St Augustine's College Kyabram

9-12 Community News

Welcome back!

As the dust settles on the first full week of term, it is an opportunity to reflect on how well the students of the 9-12 Community have settled into the new school year. After the challenges of the past two years, the 9-12 students have returned in 2022 with excitement and enthusiasm. There were many happy faces as students greeted their friends and teachers. Along with many familiar faces, we also welcomed a number of new students (and staff) and it was pleasing to see how well the new students were accepted and welcomed into the community.

 

Students have begun their classes enthusiastically, worn their uniform proudly and correctly and have established a fantastic environment in their learning and recreation spaces around the College. 

 

2022 sees the introduction of the new College Diary, which has been provided to students from Years 7-12 to assist with organisation, planning  and time management.  During their 20 minute TA lesson every day, students will continue to work with the curriculum developed by ‘The Resilience Project’ to further enhance the learning completed in 2021 relating to Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness (GEM) and Emotional Literacy. 

The Resilience Project curriculum delivers emotionally engaging programs to students, providing practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness. Through a variety of digital presentations, age and stage appropriate curriculum and our Student Workbooks/Diary Planners, we will continue to teach and share the benefits of Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness and easy ways for our students to practise these in everyday life. We will also incorporate emotional literacy, connection and physical health education and activities into our program, as they are foundational contributors to positive mental health.

 

We are very proud of the addition of our Student Diary Planner as we are confident it will be a valuable addition to our Wellbeing and Teaching and Learning Framework. Please ask your child/ren to show you their diary.  The students have adapted smoothly to these new routines and resources and classes are buzzing with energy and activity.

 

With the continued development of our Teacher Advisor/TA system and the introduction of new staff members and roles, we have a number of new TA teachers across the year levels. Again, the students and staff have moved into these new arrangements positively.

 

For all families, the TAs for the 9-12 Community are as follows:

 

Year 9 TA Teachers

Ms Ashley Warren, Mrs Loretta Shannon, Mr Damien McIntyre, Ms Steph Challis, Ms Jessie Mallon, Ms Elise Clarke 

 

Year 10 TA Teachers

Ms Denise Stewart, Mr Danny Dmytriw, Ms Larissa Sherman, Ms Kirsten McIntosh, Mr Willem Kirsten

 

Years 9/10 Partnerships for the Future

Mr Brad Colliver

 

Year 11 TA Teachers  

Mr Ian Paterson, Mrs Amanda Clohosey, Ms Nicole James, Mr Brendon Lane

 

Year 12 TA Teachers

Mrs Jenni Ryan, Mr Simon Costello, Ms Bianca Anderson, Mrs Sharon Darling                      

 

Staff in 9-12 leadership/responsibility roles are:

  • Mr Peter Fawcett is the VCAL Learning Leader
  • Sharon Darling continues in the VCE Co-ordinator role
  • Selga Langley continues in the VET Co-ordinator role
  • Cath Anderson continues as the Careers Advisor
  • Michelle Downie is the 9-12 Community Leader: Wellbeing and Pastoral Care
  • Brad Downie is the 9-12 Community Leader: Student Learning and Professional Practice

Last Thursday, the Year 12 VCE students participated in a session delivered by Elevate Education, aimed at arming them with the study skills and strategies to help them maximise their lessons and study times. This session was very beneficial and the students’ engagement commendable.

 

In preparation for the opening of the VCAL Café, the 2022 VCAL cohort undertook a Food Handler’s Certificate certificate and will complete barrista training in the coming weeks. Staff and students will be excited to see what is on offer when the café reopens in the next few weeks.

 

VCE/VCAL/VET Information: Planning for the VCE/VCAL/VET Information session is underway. Our planning around such events will continue to adapt to the public health directions that we receive from the CECV and the Diocese. We will announce details of the way in which this important information is shared with VCE/VCAL/VET students and families shortly.

 

Michelle Downie                         Brad Downie

9-12 Community Leader           9-12 Community Leader

Wellbeing                                      Student Learning and Professional Practice

Year 12 Biology students patiently building DNA models

Year 12 Literature 

Year 12 Literature students are studying how William Shakespeare's plays can be adapted and transformed. Essentially, The Winter’s Tale is about King Leontes' jealousy of his wife Hermione and his best friend Archidamus. Thus, Leontes has his wife imprisoned and he attempts to have Archidamus murdered via a poisoned spider. Ultimately, Leontes is visited by an oracle who reveals that Hermione was always loyal to him and after death, her statue comes to life. 

    

Denise Stewart

9-12 English and Literature Teacher

Year 10 English  

By Charli Westerveld

 

As part of our Year 10 English classes, students are writing a comparison essay based on a book written by Cate Kennedy. Cate Kennedy is an Australian author based in Benalla, who writes an anthology of short stories called Like a House on Fire. Despite being made up of fifteen stories, students are exploring three, which focus on the impacts of family adversity and an individual's sense of identity and humanity.