Middle Years 

It is exciting to be back and welcome students this week. Special welcome to our new students. The new school year brings much anticipation and enthusiasm. Our Year 7 students starting their secondary school education have coped well with this important transition phase. Mentors will be guiding our new students over the coming weeks and I encourage all families to keep in close contact with Mentors, they have a very important role and fostering good communication at this early stage will make a big difference. It takes time to adjust to new teachers, timetables and make new friends.

We are holding the Year 7 Information Session on Wednesday 12 February, 5 to 6:30 PM in myPEC. All parents and students are invited to attend this session. We will start the evening talking about transition and the early weeks of secondary school, and there will be a short ‘meet and greet’ activity with mentors. Students are required to wear their summer uniform. If students are bus travellers, they are welcome to go to the library and complete homework from 3.45-5pm.

It is important that students establish good classroom and homework routines from the start of the year.

Class Commitment:

• You are responsible for your learning and having a positive mindset helps.
• Listen and focus. Work on improving your concentration. Talk less, class is about learning, not socialising.
• Ask questions regularly.
• Help each other. Sit with people you work well with.
• Fill in record books each lesson.
• Remember that hard work is needed.

Homework Commitment:

• Homework is a ‘non-negotiable’, so commit to it. Treat homework like ‘Period 7’ in your day.
• Revise what you learnt during the day. If you revise daily, you can retain 80% of the information.
• Look at the clear notes in your Record Book.
• Be organised.
• Put off the ‘fun’ activities until the work is done.
• When memorising new material, students are encouraged to:
  • Turn phones off or put them in another room
  • Work in a low noise
  • Have no interruptions
  • Sit at a desk
  • Complete short sessions - 10 minutes on/10 minutes off
  • Give your full attention - don’t multitask.

What matters in myPEC?

Manners matter. Respect matters. Effort matters. Being responsible matters. Being kind matters. Being a good friend matters.

2020 myPEC House Captains:

Year Eight students are able to apply for the 2020 MyPEC House Captain roles - I sent them an email this week outlining the application process. I encourage all students to apply if they are interested in leadership. Applications close at the end of Week Two, and interviews will take place Week Three.

Next week I am in Melbourne with our Year 9 students for their City Experience. I would like to thank Year 9 families for their calm approach to the issues presented by the emerging Coronavirus. It is highly unlikely the Year 9 Experience will travel to China at the end of Term 1 given the current circumstances regarding the Coronavirus’s impact in China.  A final decision will be made in mid-February (Week 3 of term). China preparations have been suspended until such time.

Mrs Julia Winter Cooke

Head of Middle Years