Photo above: Year 9 and 10 girls at the netball carnival. 

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Families, 

I would like to thank everyone for their continued support during this challenging time. There is no doubt that the increased positive COVID-related absences have impacted the College this term. As communicated, it was deemed necessary to cancel the Year 9 and 10 examinations due to the number of students absent and the number of students who have had their preparation hampered by illness and absenteeism. Our goal will be to reinstate these examinations for Semester Two.

As examinations approach for our Year 11 and 12 ATAR students, I would like to highlight the importance of this testing process and the appropriate preparation required for these assessments. Everyone needs to have a study program in place, and I will assume that this has already been made a priority for most students. Effective study needs to be active; it isn’t simply reading class notes. 

If your child is unsure about making their studying more effective and fruitful, I will encourage them to visit the Research and Study Centre and talk to the staff for support. I also encourage everyone to view these examinations as opportunities to demonstrate their achievement and make the most of them.  
 

Community Open Day - Saturday 20 August 2022 

Our Parents and Friends Association has now formed an Open Day Parent Committee to commence the planning for this year’s Open Day event. The structure of Open Day will be similar to last year, and the aim is to provide a snapshot of the many facets of life at Kennedy. So often, families infer that Open Day is only an occasion to promote the College for prospective families; however, our focus this year will be to provide another opportunity for current families to experience and view the outstanding achievements of our students. 

I am particularly excited about the range of presentations from Visual Art, Drama, Dance, and Music that will be showcased. In addition, all our Learning Areas will have great displays of their current curricula.

Our P&F is currently asking for volunteers to contribute to planning for the day. Your time and expertise are greatly valued. It is always a joy to see current families involved and on campus, and I hope to see you again this year. Please get in touch with the P&F via email if you would like to be involved. 
 

Winning Basketball Boys

Congratulations to our Year 7 boys who claimed the Basketball WA Challenge Super Series Grand Final on Tuesday. Our students played in a number of exciting games, and it was fantastic to see them play together as a great team.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Chaplain Devotion

I had a conversation recently about parenting. I wouldn't say I am an expert, but I have had quite a bit of experience. My experience comes from the fact that some of my six children are now growing their own children. My third grandchild is on the way in November this year! The conversation I had recently was about being a role model as a parent and, personally, for me, a dad.

My chaplain life has exposed me to many family dynamics over the years, and the view I have grown into is that the adults in a young person's life are the models on which they form their own adult patterns of behaviour. For example, if you as a parent get stressed over finances, that model of behaviour will probably be how your children manage financial challenges. The list of behaviour patterns could fill a book... How do we manage anger? What do we do with frustration? How do we interact with difficult or disadvantaged people? When are we joyful? I see my own children working out their own lives, and some of my own personal character traits are the models I see them using.

For me, the ultimate model of life has been the life that Jesus lived. He modeled caring for the broken. He was heavy on hypocrisy and rejoiced in humility. If people needed feeding, Jesus sorted out the food. If an angry crowd was judging a person, Jesus stepped in and silenced the crowd. The individual was important to Jesus. He encouraged us not to worry, give to the poor, set people free of their personal burdens, and forgive people as many times as needed.

We will inevitably be a role model to someone, and the challenge is that we, ourselves, be modeled on the one great model of life.

Curriculum Report

Term 2 always seems to be a busy academic term, especially with the examinations for students in Years 11 and 12. The examination period tests students’ study techniques and their time management skills. Teacher feedback provides information about the curriculum areas that may need to be addressed but student self-evaluation of time management and study is also crucial.

I would encourage parents to ask reflective questions to their child in the coming week. When asking questions, it is important to avoid adding your own observations, as teenagers often shut down and respond with “don’t know”. 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, and 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 parents 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. They should contact me to organise a meeting. Parents are welcome to attend these meetings with their children. Typically, students who are achieving at less than a C grade, change their courses at this time of the year. I am currently prioritising students who need to change three or more ATAR courses. Students have been informed of the opportunity to change via the daily notices. Course changes must be completed prior to Friday 24 June 2022.
 

Course Selections for 2023

Students in Years 7-11 will begin to select courses for 2023. 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 students and a parent signing off on each student’s selections. 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. The majority of year groups will be required to complete the process by the end of the term.

Pastoral Care Report

These last few weeks at Kennedy have allowed us to return to a bit of normality; however, the positive COVID-related cases are still very high in our community, and we hope you are staying safe and healthy during this time.

We have now reopened the Beedawong seating area and Sports Centre to all year groups, and it has been lovely to gather larger groups of students together. Our House Assemblies were one of our highlights so far, where students across all the year groups could meet with other students in their House. Our wonderful House Coordinators organised this, and promoted and encouraged students to be involved in the upcoming Interhouse Cross Country, introduced new Form teachers, and presented the new Year 7 House Captains. Mr Ashby moved around the College to thank the students for their efforts during uncertain times and encouraged them to look forward to all the great events coming up.

It is also really rewarding to have visitors come into the College and talk to our students. Our Year 10s launched their student wellbeing session (iYarn), and Year 12 students had a member from Redfrogs come and speak to them about life after school. The Year 9 students had the privilege of being addressed by Mr Dean Campbell, who spoke to the cohort about goal setting. He broke the talk into three main points; Celebrate Your Successes, Be in it to Win it, and Set Achievable Goals. The students responded well to Mr Campbell’s talk. He was an engaging speaker with an interesting background in playing football and coaching.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the social and emotional development of students and the wider community, we are hosting a Kennedy Insights presentation that covers the topics of Consent, Coercion, and the Law. These topics bear incredible significance in developing teenagers, and we are pleased to have Andrea Musulin share her knowledge and insights into this area. Andrea has over 30 years of experience in the WA Police Force and an extensive background in this area. This is an open event for the Kennedy community, however, it will be strictly for parents and guardians only, as sensitive information will be presented.

As we head to the middle of Term 2, we encourage students to embrace many of the opportunities presented to them and hope that our Year 11 and 12 students have success in the upcoming exams.

Kennedy News

College Notices

The next newsletter will be published on:
Thursday 9 June 2022.