Newstead College eNews - June 2025

Assistant Principal's Message

Welcome to our June e-newsletter!

Term 2 has been full of exciting learning experiences in and out of the classroom, which you can read about below. A big thank you to our staff for the work they do in making every lesson as enriching as possible for students. I also congratulate our students for the way they show up for each day ready to give it their best.

Mid-year examinations will take place in Weeks 9 and 10. Important information and instructions for this period are being shared in class time. I encourage students to visit the TASC website for useful information on how to prepare for exams. If you have any questions, your teacher is here to help, or you can contact me at: bradley.cottam@decyp.tas.gov.au

This week, we welcome Year 10 students to our campus for Open Day. Staff and students have been working hard to make these days a positive experience for future students and I thank them for their efforts. Please note that Friday is a student free day for Newstead College students. Classes will run as normal on Thursday.

In our Arts faculty, students and staff involved in our 2025 production of SIX: Teen Edition have been working tirelessly to bring the show to life ahead of opening night on 30 July. Tickets are on sale now – get in quick to avoid disappointment!

Lastly, some personal news from me – after thirteen years at Newstead College, and thirteen years prior at Queechy High School, I am excited to be stepping up into a new position as the Education Lead – Senior Secondary Curriculum. This is a Principal-level non-teaching role based in the north of the state, offering the opportunity to diversify my leadership skills in a different environment. Next week will be my final week at Newstead College. 

I’d like to sincerely thank all the staff, students and families I’ve worked with during my time at Newstead College. To our students – I wish you all the very best in your studies and future pathways. I look forward to hearing about all of your successes.

Brad Cottam 
Assistant Principal

Newstead College Open Days 2025

Newstead College looks forward to welcoming Year 10 students at our 2025 Open Days! Students will have the opportunity to discover our courses and offerings, explore our campus, meet our teaching staff and get a taste of college life. Plus, there will be a free barbecue at lunchtime. 

Non-government school students, please phone 6332 3278 or email lana.davie@decyp.tas.gov.au to register to attend.

SIX: Teen Edition - Tickets on sale NOW

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.

Newstead College is excited to bring SIX: Teen Edition to the stage this July! This full-length adaptation of Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ international phenomenon SIX has been modified for performance by teen actors for family audiences. From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st-century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over.

Public Performances

Wednesday 30 July, 7.00 pm
Thursday 31 July, 7.00 pm
Friday 1 August, 7.00 pm
Saturday 2 August, 2.00 pm

Location: Newstead College Auditorium

Meet the Production Team

Alarna - Artistic Director / Producer 
Gemma - Assistant Director / Producer / Costume Design 
Paige - Choreographer 
Courtney - Vocal Director
Layla - Technical Assistant 
Sam - Repetiteur / Musical Assistant

Sophia recognised with volunteering awards

We are proud to share that Year 12 student Sophia, ex Exeter High School, has received two awards in recognition of her outstanding contributions as a local volunteer. During National Volunteer Week, she was recognised with a Certificate of Appreciation from Red Cross and a Voluntary Service Award from Southern Cross Care Tasmania.

Sophia started volunteering earlier this year, as soon as she turned 18, at the Ainsley Low Head aged care facility.

“During the holidays I wasn’t doing a lot and thought, I want to do some volunteering – that’s a good thing to do,” she said. “I want to do nursing and I’m a very big people person. I like talking to people. I thought volunteering was a good way to see how I interact with people.”

Sophia continues to volunteer at Ainsley Low Head once a week.

“I love that I can talk to so many different people,” she said. “People think, ‘What’s an 18-year-old going to talk about with a 90-year-old, but you find things. One of the people I visit has dementia, but their wife doesn’t, and their wife said, ‘It really brightens their day to talk to you.’”

Sophia is enjoying studying the Certificate II in Community Services (Health Focus) at Newstead College and plans to undertake a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Tasmania. “The course solidified my choice in nursing,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot of things that help me with my volunteering.”

Well done, Sophia!

NC Netball Team Gold Coast trip

Our amazing Newstead College netball team is currently training hard and raising funds for their Gold Coast trip next month. The nine-day trip will see them competing against teams from around the world, such as New Zealand, Samoa and Singapore.  

The players – Maddie, Ashtyn, Tara, Marley, Ella, Isabel, Shannan, Lucy, Aria, Claire, Matilda, Ava, Charlie and Haile – are loving the athletic and social aspects of the sport. Along with their teachers Felicity and Caz, they team are looking forward to making friends with players from other countries, representing Tassie and having our Newstead spirit on show! 

Tara, who lives in Scottsdale, said: "We're just going to have so much fun and have so many experiences and learn so much to bring back to the North East. We're all just really excited." 

The team is holding a Trivia Night and Silent Auction in the College Caff on Friday 27 June to help raise funds for the trip. RSVP's and platter orders are required by Monday 23 June. 

Newstead Volleyball Athlete Development Program

The Newstead College Volleyball Athlete Development Program (ADP) runs from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm on Monday and Thursday evenings, with games starting at 6:15 pm on both nights. The program is available to eligible associate high school students interested in Volleyball. 

Newstead College has two representative Women’s B Grade teams and two Men's B Grade teams currently in the Northern Tasmanian Volleyball Association rosters. A number of individual players have been regularly playing in A Grade rosters this season as well: congratulations to Ella, Arin, Flynn, Zac, Riley, Rohan and Alex for taking on the A Grade challenge! 

We have seen big improvements in new players this season, buoyed by a number of international students from Italy, Japan and Brazil. 

STEM + Basketball Workshop with Dr John Drazan

Our Athlete Development class partnered with Sport Science students from Queechy, Kings Meadows and Prospect High Schools for an excellent workshop with former US College basketballer and now Biomechanics professor Dr John Drazan. Students participated in hands-on experiences combining sports and science. A variety of tests were conducted and students were shown how to analyse real-time data, gaining insights into athletic performance and STEM careers. It was a fantastic opportunity for sports enthusiasts and aspiring coaches or scientists.

Term 2 Freycinet Camp

Outdoor Education students committed to a 3-day expedition at the Freycinet National Park during Term 2. This included sea kayaking, braving the rain, setting up camp, a 12 km hike through one of Tasmania's best outdoor locations, and visiting Friendly Beaches. They also spent time interacting with others to problem solve, Trangia stove cooking, and unplugging from technology to take in the scenery. These types of experiences give the students an opportunity to tune into pristine outdoor environments and appreciate how National Parks are managed well by the local rangers.  

– Jon, Teacher

New banners in Elphin block

Newstead College's Elphin block has long paid homage to our College productions with banners hanging throughout the corridor. This term, we are pleased to unveil brand new banners showcasing our productions from the last eight years! 

Showcasing beloved past productions from Disenchanted in 2018 to SIX: Teen Edition in 2025, the banners are a celebration of the pride our College has in our Arts department, and the polish and heart for which our stage shows are renowned. 

We are thrilled with the result! 

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING

Crew Coffee Cart

Bright and early on Monday 2 June, Makinley, Petra, Ivy and Katelyn whipped up some espresso coffees for the NC community as part of their Barista class. They made some fantastic espresso drinks that definitely put smiles on their customers' faces!

– Liz, VET Teacher

Certificate I in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 2 Near Coastal)

Students studying the Certificate I in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 2 Near Coastal) have been completing complete practical tasks at the Australian Maritime College Newnham and Beauty Point campuses each Thursday. They recently completed their anchoring training and continued to develop their navigation and boat handling skills. 

This course may lead to the Coxswain Grade 2 certificate, further study at AMC, or job opportunities for general purpose hand or desk hand positions on a commercial boat. Expressions of Interest to study this course in 2026 will open during Term 3! 

Launceston Pathology - Real-world learning in action

Our Certificate II in Community Services (Health Focus) students stepped into the world of pathology this week – exploring behind the scenes of medical diagnostics including:

• how specimens are collected
• services and diagnostic tests provided
• viewing blood cells and sperm through microscopes.

This hands-on excursion sparked curiosity, inspired career conversations, and brought classroom learning to life. 

Big thanks to Moira and Launceston Pathology for welcoming our future health professionals! 

– Maree, VET Teacher

Dr Nick Clements Visit

On the 15^th of May, Dr Nicholas Clements came to speak to our English Studio 3 class about writing non-fiction text. Clements is the author of the book The Black War and co-author of Tongerlongeter. Students from Kings Meadows High School also attended the presentation as part of Newstead College's Community Gateway programme.

Dr Clements was very interesting. He spoke about his journey of finishing school, as an Exeter High leaver, and continuing his studies as a mature aged student at UTAS, in the Arts. Clements found that he enjoyed studying and won a scholarship to complete a PHD under the guidance of Henry Reynolds. This was when Clements finished his first non-fiction publication The Black War. Clements is now a teacher at Launceston Church Grammar and has since co-authored another publication, with Henry Reynolds, about one of Australia’s most accomplished resistance fighters, a man until now almost no one knew about. The book is titled Tongerlongeter: First Nations Leader and Tasmanian War Hero.

Clements spoke to the group about the dedication to research that is involved in writing a piece of non-fiction work. His first book took six years to complete, which implies you need discipline and commitment to complete a thorough piece of work in the non-fiction industry. Also, he spoke about the, sometimes, difficulties in sourcing information for your non-fiction work. This was the case with his biography of Tongerlongeter. Although a First Nations Leader and Tasmanian War Hero, information and sources on Tongerlongeter was very difficult to find and it required persistence and dedication to source the material to create the text.

After his presentation, Clements supported Harry and Petra in their non-fiction, English Studio 3 assignment, a biographical text based on their old people, Eumarrah* and Mannalargenna**. Clements showed enthusiasm for the chosen topics, and Harry and Petra were grateful for Dr Clements’ assistance and support.

– Harry (Year 12) and Petra (Year 11)

*Eumarrah was a resistance fighter and chief of the Tyerrernotepanner people.
**Mannalargenna was a formidable warrior and seer amongst the Pairrebeenne clan.

Engineering and Design 2

The Trouble with Tribbles

Hydro Tasmania recently visited the Newstead College Engineering and Design 2 class for a session called 'The Trouble with Tribbles'. The class was shown how dams and power stations work, including how water gets from the dam to the power station to produce power. The activity brief was to design the water transfer for a new hydropower scheme. After the activity, students explored possible jobs with Hydro Tasmania. 

Shark Tank presentations

Students were tasked with designing a mobile My Health device and creating a low-fidelity prototype using card and paper. They then dove into the Shark Tank, presenting their creations to a panel of wealthy entrepreneurs – Dianne, Roger and Adrian D – who asked further questions about the inventions' functionalities and viability. Well done to all presenting students on your efforts and strong design thinking! 

• 1st Scarlett received $300,000 shark money in funding
• 2nd Georgiarna received $100,000 shark money in funding
• 3rd Quinlan received $79,000 shark money in funding

All participants received shark dollars. 

Driving for Jobs

Congratulations to Year 11 student Sophie (ex Scottsdale High School), who earlier in the year gained her P1 licence. Sophie accessed Newstead College’s Driving for Jobs Program to assist in refining her driving technique prior to her P1 test. Well done, Sophie!

SCIENCE

Students in Physical Sciences recently investigated Newton's Laws to see how different forces affect acceleration. They will be able to apply their learning to car safety systems to minimise the force on occupants in case of a crash!

– Sam, Teacher

New Library books in and available to borrow!

Our Library just got a fresh batch of new books, and there’s something for everyone! Whether you’re into real-life history, contemporary romance, or powerful stories that make you think, we’ve got you covered. This year’s shortlisted Book Week awards reads are on the shelves too, so don’t wait – swing by and find your next favourite read!

– Amy, College Library 

Recognising IDAHOBIT

The College community dressed in rainbow colours last month in recognition of IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination. With the support of teacher Jen and School Health Nurse Louise, students ran a stall in the Caff to advocate for diversity, acceptance and inclusivity at school. 

The important day raised awareness that:

• 55% of LGBTQIA+ young people are excluded or discriminated against due to their LGBTQIA+ identity
• 86% of LGBTQIA+ young people say seeing someone wearing rainbow or ally accessories makes them feel safer and more like they belong.

(Source: www.minus18.org.au)

Mid-year examinations timetable

Key Dates

Term 2: Monday 28 April to Friday 4 July

Term 3: Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September

Term 4: Monday 13 October to Thursday 11 December