Photo above: The Year 12 Colour Dash was a great ending to our House Day!

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians and Families,

One of the many highlights of the term so far was our House Day, a true celebration of community spirit at Kennedy Baptist College. The day brought students together across all year levels through our vertical forms, allowing for meaningful interactions and mentoring across age groups—an impactful reminder of the unity and care that defines our College.

The day began with a range of engaging activities, including the Arts Showcase that presented the creativity and talent of our students. These performances added a unique and expressive element to the day, strengthening connections and fostering school pride. The Interhouse Cross Country, culminating in a colourful and joy-filled Colour Run, was a spectacular sight. It was heartening to see such enthusiasm, participation and encouragement on display as students cheered each other on in the spirit of friendly competition and mutual support.

I extend my sincere thanks to our dedicated House Coordinators: Mr Austen, Mrs Godsall, Mrs Manns and Mr Macauley. Thank you also to our student House Captains, their leadership and energy were instrumental in the success of the day. Our strong House system continues to be a cornerstone of Kennedy’s community life, promoting connection, identity and belonging across all year groups.

Exam Season

It is wonderful to witness our Senior School students persist through their semester examinations this week, demonstrating dedication and resilience. Although this period can be stressful, our students have shown remarkable engagement in their revision and preparation, embodying the College’s focus on perseverance and excellence. We hope their hard work will be reflected in their results. Similarly, we anticipate that Year 9 and 10 students will see rewarding outcomes as they review their examination results next week.

Junior Girls Basketball ACC Grand Final: Showcasing Talent and Teamwork

Our Junior Girls Basketball team have also demonstrated exceptional talent and teamwork in reaching the ACC Grand Final. Their dedication and competitive spirit have been evident throughout the season, culminating in strong performances to reach the final match. This achievement highlights not only their skill but also their commitment to excellence and perseverance, key ideals we cherish at Kennedy Baptist College. Congratulations to the entire team for their outstanding effort and sportsmanship. We wish them the very best for next week’s game.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Chaplain Chats

My son was travelling overseas last month and misplaced his laptop charger. This meant that, of the small number of earthly belongings he was carrying, his laptop was now just extra weight with no benefit. We all know what the problem is, having an incredibly useful piece of technology losing its power becomes completely useless! We can sometimes feel this way, powerless, not knowing how we can fulfill our life’s purpose. This need for power to fulfill design and purpose is not just a phone or laptop issue. 

All of humanity has been designed with purpose, and like a laptop, we need power to steer away from feeling like we’re ‘extra weight with no benefit’. Our theme this term is looking at the greatest challenge humanity will ever face: the worship of self. Again, we all know the problem, knowing that we are made for more but finding ourselves almost powerless to be the change we want to see in the world. How do I get beyond my needs, my hurts, my wants and my pleasures, so that I have the capacity to help others? As we reflected in the last newsletter, doing for others as we would have them do for us is a great ideal, but it is flawed because we lack the power! 

Just like my son’s laptop, many of us know we need power to keep working as we were designed. Our power runs low, and we need to be plugged into the source to operate the way we were made. Jesus gave us a prayer in response to this need for power, ‘Our Father in heaven, blessed be your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. His answer to this prayer of ‘Heaven on earth’ is you and me being in a relationship with God, our true power source, so we can truly live for others and not just for ourselves. 

Curriculum Report

Parent-Teacher interviews

Thank you to all parents who attended meetings with teachers. There were 719 parents booked in to speak with 91 teachers, for a total of 3702 interviews. Parents indicated that the time spent with teachers was worthwhile and a positive experience. I would encourage all parents to keep up to date with their child’s progress through SEQTA.

Examinations

Examinations for students in Years 9 to 12 make Term 2 a busy academic term. The examination period indirectly tests students study techniques and time management skills. Student self-evaluation of these skills is crucial.

I would encourage parents to ask their child reflective questions in the coming week. Some questions you could ask are: Do you study each week for…?; How much extra time did you study for…?; How did you study, re-write notes, practice problems?; What did you find effective?; What would you do differently next time?; What can I do to help you?

Many students work consistently to consolidate their learning, review material and prepare for assessments. If this is your child, I would strongly encourage guardians to praise their child’s effort regardless of the outcome.

Year 11 Course Changes

Some Year 11 students may be considering a change of course. Typically, students who are achieving less than a C grade choose to change their courses at this time of year. Students who need to can see Mr Jiow at recess or lunch, including during the exam fortnight. Students have been informed of the opportunity via a SEQTA notice and must be complete any changes prior to Friday 13 June.

Course selections for 2026

Students in Years 7 to 11 will soon begin to select courses for 2026. The decisions about the number of classes per course, staffing and other resource needs are driven by student choice. It is essential that all students and families participate in the selection process.

Information about courses will be distributed to families and will also be available on the College website. Selections are made electronically with a student and parent signing off on each selection. A video showing the electronic process will be available for students and families to watch.

Please ensure that you are aware of all deadlines for course selections. All year groups will be required to complete the process by the end of term.

Pastoral Care Report

Term 2 is well underway, starting with an Anzac service in our Assembly led by our College Student Executive Team. It was a special moment as we acknowledged our newly elected Year 7 Student Leaders, including four student counsellors and eight House Captains, as well as those students who achieved the prestigious College Colours Excellence Award. This award recognises student achievement and contribution across many aspects of college life and is one of the highest individual honours at Kennedy Baptist College, something we hope all our students will aspire to. The criteria for the award included consideration of:  

• College Representation
• Leadership Roles 
• Academic Standing 
• Attitude and Behaviour  

In Week 3 we held a significant event in our pastoral care program, our House Day. This day was designed to strengthen students sense of belonging through vertical interactions, allowing them to engage with students across different year levels. Students and staff participated in a range of activities and events that promoted communication, teamwork, and school spirit. The day also included activities during an extended recess and a fantastic Arts Showcase, finishing with House representation in the Interhouse Cross Country and participation in a Colour Run. I want to thank the House coordinators for the time and effort they invested in planning such a significant event. We look forward to running more activities within our Vertical Form group structure.  

Thank you to the parents who attended the Kennedy Insights, hopefully you find it useful with the take-home kit. Some additional materials are available on their website: Shop Products - Masters & Co. 

At the upcoming assembly in Week 7, we look forward to presenting the awards for students who have achieved the Duke of Edinburgh Award. This award aligns with our College Values, emphasising voluntary service, physical recreation, organisational skills, and the pursuit of an ‘adventurous journey’. We hope to see many more students join this valuable international program and encourage them to speak with Mrs Amanda Jean, our Award Leader, for more information.  

As we approach the exam period, I want to remind students that they are not alone. Our mentor program for Year 12 students is continuing strongly while our dedicated Pastoral Care team, including Heads of Years and counsellors, remain available to provide the support you need. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need extra assistance. 

Kennedy News

House Day

House Day was jam-packed with community building events as we embraced the fun, the strength, and the chaos of our community. The day was structured by the initiative of Vertical Forms, where students gathered together in House groups rather than year groups as a way to encourage a broader view of the College community, before we all came together for the Arts Showcase in the Auditorium. 

This positive energy spilled out onto the Murdoch Oval in the afternoon as our students competed in the Interhouse Cross Country and a colour-filled Lapathon event. It's hard to think of a better way to have finished a day building and celebrating the Kennedy community than to have our students leave covered in the colours of our four houses!

Click the links below to see some of the images from the day. Please note that the link to the images will expire at the end of June.

Interhouse Cross Country 2025

Held on the same day as House Day, the Interhouse Cross Country Carnival was a vibrant event that furthered the purpose of House Day, fostering connection and pride among our four houses. Students and staff participated in races for personal best times over a 3 km junior course or a 4 km senior course, racing in various waves according to their year groups or categories. Additionally, other students and staff joined in the colour lapathon to earn House points. Osprey House emerged victorious.

Overall, the Interhouse Cross Country Carnival not only highlighted the competitive spirit of our students but also showcased the importance of cross country running as a means of promoting fitness and teamwork. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the staff members who contributed to making this event possible. Their dedication and support were crucial in ensuring a successful and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Overall House Winner

• Osprey 4976
• Falcon 4293
• Kestrel 4220
• Harrier 3881

Year 7 Top 3

Year 8 Top 3

Year 9 Top 3

Year 10 Top 3

Year 11 Top 3

Year 12 Top 3

Pedal Prix Race #1

On Sunday 18 May, the 2025 Pedal Prix Racing season started again at the Wanneroo International Kartway. Twenty-two Kennedy students made up 4 teams from years 7 to 12, racing 4 trikes over a 6-hour period.  The first half of the race had the students racing on a very technical track, following a shorter sprint track for the second 3 hours. It made for an exciting first race for some of our new additions to the team!

All students performed amazingly regardless of their experience. Both the junior boys team and the junior mixed team found the experience very exciting and learnt a lot about how to control the trike and maintain the racing line around the track. The senior boys teams were very competitive with one team finishing in 4th place in the second race. I would like to extend a huge shoutout to all the Kennedy parents and staff that came out to support the team. I can’t wait to see our team strive for the rest of the season. Our next race will be held at Splendid Park in Yanchep on Saturday 21 June.

If you are looking for a fun day out and want to know more about what Pedal Prix racing is, then I encourage you to come and check it out. 

Mr Bradley Gunter
Pedal Prix Coordinator

College Notices

Something New is Coming to Beedawong!   

From Term 3 onwards, we will be transitioning to Flexischools, an online canteen management system that replaces Quickcliq. This new system aims to streamline the process for parents making online lunch orders and to provide greater visibility of student cafeteria purchases.

Flexischools App   

Parents will be able to set daily spend limits and monitor their children's purchases via the Flexischools app.  Additionally, you can also add access for your child to use the App, enabling them to place online orders themselves - great for growing independence.

Outstanding Balances on Student SmartRider Cards and Quickcliq 

For students using SmartRider as their payment option at Beedawong, you can still make over-the-counter canteen purchases with your existing SmartRider card or cash. However, please refrain from adding money to your card or Quickcliq from Week 8 onwards to ensure a smooth transition of the app. 

More information will be sent out to parents over the coming weeks via email and SEQTA Direqt Message on: 

• How to download the Flexischools App and setup your account on it.

• How to add your children’s account/s onto your Flexischools App.

• How to submit online lunch orders.

• How to obtain a refund of any remaining funds left in QuickCliq.

Presenting music from around the world

Explore the vibrant sounds of the world at our upcoming Music Night! Experience captivating performances by the Kennedy Baptist Music ensembles, talented senior musicians and our Kennedy Music Staff. Enjoy a diverse range of music from various countries and cultures, showcasing the rich tapestry of global musical traditions.

The next newsletter will be published on:
Thursday 12 June 2025.