We hope this newsletter finds you well. As we approach the middle of the academic year, we have some wonderful achievements and events to share with you.

"Chicago" College Musical - Get Your Tickets Now!

Our talented students have been working tirelessly to bring the dazzling production of "Chicago" to life on stage. The college musical is one of the most anticipated events of the year, showcasing the exceptional talents and dedication of our students.

We extend a heartfelt invitation to all parents, families, and friends to join us and witness the magic of "Chicago." By purchasing tickets, you not only support our students' passion for the performing arts but also ensure an unforgettable experience for everyone attending. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to celebrate the creativity and hard work of our college's aspiring performers!

Gratitude for LEGO Donations

We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming response to our call for LEGO donations. Thanks to your generous contributions, our students now have a plethora of LEGO bricks and sets to fuel their imagination and foster hands-on learning experiences. The bricks will also be used in a number of professional development sessions as a creative tool for strategic thinking.

Celebrating Academic Excellence with Principal's Award Ceremonies

Over the past six days, we have held our Principal's Award ceremonies, celebrating the exceptional achievements of our top academic performers and most improved students in each year level. It was heartwarming to see so many parents join us to honour their children's hard work and dedication.

We believe in recognising and encouraging every student's potential, and these ceremonies serve as a testament to the commitment of our students, teachers, and parents in fostering a culture of excellence and growth at St Helena.

Safety Reminder: Traffic on Wallowa Road

As a school community, safety is our top priority, and we must work together to ensure the well-being of our students and everyone in our neighborhood. We have received several concerns from members of the public regarding speeding cars and vehicles letting students out in the middle of Wallowa Road.

We urge all parents to be cautious while driving near the school and adhere to traffic regulations. Please use designated drop-off zones and be mindful of pedestrians and other road users. Together, we can create a safe and secure environment for our children.

Naplan Results

Naplan is a valuable tool for schools to measure our effectiveness in teaching and learning in several key areas. This year the Naplan scaling changed from a numerical score to four key areas:

Exceeding (results exceed expectations at the time of testing)

Strong (results meet challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing)

Developing (results indicate the student is working towards expectations at the time of testing)

Needs additional support (result indicates the student is not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing)

The Year 7 Naplan results are largely a baseline figure as the testing really reflects the entry points of students coming into our college. Year 9 Naplan results enable us to look at whether we have achieved learning growth for students from Year 7 to Year 9.

This year's results demonstrate that we are above other secondary schools in our Network in the categories of "exceeding" and "strong" for reading, writing, spelling, grammar & punctuation and numeracy at both Year 7 and Year 9.

Individual Naplan reports were mailed to families in Years 7 and 9 last week.

Free webinar: Technology and your child

How You Can Make Technology an Ally (& Not the Enemy!)

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education's next free webinar will be taking place on Wednesday 16th August, focusing on Technology & Focus.

Elevate Education works with our students, delivering high impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series you will learn how you can help better support your children at home through reinforcing the skills they learn at school:  

Wednesday 16th August @ 6:30pm (AEST) How You Can Make Technology an Ally (& Not the Enemy!)

Click here to register for free

Here's what Elevate will be covering:

✅Technology addiction and how to reduce technology dependence

✅Practical strategies and apps to minimise procrastination

✅How to help your child use technology productively to enhance their learning

2023 Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey

WE WANT OUR PARENTS / CAREGIVERS / GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents / caregivers / guardians think of our school. The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. The survey is optional but we encourage all families to participate. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.

A random sample of approximately 30 per cent of parents / caregivers / guardians has been selected to participate in this year’s survey.

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open from Monday 7 August to Friday 8 September 2023.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the survey period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in English and 10 other languages including Arabic, Greek, Hakha Chin, Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Turkish, and Vietnamese.Please email AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au if you would like further information.

Do you have trouble getting your child to school?

Navigating School Refusal in Teens

Next date: Tuesday, 22 August 2023 | 07:00 PM to 08:30 PM

Join Jesuit Social Services to learn how to navigate school refusal in teens.

This online session will cover:

Factors that may lead to school disengagement
School-based strategies for re-engaging a young person with school
External strategies to support a young person to re-engage with school
Jesuit Social Services programs that support young people to re-engage with school

This session is for parents, carers and grandparents of teenagers.

Registrations: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/navigating-school-refusal-in-teens-tickets-667276841997?aff=oddtdtcreator

From the Principal 2023

Dare to Be Excellent

Term 3 Weeks 3 & 4 · 07 Aug 2023

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