Assistant Principals' Update
Learning and Teaching
Parent Teacher Interviews
Thank you to the many parents and students who participated in the recent Parent Teacher Interviews. These conversations are an important part of your child’s education and are fundamental to effective partnerships between school and families.
The interim reports indicated if there were areas of concerns that warranted further discussion and where appropriate, subject teachers requested to see parents/carers for an appointment. We will be following up with parents / carers who did not respond to this request to ensure that learning concerns are addressed and plans put in place to support your daughter.
There are many important events scheduled throughout Term 2 that I would like to draw to your attention:
Semester 1 Examinations
Year 10 core and elective and Year 11 VCE Examinations commence on Friday 31 May and conclude on Friday 7 June.
Year 9 Examinations (Core subjects : English, Mathematics, Humanities and Science) commence on Thursday 6 June and conclude on Friday 7 June.
The Semester 1 Reports will include the examination results.
Students are strongly encouraged to begin and maintain a revision program well in advance of their examinations. Specific strategies will be provided to students in classes and the pastoral program. There are also plans in place for study strategies workshops to be held after school in the library during Terms 2 and 3. These will be advertised early next term and open to all year levels.
VCE Unit 3 & 4, Year 11 and 12 VCAL classes will operate as per the usual timetable.
End of Semester 1 2019 - Calendar date
The whole school (Years 7 to 12) will roll over to Semester 2 on Monday 17 June. As we started the 2019 academic year early in Headstart (end of 2018), we have brought the end of Semester 1 forward by two weeks. Semester 1 reports will be available on Parent Access Module (PAM) by noon on Friday 28 June.
Students who may be rethinking their choices for Semester 2, Year 9 and 10 elective subjects or VCE Unit 2 will have an opportunity to request a change. The process will open on Friday May 31 and close on Wednesday 12 June. We will communicate further information about subject changes to students via the Student Bulletin on SIMON.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN testing for Year 7 and 9 students will occur on Tuesday 14 May, Wednesday 15 May and Thursday 16 May.
VCAA provides useful information for parents about NAPLAN testing which you can view HERE:
All students are expected to participate in the NAPLAN tests and catch up tests will be made available for individual students who are absent on test days.
VCE/ VET Unit 3 & 4 Students – General Achievement Test (GAT)
All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE/ VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences must sit the GAT on Wednesday 12 June
Although GAT results do not count directly towards a student's VCE results, they play an important role in checking that school-based and external assessments have been accurately assessed, and in calculating Derived Examination Scores.
The students will participate in a GAT preparation assembly and familiarisation tasks prior to the GAT. Please note that Wednesday June 12 is a student free day for all other students.
Save the Date: Kilbreda College Pathways Expo
The Pathways Expo will take place on Tuesday 23 July (evening). This event will focus on 2020 subjects and pathways planning for students currently in Years 9 to 11.
End of Year Arrangements for Year 12s
Even though the end of year seems a long way off it will come around very quickly!
The schedule has been slightly adjusted from previous years, to allow our students a full week of revision, prior to the Unit 3 and 4 VCE examinations commencing.
Monday 21 October
Last day of Year 12 classes and Assembly acknowledging Unit 3 and 4 Academic Excellence and the Unit 3 and 4 Academic Endeavour awards
Tuesday 22 October
The Year 12 Celebration Day
Wednesday 23 October
Year 12 Graduation at Caulfield Racecourse (evening function)
Catherine Johnston
Assistant Principal: Learning and Teaching
Student Wellbeing News
This past fortnight has seen a flurry of events and activities, including Parent-Teacher interviews, our Active Travel Day, the VET Bike Ride camp, departure for an immersion trip to Italy and school production and music rehearsals. In particular, congratulations to our SCSA Swimmers who competed in the Division 1 Championship Carnival on Wednesday night where they finished in 5th place and our DAV Debaters who debated in Round 2 of the DAV Debating Competition on Tuesday evening. We had a number of teams win their debate and all students involved showed enormous courage to represent Kilbreda so ably.
This week will culminate with an Easter Liturgy and our ‘Dare to Donate’ Project Compassion Initiative. These are both student led events that have required students to think creatively and engage in extensive forward planning. It always gives me much pleasure to watch and listen to the incredible talent we have in our school. As a teacher, I have always believed that our students are our most under-utilised resource. It never ceases to amaze me what, given the opportunity, our Kilbreda girls can achieve. My gratitude goes to all the students who give life to our Kildare Ministries values and make Kilbreda the special place it is.
During such a busy period, it is sometimes easy to forget about the importance of mental health and wellbeing. Good mental health is essential for our students to achieve their academic potential. Mental health difficulties can impair students’ learning, impacting their attention, cognition, problem-solving, social interactions and capacity to work constructively with others or to engage effectively with learning activities. Positive mental health (or wellbeing) on the other hand, means students will have the resilience, motivation and persistence needed to engage effectively in complex learning tasks, manage stress, respond positively to challenges and make the most of the opportunities available.
Teachers have a critical role to play in fostering student mental wellbeing. The curriculum is the one consistent element of the student experience. This term, we have been adopting curriculum approaches in our Health and Physical Education, Religious Education and Pastoral Program that actively support student mental health and enhance their wellbeing and educational experiences. We will continue to engage in ongoing dialogue about wellbeing, resiliency skills, the reflective sciences (specifically mindful meditation), an empathetic approach to relationships, behaviour development and mistake management, to support our students’ wellbeing as they navigate their way through their educational journey and ultimately achieve their true potential.
Research into the promotion of student wellbeing highlights the important role that nurturing environments can play in accelerating progress in this area. As parents/carers, you play a critical role in providing such an environment in the home setting and in boosting your daughter’s happiness and wellbeing. A recent article from the Australian Parenting Website, raisingchildren.net.au, provides tips for parents on happiness and wellbeing. Some of these tips include praise, encouragement and positive attention, rules and boundaries, healthy lifestyles and family relationships.
Article link: https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/mental-health-physical-health/about-mental-health/happy-teens
Winter Uniform
Parents are reminded that Term 2 includes the change from summer to the winter uniform. The changeover day is Monday 13 May 2019. Therefore, the winter uniform will be compulsory from the 13 May until the start of Term 4. In regards to the wearing of the sports uniform, during Terms 2 and 3, the tracksuit jacket and tracksuit pants are to be worn as the outer garments when off campus. We appreciate your support on all issues related to uniform and appearance in general.
Stephanie Smyth
Assistant Principal: Wellbeing and Engagement