Newstead College eNewsletter

THE ARTS in Focus

Arts here at Newstead is already setting itself up to be a highlight of 2025. As a student in Theatre Performance 3, Dance 3, Musical Theatre 2 and Photography 3, I have been so thrilled with the hard work and progress we are already seeing.

The dance class have created two contrasting routines alongside creating warm-ups and cool downs to adequately prepare our bodies to perform them. “APT” is a jazz routine based off the syllables in our names and “Bury a Friend” is a contemporary piece including the themes of escapism and uncanny valley displayed through the elements of dance.

Theatre Performance 3/Drama 2 class have been working on their first solo assessment piece. Level 2's have chosen prose pieces, challenged to colour the work with only their voices. Theatre Performance have monologues from plays, using Stanislavski’s technique “the method” to bring them to life.

In Musical Theatre we have been busy with auditions and developing our characters with historical research. We are so lucky to have enough talent to have understudies cast for all of the characters this year. Choreography is already well underway with the opening two songs being completed. A big thanks to our dance captain Grace for her assistance in this.

Photography 3 have been focusing on the concept of nostalgia and how to convey that through our art. To give us inspiration for our future work, we visited the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in February and MONA in March. Both trips were very exciting experiences that we will use as reference for our upcoming projects.

This is only the beginning of a very exciting year. We are so thankful to all the staff that make our arts subjects so successful.

Taylah, Year 12

MONA Excursion

We are proud to share that Kobe, ex Queechy High School, has become captain of Tasmania’s first Intellectual Disability Touch Football team.

Now in Year 12 at Newstead College, Kobe always strives to be the best he can as an athlete and a person. His friendly, supportive nature and dedication to sporting excellence will make him an inspiring leader for the Inclusion team as they train for the national championships in May/June.

Congratulations, Kobe!

Q&A with Captain Kobe

SIX: Teen Edition Cast Announced

The creative team behind our 2025 major musical production, SIX: Teen Edition, have been blown away by the talent of our cast of 27 students. For this reason, the team decided to cast understudies for each Queen, allowing more of our performers to showcase their talents.

The Major Leads are:

Catherine of Aragon – Ella
Understudy: Brianna

Anne Boleyn – Sophia
Understudy: Kamryn

Jane Seymour – Chloe
Understudy: Layla

Anne of Cleves – Taylah
Understudy: Ash

Katherine Howard – Mia
Understudy: Ev

Catherine Parr – Tahlia
Understudy: Jordyn

We can’t wait to bring this high-energy, empowering show to the stage.

SIX: TEEN EDITION is a full-length adaptation of Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ international phenomenon SIX, modified for performance by teen actors for family audiences. Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. 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.

Run time: 75 minutes without interval

Save the dates

Dates: 30 July – 2 August 2025
Location: Newstead College Auditorium

Tickets will be released in Term 2.

School shows

We still have some capacity available for our school shows. Please contact Lana for a copy of the booking form with performance times and dates: lana.davie@decyp.tas.gov.au

International Students

Newstead College is delighted to welcome a new group of international students, who come to us from Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Japan and the Philippines. The group are embracing everything Australia and Tasmania have to offer, visiting wildlife parks with their host families, enjoying the sunshine, and playing volleyball after school.

These young people bring a world of perspectives to our campus and are a valued part of our student population. If you see them around campus, be sure to say hello.

Back row: Juliette, Noemi, Camilla, Anna, Mone, Shaira and Hayashi
Front row: Antonia, Rafaella and Wilker

Harmony Day

The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care class celebrated Harmony Day on 21 March as part of our Diversity units with a stall at school. A vibrant hub of information and understanding promoting the values of inclusivity and cultural diversity was prepared by the students as we taught people about the importance of Harmony Day, and how we can all contribute to a more inclusive community.

Our school community were given some yummy baked goods and handouts on Harmony Day to help them celebrate our differences and embrace the rich tapestry of cultures that make our community at Newstead College unique.

Tash Pursell, Teacher

Students and staff have had a wonderful time diving into their first Enrichment sessions for the year.

New in 2025, Enrichment is a Support Group program that creates opportunities for students to gain micro credentials, learn life skills, learn a new skill, focus on their health and wellbeing, and create positive relationships with peers and teachers, in small group settings with a teacher or student leading the session. A wide range of sessions are on offer, including; Japanese club, jewellery making, mindfulness & meditation, basketball, learn to knit, choir, chess club, laser craft, automotive, Auslan, futsal, drawing, psychology, netball, pride group, short film making, IT skills, cards and games, culinary skills, open salon, Rocket League esports, music ensemble and student periodical.

The Term 1 program runs for 5 weeks. Students will enrol in a new Enrichment activity for Term 2 and Term 3.

UTAS LANGUAGES

Newstead College is pleased to offer a range of Language courses in 2025 through a unique pilot program launched in partnership with the University of Tasmania (UTAS). Japanese, Chinese, German and Latin are offered as introductory university courses which can be counted towards students’ TCE and, in some cases, credited into a university degree.

The program’s very first cohort will learn together as one class, headed by Teacher Gemma Burns, breaking out into smaller course-specific groups for concentrated learning. UTAS Interim Head of Humanities Jonathon Wallace was excited to meet the students on a recent visit to the college.

“It’s a really exciting opportunity,” Dr Wallace said. “The great thing about learning a language is being able to share it with other people. So it’s a real treasure to have such a big group learning languages together.

“It doesn't matter if you’re learning different languages – all languages are about communication. In one big class, you can share and swap ideas.”

During the year, students will gain a basic ability to speak in their chosen language. They will also learn about the culture that the language represents.

“Many students said they’re learning a language because they have an interest in Japanese culture, for instance, or they’re going to Germany, or they have family who come from that culture,” Dr Wallace said. “Learning a language gives them better access to all those things.”

Newstead College appreciates the support of UTAS in making language studies available in an enjoyable and enriching format.

“It's a new initiative and so I’m so proud of these young people for putting their hands up to be part of it,” Dr Wallace said. “Hopefully it will be a great success and we have the opportunity to do it for more students in the future.”

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

On Friday 14 March we had the pleasure of welcoming Tim Gambles, an accomplished musician and former student of Newstead College, to our Contemporary Music class. Tim shared his journey as a professional musician, detailing how his career began, the steps he took to break into the industry, his current achievements and his future plans.

During his visit, Tim discussed the dedication and hard work that fuelled his success, including his practice routines, the challenges he faced and the opportunities he embraced along the way. He also treated us to some of his recorded tracks, performed live and answered questions from our students.

It was a very informative experience for everyone involved, and we are incredibly grateful to Tim for taking the time to visit Newstead College.

Vince Walker, Teacher

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Freycinet Camp

Outdoor Education students headed on an adventure-filled camp at Freycinet last week. Day 1 was all about exploring the local area and setting up camp. On Day 2, the group embarked on a 12 km walk into Wineglass Bay, across to Hazards Beach and back again. The trip wrapped up with a 4 km sea kayaking adventure on calm waters, taking in the beauty of Tasmania’s east coast.

Students have been building their confidence and skills in kayaking. After two water safety sessions at the Launceston Leisure & Aquatic Centre, they made a splash at Trevallyn Dam. This outing allowed the students to focus on their paddling techniques and play some on-water team games. Oar-some work!

Trangia Stove Masterchef Challenge

A Masterchef challenge put students' camp cooking skills to the test. As part of their camp preparation, students had to plan their meal, gather their own ingredients, and cook using a Trangia stove. The activity was a valuable team-building exercise that required collaboration, problem solving and adaptability. The resulting dishes speak for themselves!

The classes were rewarded with phenomenal views after hiking to the Sentinel Lookout at the Cataract Gorge.

Crew Coffee Cart

On 26 March, our Certificate II in Hospitality (Barista) students served customers from our custom-made, brand-new Crew Coffee cart. Students prepared almost 50 espresso coffees to our wonderful Newstead College community. These budding Hospo superstars have worked hard to perfect the extraction of espresso and the challenging skill of texturing milk.

We look forward to welcoming a new cohort each Term to build confidence and competency to gain employment in the fantastic Hospitality industry.

Liz Self, Teacher

Cafe Cypress

Cafe Cypress, Newstead College’s student run cafe, is up and running for 2025. Students began the college year by being introduced to our commercial kitchen, where they have been working in teams to test and master recipes for the cafe. They have had the opportunity to learn basic barista skills as well as food and beverage customer service. While it is very early days, the feedback from our patrons has been extremely positive and the students have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to test and further hone their skills in a ‘real world’ learning environment.

During busy service periods, students have worked together to problem solve, communicating effectively to meet the needs of their customers in a timely and professional manner. Every student in both Food and Hospitality Enterprise classes can be extremely proud of their engagement with their responsibilities and the positive attitudes that they have demonstrated. A great team effort.

The Line 1 Food and Hospitality Enterprise class will be opening the cafe at recess on Mondays and the Line 4 class will be open the cafe on Tuesdays at the same time. Many of the past favourites will be on the menu, including carrot cake, sausage rolls and savoury scones, and we can guarantee a few new delicious additions throughout the coming year.

Bronwyn Salter, Teacher

Breakfast at Cafe Cypress

During Term 1, Certificate II in Cookery students have prepared, cooked and served breakfast to the Newstead College community in Cafe Cypress. Bacon, eggs, buttermilk pancakes, halloumi frittata and hash browns have been on the menu, along with fresh fruit salad and house-made granola. A delicious way to start the school day!

Feedback is that the breakfasts have been "delightful" and "absolutely scrumptious".

Sip on Cypress

Sip on Cypress is back and already putting smiles on the faces of students and customers!

Our on-campus training bar gives students an authentic learning experience, setting them up for success in the hospitality industry. Sip on Cypress welcomes students, staff, friends and family to join us most Friday afternoons between 3.10 pm and 5.00 pm. The team looks forward to seeing you there.

Shipboard Safety

Students enrolled in the Certificate I in Maritime Operations recently took on an action-packed day at the Australian Maritime College (AMC) Survival Centre, as part of the Shipboard Safety unit. Next up, they will be completing their vessel induction.

This course provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain essential skills and knowledge for working in the maritime industry.

Drone Practical

Bryce (Year 11) and Callum (Year 12) recently participated in a drone practical as part of their Certificate III Aviation (Remote Pilot) course. This involved the completion of a flight plan, pre-flight checks, precise drone flying, and post-flight checks.

The Certificate III Aviation (Remote Pilot) is unique to the north of Tasmania and Newstead College is pleased to offer the course in partnership with RTO UAVAIR. For Bryce and Callum, it’s a key stepping stone toward their Defence Force aspirations. But the opportunities don’t stop there: the Certificate III in Aviation (Remote Pilot) also opens doors to industries like mining, agriculture, real estate, and more. The sky’s the limit!

Certificate II in Community Services (Health Focus)

Our future healthcare professionals have started the Certificate II in Community Services (Health Focus) course with great enthusiasm. This term, students are getting to know each other, working in teams, and learning essential communication skills. They are also diving into basic patient care, such as selecting and using mobility aids, providing respectful person-centred care, and documenting health information.

The hands-on experience has been particularly engaging, with students practising making occupied beds, bathing and changing neonates, and using mobility aids. Their energy and dedication are inspiring, and we look forward to their continued growth throughout the course.

Maree Gerke, Teacher

ENGLISH

Last month, the English Studio 3 class had the opportunity to meet author Claire Van Ryn, who is a Tasmania writer who began her career as a journalist for The Examiner. After travelling around Australia with her loved one, Claire found inspiration within her own family history and stories of the people she met along the way.

Since then, Claire has gone on to write two novels, her debut titled The Secrets of the Huon Wren, released in 2023. Claire gave the class lots of valuable information and great insights on the professional writing world. The whole class had something to take away from this wonderful experience and hope it encourages many more young, aspiring authors.

Miki, ex Scottsdale High School, and Jordyn, ex Indie School (Year 11)

LEARNING SUPPORT

Beautiful weather, great teamwork and awesome results … Students in the Pathways to Work class enjoyed a successful start to their Car Wash Enterprise. With ongoing bookings, they have kept busy with this weekly task during Term 1.

Cathee Bowles, Teacher

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

In recent lessons, Physical Sciences students have:

Lit up the lab with the flame test! By observing the vibrant colours of different elements, the class explored how excited electrons reveal an atom's identity. A fascinating look at atomic structure.
Put radiation to the test! Using Geiger counters, they measured how alpha, beta, and gamma radiation interact with different materials – paper, aluminium and lead. The results? Gamma proved to be the most energetic, mostly passing through lead, followed by beta and then alpha. Next, students investigated applications of radiation, including medical diagnosis and treatment.

Sam Ayres, Teacher

Meet the Careers Team

Newstead College has your career covered! The Careers Team runs the Careers Hub and UniHub from Monday to Friday in the Library. You can speak with a qualified careers advisor about pathways, including further education and training (including university and TasTAFE), apprenticeships and traineeships, and work options.

In 2025, career development includes student-centred career learning in the classroom, focused sessions during support group, one-on-one conversations with students and families, work experience, career workshops, career events, industry speakers and more.

We support students with resume writing, applying for jobs, connections to job agencies and volunteering.

Sally, Gemma & Susan, Careers Team

UniHub

The UniHub is still a thriving partnership with UTAS, in its seventh year at Newstead College.

Gemma, the Coordinator of the UniHub, is available on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays to assist all students with their questions about university, both at the University of Tasmania and on the mainland. Many students do not realise that university is a pathway available to them – so if you have any aspirations for careers or areas of interest that may involve university, we strongly encourage you to drop into the UniHub for a conversation. Gemma works with the Careers Team and can assist with course information, applications (scholarships and courses), questions about affording university and accommodation, and organising any experiences that will help you in your decision making.

Keep your eye on our socials, your school email and the Newstead News for upcoming visits to university campuses and other opportunities to explore and find out more about university as a post-college option. Gemma is also available to meet with parents and can be contacted at: gemma.burns@decyp.tas.gov.au

UTAS Schools Recommendation Program

Applications for Year 12 and 13 students for UTAS will be through the Schools Recommendation Program (SRP). Applications open on 26 June and rather than the ATAR, students’ application will be assessed on the recommendations of their teachers here at Newstead College. It’s important for students to know that a university pathway will be open to them – even if they will not be eligible for an ATAR.

A session on the SRP was held this Term. Any students who missed this session should see Gemma.

Tasmania Police Visit

Senior Constable Natasha Daniels spoke to Newstead College students on 4 March about Policing as a career. Police Officers work in diverse areas, and students in Year 12 can apply for the Career Development Program (CDP). If accepted, students will attend a one-week program at the Academy in Rokeby during the April, July or October holidays. They will learn about what Policing involves through scenario training and other immersive experiences. Fitness and psychometric assessments are undertaken, and students may be offered employment on completion of college. The CDP is a great opportunity to “try before you buy” your career.

Two Newstead College students will be attending the CDP in July, and another has applied for the program in October. We had a large number of Year 11’s attend the info session, and these students can apply later this year to do the CDP in 2026.

Sally Oetterli, Careers Team

Meet the Teacher Evening

We were delighted to welcome students and their families to the Caff on 26 March for our Meet the Teacher Evening. It was a fantastic opportunity to build connections. The event was made even better with:

High-quality live performances from Music students Alex, Shade and Darcy
Barista coffee served from the NEW student Crew Coffee cart, professionally run by Certificate II in Hospitality students Juliette, Sarah and Dani
Delicious afternoon tea prepared by Food and Hospitality Entreprise classes

Thank you to everyone who came along and contributed!

Photos by Chloe, Year 11

Netball Easter Raffle

New to the Library

We have a great range of new titles just arrived and ready for you to borrow! Do you love fantasy or historical fiction? Come and check out the full Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, or the three-part Tattooist of Auschwitz saga. Or maybe you’re into non-fiction? Explore the Amazon with David Grann in The Lost City of Z, or equip yourself with survival skills with Bear Gryll’s How to Stay Alive. If you’re ready to challenge how you think, we’ve got you: try Human? A lie that has been killing us since 1788 by Ziggy Ramo or Simply Psychology. These books and many more are just waiting for you at the library!

Can’t find what you’re looking for on the library catalogue? You can recommend a book for purchase.

Amy Kamphuis, College Library

REQUEST A BOOK

Driving for Jobs Successes

Congratulations to Year 12 student Dani, ex Cressy District School, and Year 11 student Will, ex Scottsdale High School, the first learner drivers to gain their Ps through our Driving for Jobs (DfJ) program in 2025. Congratulations also to Year 11 student Riley, ex Brooks High School, for passing his L test through the program.

All eligible NC students are encouraged to participate in this program. For more information, please see Leanne in the College Library on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

2025 Information for Families & Students

The 2025 Information for Families & Students booklet contains important information about attendance, College rules, TCE, Support Group, student wellbeing, careers and more. Download it now on our website and keep it handy for future reference.

Download the Booklet

Lunchtime Activities

Level up your lunchtime by getting involved in activities happening around campus.

Sports in the gym, on the oval and on the tennis courts
Books, board games, card games, colouring in and computers in the Library
Chess in the courtyard
esports gaming lab in Room 96.

Student Wellbeing Team

The Student Wellbeing Team at Newstead College is made up of a School Social Worker, School Psychologist, School Health Nurses and a Youth Worker. The team is located next to the College Caff.

To contact the Student Wellbeing Team, students can:

Complete a Self-Referral Form (located on the Student Resources page on the College website)
Email nec.studentsupport@decyp.tas.gov.au

Submit a Self-Referral Form

School Health Nurses

Our friendly School Health Nurses are here to support your physical, emotional and social wellbeing. They can provide advice and assist with access to local health services, referrals and appointments.

Contact a School Health Nurse

Newstead Reads

Tasmania Reads is an annual celebration of reading and stories filled with reading events and activities for all ages. From Monday 24 March to Friday 28 March 2025, Newstead College students and staff are encouraged to visit the College Library and find a new book, delve into your current read, or revisit your favourite. Snap a selfie while reading and send it to georgia.jordan@decyp.tas.gov.au and you may be featured on the College social media!

Events and activities will be held statewide during the week. Visit the Libraries Tasmania website to find activities.

Learn More

Diversity_Book_Chat_Tas_Reads_final.pdf

2025 TASC Reasonable Adjustments Process

Level 3 and 4 Subjects

Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) reasonable adjustments are provided for students with diagnosed conditions, impairments or disabilities who require adjustments for their external exams for TASC accredited courses.

These adjustments may include extra time allowed to complete an exam, use of a word processor for severe handwriting difficulties, permission to take medication or food/drink into the exam room, a reader or a scribe, and advice to markers to ignore poor spelling, grammar, or handwriting.

Those wishing to apply for reasonable adjustments, please contact Brad Cottam, the TASC Liaison Officer for the College, on 6332 3280 or at bradley.cottam@decyp.tas.gov.au. Applications must be submitted to TASC by 4 July, however we must receive notifications from parents as soon as possible and before 26 May. This is because a medical or psychological diagnosis is required as supporting evidence, and we need time to work with yourself and our teachers on completing the application.

Further details can be found on the TASC website.

Find out more

Tasmanian Certificate of Education

At Newstead College, all students are working towards achieving the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) or the Tasmanian Certificate of Educational Achievement (TCEA) by the end of Year 12.

The TCE is the Tasmanian senior secondary certificate requiring the highest level of educational achievement. Students need to achieve the TCE to receive an ATAR for university entrance. Achieving the TCE and TCEA gives students the best chance at gaining employment or continuing their chosen path of study after Year 12.

The TCE recognises skills and capabilities demonstrated at a senior secondary level. The certificate certifies that students have:

completed a minimum of two years of further education and training after Year 10
met the Participation and Achievement Standard by completing a combination of study options to attain sufficient TCE
credit points (120 credit points and 80 must be Level 2 standard)
demonstrated the three Everyday Adult Standards of literacy, numeracy and ICT

Student progress towards their TCE is monitored throughout the year by their Support Teacher and Assistant Principal. Parents/carers will receive updates of this progress. In some cases, students will be required to add an additional subject/s in Year 12 to gain the required points, and/or complete a TASC literacy or numeracy test.

It is important to note that students who do not gain at least 60 credit points in Year 11 find it difficult to make up the points in Year 12, and that regular attendance in every class is the key to satisfactorily completing a course and gaining points.

Please contact your student’s Support Teacher if you have any concerns or questions about the TCE or TCEA. You can discuss TCE/TCEA progress with teachers at the Parent/Teacher Evening in Term 2.

Free home internet for students and families

nbn is implementing this Australian Government program that is offering 30,000 families and carers who look after school-age children and are struggling to pay bills free home internet. Find out more about the School Student Broadband Initiative by calling 1800 954 610, or visit the Anglicare Website.