Dear Parents,

This is our last newsletter for the year and it is remarkable to realise how much the community of Kennedy has achieved in 2017. Two wonderful events in the last week have reinforced these achievements and the embracing of opportunities by our students. Our Year 12 Graduation and the Lower School Awards Night provided occasions to acknowledge the accomplishments of students this year and it was wonderful to share these experiences with our wider community. Congratulations to all students involved in these events.

At Graduation, it was announced that several students have already been awarded early offers to Notré Dame University. Congratulations to the following graduates on their achievement:

• Felicia Lai - Bachelor of Nursing
• Mackenzie Stewart - Bachelor of Nursing
• Anna Zwitser - Bachelor of Physiotherapy / Bachelor of Exercise & Sport Science
• Jane Saunders - Bachelor of Education (Primary)
• Ross Stewart - Bachelor of Nursing

Congratulations, also to the following students who have received early offers to study Engineering at the University of W.A:

• Connor Winter
• Sean Vettoor

2018 Staffing
Mr Paul Wilkins (Media) will be retiring at the end of the year after 22 years’ service to our Colleges. We will miss his experience, wisdom and passion.

Mr Daniel Chan (Music), Ms Kate O’Malley (Drama) and Mr Tim Basile (Health and Physical Education) will also be moving to new pursuits in 2018 and we wish them the very best. Mrs Cynthia Edward will be on Long Service Leave for Term 1 and Mrs Vandepeer will be on Maternity leave.  

We also have a number of relieving staff who have completed short-term replacement contracts and we thank them for their valued service throughout the year.

New Bus Route
I am pleased to announce that Kennedy will be operating our own bus service to provide an improved transport option for families in the suburbs of East Fremantle, Bicton, Attadale, Melville and Willagee. This service will run independently of Transperth and will commence next year with services operating both before and after school. Details are available on the link below.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone in our community for their ongoing support this year. As we look forward to an exciting 2018, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic, safe and relaxing holiday.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has even known. 
- Charles Miles

I sang this song as a child and it continues to remind me that no other relationship brings the joy of life that comes from intimacy with God. An intimacy that David elaborates in Psalm 23:

The Lord is my Shepherd
I have all that I need
Verse 1

This simple statement is also an incredibly profound statement. Our needs are met in Jesus (Phil.4:19). The Hebrew word, which we transliterate as Selah, has been the subject of much debate. The consensus is that when we come to Selah we should pause, carefully consider the meaning of what we have just read and then praise God for His great truths. In the middle of all that Christmas has become, where we seem to have to do more and be more and spend more, Selah and remember that in Christ is all of our joy and in Him we have all that we need.

Christian Connect Group

As we come to the end of 2017, I want to take this opportunity to let you know that the Christian Connect group has grown to such an extent that in 2018, Years 7-9 will meet every Wednesday at lunchtime, while Years 10-12 will continue to meet Thursday at lunchtime. Finally, I do pray that you will have a wonderful, Christ-centred Christmas and look forward to seeing you in 2018.

And so we come to the final newsletter article for Year 7 for 2017.  Being the final newsletter gives us the luxury of looking back at the year that has been and seeing how much we have grown and changed.  The Year 7 students who came in as timid as church mice are far removed from the confident, outgoing and self-assured students that we see today.  Many students have embraced the opportunities that are offered by Kennedy and are thriving in their education and personal development.  Many students should feel proud of their efforts and achievements as we are rightly proud of them also.

The focus of Year 7 has been to initiate students into Kennedy Baptist College and help them to thrive – academically, behaviourally, socially and spiritually. This was facilitated through the 11/7s program and the other various programs the College put in place to ensure the Year 7s were looked after.  Having been with the cohort for the year of 2017 I can confidently say there has been great success in these areas. Students are confident in their College; they feel they have a place and are aware of the culture and expectations placed on them.  This is evidenced by the positive environment students have created and their acceptance of those around them.

The Year 7 focus then shifted towards positive behaviour, resilience and goal setting.  The Extended Form classes have been busy working with students to teach them proper thinking and ensure they are developing as expected.  A great deal of thanks must go to our Year 7 Form Teachers for their extraordinary efforts in ensuring the Year 7 students are being looked after correctly.  Other special mentions must go to Matthew Bodin for entertaining us with music every lunchtime, Crystal Manson for her efforts in building every piece of Lego or jigsaws the R&SC has, the computer boys – you know who you are – and of course the handballers – all half of the cohort that they are!  Then there are the students in the cave, students on the grassed area and the basketball students along with everyone else.  Thank you all for making 2017 such a fun and vibrant year, I look forward to seeing you all in 2018.

With the exams over the students will hopefully be more relaxed and looking forward to the holidays. All subjects will have tasks for the students to complete after the exams and students must remember their marks are subject to change until the last day. An example of a task is that the Humanities students will be designing and making a board game based on Geography, History, Politics and Law and Economics questions. They will be making up an equal number of questions from each subject and writing these on the front of a card with the answer on the back. The students will do most of the work in class in groups.

During the holidays some students may want to spend time engaging in the online world. The Australian Psychological Society has developed a list of positive behaviours to help students better manage their online presence. It includes:

• Build positive face to face relationships.
• Maintain perspective (not all lives are perfect Facebook lives).
• Choose support wisely (not necessarily online groups).
• Check less (do not feel constantly compelled to be online).
• Connect with your family (talk to each other face to face).
• Switch off to sleep (screen time linked with poor sleep).
• Choose friends not bullies.
• Be a good citizen (help create a positive online environment).
• Think big picture (Think before sending an image to anyone).
• Break out of your technococoon (Too much time locked away in your bedroom).

As we come to the end of the year I want to say thank you to a fantastic year group.  I pray that the coming holidays will be a special blessing to you all and a time of strengthening relationships for your family as you reconnect after a busy year.

As the end of the year is upon us it is an exciting time and with exams over, we can now take a breath and prepare for a break over the Christmas holidays. We had our final social this term as I took 30 students to Bounce where we had a great time. It is exciting to watch the students and see them show off their skills and they were able to do so many amazing things and be so active. Thank you to the students who came and had such a great time.

Big congratulations to all our Year 9 students who received awards at the Awards Night on Tuesday 21 November. I love celebrating their academic achievements with them and I really enjoyed the evening. I would also like to encourage all our Year 9s who put in their best effort this year with each of their subjects. Unfortunately, not everyone can take home an award but I hope they can take pride in their work knowing they did their best.

I look forward to continuing with the students as Head of Year 10 next year as we start our Head of Year rotation. I am looking forward to expanding on the great relationships I have built up with these wonderful students and guiding them through the challenges that Year 10 students face. I pray that they have a safe and happy holiday and come back refreshed and ready for an exciting year in 2018.

What an awesome year the Year 10s have had this year, culminating in a busy but enjoyable Term 4.

The Year 10 Formal on 26 October saw a record turnout with great food, a lot of dancing and an excellent time being had by all. Please click here for photos. 

We have just completed our 11/7s Mentor training, with Orientation Day coming up tomorrow. After two days of intensive peer support training these excellent young people are ready and raring to help the new Year 7s have an outstanding and successful start to their high-school journey.

On Monday 27 November all the Year 10 students will be participating in ‘Transition Day’ which is aimed at enhancing the student’s wellness skills to cope with the stresses of Senior School and life beyond. I encourage parents to engage with your children to discuss what is covered on this day. As a team let’s help these young people transition into adulthood as smoothly and safely as possible.

If you would like more information on any of these events or for any other reason, please contact me at gtyrie@kennedy.wa.edu.au. Have a happy and safe break.

As the year draws to a close, we reflect on the successful year we have had.

At the start of the year, many students struggled with the increased workload from Year 10 to Year 11. Year 11 courses, whether ATAR or General, are a lot more demanding and require a strong work ethic for the duration of the year. Students managed the transition well, responding by intensifying their revision programs. I am confident that with support from parents and teachers, as well as participating in study skills sessions run by the Research and Study Centre, students now know the study techniques which work best for them. ATAR students are now completing their final exams for the year, and will surely reap the rewards of their hard work. A reminder that Monday 27 November is a compulsory day for all students to receive feedback on the year’s work.

Last month, we enjoyed a breakfast during Extended Form to wind up the year. Bacon and egg muffins were on the menu to thank students for their hard work and commitment throughout the semester. We celebrated several students by presenting them with certificates for their display of Christ-like character traits, and also thanked our Form Teachers for their support though the year.

I would like to finish by thanking all the Year 11 Form Teachers for their diligence this semester. I know the students appreciate the care and help they provide during Form each morning. I would also like to thank all Year 11 students for making this semester so enjoyable for me while Mrs DeGois has been on maternity leave. I have really enjoyed working with you and getting to know you better. I wish all staff and students an enjoyable break. Enjoy the quality time over Christmas relaxing with family and friends. May God bless you with the peace that comes from knowing Jesus.

Our Graduation Ceremony was held on Friday 17 November and it was wonderful to see all the Year 12s back at College for the final formal occasion of the year. The Auditorium was full of family and guests and there was a celebratory atmosphere as the Year 12s took their leave of school. Each student received a sash, a graduation certificate, as well as a small pack which included a farewell card from teachers, a letter the students had written themselves in Years7/8 and a booklet of the short devotions given by the Form teachers on the book of Proverbs.

We were well entertained by two of our talented Year 12 students, Mackenzie Stewart who performed her dramatic monologue entitled ‘Diving Stars’ and Eleanor Weller-Brown who sang Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ for us. 

We wish our students all the very best for their future, as they start further studies, apprenticeships and join the workforce. 

Last week the College held a Remembrance Day Service with the entire College surrounding our flag poles to commemorate the lives sacrificed during wartime conflicts. We specifically focussed on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Kakoda. Our Year 9 Student Councillors Amy Lewis and Will Lawler were involved in reading the prayer and laying the Remembrance Wreath at the base of the flag poles.

Mr Wendell Pether
Deputy Principal Pastoral Care

The maker space is a place of creativity, sharing and innovation. This year our students have made Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards, done some knitting, designed and then made lots of badges, made some beautiful earrings, worked on the electronics kits, created folded book art, had fun with the spheros, built the Ninjago Lego City!, and learnt to draw Manga.

At the moment we are doing Christmas crafts and soon will be making Christmas cards. We also have managed to create a small drone on the 3D printer among other things. I tell you what - the maker space is a happening place!

Mrs Virginia Yurisich
Head of Research and Study

This term a House points draw will be held in Week 9 at our final 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.

We have an excellent major prize to give away, a framed Perth Wildcats championship jersey, signed by last season’s players. Thank you to Master Picture Framers - Myaree Art Gallery and the Perth Wildcats, generous sponsors of our Kennedy House points major prize.

Mr Murray Dunstan
Eyre House Coordinator

Harry, Barry and Larry in Science

As a student-led initiative, the Science Learning Area recently purchased three guinea pigs; Harry, Barry and Larry. They’ve become the favourite non-human members of the Science Learning Area and have rescued us from talking to the trees! Several Year 7 students have been responsible for the care and maintenance of the guinea pigs and their enclosure. One of the students had this to say:

“Our whole class has enjoyed having the guinea pigs and we love watching them get bigger and cheeky. We signed them up to the Kelmscott show. To our delight, Barry came second, so we won five dollars.” - Isabella Amey

The guinea pigs will continue to be much loved members of Science. 

Mr Jonathan Groom
Science Department

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.

UNIFORM FOR TERM 1

Students commence on Wednesday 31 January 2018. Students are to wear full summer uniform and abide by College standards. 

Book Lists

Kennedy Baptist College 2018 Booklists now available for ordering.

Please note: For free delivery, orders need to be placed on or before Friday 15 December 2017. Please click here for more information.

Please RSVP for the Volunteer Afternoon Tea by Friday 24 November to Mrs Janet Hair on 9314 7722 or by email at jhair@kennedy.wa.edu.au

Kennedy Baptist College commends our students for their hard work and commitment. Kennedy is proud of their achievements and we wish them all the best. 

Phoebe Wardell-Johnson

Congratulations to Phoebe Wardell-Johnson who has been named as State Captain for the U/12 Girls Cricket Team in the School Sports WA Association.  She is travelling to NSW in January 2018 to represent Western Australia against the other states and we wish her all the best.

Georgia Needham

Congratulations to Georgia Needham who has been selected into the WA Hockey U/15 state team. Georgia will be playing at Hale Hockey Stadium for a pre-tournament preparation match between the WA and NSW State teams. 

Stay Connected

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 P&F meeting date is set for Tuesday 6 February 2018 at 7.00pm in the Staff Lounge. We have one meeting a term and this is a good opportunity to hear about what is happening in the College. Please 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.

Entertainment Book