form by Friday 8 November.
Staffing
As we prepare for 2025 staffing, it is timely to share some staffing news with the community.
The following staff members will be moving on from Newman College to pursue the next exciting chapters of their careers: Charlotte McLean, Annette Doe, Kate O’Keefe, Tamara Bastow, Lauren O’Brien.
We also have some staff taking a year’s leave in 2025 and wish them all the best: Marnie Fitzpatrick and Nicola Cresp.
We will farewell these wonderful staff members and celebrate their contributions to our community at the end of the term.
Christmas Carols & Primary Awards Night
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 Rosellyn, Sophie and Tommy (Lavalla) and Elijah and Stirling (Marian) were drawn out of the raffle for demonstrating our Newman Norms. Congratulations to all students who received a raffle ticket in the past fortnight.
URSTRONG
A reminder parents 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.
Fathering Project
The next Fathering Project Event will be held 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. Please see flyer below.
A reminder that supervision of students commences at Marian Campus when the gates are unlocked by the duty teacher – at 8:20am. Please ensure you do not drop your children off before this time as there is no supervision and this is a safety concern. Thank you for your support in ensuring the safety of our students.
As we reach the halfway mark of Term 4, it’s time to take a breath and just marvel at the achievements and involvements of our students and staff at this busy but rewarding time of the year. Here are just a few of the wonderful involvements of the past fortnight:
Pre-Primary Green Assembly
There’s nothing better than a ‘classic’ tale to tell, and our PPG students brought great joy to this week’s Marian Assembly with the story of the Gingerbread Man. Besides the great entertainment on show, Mr von Bergheim recognised the class for their use of Talk for Writing in their performance.
Primary Disco
The return of the Primary Disco was certainly well received by our students and they enjoyed the excitement of discoing in the big arena of the Marist Auditorium. The Year 12, 2025 student leaders joined them and, along with the staff, created a special event.
Arts Week – Kaleidoscope
Creativity takes courage, and students expressing themselves in the Arts do more than just tend to their own growth and stretch their boundaries. Newman College life isn’t complete or well-rounded without a thriving Arts scene. Borrowing from Pablo Picasso’s quote ‘The purpose of art(s) is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.’ The Arts bring out the best in us.
A week of celebrating and showcasing the Arts saw our students and Art team host the Art and Technologies Exhibition, Music Collective Concert and the Dance Showcase to round out the week. In between, there were smaller events to celebrate. Congratulations to all students involved and to our Arts, Technologies and Auditorium teams. What was truly inspiring during Kaleidoscope was the sense of Family Spirit on display in the artists, creators, musicians, dancers and designers.
@stephenheathphotography
@stephenheathphotography
@stephenheathphotography
@stephenheathphotography
Year 5 Leadership Retreat& State Schools WA Cross Country
In preparation for becoming the leaders of Primary in 2025, Year 5s spent the day understanding leadership and how they could contribute to a better community next year.
In the SSWA Cross Country event, the determination and talent of our Year 4-6 runners shone through with great personal and team efforts.
Primary Grandparents Day
Grandparents are the great gift in families, and we were delighted to host so many proud grandparents at this annual event. Beginning with Mass, our cherished visitors then spent time in classrooms and enjoying morning tea. Our Primary children were so excited and eager to bring their grandparents into games and activities in the classrooms. I am sure there were a few stiff joints the day after as grandparents got right into activities on the floor and small chairs.
Maggie Dent- From the Sandpit to Adulthood
We were pleased to again host Maggie Dent at the College as she spoke to a full Marist Auditorium crowd about navigating parenthood and childhood development. Maggie’s presentations and writings are always so accessible and supportive of parents’ work in raising young people.
All Saints Day
This edition of the newsletter ends with the celebration of All Saints Day. We are all aware of the growth in the celebration of Halloween in Australia. It certainly is an opportunity to bring joy to children and foster a sense of community as our youngest ones explore their neighbourhoods under the watchful eyes of family. Our Christian tradition runs deep in this celebration too. All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day is a holy or hallowed day in recognition of the saints. The eve before was the preparation for Hallows Day, hence Halloween.
