Assistant Principal - Curriculum

Mrs Mellissa Bell

Learning and Teaching - a true life long adventure….

Term 4 has started with a real sense of energy. We are fortunate to have with us here a group of young practicum teachers from a wide variety of settings. We have some Nauran education students embarking on a teaching experience for the first four weeks of the Term. They have been in classes observing across a range of curriculum areas and will embark on teaching their first lessons next week. We also will be welcoming students from both Newcastle University and Australian Catholic University from Week 3. The joy of being able to provide placements to Education students is two fold, the students gain valuable experience in the school setting and really immerse themselves in the life of the school and in return the supervising teacher is able to mentor and coach the student, creating a real place for reflection on current teaching practices. Our practicum teachers also bring with them a sense of energy and passion, new opportunities for the students they are teaching and a new sense of wonder about course content and learning experiences.

Year 11 have received their final preliminary reports and we are encouraging them and their families to join us on Monday evening for some feedback and an information session about pathways for success over the next 12 months and beyond formal education. Navigating the world of the HSC can be daunting, there are many rules and regulations to know and understand, and there is a need to ensure that there is a balance between learning, working and wellbeing. We will be discussing these issues at this time. Feedback interviews can be booked via Compass. If you require any further information please contact the front office for support. Some students are beginning to have some very robust discussions about their patterns of study, exploring their goals and how best to work towards them with Miss Amanda Bell, Mr Frank Patricks and myself. The conversations so far have been well considered and any changes will be made over the coming weeks.

We are finalising the elective choices for our 2023 Year 9 and 10 cohort and as such conversations and beginning to design our 2023 timetable and learning spaces. Term 4 is definitely a time for looking forward to ensuring that everyone is set up for success in the coming year. In terms of planning, we have begun to finalise our Annual Improvement Plan which helps us set our broader focus in regard to learning and teaching. Our key focus will continue to strengthen our pathways to success, redesigning learning structures and pedagogy to meet the needs of the young people in each and every classroom.

Learning is a lifelong skill and our goal is to provide students with a passion for learning.

Mellissa Bell