From the Principal Leader
Dear Staff, Students, Parents/Carers and friends of Chisholm,
Thank you to all parents for your overwhelming response to the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Survey 2024. As a community, we appreciate the time you have taken in completing this important survey that will provide constructive feedback regarding our learning, wellbeing and faith dimensions. This highly valued data enables our college Leadership Team to gain insights and allow us to further plan our strategic vision that leads to further growth in student learning outcomes. Once again, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for your time, care and consideration in completing the 2024 TTFM survey.
Last week Year 10 students and parents gathered together in the College Performance Space for our Stage 6 Learning Success meeting to outline the exciting HSC course that we are able to offer for consideration by students for 2025-2026 HSC. We already have many students who have commenced their HSC pathway in Year 10 by starting the accelerated Studies of Religion (SOR) course or early commencement VET Primary Industries (PI) course. This means that these ladies will be completing the HSC exams in these courses in 2025 and be able to continue their HSC year in 2026 with less stress and volume of assessments. The evening was extremely well attended and students engaged in subject talks from the KLA leaders to assist them in their decision making regarding their HSC study package. On Tuesday 18 June students and parents have been invited to attend a personal coaching conversation with a KLA Leader or member of the college Leadership Team to finalise the course that should be considered based on their learning performance, interests, goals and strengths.
The subject interviews will be held in the college next Tuesday 18 June in the college library-parents may enter via the western carpark library doors. Parking is available off site only. Following this process, students will be sent a link to complete their online course preferences due at the end of the July school holidays. This is such an exciting time for our students as they make choices about the focus of their stage 6 learning journey. I would like to commend all students for embracing the opportunity to discuss the possibilities and options at Chisholm during their final years at the college. In 2025-2026 students will have access to HSC Learning Coaches (staff) and HSC Peer Tutors (ex-students) to ensure they are able to achieve their goals. At Chisholm the senior girls leave with a strong sense of who they are, what they would like to achieve and how they can make a difference in the world. We are a high performing HSC school that continues to support our students to achieve personal excellence.
Today we hosted our very first Women’s Forum with Prue Car, Deputy Premier and Education Minister with Year 11 and 12 students. The students were given the opportunity to ask questions and hear many insights based on Prue’s journey as an ex-student of Chisholm and College Captain and HSC Dux 2000.
Our format today was one that was engaging and allowed the students the opportunity to voice their opinions and understand the challenges that they may face as women in today’s society, and share the joys and highlights of living in our contemporary world.
In our contemporary world today, it is our role as women to question stereotypes, to challenge the obstacles that we face in our lives, to find our strong voices and ensure they are heard, and be advocates for all issues that we believe impact on women and children in particular. It is my hope that as students, you have already met inspirational women in your lives and will continue to do so in the years to come who will shape you to be the best version of yourself both personally and professionally.
Thank you to Marisa Chetcuti for her beautiful musical performance ‘The Roadtrip’ and sharing her talents with us as a community. Your talent and courage is very inspiring indeed. I would also like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all students who asked questions to Prue covering a wide range of social and political issues affecting out locally, nationally and globally. Thank you for your participation and engagement in this wonderful Women's forum at Chisholm.
Next week we will commence a new program, the HSC Peer Tutors program which will support all students studying the HSC in 2024. I have invited the high performing HSC ex-students of 2022-2023 to assist as HSC Peer Tutors and many of these outstanding girls will be providing this tutoring service on Wednesday and Thursday 2-5pm in the college library. Our current Year 12 girls have all been invited to book into this support service that I believe will further consolidate their learning and allow the girls to share their study tips for the important period leading up to the HSC Trial exams, as well as after this in the lead up to the HSC Exams. Thank you in advance to all students who have already booked into this for next week and I encourage all students to confirm their commitment as well.
May God bless you and keep you safe
Best wishes
Mrs Tania Cairns
Principal Leader