SECONDARY NEWS
From the Assistant Principal

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

Academic Competitions

This week, students are participating in two online external national competitions, the Australian Geography Competition and the Big Science Competition. Good luck to all students.

Good Luck...

Good luck to all students competing at the Diocesan Cross Country and Tennis Selections in Armidale on Wednesday. Please make sure you have given consent via Compass.

Good luck to the Holy Trinity Show Team who will compete at Casino Beef Week next week.

Congratulations...

Bill Turner Trophy

Congratulations to the Bill Turner Trophy football team, who defeated Armidale Secondary College 3 - 1 last week on the school oval.

Bill Turner Cup

The boys' football team were valiant in defeat last Thursday. They were defeated by Inverell High in a tough match on Inverell High's home ground.

Warialda Show

Congratulations to the Holy Trinity Show Team who had another successful show in Warialda last Friday and Saturday. They are now busily preparing for Casino Beef Week in Week 4.

Around the grounds...

Food Technology

The Year 9/10 Elective Food Technlogy class made fruit icy poles the other week.

Pickleball

'Tuesday Lunch Pickleball in the Hall' has been going well. We had over 20 students last week with a mix of Year 7 and Year 10 students playing together. Students are having fun and showing off some great skills. They have all been happy to help set up and pack up as well.

Mrs East

Uniform

May is a month when students can wear either their winter or summer uniforms, as the weather is quite changeable. They cannot combine both; they have to wear one or the other.

Winter uniform is compulsory from 1 June.

Students are reminded to check the lost property bin. Many jackets and other pieces of clothing from last term have yet to be claimed. Please clearly label all clothing with the student's names—this will enable items to be returned promptly.

ICAS - Assessment Platform (Available to Years 3-10)

What is ICAS? ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics and Science. Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals. We encourage you to consider entering your child into ICAS this year.

How to participate in ICAS If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:

1. Read about ICAS subjects and prices here: (icasassessments.com/products-icas/)

2. Go to Parent Portal to purchase tests here:(shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps)

3. Enter our school’s access code – [insert access code] (Our code is XEQ247)

4. Enter your child’s details and select the tests you would like to purchase.

All payments must be done online as this is an external assessment.

English: 12-16 August

Mathematics: 26-30 August

Science: 19-23 August

Closing date: 15 July 2024.

REMEMBER to accept the invitation to Google Classroom Guardian Summaries

Device Policy

Students are not permitted to use their devices unless instructed by a teacher. This includes both the classroom and the playground. The students are aware of this policy and receive constant reminders in Pastoral Care, their teaching classes and there are also many posters displayed all around the school.

If a student needs to use their device, they must first seek permission from a teacher and use it in an area designated by the teacher. This is usually under their direct supervision or outside the Secondary staffroom.

If students are unable to follow this policy, their phones are confiscated and placed securely in Miss Bailey's office, where they are collected by the student at the end of the school day.

Teachers record each time a device is confiscated. After it is confiscated for a second time, it remains at school until it can be collected by a parent or carer.

STUDY SKILLS TIPS - INDEPENDENT LEARNING

Some students take a long time to realise that there are actually two types of work in secondary school. There is the obvious work, the work your teacher specifically tells you to do and that is compulsory: homework, working on assignments, preparing for tests and assessments. However, students who get good results in school take a larger measure of responsibility for their learning. This means that on the nights when they do not have much compulsory work, they also do independent learning. These are the additional things you do, if you have no other schoolwork to do that night, to improve your understanding of your subjects. It is what students who get good marks are doing, they are just not talking about it to their friends!

Examples of independent learning:

Reading
Reviewing what you have been learning at school that week
Extra practise on questions you find hard
Research on an area you are interested in learning more about
Making a mind map about what you have been learning
Making study notes on a topic
Improving your touch typing skills
Reading ahead in your textbook
Improving your study skills
Doing work from a different textbook or study guide for one of your subjects (check the school library, local library and bookshops).

Some nights, you will not have time to do any independent learning. On other nights, you will have no homework and will spend the whole time allocated to schoolwork for that night working on independent learning tasks. Your teacher may even give you a sheet that has suggestions for independent learning work for that subject. If you are unsure, you can always ask. This means in secondary school you can never say ‘I have nothing to do’ – this really just means ‘I have nothing compulsory to do at the moment!’.

One component of independent learning in high school is making your own study notes or summaries.

MAXIMISING YOUR STUDY EFFICIENCY: The 80-20 Rule

Are you tired of spending countless hours on assignments only to realise that much of that time was wasted on unnecessary tasks? It's time to work smarter, not harder, and the key lies in understanding the 80-20 rule.

The 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, suggests that 80% of results come from just 20% of efforts. How can you apply this principle to your studies? Let's break it down.

Choose the Right Goal: Before diving into any task, it's crucial to identify your goal. Ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with this assignment? Focus on the 20% of goals that will yield 80% of the desired results. For instance, if your goal is to write a persuasive essay, identify the key points or arguments that will make the most impact.
Choose the Right Task: Not all tasks are created equal. Some tasks contribute significantly more to your goals than others. Prioritise tasks based on their importance and relevance to your objectives. If research is consuming too much of your time, consider focusing on the essential sources and information that directly support your main arguments.
Choose the Right Action or Strategy: Once you've established your goals and tasks, it's time to determine the most effective actions or strategies to achieve them. Break down your tasks into actionable steps and concentrate on the 20% of actions that will generate 80% of your desired outcomes. For example, if you're studying for an exam, identify the key concepts or topics that are likely to appear and allocate more time to mastering them.

Remember, every task consists of three components: the destination (goal), the route (plan), and the action (steps). By focusing on the critical 20% of each component, you can optimise your study approach for maximum efficiency and results.

In your academic journey, prioritise activities that align with your goals and contribute the most to your success. By adopting the 80-20 mindset, you'll not only save time but also achieve better outcomes with less effort.

So, the next time you embark on a study session or tackle an assignment, think about the 80-20 way of working smarter, not harder. Identify the tasks and actions that truly matter, and focus on these.

Making Contact with Teachers in the Secondary

If you have any questions or concerns about your child's learning or wellbeing, please make contact with Miss Bailey, your child's Pastoral Care teacher or their subject teacher. We are only too happy to assist.