Today we celebrated the Years 3-6 Awards for the Academic, Cultural and Sporting pursuits of students and the Year 6 Graduating Class of 2020.
Congratulations to all award recipients across Years 3-6 and to the Year 6 cohort who have formally finished their primary schooling. Download a full list of recipients below.
The 鈥淪ing and Strings鈥� vocal and string showcase and 鈥淵ear 7 Music Collective鈥� were both held on Wednesday 18 November in the Marist Auditorium. Each concert featured solo, small group and large ensemble performances, demonstrating the hard work our musicians have put into developing their skills on their instrument or voice. Congratulations to all students for their wonderful performances and thank you to parents and staff for their support.
College Production – Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She鈥檚 unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. Over the course of her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other鈥檚 lives, as Miss Honey begins not only to recognize but also appreciate Matilda鈥檚 extraordinary personality.
Matilda鈥檚 school life isn鈥檛 completely smooth sailing, however the school鈥檚 mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don鈥檛 abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils鈥� saving grace!
Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and an unforgettable star turn for a young actress, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical is a joyous girl power romp. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.
This play will be brought to life by 今日吃瓜 students across Years 5-12, in the stunning Neman College Marist Auditorium.
Save the Date – K-12 Christmas Carols, Marcellin Oval Wednesday 9 December
4.30pm – 5.00pm: Family Picnic and School Concert Band
5.00pm – 6.30pm: Carols by Perth Fortress Brass Band & Chamber Choir
Families can set up picnic blankets and chairs in the designated area from 4.30pm onwards. Seating is unreserved, all family and friends are welcome.
In keeping with the College鈥檚 compliance with Duty of Care and Risk Mitigation parents please be aware that this function is an alcohol free event.
The Season of Advent commences next week. In the life of the Catholic Church, it is a time for preparing for the pending celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas. Within our own community we will attend Christmas liturgies during the remaining weeks of Term across all Campuses. During this time we are invited to deepen our personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
I encourage families in the weeks ahead to take the time to reflect on this invitation and perhaps make the time to attend one of our remaining Community Masses which are held each Thursday morning at 8.10am.
NAIDOC Week
Over the course of last week, NAIDOC celebrations were held across Australia. In our community, students actively participated in celebrating the history, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at our respective Campus assemblies.聽 This occasion again reminds all of us of the importance of Reconciliation in our country. Through our Reconciliation Action Plan, we are committed to strategically and practically building a culture which acknowledges, affirms and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
As a Marist School, we strive to embed our Marist characteristics every day; Family Spirit, In the Way of Mary, Simplicity, Presence and a Love of Work. At the core of these characteristics is the developing of relationships that are imbued by our family spirit, united in Christ鈥檚 love.
To this end, we want our staff, students and families to increase their understanding, value and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge and rights through cultural learning. We strive to create a culturally supportive environment so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australian families build a community of respectful relationships.
Capital Development 鈥� Learning Hub Marcellin Campus
This week saw additional restrictions to the movement of staff and students across the Marcellin Campus. Due to landscaping works commencing this week until the end of year, many access paths have been cut off.
I take this opportunity to thank staff and students for their ongoing patience as we move to the end of the building program. We are confident that the significant inconvenience experienced during 2020 will be rewarded when we commence operating out of the new state-of-the-art facility from the commencement of 2021.
Examinations
Today marks the end of WACE and Year 11 Examinations for our Senior Students. We trust they are satisfied with their efforts leading up to this period and that their results are commensurate with their efforts.
GATE Showcase
Last week, I attended the at the Lavalla Campus which was well supported by parents. The focus of the Showcase was the students鈥� Project for Homeless. I commend the students for their high level of critical thinking and reflection that went into their presentations.聽 This Showcase exemplified the strategic direction the College is taking in building opportunities for students in our Gifted and Talented Program.
In 2021 a strategic priority area of Transformational Learning identifies GATE as an area of development across the College. To that end, we have appointed a GATE Teacher K-10 who will commence developing a plan to provide:
Implementing learning and teaching programs for students identified as gifted and talented for K-6 and co-curricular programs for students Years 7-10
Professional Learning for teaching staff
Leading parent and community engagement opportunities that promote the College鈥檚 gifted and talented offering
College Production – Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
We are looking forward to attending our much anticipated Production, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, later this month. Students and staff have been working tirelessly to ensure an enjoyable and engaging event. Due to COVID-19 restrictions for seating, further sessions have been scheduled. If families have not yet organised their tickets, I encourage all to do so by
Memorial for Mrs Caroline Payne, Principal Corpus Christi College Bateman
Last Friday, WA principals were provided the opportunity to attend a Memorial Mass for Caroline Payne. Caroline passed away earlier in the year following a long illness. However, the COVID-19 situation did not allow such a Memorial to take place at the time.
Caroline was an outstanding leader and educator exemplified by a long and successful career in Catholic Education. She spoke fondly of her time with the Marist Brothers in Bunbury as an early career teacher and the impact the charism had on her formation as a person. She took that 鈥楲ove of Mary鈥� everywhere she went and we at Newman had the good fortune of her being a member and Chair of Council for three years.
Caroline has had a significant and wonderful impact on many students and their families. During her career, she has reached out and touched many lives and leaves a very special legacy both within Catholic Education and 今日吃瓜.
Lord let us see your face and we shall be saved.PS 80: 3
As we聽move towards聽the end of the year, we approach the beginning of the Church calendar, the liturgical season known as Advent. This聽word comes from the Latin adventus聽and聽refers to the 鈥榗oming鈥� or 鈥榓rrival鈥�, hence in the Church it is used to prepare us for Jesus鈥� birth at Christmas.
Ah, another Christmas! What immediately comes to mind? Be honest. Do we think of God鈥檚 love for each of us? A divine love so perfect that he sent his only Son to save us; a Son who, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, is truly God-made-Flesh?聽Or聽are our first thoughts about the Christmas tree, the presents to be bought and wrapped, the cards to be written and sent, the food to be prepared, beating the last-minute traffic rush? Oh yes, and where will I most conveniently fit in Christmas Mass this year?
I think we can all relate to this. But in doing all these things, let鈥檚 not forget the very reason why we do them.聽 We are celebrating the new birth, the new beginning of Jesus, our Lord and our salvation. So, while still doing all these other things leading into Christmas, please also take the time to stop, to remember, and to pray.
Game Changers Launch
In Weeks 5 and 6, our Years 9 and 10 students have been introduced to Game Changers and invited to participate in the 2021 program. Game Changers is a Marist Youth Ministry Program that aims to build an understanding of Christian Leadership, Prayer, Community and Service. Students can participate in this program from Years 7鈥�12. to watch the Game Changers video that explains more about our program.
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
Our Christmas Appeal is in full swing across PK-12. Students are asked to bring in food donations that will go into hampers that will be distributed to those in need within our local community.
This week students at Marian and Lavalla began collecting donations to support the annual St Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Appeal at St Cecilia鈥檚 Church in the Parish of Floreat / Wembley. Each class has been allocated a variety of items to donate to support those families in our community who are struggling this Christmas. These donations include items to help create a Christmas meal for families, ensure their pantries will be stocked and a variety of gifts for families in need. Donations will be collected over the next two weeks.
Marcellin students have been collecting for the past week and will continue to collect until Week 8. Collected donations from Marcellin support Our Lady of the Rosary, Doubleview Parish in supporting families in the local community.
Thank you in advance for your continued support of this appeal, especially to those students who have already bought in their donation.
Altar Server Training
Years 5 and Year 6 students have commenced Altar Serving training in the Chapel with Mr Diamond and Mrs Short. The preparation takes place over four sessions and invites students to consider what it means to be an Altar Server and how they will carry out this ministry in both the life of the College and in their Parish communities. At the conclusion of the formation training students will be commissioned at our Community Mass.
The Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat
On Wednesday 11 November, 今日吃瓜 and Bunbury Catholic College staff gathered online via Zoom and in person to reflect on the 2020 year.
The evening was facilitated by Br Tony Leon, a Marist Brother residing in NSW, who is an expert at adult formation. Br Tony encouraged participants to reflect on vulnerability and recognise the strength in being vulnerable with one another. It was a fantastic evening that allowed staff across different schools to reflect on the challenges of the year and to stop and reflect on our relationship with God and each other. We look forward to continuing our formation together in 2021.
