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.

A very Happy New Year to our community and a warm welcome to the 2023 school year. I hope the holidays provided an opportunity to rest and recharge, and to do things that aren't always possible to do during the busy school year. It was wonderful to welcome our Year 7 and Year 12 students back to school on Tuesday, and our Year 8 to 11 students on Wednesday. I also extend a warm welcome to our new students across Years 8 to 12 who begin their learning journey with us this year. Our students are the heartbeat of our school, and they make our learning environment so vibrant. We wish our students all the best for their studies in 2023. 

I pray for our students, staff and community as we begin another exciting school year.

Dear Father, We come before you asking for your divine guidance and blessings as we embark on a brand new school year.

We ask that You would keep us safe and protected throughout the days ahead. Give us strength and courage to face new challenges and push through difficult times.

Help us to focus on our studies and stay motivated in our pursuits of knowledge. Let us always remember why we are here, to learn and grow and become the best versions of ourselves.

Bless each of us with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding that will help us excel in this upcoming school year.

Lead us with Your guiding grace and keep us following the path You have set forth. Amen.

(Source: https://catholicreadings.org/school-prayer/)

Congratulations to the class of 2022

Congratulations to the class of 2022 students, who deservedly celebrated some outstanding VCE results when they were released in December last year. The class of 2022 approached last year with great commitment and endeavour and they were richly rewarded for their efforts when the VCE and VCAL results were released on Monday 12 December.

We congratulate all of our VCE and VCAL students for the results they achieved. I hope you spent some time reflecting on the year that was and what you accomplished throughout the year. We are conscious that an ATAR score is just one aspect of a student’s education and the class of 2022 is well equipped for a bright future in whatever field they choose to pursue. This year begins a new and exciting chapter for you and we wish you all the very best in your future endeavours.

To the class of 2023

I wish you all the very best as you begin your final year of secondary education. To all our students across Years 11 and 12 studying a Unit 3 and 4 subject this year or VCE VM/VPC program, I wish you great success in your studies. 

The Parents Website has some interesting articles to support senior secondary students. Two articles that may help parents support their child through their final year of secondary education are:

https://theparentswebsite.com.au/vce-parents-childs-cheerleader-tips/

https://theparentswebsite.com.au/atar-surprise-tips-and-advice-on-what-to-do/

2023 NAPLAN Dates

In 2023, NAPLAN will occur in Term 1 on the following days:

• Wednesday 15th March
• Thursday 16th March
• Friday 17th March

I will provide further information as planning for this year’s NAPLAN continues.

Home Study Guidelines

At St Mary MacKillop College it is believed that home study provides the opportunity for students to be responsible for their own learning. Home study complements and reinforces classroom learning; it fosters life-long learning, self-discipline, concentration and effective study habits and routines.

Home study should require a reasonable commitment, but it should not be too onerous. Students should plan their home study to take into account their family, sporting and work commitments. Throughout a student’s secondary education they must prepare for a very competitive educational climate.

At St Mary MacKillop College, the time and frequency of home study is different for each year level. In Years 7 -9, home study may include regular English and Mathematics homework tasks, revising for assessment tasks, reading of newspapers, watching the news, physical skills training or assignment and project completion. Home study also includes completion of formal reflection activities such as mind maps and a summary of the day’s learning. In Years 10 – 12 home study is determined more by the specific subject requirements.

Year 7 

Students should be completing an average of 2 hours of home study educational learning per week. 

Year 8

Students should be completing an average of 2.5 hours of home study educational learning per week.

Year 9

Students should be completing an average of 3 hours of home study educational learning per week.

Year 10

Monday – Thursday night, students should be completing a minimum of 45 minutes of home study.

Unit 1 & 2 VCE, VET & VCE VM/VPC

Students should be completing a minimum of two hours home study, per week, for each subject that they study.

Unit 3 & 4 VCE

Students should be completing a minimum of three hours home study, per week, for each subject that they study.

All Year 12 and some Year 11 students have study lessons in their timetable. Students should maximise the use of this time.

MacBook Information Session for Parents

On Monday 30th January we ran an information session on our MacBook program for our new Year 7 parents and families across Years 8 to 12. Please find here a recorded version of the presentation.