Photo above: Julia Amidzic and Harley Osborne who were crowned Belle and Beau of the Year 12 College Ball.

Dear Parents and Families,

Kennedy continues to make a wonderful start to the academic year with some very successful events. Our Year 7 ‘Meet the Teachers’ event and the Year 11 Study Skills seminar were great occasions for families to connect with the College as we work together to maximise opportunities for students to strive for personal excellence in all that they do.

Throughout the year we will have many more opportunities for families to actively engage in our community including:

• Our Easter services
• Parent information evenings
• Teacher feedback afternoons
• Parents and Friends Association meetings/events
• Parent/family focused events (e.g. Positive Fathering Adventures, New Maths 4 old brains)

I encourage everyone to attend these events so that your children can continue to make the most of the opportunities available to them at Kennedy.

College Ball

It was a pleasure to join our Year 12 students, partners and staff at Frasers Restaurant, Kings Park on Friday 16 February. The Ball was a wonderful event and our students had a fantastic night enjoying one anothers company in an amazing setting. The attitude of our students was outstanding and this greatly contributed to the night being a success. Congratulations to all our Year 12 students and Mrs Laura DeGois and the Year 12 Counsellors for their great efforts in organising a wonderful evening.

Kennedy Baptist Centre Cambodia

For several years Kennedy has been operating a very successful mission trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia in partnership with Transform Cambodia. Our students have the chance to develop skills and knowledge linked to service and outreach in an international community. Kennedy now has the opportunity to develop this partnership further by establishing our own school in Cambodia. The Kennedy Baptist Centre, Phnom Penh will provide us with the opportunity to use education to disrupt the poverty cycle for 100 students and have a dramatic effect on their lives and families. This year we will use part of our Easter services to launch this mission and appeal to our Kennedy families to support this project. Our two Easter services are planned for

• Tuesday 27 March: Eyre and Forrest families
• Wednesday 28 March: King and Stirling families

Both services will commence at 7.00pm and I would like to emphasize that this is a compulsory event for all students.

Please refer to the following link to find more details regarding Transform Cambodia.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.
1 Timothy 2:8

This command of Paul, (the statement is in the imperative) is often overlooked because we have spent so much time and energy on the final third of this chapter. Yet the command to worship God fills the whole of Scripture. Over 250 times we are told to praise God; over 400 times we are told to sing to Him and 50 of those occurrences are commands. There are (at least) seven Hebrew words for worship in the Bible. From shouting, to raising of hands, to kneeling, to singing, playing instruments, each word is full of passionate abandon. For an Israelite, as they took part in Tabernacle/Temple worship, they believed that they were meeting God face to face for this was where heaven and earth overlapped. No wonder the terminology is so demonstrative.

As we move into the New Testament, the locality of the Temple changes. We believers, are now the dwelling place of God – we are His Temple. We are where heaven and earth overlap. This is where we meet Him face to face. If we truly grasped the fullness of this, how can we not show the same passionate abandon, demonstrated under the first covenant? In fact, even more so as we acknowledge, with raised arms, that God alone can do what He has promised to do.

We were blessed with wonderful weather for our Pre-Start Day on 30 January. The Year 7 students had time with their 11/7 Mentors, their Form teachers and Nations Church and Capital Youth ran lots of fun activities on the lawn in front of the Sports Centre. This program definitely made the transition to high school easier for the students. The 11/7s joined the Year 7s for each recess and lunch for the first two weeks and then have continued their involvement during Extended Form on a Wednesday for the first five weeks.

Year 7 is the start of a journey through high school. It is a very steep learning curve as students adjust to 200 peers in Year 7, many class rooms and different teachers, lots of expectations and homework to be completed each night and lots of new friends to meet. The Year 7s as a whole have settled in very well and seem to be making the transition well.

The Swimming Carnival offered the opportunity for some to shine in the A Pool and many to enjoy fun activities in the B pool. It was great to see the Year 7s getting involved in supporting the different Houses at the College and congratulations to Eyre House who won the Interhouse Swimming Carnival.

Now, midway through Term 1, the students are experiencing their first assessments and assignments. This week information will be coming home about the Year 7 Foundation Camp to be held at Fairbridge Village from 9 – 11 April, in Week 11 of this term. We look forward to this opportunity to build on new friendships that have started and to help the Year 7s become a welcoming and supportive group to each other.

I would like to welcome parents to Year 8 and to another year filled with opportunities. The new Pastoral Care rotation means that I stay with your children until Year 12, cementing relationships and ensuring correct care and understanding of you and your child’s needs. Please always feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

A new year provides us with a new opportunity to begin the College year on the right foot. I firmly believe Year 8 is the year where students need to demonstrate their commitment to learning and achieving by leaving behind the behaviours that prevented proper learning from occurring. These behaviours relate to things that students can control; organisation, paying attention in class, contacting teachers to clarify learning, asking questions in class, doing homework and active study, preparing adequately for tests and assignments, attending tutoring and the list goes on. All these factors are within a student’s control and directly affect their ability to be successful achievers and fulfilling their potential. There is a strong link between the behaviour and achievement of students in Year 8 and their achievement in senior school; now is the time and the year for students to focus on their studies and achieve to their capacity.

There has been some unsettling behaviour between Year 8 students with regards to cybersafety and their interactions via social media. It is important to everyone that students are always safe and that any interactions between students online is done in a positive and affirming manner. Students need to be reminded that the College’s discipline policy extends to all interactions between students online, both at the College and at home. We would recommend that parents take an active role in monitoring their children’s social media presence and prevent students from having their phones beyond a certain time at night. We would also discourage students having phones in their bedrooms with them, particularly after bedtime as phones are a distraction and can prevent deep sleep from happening.

It has been a busy start to the year and students are settling into the year well. Year 9 is a great year to be in as we have many varying activities as a year group. I am currently organising our Year 9 Adventure camp for Week 11 to Forest Edge Recreation Camp. After the Yarloop fires two years ago that destroyed the campsite it has now been rebuilt and is looking amazing. It will be a great camp with activities ranging from abseiling and flying fox to biscuiting behind a boat, which is always entertaining to watch. Information regarding camp has been sent home and is due back tomorrow. It is a great time for all Year 9 students to develop friendships, independence and grow in personal confidence by overcoming challenges.

This year we are continuing our partnership with St Bartholomew’s House. It is a residence for homeless gentleman who need higher care. For our Community Service we will meet with residents at their accommodation in East Perth for a BBQ. Our students interact and serve them lunch and it is a great time for both parties. Students always walk away with a sense of enjoyment and is a great experience as students grow in their appreciation of what they have.

My prayer is for a safe year, a safe camp and our year group coming together as a community that is safe and positive. I am looking forward to the rest of the year with all it’s fun and challenges and I would appreciate your prayer support for our year group.

It has been a great start to the year and I am really enjoying being with this year group again after being Head of Year for Year 9 in 2017. Knowing the majority of students from day one has really helped with my role of support for the students and allowed me to pick up on things happening within the year group.

We have some exciting events happening this term which the students are looking forward to. During Week 11 of this term all Year 10 students will be out on Work Experience. This is an amazing opportunity to trial a work place and hopefully will give our students an idea about future work options and will also guide them as they look to choose senior school subjects later in the year.

In Week 10 we will be going to Bstreetsmart at Perth Arena. The event demonstrates the consequences of distracted driving, speeding and drinking and drug driving whilst informing students how to reduce risk taking behaviours. 

I am hoping that we have a very positive year and if you have any queries or concerns for your child please do not hesitate to contact me at the College.

It has been a promising start for the Year 11 students. The students have settled into their classes well and have been focused and working to the best of their ability.

The Year 11/7 Mentor program has also been a success. It is great to see the mentors acting as outstanding role models for the younger students. I would like to thank them all for going the extra mile and making our Year 7 students feel welcome. On Tuesday 20 February a Study and Organisation Skills and Information Evening was held in the Auditorium. We shared some strategies and information to help you support your child’s progress in these last two years at school.

This year the Year 11 students get the opportunity to attend the Year 11 Challenge Camp at Rottnest Island Camp. This camp will be from Monday 9 April to Wednesday 11 April. This is a compulsory event and I hope all students are getting excited. The aim of the camp is to provide students with many memorable experiences and promote a sense of resilience, to enhance the students’ self-motivation and problem-solving skills that will assist your child/student with the often-challenging transition from Year 10 to Year 11. We are privileged to have David Castelanelli, Founder of Alpha Motivation and WA Youth Ambassador for 2018 as our keynote speaker for this year’s camp.

I am looking forward to the rest of the year working alongside students, to build further relationship and to provide support. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

On 16 February the Year 12 cohort celebrated the highlight of their school social calendar for 2018, the College Ball which was held in Fraser’s Restaurant, Kings Park. The students and partners arrived looking fantastic; with the ladies looking elegant in their vibrant gowns and the gentlemen looking dapper in their suits. Students were then able to enjoy a refreshing mocktail on the lawn whilst mixing and introducing their guests to staff. At 7.30pm the doors to the main reception room opened to reveal the beautiful décor and the stunning back drop of Kings Park. The students and staff hit the dance floor with energy and style the minute they arrived, only stopping in between for their three course meal and to make the most of the professional photographers.

Congratulations to Julia Amidzic and Harley Osborne who were crowned Belle and Beau of the ball. Thank you to the Year 12 leadership group for all their efforts with the planning and running of the ball, it was a huge success and a night to remember.

I am looking forward to a great year ahead as Head of Year 12. If you have any queries or concerns, please feel free to contact me at the College.

Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Kennedy Prayer Group

The Kennedy Prayer Group is a group of members of our College community who meet together to pray for the needs of the College, students and staff.

Our Prayer Group meets every Wednesday during school term from 1.45pm for approximately one hour in the Admin Interview Room for the needs of our College community. All school parents/grandparents/guardians are most welcome to join us in prayer. All prayer remains confidential and anonymous and can be emailed to our Counsellor Mrs Golda Newland at gnewland@kennedy.wa.edu.au

For more information about the Prayer Group or to join, please contact Ms Linda Ang at lang@kennedy.wa.edu.au

We want to thank SUPWEST in Malaga for generously providing a Stand-Up Paddle Board as our House Point Prize for Term 1.

This wonderful prize is currently on display in the Research and Study Centre and the winner will be announced in Week 10 at the College Assembly. It is the perfect board with which to begin your SUP adventures. Everything is provided including a paddle and the fins.

A school discount code is available for Kennedy students to use if they want to purchase anything from SUPWEST or SEARANO MARINE in Malaga. Visit the display for more information.

Year 11 Parent Study and Organisational Skills Evening

The Research and Study Centre hosted this evening last week and over 60 parents attended. If you were unable to attend the evening you will find some useful tips and the presentation on SEQTA in documents under Study and Research. 

Encouraging a Reading Habit at Home

In the last couple of weeks, we have spoken to each of the Year 7 English classes about the importance of reading, and about developing a reading habit. Reading every day at a regular time is important - maybe for half an hour before bed, or after the evening meal. It does not matter when, but it does matter! Please click here for an article about the importance of reading every day for adults.

The reasons mentioned in the link are important for your child as well. In fact, if your child sees you reading, it is very likely they will read! Please partner with us in encouraging your child to read for pleasure – there are so many benefits which continue long after they have left school!

March Memory Madness

Memory and committing information to memory is an important part of learning and we are having a focus on it in week seven by celebrating March Memory Madness all week!

On Wednesday 14 March, Maths and the Research and Study Centre will be celebrating Pi Day (3/14 – US dating!). There will be prizes for students who can recite the most numbers of Pi from memory and pieces of Pie will be consumed during the day!

Some of the other competitions during the week will be: English - we will be conducting spelling bees with a champion spelling bee competition running in the RASC. In Form and Christian Education students will have the opportunity to learn bible verses and be rewarded. Other subjects will be running competitions too - more information about what will be run and  when it will be is on our website here. 

So if you find your child muttering various facts/numbers/verses under their breath, do not panic – they are probably gearing up for this week of competition!

Sporting Schools

Sporting Schools is an Australian Government initiative designed to help schools increase children's participation in sport, and to connect them with community sporting opportunities.

Following the success of the primary school program, Sporting Schools has developed a targeted program for secondary school students in Years 7 and 8. It focuses on Year 7 and 8 students, particularly girls, to address the barriers that prevent teenagers from participating in sport.

Kennedy Baptist College applied and were granted funding in 2017. The primary target audience being the Year 7 cohort, which has seen students partake in a specialised soccer coaching program run by Perth Glory.  The students participate in 90 minute session each week for a 5-week period. This program has helped lift the profile of specialised soccer, particularly for our girls. 

With the success of the program and with the provision of future funding we plan to run gala days, continue to offer specialised coaching and utilise the Perth Glory Women’s Team to help promote female soccer, at the College. 

In the long term we are looking to forge strong relationships with Melville Football Club which will further foster a love of this sport with the girls. They have recently built 2 top-grade FIFA approved playing surfaces here at the Murdoch University Campus, which is in close proximity to the College. These facilities in part coupled with a growing demand from the community suggest the funding from Sporting Schools would help facilitate this program and ensure the love of sport continues once students graduate from the College.

The 2018 Interhouse Swimming Carnival was a successful day where all students had the opportunity to earn points for their House, in both the competitive Pool ‘A’ and the participation in Pool ‘B’. All students competed with their best efforts representing their house with pride. There was a positive atmosphere throughout the day, led by our fantastic House Coordinators and House Captains. A large contingency of students competed in Pool 'B' events which included a noodle race, kickboard relay and the lapathon. In Pool 'A' our top swimmers fought for valuable points in all races and a number of records were broken.

• Year 10 50M Breastroke Div 1 – Daniel Kempson 36.77
• Year 11 50M Freestyle Div 1 – Benjamin Wai 25.85s
• Year 11 50M Backstroke Div 1 – Benjamin Wai 30.6s
• Year 11 50M Butterfly Div 1 – Benjamin Wai 27.95s
• Year 11 50M Breastroke Div 1 – Benjamin Wai 35.36s
• Year 12 50M Freestyle Div 1 – Lachlan Belke 25.64s
• Year 12 50M Butterfly Div 1 – Lachlan Belke 29.01s
• Year 12 50M Breastroke Div 1 – Lachlan Belke 35.60s

Congratulations to Benjamin Wai and Phoebe Ashworth taking out the honorary King and Queen of the Pool. A final congratulations to Eyre on completing their fourth consecutive victory of this event as they confirm the status as the champion House of the 2018 Swimming Carnival. Please click here for more photos.

As a support to our fathers the College is hosting an event known as Positive Fathering Adventures. It will be overseen by our former College Counsellor Mr Kevin O’Brien involving short presentations, fun activities, a student led tour of the College and finishing with a sausage sizzle. This free event is designed for dads and their Kennedy children to work together and get to know each other in a relaxed, casual and informative setting. Please see details below.

• When: Saturday 17 March
• Where: Staff Lounge from 1.00pm - 4.30pm
• Who: Fathers and their children who attend Kennedy

We look forward to this being a successful parenting event. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the College. 

Please RSVP for BBQ catering purposes by Friday 9 March to our Public Relations Officer Linda Ang on lang@kennedy.wa.edu.au                

Secondary Assistance Scheme

The State Government, through the Department of Education, provides financial support to eligible parents through the Secondary Assistance Scheme (SAS). The aim of the scheme is to assist low income families with secondary school costs.

Eligible parents/guardians with students enrolled in Years 7 to 12 studying a full-time secondary course at a WA private school will be able to apply for the SAS in 2018. The SAS consists of two allowances:

• $235 Education Program Allowance (payment made to the school); and
• $115 Clothing Allowance (payment made to the parent/guardian).

For all enquiries regarding the application process/forms please visit our reception. Applications close Friday 13 April 2018.