Dear Parents and Families,

Thank you to all our families who have responded to our requests to address the current afternoon traffic situation, it is greatly appreciated. There is no doubt that many families are choosing not to use public transport, and this is understandable in the current COVID-19 environment. However, it has placed greater pressure on the afternoon traffic issue. I have suggested to families to help alleviate the problem by:

• Refraining from coming early and parking within the College. Classes do not finish until 3.15pm
• Reviewing the timing of your pickup. Pick up areas are supervised by staff until 3.45pm. The Research and Study Centre is open until 4.15pm
• Using the northern entry for pick up whenever possible. Traffic volume associated with Murdoch University operations is currently low. Families who travel south around Cockburn Central, Atwell, Success and Aubin Grove now have access to the Kwinana Freeway south via the Murdoch Drive Connection which can be accessed via the road through Murdoch University.

Can all families please consider these initiatives and use an appropriate strategy that best suits them. I would also like to reinforce the fact that ongoing discussions with Murdoch University, City of Melville, City of Cockburn and Main Roads will continue to attempt to develop a long-term solution.
 

Professional Learning Days

The COVID-19 environment has required us to be more agile and flexible in our planning, often resulting in changes at short notice. This has particularly been the case with scheduling professional learning and development days for staff. Please note that currently, the only student free day planned for Term 2 will be Friday 3 July (last day of term). Term 2 concludes for students at 3.15pm on Thursday 2 July.

Community Open Day

Open Day is one of the highlights of the Kennedy calendar which I always look forward to. At this stage, we are still uncertain whether this will be possible next term. A meeting of the Parents and Friends Executive has been set during Week 9 to determine our ability to run Open Day this year. We will communicate the outcome to all families as soon as possible after this meeting.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

I feel a great privilege in being asked to create a short message for the newsletter each fortnight. My goal for each of these articles is to lift the College community and help bring renewed hope to daily lives. Hope is one of those understated attitudes of heart that I have found to have such influence on life. If hope is frail or fading, then the energy to face challenges, or push through the ebb and flow of life, is greatly diminished.

As a Chaplain with a pastoral heart, I seem to have a natural latent empathy, which I find hard to switch off (not that I want to, but it would be nice to carry less emotional demand at times). My Chaplain’s heart often makes me ponder things that highlight the power of hopefulness so I can have more tools to encourage others.

I want to share the found hope staring at me over the weekend because of my mother’s 80th birthday. To celebrate 80 years of life, my mum has pushed through plenty in her time. My mum has successfully completed 29 221 days of life, 29 221!. When I break down this idea, I find that for her, or me, or any of us, completing a day is a triumph (even a Year 7 student has completed close to 5000 days)! To have completed so many means she is to be considered an expert at doing each day. These thoughts have refreshed again in me the idea of how hope is so good for our health. The more hope we have the longer, and better, our life is!

You have come through so much in the days of life so far I’m sure you can do another one!

“May the God of Hope fill you with great joy and peace as you trust in Him” Romans 15:13

My article today is focused on operational matters such as examinations and 2021 opportunities for all students.

Examinations and Externally Set Tasks (ESTs)

Senior school students (Years 11 and 12) will complete a formal assessment program prior to the end of this term. During Weeks 7 and 8, Year 11 and 12 students only attend school to complete an examination or EST. The EST is a compulsory test for all students completing General courses of study in Year 12. The ESTs are written by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority but administered by the College.

All students have been provided with the course content that the examinations and ESTs assess.

• Year 11 and 12 ATAR students will complete examinations in Weeks 7 and 8 (8-19 June).
• Year 12 General students complete Externally Set Tasks in Week 8 (16-19 June) and when all students return to school on Monday 22 June (period 6 & 7); Tuesday 23 June (period 5).

Year 10 to 11 Subject Selections

Year 10 students and parents will be invited to an interview to discuss subject selections for Year 11 in 2021. Students will be required to choose their courses for 2021 by the end of this term. Details about the interviews and how to make course selections will be released shortly.

Courses for 2021 – All students

The process for choosing courses in 2021 is changing to an electronic format. Rather than selecting from a set (paper) grid, students will make their selection from all available courses. The student selections will determine the combination of classes available in each time slot (commonly called the grid). Although not every combination of courses will be possible, this is no different to selecting from a fixed grid which limits subject combinations.

• Year 10 and 11 students will be asked to complete the selections prior to the end of this term.
• Years 7, 8 and 9 students will select electives next term.

University Applications for 2021

Year 12 students have been provided with an opportunity to use their Year 11 course results to apply for an ‘early offer’ to University for 2021. The additional pathway rewards students who have achieved excellent results in Year 11 and provides certainty to many in uncertain circumstances. Year 12 Semester 1 results can also be used for the ‘early offers’ programs. I encourage all Year 12 students interested in University courses to read the information we have provided through direqt messages and to follow up with Mrs Minorgan, if required.

Information about general university and TAFE applications will be distributed in Term 3.

Year 11 Semester 2 Course Changes

It is possible for Year 11 students to make changes to their Semester Two, 2020 course selections. Students who wish to make changes should speak with Mr Jiow prior to the end of term. COVID-19 has impacted the ability of students to change some courses, therefore all possible changes should be discussed with Mr Jiow.

Please see examination timetables and protocols for Year 11 and 12 below.

Senior Examination Protocols here
Externally Set Tasks Protocols here

Year 11 Examination Timetable here
Year 12 Examination Timetable here
Externally Set Tasks Timetable 2020 here

Our Pastoral Care goal at Kennedy is “The creation and maintenance of a safe, nurturing and engaging educational community where students can thrive academically, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually”. To achieve this, our system is based on the four pillars of - Wellness, Outreach, Leadership, Discipline.

Wellness at Kennedy involves a wide range of structures, programs and specialised staff. These include daily Form class as a Pastoral Care checkup, our weekly Extended Form program including guest speakers and positive education, the College House system to build identity and belonging, and College camp programs to support new experiences and build relationships. We also have a Protective Behaviours and Sexual Abuse Prevention Program to ensure a child safe environment.

Our College support programs include our 11/7s program to ensure a smooth transition into the Kennedy community, and the Year 12 Mentoring program with each Year 12 choosing a staff mentor to support them through their final year.

Our second pillar is Outreach and involves a strategic community outreach program to provide the opportunity for Kennedy students to serve the wider community. The program involves each year group undertaking projects, including helping seniors, serving the homeless, and tree planting. The College also runs two community service trips to Newman and Cambodia.

Our College Leadership Program is designed to provide students with leadership opportunities to live out the College values and build community. Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles in an endeavour to serve the College and increase their own leadership skills. The roles available include Head Boy, Head Girl, Student Councillor, House Captain and 11/7s Peer Support Mentor.

The Kennedy Discipline system is based on the belief that students and teachers have the right to learn or teach free from disruption and feel safe, both emotionally and physically. The premise of the discipline policy is that staff, students and parents are on the same team in trying to create the best opportunities for students to learn and succeed inside and outside of the classroom.

The Pastoral Care staff have a vital role in ensuring a smooth and supportive pastoral care system and they include the College Chaplain, Heads of Year, House Coordinators and College Counselling Staff

Through these four pillars we have a strategic and targeted pastoral care system to support a student nurturing environment, which is so critical for student success throughout their adolescent journey.

WA Day is held each year on the first Monday in June. Historically it was known as Foundation Day and recognised when the merchant vessel Parmelia with civilian settlers on board arrived on the 31 May 1829 and sighted the coast on 1 June to start the Swan River Colony.

In April 2012 with bipartisan political support, Foundation Day was formally changed to WA Day emphasising that the new ‘State Day’ was to be inclusive of all people. It is a day to celebrate our great state and all Western Australians, recognising our Aboriginal history, early European settlers and the many people from all over the world who have made, and continue to make, Western Australia their home. 

Although our traditional WA Day Festival events won’t take place across the State this year, there is still plenty for Western Australians to celebrate this WA Day on Monday 1 June. Join SOTAstream – WA’s best music live online this WA Day! Streamed live from 2.00pm – 8.00pm. Click here for more details.

To encourage the students we launched a number of competitions during the first week of the school holidays for all students. Our House Coordinators led this and set a range of challenges that included; basketball trick shots, a physical challenge, guess the song and a photo in isolation challenge. We congratulate the following students who won:

• Trick shots challenge - Josh Nathan
• Physical challenge - Imogen Ashworth
• Photo in isolation challenge - Thien (Tian) Phan Le
• Guess the song challenge - Jerome Williams

The Year 10 Mechatronics class are competing in the state-wide SUB’s in Schools Competition, due to take place at the end of the year. My class has formed a team to build a fully functioning underwater ROV (Remote Operating Vehicle). My team and I have been working very hard since the start of the year designing and building the ROV. As part of the competition, we are required to make industry links and get sponsorships for the project. If you are willing to help us in any way, please contact our co-ordinating teacher, Mr Gunter, via email here or by contacting the College. Please click here to read more.

Jesse Perera
Year 10 Student

In the RASC we are very aware of the way that the uncertainty of the COVID-19 virus has affected all of us in different ways, including the way we get tasks done or study.

Please click here for three tips for study (whether for exams, assignments or tests) if you or your children are feeling uncertain. 

Kennedy Enrichment and Extension program for Year 7, 2021

If you have a child starting their Kennedy journey next year, please note that the KEEP testing will take place on Tuesday 30 June. Do remember to complete an expression of interest form here before Tuesday 9 June.

2021 Specialist Sports Program Trials

We are closely monitoring the impact of COVID-19 and following the advice of the Australian Government and WA Health Department. Details about the specialist sports program trials will be made public as soon as we have some clarification of how and when this will be able to take place.

Given the current environment related to COVID-19, the Department of Education is pleased to advise that the Secondary Assistance Scheme has been extended until the end of Term 2, 2020, with a new closure date of Friday 3 July 2020.

The scheme aims to assist low-income families with secondary school costs. Please click here to read more.

The College is seeking expressions of interest from suitably experienced and qualified individuals for the following position:

• School Nurse/First Aid Officer (Part-Time: Wednesday to Friday).
  The School Nurse is responsible for the provision of first aid to students/staff and administrative support to the Office Manager. For more information, please click here.