Acting Assistant Principal Report

Year 7 and 8/Support

Term 1 Report

Year 7

What a tremendous start to the year it has been for our Year 7 students! We are incredibly proud of the way they have settled into the routines and rhythms of secondary school. Building relationships with multiple teachers, adjusting to increased expectations around classwork, homework and Common Assessment Tasks, and navigating a new environment is no small feat—and they have done so with great success.

Our students approached NAPLAN with confidence and maturity, and we look forward to celebrating their results later in the year.

We extend our sincere thanks to our Year 7 Tutor Teachers, subject teachers, and our dedicated Year 7 team—Jess Ballas, Ben Loxham and Emily Payne. Their care, commitment and support have played a significant role in ensuring such a positive start to the year.

A reminder that we head straight into Year 7 Camp at the beginning of Term 2. While staff will not be available over the holiday break, all relevant information, including packing lists, has been shared via Compass. We are very much looking forward to this exciting experience with our students.

Year 8

Our Year 8 students have made an excellent start to the year, demonstrating a strong commitment to their learning and a willingness to embrace new subjects and teachers. As is often the case in the second year of secondary school, students have also been navigating changes in friendships and class groupings. These are natural developments, and we commend our students for the maturity they have shown in seeking support when needed.

We thank our Year 8 team—Nick Loadman, Joe Dunne and Dale Towler—for their ongoing dedication and support of our students as they continue to grow both academically and personally.

A reminder to all families that we offer two valuable, free tutoring opportunities each week at Parkdale: JUMP (Junior Maths Support) runs every Tuesday after school, and Homework Hub is available each Thursday after school. Both sessions take place in the downstairs area of the Junior Learning Centre.

We look forward to connecting with students and families at our upcoming Parent-Teacher Interviews in Week 2 of Term 2 (Thursday 30 April). Both online and in-person bookings are available for Year 7–10 families. We encourage you to book early, as appointments do fill very quickly. Students are expected to attend alongside their parents or guardians.

On behalf of our teaching and student management teams, we wish all families a safe and restful holiday break. We look forward to another positive and productive term ahead.