From the Principal

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

On Wednesday 2 August, we hosted a very special College Assembly dedicated to NAIDOC Week and this year’s theme 'For Our Elders'.  The Assembly commenced with Mr Isaiah Walley Stack, our Aboriginal Teaching Assistant, playing the digeridoo accompanied by dancers Ben Paddon (Year 11) and Tjahkai Walker visiting from South Hedland. Chilton Yarran, Aboriginal Liaison Officer from the City of Canning also attended.

It is fitting that last week we celebrated the feast of St Anne and St Joachim who were the parents of Mary and therefore the grandparents of Jesus. Grandparents and elders play an important role our lives. Many of us have learnt to cook from a Nonna or learnt to speak a another language from an Opa or Por Por. 

You have probably heard the saying 'it takes a village to raise a child’, it is certainly true for many of in our community who have had grandparents or relatives help look after them. Mr Isaiah Walley Stack asked the question, 'How will you celebrate Our Elders?' My message to our students, is to make time to spend with the special elders in their lives. To give them time - that’s the most precious gift that can be given. Listen to the stories and ask questions of your elders or learn their language so that we can all be enriched by our culture and family traditions. That’s the best way we can pay homage to our elders.

Also at our Assembly, we welcomed the Mayor of Canning, Patrick Hall, who assisted with presenting Semester One awards, joined us for morning tea and took a tour of the College grounds.  We look forward to Mayor Hall attending other College events in the future.

A warm welcome to our new staff members who joined our College community this term:

• Mr Louis Webb - Mathematics Teacher
• Ms Raya Thompson - Science Teacher 
• Mrs Kelly Marsh - Teacher Librarian  
• Ms Kate Bishop - Marketing, Communications & Alumni Officer 
• Mr Eugene Kealy - RE Teacher 
• Ms Jaime Paulin - English & HASS Teacher 

Congratulations to our much loved Science teacher, Mrs Isobel Page, who gave birth to her beautiful daughter, Abigail Jennifer, on Monday 24 July. We welcome Abby as our youngest member of our St Norbert College family.

St Norbert Statue

At the end of 2022, Fr Peter was presented with not one, but two statues of St Norbert to commemorate his 40 years in the priesthood. I am pleased to say that one of the statues now sits prominently at the front of the College. 

I wish to thank and acknowledge the Donatelli family, owners of Oggi Stonecraft in Bayswater, for donating the base for the two statues. 

Br Patrick Doolan Medal

Each year at Presentation Night, outstanding service to the College by a staff member, teaching or non-teaching, or a member of the Norbertine community is awarded the Br Patrick Doolan Medal.

Staff, students and parents are invited to lodge nominations in writing by completing the nomination form below. Nominations are due at the end of Week 1 of Term 4, Friday 13 October. A selection panel will process the nominations and select the awardee.

Selection Guidelines

• Awardee is on staff for some or all of current calendar year;
• Exemplary service performing their normal range of duties;
• Contribution to the extended College and Norbertine Community;
• Innovation(s) to College e.g. introduction of new policy/idea/project etc;
• Extra-curricular involvement;
• Examples of service/ministry to the Mission/Norbertine ethos;

Consideration of candidate’s service is not restricted to the current year.

A reminder that Presentation Night will be held at the Concert Hall on Tuesday 24 October at 7.00pm. It is a compulsory event for all students and at least one parent. Please mark the date in your calendar.

Climate Survey

Climate surveys are conducted every few years to drive school improvement. Our College Community will be participating in the 2023 National School Improvement Partnerships (NSI) School Climate suite. Staff, parents and students will be asked to complete a confidential survey which will open on Monday 4 September, closing on Friday 22 September. Further information will be sent to the community closer to the opening date and I ask that you spend some time completing the questions to assist with feedback for the College.

God bless.

Ms S Rainford

(Principal)