Pastoral Academic Care (PAC)
Pastoral Academic Care (PAC) Focus - Pumping up Creativity
Wellbeing Element: Engagement and Mindfulness
Character Strength: Creativity
Year 7
Mrs Natalie Mellowship-Brown
This time of the academic year provides a great opportunity for students to reflect upon how their learning is progressing. The Year 7 PAC Team asks that you take the time to sit and discuss your child’s results and comments surrounding where their learning is currently at and how they plan to move forward as we head into Semester 2.
Over the past week, and leading into the next few weeks, our Year 7 students have started to work on preparing for the Student Led Conferencing (SLC) that happens Week 3, Term 3, Tuesday 27th - Thursday 29th July. Please note the conferences may be face-to face or via zoom. Booking information will be presented for this next term. In preparation for their SLC, students have started to work on a portfolio that they will have the opportunity to present to parents and carers. This portfolio will include the learning successes that they have had since the start of the academic year. The SLCs are a wonderful opportunity for students to reflect upon their learning and how they can move their learning forward. As a PAC team, we are really looking forward to celebrating our student’s successes with you.
During our final week of term, we celebrate our College Founders Day. This is a day where we are able to celebrate our College’s founders and help to raise money for Catholic Missions. In the lead up and on the day, each year group have the opportunity to run various fundraising activities. Year 7s should start to think about any cool and fun ideas they have in preparation for presenting them to their PAC groups.
As we come to the end of the term and semester, I’d like the Year 7 students to reflect upon their superpowers. Have they used them this Semester? Have they changed? As we approach the end of the term, I’d like to see our students identify what they can do to ‘enhance their superpower” and use their superpower to enhance their own and other people’s learning.
On behalf of the Year 7 PAC Team, I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate the continued success of our Year 7 students. We look forward to welcoming you back in Semester 2. Have a well-earned rest and enjoy your break.
Mrs Natalie Mellowship-Brown and the Year 7 PAC Team
Year 8
Mrs Kathryn Czinner
Parents will receive the Semester 1 Reports in the coming weeks. Please be alert to all compass notifications to ensure you receive the report. Take time to reflect on the academic report and work on having positive conversations about learning successes and where improvements can be made. Subject teachers can be contacted via email if parents would like to have further discussions around their child’s learning.
In PAC, our year has been focusing on preparation for the Student-Led Conferencing. Students will present a portfolio that will include their learning successes over the term. Student-Led conferencing sees many benefits. Students will have greater accountability for their learning, show an increase in pride, confidence and independence. Being able to articulate what they are learning in class enhances the learning outcomes for all. Student / Teacher / Parent engagement in the learning process is deepened.
The conferencing is set down for Week 3 Term 3. PAC teachers are looking forward to meeting at the conference. Please note the conferences may be face-to face or via zoom. Booking information will be presented next term.
In our final week of term, we celebrate Founders Day and Founders week. During this week we will work on various fund-raising initiatives in the form of mini-stalls at recess and lunchtime. Each PAC class will be asked to organise a stall. Please contribute by making a small donation towards the supplies required for the stall. The College Community will then be able to participate in the events during the week. Indeed a great week on the school calendar.
Mrs Kathryn Czinner (on behalf of the Year 8 PAC team)
Year 9
Mr James Russell
With Week 8 almost completed we enter the final straight of Term 2, 2021 and there are a lot of important and exciting things to look forward to. Firstly, students will receive their Semester 1 Reports in the coming days. Report time presents a fantastic opportunity for all of us to reflect and review how our children and students are progressing in their learning. Please take the time to sit and discuss your child’s results and comments and assist them to reflect on where they are currently at with their learning and where they could be as the year progresses.
Following on from this is Student Led Conferencing (SLC) early next term. We are endeavouring to have all students and their parents/guardians attend an SLC this year. The SLC is a wonderful opportunity for our students to feel great pride as they share what they have been learning in the first half of the year. It is also an important opportunity for them to reflect on their learning and consider how they can best move their learning forward as we enter into Semester 2. SLC’s for Year 9 will be held between the 3rd and 5th of August. Students have already begun to prepare for their conferences and are pulling together folios to share with you. Please mark the date on your calendars and plan to be in attendance.
During Week 10 we celebrate the founders of our College and in keeping with their traditions, raise some funds for Catholic Missions. During the week each year group will be running a fundraising activity nominated by them. Year 9 are still considering what they would like to run but will be doing so on the Thursday. More info on this very soon. On Friday we celebrate Founders Day. Many staff and students comment that this is their favourite day of the school calendar as we spend time as a College celebrating our history and traditions as well as the amazing talents of our students who perform at our Founders Day Concert. The day is then topped off with huge games of capture the flag in house groups, something that the students always thoroughly enjoy. It really is a special week and we would love for all students to be in attendance.
Mr James Russell and the Yr 9 PAC Team.
Year 10
Ms Amanda Bell and Mr Frank Patricks
Congratulations to all Year 10 students. Watching the latest Monday morning student lead PAC we can only say how interesting and exciting this time has developed into. The entire year actively participating in the Kahoot developed by 10.1 exhibited a closeness over the whole year that warms the heart, bringing together wonderful students who have incredible individual talents.
These incredible individual talents are now being given the opportunity to be showcased and expressed openly through the up and coming Student Led Conferencing early next term. This opportunity is compulsory for all students and is ideally done with the participation of you, the student, your parent or guardian and your PAC teacher. In addition, should you wish to have either Ms Bell or myself attend your presentation and see your great work we would be more than happy to. Remember, this is compulsory so revisit the document you have been working on in PAC and showcase your brilliance. If you don’t participate in the evening with parents/guardians and PAC teachers you will be required to showcase yourself during a PAC period. This is a great opportunity and a complementary way to look at what you want to do with your subject selection for next year.
To get you started on thinking about your study options for next year, below is a list of subjects available as preferences from last year. Please take the time to review it
(THIS LIST MAY ALTER FOR THIS YEAR AND IS ONLY MEANT AS A GUIDE)
English Advanced - Standard - Studies
You must be doing ENGLISH ADVANCED to do Extension 1 English.
Studies of Religion 2U - Studies of Religion 1U - Studies in Catholic Thought 1U (non ATAR)
Mathematics Advanced - Mathematics Standard - No mathematics
You must select MATHEMATICS to do MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1
CAPA - Music 2 (2 unit) - Music 1 (2 unit) - Dance - Visual Arts
SCIENCE - Investigating Science - Biology - Chemistry - Physics
PDHPE - PDHPE - Community and Family Studies - Sport Lifestyle and Recreation (1 UNIT
NON-ATAR) - Exploring Early Childhood (1 UNIT NON-ATAR)
TAS - Design and Technology - Textiles and Design - Engineering Studies - Agriculture
VET - Hospitality - Construction - Business Services - Primary Industries - Fitness
HSIE - Ancient History - Modern History - Legal Studies - Society and Culture - Business Studies
TAFE
OTHER
Have a wonderful break over the long weekend and be safe.
Ms Amanda Bell / Mr Frank Patricks (on behalf of the Year 10 PAC team)
Year 11
Mrs Vicki Channon
I would like to start by thanking all of the students who are demonstrating a really high level of commitment to their studies and for being good citizens. As I wander around classes and I speak to teachers of Year 11, there is a lot of positivity in regards to the manner in which our students are going about their everyday life here at school, both in the playground and in the classroom. I have witnessed students engaging with some of our younger students who may be struggling and making their day a little brighter. What a beautiful thing. Mrs Brown specifically mentioned the hard work, resilience and impressive problem-solving skills displayed by the Chemistry and Biology students in recent assessment tasks. Great work everyone. As we near the end of Term 2, there will be assessment tasks that need to be completed. Keep chipping away and you will get there.
The flexible learning time Periods 4 and 5 on Tuesday Week B have proved to be quite successful, with the majority of students engaging in their learning in a productive manner, either at home or school.
Year 11 and 12 enjoyed a sausage sizzle last Friday during their PAC period. It is refreshing to do something a little different every now and again, and for no other reason but to enjoy a little break from the everyday routine. There was a little bit of cross-communication happening between the two year groups, which was pleasing to see.
Week 10 is going to be a fun time with Founder’s Week being announced. We have 20 students from St Ursuline’s College, Kingsgrove coming for our celebrations, and these students are being kindly hosted by some of our cohort. Thank you so much for your support in providing accommodation for these students. It will be great getting to know our city friends. These students are then given the opportunity to stay with their families and join in their celebrations in Term 3.
Term 3 marks the last term before HSC studies commence in Term 4!!!!!! WOW!!!!! What amazing things/experiences/learning are you going to do to make it an awesome last term of Year 11??? What can you do to make a positive difference at our school? Our PAC team will be focussing on study skills and strategies leading up to exams which will be late week 8 and all of week 9 of next term. We will continue to develop and nurture leadership skills and relationships.
Have a well-earned rest and enjoy the break.
Mrs Vicki Channon (on behalf of the entire Year 11 PAC team)
Year 12
Mr Mark Fulloon
Year 12 have now nearly finished their studies for a busy Term 2, and many have worked hard for the entire semester to achieve their desired academic results. During this time students have been involved in many extracurricular activities and events, most recently senior students have performed in the Armidale Eisteddfod and have come away with some excellent results. Students have also been busy working towards finishing major works in Visual Art, Design and Technology and Textiles, and many have also been working hard in Sciences, English and Mathematics.
As we now enter the last few weeks of Term 2 after an extended long weekend, senior students will now be ambassadors for the college ‘Founders Day’. The student leaders have decided to call it ‘Founders Week’ and have organised activities for the school to become involved in to raise funds for the NSW Rural Kidney Clinic. This fundraising is also happening with the students cooking a BBQ every Tuesday and Thursday morning at the school BBQ area. Students are braving the cold mornings to provide the school community with a cooked breakfast at a very reasonable cost to raise funds, well done to the student leaders and students for your work for this very worthwhile cause.
With 2 weeks left in this semester keep up the good work Year 12 and continue to work with your teachers as every day counts, and it is important to finish strong and be your best.
Mr Mark Fulloon (on behalf of the entire Year 12 PAC team)