Assistant Principals'
Report
Rachel Robertson, Years 7 & 8
I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend – the extra sleep-in certainly came at the right time of the term!
Interschool sport has been thriving at Year 7 and 8! Last week we had record numbers of year 8 students participating in Netball, Soccer and Badminton (competitive and social). Not even the appeal of a day off has stopped a number of year 7 students participating in the same sports tomorrow during our Report Writing Day! We wish them the best of luck.
On 29th May we held our Additional Information STEAM session for students who are applying for a position in Year 7 next year who reside outside our catchment area. I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our Junior Ambassadors in year 8 who greeted families at the gates and helped ease student nerves by chatting with them in the library before they completed their STEAM questionnaire.
The Year 7 Wellbeing program sees the introduction of the Decoration challenge where students show off their artistic flare and collaborate on a display that will earn a pizza lunch for the winning class. I look forward to being involved in the judging of these classroom displays!
In the Year 8 Wellbeing program, students have been exploring how privileged we are when compared with some other countries, and how this affords us lots of opportunities to be grateful. They have used this information to look ahead and create a vision board with goals for 2024. I know the Year Level Leaders have been extremely busy planning a range of activities for the upcoming Year 8 Wellbeing Day on Monday 24th June, and I look forward to reporting on this in the next Newsletter edition.
Katherine Warriner, Years 9 & 10
As Term 2 draws to a close it is an opportune time to reflect on the many events, activities and programs the Year 9 and 10 students are able to participate in. Students participate in the formal rowing, aerobics, dance and cadet programs, join and run lunch time clubs, take on leadership roles within their year level and the school and help to ensure the culture of the school is positive, engaging and stimulating for all students. There can be a tendency to focus on the academic outcomes of our students but it is important to recognise that some of the greatest growth, and biggest challenges, come from the involvement of students in the wider school program, including the many excursions and incursions offered as part of the teaching program.
Ms Tudor sent an email and put up a newsfeed in Compass about the School for Student Leadership program for Year 9 students and I encourage all parents to read this and discuss it with their children. This is an amazing opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills at a residential program in Term 4.
Year 9 students completed their Morrisby interviews over the last two weeks which has given them a chance to reflect on their strengths and to consider possible future pathways. As we begin Term 3 students will begin the process of course selection for 2025. These interviews and the results from the Morrisby Aptitude test may help them to focus on selecting subjects they are good at and will enjoy. They are also in the process of finalising assessment tasks for their semester length subjects.
Year 10 students are also finalising their assessments for their subjects and will complete their Maths and English exams in Week 10. This can be a time of anxiety for students, and we encourage them to speak to trusted adults if they are feeling worried about this. They should continue to eat healthy meals, get the recommended amount of sleep and take some time to do the things they enjoy around their study program. These exams are designed to give students a chance to practice study and exam techniques before they commence their VCE next year.
Semester 2 subjects will start on Monday 24th June and Term 2 will finish at 2.30pm on Friday 28th June. I hope you all have a safe and restful break.