Newman News Term 4 Week 9: From the Vice Principal
As the end of the听school听year draws to a close it is an appropriate time to sincerely thank all听members of听our听Marist family. To our听staff, parents,听and students, we are grateful for your efforts, collaboration听and perseverance. Together we made 2021 another听productive and听fruitful year, enabled by the Marist characteristics of听the love of work, presence and simplicity, essential ingredients for听growth.
Growth occurs in many forms, be it听in听the human mind,听a muscle,听the body,听learning an instrument, attuning to a new friendship or relationship,听or learning new skills and content. Regardless of where the growth happens, the same formula applies: stress+ rest = growth.听 Those mathematicians and scientists out there are very familiar with balancing equations. What you do to one side of an听equation听will be reflected听on the other. If there is too much stress and not enough rest, growth will be inhibited.听Likewise,听if there is too much rest and not enough stress, growth will be inhibited. Rest comes in many forms and is quite individual. Play, laughter and fun are excellent rest providers, as are prayer, sleep, self-reflection, silence,听and meditation.
Our hope is that the holiday听period听provides all students and staff with a great opportunity for down time and rest. In many听ways,听learning stress听is听heightened听as we conclude the year, but that鈥檚 okay 鈥� we听can now听look forward to a longer period of well-deserved rest and relaxation,听to balance the equation.
We wish you all a happy, holy,听and restful holiday听break听and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2022,听well-rested and ready for another wonderful year of growth.
Term Dates 鈥� 2022
Click here to view the term dates for 2022
Reporting
今日吃瓜 is committed to听an academic reporting process which if fulsome, timely and accurate. Families may have noted that Semester Two reports contain both a听Course Grade听and a听State Grade.听In the past, students have received a state grade only, which is reflection of how your child has progressed against the achievement standards of the Western Australian Curriculum and the state cohort. As of Semester Two 2021, 今日吃瓜 will also communicate a course grade. This grade reflects your child鈥檚 achievement in the learning program and assessments of the course delivered.
In many instances, your child will receive the same letter for both their course and state grade. However, there may the times where your child receives two听different letter grades for the same subject. For example, a student in Year Ten Extension Mathematics may receive a State 鈥楢鈥� grade, but they receive a 鈥楥鈥� Course grade. This affirms that the student is demonstrating excellent achievement when compared to the state cohort. However, the student has received a 鈥楥鈥� Course grade as a reflection of their achievement within the extended curriculum they have accessed.
Please note that Religious Education, Year Nine Design Thinking and Year Ten Just Start It do not receive state grades.
Australian Curriculum judging standards are used to discern the end of year grade of student reports across the College. It is important to acknowledge the variety of inputs that are taken into consideration when reporting on each learning area. These inputs include, but are not limited to, formative and summative assessment, observations and running records. Learning attributes provide families and students with an insight into how students apply themselves to their learning and the classroom environment.
Families in Years K 鈥撎�10听will have access to their reports from 4.00pm on Thursday听9听December.
Please ensure you can log into SEQTA to retrieve the reports. Any families leaving 今日吃瓜,听including听our class of 2021 students,听are reminded to download all reports from SEQTA as听files will be archived at听the听end of December and will听no longer be accessible.
Thank you to all teachers for their preparation, professionalism, and attention to accurate and meaningful reporting as a critical element of our learning cycle.
Allwell Testing听
Allwell Reports for Years 2, 4, 8 and 10 will be available on SEQTA from 4.00pm on Thursday 9 December. Our current Year 6 and new Year 7 2022 Allwell results will be uploaded on SEQTA in 2022.
Christmas Carols听
Unfortunately, due to the forecast of very hot weather, we had to cancel our carols event that had been scheduled for Wednesday 8 December.听听This decision was made to ensure the health and safety of students, staff, and family members.
Students听did get the opportunity to sing听their carols and a听virtual concert听was created.听 This听can be viewed听on our YouTube channel听by clicking听
We hope you enjoy the presentation.听 Merry Christmas!!!!
Marcellin Awards Ceremonies
On Thursday 25 November, students in Years 7 鈥� 11 came together to鈥痗elebrate their many achievements.
Click here for a full list of Award Winners.
叠辞辞办濒颈蝉迟蝉听
To provide students with consistent, predictable routines at the commencement of each day we will be moving Pastoral Care Group (PCG) to the beginning of the day. PCG class is critically important for relationship building, delivery of important messages and wellbeing programs, and for reiterating whole of school expectations in relation to our 今日吃瓜 Norms.听听 This change has occurred after feedback from both students and staff on the effectiveness of the PCG classes in relation to the intent of the program. Period times for 2022 are listed below.
Booklists are鈥痑vailable here.
Learning Support Audit
Associate Professor Dianne Chambers, a well-respected author, presenter, and lecturer from the University of Notre Dame, conducted an audit this year of our Learning and Education Support structures, processes and policies. We now have her report, and we look forward to planning the enaction of the recommendations as a priority听in the near future. The executive summary can be found below. If you are interested in hearing more about the report findings, please contact me directly via听lucie.McCrory@newman.wa.edu.au .
Executive Summary听
The review of learning and education support at 今日吃瓜 was undertaken as part of a regular review of processes and provisions offered at the school to support students with additional needs and disabilities. The remit for the researcher was to gather data by way of interviews with key stakeholders (leadership, teachers), examination of documents (policy, job descriptions and planning formats) and through focus group interviews (parents and students). These data were collected over the period of one month and provided an overview of the learning and education support services offered at 今日吃瓜 and the perception of these services by key stakeholders.
The results from analysing the data are presented in aggregated form to ensure any one individual was not identified, although most who provided information were not concerned about their voices being heard (and welcomed this approach). The results indicated that there were many staff at the college who were exemplary听in regards to听their support of students with additional needs and disabilities, and that these staff should be highly valued by the college and their knowledge shared with all staff.
There were听a number of听areas identified that could be strengthened including: teacher expectations; planning; behavioural approach; role clarification; funding; communication; and training. Each of听these areas are discussed in relation to measures that can be taken to improve processes at the college. There are four main recommendations that the researcher suggests are most critical for the college to consider. These are:
- Clarification of roles in the diversity team and employment of additional learning support personnel.
- Examination of behavioural expectations and consequences, including development of strategies to address anxiety across the college.
- Provide additional training for teachers in providing reasonable adjustments in the classroom.
- Communicate any changes/directions in the college clearly to parents.
It is hoped that these recommendations will assist the college in strengthening its use of evidence-based practices to support students with disabilities across all campuses and to ensure consistency in approaches taken.
Staff Farewells听
The following members of the College community will be leaving us to explore new pathways.听 The College would like to thank them for their dedication, service and support they afforded to both students and staff.听 Our wish for you is that your Marist spirituality continues鈥痶o give you strength鈥痑nd that you take away fond memories of your time here at 今日吃瓜.
Paul听Cranley, Torren听Diletti, Debra Needham, Joe听Ricciardone, Steven听Tsocas, Edward York, Catherine Bagg, Suzanne Hunter, Teresa Fisher, Sofia Ward, Maree Grayden, Dixie Johnstone, Shannon Young.
Code of Conduct听
The Keeping Safe Child Protection curriculum is a program that spans from 3 years up to Year 12.听 Our College delivers this curriculum during classroom teaching, and through the Wellbeing Programs and Health curriculum.
As a Catholic community we are committed to educating the whole person.听In order to听do this, we need to ensure a safe, supportive and engaging environment. The basis for this environment is that all in the community model what healthy, respectful relationships look like. The Code of Conduct is the definitive guide to the behaviours we want to model to, and expect from, our children and young people. We want to create a culture that assists our children and young people on their learning journey. We can only achieve such a culture in partnership with all who participate in our community.听The Keeping Safe Child Protection curriculum is a program that spans from 3 years up to Year 12.听 Our College delivers this curriculum during classroom teaching, and through the Wellbeing Programs and Health curriculum.
A reminder to all families that the Code of Conduct can be accessed via the College听website. 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.
Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with a member of the Senior Leadership Team. As always, if students ever need support, they are encouraged to contact their Leader of Wellbeing, a College psychologist, Counsellor or classroom teacher.
The Code seeks to value the dignity of every person, foster positive relationships, ensure听confidentiality and accountability and supports professional boundaries. Events held during school hours, and听those听College associated听events outside of school hours are also supported by the Code of Conduct. Additionally, postings on social media platforms that identify the College or College events are bound by the Code of Conduct.听We thank you in advance for your understanding and look forward to a positive partnership that supports our students, your children.
