Learning and Teaching

There was certainly a buzz in the air last week when students and staff returned to the College. It is lovely to walk around the College and see the students and staff connecting again with one another. Many of the students missed being at school and reported that it was great to be back in the classroom. I think we are all relieved to be back at school and back to some form of normality in our life.

Year 12 VCE Exams

The official VCE exams began for our students on Tuesday 20th October with a small group of students undertaking their performance exam for Theatre Studies. We also have four students undertaking their performance exam on Monday 20th October for VCE VET Music Performance – we wish you all the best. 

Next week the students complete their formal years of schooling and begin to prepare for the written exams which commence on Tuesday 10th November. As they continue their exam revision we encourage them to study hard, keep sleeping and eating well and maintain good levels of exercise.  Students are reminded that they can still access their teachers for support during the course of the exam period.

Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED)

The Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) made several adjustments to the delivery of VCE and VCE VET studies to support schools and students to engage with learning and assessment, both within the classroom and remotely. These changes, which reduced the assessment demands on students, were crucial to enable a fair, valid and reliable assessment to be made for this year’s VCE students.

At the same time, VCAA recognise that some students enrolled in VCE and VCE VET scored studies have experienced particularly difficult circumstances this year as a result of both coronavirus (COVID-19) and/or bushfires. This includes health and wellbeing challenges, financial stress, extra home responsibilities and family stresses. To ensure fairness for all students, Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED) will be considered for all students. In support of this new process, all students can submit a Student Statement. The Student Statement is a simple tick box exercise which will inform the process of CED. No supporting evidence is required. However, the school can ask for clarification if needed. Students have been issues with the Student Statement form and these need to be returned to the College Office by Tuesday 27th October. Further information will be sent home to families. 

End of Year dates for Year 11 Students

• Year 11 Exams Start on Thursday 12th November and conclude on Thursday 19th November. The exam timetable will be available to students in the coming weeks.
• Friday 20th November – Student Free day for Year 11 students
• Monday 23rd November – Exam Feedback Day
• Term Zero starts Tuesday 24th November
• End of Year Mass and Presentations – Thursday 10th December

Learning Behaviours

Often in education, and schooling, end results are a focus. Results such as the completion of a VCE or VCAL Certificate, or an exam result or end of semester progression point are of significant interest. I understand the interest in these final or summative results. It is also important that we encourage students to focus on the learning behaviours which in many ways lead to the final outcomes. These learning behaviours are:

• Collaborates well with students and teachers
• Demonstrates self-regulation to work independently
• Displays initiative to improve learning
• Responds to feedback with positive action
• Uses effective organisation strategies
• Completes work on time

These learning behaviours are very important and also provide valuable insight into how a student is progressing academically.  I encourage parents to discuss with their child their progress in developing these learning behaviours and then perhaps set some goals around these behaviours for the weeks ahead.

Book Week

This week we celebrated a belated book week, albeit without the usual activities in the Library for students at recess and lunchtime. Students in Year 7 were involved in an incursion with local illustrator Ben Wood. Ben Wood is an Australian based children's book illustrator, and is co-creator of bestselling series Real Pigeons by Andrew McDonald. Students in Years 8 and 9 had a presentation from Australian author Marc McBride. Marc McBride has illustrated more than 50 book covers and is well known for his illustrations on the covers of Emily Rodda’s Deltora Quest series of books. Thankyou to Shayne King for his work in organising these opportunities for our students. 

Booklists and Stationary Lists

Booklists and Stationary lists for 2021 are now available on the College Website https://www.mackillopleongatha.catholic.edu.au/discover-2/learning-and-teaching/school-resources-list-booklist/

Stationary lists need to be ordered by Friday 20th November to avoid a late fee. Please note that due to changes related to COVID safe practices there will not be a book collection day in 2021. Stationary will be home delivered for a flat rate of $15.95 per family.

Booklists need to be completed online by Friday 4th December to avoid additional fees. Booklists can be purchased instore from Campion Education in Berwick (Unit 1/ 5 Intrepid Street) or via home delivery for a fee of $10 per booklist. Families with more than one child can submit one booklist online and can then call the Customer Service line 1300-433-982 to add additional books from other year levels.

There are a number of VCE Science and Humanities subjects that are using Edrolo textbooks for 2021. Please note that the cost of these books includes a complimentary physical printed textbook as well as the the complete digital textbook with access to video solutions to every question in the book, exemplar solutions, and hundreds of exam questions. Staff will also have access to digital data on how students are tracking including their understanding of content (strengths and weaknesses) as well as completion of class work. Please note the book is revised and edited each year so the 2021 edition will be different from the 2020 edition. The hard copy text books will be delivered to the College at the start of 2021 and distributed in class.

Enjoy the upcoming long weekend!