Learning and Teaching

Subjects for 2020 and Booklists

We have completed the assigning of most students to subjects based on the preferences they submitted earlier in the term. In some cases, if we were unable to offer the subject or there was a clash on the timetable, students were allocated one of their reserve subjects. Some decisions are still to be finalised and students will be notified of these as soon as possible.

Booklists have been distributed to all year levels and the last date to return the booklist order to school is Friday 29 November 2019. Orders can also be placed online with Campion directly.

VCE

Scholars of Distinction Award Assembly 2020

We will have a change of format for this prestigious assembly in Term 1 next year. All VCE students who receive an ATAR of 90+ and all students who receive 40+ for a subject mark will receive an invitation to attend this assembly next year. We feel that this will give us an opportunity to celebrate more of our students than previously. Students will be notified when results are released.

VCAA End of Year examinations

Students are advised to check their examination timetable on the VCAA website and to familiarise themselves with the examination conditions well in advance of their examinations. Students need to wear full summer uniform to all examinations and to bring their student card or other photo identification to all examinations.

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/Key-dates/Pages/VCE-exam-timetable.aspx

Semester 2 Examinations Years 9, 10 and 11

Years 10 and 11 Examinations commence on Friday 15 November and conclude on Friday 22 November. Year 9 Examinations commence on Thursday 21 November and conclude on Friday 22 November.

Students should be thinking about constructing a useful study timetable to assist with their preparations and to speak with their subject teachers if they have any queries about the structure and content of the examinations.

Exam Navigator booklets for Years 9, 10 and 11 are now on Student Share for students to check, to ensure they are correctly prepared for this period. Advice has also gone home to parents with regards students checking in and out of school in this period and studying options in the library.

Headstart 2020

‘Headstart 2020’ for Years 8 to 12 commences on Tuesday 26 November and concludes on Thursday 5 December. The whole school will begin the 2020 timetable on Tuesday 26 November 2019.

The last two weeks of Term 4 are used to transition students from one-year level to the next. It helps to prepare the students for the following year, so that when classes commence in the new year, we can begin our teaching and learning programs in earnest.

Information will be sent home shortly with regards the college expectations around Holiday Homework for VCE students only.

Celebration of Achievement Evening

The inaugural Celebration of Achievement Evening will be held on Wednesday December 11 at the College. The evening will be a celebration of the Academic Achievements of the top 5% of students at each Year Level based on their academic results over the whole year. It will further allow us to recognise the top student from each Year Level and congratulate them on such a wonderful achievement. Parents are asked to keep the date free, time and venue to be advised as soon as possible.

End of Year details

The last day of classes for all students in Years 7- 11 is Friday 6 December.

Carolyn Callaghan

Acting Assistant Principal:

Learning and Teaching

Wellbeing and Engagement

Student Leadership 2020

After an extensive selection process – that consisted of an application, interviews and consultation with staff and students, the College has appointed the following students to the 2019 Year 12 Student Leadership Team:

We congratulate all Year 12 students who nominated for a leadership position in 2020. Our College is blessed with fine student leaders and their passion, creativity and commitment to Kilbreda College was evident throughout the election process.

College Ambassadors

This term, our Student Wellbeing Team has been focusing on our transition program for our ‘future’ Year 7 2020 students and their families. To assist with ensuring that this transition period is as special and as purposeful as possible, maximising, where we can, the wellbeing and opportunities of all girls within our care, we have appointed College Ambassadors. Our College Ambassadors have led the Year 7 2020 Transition Evening, visited Primary Schools and provided reflections on their Year 7 experience and tips on making a smooth, confident and successful transition. They have also assisted with facilitating a Making Connections afternoon on the General Ability Testing Day for incoming students from non-feeder Primary Schools.

A sincere thanks must go to the following College Ambassadors:

Year 7 2020 Transition Evening: Alicia Henry, Jade Wise, Hannah Schofield, Isobel Wise, Kate Lowe, Keely Ortland, Bridgette Veneris, Alicia Noble and Ella Bater. Special mention must go to Olivia Davies who delivered a beautiful performance of ‘Part of this World’ from the Little Mermaid.
Making Connections Workshop #1: Kate Lowe, Keely Ortland, Natalie Meyer, Annabel Gorman, Katelyn Goulas, Natalie Mason, Stephanie Henderson, Isabella Afferi, Lucinda Smith, Polly McCartney, Elise Ralph, Josephine Rees, Mia Clohesy, Llelarni Mitchell, Enrica Lepatan.
Primary School Transition Visits: Marilyn Vincent, Talia Samachetty, Hannah Mullins, Alicia Henry, Stella McKay, Shania Nugara, Olivia Pope, Sienna Koop

Brave Not Perfect

At Kilbreda, we challenge our students to be healthy ‘risk takers’ and help them see that when faced with set-backs, finding the strength and resilience to try again, becomes a wonderful accomplishment. We also encourage our students to stretch themselves beyond what is easily comfortable so that the challenges of life will bring new learnings – we urge them to be critical thinkers, inquisitive, collaborative and optimistic. We support them to be the best version of themselves, allowing them to be nurtured by their faith and spirituality and encouraging them to be advocates for justice.

So how do we then achieve the balance in teaching our students to ‘worry less about fitting into glass slippers, and more about shattering the glass ceilings?’ In her TED talk ‘Teach girls bravery not perfection,’ Reshma Saujani suggests that it is about socialising girls to be brave (https://youtu.be/fC9da6eqaqg). Bravery she argues, requires something different: a growth mindset, adaptability, vulnerability and self-compassion; guiding them towards lives of independence, creativity and courage. With this in mind, it will be important over these final weeks of the 2019 school year that we support our students to approach their exams or assessment tasks bravely as these normal school events are pivotal in shaping them and building their capacity to develop resilience as they navigate their path of personal achievement and success.

To assist young people in the preparation for exams, Headspace suggest young people should:

1. Be organised. Have all of the equipment you need for an exam and check that it is working.

2. Be up to date. Have completed all of the set work to the best of your ability.

3. Get plenty of sleep. Make sure you give yourself the best chance of sleeping well (you will sleep better if you have done everything and you are organised).

4. Think of it as normal and normalise it to your child. It is practicing a process.

5. Help them to revise. This can help to alleviate stress for students.

6. Reassure students that this is a method of determining their knowledge, practice for future exams and not a reflection of them as a person.

http://headspace.org.au/young-people/how-to-reduce-stress-and-prepare-for-exams/

Stephanie Smyth

Assistant Principal:

Wellbeing and Engagement

Justice and Democracy