Dear Parents and Families,

This is our last newsletter for the year, and it is remarkable to realise how much the community of Kennedy has achieved throughout 2019.

It is wonderful to reflect on the many highlights across our academic learning areas as well as the co-curricular opportunities provided by the College. The community and personal highlights are the result of the combined hard work of staff, parents and students and I thank everyone for their commitment and ongoing contributions.

A number of teaching staff will be leaving Kennedy at the end of the year and I would like to highlight their commitment and service to our College.

• Mavis Tin, Indonesian Teacher will be retiring
• Anne Howard, Mathematics Teacher will be retiring
• Claire Wallace, Mathematics Teacher, has accepted a promotion to another school
• Simon Fox, English Teacher will be leaving for another school
• Amanda Davis, Learning Support Teacher is pursuing another career

Several teaching staff will also be on leave in Term 1 and we wish them the very best for a restful and productive break.

• Drew Errey, English, extended Long Service Leave
• Jessica Kennedy, Sports Co-Ordinator, Long Service Leave
• Jon Groom, Science, Long Service Leave
• Stephanie Ryan, Arts, extended leave for the entire year

We also have several part-time, non-teaching staff who will be leaving at the end of the year. We greatly appreciate their contributions and service to the College.

• Lee-anne Armstrong, Receptionist
• Lindie Alberts, Assistant Registrar
• Mandy Lun, Library Assistant.

I would like to again thank everyone in our College for their ongoing support this year. As we look forward to an exciting 2020, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic safe and relaxing holiday.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Have you enrolled your younger child for Year 7 2021 Entry?

There are limited places available for Year 7 2021. Parents wishing to enrol their younger child at Kennedy should do so as soon as possible as places are filling quickly. If you have yet to return an Enrolment contract or book an interview for enrolment, please call our Registrar, Mrs Vikki Utting, to complete the enrolment process for your child.

This has been an exciting year for our Year 7 students as they have transitioned into secondary schooling. As Head of Year, it has been wonderful to see how they have not only grown physically taller but also grown in maturity as they have had to overcome challenges and navigated their way through establishing new friendships.

As the year progressed, students handled the pace of College life with confidence and they were soon able to balance the demands of study, homework and extracurricular activities.

At the Lower School Awards Night on Tuesday, it was wonderful to see Year 7s receiving awards for all the hard work they had put into their studies during the year. We have had our last community service activity for the year with the Lakeside Seniors group and it was always a joy and honour to share morning tea and stories with them. At every event, our cohort showed compassion for others, grace and a sense of pride to be a part of the College community.

Thank you to our Student Councillors and House Captains who have done a tremendous job leading this year. Each of you has used your gifts to contribute to and enriched our year group. On a personal note, thank you to all the students, Form teachers and parents for your contributions. It has been this strong foundation of community that has allowed such a smooth transition and our students to be the best version of themselves. I would like to congratulate and wish Mrs Nicole Robins all the best for her role as Head of Year, beginning in 2020. I am excited for her zest and guidance that will inspire and support this cohort during future at the College.

Wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas season.

It is hard to believe that this is the last newsletter for the year. I’m sure there was a collective sigh of relief once the exams were over and I trust there was a little less stress this time around as the students were encouraged to make a study plan, eat and sleep well and keep up with some exercise.

This week we had our Lower School Awards Night and it is heartening to see so many students who have worked hard and done so well in their studies. The students who have worked hard to improve their marks and grades over the year are also to be commended on their wonderful efforts. I hope that those who did not receive the results they wanted will be encouraged as they set goals for next year.

Our last community service event for the year will be held on Wednesday 4 December at the Opal Centre at St Ives. We will finish with a special event with invited guests and some of our students either giving a short talk on their experiences with the program or performing a couple of musical items. The Year 8 students who have participated in the program have shown a depth of maturity and wonderful understanding as they have interacted with the senior residents.

I would also like to mention that it has been wonderful to see the way Year 8 students have shone at musical evenings, drama evenings, assemblies and in the production of the very artistic representation of the Carnaby Cockatoos on display in the Lower Foyer. They are certainly a very talented cohort.

As we move into the Christmas season and the long summer holidays I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for working together with the College as we seek to provide the best opportunities we can for our students. For some, it has been a difficult year as they have faced many challenges. I trust that as we start a new year in 2020, we will continue to make strides in all areas of your child’s education and well-being. May we take time this Christmas to remember Jesus, who came to give us new life in Him.

And so we come to the end of another year at Kennedy and we are now able to call half-time for the Year 9 cohort. Students are halfway through their Kennedy journey (how time flies) and are now facing the second half for the remainder of their time at the College.

I would like to congratulate all students for making it this far; but as always the halfway point is a good opportunity to review student progress and examine how well students are performing. While I am proud of all of our students and their efforts (particularly during the exams) there is always room for improvement so I would encourage all of our students to examine the first half of their Kennedy journey. Students should compare their performance with how they thought they would go and their goals. Is there a correlation or are the two at odds with each other? What would they change if they had a chance to do it all again? Students should be making a plan for their remaining three years at the College to ensure they meet or exceed the goals they set for themselves.

I would like to leave this year with a simple anonymous quote;

“There are three simple rules in life: If you do not go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you do not ask, the answer will always be no. If you do not step forward, you will always be in the same place.”

I would encourage all students to go after what they want in life and not be apathetic. Now is the time to step forward and move on from the mundane and push towards their goals. 

I wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas break and a prosperous New Year. God bless you all.

I reflect back on the last few weeks of Term 3 where we had a wonderful Year 10 Formal, with dinner and dancing. I was tremendously pleased with how our students behaved and they looked amazing! The dance floor was packed all night and everyone had a great time.

There is currently a sigh of relief from the students with exams being over, and reports are on the way. Apart from exams, we have also had other events including the Year 11/7 Mentors Training day last week and the Year 10 Transition Day on Friday.

The 11/7 Mentors worked extremely well for two days developing their skills to prepare to mentor the Year 7s next year. We discussed problems that the Year 7s could potentially face and tried to see secondary schooling from their perspective - building empathy and sympathy so that we could assist them during their transition. Being a mentor is very demanding and the standards are very high but we are very proud of the group and know they will be a great blessing to our new students. 

The Transition Day was very informative, we had Mrs Cassie Kirtisingham from Izra present an outstanding talk and encouraged our students to have a growth mindset. A big thank you goes to Mrs Newell, Mrs DeGois, Mr King, Mr Miles and Mr Austen for their assistance over both days. 

All students are now working on assignments which are very constructive but with a big fun element. I am very proud of this year group and impressed with how they have grown and developed in maturity this year. “Carpe Diem, Seize the Day”!

There are very few shopping days left until Christmas and the exciting school holidays. I hope all parents have the opportunity to take some leave and have some exciting plans for this special time over Christmas.

The year has wrapped up for the Year 11s and it was great to see the students back on Monday for their Year 11 feedback day. I am hoping that students received some excellent results and that all their hard work has paid off.

Now, as the year comes to a close, we have been spending a lot of time thinking about next year and organising the leavers’ jackets and planning the Year 12 Ball, which will be held on Friday 14 February 2020. Payment for both the leavers’ jacket and the Ball can be made through the Payment Portal on the College website.

A few days ago, I asked students for feedback from the year and I recognised that the two highlights of the year were our Transition Camp at Rottnest and the Year 11 River Cruise. Reflecting on these events, students were able to enjoy fun social activities, have a bit of freedom and de-stress after some intense moments of school work, studying and assignments. What a year it has been for our Year 11 students!

I’m looking forward to many more great memories next year and I wish all my Year 11s and their families a safe and happy holiday.

An excellent year and formal schooling have come to an end for the outstanding group of young adults known as the Kennedy Baptist College graduating class of 2019. From the beginning of the year with our Ball at Frasers restaurant, this group has made the most of all their opportunities to have fun with one another. With all our social activities the dance floor was never big enough.

Our final event was the Year 12 Graduation on Friday 15 November. It was an outstanding night of celebration for our students and their families. The central theme of being able to rely on God and community as the students’ progress into the next phase of their life was highlighted by all speakers and embodied by the talk and laughter before and after the event. We wish all the students the very best and look forward to hearing about their future exploits. Please click here for more photos. 

Lastly, to all the Year 12 students, I am very proud of the excellent group of young adults you are all becoming and I pray that your life be full of happiness and that you continue to make the best of your opportunities as they present themselves. I would like to also thank the parents and guardians for allowing us to be part of your child's journey towards adulthood. 

‘Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!’ - Dr Seuss

On Tuesday 26 November we acknowledged the academic and personal achievements of our Year 7 - 9 students. Congratulations to all our award winners including:

Year 9 Dux Award - Kyrah Daniels
Year 8 Dux Award - Harrison McDonald
Year 7 Dux Award - Tyler Layman

Year 9 Parents and Friends Excellence Award - Hannah Thorne
Year 8 Parents and Friends Excellence Award - Neve Vanderstoep
Year 7 Parents and Friends Excellence Award - Rowan Evans.

Click here for photos.

You are invited to our annual Volunteer Appreciation Afternoon Tea! Please join us as we celebrate and honour all our volunteers of the Kennedy community and thank you for your contribution this year. 

When: Friday 6 December at 2.00pm
Where: Staff Lounge

Please RSVP here for catering purposes. 

The 2020 Newman Indigenous Tour proposed dates are currently Saturday 19 to Sunday 27 September 2020. Students enrolled in Year 11 in 2020 are encouraged to apply for a place on this tour which focuses on service in our unique north-west communities, including a visit to Jigalong Remote Community School.

An information session for parents will be held in the Staff Lounge on Wednesday 4 December, from 5.30pm – 6.30pm. Please meet at the Staff Lounge entry doors, located next to the angled car pack and Uniform Shop. The session will outline the activities included in the tour, the cost involved, and parents will have an opportunity to ask questions.

Would parents interested in attending the information session please email me at mdunstan@kennedy.wa.edu.au

Mr Murray Dunstan
Tour Coordinator

At assembly on 6 November the Student Executive announced their Student Councillor teams for 2020. After the assembly, the student Leadership team and their parents enjoyed morning tea with the House Coordinators and Head of Year. Please click here for photos. 

2020 Book Lists

Kennedy Baptist College 2020 Book lists will be available for ordering from Friday 6 December. Please note orders need to be placed on or before Friday 13 December 2019 to qualify for free delivery. Please see link here for more information.

Update Your Child’s Form Room

If you have children registered with QuickCliq Canteen online ordering system would you please update your child’s Form room to the appropriate year level in time for the start of Term 1 2020.

2019 Yearbook

We anticipate that the 2020 Yearbook will be available by the end of February 2019. Please note that the Yearbook will be sent home with your eldest child. The Graduation class of 2019 will be able to collect their copy at the Alumni afternoon tea on Friday 28 February 2020 from 2.00pm-3.00pm. 

ARE YOU WITHDRAWING YOUR CHILD?
One Term’s notice (10 school weeks) is required in writing to the Principal (via the Registrar: registrar@kennedy.wa.edu.au) no later than Week 1 of the preceding Term. Failure to give the required 10 weeks’ notice will attract a withdrawal fee of 25% of the total annual tuition fee.

CURRENT CONTACT DETAILS
If you have recently changed your contact details (contact email, billing email, address, phone numbers), please click here to update your details.

We value the support of our volunteers who contribute to the College community! Co-ordination of all our volunteers is managed through the easy to use automated online system SIGNUP.com.

Current volunteer opportunities are available with:

• Term 4 Beedawong volunteering
• Kennedy Prayer Group​

Ethan Elliott

Congratulations to Ethan who has been selected in one of the teams to represent WA in the FHE Hockey Cup.