DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING REPORT 

Vision for Teaching and Learning at St Mary MacKillop College - a statement that drives the development of a high performance learning culture at SMMC

At St Mary MacKillop College we have high expectations of our students as we equip them with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. We pursue excellence through a teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, engaging and encourages growth. We value collaboration, innovation and building strong relationships.

We find ourselves once again in the familiar space of online learning. While this is not the ideal space for us to return to, we are very much grateful for what we have learnt from our previous experiences of online learning and our ability to adapt to the ever changing circumstances and ensure a smooth transition from face-to-face classes to online learning. For this extended period of online learning we have changed the school timetable, reduced the length of each lesson and included self-directed time at the end of the day. By making these changes we acknowledge the toll for students and staff of being online constantly. The revised timetable also allows more breaks to occur throughout the day. Brain breaks, as we like to call them in education, are valuable during the day to enable students to move away from their computer screens and to have a break before returning to their next online class. We also know that brain breaks help to reduce stress and frustration and assist in concentration when returning to study.

A huge thank you to our staff for providing continuity in learning as we move from face-to-face classes to online learning. This constant shift is very challenging and requires a distinct change in our teaching practice. The way we run our face-to-face classes is very different to how we run our classes online and our teachers have had to adjust their lessons and the way they deliver their classes, often at very short notice. We are truly blessed to have a committed staff who ensure the needs of our students are met during online learning and I sincerely thank them for their dedication.

We very much look forward to welcoming our students back to school in the future. In the meantime, I extend my best wishes to all members of our community. Stay safe and take care.

Year 11 and 12 Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews – Wednesday 25 August

On Wednesday 25 August we held progress interviews for VCE and VCAL students. It was the first time we ventured into running these interviews online and the feedback from staff and parents has been really positive. Moving our interviews to an online format when we are so used to running them face-to-face comes with some hesitation, particularly around whether the technology will work or not on the night. Thankfully the technology cooperated! Many thanks to our Year 11 and 12 teachers for their support of these interviews.

These interviews provide an opportunity for teachers to meet with families and discuss learning and strategies to maximise progress. We know that parent engagement in student learning has a positive impact on student achievement. If you were unable to attend these interviews, we encourage you to contact your child’s teachers to discuss the progress they are making in their learning. We wish our VCE and VCAL students all the best with their studies.

Unit 3/4 Trial Exams

Our Unit 3/4 trial exams are scheduled from Monday 27 to Wednesday 29 September. We are waiting for further information as to whether we can run these exams on site. Once we receive this information, we will inform our students.

General Achievement Test (GAT) 

We have been informed that the GAT will be held on Tuesday 5 October from 10.00am – 1.15pm. This is subject to public health advice and epidemiological conditions. All students studying a Unit 3/4 subject are required to complete the GAT.

2021 Book Week

As mentioned in our previous newsletter, August 21 to 27 was Book Week. Recently I received an email that sparked my interest. It read, 'to celebrate Book Week ‘we're sharing a great infographic that debunks some popular myths about generational reading habits. Do Millennials read more or less than Boomers? Which generations prefer e-books to physical copies? The answers might surprise you’. The infographic and report can be found here. I wonder what the popular books are for members of our community. Happy reading!

2021 NAPLAN

The 2021 NAPLAN test results have been in the media recently. When the testing period occurs in May, there is always lots of commentary in the media about the tests, both positive and negative. At St Mary MacKillop College we are an inclusive learning community that caters for students of all abilities. For us, the NAPLAN data provides valuable information to ensure we support our students and their endeavours at our school. One of the many roles teachers have is to meet students where they are at in their learning. The more data and information we have regarding the abilities of our students, the better we are able to meet their individual learning needs, and in turn ensure they are well supported throughout their secondary school learning journey.

NAPLAN 2021 summary data shows the global COVID-19 pandemic has overall had no significant impact on students’ literacy and numeracy achievement at a national level. The data released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is a testament to the resilience of students, teachers, parents and carers. Please find below links to the recent media releases from ACARA and the National Catholic Education Commission.

Media release from ACARA here

Media release from the National Catholic Education Commission here