One of the phrases often associated with Marist education comes from our founder, St. Marcellin Champagnat, who spoke about the importance of forming young people to become good Christians and good citizens. While these words were written nearly 200 years ago, they remain deeply relevant and the driving force behind our mission today.
For Marcellin, education was never just about academic achievement. Of course, learning, excellence and hard work matter greatly in a school community, but he believed that education should also shape the kind of people our young people become 鈥� people of integrity, compassion, and responsibility, who contribute positively to the families and communities around them.
During this season of Lent, the Church invites us to pause, reflect, and consider how we are living our values in everyday life 鈥� the things that help to make us good Christians and good citizens. We are invited into this special time of recentring 鈥� a time of prayer, generosity, and renewal, as we take the time to focus on what matters most. In many ways, Lent echoes the vision of Marcellin. It reminds us that faith is not just something we learn about, it鈥檚 something we live every day in the way we treat others, the choices we make, and the care we show for those in need.
This formation of our students is at the heart of what we do. At 秀秀直播, we know the formation of our students doesn鈥檛 just happen in the chapel or in the classroom, it happens in the corridors, in the quiet conversations, and in the everyday ways we interact with our young people. Just as important, it happens at home too, through the partnership between families and the school. As we journey through Lent, we might like to pause and consider how we are contributing to this great Marist mission of forming good Christians and good citizens.
鈥淕ive without remembering, receive without forgetting鈥�. This was one of several messages in the homily of Fr Michael Twigg OMI to our whole gathered College and families at the Family Mass last Tuesday evening. As well as celebrating the opening of the year and praying for the success of all in our community in 2026, the Mass provided the opportunity to present and bless our Year 12 and Year 6 Leaders as they begin their service to 秀秀直播 in these important roles. Family means so much to us, and we were delighted to have parents present the badges to their daughters and sons. Our Marist theme for 2026 is 鈥�Full of Grace 鈥� Transform the World with God鈥檚 Love鈥�. Fr Michael urged us to see Grace and be the Grace that God gifts us. This simple example of being people for others who give to anyone in need of love, recognition and time is a moment of Grace when we do so freely and without reward. One simple message from a family the day after the Mass captures the blessing that we are as the 秀秀直播 community:
鈥淟ast night I attended our first opening school mass with our granddaughter 鈥hat a beautiful Eucharistic Celebration bringing the whole Community together 鈥� The students were so reverent and so respectful when applauding their peers chosen to take on leadership roles. I felt a real sense of Community. Please give our thanks to the many staff that it would鈥檝e taken to organise. We look forward to attending many more Eucharistic Celebrations and other functions as part of the 秀秀直播 Community.鈥�
High Achiever鈥檚 Assembly
Our first Celebration Assembly on Marcellin was a time to celebrate the Academic Excellence of the Class of 2025 and our current Year 8-12 Academic Excellence from Semester 2, 2025. Another highlight of this gathering was the guard of honour Year 12 gave to the incoming Year 7 group. During the assembly, our Academic Captains announced the new Colours and Honours system of recognising excellence in Academics, Mission, Sport and The Arts. The first Colours Assembly will happen later this term, where the awards will be presented across these four pillars.
Daniel Miniello, Class of 2025, gave the occasional address to the assembly and spoke so well about working towards personal excellence. His message was one of perseverance, determination and gratitude for the support of family and teachers. Thank you to the parents and grandparents who joined us for this milestone celebration. Let鈥檚 all keep encouraging our young people to pursue personal excellence.
Ash Wednesday
The Season of Lent has begun and we recognised this with respectful Ash Wednesday liturgies at Lavalla and Marcellin. In each liturgy, we unpacked how we can embrace Lent through prayer, giving and moderating our lives. Ms Cole-Carter spoke in our Lavalla liturgy about her experience of serving a community in Kenya as a teacher in a village with few material resources but plentiful riches in community, and the aim to make better lives through education. Mr Box and Mr McClorey spoke to the Marcellin liturgy about how we can contemporise the traditional elements of Lent – alms giving, prayer and abstinence in our lives today. Please join us in supporting the raising of funds to Caritas Australia as they support education, dignity and health in impoverished communities.
Guild Swimming Carnival – Secondary
We are taking Guild Spirit to a new level this year and this was on display at the Guild Swimming Carnival at High Performance Centre this week. Pride and Excellence in Guild! Each Guild participated with great effort and commitment and the Class of 2026 led the way with passionate involvement and the fun of delivering the inaugural synchronised swimming event to open the Carnival. The quality of swimming was excellent throughout all years and 10 records tumbled in the pool. Our new Year 7 group gave it their all in their first Carnival.
To view the record breakers, .
Congratulations to all students, Guild Coordinators and Guild staff, Physical Education Team and Ms Sara Kononen who led the Carnival. Well done to Marcellin Guild for taking out the Champion Shield and the Chisholm Guild for winning the Spirit Shield. A fine win by both Guilds!
In 2027 the College will implement a three-week Semester break between Term 2 and Term 3. The confirmed dates for this break are as follows:
Term 2 Concludes – Friday, 25 June 2027
Semester Break – Saturday 26, June to Sunday, 18 July 2027
Term 3 Begins – Monday, 19 July 2027
We are providing this advance notice to assist families with forward planning for 2027. The full 2027 College Calendar, including all term dates and key events, will be published once finalised.
CrossSafe Survey
We encourage all families to complete this to assist in the establishment of the CrossSafe initiative, designed to keep our student and young people safe.
Our College has a pedestrian crossing on Tuscany Way that is manned through the Traffic Warden Program. When there is an absence that cannot be covered, through this program, this puts our students at risk. Your insight is critical to ensuring the work of the CrossSafe initiative delivers meaningful outcomes for students and school communities.
Transperth Bus Services
The College has been made aware of issues with some School Special bus services arriving late. These have been reported to Transperth when we are made aware, and we ask that families also report the issues.
Students who arrive late due to buses will not be penalised as long as they sign in at Student Reception or Primary Reception.
秀秀直播 Parents Forum 鈥� Save the Date
The 秀秀直播 Parent Forum (NPF) occurs once a term and is open to all parents/guardians. It is a parent community gathering led by the Principal and Vice Principal, in collaboration with a nominated 秀秀直播 Parent K-12 Executive Committee.
The NPF for Term 1 is scheduled for Monday 9 March at 6.00pm. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend in person in the JHN Learning Hub or via An agenda will be emailed to families closer to the evening.
International Women’s Day
On Friday 6 March we will celebrate International Women鈥檚 Day, a special time to recognise the incredible women in our community and continue to bring awareness to gender inequality.
Families were invited to a breakfast and panel discussion. The response has been overwhelming and the event is now sold out. Students will lead the discussion with our panellists:
Anna Snodgrass, Rio Tinto,
Lisa Webb, Fremantle Dockers, and
Jayne Taylor, Taylor HR.
We look forward to welcoming everyone to the event. If you have a ticket but are unable to attend, please contact communications@newman.wa.edu.au so that the opportunity can be made available to others.
I would like to thank parents and guardians for their continued support of the
During uniform checks this week, we identified a number of students who were not meeting the College鈥檚 expectations. The uniform guidelines that were most commonly not being met were:
Shoes
Black business style school shoes (not boot-style, sports, skate, suede, platform soles or non-black stitching).
If a student has a medical condition that prevents them from wearing the correct footwear, a letter from a medical specialist must be provided. Please be aware that the Ascent Footwear range鈥攁vailable at many retailers that sell school shoes鈥攐ffers options suitable for students who require additional support or who need to fit orthotics in their shoes. Ascent shoes look like traditional school shoes but have the built鈥慽n innovation and support found in a sneaker.
Shorts
A reminder that College shorts must be the correct size for the student 鈥� oversized shorts are not permitted. Shorts are to be worn at the waist and not below. Students who are not wearing the correct sized shorts will be asked to have these altered to fit correctly.
Grooming
Makeup is not permitted.
Students must be clean鈥憇haven.
Jewellery
Earrings: one pair of plain studs (max 5mm) or sleepers (max 12mm) in the lower lobe only 鈥� 鈥淧lain鈥� = silver or gold; clear diamantes or small white pearls accepted if within size limits. No retainers, clears or spacers are allowed.
College staff have been instructed to send notifications home when students are in breach of these expectations, and your support in consistently reinforcing them is greatly appreciated.
Social Media Age Restrictions 鈥� Supporting Our Students
Late last year, the Australian Government introduced new rules restricting social media use for anyone under the age of 16, aiming to reduce online risks and give young people more time to develop safe digital habits.
The response has been mixed 鈥� some families feel relieved, while others remain uncertain. We also recognise that for some students, these restrictions have not been straightforward or effective, and we understand this presents its own challenges for families.
At 秀秀直播, we will continue to support all students through our Equip, Guide and Thrive program, which provides education around social media use, online safety, and digital wellbeing.
For further guidance, we recommend this practical resource from the Black Dog Institute:
Upcoming Events
Year 9: The Rite Journey 鈥� Calling Ceremony
We are excited to share that The Rite Journey, our Year 9 program supporting students through the transition into young adulthood, is now underway!
One of the most important events of the program is the Calling Ceremony 鈥� a compulsory milestone that marks the beginning of this journey. All students must attend with a parent or caregiver.
Ceremonies will be held at City Beach Oval (), with parking available between the oval and City Beach. Each ceremony runs from 5:00pm 鈥� 5:45pm. Please attend on the date that corresponds with your child’s class:
Monday 23 February – Mrs Beth Murphy, Mrs Sharee Hart, Mrs Courtney Clark, Mr Ned Shannon, Mr Scott McCallum, Mr Michael Van Der Heever
Tuesday 24 February – Miss Jorja Clark, Miss Jade Nicotra, Mrs Anna Owen, Mr Stuart McClorey, Mr Ben Goldie
We look forward to seeing you there for this special evening.
Year 12: Ball
The Year 12 Ball is one of the most cherished events for our Year 12鈥檚 at 秀秀直播, and we are thrilled to celebrate this special milestone with our Class of 2026.
The Ball will be held on Wednesday, 25 February 2026 at the stunning Fraser’s Restaurant, Kings Park, from 6:30pm to 10:30pm.
Attendance at school on the day of the Ball is compulsory until EGT, where students will be briefed on the Code of Conduct expected for the evening. Tickets will be distributed at 12:30pm during EGT. Students who are not at school on the day will not receive their ticket and will be unable to attend. To minimise disruption to learning, students will be permitted to wear false or coloured nails on this day. We ask that any beauty appointments are arranged around these requirements, and we appreciate your support in making this a special evening with minimal impact on school time.
To support students following the Ball, a late start has been arranged. Students are not required to arrive at school until 10:30am. We kindly ask both students and parents/caregivers to adhere to this arrangement.
This is a wonderful occasion for our Year 12 students to come together and celebrate the year ahead in style. We look forward to seeing them dressed beautifully for what is sure to be a magical and memorable evening.
Mrs Anna Scanlan
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL SECONDARY
Pathways and Careers Information: Year 11
For students thinking of attending University
TISC has a series of videos explaining things like ATAR calculation, prerequisite subjects, scaling, and preferences. You can find them here:
Here is a parents guide to University:
And here is the 鈥淔irst in Family鈥� resource, for students who might be the first in their family to attend University:
Are you thinking of attending a University Open Day? Dates are below. This blog might help you:
Pathways and Careers Information: Year 12
Alternatives to University
Did you know that University is not the only place you can obtain a degree? There are several alternatives here in Perth:
SAE: Offers degrees in things like Animation, Audio, Game Development, Creative Industries.
ACAP: Offers degrees in things like Psychology, Criminology, Social Work.
EIT: Offers degrees in Engineering, IT, and Renewable Energy.
Applying for Medicine or Dentistry for 2027
All students who wish to enrol in Medicine or Dentistry in 2027 (including Assured Pathway at UWA and Notre Dame) will need to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) this year.
Please see below for some important dates:
3 March 2026:鈥�疷CAT bookings open
15鈥疢ay 2026:鈥�疍eadline to book your UCAT for 2026
12鈥疛une 2026:鈥�疍eadline if you need to cancel your UCAT booking
1 July 2026:鈥�疷CAT testing begins
5 August 2026:鈥�疞ast test date
September 2026:鈥�疪esults available
You can check鈥�痜or further information, practice tests, and tips to succeed. It is recommended to book a UCAT as early as possible as demand for testing places is high.
UWA The official handbook for entry to Medicine at UWA can be found鈥�痑nd Dentistry鈥�. Please note that Medicine and Dentistry at UWA are postgraduate courses and require completion of a relevant Bachelor degree prior to entry.
Curtin Curtin University offers the only direct entry medical program in Western Australia. In 2025, the cutoff ATAR for this course was 93.
In addition to the UCAT, students considering applying for Medicine at Curtin University are also required to sit the鈥疌ASPER Test. Further information about CASPER can be found here:鈥�痑nd here:鈥�
The official handbook for entry to Medicine at Curtin can be found鈥�
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame offers a small number of places in postgraduate Medicine via an assured pathway for school leavers. Information about this option can be found here:鈥�
University information
TISC has a series of videos explaining things like ATAR calculation, prerequisite subjects, scaling, and preferences. You can find them here:
Are you the first person in your family to attend University? This might assist:
Here are some useful tools to prepare students for the transition to University:
Here is a parents guide to University:
This resource is a place where you can ask current University students questions about their University courses:
University scholarships
Here is new scholarship at UWA:
Engineering Excellence Scholarship.
Must have an ATAR of 90+ and accepted an offer into Engineering at UWA.
This scholarship is worth $10,000 and will be automatically awarded if you fit the above criteria.
Curtin University
Edith Cowan University (ECU)
Murdoch University
Notre Dame University
University of Western Australia (UWA)
Christian Leaders Scholarship
Gap year information
Students interested in taking a gap year in 2026 might find the following interesting:
Defence Force Gap Year:
Other gap year ideas:
And:
Also this Marist volunteering opportunity:
UPCOMING CAREERS EVENTS
EVENT
HOSTED BY
DATE
LINK
Defence Careers Info Session
Defence Force
5 March
Defence Gap Year Info Session
Defence Force
11 March
Open Day
ECU Joondalup
15 March
Course Information Evening
Notre Dame
17 March
ADFA Information Session
Defence Force
17 March
Defence IT and Intelligence Session
Defence Force
19 March
Navy Careers Info Session
Defence Force
24 March
Open Day
Murdoch University
28 March
Open Day
Curtin University
29 March
Army Reserve Info Session
Defence Force
31 March
Defence Careers
Defence Force
8 April
Submarine Careers
Defence Force
22 April
Information Evening
SAE University College
23 April
Army Reserve Info Session
Defence Force
28 April
Year 10 Parent Information Evening
ECU Joondalup
2 June
Year 11 and 12 Information Evening
Murdoch University
3 June
Engineering Open Evening
ECU Joondalup
11 June
Year 12 Information Session
ECU
30 June
Year 12 Application Support Session
Murdoch University
28 July
Open Day
ECU City Campus
9 August
Year 12 Information Evening
Murdoch University
28 October
Open Day
SAE University College
15 August
If you are thinking of attending a University Open Day, this link might help you get the most out of it:
Our Family Mass this week was a wonderful celebration of our 秀秀直播 community. It was a joyful opportunity to gather as students, families and staff, to pray together, to introduce our 2026 Marist theme, and most importantly, to share in the Eucharist. In coming together around the table of the Lord, we were reminded that our College is not simply a place of learning, but a faith community grounded in Christ and shaped by the Marist spirit.
A special word of thanks must go to our many Year 12 students who have generously committed themselves to serving as Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist this year. Their willingness to prepare, to step forward, and to serve at the altar is a quiet but powerful witness of leadership in action. In the Marist tradition, leadership is always expressed through service, and these young people model that beautifully for our community.
We were very grateful to have Fr Michael Twigg OMI as our celebrant. In his homily, he offered six simple but profound words: 鈥�Give without remembering; receive without forgetting.鈥� These words capture something essential about the Christian life. To give without remembering is to offer our time, compassion and generosity without keeping score. To receive without forgetting is to live with gratitude – recognising the love, forgiveness and grace we have been given, and allowing that gratitude to shape how we treat others.
These six words resonate deeply as we begin the season of Lent and reflect on our Ash Wednesday liturgies this week. Lent invites us to look honestly at our lives and to ask how we might live more like Jesus – in humility, in generosity and in love. It is a time to let go of grudges, selfishness and indifference, and instead to grow in compassion and gratitude.
As a Marist community, may we take Fr Michael鈥檚 words to heart. May we give freely, without seeking recognition. May we receive God鈥檚 blessings – and the kindness of others – with thankful hearts. And throughout this Lenten season, may we continue to grow into people who reflect Christ more clearly in the way we live, serve and love.
