KLA Feature: Year 9

Year 9 has made a positive and enthusiastic start to the year. Students have settled well into their new classes, forming strong relationships with their teachers and continuing to grow as a supportive and respectful cohort. It has been wonderful to see the girls embrace new learning opportunities and demonstrate a willingness to challenge themselves both academically and personally.

A highlight for many students this year has been the opportunity to choose elective subjects for the first time. Our Year 9 students are exploring a wide range of interests through electives such as Textiles, Food Technology, iSTEM, Design and Technology, Elective History, Commerce, PASS, Visual Arts, Music and Dance. These subjects allow students to discover new passions, develop their creativity and practical skills, and further shape their individual learning journeys.

We are very proud of the students who represented the College in the CSDA Public Speaking Competition. Gabrielle (9 Jackson) and Stephanie (9 Macarthur) demonstrated great courage and confidence as they competed against the tough competition from Catholic schools across Sydney. We congratulate all students involved for their dedication and for representing the College with such pride.

Year 9 students have also embraced a variety of sporting and co-curricular opportunities this term. Sport activities have included Ag Club, Cheerleading, Drama Club, Cooking Club, Textiles Club, Wellbeing and Mindfulness, Art Club and Music Club. It has been wonderful to see students exploring their talents and building friendships through these experiences. A number of students have also represented the College in volleyball and Oztag, with upcoming trials for netball and soccer. Next term, students will participate in venue sport, rotating through activities such as Flipout, TruNinja, PCYC, lawn bowls, rock climbing and bowling.

Our Year 9 cohort was also strongly represented at the College Swimming Carnival, where house spirit and encouragement for one another were clearly on display. Exceptional achievements by Abigail - who came 1st in every event at the swimming carnival except for 50m breast where she placed a very close 2nd place (within 1 second).

We also commend the students who participated in the Cross Country event in the 15-year division for their perseverance and commitment. A special congratulations goes to Tayla, who placed 1st in the 15 Years Cross Country, delivering an impressive performance and a well-deserved win. Charlee also ran an excellent race, finishing 2nd, continuing her strong record as a consistently outstanding runner.

A big thank you as well to the Year 9 PASS 1 class, taught by Mrs Peters and Mrs Swannell, who assisted with the event by helping at checkpoints and recording results. Their willingness to support the smooth running of the carnival was greatly appreciated, and they represented Year 9 with enthusiasm and responsibility.

Looking ahead to Friday, 20 March, Year 9 students will participate in an Elevate Study Skills Workshop focusing on time management. This workshop will provide valuable strategies to help students balance their academic responsibilities alongside family life, sport, and other commitments as they continue to grow in independence.

We look forward to seeing our Year 9 students continue to flourish throughout the year as they contribute positively to the life of the College community.

Ms Kim Weaire

Leader of Learning Year 9