Pastoral Academic Care (PAC)
Pastoral Academic Care (PAC) Focus - Increasing Brain Power
Wellbeing Element: Engagement and Mindfulness
Character Strength: Fairness
Parent Wellbeing:
To be intrinsically motivated in your life is called being self determined. To feel this way, you need three ingredients. They are a sense of autonomy that you have choices, a sense of competence that you have what it takes, and a sense of connectedness to those around you. Reflect each one in your life.
Most parents and teachers encourage students to practise and apply what they learn in class to other situations after school. For there to be personal and academic growth, the practice has to be intentional and the level of what they are practicing needs to be increasing in difficulty. The need to learn better, not do more of the same old. Neuroscience has shown that their (and our) brains rewire themselves when they experience new things; called Neuroplasticity. Their brains create new brain (neural) pathways by joining millions of nerve cells, called neurons, together. The more often they repeat something, the stronger these pathways become and the faster the messages travel down them. Their brains love searching for patterns and deliberately practising creates patterns which in time become their habits. But on the other hand, when these pathways aren’t used, they wither and die. That is why learnt material during the day needs to be revisited for 5 minutes in each subject every night for brain pathways to strengthen. Study and practise develop brain pathways for their memories to remember things. Practising at the same level will improve their reliability, but will not result in personal or academic growth. The character strength perseverance is an effective one to use to be able to do this. Acknowledgement: Pascual-Leone & Dweck
“To make headway, improve your head.” B.C. Forbes
Year 7
Mrs Natalie Mellowship-Brown
I’d like to start off by commending our Year 7 students on their conduct throughout the vaccinations this week. They were mature, well-behaved and had the most positive attitude. You represented O’Connor and yourselves extremely well.
COMMENDATION TIME: Year 7 students received their commendation certificates at their Year Assembly.
As we move to the final few weeks of term, I’d like our students to reflect on their achievements for the start of their High School journey. What have you achieved? What do you want to achieve? How will you achieve it?
The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA) is Australia’s key bullying prevention initiative, connecting schools and communities to find workable solutions to bullying and violence, and over the next few weeks, our students will have the opportunity to be involved in how O’Connor Catholic College recognises this day. Please contact the Year 7 PAC team if you have any questions or require any support.
Mrs Natalie Mellowship-Brown and the Year 7 PAC Team
Year 8
Mrs Kathryn Czinner
It was lovely to meet the numerous parents/carers that were able to come together on Monday night for the Information Evening. It was a worthwhile opportunity to meet parents and teachers of our Pastoral Academic Care classes. The focus of the evening was on Pastoral Academic Care, learning and use of technology.
Teenage years can often be testing when young people start to be more independent and make choices for themselves. Everyday teenagers make choices that related to their learning and the interactions with their peers. Time needs to be taken to reflect on choices made some of which are positive and others where peer group pressure or reluctancy come into place. Teachers and families take a keen interest in guiding our young people.
The focus on the use of technology was introduced. I have attached a link to some valuable websites that help our young people to make wise choices around usage. Several resources were shared and discussed at the evening.
Useful resources include:
National Day Against Bullying and Violence
Please contact myself or any of the PAC for any support.
A big congratulations to our students who have been involving themselves in extra-curricula activities. Year 8 students have been actively involved int the local Ag shows and have assisted in the Step Day as well as representing the College in multiple sporting activities.
Mrs Kathryn Czinner
Year 9
Mr James Russell
Over the past fortnight our Year 9 Students have been working hard both inside and outside the classroom. While much of the hard work in learning occurs during lessons, important learning opportunities are also available through sporting and extracurricular activities. This time of year is a show time in New England, with a number of local towns holding their annual shows. Quite a number of Yr 9 Students have been heavily involved in showing and judging livestock at these shows and they have enjoyed some great success in the arena. Special mention must be made of Mitch Northam, Will Starr and Phoebe Colvin who have worked tirelessly and showed great leadership in this area.
A number of our students have also been working hard on the sporting field preparing for and playing in Touch Football and Rugby League Carnivals. Again, such sporting events provide fantastic opportunities for our students to develop team skills, self confidence and leadership as well as gain some invaluable physical exercise.
On Monday, 22nd of March we are holding our Yr 9 Parent Information Evening at the College. All parents and Guardians are invited to come along to meet our Yr 9 Pastoral Team and hear more about the wonderful learning and development opportunities being provided to you children. The night will be held in the School Library commencing at 6:00pm and will be finished by 7:00pm. We would love to see as many of you there as possible.
Mr James Russell and the Yr 9 PAC Team.
Year 10
It has been a big few weeks for Year 10 so we’d like the opportunity to acknowledge a few highlights!
- During our last Year Briefing we got the opportunity to celebrate many student successes - a big belated congratulations to all students who received a commendation (or other) award!
- A large group of our students attended the Science and Engineering Challenge and, by all accounts, greatly enjoyed themselves! Congratulations to all students who put themselves forward to try something that may be new.
- We also want to take the opportunity to congratulate our Year 10 debating students for their results against ASC yesterday - it’s lovely to see our contribution to these extra curricular activities growing!
Today marks National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence and as a Year Group in Pastoral Classes, we are taking the opportunity to engage in some conversations relating to what bullying looks like in the 21st Century and the idea of FOMO (fear of missing out). Whilst not an easy task, we will discuss the benefits of not engaging with negative interactions and the power we have over our own choices and actions. A big thank you (in advance) for the maturity we know our students will bring with them to these round table conversations.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to remind both our student and parent/carer communities about the use of phones whilst at school - phones should be out of sight during classes and only used during breaks. This will allow all our students the opportunity to engage to their full potential in their learning.
Ms Amanda Bell / Mr Frank Patricks (on behalf of the year 10 PAC team)
Year 11
Mrs Vicki Channon
Belated congratulations to Ben Jones, Sam Fittler, Emily Lockyer, Emma Gray and Alex Baker on receiving commendations for participating admirably in the Guyra Show.
Just a reminder for those driving a vehicle to school that there is an agreement set out by the school in which the students need to fill in and have parent/carer signatures so that we can try and keep everyone as safe as possible when it comes to cars. It is a huge privilege and responsibility once young people gain a licence, so we treat it seriously in terms of accountability.
Some of our Year 11 LYL’s had their first official duty this week when they assisted with the STEP Day. The students went above and beyond, displaying great role modelling throughout the day's events. What shone through even more was they gave up some of their flexible learning time to participate in this worthwhile program. Thank you so much.
Flexible learning - students are completing a survey each fortnight around this learning time. Are you maximising this time or wasting it away? Ms Menz has already laid out the responsibilities during this time in a letter that was emailed to all parents/carers. If students are leaving the school grounds, it is their responsibility to sign out. Teachers will make a decision (along with discussions with Ms Menz and myself) as to whether some students need to stay at school during this time to catch up on work that has not been completed. So it is super important that this time is used wisely.
Mrs Vicki Channon (on behalf of the entire Year 11 PAC team)
Year 12
Mr Mark Fulloon
Another few weeks have gone by and Year 12 are working hard going into the final weeks of Term 1 with assessments and academic work due. They have also attended a Senior success night in the hopes of giving them more study habits and skills and focusing on their own learning goals and intentions for their final year. In the next few weeks our seniors will be involved in a National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence at school as a Australia wide initiative to stamp out bullying and harassment. And in their final week of Term 1 they will be involved in the Easter Liturgy and their final school cross country. With only a couple of weeks to go it is safe to say that students will be very busy and ready for a break.
Keep up the good work Year 12.
Mr Mark Fulloon (on behalf of the entire Year 12 PAC team)