2019 is a significant year for Newhaven College as we celebrate 40 years of excellence in education.
Founded in 1980 with just 52 Year 7 and 8 students at the original Boys Home Road campus in Newhaven, we now have an enrolment of over 930 students at our magnificent Phillip Island Road campus.
The only thing bigger than their enormous school bags were the smiles on the faces of the Preps who began their school journey last Thursday. Our Prep transition program during Term 4 of 2018 had prepared the children well by familiarising them with their classrooms, teachers and class mates to make their first day experience an extremely positive one.
At the other end of their school journey, Year 12 students began with a forum day. The girls attended Part 2 of ‘Inspiring Young Women’ while the boys attended Part 2 of their workshops with Man Cave.
It’s GAME ON this year with our stunning new gymnasium complex already seeing plenty of action. The facility comprises a double court stadium, weights room, classroom, staffroom and state of the art changing facilities. Works on the adjoining synthetic hockey and tennis facilities and natural turf soccer pitch are due for completion in the coming months.
In addition to completing the sporting facilities, we will build an outdoor amphitheatre and develop ‘Boys Home Road Boulevard’, a covered landscaped outdoor area adjoining the Senior Learning Centre that will feature rustic signs displaying images of the original Boys Home Road campus and offer students an outdoor all weather study and informal area. Our Year 9 Learning Centre will receive a facility and furniture upgrade, and planning for a future swimming pool and performing arts centre will continue.
With thanks to VicRoads and the Bass Coast Shire, a school crossing will soon be installed along Phillip Island Tourist Road to assist the increased number of students who walk or ride bikes to school. New speed signs are already in operation requiring traffic to slow to 40kmh during school drop off and pick up times.
Seven new staff have been commenced this year. Jennifer Crouch will teach senior Maths, Science and Physics, Karen Faulwetter will teach Year 3, Cameron Pedersen will teach Year 5 and Paul Keelan will join the Music faculty. 2019 graduate Alex Burke will spend one more year at Newhaven as she completes an AFL Sports Traineeship and Beth Quinn will join Rosemarie Foulkes as a School Nurse in the Health Centre. James van Cuylenburg is the new School Psychologist who will lead the psychology team.
Through the generous support of Professor Michael Bernard, 2019 will also see us embrace the P-12 ‘You Can Do It’ wellbeing program, which will overlay our whole school wellbeing framework.
Newhaven College continually strives to improve across all areas of the school with the best interests of students and families always at the fore. Enrolments are commencing for 2021, with some places available in Prep, Years 2, 3 and 9-12 in 2019. Please contact Belinda Manning on (03) 5956 7505 or visit www.newhavencol.vic.edu.au