Senior School

Flood - Stories from the River

Year 12 Drama Performance

Last week our four Year 12 Drama students became the 4-PEAS-IN-A-POD Production Company to research, write, produce and perform "Flood - Stories from the River". 

Over many weeks, the students collaborated to create a powerful and engaging small theatrical experience; a verbatim style play, depicting the word-for-word testimonies of people impacted by the recent River Murray Flooding. 

We were honoured to have Jane Stinson MP join us for our opening night.

Congratulations to Ben, Trinity, Bianca and Evie (pictured above) on this huge achievement! 

Student Support Processes Updated

Skills in organisation, time and stress management, self-motivation, goal setting and decision making are essential for Senior School success. Our aim is to create a supportive environment that not only instils these skills, but also integrates a Christian worldview, combining high expectations with appropriate sanctions and nurturing personal growth and achievement.

To align with these objectives, you will find slight adjustments to the expectations and progression of Lunchtime Studies/Detentions, After School Studies/Detentions and, if needed, Internal Suspensions. 

Lunchtime Studies are designed to assist students in catching up on subject work. Students will be given two days to complete their set Lunchtime Study. In the event that a student misses a summative assessment due date without a valid or verified reason, they will be assigned an After School Study. 

Lunchtime Detentions are set for student behavioural concerns, or for unexplained absences. Students will have two days to complete their Lunchtime Detention. 

One prevalent reason for Senior School students receiving a Lunchtime Detention is their failure to arrive for lessons on time (including Homegroup) or leave school early without prior notification to the College from parents/caregivers. This particular issue is a target for improvement. 

• To ensure accountability, parents must call or send an email to Student Services, providing a valid explanation for their child's late arrival or early departure. 
• Any concerns regarding unexplained absences must be promptly addressed with the student’s Pastoral Coordinator within two days of receiving the Lunchtime Detention.

Should a student fail to attend their Lunchtime Study or Lunchtime Detention within the allotted two-day timeframe, they will be upgraded to an After School Study or After School Detention (3:30-4:30pm).

We understand that students attending an After School session may not always be convenient for families. However, it offers a restorative approach where students and families can negotiate a suitable day to complete their After School Study or Detention. In rare circumstances where families are unable to support an After School Study or After School Detention, they must communicate with the relevant subject teacher to explore alternative arrangements, such as three consecutive Lunchtime Studies. At the end of their After School Study, students will be required to submit their completed work to their subject teacher for it to be assessed.

We kindly request your support and cooperation with these updated timeframes and procedures as we strive to cultivate responsible behaviour and enhance learning opportunities for our students. We are confident that together, as a community, we can help our students flourish during their time in Senior School and beyond.

Esther Amoy

Deputy Head of Senior School 

The Resilience Project - Empathy and Kindness

This next presentation from The Resilience Project is all about Empathy and Kindness. Empathy is our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others to feel and see what they do. We practice this through being kind and compassionate towards other people. Brain-imaging data shows that being kind to others registers in the brain as more like eating chocolate than like fulfilling an obligation to do what’s right (e.g., eating brussel sprouts)! Research shows that practicing empathy, such as performing acts of kindness, taps into our brain’s ‘mirror neurons’, builds compassion and our behaviour becomes more social and community-based. 

Here’s an activity to practise empathy and kindness: 

1. Reflect on someone in your life who could benefit from an act of kindness today. It could be a friend who would love some affirmation about their work, your pet who deserves an extra treat, or a family member who would love a phone call or text message.
2. Make a plan for who you are going to give an act of kindness to and what you are going to do.
3. If you want to add accountability to your plan, share it with someone else and encourage them to do the same thing.
4. Follow up with each other in a few days time, to ask how it went!

Sources: Psychology Today,UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science

For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.

Year 10 Work Experience

Last week our Year 10 students completed their work experience placements. 

Work experience allows students to explore possible career pathways and develop employability skills and industry-specific competencies. 

Workplaces that our students visited: