The Net

School of Entrepreneurs

From the SOE Head of School

 

Greetings to the School of Entrepreneurs community,

 

To date we have had a successful start to the term with some exciting news from our Alumni (Class of 2024) and the opportunities that their hard work has brought them, as they embark on their career and vocational pathways. More on this news is discussed further in this newsletter.

 

There are many things to celebrate in SOE and many opportunities on offer. We are introducing the Year 7-12 Study Centre which will be run every Tuesday from 2.45-3.45pm commencing Week 5 28th May 2024. This is an informal opportunity for students to ask supervising teachers for assistance with homework, assessments and so on in a casual setting. Students must be collected promptly at the end of the session or make their own arrangements for transportation. Please encourage your son or daughter to engage in this worthwhile activity. 

 

 

 

CathWest Innovation College Presentation Years 9 & 10

On Wednesday 1st May, Year 9 and 10 engaged in a presentation delivered by the Head of Learning from CathWest Innovation College. This presentation was geared towards students who may be seeking a NON-ATAR, alternate HSC pathway that enables students to develop the skills they need to pursue a trade they are interested in whilst still obtaining the Higher School Certificate. CathWest is part of the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese and is a Years 10-12 College. There are 2 campuses for CathWest, McCarthy campus (Penola Emu Plains) and Loyola campus (Mt Druitt). During this presentation I captured the curriculum delivery / pathways that are outlined for your information below:

 

The Year 10 Trade Readiness program is suitable for students wanting to enter a trade through the trade readiness program. All NESA mandatory courses are completed, as well as industry placement blocks and work in Term 2 (currently one day a term on Thursdays) working with employers and industry experts to allow students to determine if that is something the student wants to pursue. A Certificate I in Manufacturing and Construction is also obtained. This pathway provides a hands-on experience where students are engaging more like an employee. 

 

The Year 10 Inquiry Pathway offers the same subjects and NESA mandatory courses, however, the approach is around design and project work. Visual Design is studied to work on passion projects. There are flexible learning days and opportunities to engage in workshops and short courses. It’s a very skills focussed approach that encourages students to think like a designer.

 

Year 11 presents options that represent the following industry streams: design and arts, technology and media, health and wellness, sales and service, education and training, and construction and mechanical. One of these pathways is selected as the trade pathway. It involves one day a week of trade delivery, one day a week of work working as a paid apprentice. This pathway still enables students to gain an HSC without exams (NON-ATAR). Students also get a Certificate III in Business. CathWest works with students to transition them into full time employment prior to graduation. 

 

The Year 11 and 12 Vocational Pathway involves a flexible 4 day a week learning package tailored to the students’ chosen profession with a flexibly timetabled learning day, it provides mentoring with industry experts and an opportunity to gain industry level qualifications. Relevant industry problems are embedded within the curriculum of study.  

 

All pathways are 4 days per week and there are no ATAR and no HSC exams, however, this approach still enables students to achieve the HSC. More time is spent in the workforce than preparing for exams. CathWest still offers pathways into university through the ‘Step Up program’ without an ATAR using a students’ portfolio. 

 

There are 2 open nights coming up for anyone interested in getting more information on what they offer:

Open nights for CathWest (both campuses):

McCarthy Open Night Tuesday 21/5 (5-7pm)

Loyola Open Night Wednesday 22/5 (5-7pm)

If you are interested please register your interest through the CathWest Innovation College website. 

 

In the School of Entrepreneurs, our mission is to cater to all students and ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in an everchanging and dynamic world beyond school. For those students who do not wish to pursue an ATAR, this pathway may be an option for you to consider. We are very committed to supporting every student's aspirations and preparing them for successful futures tailored to their individual goals and ambitions.

 

Ms Jacqui Genovese - Head of School, School of Entrepreneurs 

 

 

A Message from the SOE Assistant Principal

 

The beginning of Term 2 marked a lot of curiosity for our school with representatives from school communities in Queensland and South Australia. I am pleased to share that we had a number of Year 10 students operating as tour guides, showing off our campus and answering questions from design, to size, to learning processes. The feedback from these communities was overwhelmingly positive! 

 

We are proud of our school grounds, but we are more proud of our students and the ways that they celebrate their learning and share their gifts. We are always on the lookout for young people to step up and offer their services to our community in many ways, with more challenges and opportunities for our students to lead and create new possibilities. 

 

As mentioned in the Parent Need to Know for Week 2, we encourage healthy conversations with parents and children around their online presence. It has become increasingly clear that ‘private’ is no longer a guarantee of privacy and families are advised to take greater care to protect themselves from some of the detrimental effects that social media can have on all involved. 

 

 

Mr Francis O’Callaghan - Assistant Principal, School of Entrepreneurs 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AROUND THE GROUNDS 

 

Pathways and Partnerships 

Multiplex Scholarship 

 

St Luke's is pleased to announce that two of our 2023 graduates have received financial support from global construction industry giant, Multiplex. Graduates, Gabby Ramos and Bella Teuma-Manaog completed the Multiplex Jumpstart program with St Luke's and were two out of ten students selected for this prestigious scholarship. 

 

Gabby Ramos is studying Architectural Design at Western Sydney University 

Bella Teuma-Manaog is studying Civil Engineering ( Honours) with Architecture at UNSW

The Multiplex Jump Start Scholarship for Women in Construction provides first-hand experience and support for young women pursuing a career in the built environment. 

  • Financial assistance to support  university undergraduate degree aligned to the built environment. 
  • Professional mentorship with a Multiplex female employee who has studied a construction/ built environment related degree.
  • Two paid casual work experience placements per year during the first and second year of university. 
  • A permanent Cadet role within the Multiplex NSW/ACT Graduate & Cadet Program commencing in the penultimate or final year of an undergraduate degree. 
  • A Graduate role within the Multiplex commencing post university study. 

The St Luke's Catholic College community radiates with pride in our students' achievements.

 

 

 

HSC Study Skills workshop

St Luke’s is thrilled to collaborate with InspirationED in spearheading an engaging HSC Study Skills and Strategies session tailored for our Year 11 and 12 students. The centrepiece of today's workshop focused on honing Critical Thinking Skills essential for success in the HSC. Our next HSC Skills session will be on Friday 17 May and is compulsory for all Year 11 and 12 students. 

 

 

TAFE YES Beauty and Makeup

Congratulations to students, Keisha and Sienna who are beginning the Beauty and Makeup YES program at TAFE NSW Richmond. Industry-experienced educators at TAFE NSW will help our students develop the skills and knowledge required to provide beauty therapy treatments and services which may include facials, spa treatments, lash and brow treatments, nail technology services, make-up, skin care, aromatherapy, and much more.

 

 

White Card Training at St Luke’s

Students over the age of 14 can attain their White Card SafeWork credential at school on 26 June. This credential is a requirement for all trade and engineering careers. Information has been provided to students to register. 

 

 

 

Science 

To celebrate National Dinosaur Day on the 7th of May, the science labs were turned into a Jurassic Park for the week! Year 7 classes enjoyed the activities of the space and had a science lesson dedicated to classifying dinosaurs. Stage 3 joined in the fun, including a fossil dig, viewing a dinosaur hatching, exploring the different time periods of the Age of Dinosaurs the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous, measuring up to  life-size dinosaur thigh bones and finding out how many students “tall” a brachiosaurus is! The intrepid St Luke’s Science team thanks all students for their active engagement as we celebrated our love of dinosaurs! 

 

CAPA

 

Visual Arts

 

Inspired by the laneways of Melbourne, Year 12 Visual Arts students and Mrs Smith worked with CAPTIVATE’s street artist Taylan Velros to create a mural that has now been installed in our very own St Luke’s laneway! By engaging with an industry professional, students were able to develop their repertoire of art making skills, as well as be inspired to consider career opportunities and pathways in Visual Arts. 

 

 

Music

Music students in Year 11 Music are learning about methods of notating music. This unit aims to give students time to develop their knowledge of writing music using a collection of music tools. Students will learn to create a music piece and then use the appropriate technology to communicate their intentions to performing musicians or provide a music work ready to release to an audience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HSIE

Law, Business and Money

Term 2 for Law, Business and Money sees our students focus on creating educational numeracy board games for our Years 5 to 8 students to support the enhancement of numeracy within St Luke’s. This is a great way for our year 9 students to be involved in our school community and work with students of younger grades to help develop their proficiency in numeracy in a fun and engaging way. There are numerous benefits associated with playing numeracy board games as well as creating them!

 

  1. Improving Mathematical Proficiency: Numeracy board games are designed to reinforce fundamental mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and more. Through repeated play, players naturally develop a deeper understanding of these concepts and build confidence in their mathematical abilities.
  2. Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills: Many numeracy board games involve strategic thinking and problem-solving. Players must use critical thinking skills to make decisions, anticipate opponents' moves, and adapt their strategies accordingly. This process fosters analytical thinking and strengthens problem-solving abilities.
  3. Promoting Collaboration and Communication: Numeracy board games encourage players to work together towards a common goal or engage in friendly competition. Collaborative gameplay fosters teamwork, communication, and social interaction, helping individuals develop essential interpersonal skills while enjoying the game.
  4. Fostering Persistence and Resilience: In board games, players often encounter challenges and setbacks that require perseverance to overcome. By persisting through difficulties and learning from mistakes, individuals develop resilience and a growth mindset, essential qualities for academic and personal success.
  5. Engaging Alternative Learning Method: Numeracy board games offer a dynamic and interactive supplement to traditional teaching methods.

 

We are excited for our students to present their games to students in Years 5-8 from Week 5 of Term 2.

 

Ashley Pepper and Joshua Jenkins.

LBM Teachers

 

From our students….

In Law, Business and Money we are currently learning about the relationship between numeracy, money and how it is incorporated into our everyday lives. For our mathematical concept we have chosen multiplication and division for stage 3, year 5 and 6. To complete this task successfully we are aiming towards creating a game based on a mathematical concept e.g : decimals, fraction , addition , multiplication etc, and making it a fun and enjoyable way to improve your skills in your concept . Our game is called multivision and it aims to enhance students' knowledge about multiplication and division and it can be used as a useful and fun way to practise your mathematical skills. So how do you play our  game? Our game works by a student picking up a card with a certain number on it ranging from 12-100  and placing a headband on their head with their card on their , without looking at it. They then need to work towards guessing the number through their knowledge of multiplication and division. During this task we have enjoyed collaborating and working together to successfully create a game kids will be able to play as well as complete the task and provide students with a fun and enjoyable experience when it comes to enhancing their numeracy skills. We are very excited to be able to eventually make our game come to life and be able to play our game with our fellow peers in years 5 & 6.

 

By : Ritika , Jessica  Sahasra & Freny

 

Mathematics

Retrieval Practice as part of the new and engaging lesson structure

 

From our Students….

 

The lesson's beginning with retrieval practice has been incredibly helpful for both my revision and to warm-up. In most subjects, prior to assessments I need to undergo copious amounts of revision all crammed into an hour or two, but this prolonged method of revision means that I don't forget any information to begin with. This lesson structure means that I am able to learn effectively as I can warm up and also retain all of that knowledge which means that I have the stress of forgetting previous knowledge alleviated. This revision also makes me much more confident in my abilities and also to enjoy the subject which just makes me that much more eager to learn more mathematical concepts. Overall, this retrieval practice format allows me to be the best student that I can.

Pranav Year 11

 

Retrieval practice a revision task that is done at the beginning of the lesson which features questions from topics which have been previously been covered. As a student, this benefits me as not only am I able to practice the previous skills but I am able to refresh my memory, because I know that I will forget after a while of not looking at a specific topic. This is also really helpful because not only am I revising my maths and practicing, but if I am stuck on a specific concept I am able to ask my teacher for help and she is able to help me visually, on the whiteboard and explain the work to me.

Angelina Year 11

 

Within Mathematics, Year 11 has had an opportunity to maximise our learning through Retrieval Practice. Personally, this has been immensely beneficial as it has been improving my confidence in timed/exam conditions. With the stress of accuracy, having questions from previous units or worksheets has allowed me to consolidate my learning and reflect on work in order to be considered long term retained knowledge. Moreover, retrieval practice has ensured I can learn from knowledge gaps to turn them into areas of growth. This could be from questions such as understanding formulas to rearranging units of measurement. This efficient method of teaching has allowed me to understand my personal capabilities in inquiry questions and fasten the pace when practicing equations. Not only are students able to be time efficient,  retrieval is able to lessen the pressure of forgetting previous worksheet solutions. Therefore, Retrieval Practice has been extremely advantageous in revision, accuracy, problem solving, problem solving, time management and resilience within the classroom. 

Lara Year 11

 

 

 

Religious Education

Year 10 Religious Education

 

Students will be responding to the driving question “How can dialogue and encounter build bridges of understanding?” over the course of the term. This driving question will allow students to learn about and discover for themselves the potential of dialogue and encounter to affect peaceful change in our contemporary world. Through learning about the power of interfaith and ecumenical relations along with the Christian idea of Euchariste, students will be given the opportunity to inquire about the power of dialogue and encounter within their own lives and faith community.

 

 

 

PDHPE

 

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

This year, there are 26 students tackling the Bronze Award in Duke of Ed Elective. Furthermore, we have 12 students undertaking their Silver Award. Students are busy logging their hours and preparing for the upcoming overnight camp. Have a look at some of their activities - 

 

  • Antonio, Jeremy & Maxim - Voluntary Service: Care of the environment 
  • Andre - Physical Recreation: Tae Kwon Do 
  • Yana - Voluntary Service: Library
  • Zac - Skill: Cooking 

Congratulations to Isaiah Dela Cruz in Year 11 who is the first St Luke’s student (ever!) to achieve the Silver Award for Duke of Ed. Isaiah has shown great commitment to Duke of Ed since Year 9 and we are very proud of him. He has completed over 130 hours of physical recreation, learning a new skill, and providing service to his community, as well as four overnight hiking camps. Well done DC! 

 

 

At the upcoming Stage Meetings in Week 4, students who have completed their Bronze level will be presented their certificate and pin. We look forward to celebrating these students and acknowledging them in the next Net in Week 6. 

 

Year 11 COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES

Year 11 CAFS students have been impressive with their start to the Preliminary Course. They are able to think deeply about issues in our society and pose questions that challenge social norms. Recently, students planned and distributed a questionnaire to Years 7-12 students in our school. The aim of this was to gauge the demographics that make up our diverse and exciting community. The students worked in two small groups - one group created a form with open questions and the other group asked closed questions. They were then tasked with analysing their results and creating a summary that could be published in The Net. Read Jude’s entry below - 

 

 

 

 

TAS

Make, Bake, Decorate!

At the conclusion of Term 1, the Year 9 students of Make, Bake Decorate planned, prepared and served a beautiful Easter Morning Tea to enjoy and to also celebrate their achievements for the term. 

As a team, they first researched various beverages, sweet and savoury dishes that were appropriate to the timeframe, skills and theme for their event. They then created a recipe card, work flow plan and purchase order for all dishes. Finally, they put these plans into action and baked/cooked their hearts out to create these delicious dishes. 

I am very proud of their achievements this term and looking forward to seeing what they create this term!

 

 

Life Design

 

Year 9 - Entrepreneurial Unit

 

Term 2 in Life Design, Year 9 has embarked on an exciting journey to investigate entrepreneurship; to understand the relationship between business and the economy. They will work collaboratively to pitch an innovative, scalable, and sustainable business idea that makes the world a better place - Just like on “Shark Tank”! Through this endeavour they build critical, transferable skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, adaptive mindset, communication and project management. 

 

 

 

Year 10 - Next Level Self 

 

Term 2 sees a massive opportunity for our Year 10 students to review their SIM and Purpose in preparation for Stage 6 subject selections. With the focus on students choosing a pattern of study that allows them to explore areas of interest, enables the use of their strengths and provides the most opportunities post school, students will engage with a variety of resources, including an excursion to the Western Sydney Careers Expo (22nd May, 2024).

 

The term will culminate with students presenting their best combination of subjects to College leaders and parents before entering their subject preferences in week 10. More details regarding these dates will be provided closer to the event.