DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING REPORT 

Vision for Teaching and Learning at St Mary MacKillop College - a statement that drives the development of a high performance learning culture at SMMC

At St Mary MacKillop College we have high expectations of our students as we equip them with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. We pursue excellence through a teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, engaging and encourages growth. We value collaboration, innovation and building strong relationships.

As we head towards the end of the term, our students are busy completing final assessments, and our Year 10 and 11 students will soon complete exams.

Exams are an important part of the academic journey for our students. As daunting and stressful as they can be, exams provide an opportunity for growth. Exams not only measure academic progress but also provide students an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to complete a task under timed conditions. Exams provide a structured way to assess whether a student has grasped the material covered in class or not, and they also help to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The feedback from exams is valuable in helping students identify the areas they need to focus on for their future learning.

As students prepare for exams, they are learning how to manage their time, as well as focus for a long period of time to complete a task in a given time frame. They also develop their ability to think critically and to problem solve. All of these skills are important for success in the future. Adopting a positive mindset leading into the Semester 1 Exams can have benefits that extend beyond the classroom.

Here are some tips for our students to manage their stress levels as they prepare for their exams: 

• Make sure you get enough sleep and eat healthy
• Build regular exercise into your daily routine
• Engage in mindfulness activities such as meditation
• Listen to music in between study sessions
• Be organised and create a study plan

We wish our students all the best as they prepare for their exams.

General Achievement Test (GAT)

All VCE and VCE VM students who are studying Unit 3 and 4 subjects during 2024 will sit the General Achievement Task (GAT) on Tuesday 18 June, starting at 9:00am. The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a pen-and-paper test of general knowledge and literacy/numeracy skills taken by students in the course of completing their senior secondary studies. The exam is designed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and all students across Victoria sit the same exam.

The GAT plays an important role in the quality assurance of VCE assessments. The GAT is compulsory:

• if you’re enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence, you are expected to complete Section A and Section B of the GAT.
• If you are enrolled in one or more VCE VM Unit 3–4 sequences, you’re expected to complete Section A only.

Please click on the link below to be taken to the 2024 VCAA GAT Student Brochure

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/GAT/2024GATBrochure.pdf 

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has released the 2024 exam timetable. Please find in the link below the 2024 exam timetable.

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/Key-dates/Pages/VCE-exam-timetable.aspx 

Academic Recognition Program

The Academic Committee has reintroduced the Student Achievement and Recognition program this term. Congratulations to the following Year 7 and Year 8 students for being nominated for academic excellence/class achievement and endeavour. 

Year 7

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE/CLASS ACHIEVEMENT: Emey Alexander, Ava Bissett, Jed Ingram-Cutts, Georgia Martin, Fox McMahon, Hattie Merrett, Angus Potter, Blake Shepherd, Logan Sutterby, Chelsea Tucker

STUDENT ENDEAVOUR:Archie Brown, Ella Davis, Marli Doyle, Shiman He, Lucas O'Reilly, Milla Parkinson, Charlee Witty

Year 8

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE/CLASS ACHIEVEMENT: 

Archie Alderuccio, Charli Calleja, Jobe Crow, Jenna Gray, Chloe Mazzarella, Harrison McCreesh, Zara Pollard, Paige Russell, Ella Whateley, James Xi

 STUDENT ENDEAVOUR:

Charlie Blake, Lana Brooks, Zoe Brooks, Ellie Dixon, Noah Fleming, Alexis Lee, Mackenzie McIntyre, Mason Mirabito, Jake O'Brien, Aimee Rush

Thank you to the Academic Committee for organising this initiative.