Kurunjang Secondary College Newsletter

Principal's Report

 

NAPLAN 2025

The Years 7 and 9 students have undertaken NAPLAN for 2025 with a keen focus on building student capacity and stamina over several days of key assessments.

Mr Ronalds and Ms Patchett have led the process of identifying students who may benefit from enrichment tasks to bolster their knowledge and skills. The enrichment activities were chosen to unlock students' understanding of key command terms, how to locate main ideas, and use the writing resources to enhance their chances of achieving greater success in all tests. 

Students were encouraged to take advantage of breakfast offerings during NAPLAN, as well as snacks to sustain their energy after the long tests. 

I want to acknowledge Mr. Ronalds in leading the administration of NAPLAN across the college, and Ms. Ryan for ensuring the schedule and staffing of the assessment ran smoothly. 

We wish all our students the very best for their NAPLAN results. 

 

Events

Last week we celebrated Cultural Diversity Week. It is always a vibrant and enjoyable time of the year. The college's Multicultural Education Aide and Student Activities Coordinator, Ms. Nesa Tuaoi, has led the charge in organising the weekly activities and celebrations, to embrace and acknowledge the rich diverse cultures we have. There were local Food Trucks onsite on one day and as a first-time feature, we had our very own school choir performing as well as several cultural dances by students.

In addition, there has been a Samoan traditional game akin to cricket, home language karaoke, flower and bracelet making, and ended with a costume parade and dragon dance on Friday.

 

Attendance

I want to take a moment to write about the importance of attendance at school. 

Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student's academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through secondary school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and beyond. 

 

Did You Know

  • Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
  • Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with schoolwork, or dealing with a concern that is not obvious.
  • By Year 6, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of secondary school.
  • By Year 9, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of finishing school rates than academic results in Year 8.
  • Missing 10%, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student's success.
  • Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.
  • Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child maximise their full potential.

What You Can Do

 

Make school attendance a priority

  • Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day, make that the expectation.
  • Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night's sleep.
  • Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
  • Do not let your child stay home unless truly sick - complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety.

Help your child stay engaged

  • Find out if your child feels engaged by their classes and feels safe. Make sure they are not missing class because of behavioural issues and school discipline policies. If there are any of these problems, work with your school.
  • Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
  • Stay on top of your child's social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated. 
  • Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs

Communicating with the school

  • Know and understand the school's attendance policy.
  • Find out if your child feels engaged by their classes and feels safe.
  • Talk to teachers if you notice changes in behaviour - these could be tied to something at school.
  • Check on your child's attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
  • Ask for help from schools, afterschool programs, other parents, or community agencies if you are having trouble getting your child to school.

 

Term 1 Break

Term 1 has been very busy and longer this year and I am sure that everyone is looking forward to some rest and relaxation over the term break. Please be safe and enjoy this time with family and friends. I look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday 22nd April.

 

 

 

Warm regards,

 

Aylin Gökmen

 

College Principal

Kurunjang Secondary College