Magis report 

Snapshot: GATE Elective Classes

Our Semester 2, Years 7 and 8 Magis Elective students have confirmed their topics for their Personal Projects, and what an exciting range of topics we have this Semester. There are 20 STEM based projects, 18 covering the humanities, and five projects that will be examining areas within sport. One of the major components of our Gifted and Talented Elective Course is the Personal Project. This program is based on the International Baccalaureate but modified to suit younger students and the timeframe within which the College Elective program is run. Students are challenged to choose a project related to a major interest or passion of theirs, and they work on this over the course of the Semester. Parents are encouraged to discuss these projects with their children.  Personal Projects will be displayed in an Exhibition for staff, parents, and students to view at the end of the Semester – with special awards to be presented at the Magis Awards Breakfast for the most outstanding projects.

What’s happening next week?

We have team meetings scheduled each day next week, as we gear up for a full program of Semester 2 competitions. Our Junior Ethics Teams will be mentored by our Senior Ethics Team, which recently won the bronze medal at the International Ethics Olympiad Final. Our Creative Edge and Tournament of Minds Teams will continue their preparation and rehearsals for their respective competitions. Importantly, on Tuesday, 6 August, three of our debating teams will be competing in the first of the State Finals of the 2024 Schools Debating Competition. This final will be held at Perth Modern School, with our team’s debates commencing at 6:15pm. As the debate format for these finals is impromptu, teams will be required to arrive at the venue an hour and 15 minutes before their scheduled debate time (5pm). Our debating finalists have decided their speaker order. Below is a copy of the fixtures, which students have access to through Teams. Parents can also find a copy of the final draw on the WADL website. We wish all our debating finalists best of luck.

MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!

Harvard Crimson

The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition provides a platform for young, ambitious high school students to exercise their writing skills and compete with students from all over the world. This competition encourages students to challenge themselves and explore different writing styles to ultimately strengthen their writing skills. The competition features two key rounds, the regional qualifiers held throughout five regions, followed by the global finals. To compete in the global round, participants must go head-to-head with local participants and place in the top 15 of the regional qualifiers. The top 12 submissions of the final 75, will be recognised in the global final and will win awesome prizes. As Harvard registration opens 1 October 2024 and closes 31 January 2025, we asked that students (aged 13-18) submit their expression of interest to the Head of Magis by Monday, 9 September 2024. This will be followed by a series of meetings and training seminars in preparation for the competition. Regional qualifiers will be held in February 2025, with Globals held in March 2025. For more information, please click the link below or speak with the Head of Magis. 

International Debating Championships

International Debating Championships provide quality debating teaching and tournaments for Australian and international schools, continuing to develop students’ public speaking skills, analytical ability, and general knowledge. The tournament will be held entirely online via Zoom on Friday nights during Term 4 of the NSW school term. It is open to students in Years 7 to 10 across Australia, New Zealand and Asia and will be conducting two divisions; Junior (Years 7 and 8), and Senior (Years 9 and 10). The tournament will be adjudicated by qualified and experienced university debating adjudicators. We will be holding debate development training seminars in Term 3, in the lead-up to the Term 4 competition. Expressions of interest are to be emailed to the Head of Magis by Friday 2 August (Term 3, Week 3).

Junior Gifted Stretch

We are in the process of selecting 12 students across Years 7 to 9 to take part in the 2024 Junior Stretch and Challenge Conference, in conjunction with Academy Learning and Thriving Minds. This transformative event is crafted to unleash the full potential of gifted minds, with a specific focus on STEM-related themes. Nurturing self-discovery, innovation, and intellectual growth, the conference is designed to inspire ambition. By attending, students will be inspired to think deeply, gain valuable insights, and develop skills essential for future success. The conference will be held on Friday 30 August (Term 3, Week 7).

Shakespeare Club 

 Are you a fan of the Bard? Or interested in extending your literature knowledge further? Why not join our College Shakespeare Club? The Club's mission is to foster enjoyment in reading and encourage academic discussion of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. For further details or registration, please email the Head of Magis. 

Daisy Farley

Head of Learning Areas – HASS & Magis