IMPORTANT DATES:
| Mon 10 Feb | Year 11/12 Parent Night |
| Wed 12 Feb | Primary Parent Afternoon |
| Thurs 13 Feb | Primary Parent Afternoon Whole School Mass |
| Tues 18 Feb | Grip Leadership (Secondary) |
| Wed 19 Feb | P & F Meeting 5:30pm |
| Fri 21 Feb | Merit Assembly |
| Mon 24 Feb | Year 6 Camp Departs |
| Wed & Thurs 26-27 Feb | Year 7 Camp |
| Fri 28 Feb | Year 6 Camp Returns Secondary Interhouse Carnival |
Hello Kearnan College Community!
Welcome to the 2025 school year which is shaping up to be one full of exciting opportunities for our students. The College staff have been busy over the last few weeks preparing for the new school year, with classrooms being set up, planning and programming undertaken and professional learning completed. This year, the College celebrates its centenary. Providing 100 years of education to the local community is a remarkable achievement and one worth celebrating. Stay tuned for news about our celebrations which will happen later in the year.
We welcome several new staff members to the College this year:
- Mr Mitchell Goddin – Design and Technology teacher
- Mr Chris Hall – Head of Maths
- Miss Lauren Madeley – Year 6 teacher
- Miss Penny Meredith – HASS teacher
- Miss Nicole Prestedge – Year 4 Education Assistant
Welcome also to all our new students and their families. It has been wonderful to see them beginning to settle in and make friends and memories.
It was recently announced that Pope Francis has appointed a new Bishop for the Bunbury Diocese. Most Rev George Kolodziej SDS’s episcopal ordination will be held at the Bunbury Cathedral on March 19. You will find a letter from Bishop Elect George later in this newsletter. Fr George has a deep understanding of Catholic schools as he has been the Catholic Education WA chaplain for several years. He is looking forward to supporting Kearnan College and the other schools in the Bunbury region.
In the Bunbury Diocese, parish priests generally move every three years. Our much beloved priest, Fr Edwin Ocho, has been moved to Bridgetown where he has taken up his new position serving the parishes within that area. In his place, we welcome Fr Joseph Sousa, who was previously the parish priest at Our Lady’s Assumption Parish in Donnybrook. We look forward to working collaboratively with Fr Joseph over the coming years. Please keep both Fr Edwin and Fr Joseph in your prayers as they undertake their new ministries.
On Thursday 13 February we will celebrate the start of the school year with a Mass beginning at 8:50am on the basketball courts. This will be an opportunity to welcome Fr. Joe to our school community. Student leaders and staff will be commissioned during the Mass. Parents are welcome to attend. Please respect our sacred space by keeping conversations and coffees outside the courts.
This year, the College is implementing a new Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) plan. This plan will guide staff and students to establish and maintain productive classroom behaviours so that teachers are able to teach effectively, and all students are able to engage in their learning. Students will be discovering more about the plan over the coming weeks.
We have many very talented students at Kearnan College, as evidenced by a wonderful achievement by Devon Larkworthy-Darke (Year 9). He was recently awarded Sportsperson of the Year by the Shire of Boyup Brook for his passion and involvement in sports. What a fantastic achievement. We are very proud of you, Devon!
Our thoughts are with the Ebsary family as they mourn the loss of their father and husband, Glenn. Please keep Lisa, Emma, Joshua, Samuel and the rest of their family in your prayers at this difficult time. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen
The first P & F meeting for the year will be on Wednesday, February 19 in the College Boardroom at 5.30pm. All parents and carers are invited to attend, and a reminder text will be sent out the day before. The Kearnan P & F plays an important role in our school community. They organise fundraising activities to support the school’s resourcing, as well as friend-raising events, which give the opportunity for students and parents to enjoy social time together. It would be fantastic to get some new faces to the meetings, but if you are not able to attend, please let the office know if you are willing to be called upon to help at events, as needed.
It has been lovely to see our students wearing their uniforms proudly upon their return to school. We greatly value the support of parents in ensuring our young people are meeting the College’s uniform expectations. Further information about uniforms can be found in your child’s diary. With the weather being warm at the moment, please ensure your child brings their hat to school. It is compulsory for all students to wear a hat in Terms One and Four. The school’s bucket hat is required for the Junior School and students in Secondary may choose to wear either the bucket hat or the school’s cap. Once the current stock of caps runs out in the uniform shop, these will no longer be available; however, students may wear them for as long as they are in good condition. Eventually, all students will be required to wear bucket hats as they provide better sun protection.
The Chronicle will be distributed every three weeks this year and it would be greatly appreciated if you made some time to familiarise yourself with its content. Our newsletter contains important information which should ensure that you and your children are well-informed regarding upcoming events and opportunities.
Thank you for the warm welcome that has been extended to me by staff, students and parents. I am very much looking forward to leading the College into its next phase of growth.
Kind regards,
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS
Welcome to the 2025 school year! Whether you are a returning student or a new student to our secondary school, we are super excited that you have chosen Kearnan College as your school for this year. There is a lot of information to disseminate for the start of the year so, grab yourself a cuppa and let’s get started!
New Staff
We welcome the following new staff for 2025:
Dr Lisa Gallin – Principal who oversees this amazing College. Dr Gallin will also be teaching Year 7 Religious Education which she is very much looking forward to.
Miss Coutrney Webb – Miss Webb is no stranger to Kearnan College, and she has joined the Secondary School to cover subjects such as Science, Maths and Physical Education.
Mr Josiah Smith – Joining us from the Primary school, Mr Smith will be teaching HASS, English, Science and a bit of Outdoor Ed thrown in there as well.
Miss Penny Meredith – joining us from Perth in the HASS department, with a splash of teaching Health as well.
Mr Chris Hall – our new Head of Mathematics who has ventured down from the warmth of Geraldton.
Mrs Misty Fitzgerald – bringing her incredible education skillset into the Secondary School to assist students and teachers alike.
Mr Mitchell Goddin – taking over our amazing Design and Technologies area, Mr Goddin worked for Kearnan many years ago and we are super excited that he has returned.
New Roles
Last year we trialled the position of Year 7 Coordinator to assist with students’ pastoral needs that were specific to that year level. Mrs Collins took this role and made it a shining example of how effective this role can be and how it could greatly enhance the preexisting pastoral support that the school already had. As such, the following Heads of Year (HoY) are now in place:
- Year 7 – Mrs Collins
- Years 8/9 – Mr Pedlar
- Year 10/11 – Ms Ardagh
- Year 12 – Mrs Tempra
The HoYs are there to support and assist students, parents and teachers who need clarification or support regarding any non-academic concerns.
House Coordinators
Please rest assured that the role of House Coordinator is still present, as it is vitally important to the school that we continue to develop the sense of pride (and competitiveness) that goes with our Houses. This year’s House Coordinators are:
Kelly – Miss Webb
McCormack – Mr Tempra
MacKillop – Mr Mason
Rooney – Mrs Fialkowski
We look forward to the display of reds, blues, yellows and greens as we support house days and athletic carnivals!
Student Leaders
Kearnan College has been spoilt for choice with students who demonstrate a wide range of leadership qualities. This is showcased everyday around the College, and I would like to acknowledge the student leaders (as voted by their peers and teacher at the end of last year):
Head Boy: Hudson Lyster
Head Girl: Lola Lauren
Service Captain: Imogen Jacob
Kelly House Captains: Naomi Clark and Jett Lyster
McCormack House Captains: Oscar Matthews and Lara Edwards
MacKillop House Captains: Tess Miller and Sienna DaveySmithin
Rooney House Captains: Nathan Fialkowski and Charlotte Cumming
These students are the body that represent the entire Secondary College, and I know they will do this with great maturity, courage and sensibility.
Grip Leadership
Harnessing the leadership skills that our students display, our Year 11 and 12 student leaders will be attending a GRIP Leadership Day in Bunbury next Tuesday (Feb 11). Relevant paperwork has been distributed to the students and we ask that it be returned as soon as possible. I would like to thank Ms Ardagh for her organisation of this for our students.
Year 11/12 Parent Night
The Senior School years (11/12) can be quite intense and there are usually several questions parents and students have. There is also a lot of information that is required to be distributed as soon as possible. As such, a parent information night will be held next Monday (Feb 10) in the school library at 6:30pm. An email was sent home on Thursday with the relevant information and all parents are strongly urged to attend.
A Night Under the Stars
The venue was perfect, the food amazing, the weather was not too uncomfortable, and the students looked fabulous. I am of course talking about the school ball which was held on Friday 31 January at Fonty’s pool before school resumed. I have honestly not seen such an energetic and enthusiastic group of students who danced, laughed, sung and then danced some more. It was an absolute pleasure to attend. I am sure there were lots of sore feet the next morning. A link to the photos will be emailed to attendees next week.
I would like to thank all staff who made themselves available, as well as the students’ whose behaviour was exemplary. A would like to give a special thanks to both Mrs Caitlin Skewes and Mrs Renae Adams who invested significant amounts of time, organisation and phone calls to make the evening the success it was.
Year 7s
I would like to say a big congratulations to our new Year 7 group who have joined our community. Starting anything new always brings with it a healthy dose of nerves, however this group have shown us how you turn this nervous energy into productive and keen behaviours that have reflected their maturity. Talk about an impressive start! A big thanks to Mrs Collins for organising several initiatives (such as Day Zero) that assisted students with their transition to high school. I am sure it assisted with some parent nerves as well!
Important Dates
One thing about schools is their ability to make time seem like it is on warp speed. Pease have a look at the term calendar and make note of relevant events that your child will need to be aware of/ prepared for. If you have any queries about the events, please do not hesitate to contact the front office at school.
“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world”
Malala Yousafzai
Have a wonderful weekend.
JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS
We are so happy to see the excellent way our students have commenced the school year- from our youngest Kindy students to our big Year 6’s. On Wednesday, there were so many smiling faces, glad to be back with friends and excited for the year ahead. We welcome new students and their families to Kearnan College, and we know that our community will make you feel welcome. Our staff have been working diligently over the past few weeks to ensure everything is in place for a smooth start to 2025.
School Values and Positive Behaviours
We are very excited to be implementing a new whole school ‘Positive Behaviours for Learning’ plan. The plan was trialled on the Year 7 cohort at the end of last year, with great results. It has been explained to all year levels, and we look forward to sharing this information in more detail at the parent meetings. Using the four values of ‘Be Prepared, Be Respectful, Be Caring and Be a Learner’, students’ positive behaviours are recognised and celebrated, allowing all students to achieve personal excellence and creating an environment where all members of the Kearnan community can thrive.
Parent Meetings
Meeting times have been scheduled for parents to spend time in the classrooms, hearing from your child’s teacher, who will be outlining the learning that will be happening in the class this year and the expectations for each year level. Most meetings are between 30-45minutes in duration. For any parents who are unable to attend, please request the information handout to be sent home or make time to meet with the classroom teacher. Information regarding the Year 3 Parent Meeting will be forwarded via seesaw.
| Tuesday Feb 11 | Year 4 3.15pm |
Kindy 3.30pm |
|
| Wednesday Feb 12 | Year 1 3.15pm |
Pre-primary 4.30pm |
Year 6 5-6pm |
| Thursday Feb 13 | Year 2 3.10pm |
Year 5 4pm |
Communication
At parent meetings, the classroom teachers will be talking to parents about the different forms of communication between home and school. All students have a school diary, which is checked daily, where notes can be entered. Other forms of communication include email, seesaw, phone calls and face to face meetings. Teachers will endeavour to reply to messages during working hours, but please bear in mind they will fit it around their teaching responsibilities.
School Uniforms
Thank you for your assistance in ensuring all students are well presented in their school uniforms. Please check the school diaries if you are unsure of what is expected across all year levels. We understand that on occasions there can be problems with clothing. When this occurs, please write a note to explain the problem.
Wellness Wednesday
Every Wednesday at Kearnan College is ‘Wellness Wednesday’. The College is committed to the positive wellbeing of our students, so we encourage students to wear their sports shorts with their House Shirts so that they can participate in any wellbeing activities during the day. Students are guided to focus their thoughts through a lens of gratitude, reflecting on the many blessings in their lives. URSTRONG is continuing in the primary classrooms in the form of ‘Friendology’. The URSTRONG program is a proven, skills-based strategy that provides a host of kid-friendly concepts, skills, and language to help children build and maintain healthy friendships.
Our First Week
Thought of the Week
“A new school year means new beginnings, new adventures, new friendships, and new challenges. The slate is clean, and anything can happen.” ~ Denise Witmer
Have a great weekend!
PARISH NEWS
| DATE | St Joseph’s Manjimup | Sacred Heart Pemberton | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Type | Time | |
| 08.02.25 | 6.00pm | Vigil | |
| 09.02.25 | 8.30am | Mass | 10:30am |
| 15.02.25 | 6.00pm | Vigil | |
| 16.02.24 | 10.30am | Mass | 8.30am |
Please see the final page of the Chronicle for the 2025 Parish calendar.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Rotary – Youth Exchange Scholarship
Rotary Youth Exchange is offering a full scholarship for a WA secondary student who would like to spend a year living and going to school overseas in 2026, but whose family is not financially able to fund it. An amazing opportunity to experience new cultures and develop a network of friends around the world.
Students need to be at least 15 years of age and have completed year 10 and no older than 18.5 years by January 2026 when the exchange would begin.
Please contact Jill Hanna ryechaird@gmail.com for further information about the exchange program.
There is an information day to find out more about the exchange program on Sunday February 16 either in personor via Zoom.
Please contact mike@winslade.com.au to register for the information session.
DIOCESE OF BUNBURY
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Colleagues, Parents, and Friends of Catholic Education WA
I am pleased to welcome you back for another busy and hopefully productive year. I especially wanted to welcome the 82,000 students who will be attending Catholic schools in 2025, particularly those students who are starting their educational journey in Catholic education for the first time.
Among this group of students commencing their journey in a Catholic school for the first time is my youngest grandchild, Matteo (see the photo below with Holy Cross Principal Albert Borrello and Kindergarten teacher Mrs Barbara Stanley),
who commences kindergarten at Holy Cross College, Ellenbrook. All of my grandchildren have, or continue to benefit from the outstanding academic, pastoral and spiritual opportunities provided by Catholic schools. The core vision of Catholic education in Western Australia is a commitment to ensuring that Catholic schools continue to be faith communities where Christ is at the centre and children are our focus.
While every year is important, this year is particularly significant in the context of our faith, as it signifies a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church. A Jubilee Year is marked every 25 years, with the last one occurring in the year 2000.
In his letter announcing the Jubilee, Pope Francis has called on us to “fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far sighted vision” and said the “forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth”. In the context of our mission to deliver a quality, affordable, faith-based education, this message serves as an aspiration: to give the young people in our schools hope for the future, and a strength of mind and spirit to tackle life’s challenges and embrace its gifts wherever they may lie.
This year also marks a significant milestone for Catholic education in Western Australia, with the opening of our newest school, St Marcellin Catholic College in Madora Bay; a Catholic school in the Marist tradition. The school will eventually be a full Pre-Kindergarten – Year 12 College but opens this term to around 100 students in Pre-Kindy to Year 2. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to ensuring the school is ready to welcome its foundation students and thank those parents who have put their trust in us to support your children as they grow, learn, and discover their passions in life. I especially wish to acknowledge Anita O’Donohue, the foundation principal, who has been working over the last 18 months to ensure that our foundation students will experience an excellent and authentic Catholic education.
Thank you to the thousands of families from across our diverse state who have chosen to be a part of one of our 162 Catholic school communities. Our passionate, dedicated teaching and support staff, under the leadership of our principals, and in partnership with our families, are committed to fostering faith communities which support young people to not only excel in academics, arts, culture, and sport but to grow into compassionate, community-minded young people inspired by the model of Christ.
We recognise the privileged position that we hold in being able to serve the Western Australian community and are committed to advocating for equity in government funding for those families who pay their taxes, while also contributing to their child’s Catholic education through school fees. Unlike other states, WA’s Catholic schools do not receive any state government capital grant funding. Ahead of the state election in March, we have therefore called on all WA political parties to commit to providing capital grant funding to Catholic schools, along with commitments for funding in the Kimberley. You can find out more about our asks by visiting https://fairfunding.cewa.edu.au/.
In 2025 we also welcome new Bishops to the Dioceses of Broome and Bunbury. In November last year, Bishop Tim Norton SVD was installed as the third Bishop of Broome. Bishop Tim has a wealth of experience, including time working in Mexico City as a missionary and as the Provincial Superior for the Society of the Divine Word. Bishop Tim will bring great energy, enthusiasm and vision to the Diocese of Broome accompanied by a great commitment to First
Nations people.
In January, Pope Francis appointed Fr George Kolodziej SDS, who has served as Chaplain for Catholic Education WA since January 2019, as the new Bishop of Bunbury. I have known Fr George for 30 years, and I am grateful to him for his wise counsel and spiritual support to me and our staff during his time here. Fr George is currently the regional superior of the Salvatorians in Australia. I wish him well in his new mission in Bunbury. He is a faith-filled man who will bring a great love of Jesus to the Bunbury Diocese.
A new year often brings with it significant change. I would like to welcome Annette Morey who has been confirmed as Deputy Executive Director of Catholic Education for a five-year term.
Annette has done excellent work over the last twelve-months in the role, and I congratulate her on this substantive appointment. Another new face in CEWA’s Executive team this year is Dan Wood, who began as Director School Improvement and Wellbeing on 1 January. Dan has worked in Catholic education in Western Australia for twenty years, both in schools and in the Catholic Education Office. I look forward to working with Dan and Annette in their new roles and thank all my colleagues on the Executive for their service.
Finally, on the 4 July (the last day of Semester One), I will retire after 47 years working in Catholic Education. The Bishops of Western Australia, as the employer of the Executive Director, will commence a recruitment process in Term One. Please keep in your prayers the Bishops and any potential candidates for the position.
I wish you all a successful year ahead.
