Dear Parents,

Kennedy Baptist College offers a wide variety of courses and electives for students and tomorrow night our Arts students will be presenting the Annual Dance Showcase titled ‘Come Fly With Me’. They have been working toward this performance for some weeks and it promises to be a great night. Tickets are available from the Arts office.

Interhouse Athletics Carnival

On Thursday 10 August, the whole College will be at the State Athletics Centre for the Interhouse Athletics Carnival. I would like to remind everyone that this is a compulsory student event, as all students will be participating in some way in various aspects of the competition. Any student absent on the day will require a medical certificate. Instructions regarding our return back to the College in the afternoon will be emailed home shortly. We welcome all parents to attend. 

Open Day 2017

Open Day is a great day to present the College to the community and share the wonderful achievements of our students. It is fast approaching and we would love all families to embrace the spirit of the day, being involved as much as possible. The Parents and Friends committee has been very busy planning for the day and I hope that all families can assist in some way. Last week you will have received an email with a range of requests for support, so please contact them to help make their wish list a reality. Our new Sports Centre has been operating for six months and Open Day is a great opportunity for families to visit and explore our outstanding facilities. We would love as many families as possible to visit the College on Saturday August 26 and witness aspects of the Kennedy journey that their children are engaged in. We hope to see you there!

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Last time, I wrote about God being called Daddy, which is how Jesus Christ begins the Lord’s Prayer. Those first century listeners considered this terminology blasphemous. Jesus was speaking into a culture where the name of God was never spoken, even when reading the Torah out aloud; instead, the reader would simply pause when they came across the tetragrammaton, YHWH. The name of God was not only not spoken, it was unpronounceable. The Lord’s Prayer brings a change in cultural and religious assumptions of tectonic proportions.

The next statement of the prayer, though, lays the foundation for all that is to follow, because it realigns our perspective with the truth that we are not in control of our lives, He is.

“may your name be kept holy”.
(Matthew 6:9)

My parents gave my name to me and if I chose to change my name, it would not change who I am. However, God is His name, and throughout Scripture, we are shown who He is, through His relationship with His people. He is the God who provides; He is the one who heals; He is God most High; He is the Shepherd, etc. His name describes the one who is holy – unable to sin, able only to do good, perfect in every way and worthy of our worship and adoration. He is our Heavenly Daddy, this is true, but whatever we ask must be done with this understanding that He cannot act outside of who He is and that in worshipping Him we acknowledge that He is God and we are not. It is in seeing God for who He truly is. In all of His grace and mercy, that we discover that all we need is not only in Him, it is actually Him.

Kennedy Baptist College utilises SEQTA as a key information channel to parents and students. SEQTA brings together multiple information sources into one easy-to-use learning management system. Through SEQTA parents and students can obtain curriculum information such as: programs; assessment dates; weekly lesson outlines and assessment results. Students and parents can also communicate with teachers through DIREQT messaging which is the College’s preferred means of communication with teachers. Student reports are accessed through SEQTA and some policy documents are also available through SEQTA. Parents are encouraged to regularly log into SEQTA in order to view student progress and check for teacher-parent communication.

SEQTA is a growing and adaptive system and there are many features which SEQTA has integrated into their platform that are not currently available to our community. These features include: parent control over passwords (enabling a parent to set and change their password); email notification of unread DIREQT messages and the use of SEQTA mobile applications for Apple and Android phones. In order to enable these features Kennedy Baptist College will need to adapt some of our current practices and data systems. In the coming months the College Administration and IT teams will be making the required changes to our systems. Once completed parents will be notified via email the steps required to set their own unique password. It is anticipated that the change will be implemented in time for the beginning of the 2018 academic year.

The Student Leadership Program at Kennedy provides opportunities for our students to actively participate in the decision making processes at the College. During this term Kennedy will be selecting its leadership groups for 2018.

Students are encouraged to take on a variety of roles including:

• 11/7s Mentors - The 11/7s program is designed to facilitate a smooth transition for our incoming Year 7s and ensure they feel safe and welcomed as valued members of our College community. The Year 11 Mentors are a vital part of this as they oversee Care Groups for Year 7s as part of the program. Benefits for the mentors include the opportunity to develop skills such as communication, decision making, managing groups, planning, cooperation and self-esteem, confidence, relationship building and team work.
   
• House Captains - The House Captains work with the House Coordinators to build, maintain and support the promotion and development of the College House System. It also involves organising a range of College activities including: Arts Cup, Swimming Carnival, Athletics Carnival, Public Speaking Competition, National Ride2School Day, Champions Read Competition, House Point Draws, and supporting the charity Operation Christmas Child.  
   
• Student Councillors - The Student Councillors work with the Heads of Year to offer responsible service to their College and peers. The Student Councillors are involved in a wide range of activities including Open Day, Anzac Ceremony, College Assemblies, social activities, Pastoral Care program, Free Dress Days and Student Council Projects.

We encourage all students who are keen to apply for these roles as an opportunity to serve the College Community and develop their leadership skills.

Last Wednesday we celebrated the achievement and successes of our students. We acknowledged the hard work and commitment of both staff and students and appreciate the fact that student success involves parental guidance and input.

Mr Ashby mentioned that the programs offered at Kennedy should challenge students. The preparation and completion of tests, assignments and exams involves hard work, time management and self-discipline to produce the best possible outcomes. Mr Ashby set the theme for the Assembly by stressing the importance that academic success involves persistence and hard work. “Persistence and hard work are qualities that are important to so many aspects of life.” said Mr Ashby.

Persistence is the act of continuing in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. It is about achieving the goals one sets out to achieve using characteristics such as dedication, devotion, loyalty, faithfulness and fidelity. Characteristics that are all synonymous with the values of this College.

Our Kennedy Baptist College Cheerleaders performed an outstanding item and students were rewarded with Certificates of Achievement and House Awards.

Mr Ashby concluded his address by mentioning that Semester One has been an extremely rewarding one and that Term 3 has a number of wonderful opportunities for students in all year groups.

Please click here for more photos.

Mrs Mandy Beaurain
Public Relations Assistant

On the 30 June, 33 excited students and four Kennedy staff flew out on the 2017 Kennedy Cambodia Mission tour. We arrived in Siem Reap the following day where we settled in and rested. The following day we visited the world famous Angkor Wat temple complex exploring Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Phrom temples. We spent the night shopping in the night markets.

The following day, we travelled to Phnom Penh to begin our work with the Transform Cambodia organisation. We visited the famous S21 prison and Killing Fields outside the city. We then started the main reason for our being in Cambodia: teaching spoken English to Cambodian students. The students worked for six full days in Centre 14 and conducted lessons for their own group of Cambodian students working intensively in correcting their spoken English. Our students were very good and very well prepared for the task. By the end of the week, we were all noticing the Cambodian students consciously working on their pronunciations.

In between teaching, the students enjoyed beautiful Cambodian buffet meals, shopping trips, visiting markets and a very special formal dinner in a fancy restaurant to honour the Cambodian staff of the Centre. At the end of the trip, I had Kennedy students asking me whether they can return next year, which is very gratifying. I would like to thank my accompanying staff: Mr Liam Austen, Mrs Sarah Harris and Mrs Ronnie Hennigan; and the marvellous students of the 2017 Tour.

Mr Mark Burgess
Cambodia Mission Trip Leader

In the last week of June a very excited group of 28 Year 10 students and four staff arrived at Perth International airport for the ski adventure in New Zealand. After two scenic flights over spectacular seas and mountains, we arrived at Queenstown. We immediately launched into “luging” on the top of the panoramic lookout (after our gondola ride), followed by a five star feast.

Day two, saw half the group Bungy jump and the other half Jetboat ride. Both required some courage and left students full of adrenaline. A round of indoor mini golf rounded off a memorable day. The next four days were our Ski/Snowboard days at Cardrona. Students spent the first two hours of each in lessons and the rest of the day putting their new skills into practice. Each day presented  different weather conditions, but progressively built to day three being the pick with blue skies and excellent soft snow. Our meals and hotel accommodation were outstanding (only 10 minutes from town) allowing students some freedom to meet for hot chocolates and ice-creams.

On day seven we left the South Island tired but amazed at the variety of adventures and landscapes. Our final North Island adventure lay ahead – epic whitewater rafting and hiking at Mount Tongarero. The post rafting swim in a geothermal pool was a great way to finish the day. We had a great last night of fun and awards to conclude our fantastic trip. Thanks to Mrs Valme Batley, Miss Jessica Kennedy and Mr David Orr for all their work.

Mr Richard Main
Trip Coordinator

Students who will be attending the upcoming Newman Indigenous Tour recently held a sausage sizzle, to raise funds to help indigenous communities in the Pilbara region.

The fundraiser, held over two days, raised $614 (over $500 profit). Jake’s Continental Butchers at Kardinya Shopping Centre generously donated the sausages and the bread rolls were donated by Brumby’s Bakery in Leeming. Kennedy Baptist College is grateful for the support from these two fantastic local businesses.

Mr Murray Dunstan
Trip Coordinator

In May 2013, all Education Ministers from Commonwealth, state and territory governments endorsed the implementation of a nationally consistent collection of data on school students with a disability in all Australian schools (government, independent and Catholic).

The nationally consistent approach to data collection provides all Australian schools, education authorities and the community with a clear picture of the number of students with a disability in schools and the adjustments they are provided to enable them to participate in education on the same basis as other students.

The Australian Education Regulation 2013 (the Regulation) requires the operators of government and non-government schools (approved authorities) to provide information to the Australian Government Department of Education and Training (the department) for the purposes of the NCCD.

The information will not identify individual students; no information that could reasonably enable the department to identify individual students will be provided by approved authorities to the department.

Further information regarding the NCCD can be found in SEQTA under Documents – Policies - NCCD Parent-Carer Fact Sheet

This Term a House points draw will be held at our final Term 3 College Assembly. All House points given to any student are placed in the draw to win a major prize. A House point is given to a student for their co-operation and participation in College activities and demonstrating the Kennedy spirit.

Our Term 3 House point major prize is kindly sponsored and in partnership with Access Music in Willetton. The prize includes a Harlem electric guitar, guitar bag, guitar amplifier, stand, strap and lead. Additionally, Access Music is also offering the prize-winner five complimentary guitar lessons.

Please consider supporting Access Music. Please click here for more information. 

Mr Jonathan Groom
Forrest House Coordinator 

The Kennedy ICT team would like to remind parents and students about the College laptop policy.

Expectations:

• Students must bring their laptops fully charged to College every day
• Students are not allowed to charge their laptops in class due to the tripping hazard caused by the charging cables
• Students who are not prepared for class with a working device will be given a warning the first time and issued a demerit every other time

ICT will only loan laptops out to students on the following conditions:

• ICT checks the student laptop and diagnose that it has a hardware fault requiring warranty repairs   or
• A student brings in a note or a completed loan form from their parents requesting a loan laptop   or
• Students who have special arrangements with the College

ICT will not loan laptop to students who:

• Forgot to bring their laptops
• Forgot to charge their laptops overnight
• Do not look after equipment loaned to them or failed to return loan equipment on time

The initial loan period is for two weeks. If an extension is required, parents just need to communicate this to ICT. Loan laptops requests will only be entertained by the ICT department before College, during recess, lunch and after College. Teachers will not allow students to leave their class to borrow a laptop.

A copy of the laptop loan form can be found in the SEQTA Engage or SEQTA Learn, under Portals, Student Information.

If you have any queries or require assistance, please drop by the ICT office or contact the ICT department at it-parents@kennedy.wa.edu.au.

Unknown Deposits

The following deposits have been made to the College's bank account. Details are as below:

• 07/06/2017 MISS SARAH MAREE
   
• 24/07/2017 NSW Customer Service Centre

If you have made any of these deposits please contact Mrs Michelle Willans in our Finance Department on 9314 7722 or email mwillans@kennedy.wa.edu.au

Community Open Day will be held on Saturday 26 August.

Open Day is a great way to see the College campus, view student work and meet Kennedy staff. The College will be open from 10.00am - 2.00pm. We hope that you set aside this day to join us for amazing food, free events and great entertainment.

Form more information about our Community Open Day or to book a tour, please visit our website here

Father's Day Breakfast - Save The Date

Our Annual Father's Day event is around the corner. We hope that all Kennedy Dads can join us for a scrumptious breakfast. More information will be sent out shortly. 

Luke Shaw

Congratulations to Luke Shaw who has been selected to represent Western Australia in the 2017 Cross Country team. This team will be competing at the Schools Sport Australia National Championships in Hobart from 10 - 14 August. We wish Luke all the best. 

Community Open Day

Only 23 days to go before the Kennedy Open Day!

Open Day is a great opportunity for current and future families to come and see what has been happening in the life of our College. Student work will be on display, presentations will take place and an opportunity for you to have a look at the new Sport and Fitness Centre that Kennedy offers.

Next P&F Meeting

• Wrapping with the P&F - 24 August (Please see details below).

Please email the P&F on pandfkennedybaptistcollege@gmail.com to book a spot or ask any questions.

Jamming with the P&F

Nine Thermomixs, Eight Mums coming together, 86 Jars of jam, marmalade and relish made with 18 different recipes.

A big thanks to Kylie Thomas, Deb Warwick, Vanya Tierney-Sanchez, Eleanor Paterson, Lizelle Smith, Renea Phillips, Lorinda Gregory and Karen Shea. Special thanks to the Jamming P&F Co-Ordinator Vanya Tierney-Sanchez, your spreadsheets, recipes and organisation is what makes the day such a great success.  It was lots of fun, fellowship, conversation and coffee enjoyed by all.