Assistant Principal - Learning and Wellbeing - Happening Events

Welcome back to Term 2, 2022. Hopefully our students had a restful Easter break. Term 2 is always an eventful term at O'Connor with many sporting , cultural, and charitable events. Most notable is the focus on learning which is reported to parents by the end of term. Year 12 reports are just about ready to go out and 7 to 11 reports will be available toward the end of this term. 

I mention this now because students are able to influence their own learning from the beginning of term which will be reflected in those reports. In this space, students are often reminded that our reports reflect a growth mindset. Among other things, a growth mindset dictates that effort and practice can lead to the mastery of skills. This effort and practice is what we refer to as grit. With grit anyone can move their learning forward. Some learning may be more difficult for students than in other areas and some learning may require more grit than is needed by other students. The point is everyone can move their learning forward. A fixed mindset on the other hand infers that your talents and abilities are set. You are either good or not so good at something. A fixed mindset lends itself a lack of grit. If it is hard, you may justify little effort by brushing it off as something you are not good at. This thinking needs to be rejected. Reports should rejoice in learning growth no matter what the starting point and this in turn should acknowledge the grit required to achieve this. Of course learning itself is far greater motivation than a report but it is nice to work toward some acknowledgement of that growth.

No doubt this will appear elsewhere in the newsletter but I would like to thank all those 

students and staff involved in the various ANZAC services. The honour paid to veterans and the prayers of peace at various New England communities was very special and it is great that the O'Connor Community could play a part in that. Our own ANZAC commemoration was respectfully attended by the entire student body where cadets for the various armed services were guests of honour including Liam Vannucci whose address to the College was both informative and inspiring.

Also, I would like to thank the O'Connor community that was involved in the coordination

 and participation of the Diocesan Cross Country and Tennis championships. Schools from all across the Diocese gave very positive feedback to the excellent organisation and great spirit of sportsmanship shown by our staff and students. Mr Honeysett as the sports coordinator deserves special praise by getting this great community event together.

Some things to look forward to in the coming weeks include Girls Bill Turner Cup Football (May 9), The Year 7 Retreat (May 12) and the Year 8 Retreat (May 13). At the time of writing, some of our senior ATSI students are involved in some deep learning and some fun activities at the Warramalaya retreat in Sydney. Thanks to Mr Griffin, Ms Bloomfield and Mr Patricks for accompanying our students on this adventure.

Mr Damian Roff

Assistant Principal - Learning and Wellbeing

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