SECONDARY NEWS
From the Assistant Principal

Miss Kim Bailey
kbailey@arm.catholic.edu.au

Congratulations...

NSWCCC U/16 Rugby League Trials

Congratulations to Kelsey Pagden and Matilda Thompson for their selection in the Northern Country Rugby League team who competed at the recent trials in Sydney. Both girls were excellent ambassadors of the school.

NIAS Triathlon Squad Selections

Congratulations to Flo Black and Cody Uebergang who have both been selected in the 2024 NIAS Triathlon Squad.

Family Conferences -Thank You For Attending

Thank you to all families who were able to attend our Family Conferences last week. Valuable learning conversations were had, and teachers greatly appreciated your support. If you would like to make contact with your child's teachers all email addresses are published weekly in the newsletter. Teachers can also be contacted via Compass.

ICAS Testing

For those students who have registered to sit exams, tests will continue in Weeks 6 & 7. Mrs Watchirs will be supervising the sessions in the Computer Lab.

Week 6: Science - Tuesday Periods 4 & 5

Week 7: Mathematics - Thursday Periods 1& 2

Summer Uniform

This a reminder that summer uniform can be worn from Friday 1 September.

You Choose - Road Safety Program

Melissa McGuinness will be visiting Holy Trinity and speaking with Year 10 students on Monday 28 August.

PARENT & STUDENT EVENING

You Choose Safer Driving Choices Workshop

Monday 28 August 2023 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. This event is FREE for teens and parents.

https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1091528

The YOU CHOOSE program takes an innovative, shared social-project approach to wellbeing and pastoral care for teens, focusing on peer-advocacy skills as integral to changed behaviours and attitudes. Participants are uplifted to protect themselves, each other, their family and their community from preventable regret, harm, crime and trauma by aligning their intentions with their actions.

Using passenger and driver choices as context, the program reinforces and complements specialty courses in all harm prevention and safety. YOU CHOOSE places participants into profound personal reflection about connections between intentions, choices, actions, and loved ones. They are equipped to give each other permission in advance to speak up and to act in favour of good choices in moments-that-matter, and to identify how impulsivity and passivity block intentions from actions. The concept activates teen instincts for social change, similar to the energy inspired by climate, equality, diversity (etc).

Peter and Melissa McGuinness developed the YOU CHOOSE mission out of the devastation they experienced when their own 18-year-old son made driving choices that took the lives of four innocent young people, including his own. Melissa shares relatable insights beyond cautionary story-telling, which make for an authentically transformative experience for young people.

YOU CHOOSE is the winner of the Australian Road Safety - 'Road Safety for Schools Programs', and Melissa was runner-up for Queensland Australian of the Year for 2021 and 2022 thanks to the nomination of Queensland students.

Matilda the Musical Jnr

Congratulations to all cast and crew for their excellent level of commitment and enthusiasm.

Week 6

Combined rehearsal: Monday 9.15 am-11.40 am in the Hall

Combined rehearsal: Tuesday 9.15 am-11.40 am in the Hall

Combined rehearsal: Wednesday 9.15 am-11.40 am in the Hall

Combined rehearsal: Thursday 9.15 am-11.40 am in the Hall

Production Week - Week 7

All students are required ONE HOUR before showtime.

Monday: Combined rehearsal 10.00 am to the rest of the day in Hall-dress rehearsal run x 2 [costumes, set, props, mics, lighting] Film Shoot of the second dress rehearsal.

Tuesday: Dress rehearsal 10.00 am -11.30 am, Holy Trinity School Performance in the afternoon 1 pm -2.30 pm.

Wednesday: Grandparents Special Performance [inviting Maclean, Disabilities services etc]: 10.00 am -11.30, School Performance in the afternoon 1 pm-2.30 pm, First public show 7 pm

Thursday: Matinee performance 1 pm-2.30pm-evening performance 7.00 pm

Friday: Matinee performance 1 pm-2.30 pm -evening performance 7.00 pm

If you have questions or concerns at any time throughout the process, please feel free to contact Mrs Marshall at smarshall3@arm.catholic.edu.auor the Front Office.

Excursions

Parents are able to pay for upcoming excursions via the Compass Portal.

Year 9 Sydney Excursion - $670
Year 8 Tea Gardens Excursion - $450

If financial assistance is required, please contact Mrs Rainger as soon as possible.

Consent forms for various activities may still need to be signed and returned for excursions.

How to Bounce Back from a Disappointing Assignment Mark

We've all been there – eagerly awaiting the results of an assignment we thought we had slayed, only to be disheartened by a disappointing mark. It's completely normal to feel down at first but remember, setbacks are opportunities for growth and improvement. Here are some steps you can take to handle a disappointing assignment mark and turn it into a learning experience:

1. Analyse and Understand the Feedback:

When you receive your assignment back, take the time to review the feedback provided by your teacher.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Did you meet all the criteria outlined in the assignment?
What specific feedback did your teacher provide?
Do you fully comprehend the feedback given?
Can you identify the reasons behind the mark you received?

If you're unsure about any aspect of the feedback, don't hesitate to ask your teacher for further clarification. Understanding where you went wrong is crucial to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.

2. Choose to Accept or Challenge:

Once you've gained a clear understanding of the feedback, you have two options: accept the grade or challenge it.

Accept: If you realize that the mark reflects your performance accurately, don't dwell on it too much. Acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes, and view this experience as an opportunity for growth. Embrace the mindset that successful individuals use failures as stepping stones toward improvement.
Challenge: If you genuinely believe that the mark awarded does not align with your efforts and adherence to the criteria, approach your teacher respectfully and express your viewpoint. Politely ask if they would reconsider the mark while providing evidence to support your case. Remember, advocating for yourself should always be done with respect.

3. Learn and Adapt:

Improvement comes from learning from your mistakes and taking action to rectify them. Make a conscious effort to identify where you went wrong and devise a plan to correct it.

Consider these steps:

Re-do the Assignment: If you have the dedication and time, consider revisiting parts of the assignment and resubmitting them. Revising your work not only demonstrates your commitment but also helps you apply the feedback effectively.
Seek Inspiration:Ask your teacher if you can examine assignments from students who received top grades. Analyse their work to understand what elements contributed to their success and identify areas where your assignment fell short.
Seek Early Feedback: For your next assignment, share your plan or draft with your teacher before the submission deadline. This proactive approach allows you to receive valuable feedback early on, giving you ample time to make improvements.

Googles Classroom Guardian Summaries

Remember to accept the invitation to sign up for Google Classroom Guardian Summaries. Please contact Miss Bailey if you have any questions or problems.