ACTING DEPUTY PRINCIPAL LEARNING AND TEACHING

EXAM WEEK – YEARS 10 & 11 

Exams will occur from 24–28 June for students in Years 10 and 11. Now is a good time to discuss exam preparation with your child.  

Students have received information on how the exams will run and the expectations around them. A letter has been sent to all parents/guardians of students in Years 10–11. Permission is required for students who wish to leave the college when they do not have exams. It is expected that students will travel straight home to study or make use of the supervised study rooms during the exam week.

Exams are an opportunity to get students into the routine of regular study, as well as work on exam technique and study skills in preparation for sitting end of year exams in Year 12.  We hope students make the most of the learning opportunities presented by exams and embrace the chance to hone their exam technique. It is also hoped students will become familiar and comfortable with the idea of end of unit exams.

Further information can be found via the exam letter attached below. Students can collect their QR code to sign out at the college once they have returned their permission slip signed by parents/guardians.

YEAR 9 EXAMS 

Students in Year 9 will be required to complete exams for their English and Maths classes on Monday 24 June. Both exams will take place in the Sacred Heart Hall at Enright Campus. 

Year 9 classes will run as per their normal timetable for the remainder of the week, commencing with Period 5 on Monday afternoon. Year 9 students will need to attend Homeroom as normal before moving to the hall for the first exam at 9:10am. 

Should you require any further information regarding the upcoming exams, please contact Mr Marcus Parker, Acting Director of Learning & Teaching. 

REPORTS

At our college, we place a high value on student learning and growth. One of the ways we measure and support that growth is through reports. Reports are an essential tool for assessing student progress and identifying areas where students need additional support or challenge. They provide a comprehensive overview of a student's academic achievements, including grades, attendance, and behavioural data. But reports are much more than just a way to keep track of grades. They are an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning, set goals for themselves, and receive feedback on their progress. Reports provide students with a snapshot of where they are in their learning journey and can help them make informed decisions about their academic and personal development.

Reports also help teachers tailor their instruction to meet the needs of individual students. By analysing student data, teachers can identify patterns and trends in student performance and adjust their teaching strategies to better support student learning. Reports help teachers identify areas where students are struggling and develop targeted interventions to help them succeed.

Reports are also an important tool for communication between students, parents, and teachers. They provide parents with a clear picture of their child's progress and give them insights into their child's strengths and areas for improvement. Reports help parents and teachers work together to support student learning and can help identify ways that parents can support their child's education at home.

At St Joseph's College, we believe that reports are an essential part of the learning process. They provide students, teachers, and parents with a comprehensive view of student progress and help us all work together to support student growth and achievement. We encourage all students and parents to take the time to review their reports carefully and to use them as a tool for setting goals, reflecting on progress, and identifying areas for improvement.

Semester 1 reports will be made available via the Parent Access Module (PAM) and SIMON on Friday 28 June, the last day of term. For students in Years 9, 10, and 11, reports will be updated in Week 2, Term 3 to include exam results.

To access the reports:

• Go to the college's website www.sjcmda.vic.edu.au. 
• Login > SIMON/PAM > and enter your username and password. If you are unsure of your login details, please telephone college reception and they will be able to assist. 
• Once you have logged into PAM, go to your child’s profile by clicking on their name or photo. 
• Select the Student Assessment tab and it will give you access to all your child’s completed reports for the year.

Reports are also accessible for students through their normal SIMON profile.

I encourage you to discuss with your son or daughter the contents of their report, which aims to communicate how a student is progressing in their various subjects. The report is an important document and warrants parents/guardians and students taking some time to consider its contents and to reflect on progress and current levels of achievement.  

Questions may arise, such as: 

• 'Does the report highlight strengths and weaknesses?' 
• 'What should we be celebrating?' 
• 'Is there anything that can be done to improve in those weaker areas?' 

For example, the report might highlight that organisation is a concern, or that work is sometimes rushed rather than being completed to the best of their ability, or that data presentation is good, but data description is too general. If this is the case, ask your child what can be done to address this. Report time is a great time to have these important conversations. Feedback is a critical element to improve learning, and reports can provide valuable feedback to keep students 'on target' for achievement. 

PARENT, STUDENT AND TEACHER CONFERENCES – VCE AND VCE VM STUDENTS ONLY

Parent, Student, and Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday 17 July from 4:00–6:00pm at the Enright Campus in the McAuley Maths/Science Area.

Our Head of Senior Pathways, Mr Mel Ficarra, will provide further information regarding appointments, but I would like to encourage the parents of students studying subjects at Years 11 and 12 to make the most of this timely opportunity. 

SCHOLARSHIPS

In 2017, the college introduced a scholarship program to encourage and support the continued education of dedicated and hard-working students. This has been a fantastic success and it is great to be able to recognise and support the students in this manner.

To encourage excellence and to acknowledge our diverse student population, the college is excited to offer a number of scholarship opportunities for our students as they move into Years 11 and 12. 

Scholarship applications are now open, with the process concluding during Term 3. All applications must be submitted by 4:00pm, Friday 19 July 2024.

Year 11 Founding Sisters of Mercy Scholarships

As in previous years, we are offering the Year 11 Founding Sisters of Mercy Scholarships. The college presents nine $1,500 scholarships annually to Year 10 students transitioning into Year 11 at the college, who respect and display our Mercy Core Values and who have shown excellence both in their academic and personal school life.  

Mercy Academic Internal Scholarships

The college has introduced the Mercy Academic Internal Scholarships which are offered on the basis of academic merit to students continuing Years 11 and 12 at the college in 2025 and 2026. These scholarships have a tenure of two years. The scholarships are for the remission of 50% of the global fee each year of the scholarship and are offered to a limited number of Year 10 students ranked in the top ten percent of the Year 10 cohort. 

Continuing from previous traditions, the VCE VM Excellence Scholarship and the Postgraduate Year 12 Award Scholarships will be awarded to the most successful graduating students of 2024. 

SENIOR PATHWAYS INFORMATION EVENING 

A subject information evening for middle school and senior school students will occur on Tuesday 30 July from 6:00–7:30pm. Please mark this date in your calendar; it represents an important step in the subject selection process for 2025. 

Information about subject selection and access to Web Preferences will be distributed prior to the meeting.

Also occurring on this evening is the Year 11 Snow Camp Information Session. It is a requirement of any snow camp that parents/guardians are taken through the Alpine Safety Code. Your attendance at this information session will meet this requirement. If you are unable to attend this meeting, you will be required to read (and acknowledge that you have read) the Alpine Safety Code before your child will be permitted to attend the camp.

SIMON EVERYWHERE APP

The college is trialling the use of SIMON Everywhere. If successful, this app may replace Audiri. The app provides a convenient way to access PAM and receive letters and notifications from the college. Please see the attached instructions if you would like to use SIMON everywhere.

Mr Emmet Brown

Acting Deputy Principal Learning & Teaching