Category: Secondary

Month of November

During the month of November, Catholics are invited to remember all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. Beginning the month of November is the feast of All Saints (Friday 1 November), followed by the feast of All Souls (Saturday 2 November).

On 1 November, we remembered the countless multitude of men, women and children, including our families, friends, Newman College and Marist community, who are now in heaven. We continue to be inspired by the qualities they revealed in their lives: humility, a concern for justice, gentleness, purity of heart, mercy, and courage. We take comfort in knowing that from their home in heaven they intercede for us still.

You are invited to join our Thursday morning community Masses at 8.10am to pray with and for those who have gone before us, both as saints, and those who you would like to remember in this month of November. Throughout November, staff and students are invited to write a prayer, or the name of a loved-one, and place it in a sealed box which will be placed at the front of the altar for each of our Masses in November. This box will be in the foyer of the Champagnat Chapel for the month of November. In this way, we as a community are able to unite our prayers in support and remembrance of each other, and to those who have traveled this way before us.

Remembrance Day

At 11am on 11 November 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. Remembrance Day falls on the 11th of November each year. On the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, a minute’s silence is observed and dedicated to those soldiers who died fighting to protect the nations they served. Red poppies are worn on blazers, shirts, jumpers and other items of clothing on Remembrance Day to remember those who died during a war. Poppies were among the first plants that came from the battlefields of northern France and Belgium during World War I. On this day, we remember and pray for all those known and unknown who lost their lives in war.

Mary our Good Mother, pray for us.

Year 5 Leadership Retreat

The Year 5 Leadership Retreat was held on Friday 25 October, run by the 24:7 School Ministry team in the Lavalla hall. It was a fun day of games, activities and faith formation.

With the help of some Superheroes, there were examples of good leaders that display important characteristics that we can learn from. We looked at what qualities they show and also looked at the greatest superhero of all, Jesus, who showed us all the great leadership qualities in his life.

It was a fantastic day overall and the Year 5 cohort gained a lot from their experience, ready to take on leadership opportunities in 2020!

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

The annual St Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Appeal provides hope, comfort and dignity to over 3000 families in Western Australia who will be struggling during the Christmas season. As a Catholic school educating in the Marist Tradition, Newman College seeks to reach out and serve those in our community following the example set by Jesus in the Scriptures.

Items for the St Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Appeal will be collected across the College’s three campuses at Marian, Lavalla and Marcellin. In 2019, Newman College will be supporting the St Vincent de Paul Society at both St Cecilia’s Church in the Parish of Floreat / Wembley, as well as at Our Lady of the Rosary, Doubleview.

A letter was sent home to parents outlining the items requested for each campus, as well as details about collection points.

Download St Vincent De Paul Christmas Appeal Letter 2019

2020 Sacramental Programs

According to Archdiocesan Guidelines, children who have been Baptised Catholics are prepared for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Year 3, for First Communion in Year 4 and for Confirmation in Year 6. These Sacraments are to be received in this order.

Under the Archdiocesan Policy (2008), schools prepare children for the Sacraments in their Religious Education Program and children go to their own Parish to receive the Sacraments. The Local Zone of Priests which represents the parishes of Subiaco, City Beach, Claremont, Cottesloe/Mosman Park, Doubleview, Nedlands, Shenton Park and Floreat/Wembley has been implementing this policy over a number of years, as have other zones.

As Newman College is not a Parish school, parents will need to approach their parish to enrol their child to receive Confirmation, Communion and Reconciliation. For this reason Newman College does not conduct its own Confirmation, First Communion or First Reconciliation ceremonies. Click here for the full list of Parish contacts.

If parents have any queries concerning the above, please contact the Acting Religious Education Coordinator Primary, Renae Zelich renae.zelich@newman.wa.edu.au

24:7 Floreat Youth Group  

• For all youth in Years 6-12
• Every Sunday from 6.00pm – 8.00pm at St Cecilia’s Parish Centre, 47 Peebles Road, Floreat
• Call Sebastian on 0403230395 or Emma on 0412310019 for more information.

Year 12 Graduation

Last evening, we celebrated the Graduation of our Year 12 cohort, commencing with a beautiful Thanksgiving Mass in the Champagnat Chapel, followed by hospitality in Founders Court and finishing with the Graduation Ceremony in the Marist Auditorium.

In farewelling our Class of 2019, I stressed the importance of living out our dreams and that those dreams are the sum of many opportunities, challenges, experiences and of course people who support and walk with us – with their own gifts and talents.

I spoke of the recent canonization of Blessed John Henry Newman, our College namesake, whose pursuit was to inspire people to search for truth and freedom of conscience, in a time of great division and inequality between social classes, men and women, countries and more specifically between Catholics and Protestants. Saint John Henry Newman’s invitation to us is to live our life to be one of humble service and affection to each other. If this can underpin our intent and be the foundation for lives, our future, no matter what challenges we face, will be assured.

Our Year 12 students have been a magnificent exemplar to our College of this inspiration ….they have stood up for what they believed to be right and just. Their efforts, demonstrated by application, resilience, discipline, shared values, friendships and self-belief have enhanced our Newman culture. They have exemplified the Marist notion of presence by the way they have valued relationships in myriad ways. They have demonstrated a willingness to get involved, ‘to have a go’, and have the flexibility to try new things.

I thank our Year 12 students for sharing their gifts and talents and for their leadership. Their time in this community, be it 6 or 14 years, has been valued and acknowledged.

We wish them all the best in the next stage of their journey. We will pray for them as they seek to make their mark in the world.

Please click here to access the Principal’s Graduation Speech.

In the words of Saint John Henry Newman:

Let us grow in wisdom and love
and act with courage to choose what is right.
May we always be open to change
and have the strength to accept
what is new and valuable.
Give us peace and happiness in what we do.

We ask this through Jesus, Your Son,
and Mary, our Mother.

Amen.

Parent Code of Conduct

An updated Parent Code of Conduct has been developed and I urge all families to access the document to view the contents.

Download Code of Conduct for Parents

Catholic Education WA School Cyclic Review

The CEWA School Cyclic Review process occurs once in a five year period and contributes to meeting the requirements of the System Agreement with the Western Australian Government as part of school re-registrations in Western Australia.

Newman College will be going through this process during Week 3 of this term.

The School Cyclic Review provides an opportunity for a panel of educators, external to the school, to affirm, challenge and report on the improvement journey at the school. The SCR also contributes to the school’s re-registration process. The SCR will focus on the school’s improvement journey over the previous three years and will identify and agree on some of the key school improvement strategies that will ensure the realisation of this focus in the next period of time (usually the next three-year period).

The SCR panel, which conducts the review, comprises a panel chair, the school’s School Improvement Advisor/Regional Officer, and either a peer principal or a CEWA consultant.

The SCR panel receives and reviews data collated by CEWA and the school including information relating to student results and progress, the demographics and finances of the school, strategic planning, cultural survey data, and other plans including the Evangelisation Plan and Aboriginal Education Plan, prior to a visit to the school. The Senior Leadership Team is completing a self-review statement which will form the basis for the school visit. During the school visit, the panel will meet with members of the school’s staff, students and community, following up on their review of the data.

The outcome of this Review will contribute to the College’s Strategic Plan 2020-2022.

Strategic Plan 2020-2022

The process of consultation for our Strategic Plan will commence in Week 4. We have an external consultant who will be conducting parent meetings and I warmly welcome all to contribute to this process on the following dates:

• Thursday 7 November, 9.00am Champagnat Chapel Ministry Room
• Thursday 7 November, 6.00pm Marist Auditorium, Studio
• Friday 8 November, 9.00am Marian Campus Library

Newman Parents Consultative Committee (NPCC), Monday 28 October

I warmly welcome families to attend Monday’s NPCC meeting which will address matters such as the Capital Development Project, which is due to start shortly.

I trust everyone has settled back into school life following the Term 3 break and I wish all students success and fulfillment as they conclude their final weeks of the 2019 school year.