From the Deputy Principals

St Norbert Day Attendance – Vocational Pathway

The College will be celebrating St Norbert Day on Friday, 6 June (Week 6). This is a significant occasion in our College calendar and a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together in celebration.

Students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathways are encouraged to attend, provided their overall workplace attendance is at a satisfactory level. VET students who wish to participate in St Norbert Day instead of attending their usual TAFE or traineeship placement must submit an Out of School Learning Variation Form for approval.

Further details regarding the day’s events will be shared closer to the date.

Year 12 Student Declaration and Permission – Due Thursday, 28 August 2025

As part of the academic requirements for Year 12, all students must complete the Student Declaration and Permission online by Thursday, 28 August 2025. This process is essential for students intending to achieve the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) and/or sit the ATAR course examinations.

The declaration involves students confirming their understanding of the requirements for achieving the WACE and for participating in the ATAR examinations. These requirements have been outlined through a range of sources, including the Year 12 Parent and Student Information Evening, the Senior School Curriculum Handbooks available on the Subject Selection Portal, and the SCSA Year 12 Information Handbook 2025, accessible online.

Students and their families are strongly encouraged to discuss these requirements together before completing the declaration. It is particularly important that students under the age of 18 have parental or carer guidance prior to submission.

Attendance During Year 11 & 12 Exam Weeks – Semester One

Over the coming weeks, our Year 11 and 12 students will be preparing for their Semester One examinations and finalising important assessments that contribute to their mid-year reports. 

During the exam period, ATAR pathway students are only required to attend the College when they have a scheduled examination. However, they are welcome to attend at other times to seek assistance or revision support from their teachers.

Vocational pathway students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, TAFE, or traineeship commitments as normal from Monday, 26 May to Thursday, 5 June, with Friday, 6 June dedicated to the celebration of St Norbert Day.

All students are reminded that standard College uniform regulations apply during the examination period, whether attending for exams or for other learning commitments. We encourage the entire College community to keep these students in your prayers during this busy and significant time.

Mr R D'Almeida

(Deputy Principal Years 7 & 10)

ANZAC Day Service

On Thursday 25 April, the Canning Districts RSL Sub-Branch held the annual ANZAC Day Memorial Service at the new War Memorial in Cannington. Thank you to Matthew and Amy Zoetelief, who represented the College and laid a wreath on behalf of the College. 

St Norbert Day Celebrations 

The feast day of St Norbert and his entry into eternal life is celebrated on Friday 6 June. At the College, it is traditional to mark the occasion with a day of celebration, which will be on this date. This year, we also acknowledge our College’s 60th Anniversary and our day of celebration will begin with a Mass in the O’Reilly Centre at 9:30am. Morning tea will be provided and a Staff v Student sporting competition will be conducted. This will be followed by a St Norbert Day Fair and we conclude the day with a St Norbert's Got Talent Concert.

Attendance

All students are expected to attend school on this special day. If a student is ill and cannot attend school, we request parents contact the College before 8.50 am and if not provided, a follow-up note, email or Direqt Message is to be sent to the Homeroom Teacher upon their return to school. 

Uniform and Personal Presentation

Students are required to wear their full and correct College tracksuit and House shirt including the College sports socks and sport shoes. If students do not have their FULL College tracksuit, then they must wear their FULL College winter uniform including blazer. The FULL College correct uniform must be worn to and from school and for the College Mass. During the day, students may choose to remain in their shorts and remove their College tracksuit pants and jacket. 

Mass

Parents and carers are welcome to attend the St Norbert Day Mass in the O’Reilly Centre (ORC), which commences at 9:30am. As students will be scheduled a time to be seated for Mass, we request that parents and carers are seated at 9.25am in the reserve seating area at the back of the ORC.

Morning Tea and Lunch

Students will be provided with cake and a drink for morning tea. They have the option of using their pre-purchased tokens to buy their lunch from the many food stalls available during the fair. Otherwise, students can bring their own morning tea and, or lunch. The Café will not be open.

Fair Stalls and Activities 

Each Homeroom has organised a stall or activity for the St Norbert Day Lunch Time Fair. Students are asked to contribute by donating items for their stall or activity: chocolates, prizes, $2, etc… . Food will range from $1 to $5. All the money made from the fair will be donated to those in need and our College affiliated charities including Life Link, Kununurra Community Kitchen and Gawooleng Yawoodeng Women’s Refuge. Students will need to pre-purchase $1 tokens to be used on the day to buy food and beverages and, or to participate in activities. The tokens will be sold in books of 5 and 10 and also as single tokens.

More details during the coming weeks will be sent to students. We look forward to celebrating St Norbert Day and thank students and staff for their contributions and involvement.

Year 9 Camp

Preparations for the Year 9 Camp are in full swing, with students having already attended an informative assembly led by Tamin Mengal, the camp facilitator and representative from the Outdoor Education Group, and our College Year 9 Camp Co-ordinator, Mr Nicholas Roberts, about this exciting event. 

Thank you to parents, carers and Year 9 students for joining the online meeting on Tuesday 13 May. This meeting covered important details about the camp including the program, clothing and equipment requirements, medical considerations and an outline of the organisational details. Thank you to Tamin Mengel, the camp facilitator and representative from the Outdoor Education Group, for presenting important information along with Mr Nicholas Roberts, the Year 9 Camp Co-ordinator at the College. If you were unable to attend the online meeting, details for a recording of the meeting will be sent by Tamin.

Distribution of Leavers' Jackets

Last week, the Class of 2025 received their Leavers’ Jackets, marking a significant milestone in their final year. It is one of the highlights of the year for many, with some students expressing that donning the jacket made them truly feel like graduates. They're a special achievement and are worn with pride by our Year 12 students as they complete their final year at the College.

In keeping with tradition, Year 12 students are permitted to wear their Leavers’ Jackets to and from school exclusively on Mondays. For the rest of the week, they are required to wear their College blazer to and from school, switching to their Leavers’ Jacket at their lockers. It's important to note that Leavers’ Jackets are not to be worn under the College blazer and the College blazer is mandatory for formal occasions, including liturgies and assemblies.

Year 12 Retreat

The Year 12 Retreat will take place on Tuesday 10 June at Integrity House in Osborne Park. It is a compulsory Year 12 event and students will be transported to and from the location. The theme of the Year 12 Retreat is developing an ongoing relationship with God as students transition into their adult life and it will be one of the final times prior to Graduation for the year group to come together and participate in a unique student experience. Students are required to wear their College sports uniform including their College tracksuit but can also wear their Leavers’ Jackets on the day. Further information, including details of what students need to bring, have been sent by Ms Margaret Kyd through Consent2Go.

Parent Committee - Mother’s Day Breakfast and Seminar on Managing Online Behaviours

Our Parent Committee organised and hosted the Mother’s Day Breakfast on Wednesday 7 May. It was a lovely morning honouring the mothers, grandmothers and significant female role models in the lives of our students. Our Parent Committee dedicated much time and energy to collaborate and prepare this special event. Thank you so much to the committee members Florence Dunsford, Chandrukannan Rajaram, Inoka Ratnasekera, Denise Quinless-Heyman and Cate Berry.

Our Parent Committee will be hosting a Parent Seminar on Managing Online Behaviour (ThinkUKnow presentation) on Wednesday 11 June 2025 from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. All parents, carers and teachers are encouraged to attend. ThinkUKnow Australia is an evidence-based education program delivered nationally to prevent online child sexual exploitation. ThinkUKnow Australia is a partnership between the Australian Federal Police, Microsoft Australia, Datacom and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The program is delivered in collaboration with policing partners New South Wales Police Force, Northern Territory Police, Queensland Police, South Australia Police, Tasmania Police, Western Australia Police, as well as Neighbourhood Watch Australasia.

The presentation will be delivered by a local law enforcement member and an industry volunteer. The presentation is pro-technology and addresses topics including self-generated child abuse material, online grooming, sexual extortion, and importantly encourages help seeking behaviour. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn more about young people and the online environment, and how you can help them to be safe and responsible users of technology.

The next Parent Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday 13 August at 6.00pm and the Committee is still looking for new members who can support the great work they do for our school. If you are interested in learning more about the Parent Committee, please contact me at the College. 

Miss C Abel

(Deputy Principal Years 9 & 12)