Junior School News

Congratulations to all students and teachers of our Junior School. As we reflect on the first semester, it is important to consider all the personal, social and academic challenges that were overcome, and all the successes that were achieved. As the Junior School team reviews reports prior to being published for all families on Friday, we are very pleased to see the achievements of all of our students. We would like to remind all parents/carers to make time with their child to look at the semester reports, establishing the strengths and areas that require improvement across their child’s education. While the semester reports offer teacher judgement on achievement standards, we remind families that each assessment task has feedback that is available for you and your child to review on Compass in the Learning Tasks. The feedback on assessment tasks offers the most targeted feedback for students to consider and adopt in order to improve their educational outcomes.  

Term 2 reflection: 

For Year 7 students, a big congratulations on managing the steep learning curve that is the first semester of secondary school. It seems a long time since our first day of school and all students have developed their personal organisation skills, managing to establish the positive routines associated with independence of navigating timetables, lockers, different teachers and classrooms. The Year 7s learnt much about themselves in Challenge classes. The Social Stencil program has guided discussions around the importance of developing strategies for positive behaviours.  

Mr Rae has written:  

Over the past two terms, Year 7 students have been learning many important social skills to support their transition into secondary school, and to forge and maintain wonderful friendships and interactions with their peers. Through the Social Stencil Program, students have been learning about effective communication, making friends, listening, dealing with anger and adrenaline, friendship dramas, problem solving and assertiveness. 

Students have participated in group activities, role-play scenarios, class discussions, reflections, and collaboration with their peers. Having started in a new school environment with new peers in and out of the classroom, supporting students to learn these skills has been an invaluable and enjoyable experience. 

Year 8 and 9 students have undertaken the combined 8/9 electives, demonstrating the school values of community, courage and curiosity. A walk around the college during elective times is an opportunity to see students engaged in lessons of their choice with their classmates. A great “promotion” of the school’s goal to provide students with the skill to engage in life-long learning, with independence and curiosity. Further to this, the Year 8s have had many successes in sporting events, debating and production while the Year 9s have also enjoyed the many excursions that are part of SkillZ, a program that looks to develop students’ awareness of personal strengths, the importance of goal setting and the introduction to the world of tertiary education. The Year 9s also participated in their first Subject Expo on Thursday 18 June. It was pleasing to see so many students with their parents/carers attend the evening and engage in conversation with subject-specific teachers. The night proved to be a positive event for the whole school community.  

All students should be congratulated for the way they have approached their studies this term and semester. Term 2 has felt especially long, but all students, with the support of families, teachers and their Year Level Coordinators, Mr Perree, Mr Lam and Ms Chiappa, were able to persist and engage with their lessons with commitment to completing work to the best of their ability.

As we look forward to Term 3, Junior School students will begin their subject selections for the 2027 school year. For Year 7s, this offers the first opportunity to select electives that reflect their interests. Year 8s will be familiar with the process of choosing from the 8/9 electives. We ask all families to download the Junior School Curriculum Handbook and review the elective choices with your children. There will be more information on Compass at the start of next term, so we ask that you keep an eye on Compass Newsfeed articles that will provide more information related to important dates and resources. Year 9 students should spend some time over the holidays perusing the Senior School Curriculum Handbook for further details on their Year 10 subject selections as they inform the transitions that allow them to establish a strong foundation to VCE. 

Ms Moraitis

Head of Junior School.