From the Principal

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Staff and Friends of St Norbert College,

Finally, we are under way for the school year and I hope students have experienced a good couple of weeks back in class. The support for the wearing of masks and any additional changes required from students and families was greatly appreciated and we feel well placed should the need to adjust at short notice be required. 

I would, though, like to officially welcome our College community to the start of the 2021 academic year and as such, the first edition of our newsletter, St Norbert News. The start of the school year is always an exciting time but one that can also cause some nervousness and trepidation. Last week we welcomed in excess of 170 new students to our College community and I’m sure that many are feeling much more at ease thanks to the hospitality and assistance of peers and staff alike. 

I would like to thank everyone for the manner in which they have set the tone for what looms as a very exciting year ahead.

College staff gathered for Mass on Thursday, 28 January with the staff from St Joseph’s School where Fr Peter celebrated the beginning of the new school year. At this Mass, we also commissioned the following new staff to St Norbert College:

• Mr Aquino – Health & Physical Education
• Mrs Barrow – English
• Ms Cassidy – English
• Sr Cecily - Learning Support
• Mrs Crocker – Arts
• Mr Frick – Technologies
• Ms Guerrini – English
• Ms Miller – English
• Ms Nodwell – English (EALD)
• Ms Spence – Learning Support
• Mr Turkich – Mathematics
• Miss Zampino – English

It is my pleasure to welcome all of our new staff to St Norbert College.

We were very fortunate to hold, just prior to the lockdown, one of our social highlights of the year, the Year 12 Ball on Friday, 29 January. The stunning venue and surrounds of Fraser’s Function Centre in Kings Park again provided a beautiful backdrop for our students to enjoy the company of peers and staff alike. An enjoyable night was had by all and enormous thanks must go to Miss Pisconeri, Mr Mecham, Miss Magee and student members of the Ball Committee for their dedication and organisation of this event and to all in attendance for their conduct. The Ball Committee have provided an article in this newsletter along with some beautiful photos for you all to enjoy.

Unfortunately the lockdown and restrictions have meant that a number of opportunities to congratulate and celebrate the wonderful achievements of the Year 12 Class of 2020 have had to be delayed. We are delighted with the acknowledgement and rewards that this cohort has received for their hard work and effort, under the guidance and support of so many staff and family members. I congratulate staff, students and families on the following accolades:

• St Norbert College Median ATAR 83.0 (ranked 13th across all WA Catholic schools and 42nd in secondary schools in WA).
• 100% of VET students achieving a Certificate II or higher
• 98% achievement of the WACE Certificate
• 97% of students who applied for University entrance received an offer in the main round.
• 93% of students achieved an AQF VET Certificate II of higher over Year 11 and 12.
  
  Please see a list of personal achievements included in Mr Dowling’s article.

Earlier this week, we gathered to participate in Ash Wednesday liturgies. Ash Wednesday celebrates the beginning of Lent, a time to commit ourselves to be more like Christ in all that we do, through prayer, fasting and almsgiving – actions that strengthen our spirituality. Our students and staff celebrated Ash Wednesday this week with special liturgies in House groups, with the sprinkling of the Ashes as a public expression of our faith and repentance.

On Tuesday, we held the annual Interhouse Swimming Carnival at HBF Stadium. This event is undoubtedly one of the big sporting highlights for the year. Well done to Mr Godfrey, our Director of Canons Sport, and his many supporting staff for their efforts in again organising a fantastic day. The all-important results are:

                                1st place – Magdeburg  

                                2nd place – Tongerlo

                                3rd place – Xanten

                                4th place – Kilnacrott

                                5th place – Prémontré

Congratulations to Mr Ah Fong, staff and students of Magdeburg House on their enthusiasm, dedication and performances today, and to all students and staff for again making our swimming carnival such a wonderful College event. Thank you also to the Media Team representatives who captured all the colour of the carnival. Some of their many photographs can be seen in the Canons Sports section of today's newsletter.

We look forward to acknowledging our individual champion swimmers at an assembly next week.

One commitment that all families make at enrolment is attendance at the compulsory College events, the first of which is the annual College Community Mass, a wonderful occasion for all in our community to gather in prayer to ask for God’s blessings on our school year. We look forward to the College Community Mass this Sunday, 21 February at 6.30pm in the College grounds and to sharing this special time with all of our families.

I thank all of our young people for starting this year with a wonderful spirit of community, enthusiasm and joy. It bodes well for an exciting year ahead.

“When God created humanity he saw that we were, and are, indeed very good. God wants to restore, and deepen that goodness, in us.  God wants to unite us more closely with Christ, who is our life.  May this Lent be a holy time, a time of growth, a time of renewal and hope for us all”. 

(Lenten Pastoral Letter 2021, The Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB, 

Archbishop of Perth).

                                                                                                                               God Bless.

Mr S Harvey (Principal)

Educators, parents seek fairer funding deal

Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) and Catholic School Parents WA (CSPWA) have launched a joint election platform, seeking a fairer funding deal from the incoming State Government. CEWA Executive Director, Dr Debra Sayce, said the Every Child Counts campaign sought to highlight the current lack of equitable education funding.

The key election request was for equitable access to school funding initiatives being pledged or announced by the Government for 2021 and beyond to ensure all Catholic schools can better support the growing student population in contemporary, world-class facilities, as well as nurturing their mental wellbeing.

For more information, please see the Media Release from Catholic Education Western Australia below.