Photo Above: Year 12 student leaders for 2017 - L-R Head Boy: Joe Frost, Head Girl: Anna Zwitser, Mr Wendell Pether, Deputy Head Boy: Ross Stewart, Deputy Head Girl: Ashleigh Black.

Dear Parents

It has been fantastic to see our Arts community shine over the past weeks. Major events from our Music, Dance and Drama students have provided opportunities for them to display their exceptional talents and continue the development of their skills and abilities. I know all audiences have greatly enjoyed these performances and the very high standard is testament to the commitment of both our students and staff. Congratulations to our Arts staff, especially Mr Daniel Chan, Mrs Alicia Vandepeer, Mrs Lara Del Basso and Ms Kate O’Malley for their hard work.

Congratulations also to all students involved. We are all looking forward to the Dance Showcase tomorrow night where over 150 students will be performing.

Student Leadership 2017

Over the past week, the College Executive has been involved in the selection process for selecting Year 12 student leaders for next year. It has been wonderful to have so many outstanding student applicants for these positions with a huge range of talent and leadership qualities. Congratulations to the following students and their families.

• Head Girl: Anna Zwitser
• Deputy Head Girl: Ashleigh Black
• Head Boy: Joe Frost
• Deputy Head Boy: Ross Stewart

NAPLAN Results

Kennedy Year 7 and 9 students have performed exceptionally well in all 2016 NAPLAN results. The results indicate that our students have achieved above both the State and National test averages across all test measures. These results will now be used by learning area and support staff for diagnostic purposes to help students achieve the best outcomes possible. These results are particularly pleasing as a large number of students will now be exempt from the Year 10 OLNA tests because of their high level of achievement in the NAPLAN tests. Students who achieve band 8 in numeracy, reading or writing receive this exemption.

The tables below summarise these results.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

“What does God want me to do with my life?” This is one of the big questions that as believers, we ask ourselves, because it becomes the platform for so many other decisions. And the counter question is, “What if I get it wrong?!”

The will of God for our life is part of a much larger discussion around the sovereignty of God and our free will, but for this devotion I want to focus on one small part of the discussion and a verse of scripture that helped me:

Micah 6:8 (CEV)
The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands:
“See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern,
and humbly obey your God.”

The prophet Micah gives us a very simple script for what God desires of us and it is one which allows incredible freedom as to the choices we make, as long as we follow the script. It is as if God has given us a large target to aim at and as long as we stay within the boundaries of that target we are fulfilling the will of God.

Of course every target does have a bullseye, and in our lives there will be those moments where God, by his Holy Spirit, ‘nudges’ us to do a specific action or go in a specific direction. After consulting with those you trust, this may see you moving overseas to work with a certain group or changing your major at university, but even with these bullseyes, the rest of your life remains within the confines of the target as a whole, which is to live according to the Script(ures) and so continue to  make His will for your life, your will for your life.

Mr Ashby congratulated students on their recent achievements and commended them for embracing the opportunities offered by Kennedy Baptist College. He also asked students to be proud of their school as an Independent College with a Christian ethos embracing Faith, Integrity, Strength, Service and Boldness. Mr Ashby asked students to make the most of the many advantages such as a Mission for Excellence, Effective Pastoral Care Program, a wide range of academic opportunities and a variety of extra-curricular opportunities such as activities, tours and clubs that are offered by the College.

Mrs Kym Scanlan congratulated students on a successful Inter-House Sports Day before presenting their certificates. The final places were:

• 1st Stirling
• 2nd Eyre
• 3rd Forrest
• 4th King

Mrs Anna-Marie Smith commended students on the high level reached in the Big Science Competition where Kennedy achieved the highest marks in the Nation. Students from Years 7-10 were then presented with their certificates.

Mr Alexander King presented Isabella Trew and Catelyn Smillie, with their Duke of Edinburgh, Bronze Certificates, followed by an address by Mr Murray Dunstan who spoke about the Operation Christmas Child project where gifts are collected and sent to children in third world countries.

Miss Nicole Foxton had some very innovative games for students to play before the House Points draw. The House winners were:

• Eyre: Daniel Burmas
• Forrest: Pirmin Cowell
• King: Lachlan Wight-Pickin
• Stirling: Brandon George

Congratulations to the overall winner Holly Tait.

The Assembly included a prayer from our College Chaplain Mrs Pauline Burgess for students going on trips during the holidays. Mr Ashby concluded the Assembly reminding students that prayer is a powerful part of Christian life.

For more photos please click here.

Ms Sandra Doick
Public Relations

The Big Science Competition is an International competition for secondary students. The competition challenges students to think critically and solve scientific problems using everyday examples. The questions are aligned to the Australian Curriculum – Science.

This year a group of 60 Year 7 and 8 Science students from Kennedy participated in the Junior competition and 60 Year 9 and 10 students in the Intermediate competition. Overall, more than 40,000 students from about 500 schools across the whole of Australia participated in the Big Science Competition this year.

We received a comprehensive analysis of the results of all participants, comparing them to the other students in Western Australia as well as Nationally. Our students have generally performed better in every category than their peers in the State. Students that received a Distinction or High Distinction in this competition, received certificates at our recent Assembly.

Mrs Anna-Marie Smith
Head of Science

On Wednesday 7 September, seven Year 11 Politics & Law students were selected to participate in the annual Constitutional Convention held at the Constitution Centre in West Perth.

Students from schools across Western Australia participated in this educational event. The full day event involved examining, debating and voting on a constitutional issue both from a National and International perspective.

Students also had the opportunity to present their findings from research, and speak out against the injustices they see in the world. Kennedy students James Conti, Abbey Koelen, Connie Hassell and William Service took the opportunity to present in front of all the delegates.

The theme of the convention was Rights and Australia’s Constitution.  Students took part in a full and stimulating program that examined issues which included:

• How our rights in Australia are currently protected.
• How Human rights are protected around the world.
• Whether or not we need an Australian Bill of Rights and whether those rights should be legislated or have constitutional status.

The students found the event to be both educational and engaging.

Mr Manuel Ilchuk
Humanities Teacher

Last Friday 2 September Kennedy Baptist College held its annual Fathers’ Day Breakfast in the Staff Lounge. It was attended by 70 fathers and staff from within the College community, who all enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast from our Beedawong Cafeteria. Our Guest Speaker for the morning was Mr Andy Stewart who is currently the Head Coach of the Perth Lynx, Women’s National Basketball League Team as well as being the coordinator of Kennedy's Specialist Basketball Program. Andy spoke from his experiences in his role as a father and high profile coach, emphasising the importance of scheduling special time for shared experiences and communication with your children. Our attendees were very appreciative of his important message. 

Mr Wendell Pether
Deputy Principal: Pastoral Care

The Year 11 River Cruise was held on Friday 2 September. Form teachers, staff and students departed from Barrack Street Jetty making their way down the Swan River and back. After dressing to impress, everyone had a great night dancing away to the DJ whilst enjoying snacks and pizza. The evening was filled with great company, prizes and a lot of laughs. I would like to thank the Year 11 Councilors; Catherine Reilly, Anna Zwitser, Ross Stewart and Joe Frost for all their hard work in organising the event.

On Friday 2 September the Year 12s boarded ‘The Crystal Swan’ for the annual ‘Spring Fling’ River Cruise.

The students looked amazing in their dress-up costumes; many had gone to a lot of trouble to really look the part. The behaviour of the students was exemplary and the food and refreshments on board were delicious. It was a great opportunity for the 12s to relax and enjoy each other’s company before the upcoming Mock Exams.

The prize winners were:

• Best male costume: Darren Brockbank for Ichigo, a manga character from Bleach.
• Best female costume: Kristen Woodward for The Mad Hatter
• Most creative male costume: Filip Riccio for The Joker
• Most creative female costume: Jazmin Jones for The Queen of Hearts
• Best pair: Alex Wight-Picken and Kimberlee Williams for The Caterpillars
• Best group: The priest and the nuns: Russell Doubell with Brielle Tenda, Kayleigh Nash, Olivia Silvey, Emma Armstrong, Ella Robinson, Amy Hargreaves, Brittany McGrath, Lauren Needham and Jaimie Morley

Mrs Barbara Meadows
Head of Year 12

On Wednesday 7 September, Kennedy Baptist College held its annual Music Night in the Auditorium. The night was a great success showcasing performances from all year groups and displaying the talent of the students. It was fantastic to see so many friends and families coming to support the students and we look forward to more music nights in the future.

Mr Daniel Chan
Music Teacher

This week we have been celebrating Roald Dahl as his 100th birthday would have been on Tuesday!

We have been watching clips about him in the reading classes; golden tickets have been found in his books; and delicious prizes collected. During recess on Tuesday 13 September, those who came to the Centre in a Roald Dahl inspired outfit were given a slice of Bruce Bogtrotter’s chocolate cake. In addition, we have been watching Matilda and Fantastic Mr Fox throughout the week. Each day during recess, an English teacher reads aloud from a Roald Dahl work. Tomorrow we will be playing Kahoots quizzes with a Roald Dahl theme! A busy, funny and lovely week of celebrations!

Mrs Virginia Yurisich
Acting Head of Research & Study

On Tuesday 13 September, students celebrated 'House Day' by dressing up in their house colours. The money raised for free dress will go towards the postage for the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes that have recently been collected.

In addition to free dress, there was a band, Avastera, performing at lunchtime in the Auditorium. Throughout the day House Coordinators kept their eyes open for the best dressed for each house. The following students were the winners:

• Forrest - Madison Lun
• Eyre - Phoebe Ashworth
• King - Eloise Kurelic and Abbie Scott
• Stirling - Emma Groeneweg

Mr Murray Dunstan
Eyre House Coordinator

On Monday 29 August, the Year 9 to 12 Computing students had an excursion to Murdoch University. We had a lecture about how humans perceive objects in 3D and how we can use that information to turn 2D images into virtual 3D models. We then watched another presentation on how we are able to distinguish colour through pigments and light.

After a short break, everyone was split up into groups and were shown several different projects that University students had been working on. These were a driving simulator created to resemble the effects of speeding to young drivers, a series of drones designed to help farmers and scientists gather information efficiently and the HTC Vive where we experienced virtual reality within different environments, in which we were fully immersed.

At the driving simulator we learnt the work needed to create a 3D environment and how to turn that into a working game. After a small chat we were allowed to take turns in driving around in the surprisingly realistic simulator despite it being unfinished. Then at the drones, we were educated on the many uses of a modern drone, big and small, and received a demonstration on a prototype robot made to replace or repair circuits and fuses, for simple but dangerous jobs. Finally, using the HTC Vive, everyone was able to experience the almost photorealistic worlds. The places we visited ranged from a deep sea setting to a fruit ninja game. We were told that after about 30 minutes of using the device, that the player was unable to distinguish virtual from actual reality anymore.  

Overall, it was a great experience which really expanded our minds. Our favourite part of the excursion were the presentations and how we can use the study of perception and 3D imaging to make virtual organs for studying surgeons and the ability to apply real life physics into a simulator that can be used for more than just a video game. We would highly recommend any future computing students to participate in this excursion.

Kirra Peterson & Maisie Raine
Year 10 Students

Inter-House Athletics Carnival

The Inter-House Athletics Carnival was held on Thursday 18 August. It was a week full of thunderstorms in the lead up to the day and we were very blessed to have clear weather for the duration of the carnival. Students performed exceptionally throughout the day, in the 7 track and 5 field events. It was excellent to see almost every race being filled, students taking photos of each other's achievements and the cheers that were coming from the spectators.

It was a great day and a huge congratulations to all of the students, especially those who made it into the Inter-School team and received a medal. Finally, congratulations to Stirling House who came first by over 900 points.

Mrs Kym Scanlan
Health & Physical Education Teacher
 

Basketball

On Wednesday 7 September our Junior basketball teams were invited to the final of the Junior School Sports Western Australia finals competition. The girls finished 2nd in their lead up tournament and had high hopes for the day. After a strong showing early in the day they made it to the grand final against arch rivals Willetton SHS. After a strong showing in the first half they went into the half time break only down by 3 points. In the second half it became a physical affair and while we played well it wasn’t enough and Willetton closed out the game. So the girls ended up finishing 2nd in the Southern division of the competition.

Our boys were the last team to be invited to the competition after finishing 3rd in our lead up tournament (losing to 2nd place by 1pt). We had a very strong first two games and went into our 3rd game with a 2-0 record. We ended up being edged out in our final two games but we did enough to finish 2nd in our pool on the day. In our cross over game for 3rd place we started strong with some great 3pt shooting but in the end we couldn’t close out the match.

All in all, it was a great day for the students and their effort and sportsmanship were outstanding. We would like to thank Mr Andy Stewart and Mrs Jess Van Schie for their work with our Specialist Basketball program and their time and effort on the day.

Mr Scott Britza
Health & Physical Education Teacher
 

The 2016 Inter-School Athletics Carnival was a fantastic day that culminated in some outstanding athletic performances for Kennedy students. We represented Kennedy with pride and the students who attended gave their best efforts. Our efforts were not in vain as we competed with schools that had large numbers of talented students and secured a bronze medal position overall.

To cap off the glorious day, we had several students who had outstanding performances including Lexington Mitchell (3rd U/15 female), Claire Jacobs (2nd U/16 female) and Alex Fraser (2nd Open female). A special mention to Luke Shaw who won 4/4 events, finished 2nd in U/15 males and broke the 1500m record with ease setting a new record of 4:20.26.

Well done to all the students and staff involved in the work leading up to and including the carnival.

For more photos please click here.

Miss Jessica Kennedy
Health & Physical Education Teacher

The last day for students for Term 3 is Thursday 22 September. Students commence Term 4 on Monday 10 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.

Administration Office Hours Over the Holiday Period

The Administration office will be closed during the first week of the school holidays and will re-open again on Monday 3 October.

Elective Selections for 2017
Due Monday 19 September.

Students currently in Years 7, 8 and 9 have been issued with information concerning electives courses for 2017.

Miss Lamet has also spoken with each year group. Parents are asked to read through the course information supplied with the grid selection sheet.

Please take note of extra costs, requirements and training that may apply to some courses.

You can also find the course information through the following links:

• Year 8 Electives for 2017
• Year 9 Electives for 2017
• Year 10 Electives for 2017

Selections must be returned (signed by parent) on or before Monday 19 September. Students who submit selections after Thursday 22 September are likely to miss out on their choices.

Mr Drew Errey
Director of Studies

Canberra and Sydney Study Tour

During the first week of the holidays, 32 students and four staff will be undertaking an educational tour of the national capital, Canberra and Sydney. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding of $240 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program (PACER). The rebate is paid directly to the College upon completion of the excursion.

Mrs Claire Wallace
Trip Coordinator

Benjamin Wai and Lachlan Belke

Congratulations to Benjamin Wai and Lachlan Belke who just finished their short course State Swimming Championship over the weekend of 9 to 11 September.

• Lachlan Belke - Silver in 400m free
• Benjamin Wai - Gold in 100m Back and 100 Fly Silver in 200m Back and Bronze in 50 Free, 100m Free and 200m Fly

Kaylee Harvey

Congratulations to Kaylee Harvey who recently returned from the CSTD Asia-Pacific Dance Championships, where her troupe brought home three medals. Kaylee and her U/14 dance group represented Australia in the U/16 divisions in tap, modern and hip hop competitions. The competition was held in Macau, China at the Sands Resort from 19 to 21 August 2016. Kaylee and her troupe received honourable mentions in both modern and hip hop against some meticulous dancing and a second in tap only to be beaten by their very own dance school’s U/16 tap troupe. Congratulations to all who participated, Kennedy is proud of your achievements.

Apart from reading about us in the newsletter the best ways to find out about what is happening with the P&F are:

• To come along to a meeting. Our next meeting is in Term 4 on Tuesday 11 October at 7.00pm in the College Staff Lounge. We have one meeting a term and this is a good opportunity to hear about what is happening in the College. If you are thinking about getting involved in the parent community, then please do come along. Email the P&F for more information.
   
• Join our facebook community – Kennedy P&F. This is also a really good way to find/sell second hand items such as uniforms, text books etc.

We are purchasing an A frame sign stating ‘Parents and Friends Association’, this will be reviewed at our next meeting.

The holidays are almost here – have a good and safe break everyone.