Respectful, Responsible and Successful

Year 8

In an extremely busy term full of exams and assessments, it has been wonderful visiting Year 8 classes and seeing them so engaged in their learning. This has included the Innovation Electives where students have been designing and painting parts of the school, cooking cakes and solving mysteries. 

Some of our female students were also involved in the SALT (Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen) workshop. SALT’s aim is to generate social change by providing females with basic knowledge of generic tool use, which are used in almost all trades, to empower them to succeed in apprenticeships. (Read our separate article on SALT) in this Newsletter edition).

Teachers of Year 8 are still assessing students and writing their reports which I look forward to reading in the coming weeks. I congratulate all of the students who have been working consistently all year and will be attending an excursion to Jamberoo Action Park as a deserving reward.

Year 11

Year 11 are just beginning their first assessment tasks as Year 12 2021 HSC students. It is important that they do their best in every task as these marks all contribute to their final HSC marks next year. Student attendance in every lesson will enable students to do their best. In the past few weeks I have interviewed over 150 students who have elected to drop a subject. In these instances, students are expected to use this time to study in the library. 

No students are allowed to arrive late to school and must attend Connect every morning.

Year 11 have been busy raising funds and raising school spirits. They have been selling Krispy Kreme donuts and have a few other exciting events and initiatives coming up. I have been so proud of the amount of students involved in these activities to improve the school. Students also actively engaged in the Life Ready program over the past week. Life Ready is a mandatory course designed to prepare and support senior students as they become more independent and gain more responsibilities. Life Ready also provided students with the opportunity to build their collaboration and communication skills as they were able to mix with different friendship groups and work as teams.

As the Summer holidays are approaching, children and parents alike start counting the days until the end of the school year, however, this can be the time of year when schedules get really hectic. Sport presentations, performances, testing, plus end of year celebrations quickly fill the calendar and it can be difficult for students to stay focused on learning. No matter how busy your family is, there are three simple steps you can follow to keep your children focused at the end of the school year.

1. Prioritise Sleep - It’s tempting to let bedtime creep later as the days get longer. Many families keep children awake an average of 30-90 minutes later on spring evenings. However, missing sleep is a major cause of behaviour and attention problems in children. A well-rested child can focus, learn, and thrive as they finish out the school year. Set a bedtime that gives your child the recommended amount of sleep for their age and stick to it.
2. Have a Routine - With all the extra events and deadlines for school and extracurricular activities, spring can be more hectic than the holidays. For children, all those extra special events may actually feel like uncertainty. This event overload can lead to melt-downs in younger children, but older children may react by dawdling, tuning out, or acting out with defiance.

Children who have dependable routines know what to expect, and are better able to focus when it’s time to get ready or change activities. A family schedule on a calendar or poster can help make your routine visible. When you know a week will be particularly busy or chaotic, remind your children of the routines you have in place. Communication is key when you or your children are busy.

1. Be Consistent about Behaviour Expectations - It’s easy to let the little things slide at this time of year. With all the excitement we don’t want to be the manners police or stop the fun just to answer a few extra maths questions. The problem with this approach is that children are still developing and are very rigid thinkers: what is true in one place must be true in another. That is, what’s okay at home is also okay at school, so as we loosen up our expectations at home, they loosen their behaviors at school and become less focused on learning.

If lack of focus is interfering with the end of the school year, have a family dinner to talk about what you’re noticing and ask everyone to make suggestions about behaviour rules they think would help. Make a list together, and add your own expectations for their behaviour at school. Then stick to the plan and remind your children why the rules you made together are so important for their learning.

Spring is a wonderful season and the end of school energy can be a great thing for students. By making sure they get enough sleep, stick to a routine, and have consistent expectations, you can help your children stay focused for the final weeks until summer holidays.

Mrs Denise James

Deputy Principal Year 8 and Year 11