Term 3 Newsletter - August 2024

The return to school from the mid-year semester break has been positive and energised. There is a sense of renewed focus, with our Year 7-10 students all starting new elective subjects this semester. Our teachers are developing relationships with their learners and creating engaging learning opportunities.

This is a very important term for our Year 12 students, as they work towards completing their Unit 4 outcomes and prepare for the final Exams early in Term 4. During a Year 11 and 12 IMPACT Assembly this week, I spoke about this being the “final sprint” in what has been a marathon for our Year 12s. I urged each of them to give these last few weeks everything they have got, so as to finish the year and complete their secondary schooling with no regrets. A monumental part of their lives is soon coming to an end and this is the time to dig deep and make every moment count.

An important focus of the first part of the term for our students in Years 9, 10 and 11 has been preparing for their senior studies pathway. Every student has been supported to identify the best learning pathway to help them achieve their desired destination when they graduate. The Senior Studies Parent Information Evenings took place for our Year 9 and 10 students in the first two weeks. The evenings were incredibly well attended by both parents and our students and again, some fantastic questions were asked. Every student in Years 9, 10 and 11 has had one-on-one meetings with their Course Counsellor to support them in choosing the best pathway from them. The Course Counselling process strengthens the partnership between the school, our students and our parents.

Our Parent/Teacher Conferences were held in week 3 and we offered both onsite interviews as well as online meetings. Our teachers enjoyed connecting with our parents and sharing the learning that their children have demonstrated during Semester 1 and what they can expect in Semester 2. If you were unable to attend for any reason, please email your child’s teachers to get feedback as to their learning progress.

Our school’s NAPLAN results are once again outstanding, with the majority of our Year 7 and Year 9 students in the ‘strong’ or ‘exceeding’ bands for both Literacy and Numeracy. In almost every measure our school is achieving well above similar schools and is on par or above the state average. Every family will have received their child’s NAPLAN results and all teachers have immersed themselves in the NAPLAN data to ensure that all students demonstrate high growth in addition to achievement over the next 12 months.

If you haven’t already done so, can I please ask all parents, carers and families to respond to the Parent Opinion Survey. Your feedback on your child’s experience at our school and how we can continue to improve is invaluable.

I look forward seeing many of our parents and families at the upcoming School Production of “Matilda the Musical Jr” in a couple of weeks. It is always such a privilege to see our students truly shine.

Kind regards,

Katie Watmough,

Principal.

Well-being News

From the Student Wellbeing Coordinator

Northern Parent Educators Network (NPEN) Annual Forum: