Learning Across the
Senior School

Year 11 Flinders Camp

'Our camp in the Flinders Ranges provided us with the opportunity to undertake a range of activities, in addition to further exploring our chosen Stage 1 subjects such as English, Biology and Visual Arts. For English students, the breathtaking landscape was a major inspiration for our descriptive writing pieces. Despite the challenges that came with sleeping in tents, being around many flies and without our usual amenities, our cohort bonded in resilience and grew much closer over the course of the week. It was a truly memorable experience and an opportunity we are all very grateful for.'

Alexandra Donato (Yr 11)

Year eleven camp to the Flinders was an incredible experience. From the amazing food to the beautiful nature. It was an experience I'd want anyone to have at least once in their life. The absolute highlight for me was the sunrise walk! Watching the sun come up over the hills into a clear blue sky was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was truly breathtaking. Another highlight for many girls and me was the amazing race activity led by Mr. Rainbird. This activity forced us to be out in nature and experience the wonderful landscapes that the Flinders Rangers have to offer. Overall, this camp was a great opportunity to be out in nature away from anything we know at home, and just be absorbed in the beautiful scenery.

Leila Tunno (Yr 11)

This year’s Flinders Ranges camp was an excellent educational experience. Many of us had not been to the Flinders before and thus, learnt many new things about the environment and the history of the land in that area. Although there were many challenges faced, such as the battle with the flies and the walk to the long drop, our cohort came together to overcome them and get through the experience with a smile on our faces.

Amelia Boulden (Yr 11)

Most Valuable Debator Award

Congratulations to Grace Collins who was awarded the Most Valuable Debator for Intermediate A Grade this year and will be recognised at a presentation ceremony in late October. Grace's dedication, passion, and exceptional talent in the field of debate have not only impressed us but also left an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to witness her in action. Her unwavering commitment to the art of persuasive discourse and her ability to articulate even the most complex issues with clarity and conviction are truly remarkable! Well done!

Year 11 Legal Studies Excursion

Recently, Alice Tiver, Amelia Boulden, and Emily Dagas, Year 11 Legal Studies students, engaged in the SA Schools Constitutional Convention held at Parliament House. This convention offers a platform for Year 11 students in South Australia to assemble and discuss Constitutional matters, with specific focus on The Voice Referendum. Over 60 students from metropolitan and regional schools attended, where the focal point of discussion was "Should the Australian Constitution be more amendable?". Throughout the day, our Loreto students actively participated, raising perceptive inquiries to construct arguments concerning constitutional modification and reform. Mr. David Pisoni (MP) provided valuable guidance to the students regarding public speaking. The day culminated with the students debating this topic in the House of Assembly (Lower House) of Parliament, providing them with insights into legislative and referendum procedures.

Ms Jane Ratsch-Jenke

Business Innovation and Legal Studies Teacher

Write A Book In A Day

On Friday, 1st September we held ‘Write a Book in a Day’ at the Senior Campus. This event is a wonderful challenge where students work in teams of 7 – 10 to plan, write, illustrate and publish a book in a 12-hour period. The book must fulfil a range of criteria including the use of a set of parameters which are not revealed to teams until the morning of the event. As well as the creative aspect of this challenge, teams are also required to fundraise for the Kids’ Cancer Project and the books they create are donated to children’s hospitals around Australia. This year we had 50 students from years 7 – 9 participate and they raised and incredible $3050. All students are to be commended on the positive attitude they displayed on the day and for successfully working as a team to make sure they completed their book within the time limit.

One of our Year 7 teams, The Story Telling Sisters, completed the following reflection about their ‘Write a Book in a Day’ experience:

Writing a book in a single day was an absolutely amazing experience for our group called The Storytelling Sisters. We had an absolute blast throughout the entire process. It was a mix of challenges and enjoyment. Initially, we were a bit unsure about how to start, but as soon as we completed our planning, the stress level reduced significantly. However, as we reached the final hour, things became quite intense and demanding. Despite the last-minute pressure, our group found the whole experience incredibly exhilarating, enjoyable, and filled with challenges. I can confidently say that I would enthusiastically participate in this event again next year.

Ms Fiona Griffiths

Leader of Languages

Languages Week

During Week 8, we celebrated Languages Week in the Senior School. There were a range of activities to acknowledge Languages Week including an Amazing Race, a Languages Week Assembly, a performance of the French play, A Bas Les Touristes! and Cultural Diversity Day on Friday 15th September. During our Assembly, we heard from a guest speaker Kirsty Castillo who spoke to us about the importance of learning a second language. Kirsty discussed how learning a second language can open up employment opportunities as well as outlining the benefits it has for your mind. We heard from our Senior School students who have made the choice to continue the study of their chosen language into the final years of school. Their enthusiasm and passion for the study of a language was clearly evident. Year 9 student, Grace Collins also shared her persuasive piece which emphasised the importance of studying a language. A much-anticipated highlight was the French play which was performed to a large audience in the Performing Arts Centre. Our Year 10 – 12 French students put on an entertaining performance which allowed them to demonstrate their exceptional French speaking skills. Our Languages Week concluded with Cultural Diversity Day which was a great celebration of the many cultures which are part of our community.

The Study of LOTE: Lost in Translation? - By Grace Collins

As any worthwhile neurobiologist will know, human beings are, by nature, social creatures[1]. The renowned ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, once stated as much in his treatise, Politics, writing that “Man is by nature a social animal…”[2] This being the case, one might consider it only sensible to assume that Languages other than English (LOTE) would prove to be popular study choices for Australian students. After all, without global communications, where would we be as a species? Would we have ever set foot on the moon? Would the internet have been invented (and more to the point, where would the youth of today be without it)? Alas, while that assumption could be considered logical, it would also incur the misfortune of being incredibly naïve. You see, to paint a pretty picture, if the global field of language education was located on a cliff, Australia would be teetering on the edge, grasping desperately at a few, lonely blades of grass[3]. In addition to this, learning a second language provides us with several significant health benefits[4]. Therefore, dear Reader, we must take action to preserve the importance of LOTE in the Australian education system.

To quote an article authored by Tim Mayfield of the University of Melbourne, “Australia is not just failing at languages (especially Asian languages), we are failing spectacularly.”[5] Upon reading this, one might speculate that this could be a significant problem within the Australian education system. I certainly do. According to Eurostat, an official website of the European Union, 90.3% of upper secondary EU students studied a foreign language in 2020[6]. Yet according to data collected by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), in 2021 only 8.6% of Australian Year 12 students enrolled in LOTE[7]. I apologise for having to point out the elephant in the ink here, but that isn’t many students. Furthermore (if one requires anymore persuasion that is), compare the land down under to Romania, a nation where in 2020, 97% of students studied two or more languages[8](Eurostat). I think the point here is clear: Australia can do better; it must do better.

In recent years, there have been studies conducted into the various health benefits associated with learning a second language[9]. Evidence suggests that learning a second language can increase the volume of both grey and white matter in your brain[10], or in layman’s terms, it literally makes your brain bigger. It has also been demonstrated that acquiring a second language can delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease by over 4 years[11]. Furthermore, the study of LOTE has been linked to improved cognitive abilities. In short, learn a second language and say arrivederci to the lost car keys that haunt your every waking moment. I must confess though, dear Reader, that this educational endeavour really cannot be recommended highly enough, since essentially, learning a second language is the ultimate way to train your brain.

Convinced yet, dear Reader? I would hope so. If not, I have wasted an entire weekend writing this. Surely, the benefits of learning a second language cannot be underestimated or hidden away in some obscure report between pages of bureaucratic waffle. As previously mentioned, Australia is lagging behind various other countries in the field of language education and, as learning a second language offers various health benefits, it is imperative that we take the study of LOTE seriously. With this in mind, and if it could increase the volume of their encephalon in the process, why would anyone pass up the opportunity to improve foreign language education in this country?