Secondary News
Write a Book in a Day - Friday 23rd August
Three teams of students have been selected for the upcoming Write a Book in a Day competition as part of our Book Week celebrations. This will take place Friday 23rd August in Week 5.
Write a Book in a Day is a creative writing competition for students in years 5 - 12 with unique aspects:
It involves teamwork (up to 10 in a team) with students tasked with planning, writing, illustrating and publishing an original story book.
A unique set of parameters need to be included in the story.
The book must be completed within a 12-hour period between 8am and 8pm
Completed books are given to kids in hospitals.
Students must arrive at the St Philomena’s Learning Centre at 7:50am to prepare for the event. They will need to organise their own recess and lunch as normal. A pizza dinner will be provided. All students must be picked up by 8:15pm. Students are able to wear comfortable and appropriate non-uniform clothing for participation in this event.
There is no cost to families associated with participation in this competition.
Assessment Drafts
The assessment schedule for all Secondary students has now been finalised for Term 3. A specific notification with instructions for each task will be distributed at least two weeks before the due date.
Students are encouraged to submit drafts for all assessments before their due date in order for teachers to provide feedback. While specific instructions may not be given, guiding advice can help elevate response quality. Drafts may not be accepted if submitted too close to the assessment due date.
Year 7 - Zine Fair Tuesday 24th September
As part of Year 7's study of poetry in Term 3, students will submit a cumulative assessment, showcasing their work in English, in the form of a "zine". A zine is a self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually produced in limited runs through photocopying.
Zine fairs have formed a part of the culture around independent publishing for many years. These are opportunities for zinemakers to show off their wares, trading and collecting individualised artistic creations.
All members of the St Philomena's community are invited from 2:15pm to 3:00pm on Tuesday 24th September to attend an exhibition of these student works in the Parish Hall(old school hall). Student zines will be available for purchase for a gold coin donation going to the Moree St Vincent de Paul Society. All classes at St Philomena's are also invited to drop by at this time and check out the published work of the students in Year 7.
Miss Humphries and I are so excited to celebrate the ongoing fantastic work of our current Year 7 cohort with you. If you have any questions about this event, please contact me at jmccallu@arm.catholic.edu.au.
Year 7 - Spelling Homework
A reminder to all Year 7 students and their parents/caregivers that our work on improving spelling outcomes is continuing into Term 3.
All Year 7 students are given a homework booklet at the beginning of the school week. This booklet contains nightly activities, meant to be completed in less than 15 minutes, to assist with revising and developing understanding of specific spelling rules.
Each student has been given a plastic folder for storing and transporting their spelling booklets. To ensure that these booklets do not become lost, ensure that whenever work is completed the booklet is immediately placed back in the plastic folder. It is required that the spelling booklet stays in your child's backpack, and be transported to and from school each day. This ensures that there is no confusion about where the booklet is and allows teachers to check progress throughout the week.
Booklets are checked for completion every Friday A and Thursday B. If the booklet is incomplete or missing, and there is no signed note from a parent/caregiver attached explaining this, a lunch detention will be given. This time will be used for completing the booklet. It is expected that the remainder will then be completed before the following Monday.
If you have any questions about the spelling program, please do not hesitate to contact me at jmccallu@arm.catholic.edu.au.
Student Diary Usage
Please continue checking in with your child's diary each week to ensure you are aware of the homework and assessment schedule's that have been set.
Caregivers are asked to sign the student diary once a week to confirm that all parties are aware of student responsibilities for this time period.
If you are unsure of the requirements of the school diary, please make contact with your child's Pastoral teacher.
Preparing the Ag Plot for Spring!
With a new semester and spring just around the corner the group was ecstatic to commence their period as caregivers to the Ag Plot. It started with the selection of plants that would best suit the warmer months, researching climates, soil types and moisture profiles (thanks to the help of the science department).
With a new season approaching, it was only appropriate to introduce a new way of planting through 'seed bombing.' The class utilised recycled paper to infuse seeds into moulds that could be dried out and later planted into the garden.
The seedlings and 'seed bombs' were planted on Friday and Year 8 are already planning what they can create from their vegetables!
Year 8 Gardening Tip:
Over the winter months, your garden would have dried out and compacted. Prior to planting you may need to test the soil to see what nutrients it needs, allowing you to give it the right mixture when it comes to fertilising or composting this spring.
