Photo above: Students at the Interhouse Cross Country. 

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Families, 

Whilst COVID-19 restrictions have been eased, there is no doubt that the rise in the number of cases in our College community will impact our curriculum continuity. If students have to spend time in isolation, the College will endeavour to provide every opportunity for them to be equipped with the appropriate work through SEQTA. The College has received 20 RATs (Rapid Antigen Tests) per student which were sent home with your child today. I encourage families to read our latest COVID-19 Update:12 for more information.

NAPLAN Notice

Across Australia students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 have completed the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests this week. NAPLAN was first introduced in 2008. It may have been a feature of your child’s schooling for some time now, or it may be the first foray into this type of formal assessment.

The NAPLAN tests are diagnostic tests designed to provide an understanding of a student’s performance at the time of assessment in the areas of reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy skills. It tests the literacy and numeracy skills that your child has developed over time in the College curriculum. The results provide schools, states and territories with information regarding the progress of education programs and what needs to be prioritised when addressing improvements.

NAPLAN should not be considered the sole measure of your child’s ability. We will assume that all students have completed the testing process to the best of their ability, and the College will use these results to assist individuals to the best of our ability.
 

Mother’s Day Breakfast

It was a pleasure to host so many of our College mums and grandmothers at our Mother's Day breakfast this morning. Our cafeteria staff did a wonderful job serving and it was great sharing together with our guest speaker Mrs Dale Meredith. Mrs Meredith, together with her husband, are the Senior Ministers from Red Door Church. She shared an inspiring message, and it was a blessing to have her with us. We greatly appreciate another opportunity to involve parents in our community. Thank you for joining us. Please click here for photos.

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Chaplain Devotion

For over 30 years on American television, from the early ’60s to 2001, Mr Rogers hosted a regular children’s program called Mister Rogers Neighbourhood, which aired for 900 episodes. A 2019 movie starring Tom Hanks called “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”, captured some of the wonder of Mr Rogers and the legacy he left behind. One of the scenes in the movie has had a lasting effect on me and I would like to share it.

Mr Rogers, in all his years of pouring out his life for the benefit of others, particularly the children, seemed to never faint or give up in all his care. He was able to generously give, and then be available to give some more whenever it was needed. A secret to that seemingly endless supply of heart-felt care for others is shown in this one impactful movie scene. Mr Rogers is alone in this scene, his head is bowed, and he is simply saying the names of people that he has had contact with. This simple scene shows the secret of praying for others. Praying for others lands those people in your heart. Praying for others activates a view of people that generates care. Praying for others is like carrying an injured friend to a doctor so they might receive the help they need.

I have a vision for our Kennedy community, where I see a group of people who have an endless supply of care for others, heartfelt, generous, and reliable. The only way I know to ensure this supply of sustainable care is to go to the source.

Last year we launched KPOW, which is the acronym for Kennedy Prays On Wednesdays. With our state restrictions allowing us to gather, I would like to invite all members of our Kennedy community to come to our KPOW community prayer time. Every Wednesday from 18 May at 2:30pm you are welcome to gather and pray for any need that we have in our community. We will meet in the Staff Lounge, accessible from the carpark for 30mins enabling any parents to collect their students at 3:15pm. Please feel free to message me any prayer needs you have and we look forward to carrying our community in prayer together.

Year 7 Report

The Year 7 Excursion to Point Walter Reserve marked the end of the transition period for students.

The sun was shining and students were able to talk freely and see each other’s bright smiles as COVID mask restrictions were eased. Year 7s were divided into smaller activity groups of students from all classes and Houses, providing an opportunity for students to engage and develop new friendships. The activities challenged students to move beyond their comfort zones in rock climbing, rafting, and ropes courses, whilst team building enabled social interaction and communication skills to flourish. The theme of the Excursion, ‘everyday blessings’, shifted student focus to appreciate God’s gifts. To focus on the simple and often easily forgotten blessings such as great weather, health, family, and friends. Students were able to understand and give thanks to God for all the good that we experience in life. 

We look forward to the rest of Term 2. I would like to leave you with an encouraging verse from Psalm 106:1, ‘Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.’

Year 8 Report

It’s been a great start to Term 2 with the exciting news of restrictions being lifted and the opportunity for our Year 8 camp to be reinstated in Term 3. Students are so excited that we are still able to go on this camp. I look forward to seeing the students challenge each other and get outside of their comfort zone, but more importantly build and strengthen friendships with each other. More information regarding the camp will come out later this term.

With Parent-Teacher Interviews completed and the students settling into this term, we have some exciting things happening during our Extended Form periods, such as Arts Cup, a recap on SMARTS in the Research and Study Centre, and a lovely pancake breakfast and chats with the Chaplain.

One of my favourite things on the calendar is the activities run by our student leaders. This is a great opportunity for the students to be involved with leading their year group and it is a good chance to utilise their skills, talents, and abilities. The students will run fun team games, quizzes, computer game competitions, and challenges for prizes. 

With the restrictions now lifted and the opportunity to go back to a bit of normality, I was reminded of this verse in Romans 15:13, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that you can know this hope and joy heading into future uncertain times. 

Year 9 Report

After a well-rested Long Service Leave, I have enjoyed being back in the classroom and getting to know the Year 9 students. I really appreciate the fantastic job Mr Rory Najjar did taking care of the group in Term 1.

This term, our Year 9 cohort will be gearing up towards their first attempt at mid-year exams. Whilst sitting exams can be daunting, the experience provides students with valuable opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of the work they have learnt in class. To help prepare the group for exams, students will receive Study Booklets in Week 5 during Extended Form. These booklets have been prepared by the team at the Research and Study Centre and assist students to develop effective study skills.

Next week, guest speaker Mr Dean Campbell will be discussing goal setting with the Year 9s. Mr Campbell has been an educator for 40 years and has spoken in Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia on goal setting and success principles. Mr Campbell is passionate about seeing students thrive and I have no doubt the students will be inspired by his presentation.

Later in the term there will be an opportunity for some Year 9 students to assist in Community Service, picking up litter at Piney Lakes Reserve. I’m looking forward to partnering with Keep Australia Beautiful WA so our students can care for Beeliar Regional Park.

Year 10 Report

The holidays brought with them a wonderful opportunity to reflect over Easter on the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Only a week later, on ANZAC Day, we pondered the sacrifice of those who have served and continue to serve our country. I am sure many families took some time over the break to express gratitude for those who have given their lives in service. 

Later this term, we will be embarking on our own Community Service project when we travel to The Wetlands Centre in Bibra Lake to plant some trees and undertake other activities to increase our awareness of the importance of preserving our natural environment. All students will be participating in a Community Service session, either on Tuesday 21 or Thursday 23 June. Please keep an eye out for further information. 

As we approach the Semester One exams, I encourage all Year 10 students to review what they have learned in previous years about effective study strategies. It is now time now to put a comprehensive revision program in place to ensure optimum achievement in the examinations.

Finally, below are some photos from our Year 10 social activity at Laser Corps earlier this week. It is safe to say all students who attended enjoyed themselves! 

Year 11 Report

In a few weeks Year 11 students face their first ATAR exams. The prospect is likely to generate degrees of trepidation, but the more prepared students are, the more confident they will ultimately feel. This means being proactive with revision, paying attention to their own welfare and taking care of themselves. One way of attending to this can be through service to others, a Kennedy value.

How can we think of service when we’re facing exams? The connection lies in the many benefits of service; it benefits both recipient and ourselves. Service can improve confidence, provide a sense of control and increase optimism. It can help with perspective and give us a ”kindness bank” of memories to draw on if we feel despondent about our ability or progress.

In this context, service can be as simple as checking in with a friend, learning collaboratively and boosting someone else’s confidence. Martin Luther King Jr. said “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” This can apply equally to study and service. Every act counts.

I wish all students well in the next few weeks and would like to acknowledge and give appreciation for the support our Year 11 teachers will offer up to every student.

Year 12 Report

Term 2 is well and truly underway. Our Year 12s are approaching important assessments for general and ATAR students. The general students have Externally Set Tasks to complete, and our ATAR students are preparing for their exams. A few tips that can help you support your students:

• Encourage them to start early. Early preparations help reduce the anxiety of upcoming events. 
• Plan. Have a thorough plan on how you will take action to study/revise for assessments. 
• Ask for help. No one achieves success without help. If you need it, get it.
• Most importantly is maintaining balance. We all need to keep a balance in our lives of work, rest, and play.  

Our Pastoral Care program will also provide students with information about life after Year 12, University and TAFE, and the opportunity to connect through a pancake breakfast. We pray that students will be able to give their best and enjoy the challenges of their final year. Good luck to all our Year 12s this term.  

Kennedy News

College Notices

The next newsletter will be published on:
Thursday 26 May 2022.