Photo above from left to right: Deputy Head Boy Will Duff, Head Boy William Lawler, Head Girl Amber Clifford, Deputy Head Girl Faith Kee.

Dear Parents and Families,

It has been wonderful to see our Student Council leadership team grow and develop throughout the year. They have worked hard serving the student body and the Kennedy community in general.

As we look forward, students are currently participating in the election process for their representatives for the 2020 Student Council. The Student Council is lead by our Student Executive and over the past week our Pastoral Care Team has been involved in this selection process. It has been wonderful to have so many outstanding applicants for these positions with a huge range of talent and leadership qualities. Congratulations to the following students and their families.

• Head Boy, William Lawler
• Head Girl, Amber Clifford
• Deputy Head Boy, Will Duff
• Deputy Head Girl, Faith Kee
   

Staff Changes: Farewell Valme Batley

At the end of the term, we will farewell Mrs Valme Batley after more than 14 years of dedicated service. Valme has been appointed as Assistant Deputy Principal at Mandurah Baptist College commencing in Term 4. Valme has been a stalwart of the College since Kennedy commenced as Teacher Librarian, Christian Education Co-ordinator, Acting Head of Year and Acting Director of Students. Valme was also a long serving staff member of Somerville Baptist College and we will miss her passion for student and staff wellbeing, her support, wisdom and hard work through all aspects of College life. We congratulate Valme on her new promotion and wish her well in this new position.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

There are certain phrases that have arisen in the last 10 years which seem to have been accepted without anyone questioning their veracity. One example is “You cannot love others until you love yourself.” The other phrase is, “I must be true to who I am.”

Both phrases give (seeming) freedom for the person to do whatever they want so that they can express their authentic self. Self-control is not an issue because that would place boundaries on the ability to truly express who we are.

If we view these statements through the lens of Scripture, we realise that they are both narcissistic and individualistic, and neither are reflective of the teachings of the Bible. If we read all of Galatians 5, we realise how different the fruit of the Holy Spirit is. Love, which heads the list (Galatians 5:22) is not something that I have to be worthy of, it is an expression of who I am in God and self-control means that I can place boundaries on my actions.

The word translated self-control is intriguing (and here I admit that I did geek out on the Greek gods when I was younger), because it comes from the name of one of the Greek gods who was the personification of strength. Speaking into the culture of the day, where nothing (and I mean, nothing) was off limits. Paul wants the reader to understand that it is only through the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us that we have the strength for the type of self-control which will make us stand out from all those around us. We know that it is only in the Holy Spirit we can experience undeserved love; our God-shaped identity and the freedom of being children of God. That is the fruit of the Spirit.

Term 3 has been a wonderful time of academic celebration, College spirit and an opportunity for our students to improve in their attitude and achievements. These areas have been a major focus in our Extended Form programs.

Our Year 7 students were able to experience their first Kennedy Day with a well-led Assembly from our Student Councillors. The morning was filled with energy, reflection and a sense of community. Throughout the day the fun did not stop with food vans and an animal farm set up in our Year 7 quad. Kennedy Day was a free dress day where students had to bring a donation to raise money for Transform Cambodia. I was very proud of how well our cohort so generously donated to Transform Cambodia, thank you. 

Our most recent guest speakers, Mr Jairus Edward and Mr Ross Stewart from Capital Youth spoke with such compassion and grace about friendships and the importance they play in our students' journey to adulthood. Most importantly, they spoke of how we are all different and that our individual uniqueness will strengthen old friendships and help us to develop new ones. The students were actively engaged in their presentation with lots of questions and involvement in the activities.

On Tuesday 10 September and again on Monday 16 September we had a rush of excitement as our students had their Year 7 Social at Bounce, Cannington. In their casual clothes students energetically bounced from one trampoline to another in the massive indoor adventure park. Some students even tried their ninja warrior skills in the Bounce X- park obstacle course. Even some of our teachers happily joined in and dared to try the three-tiered cliff jump! It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter, adrenaline and time together outside of the classroom.

As we draw closer to the final week of Term 3, I would like to remind our students to maintain our high standards of work and compassion both in and out of the classroom and wear our College uniform with pride.

It is a busy time of the year for all the Year 8 students. There will be assessments and assignments due in all subjects as Term 3 draws to a close. On Wednesday in Extended Form we had Councillor Elections for next year, as well as House Captain elections. These are wonderful opportunities for students to develop and use their leadership abilities and have some input into the College. Students had the opportunity to prepare and deliver a short speech in front of their peers which is a valuable experience in itself. 

The students recently had to choose their electives for next year. There are certainly many opportunities for students to stretch themselves and be involved in lots of different experiences at the College. We regularly encourage our students to take advantage of these opportunities so that they can look back on their College days as a time of growth and development as well as fun.

We also had another Community Service activity this week visiting the Opal Centre at St Ives. These times have proven to be very popular with the students as well as the residents who love chatting with teenagers. To top the week off we have our second social activity for the year, today after school at Lazer Blaze at Southlands, in Willetton. The students who are going are looking forward to a fun afternoon.

I would like to wish all students and their families a refreshing and safe time over the upcoming holiday break.

This term in Year 9 we have had two main foci – looking towards our future and celebrating cultural diversity. 

All Year 9 students will have made their electives selections for 2020. Students must recognise the importance of every single lesson and the importance of maintaining focus in every lesson, ensuring they are maximising every opportunity to learn. This is a timely reminder for Year 9 students to examine their current performance at the College and make firm commitments and goals for their future studies. To create positive change and implement positive study habits that will benefit them in the future, students need to make decisions now about the changes they will implement to achieve their goals. Changes such as studying, even when you don’t have to; implementing a timetable that they stick to for homework, study and play; putting down the PlayStation controller and realising that achievement does take effort.  By creating and implementing changes now, students will see positive payoffs well into their future.

We have been looking at the documentary on Adam Goodes – The Final Quarter -  and the idea that words matter, and what people say has lasting impacts on others.  We want our students to use their words responsibly and see the lasting impact of what they say to and about others around them; not just students but society as a whole.  The ultimate focus we want our students to attain is what they say and what they do has an impact.  How we treat others directly influences them and we need to learn to appreciate the diversity our great country brings and moderate what we say to others and avoid denigrating others for simply being who they are.  Our diversity makes us stronger. 

During Extended Form we had representatives from Universities coming to present to the students on potential careers for students by offering ‘tasters’ of what it is like to study and work in a specific area. 

We have had many students applying for Student Councillor and House Captain positions for the 2020 leadership team. It is a reflection of the strength of leadership and positive action amongst the Year 9 cohort. The election process occurs over the next couple of weeks and we look forward to anncouncing the successful aplicants in due course. 

It has been a very fast-paced and busy term with only a week until holidays. The Year 10 students have done well this term and I know they are looking forward to a good rest before the final term. The College will look a bit empty after Week 2 next term with the Year 12 students finishing off 2019. I would encourage students to fill this void by stepping up to new roles and status with maturity. No two year groups are the same but change is a constant.

On Wednesday during Extended Form we held the 2020 Councillor and House Captain Elections. I was reminded of the amazing depth of leadership and talented students we have in our year group. Similarly with our Year 11/7 Mentor program we had more talented applicants than positions available. Thank you to all those who had the courage to put their hand up and apply to serve the College, and congratulations to all who were selected.

Our Extended Form activities have been wonderful with a recent chill time where students enjoyed pancakes and hot chocolate. We also had a very informative talk by a Police sergeant, Mr Macmillan about the dangers and consequences of using some online mobile services, which was a real eye opener to many. This was followed by a talk on decisions and consequences by a gentleman who had lost an arm and a leg in a rail accident. It was very real and confronting while being helpfully informative.

I would like to encourage parents to discuss their child’s goals with them as well as how to achieve their goals in the next few months of Year 10 . Thank you for all your support so far this year. I wish all students and their families a refreshing and safe time over the upcoming holiday break.

Last week we had the privilege of taking a second group of Year 11 students to Native Arc Rehabilitation Centre in Bibra Lake for our Community Service project. While there, our students assisted with shovelling compost, mulching, weeding, getting grass for the animals, laminating books and flattening Vinnie the wombat’s den. We also toured the centre and met a long neck turtle, kangaroos, wallabies, a range of birds, a shingleback lizard and a dingo all rescued from the wild and brought here to recover. All students had a great time and did such a fantastic job, that we were invited back to do more next term! All students volunteered their time to help out and it was another great opportunity for our students to give back to the community.

This is another jam-packed week for the Year 11s as we announced our Student Executive Leadership team for next year. 18 students nominated for Head Boy and Girl and Deputy Head Boy and Girl which is a great reflection of the cohort's maturity and leadership. We also had about 20 additional students nominate to be either a Councillor or a House Captain for next year. Yesterday, during Extended Form, students had the opportunity to give their encouraging speeches of why they would like to be on the leadership team for 2020. Thank you to all applicants for their desire to contribute to Kennedy. I would also like to take a moment to thank the current Councillors and House Captains for all their hard work and effort this year.

This was a busy term and we are all excited about our social event tomorrow evening. This is our major social activity for the year with 145 students attending a fun River Criuse. We anticipate a great night and a fun chance to socialise at the end of the term and enjoy each other’s company.

As Term 3 draws to a close, Senior School is almost over for our Year 12 students. We are definitely on the final climb and have done some exciting things along the way.

During the term we have had a number of information sessions on preparation for next year with guest speakers from TAFE, TISC and the universities. If you or your child have any queries about the respective options and/or application process please do not hesitate to contact myself, Mrs Minorgan or any of the curriculum team.

On Friday 6 September, we had our final social activity – the Spring Fling. A great time was had, with excellent food, good music, amazing company, and awesome costumes. I was very impressed with the amount of effort put into costumes and the outstanding attitude of everyone on the night. Voting by staff for the prize-winners was difficult but the following students received awards:

• Best Male Costume: Ben Ashton as a WW2 Pilot
• Best Female Costume: Ellen Zwister as Sandy from Grease
• Most Creative Costume (Male): Lochlan Scoringe as a Punk Rocker
• Most Creative Costume (Female): Heather Moyle as Maleficent
• Best Pair: Ben Moore and Riley Blades as Maverick and Goose from Top Gun
• Best Group: The Irwins (Holly Barnes, Grace Channels and Jenna Smith)

With only one week left of this term students will have completed most of their assessments and assignments. The MOCK exams commence in the second week of the holidays and continue through to the Wednesday of the first week of next term. General students are not required to attend during this time. All Year 12 students will return to normal classes on Thursday 17 October to go over exam results and revise for the upcoming WACE exams that commence on Wednesday 30 October. A letter going out this week will give more details.

Students who wish to apply through TISC for University courses or preparation courses are reminded that they must log on to the website and enter their initial course choices and pay the application fee before Monday 30 September.

After the WACE exams and graduation many of our students will be going to some sort of leavers celebration. This can expose them to risky and possibly dangerous situations. In an effort to keep them safe by being informed, yesterday we had a member of Red Frogs give a ‘Leavers’ presentation to our students. Red Frogs partner with SDERA who will be running a parent information session on Sunday 13 October (see details below).

I would like to wish all students the very best as they prepare and sit for their MOCK and subsequent WACE exams and encourage all General students to make sure they have completed all parts of their courses.

During the Term 1 holidays in 2021, the College will be undertaking a 17 day cultural tour to the USA. This trip is aimed at students who will be in Years 10 and 11 in 2021 and will visit the cities of New York, Washington D.C. and Orlando.

If you are interested and would like to hear more, please attend the information evening that will be held in the Staff Lounge tonight, Thursday 19 September from 6:00pm – 7:00pm. Please rsvp to Mr Rick Cricelli who will be leading this exciting venture.

On Tuesday 17 September, four staff members and six students from Jigalong Remote Community School visited Kennedy. Kennedy has built a strong and ongoing relationship with Jigalong Remote Community School, through the Newman Indigenous Tour. Staff and students attending this year’s tour will be visiting Jigalong Remote Community School next week. 

The students from Jigalong enjoyed spending time with the students attending the Newman Indigenous Tour. They also liked watching Mrs DeGois’ Year 7 Extension Science class, playing basketball in the Sports Centre and having a tour around the College.

Kennedy Baptist College has recently placed an Acknowledgement of Country plaque in the entrance to the Administration office. The plaque is located on the left-hand side next to Martumili artwork (Puntawarri) from renowned indigenous artist Miriam Atkins. Kennedy acknowledges the Noongar people, the traditional owners and custodians of the land where our college is located. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

Mr Murray Dunstan
Newman Tour Coordinator

On Thursday 12 September the Year 12 Health Studies class put on lunchtime festivities to raise awareness for RUOK? Day.

The students baked and prepared food for their peers, and organised for some four-legged friends to join the Year 12 cohort during lunchtime in the Common Room. The students enjoyed spending time together advocating for suicide prevention and the importance of checking in with their friends to see how they are going.

Miss Katie Hair
Health and Physical Education Teacher

On Tuesday 10 September, Kennedy’s Vocal Ensemble performed a lunchtime concert at the entrance of the Cockburn Gateway Shopping Centre. The students performed a number of songs which they have been working on this year in the Vocal Ensemble rehearsals. They were then rewarded with lunch from McDonald’s Cockburn before returning to College for their afternoon classes. This was a wonderful way to showcase the talents of Kennedy’s Music students to the general public. We were thrilled that some parents came to support the performers, along with Mr Ashby. Congratulations to these students on an excellent performance. Click here to find out more about our Instrumental Music Program. 

Mrs Janelle Anthony
Coordinator Instrumental Music Program

Thriving Photography Students

Year 9 Photography students went to Kings Park in Week 6, to make use of their camera skills. Their task was to capture some beautiful images of Australian native wildflowers and the Perth City landscape. They braved the bad weather to capture some amazing photographs, and it was a really positive day. Once back in class, the students were able to photo edit the images they had captured and submit them to be assessed. 

Students from four Year 10 Photography classes attended Perth Zoo excursions, in order to capture an animal portrait. Students had to use all their photography skills, co-ordination and patience to get some great shots of the huge variety of animals at the zoo. Meerkat mating calls, tiger attacks and Pokemon Go all played a part in the great day that the students had getting some amazing images- nice work Year 10’s! Thanks go to Mrs Ashby, Mr Wilkins, and Mrs Smoker for accompanying us on both the excursions.

Mr Simon James and Miss Leila Chandler
Media Teachers

The last day for students for Term 3 is Thursday 26 September. Students commence Term 4 on Monday 14 October at 8.15am.

Please note that students (with the exception of Year 12 students who will wear winter uniform) are to wear full summer uniform for Term 4. We hope that you have a restful and safe break during the holiday period.