Assistant Principal News
Already this term has seen many diverse successes particularly in the extra curricula areas of sport, creative arts and community service as well as in the HSC Trial performances for Drama and Music. Congratulations to all those involved on your preparation, effort and successes.
Trial HSC Examinations
Year 12 students are finalising their preparations for the Trial HSC examinations that will commence on Wednesday 15th August. Students can access past HSC style questions, marking guidelines, exemplar responses and notes from the marking centre on the NESA website at: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/home.
It is very important that students focus sharply on achieving their best and are fully aware of which exam is on which day. Students should be familiar with the procedures surrounding exams and are asked to check their timetables thoroughly to give themselves enough time to be at school in the right mindset.
If a student is feeling unwell, please contact the office before each exam to inform the College of any non-attendance. A doctor’s certificate is required for any absence due to illness. If a student is feeling unwell during an exam, the presiding officer, Mrs Kate Norris, should be notified before or immediately following the exam and a doctor’s certificate should be sought straight away. Claiming misadventure for feeling unwell during an exam without a doctor’s certificate is not possible.
A Balanced Study Routine
Within the College our Year 12 students have been focused on and preparing for all their upcoming Trial examinations. When looking ahead to a time of examinations, we remind students not to lose sight of their health and well-being. Regular exercise or activity away from the desk and computer screen is needed. In recent years students have found success in “walk and talk” time, revising as they pace around outdoors, or study afternoons at a local library when their individual focus needs a boost.
Connecting with the outside world and connecting with peers who are sharing the Trials experience can be effective circuit breakers to increasing anxiety. Healthy eating and sleeping patterns also have a critical role to play. The temptation to stay up late to study can interrupt sleep patterns and can also leave our students worrying at an isolated time when the rest of the house is sleeping.
Engaging your sons and daughters in a clear discussion about how the family can support their examination experience is of value. These discussions can open up the space to work through their individual study plans, study timetables and strategies around exercise and contact with peers.
For many students the Trials are the first extended examination experience where they are only at school for exams and the family are out at work and school. Working through their plans, appreciating the newness of the experience, is one way of showing an understanding of the importance of these weeks in their world. If any assistance is needed please contact our Year 12 Pastoral Coordinator, Mrs Louisa Patten, or our Director of Pastoral Care, Mrs Lora Segrave or myself via the College Office.
NAPLAN Online School Readiness Test
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses the literacy and numeracy skills of students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, in schools across Australia. In 2018, NAPLAN began moving from pencil and paper tests to online tests in some states and territories. The NAPLAN Online School Readiness Test is a practice test before NSW starts moving to an online platform for NAPLAN Reading, Writing, Grammar and Spelling Conventions and Numeracy tests.
In 2019, Marian Catholic College will be completing all NAPLAN tests utilising the online method. The move to NAPLAN Online means new benefits including better assessment and greater student engagement for our students.
To successfully facilitate our move to this online platform, students in Year 7 and 9 will participate in two School Readiness Tests during Week 6 of Term 3, on Monday August 27 and Wednesday August 29. It is an opportunity for schools to become familiar with the NAPLAN Online tests, to identify any technical or administrative issues, as well as allowing students and teachers to familiarise themselves with the online system and experience this new test delivery method. Since these online tests are not assessments, they will not be marked and results will not be distributed to schools and parents.
For more information, please visit the following web link: https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment
Transition Program – Session Two
Session Two of our MCC Transition Program with the Year 6 students of St Mary’s Yoogali, St Patrick’s Griffith and students from the local public schools occurred this week. The session focused on the comprehension strategy of making inferences through exploring mathematical inquiry, design experimentation and problem solving in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Teachers, Mrs Maureen Shannon, Mr Lee Summerville, Mrs Evelina Blanco and Mrs Belinda Aventi, team-taught to provide the students with a two-hour learning sequence, exploring authentic learning experiences of collaborative inquiry in problem solving and critical thinking skills for STEM contexts. Feedback from the students and the Year 6 teachers detailed that both Mathematics and STEM experiences were extremely enjoyable and that they all learnt a lot about the skills and thinking required to solve complex mathematical problems and to design and test a solid and functional swinging tower model.
I wish to extend my thanks to all the teachers involved in facilitating Session Two of our successful Transition Program, and I also wish to thank Miss Brittany Crofts for her work in supporting me to lead this fantastic initiative between Marian Catholic College and the feeder Primary Schools in Griffith. The Year 6 students will be returning to MCC for the third session of the Transition Program in early Term Four.
Wishing you all the best for a safe and happy weekend.
Mrs Tonetta Iannelli
Assistant Principal