Assistant Principal  -Curriculum

AP Curriculum Newsletter Article - Week 4 Term 3

Dear parents/caregivers, staff, students and friends,

My newsletter article today covers a variety of topics, some of which I know are covered in other parts of this newsletter.

Major Works

At this time of the year, all the Year 12 Major Works are being prepared for submission.  I’ve had the privilege of seeing most of these and they are impressive.  I’d like to thank our students from Design and Technology, Visual Arts, Textiles, Music Ext, Dance, Music 1, Music 2 and Extension 2 English.  There was a showcase of the D&T and Textiles major works yesterday.  Here are a few of them.

Year 11 and 12 Exams

As I wrote about last week, we have examinations coming up for Year 12 and Year 11.  Year 12 have their Trial Examinations next week and the week after.  I have pasted their timetable below.  There is also a copy of the slides presentation I went through yesterday with Yr 12.

Year 12 Trial Timetable

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XrdotRaYfGZ7EriHeu2rZLtMMLCdam24BmHzhX4xNhE/edit?usp=sharing

Slides presentation about the Trials at O'Connor (We went through this at PAC Thursday morning)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1T9TgzqVuJ5h4NqHeHli9Cr9aM4suF6fKwdJSoCg3f3U/edit?usp=sharing

We have made the commitment to employ the exam supervisors for the HSC, led by presiding officer Kerry Steller, to supervise our Trial Exams.  This is to give our students an idea of how the HSC exams are run during the trials.

The Year 11 Examinations are approaching fast, too.  These happen in Week 9 this term are the third and final assessment task for most courses.

Year 11 Examination Timetable (Week 9 Term 3)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YFYPsa95SiVN2ct4DGe3_kV72dUPdyGcZk8qN8KUCU4/edit?usp=sharing

Consistency and Expectations

As a whole staff, we have been looking at what works and what can be improved in our day to day operations at school.  At the Wednesday afternoon staff meeting in week 2 we split into groups and discussed the ways our classes could be improved.  We decided phone use by students and entering and exiting the room are areas where improvements are needed.  So, starting next week we will be asking all students to line up outside the room before each lesson starts.  The thinking is this will give a settled start to each lesson.  We will also be working on the end of lessons, with two key phrases: “Work until the bell” and “The bell doesn’t dismiss you, the teacher does.”  We will wait on the phone issue until we have guidance from Catholic Schools NSW and the Catholic Schools Office as they will provide guidance on how they think we will adopt or adapt the NSW State Schools ban on phones that is due to start in Term 4.

Farewell Mrs Clare Healy

In closing, I’d like to thank Mrs Healy for leading our college over the past year and a half.  I have worked very closely with her and have always appreciated her dedication, determination and ideas.  I wish Clare luck as she enters the next phase of her life.  Here is a photo from one of her first days at O’Connor as she was talking to the new Year 7 students in 2022.

Conclusion

As I always say, thanks to you all for your support of our great school.  As a school leader, I am forever grateful to our families for choosing to trust us with the education of your children and young adults.  I feel honoured to care for them each day.

Mr Stephen Chapman

Assistant Principal - Curriculum

Never stop learning; for when we stop learning, we stop growing  - Jack Lewman