Professional Culture and Growth

Timetable Changes for 2024 

After months of review and consultation with staff, students, and parents, we are pleased to announce our new timetable structure for 2024. These changes will come into effect for Head Start – Tuesday 28 November.

Lesson Times 

As communicated via our Principal, Ms Lisa Harkin, we will be moving Tutor Group back to the start of each day. There was an overwhelming response from our students that they preferred Tutor Group to begin their day as a time to be with their peers, check their emails and daily messages and prepare for their day. Staff also felt, that whilst the placement of Tutor Group supported a higher attendance at the start of the day this year, the first contact each morning was felt to be an important factor in building positive relationships and establishing expectations.

The lesson times for 2024 will be:

Timetable Structure Changes 

The Year 10-12 timetable is fully blocked into lines. This means that “whenever a class is doing Year 12 English, the class next door is doing Year 11 Economics”. This structure allows for seamless integration between year levels for staff and students, especially those students who accelerate.

In 2024, each Year 10-12 class will run for eight 60-minute lessons per 10-day cycle*, This is broken into two singles and one double each week. Double lessons will run for Lessons 2-3 and Lessons 4-5 to allow for a break in between.

* The exceptions to this are Year 10 Health and Physical Education, and Year 10-12 Religion, which each run for four lessons per cycle, with no doubles.

Year 10 Vocational Preparation students will not have structured lessons on a Wednesday as they attend their TAFE course. 

At Years 7-9, students will be in Core classes for English, Mathematics, Religion, and Humanities (although Year 9 Mathematics groups may be mixed to allow students to access Advanced Mathematics).

In addition:

• Year 9 students will also study two electives per semester, Science, and Health and Physical Education – both yearlong subjects – in mixed (non-Core) groups.
• Year 8 students will also study Science (yearlong), Drama, Music, Food, and Textiles (all semester-based) in Core groups, and Japanese and Health and Physical Education in mixed (non-Core) groups.
• Year 7 students will also study Science (yearlong), Art, Music, Digital Technology, and Materials Technology (all semester-based) in Core groups, and Japanese and Health and Physical Education in mixed (non-Core) groups.

Rooms 

With an increase in enrolments and classes in 2024, we are almost at capacity with our rooms. Whilst an excellent “problem” to have, it does mean that we have needed to be a little creative with some rooms and classes. More importantly, we see the need for stability and routine for our Year 7 and 8 students and this has been reflected in their rooming, with core subjects being held in the same rooms and specialist subjects in specialist rooms (e.g. science lab).

Subject Allocations 

We are pleased to announce that all Year 11 and 12 students received all of their preferences for 2024. We had 7 year 10 students who needed to move into a reserve subject due to either a subject not running or a clash in the timetable. 

We are aware that several students would like to apply for a subject change during Head Start. We will offer this in the second week of Head Start and will be based on availability in the subject and if it works on the timetable. If your child wishes to make a pathway change, for example move from Vocational Major to VCE pathway, please ensure that they are making an appointment with our Careers Coordinator – Mrs Elly Martin. 

Staffing 2024 

As mentioned in previous issues of Emmaus, we have been delighted with the calibre of teachers who have applied to work at Marist-Sion College. We are almost there with our staffing , but still looking to employ in Mathematics and Science. 

Georgie Erpisimidis

Deputy Principal – Professional Culture and Growth