Mini School Updates

Junior School Update

Lowanna Open Day Welcomes Future Students

We were thrilled to host over 450 Grade 5 and 6 students at our recent Lowanna Open Day. The students experienced life as a Lowanna student by participating in a range of engaging classes and enjoying a live music concert performed by our talented Lowanna Music students. The day concluded with a Parent Information Session, providing families with valuable insights about the Lowanna experience. We look forward to welcoming our local Grade 6 students back on Wednesday the 20th of August for the next exciting step in their transition journey.

Celebrating Student Leadership

Earlier this term, we proudly appointed our new Home Group Leaders and Year 7 Captains at a whole school assembly. Congratulations to our Year 7 Captains - Evie McMahon, Olivia Deveney, Tate Musgrove and Tom Skinner (pictured below).

These students join our Year 8 Captains -Tieran Casey, Jorja Meredith, Molly Turner and Tara Elkin.

These students are the Junior School Representatives on the Student Representative Council (SRC). We are confident they will make valuable contributions to our school community.

Year 8 Excursion: ArtVo & Ice Skating

As part of our alternative camp program, Year 8 students are invited to attend an exciting excursion to ArtVo and the O'Brien Icehouse for an ice-skating lesson on the 17th of June. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore interactive art and try a new skill on the ice. Please contact the Junior School Office if you would like your child to participate.

Prepared and Ready to Learn

At Lowanna College, we continue to uphold our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) expectations, which include being on time and prepared for every class. Lately, we've noticed a number of students regularly arriving late and without essential materials such as pens and workbooks. We kindly ask parents and carers to check in with your child to ensure they have everything they need for a successful day at school. This is also a great opportunity to talk about the importance of being punctual and organised, helping set them up for success in every lesson.

GPA Reports Now Available

GPA reports have been released this week. These reports offer a valuable insight into your child’s progress and learning behaviours across their subjects. We encourage all families to take time to review the GPA together, celebrate successes and set goals for continued improvement throughout the term. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to discuss your child’s progress further, please don’t hesitate to contact the Junior School Office to speak with a member of our team.

Kristy Bannister

Junior School Leader

Middle School Update 

Another busy start to Term 2 in Middle School. I would like to thank the student representatives who attended the ANZAC Day ceremonies, they conducted themselves with great integrity and respect.

Our Year 10’s are preparing for their week of work experience, which will run from the 2nd of June until the 6th of June. For students who haven’t organised a work placement, class will continue as normal. We hope that all Year 10’s take up the opportunity to work in a possible career pathway that they may wish to do in the future. 

We would like to congratulate the following students for obtaining RIDGE Awards. These are given to students who continually uphold Lowanna Colleges values - Respect, Integrity, Determination, Growth and Excellence.

We would also like to congratulate the top GPA students who won on the spinner wheel during assembly: 

Year 9 Lexie Jackson

Year 10 Dempsey Ryan

And, congratulations to our top attendance winners:

Year 9 Tyler Nash Byrne 

Year 10 Darvi Lim

We would like to remind students of the phone policy; all student phones need to be in their lockers turned off between 8.45am and 3pm, or they can be placed in the phone lockers in the Middle School and picked up at the end of the day. If a student's phone has been confiscated, it will need to be picked up by a parent/carer. Students are more than welcome to use the Middle School Office phone if they need to contact home and parents/carers can always call the Middle School Office to deliver a message to students.

I would also like to ask all students to try to achieve 100% attendance. While there are circumstances such as illnesses or family issues that are unavoidable, absences impact highly on student outcomes. If your student needs to be absent, please enter it on Compass or contact the Middle School on 03 5127 9246.

Middle School Camp EOI's

Middle School Camp at the Gold Coast is this year from 3-7 November! Middle School Camp is always a highlight of the year for Year 9 and 10 students! Express your interest using the below link by Friday the 30th of May.

https://forms.office.com/r/DvGmv7zuLG

Please note that there are limited spots available on this camp and students' behaviour, GPA and attendance will factor into whether they are accepted to attend.

If you have any questions, please contact the Middle School on 5127 9246.

Upcoming important dates

2-6 June - Year 10 Work Experience Week

9 June- King's Birthday Public Holiday 

23 June – Start Semester 2 

Sarah Longden

Middle School Leader

Senior School Update 

Welcome back to Term 2! It has been wonderful to see our Year 11 and 12 students return with such a calm and focused approach to their learning. The settled tone across the cohort has created a positive environment and it’s been pleasing to see students engaging meaningfully in their classes and maintaining momentum in their studies.

We’ve also been impressed by the number of students showing maturity in seeking out extra support from teachers and other staff. We strongly encourage students to continue with this proactive approach. It demonstrates a high level of commitment and reflection on their learning which are qualities that will undoubtedly set them up for future success.

As we approach the pointy end of the term, students are working diligently to finalise their coursework, learning tasks and assessment pieces for Unit 1 and Unit 3 subjects. Students enrolled in VET subjects should also ensure they have finalised the submission of any work to TAFE so that this can be assessed. This is a critical period, and we encourage all students to continue using their time effectively and to seek support from their teachers if needed.

Academic Support Sessions are running every lunchtime in S3 for students who have been identified as behind on coursework requirements or needing additional support to catch up. These sessions provide a quiet and supervised space for students to focus, ask questions and get back on track with support from staff.

Practice exams will commence on Friday the 13th of June and run through to Thursday the 19th of June. These are an excellent opportunity for students to consolidate their learning and receive feedback ahead of final assessments.

A reminder that the General Achievement Test (GAT) will take place on Tuesday the 17th of June. Attendance is compulsory for all students completing a Unit 3 and 4 subject. Information regarding the GAT was sent home earlier this week, so please check Compass for details.

As the weather begins to cool, a reminder to all students about the importance of wearing the correct school uniform. Students may wear a plain black or plain white long sleeve top underneath their uniform items for added warmth. The college’s puffer-style jackets are also available for purchase from the General Office.

We are looking forward to celebrating the end of Semester 1 with our students at the Senior School Formal on Friday the 20th of June. Further information regarding ticket sales will be shared once the venue has confirmed final arrangements.

Finally, a reminder about the importance of regular attendance. Wherever possible, we ask that appointments be scheduled outside of school hours. The best way we can support students in their learning is by having them in the classroom. If a student does need to leave early, they should bring a signed note from a parent/guardian, or the parent can contact Julie in the Senior School on 03 5129 9243 to advise of the absence.

We also encourage students to look after their wellbeing during this busy part of the term. Maintaining a healthy balance between study, rest, physical activity and social time is important—especially in the lead-up to major assessments. Please reach out to a trusted adult or a member of the Wellbeing Team if support is needed.

We thank our students and families for their continued support and look forward to a productive and successful end to the term.

Nicole Taylor

Senior School Leader