Assistant Principal's Report

Assemblies

Generally each second Monday morning students are involved in an assembly. Assemblies are an opportunity to provide information to a larger group of students at once as well as recognize and celebrate the efforts and achievements of our students.

Please check Compass for schedule of Assembly dates and locations.

Riding to School

For the safety of the students riding their bikes to and from school, they are reminded that by law they are required to wear a helmet while riding.

Students that elect to bring their bike to school they are also reminded that they must dismount and walk their bike through the school grounds to the bike shed.

Students should also ensure that their bike is locked with a secure lock.

Student Assessment and Reports

Teachers have commenced writing Semester One reports for all students, which will be issued to students on Friday 28 June. These reports provide parents/carers with an up-to-date picture of how your child is performing at school against Victorian Curriculum standards (Years 7-10) or VCE / VCAL outcomes (Year 11 & 12).

Exams

Exams for students in Year 9-11 will begin from Thursday 6 June. Timetables have been given to students. There are particular requirements for each year level – please check the timetable and letter explaining the requirements.

The scheduled exams are designed to assess students learning over the semester. Exams will be conducted in exam conditions similar to VCAA (Year 12) exams to ensure students are prepared for these exams in the future. Our aim is for all students to build their confidence in sitting exams as well as develop appropriate skills in preparation for exams to ensure they can achieve their best.

10 Exam Tips for Students

Prior to the exam period students are encouraged to follow this tips to ensure they are prepared with minimal stress.

Before the Exam

1. Develop an exam study timetable

- once you have your exam timetable, plan when you will study for each exam. You will need to take into consideration all of your other activities (sport, work, family duties etc.). Don’t cram for exams – some people will claim they work best by cramming; however this can cause increase stress levels on the body and this stress could be carried through to your exam; where you are more like to make errors through a lack of concentration.

2. Ensure there is a balance between studying and breaks

- study in sessions for about 1 hour, then take a break. For a break, get up out of your sit, move around the room/house, get a drink or something to eat and return to studying.

3. Organise a Study Space

- set aside a space in your house/room where you can study. A study with a desk and chair is ideal; however kitchen table might have to do. Studying on your bed is not conducive to studying. Make sure you have enough space to spread your textbooks and notes. Ensure there is enough lighting and your seated position is comfortable. The space should be quiet, if this is not possible wear ear plugs.

4. Eat Well and Drink Plenty of Water

- it is very important to ensure you are eating nutritious food and having a balanced diet. A well-balanced diet can assist transform a nutritionally imbalanced student into a healthy one. It is important to remain hydrated – water is the best for this. Drink plenty of water during exam revision and on the day of the exam.

A poor diet can impact on your blood sugar levels and effect your concentration.

5. Avoid Distractions

- If you don’t need your computer, iPad/table, phone etc. to study then remove them so you can concentrate. If you can place your computer, iPad/table, phone etc. in another room then you should do this. Screens can stimulate the brain resulting in your focus being on the screen and associated applications rather than the task at hand. If you need to access your device to assist with your study, it is encouraged that you only have the applications your require open eg: turn off notifications, messenger etc.

6. Avoid too much caffeine

- some people think that drinking caffeine drinks (coffee, cola) and high energy drinks (V, Mother, Red Bull) can help stimulate the brain and keep you up so you can study for longer. These drinks are designed to stimulate the brain and body and therefore can affect the body’s natural rhythm so when it is time for the brain to relax and sleep it has difficulty doing this. This can make you feel tired the next day and your brain and body may not get the rest it requires for optimal performance.

7. Sleep

- staying up late the night before an exam is worst thing you can do. There will come a point where your productivity will decline. The body needs time to rest and recover after a hard day of studying to ensure it is refreshed for the exam ahead.

On the Day of the Exam

8. Eat Breakfast

- ensure that you eat breakfast on the day of the exam. For some exams, you will be sitting for 1½ hours up to 3+ hours for the GAT. It is important to be concentrating on your responses rather than your stomach.

9. Be Prepared

- ensure that you have the required materials for each of the exams eg: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser, and calculator (make sure that is it working) etc. Be aware of what materials you are allowed and not allowed to take into the exam room. Eg: calculators, mobile phone, specific materials etc.

- arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start time of the exam. It is better to be early and waiting rather than arriving just on time or late and stressing about it.

10. Use Reading Time Productively and Read Questions Carefully

- for all exams there is a period of time allocated for reading. This time is set for you to settle down and begin to understand what you are about to undertake. You should read all of the instructions of the exam and then begin to skim over the questions preparing yourself for what is about to occur. For essay base exams (English etc.) it is a good time to mentally prepare what you are going to write etc. opening paragraph, body text, etc. It is also important to read questions carefully as this is important in understanding the key terms and what the question is asking of you.

Good luck!

Mr Chris Knight

Assistant Principal