秀秀直播

Primary Update – Term 1 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 28/02/2025

Year 1 Red Assembly

Our Year 1 Red class were the first to share their learning with us in 2025, presenting their class assembly this morning. 1 Red started their assembly with a beautiful song, reminding us all to ‘let our light shine’. The focus of the assembly was on highlighting how we are all special in our own individual ways. Year 1 Red students shared the different ways they are ‘clever’ and let their light shine each and every day. To finish the assembly, the class shared a wonderful song about being special. Thank you 1 Red!

Primary Swimming Carnival (Y3-6)

Our Years 3-6 Swimming Carnival was a huge success today! We were blessed with beautiful weather for what was a sensational day of sportsmanship, athleticism and joy! A huge congratulations to all of our students for trying their best in their races and events! Our Guild shirts looked brilliant throughout the day at our first-ever Primary 鈥楪uild Carnival鈥� and a huge congratulations to Thomas More for winning the Swimming Championship Shield, and Brigid for winning the Spirit Shield. Thank you to all Primary staff involved in the day, with special mention to Mrs Tash Richards for her planning, coordination and running of this huge event!

Year 6 Camp

Our Year 6鈥檚 spent a wonderful three days at Forrest Edge Campsite in Waroona. Over the three days they participated in activities such as flying fox, pamper pole, kayaking, rafting, crate climbing, screen printing and so much more! It was so wonderful to see our students engaged with the activities and pushing themselves to try new things and forge new relationships with their peers. A huge thanks to our Year 6 teachers for their work in preparing the camp, and our supporting staff who also attended. The camp ran smoothly thanks to the collective efforts of our staff and a heartfelt thanks for the time they gave up away from their own families to be able to provide our Year 6 students with a camp they will always remember.

Community Mass

It has been wonderful to see so many Lavalla students at our first two Community Masses in 2025. Catherine Guild had a wonderful turn out at our first Community Mass, with Brigid Guild having smaller numbers yesterday. When your child鈥檚 Guild is invited to Community Mass on Thursday mornings at 8:00am, it would be wonderful if they could be there to support. To build Guild spirit, students that attend the Mass are able to wear their Guild sports top for the entire day.

The remainder of the Guild Masses for Term 1 are listed below for Lavalla parents to mark in their calendars:

  • Week 5: Thursday 6 March 鈥� Thomas More
  • Week 6: Thursday 13 March 鈥� Chisolm
  • Week 7: Thursday 20 March 鈥� Marcellin
  • Week 8: Thursday 27 March – MacKillop
  • Week 9: Thursday 3 April – Romero
  • Week 10: Thursday 10 April – Camara

Primary Extension Opportunities

We wanted to share with our families an explanation of the approach to extension within the primary school. We use a three-tiered system, similar to our support structures (outlined in the previous newsletter). At 秀秀直播, we believe in nurturing the unique gifts of each child and providing experiences that encourage growth, curiosity, and critical thinking across all learning areas. The diagrams below outline the key components of each tier of extension and the criteria used for withdrawn small group activities. We hope this gives you a clearer understanding of what extension looks like on a day-to-day basis.

Catherine Young

Leader of Learning Primary

URSTRONG

A reminder that parents continue to have access to a . We hope that as a URSTRONG Family, you will reinforce the important messages of empowerment, self-compassion, and kindness at home.

秀秀直播 Norms / Medals of Marcellin

Our Medals of Marcellin are back in 2025! Each fortnight at each Primary campus, one person will be drawn out of the raffle and receive a small prize for living out our 秀秀直播 Norms. Congratulations to Niall, Ivy and Leo (Lavalla Campus) who were the winners in Week 2, and Charlotte (Marian Campus) who was the Week 3 winner of our raffle! Each raffle ticket received is swapped for a token and the Guild with the highest number of tokens at the end of the term wins a prize for the whole Guild!

Lavalla Homework Club

A reminder that children attending Homework Club must be collected by a parent/guardian from the bottom floor of the 3-6 Building at the end of Homework Club. If your child will be getting home another way (i.e. walking) then it is essential you email our Library Teacher (Sam Wynne) so we have this on record – samantha.wynne@newman.wa.edu.au

If you completed the form in the previous Newsletter, you are confirmed for Homework Club for the remainder of the year. If you did not complete the form but would like your child to join anytime from now until the remainder of the term, please email samantha.wynne@newman.wa.edu.au

Primary Library News

Congratulations to every single student who is participating in our Library competitions. Miss Hall, Mrs Bailey and Mrs Wynne are very proud of you all. Wait until Mrs Le Dan hears our news too!!!

Our Marian Campus Winners for the 鈥淟ibrary Bear Needs A Name” competition were: Lachlan, 1R and Kiana, PPG. Lavalla winners were Emily, 4G and Lucius, 6G.

Student Sporting News

Congratulations to Lilah, who won the CBC Green Busselton Junior Tennis Tournament for singles and doubles in the girls division over the Australia Day weekend. Over the summer holidays she also came second in the Applecross Head Junior Open and the City of Joondalup and XCeed Sorrento Open, and also came first in the doubles in the WA Junior Open! What a sensational achievement Lilah!

If your child has achieved state or national recognition in their sport or extra-curricular activity, please email us at communications@newman.wa.edu.au, so we can celebrate their success.

秀秀直播 App

It would be beneficial if parents could ensure they have the 秀秀直播 App, as this will be utilised more in 2025 as one of the main modes of communication. To download the app in the  (Apple Devices) or (Android Devices), simply type in 秀秀直播.

3D Printer

In the bottom floor of our Years 3-6 building we have received a generous donation of a 3D Printer from the Zafiropoulos family. This will be utilised throughout the year by some classes as part of their Digital Technologies programs. A big thank you to the Zafiropoulos family for their time and donation of the printer.

Wishing you a relaxing long weekend.

Ryan von Bergheim

HEAD OF PRIMARY

From the Principal – Term 1 Week 4

Jenni Vile on 28/02/2025

Go Primary! 

This week has seen the first Primary assembly for the year and it was a delight to present merit certificates to our Marian students and watch Year 1 Red perform about their way of 鈥楽hining鈥� and the many ways we are smart. Primary continued their big week with the successful running of the Year 6 Camp at Waroona and the Lavalla Swimming Carnival. The week鈥檚 events saw our students shining through class work, adventure and teamwork, and sporting endeavour. Tonight, we celebrate the Primary Family Picnic at Lavalla and the response from families has been great, even with a long-weekend backing onto the event. Thank you for your strong support of Family Spirit.听听

Primary Build  

The Primary build continues to go well and we will ensure we provide the community with good notice as to when, in Term 2, the move from Marian to Lavalla Campus will occur.听听

Student Voice and Agency 鈥� Your children leading the way听

There鈥檚 so much importance in nurturing the voice and involvement of students in their own education and formation. In our new Strategic School Improvement Plan 2025-2027, initiatives of student-adult partnership feature heavily.

Student voice and agency happens in the classroom through empowering young people to give feedback to teachers, feedback to others and feedback about their own learning. Their agency is promoted in providing the opportunity to be responsible and own what is happening in their lives. It is the nurture of partnership and was described within the Australian government-endorsed Through Growth to Achievement: Report of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools 2018.  Projects underway in 2025 across the whole College that nurture voice and agency include:

  • The building of Guild spirit and identity;
  • Involvement in planning transition programs to secondary school, feeding back the successes and challenges of the program, and
  • Co-designing a student recognition system (colours and honours in Christian Service Learning, Academic, Cultural and Sport participation).

In Term 2, we will highlight 鈥楳y Learning,鈥� which is our approach to further voice and agency in each student鈥檚 learning journey. One project just about to finish began with the Year 6 group from 2024 who planned and presented to the school a 鈥榝riendship bench鈥�. This will shortly be installed on the听 Lavalla Campus. We are blessed with caring, considerate and community concerned children and it is heartening to see the work they are leading at 秀秀直播.听听

Active Transport – My Way 

Another exciting initiative we will be developing in the next few months, that has the leadership of students and involvement of parents, is our plan to encourage walking and riding to school. In today鈥檚 edition, Mr Michael Chiera, Vice Principal, writes about our plan in partnership with the City of Stirling to encourage alternative ways of coming to school. This always needs to be considered in context of the individual鈥檚 age and journey from home to school and back, but it is important in so many ways to encourage active transport.听听

I wish all 秀秀直播 families a wonderful long weekend. It is hard to believe that we are at a mid-way point of Term 1.  

Andrew Watson

PRINCIPAL

From the Vice Principal – Term 1 Week 2

Jenni Vile on 14/02/2025

Welcome

The 2025 school year is off to a fantastic start, filled with engaging activities and events that have brought our community together.

A special welcome to our new families – I hope you are settling in well and embracing the opportunities to connect with others. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.

Wishing all parents and students a year of growth, success, and meaningful experiences!

Family Mass

Next Tuesday 18 February, our 秀秀直播 community comes together for the Family Mass, an event that holds great significance in reinforcing our identity as a Catholic school in the Marist educational tradition. The occasion is made even more special as we will celebrate the commissioning of our Year 6 and Year 12 Student Leaders.

I remind parents and students that participation in all aspects of College life, including events like the Community Mass, are an integral part of our shared commitment upon enrolling in the College. As a Catholic school, there are few occasions more significant than coming together for a Community Mass, where we not only share in the Eucharist but also celebrate our unique charism as one united community.

We sincerely thank all our families, students, and staff for joining us for this special event.

A Reminder of Our Shared Values

I would like to remind parents that at 秀秀直播, we deeply value our collaboration with families and caregivers in nurturing a supportive and respectful community. Our relationships are built on courtesy, mutual trust, and open communication.

To support this, we ask all parents and caregivers to familiarise themselves with the . Understanding these expectations ensures we can continue working together with respect and appreciation for one another.

秀秀直播 Norms

At 秀秀直播, we are committed to creating a learning environment where every student feels safe, supported, and empowered to succeed. To achieve this, we have established the 秀秀直播 Norms – a set of non-negotiable expectations for student behaviour and conduct in the classroom. These norms provide clarity and consistency, ensuring that both students and teachers understand the standards that guide our interactions and learning.

The 秀秀直播 Norms are not just rules; they are the foundation of a respectful and productive classroom culture. By upholding these expectations, students take responsibility for their learning, demonstrate respect for their peers and teachers, and contribute to an environment where everyone can thrive.

By embracing the 秀秀直播 Norms, we create a community where learning is the priority, respect is non-negotiable, and every student can reach their full potential.

The 秀秀直播 Norms are displayed in every classroom and can also be accessed on the College Website.

Transperth Updates

412 and 719 鈥� Route Disruptions

Due to ongoing road closures, Stop 19068 (Huntriss Rd before Williamstown Rd, Woodlands) is currently out of service. This disruption will remain in effect until further notice. Please refer to the for details on the nearest alternative stops.

Bus Arrival Times

We acknowledge concerns regarding the morning arrival times of School Special Buses. The College has reported these issues to Transperth and assures parents that all services should arrive by 8:35am.

If your child experiences ongoing issues with bus arrival times, we encourage you to notify both the College and Transperth. Contact details for Transperth can be found .

We thank you for your continued support.

Michael Chiera

VICE PRINCIPAL

Secondary Update – Term 1 Week 2

Jenni Vile on 14/02/2025

Year 12 Ball

On Wednesday 29 January, the Class of 2025 gathered at the State Reception Centre, Kings Park for the Year 12 Ball. It is a momentous occasion in the Year 12 calendar, filled with celebration and hope for the year ahead. Students had a wonderful evening and are to be congratulated on the way they represented the values of our College throughout the evening. Thank you to Mr David Husband, Leader of Wellbeing Year 12 and the Year 12 PCG teachers for their help in organising this fantastic event.

Year 7 鈥� 12 Welcome Gathering

On Friday 7 January all students in Year 7 鈥� 12 gathered on Founders Court for a welcome gathering and prayer, led by our College Captains, Amelia Ng and Liam Stannard. Amelia and Liam officially welcomed our Year 7 cohort, new students and staff to our Marist Family. After hearing from Mr Watson, our Year 7 鈥� 12 students gave a heartfelt Happy Birthday message to Br Noel who turned 100 on the weekend!

The Rite Journey

Throughout 2025, Year 9 students will participate in the Rite Journey. The Rite Journey is a rite of passage program that will see students engaging in conversations about what it means to be a thriving citizen while completing challenges along the journey that will build and expand their social and emotional toolkit.

The Rite Journey began with a Calling Ceremony at Trigg Beach across two evenings in Week 1. This Ceremony is an important part of the rite of passage program as they begin their journey into adulthood. Students, with their families, gathered in their Rite Journey groups with their mentor teachers and were given a memento to symbolise the occasion. Families were then invited to sit with their children on the beach and talk to them about their experiences as a child moving into adulthood and offered advice before leaving. It was a moving experience and an amazing way to begin such an important program. Thank you to Mr Scott Smith, Leader of Wellbeing Year 9 and the Rite Journey Mentor Teachers for their organisation and support of the Rite Journey.

Year 7 Transition & Camp

Our Year 7 students began their high school journey on the 30 January. Guided by their PCG teachers and Year 11 mentors, they began a Transition Program which aims to promote connection and set students up for success as a 秀秀直播 student. Throughout the last two weeks, students have participated in a variety of activities and presentations from learning about what it means to be a student at 秀秀直播 to how to ensure they are using resources such as devices and College diaries to assist their learning. Students were excited to begin their classes upon return from Camp.

The Year 7 Transition Program finished with a three-day camp at Ern Halliday Recreation Camp. Students embraced the various activities and challenges and this gave students an opportunity to further develop friendships within the cohort. A heartfelt thanks to all Year 7 PCG teachers and camp staff, led by Mr Nathan Pereira, Leader of Wellbeing Year 7 for all their efforts in the last two weeks.

Upcoming Events:

Swimming Carnival

Our 2025 Guild Swimming Carnival will take place on Thursday 20 February at HBC Stadium. It is a compulsory school day and all students are expected to be in attendance.

Students are asked to make their own way to the Carnival, entering through the McGillivray Oval gate. Students may arrive as early as 8:00am and by 8:30am at the latest. There will be buses for any students who are not able to make their way to and from the venue. If your child requires a spot on the hired buses, please complete by Monday 17 February.

Students should wear their Guild shirt with their PE uniform. Students must wear only College bathers/quick dry shorts and Guild swimming caps during competitive swimming events. Swim caps will be provided by their Guild Co-ordinator on the day. Students incorrectly dressed will not be allowed to compete. Year 12s ONLY have permission to dress up. No streamers, face paint or anything that might run in the pool. Students will need to provide their own food/drinks for the day. The kiosk will not be available to students. Any Uber Eats orders will be confiscated.

We look forward to a great day in the pool filled with Guild Spirit.

2025 Equip, Guide, Thrive and Pastoral Care Group Program

This year we are excited to launch our Equip, Guide, Thrive (EGT) Program for students in Years 7 鈥� 12. Our Vision for Mission, Wellbeing, and Learning complement each other and aim to create a holistic and cohesive educational experience for all students, helping them to become 鈥済ood Christians and good citizens鈥� (Matthew 5:16). The EGT program aims to provide an integrated and rigorous education that supports our students in becoming their best selves by giving them opportunities to build their spiritual, wellbeing and academic toolkits. An overview of the Term One Program can be found .

The Extended Pastoral Care Program will continue this year in a slightly different format. It will allow for more flexibility in meeting the needs of our individual cohorts as well as providing more time for building connections and pastoral care support.

Carla Pastorelli

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL SECONDARY

Pathways and Careers Information: Year 11

WACE (secondary graduation) requirements

In Year 11 and 12, students are progressing towards their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), otherwise known as their secondary graduation.

In order to achieve their WACE, students need to meet certain academic targets across Year 11 and 12. These are:

  • Demonstrate the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy (either in Year 9 NAPLAN or in Year 10-12 OLNA).
  • Be enrolled in English / Literature in Year 11 and 12.
  • Be enrolled in at least 1 鈥楲ist B鈥� (Maths / Science / Sport / Technology) subject.
  • Achieve at least 14 C grades, with at least 6 C grades in Year 12 subjects.

For students considering UniReady / UniPath in Year 12

A reminder to students on the General Pathway who are considering UniReady / UniPath in Year 12 next year. It is expected that students from the General Pathway would have participated in extra-curricular activities such as work experience, VET Certificates, Leadership, Service, and/or College sport. General Pathway students who have not participated in any of these extra-curricular activities may not be eligible for UniReady / UniPath.

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:
  • Are you thinking of attending a University Open Day? Dates are below. This blog might help you:

Bricklaying free course

The Bricklaying Job Ready Program is a FREE 4-week course designed for students eager to begin their journey in bricklaying. It offers the students a white card and experience in the bricklaying industry.

Course Dates: 1st Semester 2025:

Start date 10 March – South Metropolitan TAFE Rockingham
Start date 17 March – North Metropolitan TAFE Balga
Start date 5 May – North Metro TAFE Clarkson
Start date 2 June – South Metropolitan TAFE Thornlie

Apply NOW:

Defence Force Work Experience Opportunities

Army

  • A Day in the Life of a Soldier 鈥� Irwin Barracks 鈥� 20 March 2025
    • Applications close: 23 February 2025
    • Apply here:
  • A Day in the Life of a Soldier 鈥� Irwin Barracks 鈥� 22 May 2025
    • Applications close: 06 April 2025
    • Apply here:
  • A Day in the Life of a Soldier 鈥� Irwin Barracks 鈥� 19 June 2025
    • Applications close: 04 May 2025
    • Apply here:

Navy

  • Navy Careers Experience 鈥� HMAS Stirling 鈥� 07-09 April 2025
    • Applications close: 23 February 2025
    • Apply here:
  • Navy Careers Experience 鈥� HMAS Stirling 鈥� 30 June 鈥� 02 July 2025
    • Applications close: 18 May 2025
    • Apply here:

Air Force

  • Air Force Careers Day 鈥� RAAF Base Pearce 鈥� 25 March 2025
    • Applications close: 16 February 2025
    • Apply here:
  • Air Force Careers Day 鈥� RAAF Base Pearce 鈥� 24 June 2025
    • Applications close 11 May 2025
    • Apply here:

Pathways and Careers Information: Year 12

WACE (secondary graduation) requirements

In Year 11 and 12, students are progressing towards their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), otherwise known as their secondary graduation.

In order to achieve their WACE, students need to meet certain academic targets across Year 11 and 12. These are:

  • Demonstrate the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy (either in Year 9 NAPLAN or in Year 10-12 OLNA).
  • Be enrolled in English / Literature in Year 11 and 12.
  • Be enrolled in at least 1 鈥楲ist B鈥� (Maths / Science / Sport / Technology) subject.
  • Achieve at least 14 C grades, with at least 6 C grades in Year 12 subjects.

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:

Bricklaying free course

The Bricklaying Job Ready Program is a FREE 4-week course designed for students eager to begin their journey in bricklaying. It offers the students a white card and experience in the bricklaying industry.

Course Dates: 1st Semester 2025:

Start date 10 March – South Metropolitan TAFE Rockingham
Start date 17 March – North Metropolitan TAFE Balga
Start date 5 May – North Metro TAFE Clarkson
Start date 2 June – South Metropolitan TAFE Thornlie

Apply NOW:

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 thinking of attending a University Open Day? Dates are below. This blog might help you:
  • 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:

Thinking of studying Medicine or Dentistry in 2026?

All students who wish to enrol in Medicine or Dentistry in 2025 (including Assured Pathway at UWA) will need to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) this year.

Please see below for some important dates:

  • 4 March 2025:            UCAT bookings open
  • 16 May 2025:              Deadline to book your UCAT for 2024
  • 11 June 2025: Deadline if you need to cancel your UCAT booking
  • 1 July 2025:                UCAT testing begins
  • 5 August 2025:          Last test date
  • September 2025:       Results available

You can check for more information, tips and practice tests.

Also, students applying for Medicine at Curtin University are required to sit the CASPER Test. CASPER scores are valid only for the next available admissions year, so applicants should only complete the test in the year immediately preceding their planned year of admission.

The CASPER Test is held nationally and is sat online from home. Applicants are responsible for making their own arrangements to register for the CASPER Test.

You can find more information about this, and book your test, here:

UWA Medical entry handbook here (for Assured Pathway):

Curtin Medical entry handbook here:

Entry to Medicine handbook (Australia-wide) is here:

University scholarships

Curtin University  
Edith Cowan University (ECU)  
Murdoch University  
Notre Dame University  
University of Western Australia (UWA)  
Christian Leaders Scholarship

Defence Force Work Experience Opportunities

Army

  • A Day in the Life of a Soldier 鈥� Irwin Barracks 鈥� 20 March 2025
    • Applications close: 23 February 2025
    • Apply here:
  • A Day in the Life of a Soldier 鈥� Irwin Barracks 鈥� 22 May 2025
    • Applications close: 06 April 2025
    • Apply here:
  • A Day in the Life of a Soldier 鈥� Irwin Barracks 鈥� 19 June 2025
    • Applications close: 04 May 2025
    • Apply here:

Navy

  • Navy Careers Experience 鈥� HMAS Stirling 鈥� 07-09 April 2025
    • Applications close: 23 February 2025
    • Apply here:
  • Navy Careers Experience 鈥� HMAS Stirling 鈥� 30 June 鈥� 02 July 2025
    • Applications close: 18 May 2025
    • Apply here:

Air Force

  • Air Force Careers Day 鈥� RAAF Base Pearce 鈥� 25 March 2025
    • Applications close: 16 February 2025
    • Apply here:
  • Air Force Careers Day 鈥� RAAF Base Pearce 鈥� 24 June 2025
    • Applications close 11 May 2025
    • Apply here:

UPCOMING CAREERS EVENTS

EVENTDATELINK
ECU Open Day (Joondalup)23 March
UWA Open Day30 March
Murdoch University Open Day5 April
Curtin University Open Day6 April
ECU Open Day (Mt Lawley)4 May

Primary Update – Term 1 Week 2

Jenni Vile on 14/02/2025

It has been a wonderful start to the 2025 school year, with the smiling faces of students, staff and parents once again visible across the Primary campuses. Our students are settling nicely into their new classrooms, campuses and routines. At the start of the year, it can often be a time of adjustment for many students as they learn new teachers, peers and structures. If you have any concerns during this time, I encourage you to reach out to your child鈥檚 classroom teacher to discuss them.

Communication

As mentioned at the Primary Parent Information evening, this year will continue our efforts to refine and streamline communication with Primary parents.

The newsletter will be used to post as much information as possible for the upcoming fortnight, so I encourage all families to read the newsletter carefully each fortnight and refer to the information as required throughout the term. Past newsletters can always be found on the College website.

Email and the official 秀秀直播 App will be utilised to communicate with parents in between newsletters.

SeeSaw will now be kept as a place to view your children鈥檚 class work, as well as a place for the classroom teacher (and specialist teachers when required) to post directly to individual class/cohort parent groups.

秀秀直播 App

The 秀秀直播 app should now be available once more in the Apple store after some issues with the Apple App Store in the last few weeks. It would be beneficial if parents could ensure they have the 秀秀直播 App, as this will be utilised more in 2025 as one of the main modes of communication.

To download the app in the App Store (Apple Devices) or Google Play (Android Devices) simply type in 秀秀直播.

Alternatively, the direct links are here:

It is important to select “Primary” under subscriptions. This can be found by clicking on “More” and going to “Settings”.

Parent Information Evening

A huge thank you to all of the Primary parents who were able to come along to the Primary Parent Information Evening held last Thursday. It was a wonderful event and the Primary Leadership Team heard so much positive feedback from parents on the night. I hope the night was very informative and that those who attended the optional sessions in the second half of the evening found them meaningful. As always, we are interested in any parent feedback from the evening, so if you have any feedback to share on the classroom sessions, optional sessions or the event itself, I ask you to complete .

A copy of the Optional and the can be found here for those interested.

Primary Family Picnic

I look forward to seeing as many families as possible at the upcoming Primary Family Picnic. Please click here for details.

秀秀直播 Norms / Medals of Marcellin

Our Medals of Marcellin are back in 2025! Each fortnight at each Primary campus, one person will be drawn out of the raffle and receive a small prize for living out our 秀秀直播 Norms. Congratulations to Will (Marian Campus) who was the Week 1 winner of our raffle! Each raffle ticket received is swapped for a token and the Guild with the highest number of tokens at the end of the term wins a prize for the whole Guild!

Primary Swimming Carnival (Y3-6)

Please see below for communication from Mrs Richards regarding the upcoming 2025 Swimming Carnival. We ask that all students remain at the event until the end of the school day (3:00pm) to support their peers and their Guilds. Should you need to leave early for an appointment, please email Amanda.johnson@newman.wa.edu.au to advise so we have notice. If students do not remain until the end of the Carnival it becomes very difficult with the number of names needing to be called over the PA System whilst also trying to run the event effectively. For those parents with children at Marian, rest assured they will be supervised by staff until you arrive after the Carnival, so there is no need to leave the Carnival early.

URSTRONG

Last year saw the successful introduction of the URSTRONG Friendship Curriculum across the Primary. It has been wonderful to hear so many families using the same language and discussing the same concepts at home. A reminder, parents continue to have access to a . We hope that as a URSTRONG Family, you will reinforce the important messages of empowerment, self-compassion, & kindness at home.

Student Illness

A reminder that if students are sick they should not attend school. We ask for parent cooperation with this to ensure sickness does not spread to other students and our teaching staff. Already this year we have seen a significant number of students and staff away from school with illness. If students attend school with symptoms of being sick, the front office will contact parents to come and collect them. If students have vomited, they should remain at home for 24 hours after the last time they vomited. Thank you for your understanding and support to ensure the wellbeing of our students and staff, and the continuity of learning programs.

Homework Club

Lavalla Homework Club resumes this term for students in Years 3-6.

  • Commences: Week 4 鈥� Tuesday 25 February
  • When: Tuesday afternoons (Term 1 Weeks 4-9)
  • Where: Lower Level Years 3-6 Building
  • Time: 3:00-4:30pm (please note pickup is strictly at 4:30pm)

Homework Club is an opportunity for your child to spend time in the afternoon completing their homework, collaborating with peers on tasks/projects, working independently on unfinished work, as well as receiving additional support from teachers who are supervising.

Students are provided time to have their own afternoon snack at 3:05pm, plus a short play, before commencing Homework Club at around 3:30pm.

If your child will be attending Homework Club, you are asked to complete so we are aware of the expected numbers and can ensure appropriate supervision.

Sacramental Program 2025

Students in Years 3, 4 and 6 in 2025 will be preparing for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation. The learning component of the Sacrament will be completed at school and parents are required to contact their local parish to enrol their child if they wish them to receive the Sacrament. Further information can be found within the links below, and each Parish will have slightly different requirements with regards to their Sacramental Program.

Enrolments for all parishes are open and parents are encouraged to enrol their children as soon as possible, as many of the parishes will be finalising their enrolments next week.

If you have any questions regarding the Sacramental Program please contact Jane Short, Primary Religious Education Coordinator, jane.short@newman.wa.edu.au

Mrs Jane Short

Leader of Wellbeing & Religious Education Coordinator Primary

Numeracy and Literacy Support Programs

In primary school, we use a three-tiered approach to support Literacy and Numeracy development.

In level 1 the classroom teacher screens and tests students to determine their point of need. They then differentiate the activities in the classroom to accommodate the needs of each student. This may look like different readings, spelling lists or different numbers for a sum.

Level 2 involves withdrawing a small group for support. The classroom screens are used to identify any students experiencing difficulties. Further screens are then completed to identify what small group program would suit them.

For Literacy, we use MacqLit (Years 3-6) and MiniLit Sage (Years 1-2) to focus on phonics support. We also offer Book Club (Years 3-6) to focus on developing comprehension skills and strategies. Parents will receive a letter explaining that their child is invited to participate in these programs. Some students may be withdrawn to focus on fluency with our Fluency Reading program. This program has a more fluid approach and will change depending on student performance week to week.

In Numeracy we also offer tier 2 withdrawn small group support. In Years 1-2 the focus is on strengthening foundational skills. Parent will receive a letter if their child is invited to this program. Years 3-6 students focus on classroom content delivered at a differentiated pace. This program is more flexible and students are invited to come to sessions depending on the topic and their confidence in learning. This approach helps students recognise the need for support and accessing what is available for them.

Tier 3 students have individualised learning programs catering to their specific needs in Literacy and Numeracy. Parents will be informed of any plans for Tier 3 interventions.

All these programs of support are determined by students鈥� performance in screening assessments and class work. In Term 1 all support programs will begin in week 3.

Library Volunteers

We have wonderful libraries on both our Primary campuses and we encourage students to discover their love of reading by coming to browse and choose books from our large collection. Help is needed with the shelving or covering of books on both campuses and we are seeking parent and or grandparent volunteers to help.   

If you would like to offer your assistance, please complete by Monday 17 February. A roster will then be drawn up and details will be emailed to you.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Primary Library Staff

Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize

Calling all budding scientists and filmmakers! The Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize is for you!

This competition encourages students to communicate scientific concepts through short films. It aims to support budding young scientists across Australia who will become future leaders in research, discovery, and communication.

What you have to do:

  • Create a 2-minute film about a scientific concept, discovery, invention, or hypothesis based on the 2025 theme ‘above and below’.

Important Information:

  • The competition is open to primary and secondary school students studying in Australia.
  • Entries can be submitted by individuals or teams of up to six students.
  • Students must plan, organise and film their submission with minimal help from adults.

Important dates for the 2025 competition:

  • Entries open: February 11, 2025
  • Entries due: April 14, 2025, 7pm AEST
  • Winners announced: September 3, 2025

Primary school students who would like to create a submission as an individual or as a team, please come to the library at recess on Wednesday 19th of February to meet with Mrs Cole-Carter (Shine Teacher) to find out more.

Mrs Clare Cole-Carter

Primary SHINE & 3-6 Extension Teacher

Year 6 Camp

Our Year 6 classes head off to Forrest Edge, Waroona on Monday 24 鈥� Wednesday 26 February for their annual camp. The experience promises to be a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop and strengthen their relationships as a cohort, and to challenge themselves in a range of ways that push them outside of their comfort zone. We wish them a fantastic experience and look forward to hearing all about it when they return!

Primary Build

Work continues at a steady pace on the Primary Build Program. Recently we have seen some more milestones reached. The Bike Rack area is completed and opened to students at the start of this week, and the Undercover Courts Area will be opened in the coming days, with re-surfacing and line marking complete.

Wishing you a relaxing weekend.

Ryan von Bergheim

HEAD OF PRIMARY