Dear Parents

Open Day is fast approaching and we would love all families to embrace the spirit of the day, by being involved as much as possible. The Parents and Friends committee has been very busy planning for the day and it is hoped that all families can help them with their preparations. Last week all families received an email with a range of requests for support and I encourage all families to contribute to the wish list of help.

Open Day is a great opportunity to present our College to the community and share the wonderful achievements of our students. Often there is a perception that the day is targeted at prospective families rather than current families. However, this is not the case. We would love as many families as possible to visit on Saturday August 29 to experience the Kennedy journey that students are presently on. We hope to see you there!

Athletics Carnival

Next Thursday, 13 August, the whole College will be at the State Athletics Centre for the Inter-House Athletics Carnival. I would like to remind everyone that this is a compulsory event for all students as all students will be involved in the competition. Any student absent on the day will require a medical certificate. Instructions regarding our return to the College in the afternoon will be detailed before the day.

 

Mark Ashby
Principal

There is a vast difference between earthly wisdom and Christ-like wisdom. It is very easy to get caught up in what the world sees as wisdom. Whether it be about our work or something personal, we can chase wisdom in the wrong way.

This passage speaks about Godly wisdom that comes from above. The verse contrasts Godly wisdom to jealousy and selfish ambition. And that’s what I think earthly wisdom cultivates in us – without us even realising. When we seek things that are about bettering our standpoint because we want what someone else has or because we are selfishly driven, that is a quest for earthly wisdom.

In the Bible, James makes it clear what Godly wisdom looks like…’the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.’ (James 3:17) Isn’t this the kind of wisdom that we should all search for and pray for?

Godly wisdom can make all the difference in any kind of situation we face, and if you need wisdom all we need to do is ask for it, with complete faith. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.’ James 1:5).

Let’s make this wisdom from above the kind of wisdom we pursue and it won’t only benefit us but those that we love.

God bless,
Adam

On the first day of this term our entire teaching staff, for the first time, attended the Christian Schools Australia State Conference held at the Perth Convention Centre. The conference was attended by over 850 delegates from a wide range of independent schools across the state. Not only did the day give our teachers opportunities to network with colleagues from similar schools, but also the opportunity to hear from a number of highly respected national and international speakers. The keynote address on Leadership through Change was delivered by Greg Vossler, the Vice President of Leadership Development International who has been involved in the setting up of a number of International Schools in China. Teachers also had the opportunity to attend a wide range of workshops on various topics. This professional learning opportunity was well received by staff with benefits that should flow into our classrooms over the coming months.

Our Year 12s are now well into their final full term at Kennedy Baptist College with many sitting their school exams in a matter of a few weeks with the WACE exams shortly after. As students start to think about those exams it is important that they start preparing now and not leave things to the last minute. There are a number of good sites on the internet which offer tips and advice on how best to prepare for exams. I have placed links to some of those below. The staff in the Research and Study Centre can also offer help to students in the areas of study skills and exam preparation.

Helpful links:

School Curriculum and Standards Authority

5 Quick study tips for WACE Exams

Surviving WACE Exams

The Kennedy Baptist College House system is very important in enabling students to further develop a sense of identity and belonging at Kennedy.

This year we have appointed four staff as House Coordinators to further build our House system as an integral part of College life. They are Mrs Kym Scanlan (Forrest), Mr Tim Basile (Eyre), Mr Bradley Gunter (Stirling) and Mr Daniel Chan (King).

This term the College will be having a week of House Activities where students work together in teams to undertake cultural, social, academic or sporting activities to build House spirit and help the community. This will occur in Week 6 and involve a staff  vs student sports competition, a design competition, House vs House games, culminating in a specific House Day where students get to wear their colours and undertake activities in their House groups.

One week each term is a designated House Week where students work together in teams to undertake cultural, social, academic or sporting activities to build House spirit and help the community. This term it will occur in Week 6 and involve a staff vs student sport competition, STEM (Science Technology Maths) competition, a Free Dress Day to fund the College sponsor children, House vs House games and culminating in a specific House Day where students get to wear their colours and undertake activities in their house groups.

Another important aspect of the House system is student leadership, where elected House Captains receive training and mentoring from the coordinators and are given the opportunity to run events and continue to further develop their leadership skills.

Overall the House system is designed to allow students to be part of a larger team and make a significant contribution to College life.

As we have just passed the half-way mark of the year, now would be a meaningful time to take stock of the progress of the Year 7 cohort and examine how well we are progressing.

One feature that is very evident amongst the Year 7 students is the positivity they exhibit.  The Year 7 students are very inclusive towards their fellow students. Whilst there is the typical ribbing amongst students that anyone would expect, the overwhelming state of the 7s is one of positivity and enthusiasm.   This is great to see and the demonstration of understanding and empathy exhibited by the students is an optimistic indicator of the life students have within and outside of the College.

The work ethic of the majority of Year 7 students is where it should be and there are many students who are excelling in their subject areas.  Our work expectations are not unrealistic and are clearly explained, we just want students to achieve as best they can which means completing the required amount of homework, studying properly prior to tests and putting full effort into their assignments.  Students should be setting goals in Coneqt.s and then working their way towards achieving those goals.

Socially, the Year 7 cohort is stable and functioning well.  Most students have many friends and are comfortable within their peer group.  During recess and lunchtime the Year 7 area is alive with the sounds, games, conversations and fun that are indicators of a hopeful and vibrant year group.  This is also demonstrated by the amount and positivity of students attending the community service project.  I always feel proud of my students when we leave the intergenerational exchange as I have seen them going above and beyond to achieve and make a difference in the lives of others.  We have a voluntary Year 7 social coming up soon at Tropical Twist, towards the end of the term (details to follow) and we would encourage as many students as possible to attend.

Overall I have to say I am very pleased with how the Year 7 cohort are progressing. They are a keen bunch of students with a heart and concern for their fellow scholars and a desire to progress as well as they can.  Good job A+

“Teaching our children does not mean pouring information into their heads. It means being an active participant in their transformation as well as our own. It isn’t enough that we know what to do and to say; we must also have the courage and desire to live out what we believe.” 
(Janice Cook, Topical Family Bible Companion)

After a great Term 2 and a fantastic turnout of 34 students for community service, we had a lovely, if cold, holiday to recharge the batteries. It does amaze me that so many students tell me they did nothing; as one would think, with all the opportunities in Perth and our great public transport as well as the vintage concept of a bicycle, they could find tons to do.

Holidays are often stressful for parents who work full time but I would encourage you to make your Year 8 students more responsible for organizing their own itinerary. We know they can do amazing things with technology but they cannot operate a washing machine!! Let’s teach them to be independent to make their life and yours easier and better.

This term we will be going to Dark Zone for a social and I hope that many students will participate. Our biggest event is the social at Leighton in Term 4 on 11 November which is the last week before exams. A reminder that the end of year exams cover Semester 2 work i.e. since 8 June. Any work they were examined on last time will not be covered at the end of the year.

I pray this term will be a good one for everyone and that you will all achieve the goals you have set for your families.

God Bless.

As always the start of the term has been hectic but I feel the Year 9 students have settled into the groove for the term. As a year group we have been focusing our pastoral care time to look at Identity and our theme of ‘Who am I? As part of this charter we had Mr Glenn Tyrie (Head of Year 10) come and talk about cyber safety and the importance of protecting yourself online. It was a great eye-opener to see how people can access information in the digital world and how to protect yourself whilst using social media and also the wider internet. Students were encouraged to check out www.thinkuknow.org.au for help and information to do with a wide range of online activities. There is a section for parents and carers which you may like to have a look at and then discuss with your child.

On another note, we trialed a new House sports activity in Week 2 during Extended Form. After being able to come to school in PE uniform it was great to see every single Year 9 student get involved and have fun whilst being active. Students had stations and had to either shoot a basketball, score penalties against teachers (in soccer), kick goals in AFL or kick a conversion in rugby. If the activities weren’t to their liking they were able to run/walk the oval to receive house points. It was great to see students working together at each station and showing off some skills, even in sports they don’t normally play. Congratulations to Forrest House who won the BBQ lunch last Friday. I look forward to trying it again towards the end of term.

Another busy term is underway and there are a number of very important programs that the Year 10s need to think about. By now all students should have their Work Experience placements and all paperwork should be in to Mrs Emma Riddle. However, this is not all that needs to be done. Most students should now have also completed their Worksafe Certificates and for some going into a construction environment, their ‘White Card’. There are a number of students who have chosen a field different to what they initially completed their Worksafe Certificates for. Would you please make sure you have completed the correct industry module and re-submit the new certificate if need be. If you are having any problems with any of this please contact Mrs Emma Riddle by phone or email eriddle@kennedy.wa.edu.au as soon as possible so she can help you. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Mrs Karyn Avalos (nee Day) for all her hard work helping the Year 10s with Work Experience and wish her well in her future endeavours.

Another program that our Year 10s will be involved in is the 11/7s Peer Support Program for 2016. The 11/7s Program offers the new Year 7s a mentor or ‘buddy’ to help them with the transition into high school. It is a very important part of our Pastoral Care Program at Kennedy and to be chosen as an 11/7 is one of the most prestigious appointments a student can be given. Nominations are now open and should be handed into form teachers by Friday Week 4.

Early next term, Thursday 29 October, is the Year 10 Formal, to be held at East Fremantle Yacht Club. Please put the date in your calendar and please remind your student that they may need to remember to make arrangements with work etc. to be able to attend.

If you have any queries about anything, not just what is mentioned above please do not hesitate to contact me at gtyrie@kennedy.wa.edu.au

As we begin Semester 2 our Year 11 students should use this as a time to reflect on their achievements from the first half of the year and begin to implement strategies to further improve or consolidate their grades. Students are always encouraged to seek assistance when in doubt or needing extra support from their subject teachers or staff in administration. By establishing a sound revision program this year as well as passion for their subjects, the students should lay a good foundation for Year 12 and beyond.

With the National Blood Donor Week falling during Week 2, it has been fantastic to see the high level of enthusiasm to generously service those in the wider community. A number of brave students registered to donate blood and ventured into the city where they were briefed by the friendly staff before the process began. Their experience was both informative and rewarding, allowing the students to spread the word within the College on how vital blood donations are in the lives of the sick and injured in Western Australia.

Our social event for the year, the Year 11 River Cruise, will be held Friday 7 August. Staff and students will depart from Barrack Street Jetty making their way down the Swan River. I look forward to seeing all students in their semi-formal attire as they enjoy a relaxing and glamorous Hollywood evening.

I pray this term will be a productive and rewarding time as we move towards the end of the year.

It certainly doesn’t take long to get back into the swing of things. I thoroughly enjoyed my Long Service Break last term. Some of the highlights were walking part of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, horse trail riding in France, white water rafting in Croatia, visiting Sarajevo and Mostar in Bosnia and spending time with my sons who both live overseas.  I returned refreshed and so thankful to work in a College like Kennedy. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Valme Batley who did a fantastic job as Acting Head of Year 12. It was so good to be able to know that I had left the 12s in such capable hands.

Term 3 is well under way. This is such an important term when the students will be finishing their courses before sitting their Mock exams in the August holidays. I would like to ask parents to encourage their children to really focus on their studies this term. Make sure they are eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep. There are tutoring times available in all subjects and students should avail themselves of these extra sessions to seek help.  Please also ensure that your children are not over-committed at their part-time jobs. The WACE exam timetable has been published and is available on the SCSA website.

On Friday 4 September we will have our final social activity for the year. This will be our Year 12 Spring Fling river cruise which will be a dress up occasion. The event will start at 6.45pm and finish at 10.00 pm. Students should be dropped off at the Barrack St Jetty and then collected promptly at 10.00pm. We look forward to a fun-filled and safe event. Letters and return envelopes for payment were sent home on Friday.

Please do not hesitate to ring me if you have any concerns.

COLLEGE:
All students completing a Stage 2 or 3 Course of Study must complete all school examinations.

Practical examinations:
Dance, Drama, French, Physical Education Studies, English as an Additional Language Dialect, will occur prior to the end of Term 3 during the school day.
Written Examinations:
Friday 25 September then Monday 5 October – Wednesday 14 October.

WACE:
All students enrolled in a Stage 3 Course of Study and those Mathematics 2CD students enrolled in the WACE examination must complete all scheduled examinations.  Students will be issued personalised timetables in September.  General timetables are available on line http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au

Practical examinations:
26 September – 4 October & 17 October – 25 October
Written examinations: (for Kennedy students)
2 November – 18 November

Image: House Point Draw

On Tuesday 28 July the College community enjoyed an informative and entertaining Assembly. One highlight of the Assembly was a presentation from our Transform Cambodia team of students who recently returned from Cambodia. They shared with us their experiences overseas and how rewarding the tour was. It was great to hear from them. These international tours which the College hosts can provide transforming life experiences.

2015 Kennedy Cambodia Trip from Kennedy Baptist College on Vimeo.

We were treated to a fine dance performance by our talented dance students. The item was called “Off Track” and had been recently performed at the South of Swan Festival.

The 40 Hour Famine, which the College actively participates in each year, was launched. This year making a donation to this much needed cause will be even easier with no need for collection of cash or receipt books. More will be explained in the near future.

The auditorium was electric with anticipation as the much awaited House Point draw took place. Second prize was a $50 Garden City Voucher which was won by Matthew Lawler and the Grand Prize was a GoPro Camera which was won by Sullivan Harland. 

On Thursday 23 July, twenty parents of Year 7 students attended the College’s first “New Maths 4 Old Brains”. Over two hours, parents learnt how to support their child in Mathematics and were informed about changes in Mathematics since they went to school themselves.

The evening included examples of misconceptions held by students and a breakdown of the Australian Curriculum. Parents were set to work on problems with numbers and algebra and survived, with lots of laughs along the way!

Feedback from parents was positive (“great session”) and reinforced with them that it is okay to use different methods to solve problems in Mathematics. As teachers we try to encourage students to learn skills to solve problems in the easiest way but if you wish to share alternative methods that work with your child, then please feel encouraged to do so.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank other members of the Mathematics Learning Area (Miss Foxton, Miss Hanna, Mrs Kruger and Mrs Wallace) who assisted on the evening and Mrs Hair for organising refreshments. Also, thanks to the parents who attended.

Mr Mike Hill
Head of Mathematics

The Ski Trip departed on 1 July, with 30 excited students and 4 staff ready to hit the New Zealand slopes which had received a large amount of snow. After arrival in Queenstown, the students were fitted with their snow gear before spending the afternoon on a gondola and racing each other on the luge. The next four days were early mornings to ensure the students were able to spend as much time on the snow as possible, with the time split between two ski fields Cardrona and the Remarkables.

Students had the option of skiing or snowboarding for the four days and snowboarding was definitely a popular choice this year. It was an awesome experience for all the students, particularly those who had never seen snow and loved making snowmen and snow angels. To top off the adventure trip, students had the option of going on the Shotover Jet or Bungy Jumping over the Kawarau River, which all of them did. As the day to fly out of Queenstown rolled around, it wasn’t meant to be as the snow fall had been so spectacular overnight that the runway was frozen over. This meant that the students enjoyed an extra day exploring Queenstown and enjoying the infamous Ferg Burger before flying to Auckland to experience a Maori Cultural show, views from the Sky Tower and hiking an extinct volcano. 

The trip was a fantastic experience filled with fun, food and laughter and I would recommend it to any of the current Year 9 students.

Mrs Kym Scanlan
Ski Trip Co-ordinator

"Language Perfect World Championship is a world-wide competition which is held annually. Thousands of students from around the world participate every year. It is an outstanding on line resource that promotes second language learning.”

Congratulations to the following students for winning awards in this years competition:

Bronze Award: Julia Amidzic answered 3,985 questions during the competition and earned 1,461 placing her in the top 10% of 300,000 competitors from around the world.

Credit Award winners: Oliver Leonard, Kristal Foo & Fiona Cheong (absent for photo) are in the top 20%.

This is an outstanding achievement, well done.

Mrs Mavis Tin
Indonesian Teacher

Bunnings Sausage Sizzle

A big thank you to Student Councillors, parent helpers, Wendell Pether and Tom Moyes who helped make the Bunnings sausage sizzle last weekend a success.

Open Day Help Request

A reminder that Open Day is on Saturday 29 August this year. This is the biggest event of the year that the P&F is involved in and we still need helpers for the day.
Please email pandfkennedybaptistcollege@gmail.com if you are able to volunteer your time on the day. Thank you to those people who have already put their names on our list. We are hoping to complete rosters in the next week and will let you know once this is done.

• Baked goods:
  These can be dropped off to the Staff Lounge on Friday 28 August or after 9.00am on Saturday 29 August. To satisfy health regulations, all cakes are to be covered and labelled with a date baked and ingredients list and must not include fresh cream or custard in the fillings.
• Silent Auction:
  A call is going out to all students to donate items for the Open Day Silent Auction. Each year group is asked to donate to a certain theme.The Aussie Farmer home delivery fruit and vegetable boxes are an ideal size for the hampers. If any parents are able to source these (or any other suitable boxes), could you please drop them off at Student Services by the end of next week.
• Other areas of help

Term 3 Tutoring Timetable - availabe to all students at no extra cost

Click here to view Term 3 Tutoring sessions.

Beedawong Term 3 Menu - fresh and delicious 

We are looking for parent helpers for the upcoming fitting days for the new Year 7 students. 

It will be on the following Saturdays:

• 5 September
• 12 September
• 19 September
• 17 October

Help is needed for the morning, 8.00am until 11.45am and the afternoon from 12.45pm to 4.45pm on these days.  Please contact Kerry in the uniform shop by either phoning the College (ph 93147722) or by email kjames@kennedy.wa.edu.au.

Families with overdue fees for Term/Semester will recieve a reminder statement this week.

The list below shows the upcoming events for the next 2 weeks. Please visit our website for more dates and events

Thursday 6 August
French Tour Preparation Classes

Friday 7 August
Year 11 River Cruise

Tuesday 11 August
Information Evening - 2016 China Tour

Thursday 13 August
Inter House Athletics Carnival
French Tour Preparation Classes

Monday 17 August - Tuesday 18 August
Year 11 Biology Camp

Wednesday 19 August
Electric Music Night

Thursday 20 August
French Tour Preparation Classes
Year 9 Social - Bounce
Newsletter

We accept notices from parents, and advertisements from local companies and businesses for a small fee and reserve the right to accept the application for advertisement to be placed in the Newsletter or Notice board. Please email news@kennedy.wa.edu.au for more information