Assistant Principals
Semester 2 Timetable
Over the school holidays Andrew Lewis and Zoe Carolan will be developing the semester 2 timetable. In an organisation this size it is like the most complex and difficult jigsaw puzzle you can imagine.
The new timetable will accommodate the semester based changes as year 7 and 8 students try new subjects in The Arts (Visual and Performing) and Technology. Our year 9 and 10 students will also flip into their new electives (chosen last year).
Some classes will have new teachers for year long subjects as we make accommodations for staffing changes that will occur next term.
Please keep an eye out for the changes on Thursday or Friday of the second week.
Year 10 Learning Mentor Group
A review of year 10 last year indicated a strong need for a greater focus on career planning, study skill and life skills. As a result the old Bootcamp program was retired, and the Learning Mentor Program was extended from one period a week in semester 1 to three periods across the whole year.
We have recently reviewed the success of the first semester and have found that students are making great success with developing their career action plans which include Plan A, Plan B and Plan C.
As students prepare for their final years of schooling the focus of the program will shift to study and life skills. In order to leverage the most advantage for students in relation to this focus, we will be making changes to the current Learning Mentor Groupings. As a result, students may notice when they get their new timetables that they are in a different group for this program in semester 2.
Subject Selection
We hit the ground running next term in relation to planning for 2020 and a big part of this relates to subject selection.
The Curriculum Handbook for 2020 will be delivered to the College in the first week of term and distributed to students in year 8-10 as early as possible. In week three of the term we will have the Curriculum Information Night. This is a great opportunity for students and parents to come to the College and find out the specific options we offer from the people who design and teach the subjects (our teachers). There will also be a series of presentations for students and parents at each year level outlining the requirements for a course at each year level as well as other key information.
Following the Curriculum Information Night the portal for students to enter their subject selections will be open. There will be course counseling for all year 10 students and a program review for year 11 students. Year 8 and 9 students will have support through Learning Mentor group in relation to selecting their course.
Collecting and processing all this information will take some time and students will notified of the subjects they are doing in term 4 around the time the book list information comes out.
VCE Semester 2
There is no rest for the wicked.....or for VCE students. This week our Year 11 students began unit 2 and our Year 12 students, unit 4. The academic year in these years goes very quickly and students need to take full advantage of the holiday breaks to get on top of their learning.
For Year 11 students, activities such as pre reading chapters, developing glossaries, practicing skills, completing questions, looking at exemplars and beginning preparation of revision notes are all useful strategies.
Year 12 students need to keep in mind that they will be examined on unit 3 and 4 at the end of the year. As well as each of the above activities suggested for year 11 students, they should also be developing strategies to consolidate their knowledge and skill for unit 3.
Winter Uniform
OMG it has been cold and aren't the kids telling us. We have been chasing our tails with students who are wearing non uniform items to school without any reasonable explanation. We ask that parents take the opportunity over the holidays to look at what warm options their children have and to supply any additional items that are needed.
It really is far too cold for girls to be wearing their summer dress and although boys may be difficult to encourage into long pants they would be far more comfortable if they left the shorts for the summer months.
The uniform winter range includes: long pants for girls and boys, a winter skirt with navy blue tights, a woolen school jumper, a rugby jumper, and a school over jacket. Combine these with a long sleeved t shirt, and warm scarf in school colors and there should be no reason for students to be out of school uniform because of the weather.
The school holidays are an ideal time for parents to check school uniform to ensure their children have the necessary items, that they are in good repair and they still fit.
Uniform Shop is open on MONDAYS and THURSDAYS from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, and the first Saturday of the Term from 1 - 4pm. Prices and additional trading hours can be found on the College website.
Catherine Ford, Shane Kruger and
Andrew Lewis
Assistant Principals