Photo above: The College hosted Hwa Chong International School last week for a 'Student Leadership Challenge'..

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians and Families,

Term 1 is passing very quickly, and it is pleasing to see our students embracing the many opportunities made available in such an enthusiastic manner. We hope this great endeavour continues throughout the year.

Strategic Planning

Kennedy has a very clear strategic plan in place to ensure that these opportunities are continually developed and maximized. This plan includes four major strategic priorities that have driven our preparations for 2024. These include:

• To enhance the quality of the teaching and learning agenda through the mechanism of innovation, using evidenced-based best practice.
• To invest in the wellbeing of students and staff through proactive intervention.
• To create a connected community, forging and building upon meaningful relationships within the College and throughout the wider community to further our Christian mission.  
• To ensure sustainability across all aspects of the College such that Kennedy is well positioned for the future.

These strategic priorities will be a focus for this year and will drive the allocation of physical, human and financial resources.

Easter Services

Kennedy Baptist College is a Christian faith-based College committed to providing the best possible educational service to our community. As Easter approaches, it is appropriate to reflect on the basis of this faith foundation. One way that the College provides an opportunity for this is by holding Easter services in Week 9. These events are a chance for us each to come together and contemplate the Gospel message of Easter.

Our Easter services are a compulsory event for all students but more importantly it is an opportunity for families to engage as a community. These community aspects include our collaboration with local churches for the services, the uplifting of our talented students during the occasion with music and performances, and the sharing of food, with a sausage sizzle available before each service and a supper to be provided after each service. This will be a great time for families and staff to interact in a social setting and we look forward to meeting with you on these special evenings for Kennedy.

Both services are to be held in the College Auditorium at 6.00pm with different Houses to attend each night. Students are to be at their Form classes in Summer Uniform by 5.30pm and to be collected by their family directly after the services, as no supervision will be provided afterwards. The details for the services are:

• Monday March 25 - Harrier and Falcon Houses
• Tuesday March 26 - Kestrel and Osprey Houses

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Chaplain Chats

Common unity (Community) is a powerful influencer in all human activity. Each human I’ve ever met has wanted to feel connected, a part of something positive that’s bigger than us. We all want to belong.

Being part of the Kennedy community means that each of us can contribute to and receive from a wonderful feeling of ‘belonging’. You have the opportunity to preserve this collective and work to keep all the individual threads of a community together so that it doesn’t fray, fly apart or descend into chaos. To maintain the wonder and joy of the belonging, sometimes we need to gather the individuals together. Gathering everyone helps maintain that feeling of being connected, and it helps us all see with our own eyes the great “belonging” in action.

I mention this because the Kennedy community is gathering in one place to focus together on a shared unifying event called Easter. Our Easter Services in Week 9 are one of the few whole school belonging moments in the yearly calendar of the College. We make this event compulsory so that we can gather as many members of the community as we can, with the clear motive to maintain belonging.

As you may know, getting everyone to share in the same event is very tricky. Not only do we need to consider the broader logistical challenges of an event but we are also relying on individuals to come together with us. The wonder, but also the problem, of maintaining a community is that each individual (myself included) has a mind and will, and putting community over personal preference can be difficult. As we approach Easter, let us each choose belonging and seek to be part of the great community that God has made for us.

Curriculum Report

The academic program is in full swing. Every student is now enrolled in their courses/subjects for the year and will be busy learning the content presented. The only group of students who can adjust their courses mid-year are those in Year 11. Students and parents are encouraged to touch base with Mr Jiow in Term 2 if they would like to discuss their progress.

The College has Parent-Teacher Meetings planned for Week 3 of Term 2. On Wednesday 1 May, students will be dismissed at the start of lunch with Parent-Teacher interviews to take place from 2.00pm to 7.00pm. The interviews continue on Thursday 2 May from 9.00am to 6.30pm. Interviews are five minutes long and aim to provide parents with an update on their child’s progress. If there are any significant issues or concerns, then an additional interview of a longer length may be organised at an alternate date with the teacher. Information on how to book interviews will be sent to all families early in Term 2.

Term 1 has been a super busy time for the Curriculum team. Apart from course and elective changes for Year 8-12 students, testing was completed for OLNA in Years 11 and 12, and NAPLAN was completed in Years 7 and 9. Term 2 will also be exceptionally busy with examinations for Years 9 to 12, Externally Set Tasks for Year 12 General students, and OLNA for Year 10 students who missed their first attempt. Also planned are meetings for Year 10 students and parents to hear information about Year 11 and 12 courses. Later in Term 2, Year 7 to 11 students will be looking to select courses for 2025.

I wish all families a safe and blessed Easter holiday and peaceful term break.

Pastoral Care Report

Protective Behaviour is a mandatory part of the curriculum for schools in WA. At Kennedy, we teach it through various areas, including Health Classes, our Extended Form Pastoral Care Program, Guest Speaker incursions, and our foundational Thrive Program, which operates in Year 7 and Year 8 for all students.

One of the external organisations we work with in this critical area is the WA Child Protection Society. This group aims to teach young people various skills and strategies to stay safe and provide a framework that can quickly adapt to home and community environments. Earlier in the term, all Year 8 students attended a Protective Behaviours incursion run by Andrea Musulin, the Director of the WA Child Protection Society. Our students engaged well with Mrs Musulin’s approach, as did parents who attended our most recent Kennedy Insight evening. The issues of personal safety are crucial to the development of a strong community and the protection of our students and we look forward to continuing to see the positive results of the College Protective Behaviours Program. 

Student Leadership

We recently had the pleasure of hosting sixteen student leaders from Hwa Chong International School in Singapore as they participated in a ‘Leadership Challenge’ with our Year 8 to 11 student councillors. This workshop gave our student leaders the opportunity to practice working and communicating with people from different cultures and develop self-confidence when working in new teams. Our students also improved on the skills needed in strategic planning and the creation of events. This great workshop wrapped up with fish and chips in Fremantle, where we watched the sunset together and enjoyed the friendships formed during the day.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with our friends at Hwa Chong International School and are excited about the future of this mutually beneficial endeavour.

We also look forward to welcoming Year 7 Student Councillors and House Captains to our leadership team when they are presented with their badges during the first assembly in Term 2. This process of selecting our newest student leaders is ongoing and we thank those students who have nominated for these roles for their boldness in stepping forward.

Kennedy News

Week 7 Assembly

This week’s whole-school assembly was a fantastic opportunity to bring our community together and honour the efforts of individuals, including our 11/7 mentors. These students drove much of this assembly, with Year 11 councillors welcoming students to the gathering, presenting the Bible passage, and speaking on the benefits of the 11/7 mentor program. Year 7 students responded with their perspective on this great initiative and with the presentation of a gift as a sign of their thanks.

We also had the chance to congratulate our students on their efforts at our recent Interhouse Swimming Carnival, with a host of awards to recognise the talent of our students, including trophies for the King and Queen of the Pool. Our Principal presented these awards as well as certificates to several students who completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge last year. Looking forward, Dance students came together for a performance based on 'Annie The Musical', which the school will be presenting in 2025.

College Notices

Easter Services

As Easter approaches, we at Kennedy extend a warm invitation for you and your loved ones to join us for a special community event. We are hosting two Easter services that promise to be spiritually enriching and inclusive to all, regardless of beliefs.

Monday 25 March & Tuesday 26 March
Venue: Kennedy Auditorium
Time of Service: 6.00pm to approx 7.00pm

• Monday - Falcon and Harrier Families
• Tuesday - Kestrel and Osprey Families

The services will feature participation from both our students and from local church groups, with Dr. Steve McCready, Senior Pastor of Riverview Church attending as guest speaker. Through music, drama, bible readings and a message, we hope to foster an atmosphere of warmth and inclusivity that resonates with everyone in attendance.

As part of our community focus, we invite you to join us with supper after each service. In addition, the Parents and Friends Association will be holding an affordable sausage sizzle each evening from 5.00pm to 6.00pm outside the Lower Foyer and Staff Lounge area. Proceeds raised from the sausage sizzle will go towards the P&F Association's work to build up the Kennedy community. Please let us know if you will be purchasing food from the sausage sizzle by completing this RSVP.

Please note that student attendance is compulsory with students required to be in their form classes for 5.30pm, and in Summer Uniform.

A shuttle bus will be available for families from Murdoch University Carpark 7 from 5.30pm until 8.00pm to help ease congestion. We encourage as many families as possible to utilise this bus service before and after the service.

This is a compulsory event for all students and we hope to see each of their family members attend in support as we reflect on the season and celebrate what it means for us today. Whether you are a steadfast believer, someone exploring faith, or simply seeking a sense of community, our doors are open wide to welcome you.

Free Dress Day - Friday 15 March

We have a fantastic opportunity to raise funds for Transform Cambodia when we hold a Free Dress Day tomorrow. Funds raised will help this important partner of Kennedy educate and look after vulnerable children in Cambodia.

Following is a list of guidelines for the day to help it run smoothly

• All students are to wear closed in shoes for the whole day.
• Students who have Metalwork, Woodwork or Food Technologies must wear their normal school shoes during these classes for safety compliance.
• Hair must be able to be tied back if requested for a particular lesson.
• No revealing clothing is to be worn (e.g. midriff/low cut tops, singlet tops, short skirts/shorts)
• Clothing printed with offensive material is not to be worn
• Excessive jewellery or any makeup is not to be worn.
• The free dress only applies to classes where normal College uniform is required.   

Please note: The College sports uniform is also considered free dress and therefore a donation is still encouraged. If chosen, it is to be worn in its entirety as per the College uniform policy.

Term Dates for 2025

The College is currently finalising the Term dates for the 2025 school calendar. The start date for next year will be Monday 3 February 2025.

Employment at Kennedy

There are several opportunities to join the Kennedy team. We are currently seeking a Media Teacher as well as a Home Economics Technician (non-teaching position). These applications close on Sunday 17 March.

If you or somebody that you know is interested in working in our supportive and caring environment, please apply via our website.

Winter Uniform

Students are required to wear Winter uniform from Day One of Term 2, and throughout Terms 2 and 3. We encourage families to check their child's Winter uniforms to make sure that they still fit comfortably while following the requirements of the College Uniform Policy.

Please visit the Uniform Shop before the end of Term 1 if you require a fitting or need to make a purchase. During Term 1, the Uniform Shop is open Monday to Thursday 8.00am to 3.45pm, with students welcome to visit during Recess and Lunch to try on items for sizing. Purchases can be made over the counter during Uniform Shop hours or online by using Quick Cliq.

Families can also attend the Uniform Shop during the second week of school holidays (Monday 8 April to Thursday 11 April 8.00am to 3.45pm, closed 12.30-1.00pm) but we encourage you to make any purchases as soon as possible to avoid stress.

For Year 7 Students who have ordered Winter uniform items, these will be available to collect alongside prepaid blazers from 18 March.

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 non-government school, will be able to apply for the SAS in 2024.

The SAS consists of two allowances:

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

For all enquiries regarding the application process/forms, please download the form or speak with one of our reception staff.

Applications close on Thursday 28 March 2024.

The next newsletter will be published on:
Thursday 28 March 2024.