The Nazarene

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning Report

Welcome to 2020!

 

It was wonderful to greet all our students as they returned to school. It was also exciting to see our new Year 7s arrive at school. I did enjoy meeting up with many past students who now have their child starting at Nazareth! Parent engagement is a key ingredient for student success and we look forward to meeting with parents at the upcoming Year 7, VCE and VCAL Information Night, Student Progress interviews in Terms 2 and 3 as well as the important Subject Selection evening in Term 3 and at the many NCCA functions, performance evenings, sports and other events that make our college such a rich and diverse learning community.

 

The Learning Team for 2021 provides leadership and guidance to staff and students, and can be contacted to provide expert advice in their field. The 2021 Instructional Leaders are:

  • Ms Caitlin Mackay – Applied Learning and Learning Support
  • Mrs Christine Vaughan – Visual Arts & Technology
  • Ms Amanda Mauceri – Performing Arts
  • Mr Mark O’Sullivan – English & Literacy
  • Ms Emily Morris – Health & Physical Education
  • Ms Donna Watts - Humanities
  • Ms Joanna Marletta – Languages
  • Ms Shelley Pendlebury – Mathematics
  • Mr Peter Nathan – Religious Education
  • Ms Lisa Douglass – Resource Centre
  • Ms Heather Murtagh – Science
  • Ms Emma Wray – Learning Diversity
  • Mr Christopher Brown – Middle Years Student Engagement
  • Ms Elena Flodstrom - Careers
  • Mr Maurice Di Muzio – VCE Coordinator
  • Ms Ruth Sharp – Director of Operations

Nazareth College High Achievers Program

Nazareth College prides itself in catering to the needs of high achievers. Since 2015, we have delivered the Laurel program for high achievers. High achievers are identified by the use of NAPLAN, PAT and reporting data. Laurel high achievers in English and Maths are invited to be part of the Knowledge stream in our Year 7 and 8 Learning Awareness Program for differentiated learning. The Year 7 and 8 English and Maths programs allow students to choose their own level of learning for units of work so that learning is personalized. The emphasis is on deepening knowledge and scaffolding learning so that students can achieve their highest potential. Students who achieve good academic results are then offered the opportunity to accelerate in Year 10. High achievers in Science are invited to be a part of the separate Laurel Science class. These classes undertake the Science curriculum at a faster pace, allowing for acceleration right through to VCE. Students also participate in STEM/ Science-based extracurricular activities.

 

Year 7 and 8 Learning Awareness Program

In Years 7 & 8 English and Mathematics, four teachers are allocated to three classes of students. The classes are divided into four reporting groups. Besides anecdotal data from the student, the groups are based on PAT Comprehension data and prewriting tasks in English and on different forms of data such as PAT Maths results and a Pretest for each topic in Mathematics. The groups are known as Faith, Wisdom and Knowledge. Each of the groups cater to the difference in the developmental abilities of students allowing them to work from current level and working to achieve their highest potential by constant scaffolding and guidance from their teachers. The four teachers take responsibility for curriculum planning, implementation, assessment and reporting on the students in their group. The teachers regularly monitor the progress of the students and provide feedback to the students about their progress and learning choices. The curriculum is designed so that students can choose the level of assessment task they undertake. The group chosen by the student may change with every task or topic. This encourages student agency, giving them an opportunity to be equal partners in their learning journey at the College.

 

PAM – the Parent Access Module: essential for communication

Using PAM, parents can access their child’s timetable, reporting and attendance, along with the College Calendar, Knowledge banks (including information about eLearning, parent nights, VCE procedures and more), daily notices, bookings for Student Progress interviews and more.

 

A key aspect of PAM is Continuous Reporting. Continuous Reporting enables parents to directly view their child’s assessment due dates and then – within 2 weeks of the assessment – the feedback and marks for all formal assessments, using the Learning Areas link in your child’s profile. If you have any queries regarding PAM or if you have lost your PAM login code/password, please direct any questions or concerns to ICThelpdesk@nazareth.vic.edu.au

 

 

We thank parents for your valuable partnership in educating your children and for your support with this and all other College policies and procedures: together, we build the knowledge, values and habits that form our Nazarenes as active, productive and critically-thinking citizens and as living embodiments of the Way of Christ.

 

 

Ms Claire Nailon

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning