Photo above: Year 7 Students ready for their first day at Kennedy. 

Dear Parents and Families,

Kennedy has had a wonderful, smooth start to the year, Thank you to all families for ensuring that their children have begun the year with all the necessary requirements that allow them to make the most of the opportunities available at Kennedy.  It has been very pleasing to see our students embrace the challenges and opportunities presented to them and some great outcomes have already been achieved. We look forward to an exciting and productive year of partnering with our students and their families.

Parents and Friends Association

The P& F held their Annual General Meeting last week and appointed the following parents to the important office bearer positions of:

• President: Deborah Warwick
• Vice President: Gail Pillai
• Secretary: Lorinda Gregory
• Treasurer: Simone Fedorczuk

Congratulations on these appointments. We thank you for volunteering to be involved in the leadership of the Association.

Easter Services

Following the successful trial in 2017, the College will again hold two evening Easter services this year. The evening format seemed to work well - allowing more families to attend.

• Tuesday 27 March: Eyre and Forrest families.
• Wednesday 28 March: King and Stirling families

Both services will commence at 7.00pm and I would like to emphasise that this is a compulsory event for all students.

This year we will be highlighting the impact we can have on the lives of others who have not yet had opportunities to unlock their potential. For a number of years Kennedy has been working with Transform Cambodia who operate School Centres in Phnom Penh to help break the poverty cycle through empowering students with an education they could never afford. Our current students have the opportunity to visit one of their educational centres and work with Cambodian students to help develop their written and spoken English. It is my hope that, with the help of sponsorship from our community families, we can further develop this relationship by supporting an entire centre of 100 students. I hope you can come along and support this mission at our special Easter services.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Hope For the Future
We give them hope for their future and the future of their country. We believe that by giving them the gift of self-belief, we can empower these children to one day grow up and become the change their families and communities desperately need.
- Transform Cambodia

I enjoy the beginning of the new school year. I love meeting the new students and introducing myself to them, as well as catching up with our returning students. Then watching them settle into their routine, the making of new friends and re-establishment of old ones; these touch points are all part of the wonder of the school year and lay the foundation for what is to come.

New beginnings have such a sense of freshness about them. The Bible begins with a single Hebrew noun which is translated, “In the beginning” (Genesis 1:1) and as this first chapter of Genesis unfolds, what we see is a God who is not only lovingly involved with what he is creating; he is also shown as one who enjoys diversity. Every plant; every animal; every landscape; declares the wonder of our God. (Psalm 19). This love of diversity becomes the foundation for all that is to come, as a reflection of the charisma of the Kingdom of God.

As the Chaplain here at Kennedy I have make a point of reflecting that diversity in all that I do. I run numerous activities including pancake breakfasts, sausages sizzles, games, anime/science fiction and chess clubs and Christian Connect groups. I personally invite leaders from several youth groups, from a diverse range of Christian backgrounds to interact at different levels with the students. Most of all though, I enjoy meeting people within this community – parents, guardians, students, and staff. The door to my office is always open.  My prayer is that no matter what this year brings, remember that when Jesus Christ came into this world, peace was sung, and when he left, he gifted us with his peace.

I would like to welcome all families to Kennedy Baptist College and to the 2018 academic year.

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority defines the teaching and learning program for all students in Western Australia from Primary – Year 12. This year the new curriculum for the Arts and Technology is to be fully implemented. All syllabuses, except Languages, are now part of the mandated curriculum for the planning, assessment and reporting of student progress in Western Australia. The new Languages curriculum is still in the development phase; however, there is an existing curriculum to teach and standards to use for grading.

The implementation of the Australian Curriculum during the last few years has required the College to make adjustments to some of our policies which affect all year groups. There has also been a need to adjust the Year 7 and 8 timetable, particularly in regards to the electives offered by the College.

To help us to effectively deliver the curriculum, we rely on our families being familiar with policies, procedures and staff/student expectations. Here are some questions parents typically ask and answers that will help you best support your child/children in their Kennedy journey.

• How do I find out... anything to do with results, assessments, or what is being taught?
  SEQTA is a critical information base for all students and parents. In SEQTA you can see your child’s timetable, when assessments are due, assessment results and highlights of what is or has been taught. Some teachers and learning areas are using SEQTA to provide students with assessment feedback which is visible to the parent.
  
  Homework that the teacher can set in advance of a lesson is included in SEQTA. In some areas it is not possible to predetermine homework and the class will be informed of the expected homework in the lesson. In this circumstance a teacher may not be able to include the daily homework task in SEQTA. Therefore students will still need to use their diary to keep track of homework.
  
  SEQTA is also the main communication tool between parents and their child/ren’s teachers. All teaching staff have been asked to use SEQTA Direqt message (not email) to communicate to parents. There is no expectation that teaching staff email parent s and send a Direqt message. SEQTA Direqt message is preferred and sufficient. The College uses emails for broad communication to the Kennedy community and parents may use emails to communicate with a Head of Year or the Principal, Deputy Principals and Directors. I would encourage all parents to become familiar with SEQTA as soon as possible.
   
• I am planning a family holiday, when is a good time to go?
  School holidays are the only time students should be on a family holiday.
   
• What happens if my child misses a test or examination?
  The outcome will depend on the reason for missing the assessment and the assessment itself. If the absence is for a holiday or non-school related activity a result of zero will be allocated.
  
  If your child is sick for one day and misses a test they will sit the test the next time they are in class; the mark is recorded but may not be used when grades are allocated.
  
  If your child is sick for an extended period of time, up to one week, a medical certificate is to be provided and the Leave of Absence form is to be completed. The student will sit the test the next time they attend the relevant class; the mark is recorded but may not be used when grades are allocated.
  
  If your child is sick and cannot sit an examination, a medical certificate is to be provided. Examinations are not sat at any time other than the time scheduled. Your child will be graded on the work they have completed throughout the year.
   
• Who do I approach if I have questions about lessons or lesson material?
  If you have any concern, it is important to discuss the matter as soon as possible. In terms of who to contact, start with the teacher. Most issues can be resolved at the parent – teacher level. If there are still issues to discuss then the Head of Year or Learning Area should be involved, followed by the Directors and Deputies. Members of the College  Executive (Directors/Deputies/Principal) are more than willing to discuss any matters but will always discuss directly with teachers or Heads of Learning Areas in order to understand all perspectives. Please do not delay in discussing matters with the appropriate College staff as this is the only method that can lead to resolution.

Lastly, keep an eye out for emails and letters from the Curriculum team as this is how we communicate all of our essential information. The team consists of myself, Mr Tim Jiow (Director of Studies) and Mrs Debbie Stewart (Curriculum Administration Assistant).

A vitally important part of the start of each new year at Kennedy is welcoming new students into the College community. This year we welcomed over 40 new students in Years 8 to 12, as well as all our Year 7 students.

Pre-Start Day this year was held on Tuesday 30 January and involved both Year 7 students and Years 8 to 12 students. In the morning, our Year 11 Mentors and Year 7 students got to know each other, took a tour through the College, met Mr Ashby and their Head of Year Mrs Meadows, as well as their Form teachers. They followed this with a sausage sizzle and some fun activities run by Nations Church and Life Chapel Church who provided a bouncy castle, loud music and a water slide.

The Year 7 Commencement Ceremony was held on the first day of school in the College Auditorium as Year 7 students received their welcome Bible to signify the College values. It was pleasing to welcome more than 200 parents to see their child make their first independent step along their “Kennedy Journey”.

The new Year 8 to 12 students met the Student Councillors at Pre-Start Day as well as their Heads Of Year. They visited the Research and Study Centre, undertook an Information & Technology Inservice Session and got to know our College Chaplain and Pastoral Care Team before enjoying an afternoon tea along with their Form teachers and parents.

Please remember that there is a Year 7 Meet the Teacher Evening on tonight, Thursday 15 February and a Protective Behaviours Evening for all parents and guardians on Wednesday 28 February. We look forward to seeing you there. 

Overall, our new students and parents have been welcomed to Kennedy through a range of events designed to ensure a smooth and supportive start, and we are very glad to have them as part of our College community. 

Please click here for more photos.

Protective Behaviours Evening

At Kennedy Baptist College we place high value on the social and emotional development of the students in our care and we are constantly developing and implementing programs across all year groups. 

The Protective Behaviours information evening is for all parents and guardians will be held on Wednesday 28 February from 5:00pm - 6:30pm in the Kennedy Auditorium. We are excited about this program and look forward to the positive results and benefits it will bring to our students. 

Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Kennedy Prayer Group

The Kennedy Prayer Group is a group of members of our College community who meet together to pray for the needs of the College, students and staff.

Our Prayer Group meets every Wednesday during school term from 1.45pm for approximately one hour in the Admin Interview Room for the needs of our College community. All school parents/grandparents/guardians are most welcome to join us in prayer. All prayer remains confidential and anonymous and can be emailed to our Counsellor Mrs Golda Newland at gnewland@kennedy.wa.edu.au

For more information about the Prayer Group or to join, please contact Ms Linda Ang at lang@kennedy.wa.edu.au

Christians connect at Kennedy

Our group of students would meet weekly along with member of staff during lunch to connect, worship and pray. Read more about it at: 
www.kennedy.wa.edu.au/2018/02/christians-connect-kennedy/

On Friday 2 February at our College Assembly, we welcomed students back to Kennedy.

Certificates were awarded to students reflecting final academic achievements for 2017. The top five students in each year group received House Academic Awards earning points towards the House Cup. Certificates of Achievement were awarded to students who have demonstrated an excellent standard of work across a wide range of subjects. 

We also had the opportunity to celebrate our Year 12 Graduates from 2017 with Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards. Please click here for photos.

Pre-start Art Workshop 

On Monday 29 January, enthusiastic Year 10, 11 and 12 students started the school year early completing a full day printmaking workshop with local artist Shana James.

Shana is an acclaimed printmaker with artwork in many recognised collections including 'Monash University' and 'Kerry Stokes'. She also teaches children and adults at the Fremantle Arts Centre and has taught at UWA and Central TAFE. Shana discussed her work, ideas development and the techniques involved in dry-point etching chine-colle.

The students were immersed in their creative and technical exploration throughout the day. Photographs and work samples from the explorative workshop can be viewed in the Visual Arts walkway. Well done to all students who participated and thank you again Shana, a most enjoyable day for all. More visual art workshops are planned for each term this year.

Ms Carolyn MacDonald
Head of Learning Area: Arts

Basketball Coordinator 

We are pleased to inform you that Mr Ben Pether will be the new Basketball Coordinator taking over from Mr Scott Britza for 2018. Could you please pass on any information related to the Basketball Program to Mr Ben Pether. 
bpether@kennedy.wa.edu.au

All students will be competing in the Interhouse Swimming Carnival on Monday 19 February 2018.
This is a compulsory event and students unable to participate must provide a medical certificate to the College. Please click here for more details.

During Extended Form yesterday students enjoyed Build-up Day for the upcoming Swimming Carnival. Each House practised their chants and then competed in a massive 'chant off' in the Auditorium. Congratulations to King who demonstrated the most spirit and zeal and will begin next Monday leading the points table. 

Secondary Assistance Scheme

The State Government, through the Department of Education, provides financial support to eligible parents through the Secondary Assistance Scheme (SAS). The aim of the scheme is to assist low income families with secondary school costs.

Eligible parents/guardians with students enrolled in Years 7 to 12 studying a full-time secondary course at a WA private school will be able to apply for the SAS in 2018. The SAS consists of two allowances:

• $235 Education Program Allowance (payment made to the school); and
• $115 Clothing Allowance (payment made to the parent/guardian).

For all enquiries regarding the application process/forms please visit our reception. Applications close Friday 13 April 2018.

Unknown Deposit

The following deposit has been made to the College's bank account. Details below:

Daniel Kempson

During the first weekend of February 2018, Daniel Kempson travelled to Adelaide to compete in the Oceania Triathlon Union competition. This event is one of the highest levels of competition in the sport and brings together the best triathletes challenging for the final Commonwealth Games places. With a big contingent from New Zealand comprising elites and juniors the competition was always going to be fierce. Daniel competed in the junior category against 50 other athletes from other states and New Zealand. All the junior athletes were hoping to put in a good performance as a podium finish would almost guarantee an invite to compete in the Youth Olympic trials in New Zealand at the end of March. Daniel executed his race strategy well with five athletes managing to break away on the cycle leg. It came down to the final run leg where Daniel managed to put in a strong run and take line honours. Daniel now leads the National series with the final round being in Perth in early March followed by the Youth Olympic trials at the end of March in New Zealand.

Phoebe Wardell-Johnson

Phoebe was selected in the 12/U School Sports WA Girls Cricket team which competed at the School Sports Australia Championships in Barooga NSW January 5th-12th and also had the awesome privilege of captaining the team.

This is the second year that she has been selected in 12/U WA team and the first as Captain. The girls had a great competition this year and were competitive in all their games finishing in equal 5th position. Phoebe's bowling figures were also excellent, finishing second overall.