Lowanna College

College Updates 

Homework Club

Homework Club runs every Monday after school in the Library from 3.15 - 4.30pm. Staff from all different subject areas are available to offer support.

General Office

NAPLAN 2022

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2022 for Years 7 and 9 will occur between Tuesday 10th  May and Friday 20th May. In 2022, for the first time at Lowanna, the test window for NAPLAN has been increased due to the technical requirements for this test to be administered online. The online testing platform is adaptive, ensuring that each test is more accurately pitched to individual student ability levels. NAPLAN tests the skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. Literacy and numeracy skills are a critical foundation for other learning and for productive and rewarding participation in the larger community.

 

It is important to remember that NAPLAN is not about passing and failing, but about assessing your child’s learning progress.

The adaptive online testing will give a much more detailed and accurate assessment of the learning capabilities and needs of individual students than the paper tests of the past.

  • At the classroom level, NAPLAN is one of a number of important tools used by teachers to measure your child’s progress. Teachers use this information to challenge high performing students and identify students who require extra support. Importantly, NAPLAN starts a conversation about strategies to best support your child’s future learning.
  • Schools use NAPLAN results to identify strengths and weaknesses in teaching programs and to set goals for numeracy and literacy. Programs can be changed and modified for different year level needs.
  • NAPLAN results are directly linked to the funding support Lowanna receives for programs such as the Middle Year Literacy and Numeracy Support initiative (MYLNS). It is essential that all students sit NAPLAN if we are to continue to receive this vital support.
  • Although no preparation or study is required, the NAPLAN tests expose your child to a formal testing process which will enable them to build academic resilience and stamina for later years.
  • In keeping with Lowanna’s culture of high expectations, NAPLAN data will be used to recognise and celebrate student growth and achievement.

 

NAPLAN is about driving student growth and improvement at Lowanna. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that your child actively participate in NAPLAN. As a consequence of the cancellation of NAPLAN testing in 2020 and the ongoing educational impacts of the global COVID pandemic, the information Lowanna obtains from the tests this year will be even more vital in determining educational interventions to support future success for every one of our students.

 

Please, help us, help your children.

More detailed information for families will follow at the beginning of term two.

Science Update

Check out what students have been up to in Science so far!

 

Year 7

Students have been learning about equipment and their function whilst conducting experiments. Students across Year 7 have also earned their Bunsen burner licences.

 

Year 8

Students have been learning about body systems. Students have spent time researching specific systems before moving onto learning about the Respiratory and Circulatory systems. In the Year 8 photos, students were measuring their vital air capacity.

 

Kirsty Spiers

Science Leader

Carnevale Celebrations in Year 8 Italian

During the term, the Italian class studied the tradition of ‘Carnevale’ which takes place throughout Italy in the lead up to Easter. Not only did they study the unique and colourful ways in which each ‘region’ of Italy celebrates this tradition, but they also made their own “Carnevale’ inspired masks. Several of the students also researched and made traditional ‘Carnevale’ sweets which they shared during a ‘Carnevale’ class party.

Out of Home Care Carers Morning Tea

This week the Wellbeing team hosted a morning tea to acknowledge the incredible work our carers of students in Out of Home Care do.

 

It was wonderful to see staff come along for a visit and chat with carers. This was a great opportunity for carers to connect with each other, share resources, get to know more about the school and meet key staff. The Wellbeing team provided resource packs with information about supports and programs the school is involved in.

 

We look forward to future morning teas and supporting the great work these people do.