Magis report

The John XXIII Creative Writing Competition (Short Stories) has now been completed and a booklet featuring 28 of the best stories will be available next week.  Winners in each section were: Year 7:  Sophie Thomas-Barna (St Louis)  Year 8: Thomas Symington (Loreto)  and Seniors: Caitlin Green (Campion).  Creative Writing was a Magis-run House competition which saw Campion win narrowly from Ward with Loyola edging out Loreto and St Louis for third place.  Congratulations to all students who competed, and special thanks to our staff  judges, Kirralee Dawson, Lisa Martella, Lorraine Holmes, Susanne Sawyer and Kate Murphy. The full results flyer will be circulated in the coming week.

Years 7 and 8 Magis option students have been working hard in two main areas this term, an introduction to Philosophy and the International Baccalaureate-style personal projects which are due to be submitted for assessment at the end of week 8. There are some amazing projects. Congratulations to all students involved and thanks to parents who have supported them.  With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions we will be able to hold the Years 7 and 8 Personal Project Display Opening as planned on Wednesday June 24, and parents will receive an invitation to this important event in the next week. The Semester One Magis awards Breakfast however will be combined into one Magis Awards Presentation Ceremony in Term Four, as all major interschool gifted and talented team events so far this year have been cancelled because of COVID-19.  We look forward to Semester Two when many of the major term three events will commence including Opti-MINDS, Tournament of Minds and British Parliamentary Debating. Currently it appears we may have four Opti-MINDS teams and one for Tournament of Minds.

The next in the series of Magis-run House events open to all students is the Academic Knowledge Challenge in the Arts which will be in the same format as the Mental Maths and Academic Spelling which have been so successful. This event will be held in weeks 8 and 9 and include 30 questions taken from history, geography, politics, literature, drama, art and media. A similar STEM Challenge which will include science, technology, engineering, maths and physical education as well as philosophy and religion will be held in Term 3. Some of the heats of the John XXIII Public Speaking competition will also commence in weeks 9 and 10 this term and be completed next term. The Public Speaking Grand final evening date will be advised before the end of term.

With senior school exams concluding the focus for Year 11 will be the commencement of the process to elect John XXIII College student leaders for 2021.  Best wishes to candidates for all positions. Our Year 11 cohort is truly outstanding, and I am particularly grateful for their splendid contributions to the Magis program.

Jim Miller

Magis Gifted and Talented Program Coordinator