今日吃瓜

Covid-19 Update

Thank you to all families for their support as we work towards reinstating sport, arts events and other co-curricular opportunities with careful consideration and due diligence. The College calendar will be updated as events are confirmed. Please note, there are still restrictions on large group gatherings (for example, assemblies) and interschool opportunities.

If you are concerned about your own family situation, you are invited to contact Lisa Fogliani, Vice Principal for additional clarity and advice lisa.fogliani@newman.wa.edu.au

If Students are Unwell鈥�

The College asks that students who are presenting with a fever or flu like symptoms stay at home until their symptoms are clear. 鈥�It is the responsibility of all families to ensure they support the wider College community.

Parents and Caregivers

From Monday 8 June, parents and caregivers are allowed onto school grounds to drop off and collect their children. To ensure the 2 metre rule is adhered to, parents are asked not to enter classrooms at the beginning or end of the school day.

NPCC Meeting – Monday 8 June

With restrictions lifted, we are so pleased to welcome parents to our first NPCC meeting for the year, on Monday 8 June at 7.00pm in the Champagnat Chapel Ministry Space. The agenda will cover:

1. Intro Parent NPCC Executive
2. Capital Development 鈥� Learning Hub Update
3. Reporting, Semester 1
4. COVID Learnings
5. Parent feedback/ Q&A (Please to submit your question / concern / feedback)

The NPCC meetings, convened by the Principal, and attended by various members of the College Leadership Team, is a representative group, voice and forum to gain insight into our school improvement plan and to discuss school concerns. The NPCC serves to help advance the best interests of those within our College Community. Whilst policy is determined and set by the College Executive and supported by the Advisory Council, the NPCC is a critically important group in providing input and feedback.

Staffing

Mrs Amy Raveendrakumar, Arts Specialist Teacher on the Lavalla Campus, commenced parental leave this week. We warmly welcome Mrs Laura Talbott to the role for the remainder of the 2020 school year.

Mrs Jenny Miraudo, Leader of Learning English on the Marcellin Campus, has also commenced parental leave. Mrs Narelle Cochran and Mrs Amanda Mariotti have been appointed to the Leader of Learning role and will share this responsibility.

All the very best to Mrs Raveendrakumar and Mrs Miraudo as they prepare for this special time.

Reporting

To ensure student progress is fair, valid and supported by evidence, the College has adapted its reporting protocols for Semester 1 2020 in response to the disruption caused by our COVID-19 response. We recognise there has been variation in the disruption experienced between students, and the validity of assessment across developmental age groups.

Our reporting expectations are aligned to directives provided by both CEWA (Catholic Education Western Australia) and SCSA (School Curriculum Standards Authority). It is very important to note, student achievement is based on judging standards that articulate student achievement at the end of the school year.

We believe these minor changes to the Semester 1 reports ensures that:

• Students are fairly assessed
• The professional judgement of the teacher can be supported by evidence, and
• Parents and students are given accurate 鈥榩oint in time鈥� feedback

Marian Campus (Pre Primary – Year 2)

Student achievement in Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Physical Education, Arts and Italian will be reported on using a three-point scale (Above Expectation, At Expectation and Below Expectation). Teachers will provide a written comment and provide feedback on the personal and social development of students.

Kindy reports will formatively assess and provide feedback on the five outcomes from the Early Years Learning Framework. The five areas are Identity, Connecting and Contributing, Wellbeing, Learning and Thinking, and Communicating.

Lavalla Campus (Years 3-6)

Student achievement in all learning areas will be reported on using a three-point scale (Above Expectation, At Expectation and Below Expectation). Teachers will provide a written comment and provide feedback on the personal and social development of students.

Marcellin Campus (Years 7-12)

Secondary students will receive a grade that aligns to the judging standards as described in the Australian Curriculum. Learning attributes that reflect our Vision for Learning will serve as formative feedback for parents.

Student marks per assessment item are available on SEQTA. It is important to note the student assessment program has been modified to navigate our remote learning response. Years 11 and 12 exam marks can also be accessed on SEQTA.

Pastoral Care Teachers will also provide a report that reflects student engagement in College and wellbeing activities.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)

Teaching staff across the College participated in professional learning to increase their knowledge and understanding of the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with a Disability. This ensures that all students have access to a quality learning experience at school and teachers can provide adjustments for students based on professional judgement, together with medical and professional diagnoses. I extend my thanks to Mrs Allison McCartan, Leader of Learning Diversity, and the Diverse Learning Team for supporting staff in understanding this important resource and process.

to access a resource for parents.

Parent Teacher Interviews 鈥� Term 3

The College will host Parent Teacher Interviews for all students K-12 (except Year 7) on Tuesday 21 July from 10.00am – 7.00pm. With restrictions lifting we are pleased to give parents the option to meet with their child鈥檚 teacher at the College.

Parent Teacher Online (PTO) details and details of locations, timing and 鈥楥ovid Safe鈥� protocols will be shared with families before the end of Term.

For families on the Marcellin Campus please note that Year 10 students, together with their parents, will meet for a course counselling interview BEFORE the end of Term.

We are very mindful that secondary teachers teach more students than available time slots for interviews and as such, priority will be given for students in Years 11 and 12. We hope that student results and comments available to families on SEQTA, together with the Semester 1 report will give parents a level of feedback and academic progress information.

Year 7 families will have an opportunity to meet teachers on Thursday 30 July, from 3.30pm – 7.00pm in the Marist Auditorium.

Term 3 Pupil Free Days- Save the Dates

The following dates have been calendared for staff professional learning and parent engagement opportunities.

• Monday 20 July – Staff Faith Formation Day
• Tuesday 21 July – Parent Teacher Interviews
• Friday 14 August – Staff Wellbeing Conference
• Monday 17 August – COLLEGE CLOSED

Code of Conduct

A reminder to all families that the Code of Conduct can be accessed via the College 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.

The Code seeks to value the dignity of every person, foster positive relationships, ensuring confidentiality and accountability and supports professional boundaries. Events held during school hours AND outside of school hours that are associated with the College are also supported by the Code of Conduct. Postings on social media platforms that identify the College or College events are also bound by the Code of Conduct.

Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with any member of the Senior Leadership Team. We thank you in advance for your understanding and support of how we strive to partner positively with one another.

Parent Facebook Groups

A reminder to parents that are members of the Parent Facebook groups that there are a Terms of Reference for the groups so that the intent of the group is understood by all parents. If you have concerns about College decisions and processes, teaching or learning, I strongly encourage you to direct your concern to your child鈥檚 Leader of Wellbeing or classroom teacher. Ensuring the parent community is accurately informed is important to us and College staff are best placed to resolve any queries.

Celebration

At 今日吃瓜 we shine through celebration of our faith, achievements, contributions and efforts. Celebration builds strong communities and plays a major role in socialisation, learning and faith development. It encourages a sense of belonging, coherence and purpose. Coming back to school has seen the power of relationship and coming together.

This has been exemplified by attendance over the last two weeks at approximately 95%.

There has been much joy, energy and goodwill amongst all our students. This week we celebrated our Marian and Lavalla Campus assemblies which are now live streamed in the classrooms and for parents to view at home. In many ways it has re-set how we engage as a school but it has not changed how we celebrate. The value of recognising and affirming our students is a powerful tool to enable them to grow into the fullness of their humanity.

Dr Justin Coulson reminded all of us during the recent live stream of Newman Parents how being present to our children, actively listening to them and asking them, how can I help you, is critical to their development and wellbeing. Celebrating their achievements but also challenging their inhibitions and anxieties are an integral part of our relationships.

This week I sat down with our Year 12 leaders whose year has been compromised and disrupted by the COVID crisis. The rite of passage and the generational rituals of being in the leading cohort have changed. Navigating and accepting these changes has been challenging for the group. That being said, their attitude and positivity have allowed them to consider and reflect on new ways of engaging in the race to the finish line. Yes, it is different and yes, it is okay that it is different. In many ways, life presents to us changes that can be unexpected and not planned for. 2020 has certainly been that year of the unexpected. Yet, while we may not be able to plan for the unexpected events, we can be prepared.

Our College鈥檚 Vision for Learning 鈥� Shine through Discovery 鈥� has given us the foundation as a College Community to come together and become stronger as a result of the COVID crisis. The alignment of our PK-12 school through this Vision has enabled our teachers to individually and collectively build their capacity as was demonstrated through the development of our remote learning plan. In learning, it enabled students to recognise the value of formative assessment and that learning does not necessarily need a marked value to warrant its worth. Learning is about trial and error, asking questions, seeking feedback and strategies to overcome the challenges it presents. At the heart of this though is the relationships that are cultivated between teachers and students and in the collaboration and then celebration that is the result.

Congratulations again to our students for their transition back into face to face learning and we look forward to the future ahead.

Year 6 Leavers Shirt Presentation

It was a great privilege to honour our Year 6 cohort with the presentation of Year 6 Leavers shirts. Not dissimilar to Year 12, Year 6 is a legacy year for our students as they prepare to move into secondary school. We recognise their leadership on the Lavalla Campus and value their presence in our College.

Principal鈥檚 Assembly | RAP Launch / Reconciliation Week

Next week is Reconciliation Week across the country. Significantly, 今日吃瓜 has developed a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) which has been the sum of 18 months collaboration with staff, students, Catholic Education WA Aboriginal Team, with the support of facilitator Christine Sindley of Waangara Marra Consulting.

We will be launching our RAP with special guests, our local Federal member, Celia Hammond, and a special video presentation from Hon Ken Wyatt, Minister for Indigenous Australians.

St Vincent de Paul 鈥� Emergency Assistance Program Drive

A massive thank you to the 今日吃瓜 PK-12 Community for your donations. The cage going to Vinnies is literally overflowing with your generosity. United in Christ’s love, your strength of family spirit and collaboration in caring for those less fortunate than ourselves displays the true Marist charisms.

Prayer Opportunities

During our time of isolation we learnt of the importance of stopping, being still and listening. In building on these lessons, we now offer two more opportunities for our students; a Wednesday lunch-time reflection and Friday morning Student-led Prayer, facilitated by the Faith and Liturgy Captains. The themes have focused on strong women, gratitude, the environment and prayer for exams. Staff and students are invited to attend the Student-led Prayer sessions with the Captains from 8.20am in the Chapel.

Remar / Gamechangers

Over the last two weeks, the Remar and Gamechangers groups have been meeting to reconnect and reflect on their experiences apart during isolation. They were excited to continue building their knowledge and skills as they look for opportunities to serve our community.

Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is recognised and celebrated from 27 May 鈥� 3 June. The theme for 2020 is 鈥淚n this Together鈥�. It is also 20 years since over 250,000 Australians walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge to show solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for reconciliation.

今日吃瓜 is committed to reconciliation and there will be several activities across the PK-12 community that allow students to learn and reflect on the importance of reconciliation. We are excited to launch our Reconciliation Action Plan on Wednesday 27 May. This plan lays clear our intents and actions that underpin our commitment to reconciliation. We are grateful for the support of Christine Sindley from Waangara Marra Consulting and the RAP Working Group for their consultation and input in helping 今日吃瓜 develop it first Reconciliation action Plan.

The College鈥檚 pastoral and educational response to COVID-19 has demonstrated the strength of our Vision for Learning, our commitment to the wellbeing of the young people in our care and the absolute privilege and responsibility our vocation holds on the hearts and minds of others. As we navigate, plan and discern the return to a busy College life, we continue to prioritise collaboration in learning by ensuring goals, intentions and outcomes are shared between school and the home. This is particularly important for our graduating students of the class of 2020. Your individual and collective success, as you overcome the disruption of this year, will be your legacy鈥� Let Your Light Shine!

COVID-19 Update

Thank you to all families for their support as we transition back to compulsory schooling this week. The students have responded very well despite there still being restrictions in place for large group gathering and some activities. The College is preparing to reinstate sport, arts events and other co-curricular opportunities with careful consideration and due diligence.

If you are concerned about your own family situation, you are invited to contact Lisa Fogliani, Vice Principal, for additional clarity and advice lisa.fogliani@newman.wa.edu.au

If Students are Unwell鈥�

The College asks that students who are presenting with a fever or flu like symptoms stay at home until their symptoms are clear. 鈥疘t is of the responsibility of all families to ensure they support the wider College community.

Parents and Visitors to the College

We thank all parents and caregivers for their support and understanding by utilizing the kiss and ride processes in place to ensure adults are not congregating on College grounds. As restrictions ease and the advice from Catholic Education Western Australia changes, we will communicate any respective changes with our parent community.

The College is planning to continue with our gazetted Parent Teacher Interview day on Tuesday 21 July. Details regarding the format, either remote or face to face for this day, will be shared closer to the date.

College Calendar

As restrictions ease, many co-curricular activities, groups and events will return. The details of these activities will be added to the College Calendar as well as a communication from the staff responsible for coordinating the activity. In some instances, there will be additional protective measure and guidelines to adhere to, to ensure the safety of staff and students.

Save the Date – NPCC Meeting – Monday 8 June, 7.00pm

The Newman Parents Consultative Committee will meet online on Monday 8 June at 7.00pm. A link to the meeting will be sent to families, with a call for questions in the next newsletter. This will help to facilitate collaboration in an online environment.

Newman Parents Presentation with Justin Coulson – Thanks

Many thanks to the parents and staff that joined Mr Finneran and I in welcoming Dr Justin Coulson to work with our community. Justin had planned to be at the College last Term and we are very grateful that he was able to adapt his presentation to be online. It was very successful and we look forward to welcoming him back to the College in 2021.

Reporting and Assessment

Secondary

Semester 1 reports will include a learning attributes and a progress grade that is aligned to judging standards. The judging standards describe the standard of achievement students should attain by the end of the school year. More information regarding reporting and judging standards will be shared with families in the weeks ahead.

Primary

Details regarding Semester 1 reports will be communicated from each campus in due course. It is important that we provide feedback and progress on each student, mindful on how teachers and students have adjusted to different modes of learning delivery.

Parent Facebook Groups

A reminder to parents that are members of the Parent Facebook groups that there is a Terms of Reference for the groups so that the intent of the group is understood by all parents. If you have concerns about College decisions, processes, teaching or learning, I strongly encourage you to direct your concern to your child鈥檚 Leader of Wellbeing or classroom teacher. Ensuring the parent community is accurately informed is important to us and College staff are best placed to resolve any queries.

The Terms of Reference can be found below:

This forum is intended to assist in building stronger communities and better relationships. Use the Facebook Group to:

• Organise year group social gatherings (parents)
• Ask for assistance in drop off / pick up of your child when needed
• Arrange carpooling
• Lost property
• Provide pertinent year group information such as assembly dates / times
• Remind parents of key dates relating to their child鈥檚 year group
• Sharing key information or posts from the 今日吃瓜 website and social media pages
• Sharing relevant College photos (not personal/family photos)

This is NOT a forum to discuss teaching and learning issues. This is a community group to connect parents of your child鈥檚 year group. Questions relating to your child鈥檚 education should be directed to the relevant teacher and/or Leader(s) of Wellbeing. You should not comment on teaching and learning or other College related matters in this group.

Code of Conduct

A reminder to all families that the Code of Conduct can be accessed via the College 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.

The Code seeks to value the dignity of every person, foster positive relationships, ensuring confidentiality and accountability and supports professional boundaries. Events held during school hours AND outside of school hours that are associated with the College are also supported by the Code of Conduct. Postings on social media platforms that identify the College or College events are also bound by the Code of Conduct.

Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with any member of the Senior Leadership Team. We thank you in advance for your understanding and support of how we strive to partner positively with one another.