From the Principal

As we come to the end of another very busy term, it is hard to believe that we are halfway through the year. I extend my thanks to our students for all they have contributed to our School this term. The term has been filled with opportunities for learning and engagement in the classroom, on the sports field and many other areas of Yarrabing life. I hope students take a moment to look back on both the past term and semester and feel proud of both their effort and their achievements.

Positive thinking and a growth mindset are valuable tools for Year 7 students as they have a significant impact on wellbeing and building a sense of hope and success. Encouraging a positive outlook and fostering a sense of optimism and calm can help students navigate through challenges, build resilience, and develop a strong sense of self-confidence. When faced with difficult tasks or academic setbacks, students who adopt a growth mindset believe in their ability to overcome obstacles and view them as opportunities for growth.

As adults, we can help students to develop a sense of personal growth and academic achievement, by focussing on the big picture and on their overall growth, not just their grades. When we help students see how they've improved and what they're good at, we teach them that their hard work leads to further growth.

As we finish the term and reflect on the semester’s work, it is important to stop and think about how much our students and staff have achieved and the significant progress they have made across many areas. It is essential that we celebrate this success.

Semester reports will be available to download at the end of the term. Please keep an eye out for a COMPASS notification. I encourage families to spend some time with their child reviewing and reflecting on the semester report. It is important to celebrate successes and to look for areas of improvement. The work habits section of reports is of particular importance. The correlation between very good behaviour, effort, organisation, and academic performance is no coincidence.

I wish to acknowledge and thank all our staff who have worked tirelessly during the first semester of our brand new school to ensure our students are given every opportunity to succeed and develop into well rounded young adults. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing our students try their best, achieve great results, and display our values of Respect, Responsibility, High Expectations and Collaboration.

Finally, a quick reminder about the benefits of reading:

• One minute of reading per day – 8000 words per year
• Five minutes per day – 280,000 words per year
• Twenty minutes per day – 1,800,000 words per year

The Literacy program at Yarrabing Secondary College provides opportunities for reading multiple times per week. This should also be encouraged and complemented at home, where possible. As adults, by modelling this behaviour, we encourage our children to read.

I wish all school families a relaxing break from school routines for the next two weeks and look forward to seeing our students back for Term 3 on Monday 15th July.

Dina Becvinovski

Assistant Principal