Student Learning Culture and Growth

It was pleasing to welcome the students back to the College this week to commence HeadStart, to commence our 2024 Semester 1 learning program. 

The opportunity for HeadStart gives students the opportunity to progress into their 2024 learning programs, meet most of their new teachers and to establish learning routines before the commencement of the Christmas School Holidays.

HeadStart also provides an opportunity for our students to meet other students and to form new friendships across their subjects. Whilst this can be a daunting experience for some students, establishing new classes also provides opportunities for our students to get to know new students in their classes.  This also provides our teachers opportunities to re-create the right classroom climate for learning, promote new opportunities for students within the classroom and raise student expectations and allows all students to have a renewed focus.

As students are faced with these challenges at the commencement of each school year, students learning about their own resilience to navigate challenges, can assist with building strategies and develop significant life-long skills towards becoming more resilient, during this important transition period.  This can also set students up for lifelong success and building resilience is key to helping students develop the ability to overcome stressful and challenging experiences.

All students have now received their 2024 timetables.  To ensure the transition into the 2024 program is achieved, any changes to a student’s learning program will be considered at the conclusion of HeadStart to allow all students to engage in lessons throughout the course of the ten-day cycle. 

Students are advised that if any subject changes are required, a Subject Change Request Form will be available from Monday 4th December.  Any changes will need to be considered via Directors of Learning and Wellbeing, Careers and Learning Area Leaders. If changes are approved, students will be emailed from the Academic Office.

 Significant changes to a student’s timetable and classes can lead to significant disruptions to their engagement, commitment to their learning program, and may affect the balance of student numbers across classes and equity across all classes.

Our new College Timetable provides an opportunity for our students to have subject lessons across various times of the day, along with the introduction of various new elements to give students new experiences within their study program.

These opportunities include: 

• In 2024, each Year 10-12 class will run for eight 60-minute lessons per 10-day cycle. This is broken into two singles and one double each week. Double periods will occur during Lessons 2-3 and Lessons 4-5 to allow students to have a break in between.  
• Year 9 students will also study two electives per semester, Science, and Health and Physical Education – both yearlong subjects – in mixed (non-core) groups.
• Year 8 students will also study Science (year-long), Drama, Music, Food, and Art and Design  

(all semester-based) in Core groups, and Japanese and Health and Physical Education in mixed (non-core) 

groups.

• Year 7 students will also study Science (yearlong), Art, Music, Digital Technology, and Materials Technology (all semester-based) in Core groups, and Japanese and Health and Physical Education in mixed (non-core) groups.

Our College timetable has also been modified, bringing Tutor Group to the commencement of each school day.  All lessons remain at 60 minutes in duration with Recess being 20 minutes and lunch 40 minutes.

2023 MSCW Presentation - An Evening of Excellence - Thursday 30th November @ 7:00pm

We look forward to coming together this Thursday night to celebrate The Marist-Sion College 2023 Presentation - An Evening of Excellence, which will be held at the West Gippsland Arts Centre, Corner of Smith and Albert Streets, Warragul, commencing at 7.00pm. 

This significant College event will celebrate the effort and determination our students have displayed throughout the 2023 school year, and it is our intent to celebrate these milestones with our wider- school community.

Mr Tim Morrison

Deputy Principal: Student Learning Culture and Growth