Assistant Principal's Message
Year 12
This term is usually the term that can cause the most grief for Year 12. Students may appear to be coping at school but often parents can take the brunt of any potential overload. During this time students need to maintain a consistent and committed workload at home. To reach their potential in the HSC, students need to be doing work beyond the classroom and they should be balancing this work between subjects. It is important for students to have a complete set of course notes from which to revise. Submission of work for feedback is also crucial at this point, even if it is note form, to ensure the student is covering essential content. As well , students need to complete the assessment program prior to the HSC trial examination next term.
And, a timely reminder: managing stress and anxiety levels is an important consideration for parents over the next 5 weeks. Students may appear to be coping at school but often parents can take the brunt of any potential overload.
Year 11
Year 11 students will receive their reports next week. Parents are invited to make a booking for an interview with teachers on Tuesday 4th June. This is also a crucial time for Year 11 students as they need to refine their skills across all subjects and courses. Year 12 is laden with content so the more we shape and develop our skills in Year 11 the better.
Year 10
Students have been in the process of organising work experience for week 9 of this term( all students should have submitted their form to Mrs Lemon by now). We continue to support the work experience program as we believe it does provide a valuable experience for students in seeking possible career options. We also need to stress upon Year 10 the importance of challenging their own learning at school. Often students tend to plateau at this point, content to rest on their merits in a holding pattern for Year 11. The consequence is dramatic when year 11 starts as students become overwhelmed by the work expected in Stage 6. As learning is extended in Year 10, students need to demonstrate the appropriate level of response.
Year 7 and 9
Congratulations to these students who have completed the NAPLAN testing. It is difficult for schools to take 2 weeks out to complete these tests. Resources are stretched as our staff have to conduct the testing not to mention the prior training. I think it is important to keep in mind that the results of the tests demonstrate what a student has achieved on that particular day and there are multiple factors that determine the result, from software malfunction to how they are feeling in general about the tests.
Staff Development Days 2019
We wish to advise parents/carers of the dates for staff development days for the remainder of the year.
Term 2 - Tuesday 11th June and Wednesday 12th June. The College will be closed as all staff will be attending the Systems Conference run by the Catholic Schools Office.
Term 3 - Monday 22nd July. The Library will be open for senior students wishing to study.
Term 4 - School concludes on Wednesday 18 December.
Finally ..
I would like to wish all families the best for the rest of the Year. I will be moving to St Joseph’s Barraba as Acting Principal to the end of 2019.
Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation.
Simon Fleming
A.P