今日吃瓜

Welcome to another busy week听at听Newman.听The听Primary Swimming Carnival, Year 12 Retreat,听Parent听Information听Evenings,听Year 7听Retreat,听and the start of NAS听inter-school听sporting听competitions听were just some of the activities that depict the thriving and flourishing nature of the Newman Community.

Thank you to our 今日吃瓜 families and staff members for your support and participation in the Parent and Student Information Evenings for 2021. The Kindergarten to Year 7 presentation evenings occurred face to face in our classrooms and Marist Auditorium, and included the option of a student-led tour of our fabulous new St John Henry Newman Learning Hub. The presentations were well attended. In 2021, our Years 8鈥�9 and 11鈥�12 Parent Information Evenings were conducted online and can be reviewed anytime at your convenience.

Parent Teacher听Student听Interviews听

On Thursday 11 March, from 3.30pm 鈥� 8.00pm,听families with children in Years 7, 11 and 12 will be invited to meet with teachers to discuss the learning journey of their children.听听Years 8, 9 and 10 will have their Parent Teacher听Student听interviews on Thursday 29 April, also from 3.30pm 鈥� 8.00pm.

These听evenings present听a great opportunity for partnership and collaboration听between families and teachers.听听Appointments听can听be made through Parent Teacher Online听(PTO),听which will be opening shortly. Further听details听will be听shared听via听an听email from the College.

OLNA

罢丑别鈥�OLNA鈥痠s an online literacy and numeracy assessment听linked to secondary school graduation. It is designed to enable students to successfully meet the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) requirement of demonstrating the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy.听Various听students in听Years 10,听11 and 12 will be undertaking the听OLNA听on听Tuesday 2 March.听Information will be sent听home听to those individuals who are impacted.

Homework Club

Homework Club runs every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,听and Thursday afternoon between 3.15pm and 5.00pm in the St John Henry Newman Learning Hub.听The听Homework听Club is an afterschool resource available to all students听on the Marcellin Campus. Supervising teachers are available to assist students with听tutoring needs. There will also be a provision of weekly,听targeted听tutorials,听tailored to specific learning areas.听听Once finalised, a听roster听of these tutorials听will be shared with both students and parents.

Research shows that听small,听additional听periods听of purposeful study and deliberate practice have听a large impact on learning听over time.听If our students听understand the听concept听and听power of听enacting study and practice听rituals,听the motivation to听learn will be听heightened,听and听the听mastery听of听any听skill听(academic, physical, creative, relational social or emotional)听will听appear more achievable.

Ms Jordan Day-Perkins is our Homework Club听Supervisor. For any questions, concerns or suggestions please contact her听via听email at听jordan.dayperkins@newman.wa.edu.au

IDEAs

On Tuesday 2 March, 20听creative and inspired听staff听members听will commence听their听2021听journey听on听the听IDEAs working party. Newman has partnered with听academics from听the University of Southern Queensland to听form听this IDEAs group.听The participants will听undergo a process that enables ideas to听be听discovered, shaped, prioritised and acted upon,听which听in turn听shapes听our听College听culture听and moves us forward as an organisation. This year,听the group will focus on the power of technology as an accelerator and will also examine听how we connect our pedagogy, resources,听and school-wide practice with our new and evolving听learning听spaces.

Happy Families Online Resource

The College extends complimentary membership to Dr Justin Coulson鈥檚 Happy Families online resource to our entire school community.

Dr Coulson is one of Australia鈥檚 most respected and popular Positive Psychology & relationships speaker, facilitator, author, and researcher particularly in family life).

Happy Families membership has an extensive library听of resources to offer calm assurance, vision, direction and parenting solutions.

鈥淐onnection is at the core of what Justin does and he is passionate about helping others to transform their relationships, and their lives, for the better.鈥�

Launch your free membership today

Pupil Free Days

Parent Teacher Communication Protocols

Parents and carers are reminded that听all communication between the child and home needs to come through Administration once the child has arrived at the College.听Administration staff can facilitate a phone call or relay any messages and information. Students should not be contacting parents during the day, especially if they are unwell or wanting to leave the College.听 Primary parents must not use messaging functions via the iPad to communicate with their children. This disrupts their learning and does not reflect responsible management of student devices during school time. Thank you for supporting the College in this manner.

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, 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听the College听or College events are bound by the Code of Conduct.

Any perceived breaches of the Code can be discussed with a member of the Senior Leadership Team. We thank you in advance for your understanding and look forward to a positive partnership that supports our students, your children.

 

Marist Theme 2020

The Marist theme for 2021 is Breathe: The Spirit of Life.

Anthony Clarke, Director of Mission and Life Formation for Marist Australia, reflects:

鈥淚n this moment of history, we could not be more aware of how connected we are. An unknown virus spread from a largely unheard-of city to affect every human being on the planet. Pope Francis has been repeatedly reminding us that everything is connected (Laudato Si). I think we can say this realisation is now evident.鈥�
Nothing connects us more intimately than the air we breathe. Life depends upon the exchange of breath between human beings and creation. The average person takes an average of 20,000 breaths each day, this subconscious activity can be easy to forget. Our breathing gives us life. We read in Scripture that God 鈥渂reathed the breath of life鈥� and created humanity, it is God鈥檚 breath, God鈥檚 Spirit that gives us life and connects us.

The Marist Theme is depicted in the image by Sharon听Williams听an Australian Aboriginal woman from the traditional land of the Eastern听Arrente听people.听Ms Williams reflects:
鈥淐reation is bigger than just our planet earth, Creation is about everything in the universe 鈥� everything听Ngkarte听(God) had put听there听and all those things have听Ngkartele听Utnenge听(God鈥檚 Spirit) in them. We are all connected because we all have听Ngkartele听Utnenge听in us. We humans hare very blest because we听are able to听share in听Ngkarte鈥檚听creating 鈥� when I paint, it is听Ngkartele听Utnenge听who guides me to create something that has never been before, and then听Ngkartele听Utnenge听is that painting. When I care for my children in our families and help them grow – that is the being part of听Ngkarte鈥檚听creating听too. It is very precious to be able to share in听Ngkarte鈥檚听creating in our Universe.鈥�

As we journey in 2021, let us not forget our relationship听to听one another, our connection through the air we breathe. Let us make the choice to听be a be听a spirit of fresh air to one another, where we bring joy, peace, forgiveness and love to the people we encounter.

As we make this journey together in 2021 as a PK-12 community, let us remember God鈥檚 Spirit, the Spirit of Life, is walking with us as we strive to be the person God has called us to be. When we are feeling overwhelmed and stress, remember to breathe and recall the words of Jesus who said, 鈥淐ome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.鈥�

Looking forward to a great year in 2021.

Shrove Tuesday

On Tuesday the 16th of February in week 3, we will be celebrating Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, observed in many Christian countries through participating in confession and absolution, the ritual burning of the previous year’s Holy Week palms, finalising one’s Lenten sacrifice, as well as eating pancakes! As such on Tuesday the 16th of February we will be selling pancakes to raise money for the College appeals. Students will be able to purchase pancakes from 8.15am on both the Marcellin and Lavalla Campus. Marian students will be making pancakes in their classrooms and are encouraged to bring a gold coin donation.

Ash Wednesday

As a PK-12 Catholic community, we will be holding听a number of听celebrations on Wednesday 17 February for Ash Wednesday. This is a significant day in the life of the Church and as such, Liturgies will be celebrated across Marian, Lavalla and Marcellin Campuses.听This year ashes will be听distribute听by a sprinkling over the head of students. This is following the directives and mandate from the Vatican and CEWA.

Ash Wednesday signifies the beginning of Lent which is a 40-day season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ鈥檚 sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Lent is marked by fasting, almsgiving and prayer. The听colour听purple is used for all liturgical events during Lent to remind us of Christ鈥檚 suffering, death and resurrection. We look forward to听recognising听and commemorating this sacred occasion in Week 3.

Project Compassion: Caritas Launch

Ash Wednesday is also the day that Caritas Launch their annual fundraising and awareness appeal 鈥� Project Compassion. Project Compassion brings together millions of Australians in solidarity with the world’s poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

This year鈥檚 Project Compassion theme is: 鈥淎spire not to have more, but to BE MORE鈥�. Each week of Lent, Caritas profiles a person who is involved in a Caritas project and always gives 100%. These stories will be viewed across the College with students being invited to understand the challenges others are facing around the world. In a fundraising effort for this appeal there will be听several听activities across the College, we ask families to please support generously to this worthy cause.

Thursday Morning Community Mass

Our community Mass will commence once more in Week 4 of Term 1. All families, staff and students are invited to attend this community event that is at the very heart of our Catholic story. Mass begins at 8.10am every week and will be hosted by different Year groups and Guilds throughout the year. Week 4听Thursday听26 February will be hosted by Catherine Guild and Year 5 students.

Year of St Joseph听

Pope Francis on December 8, 2020 published an Apostolic Letter听Patris听corde听(With a Father鈥檚 Heart), commemorating the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To mark the occasion, the Holy Father has proclaimed a 鈥淵ear of St Joseph鈥�, running from December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021.听Resources and information about the Year of St Joseph can be found at the Australian Catholic Bishop鈥檚 website听

200 Years of Catholic Education

Catholic Education is celebrating 200 years in Australia, marking the bicentenary of the first Catholic school established in Parramatta in October 1820.

Over 200 years, Catholic schools have grown to become the largest provider of schooling in Australia (outside government) with one in five school age students attending a Catholic school.听This represents some 768,000 students in 1,751 schools across the country and听employing听98,000 teachers and staff.听Nearly 40 per cent of Catholic schools are located outside of metropolitan cities in regional, rural and remote communities.

Marist鈥檚听arrived 50 years after the first Catholic school was established and began educating students in NSW before coming to WA in 1913. This year as part of Catholic Education we will look to celebrate this important milestone and reflect on the part we have played in growing people of faith for the听future.

Resources and more information can be found