Chev Need to Knows
15 March 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
I trust you are well as we embrace the day known among many lovers of Shakespeare as the ‘Ides of March’.
Next Monday will be another day of flipped learning for all students. As conveyed by video in last week’s Chev News, implementation of Flipped Mondays has been more than satisfactory, but we know we have more work to do. Thanks to Leadership Team members’ regular conversations with students about the first three Mondays, we can summarise:
- Many students have commented that they are getting a lot of work done, even more than what has been set, yet they feel exhausted at the end of the day.
- Students would like the opportunity to talk during this time, however the purpose of this time is for students to self-direct and self-pace their time to complete entry type, surface-level learning activities.
- Students learning from home appear to have more autonomy over their learning, and also appear to have increased wellbeing benefits, for example by getting a little more sleep and saving time by not having to travel to school.
- Some flipped learning tasks have not been consistent with the type and timing of ‘entry type, surface-level’ learning activities. Teachers continue to work on their understanding of setting flipped learning tasks, which is different to setting homework tasks or leaving work when away from class.
Additional feedback shows that there is too much flipped learning for those students in Year 9 who do not do HSC Preliminary VET (Vocational and Education Training) subjects during the day. We would agree. 250 minutes (just over 4 hours) of flipped learning in one day for most Year 9 students is too much. As such, commencing Monday 18 March, students in Year 9 who do not participate in a VET course will engage with service learning and content creation courses. You can read more about these courses below.
We continue to seek feedback from all stakeholders. Recently, our Senior Assistant Principal, Rebecca Graham and I started meeting with teachers in each Key Learning Area during morning tea break. These meetings seek insights and feedback about what is working well and areas for improvement. Whilst we have not yet met with all the teachers, there have been some excellent suggestions to consider.
The College now encourages parents to send feedback via a newly established email address: actionresearch@chevalier.nsw.edu.au. If there are matters of concern arising from the feedback, the College will endeavour to address these in a timely manner. Regardless, the content of all emails will be forwarded to our Action Research Team led by Dr Phil Cummins from Circle Education. When doing so, de-identification processes will be put in place.
Our action research will focus on both the student and teacher experience of future-facing initiatives. This will occur through the distribution and evaluation of separate surveys for both students and teachers over a three-month period from March to June 2024. Furthermore, in Term 2 there will be observations of students and teachers on Mondays and focus group interviews with students and staff. A survey will be sent to parents in May, with follow-up focus group interviews in June. Review of data will be ongoing throughout the process, with a view of sharing that data in early Term 3.
In another not unrelated matter, I provide you with an update of the Learning from Home Micro-credential.
Area
| 15 Dec 2023 | 15 Jan 2024 | 9 Feb 2024 | 13 March 2024 |
Number of students who have completed the credential
| 43 | 83 | 135 | 148 |
Number of parents attended seminars
| 18 | 36
| 60 | 131 |
Number of parents provided permission and signed acknowledgements/waiver
| 12 | 23 | 56
| 121 |
Number of students signed acknowledgements to learn from home
| n/a |
| 49 | 102 |
Year 9 Short Courses - Flipped Monday
1. From Planting to Plate
Creating a community garden and making meals for the disadvantaged
In this short course, students will plant and maintain a community garden, where the produce grown will be used to make meals for disadvantaged groups in the Southern Highlands. The students will learn all the basic requirements for starting and sustaining a community garden, such as choosing a suitable spot and testing and improving the soil quality, just to name a few. At harvest time, the students will cook self-selected recipes for delivery to those in need in our community.
2. Harbison Histories - Recollections of yesteryear
In this short course, students will visit Harbison Care residents in Burradoo to document their personal histories and memories of major world events from the past. These histories will comprise written recollections and accompanying photos (where applicable). The students will learn essential communication skills, such as the need to use prompting questions and the art of purposeful conversation that is linked to interviewing. They will also learn the skill of layout for publication for an end product. On completion, the residents will be presented with a bound memoir keepsake of their recollections of yesteryear.
3. VR Reality Course
In this short course, students will delve into the captivating world of virtual reality (VR), leveraging the state-of-the-art VR Lab at Chevalier College. Over the course, students will explore the unique opportunity to dive into the exciting world of “VR Technology in Education”. Students will learn how to use VR equipment to boost their learning across all subjects. In addition, they will get hands-on experience in designing and developing VR experiences for the Chevalier community, using immersive storytelling techniques.
4. Chev Reels - Documenting the Heart of Chev
Chev Reels is a dynamic 5-week short course designed for Year 9 students at Chevalier College. Throughout the course, students will immerse themselves in the world of short-form video content creation, focusing on producing engaging Reels for the Chev Today account and Chevalier College Official. Students will learn essential skills in video production, including scripting, filming, editing, and adding creative elements such as text, music, and filters. The course will emphasise the documentation of the progress of students from other short courses, namely From Planting to Plate and Harbison Histories, while also capturing contextual moments throughout the week.
Lastly, an update for those who are interested in School Funding.
With recent and ongoing public discourse regarding school funding, I share with you the most recent press release from Executive Director of Catholic Schools New South Wales, Mr Dallas McInerney. Please click here to access the media release, and here to access the accompanying report.
Many Blessings to you all for the weekend ahead and we look forward to a wonderful week to follow.
Greg Miller
Principal
Easter Liturgy
On Tuesday 2 April we will be holding our Easter Liturgy. Parents and carers are welcome to attend the liturgy which will commence at 9.00am and conclude at approximately 10.30am.
Sandy Abbey
Assistant Principal – Faith Formation and Mission
PPEP Talk - Year 9-12 Girls
Last week our Year 9-12 girls participated in PPEP - the Period Pain and Endometriosis Program. PPEP Talk® Next Steps is a FREE online session for students who have identified a complex pain concern or would like their caregiver to know more. Further information can be found here. Students attend this session with a caregiver, and have the opportunity to ask questions with Gynaecologist and Pain Specialist Dr Susan Evans. To register, please follow this link.
Kelly Clunn and Natalie LaGarde
Assistant Principals - Wellbeing
Parent Essentials - now in Parent Lounge/Orbit App
As of today, Friday 15 March, all information that you previously found in Parent Essentials on our website, is now located in the Parent Lounge and Orbit App under the School Links menu.
This includes Academic Information such as Stage academic handbooks, Illness/Misadventure forms and subject guides; Wellbeing Information such as the Wellbeing staff directory and structure; Student Information including the Student Information Booklet, PDHPE Practical Days, Bell times, and Canteen menu; and other College Resources. We encourage you to visit the links and familiarise yourself with the content.
Please also note that we ask that all parents/carers use the Parent Orbit App or Parent Lounge for the following:
- Absences and Attendance
- If your child is marked absent from school and this absence is unexplained, you will receive a notification in the App and the Lounge.
- Please use the App or Lounge to explain the absence - this is our preferred method.
- Excursion permission notes
- All permission notes are now electronic and can be accessed in the App and Lounge. Many of you have already experienced the joy and ease of electronic permission slips!
- You will receive a notification when your child has an upcoming excursion or event that needs to be approved.
- Extracurricular hub
- Watch this space! We are in the process of adding all training, rehearsal and fixture times for your child’s extracurricular activity to the App and Lounge. This will soon be your one-stop location to get the information you need.
Other communications to you from the College will remain unchanged for now.
Thank you to the vast majority of parents/carers already interacting via these new tools. For anyone still experiencing issues please refer to our troubleshooting guides here or please contact us via office@chevalier.nsw.edu.au or 4861 1488.
SILC (Student Independent Learning Centre)
SILC is available for supervised independent study at the times listed below. Students from all year groups are welcome to attend.
Monday to Friday 7.15am to 8.45am
Tuesday to Thursday 3.30pm to 6.00pm
Bowral Mobile Blood Donor Centre
One in three people in Bowral will need blood during their lives — and without amazing people donating, that blood may not be there at the crucial moment.
The Bowral Mobile Blood Donor Centre will be at Bowral Pool on the following dates:
Monday 8 April – 10am to 3pm
Tuesday 9 April – 12pm to 6pm
Wednesday 10 April – 12pm to 6pm
Thursday 11 April – 10am to 4pm
Friday 12 April – 10am to 4pm
Saturday 13 April – 10am to 1.30pm
You can pre-book a time at lifeblood.com.au or by calling 13 14 95.
Winter Sports Trials
- Winter Sports trials are underway and continue into Week 9.
- Students should check the trial schedule carefully and see Coach Phillips if they have any questions.
- Students are permitted to wear sports uniform to school on their trial day.
- Any student trialling for Rugby should change into appropriate Rugby shorts at the end of the school day before participating in the trial.
- Students should bring safety equipment appropriate to their sport e.g. shin pads, mouthguards.
- Attendance at all trials is compulsory if students wish to be selected for a team.
Chev Gym Closed - Week 8
Please ensure your child knows that the Chev Gym will be closed next week (Week 8) as the teacher is away supervising a Wilderness excursion.
Coach Phillips
Extra Curriculum Administrator
College Backpacks
A College backpack has been introduced, commencing this year for Year 7 students. From 2025, the College backpack will be mandatory for all students in Years 7 to 11.
Backpacks will be available to purchase in September, from the Chev Shop, for students in Years 8 to 10 2024. Please click here for prices.
School Lockers
Students are strongly encouraged to use lockers to manage their school equipment during the day. To access a locker:
- Bring a combination lock or a padlock with two keys to school.
- Choose a locker number.
- Go to A1 to see the Stage Coordinators. Tell the Stage Coordinators the locker number and combination code, or leave the spare key with them, in case the key is lost or combination forgotten.
- 13-18 March - Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN
- 18 March - Year 9, 10 and 11 White Card Incursion
- 18-22 March - Year 10 Wilderness Excursion
- 18-24 March - Show Team Sydney Royal Easter Show
- 20 March - Reid St Patrick's Day Cake Stall
- 25 March is not a Flipped Monday - all students to attend school
- 27-28 March - Year 9 Wilderness Excursion
- 29 March - Good Friday - students do not attend school
- 1 April - Easter Monday - students do not attend school
- 2 April - Easter Liturgy
- 4 April - CAPALoT Concert
- 5 April - Year 12 Studies of Religion Excursion - Ramadan Night Market